Mike Pegg
Mike Pegg is a British writer and mentor who has helped to pioneer the strengths approach to working with people. He has written many books on the topic. These include The Art of Mentoring, The SUPER Teams Book and Strengths Coaching In 90 Minutes (the latter co-authored with Sue Moore). The strengths approach is now acknowledged as having a key part to play in education, work, organisations, sports and all walks of life.
Biography
Pegg was born in Leeds, England, in 1944. He grew up in Derbyshire, left school at 15 and worked in a factory for six years. He was given the chance to work with people by Community Service Volunteers. This eventually led to him running therapeutic communities for young people. Pegg’s early work was captured in the 1972 BBC documentary Escape To Fulfillment, which highlighted his role in running Lancaster House in Richmond. The approach taken was to encourage young people: a) To take responsibility for shaping their futures; b) To build on their talents. The strengths philosophy was somewhat unusual at the time, but produced excellent results. Pegg moved-on to applying it in many different fields. For example, working with teachers, leaders, sports people, teams and organisations. During the next 30 years his work and books encouraged many people to build on their strengths.
Quotes
- “Everybody is an artist, everybody is creative. Everybody can build-on activities in which they deliver A’s. They can also learn tools for managing the consequences of their B’s or C’s.”
- "People can follow their vocation, find the right vehicle and do valuable work. Your vocation remains constant but, over the years, you will employ different vehicles for expressing it on the way towards doing valuable work. You never retire from your vocation."
- "People want three things from work--money, meaning and magic. Money feeds The Stomach, but meaning and magic feed the spirit and the soul."
- "Mentors create a stimulating sanctuary. They help the mentee to focus on their challenges, choices, consequences, creative solutions and conclusions. Mentors pass-on knowledge and practical tools that the mentee can use to achieve their picture of perfection."
- "Educators focus on the 3 I’s: inspiration, implementation and integration. They create an inspiring environment, provide implementation tools that work and help people to integrate the learning in their daily work and lives."
- "Super teams have a compelling purpose and translate this into a picture of perfection. They are made up of people who have ‘similarity of spirit’ and ‘diversity of strengths’. They do professional work and solve problems. Super teams then mobilise people’s strengths to add that touch of magic and deliver peak performances.
Bibliography
Pegg published several books in Scandinavia in the 1970s and 80s. These are no longer in print. The following books have been published in the UK, with other editions being published in various countries.
- Positive Leadership, Management Books 2000, (1994).
- The Positive Planet, Enhance, (1996).
- The Positive Workbook, Management Books 2000, (1997).
- The Art of Encouragement, Management Books 2000, (1997).
- The Art of Mentoring, Management Books 2000, (1999).
- The Magic of Work, Management Books 2000, (2002).
- The Super Teams Book, Management Books 2000, (2002).
- The Mentor’s Book, Management Books 2000, (2003).
- The Class Act Book, Management Books 2000, (2004).
- Strengths Coaching in 90 Minutes (co-authored with Sue Moore), Management Books 2000, (2005)
- The Strengths Way, Management Books 2000, (2007).