This week, a year after I started, I got my Certificate of Engagement from IAP2 Australasia. The course has been a whirlwind trip through the IAP2 approach to public participation and engagement, which has definitely made me think more carefully about how to engage with people in a meaningful way, as I move through theContinue reading “Certificated!”
Category Archives: Organisations
Connecting through COVID
It’s not a unique insight to say that one of the casualties of COVID has been social connection within teams. The team I lead at the moment has had a particular challenge because we underwent a restructure during COVID. While less than ideal, there were a number of reasons that meant I couldn’t delay. SoContinue reading “Connecting through COVID”
Damned transitions
The last 18 months or so have been a period of leadership transition at Uniting, where I work. In July 2019 our then CEO announced that he would be retiring. During the course of the search for his replacement, the Board Chair expressed her interest in the role and was selected. That meant finding aContinue reading “Damned transitions”
What remote workers teach us about leadership
I do a lot of thinking about new ways of working. Firstly, because of the focus on organisational issues during my Masters, and working for over a year for the Centre for Workplace Leadership at the University of Melbourne. Secondly, because of the work with Freelance Australia, and curating content for our community. Thirdly, becauseContinue reading “What remote workers teach us about leadership”
Some thoughts for job-seekers
I’ve done quite a bit of recruiting this year, either for my own posts, or being on the panel for colleagues. Luckily I met some really accomplished people and have put together what I think is a great team. But some of the experience was quite exasperating, so I wrote some advice to people applyingContinue reading “Some thoughts for job-seekers”
The value of pausing and listening
This post was originally published on 22 May 2017. I liked this piece in HBR on holding good meetings. Having sat through a fair few interminable meetings in my time, quite a lot of it resonated. One particular element made me think about a wider issue. The author writes: Pausing conveys that you’re not interested inContinue reading “The value of pausing and listening”
What’s the secret to network success?
This post was originally published on 25 August 2016 I was delighted to be invited this week to help an organisation find its network mojo. This particular network brings together academics and practitioners in a sector to spread expertise, good practices and innovation. They have had some success, but they are not sure that theyContinue reading “What’s the secret to network success?”
A different take on flexibility
The work I do at the Centre for Workplace Leadership involves thinking about a range of issues that relate to work. Flexibility has been one, with the Making Flexibility Work project and the preparations for the Future of Work conference. I’ve also been quite taken by Cal Newport’s concept of “Deep Work“, which invites us to consider that not all workContinue reading “A different take on flexibility”
Deep v shallow work
I was recently asked to be one of the guest lecturers for a new undergraduate subject at the University of Melbourne, the Future of Work. I will be leading the sessions on new forms of work and innovation & entrepreneurship. As a result, I’ve been diving even more deeply into writing about the future of workContinue reading “Deep v shallow work”
Is Whiplash a film about organisational culture?
I wrote this article for the Centre for Workplace Leadership in 2015. I got very excited when their Tweet was liked by someone that had been in the film! NB: This article discusses elements of the film. If you haven’t watched it, you might want to look away now. And go and find it, it’sContinue reading “Is Whiplash a film about organisational culture?”