THE SIX LAYERS OF INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP

BY David Pich FIML and photo by roy scott

  

One of the real privileges of leading the Institute is that I’m frequently asked to present at conferences and events. Of course, I do my very best – diary permitting – to say yes.

 

I have to say that the most enjoyable aspect of any presentation I deliver is almost always the Q&A session that follows. It’s an absolute pleasure to hear the views of the many and varied audiences (from association members, to teachers, to public sector workers, to MBA students) on management and leadership practice. Of course, like all presenters, I’m always a little nervous about the “curly questions” that might be thrown my way. These are usually those questions that reference specific companies or leaders with the ongoing Royal Commission into the financial services sector a very good case in point.

 

But the question that I always enjoy answering – and the one that I am invariably asked, albeit in a variety of slightly different guises – is “what can managers and leaders do to improve their management and leadership competence?”.

 

It was all the way back in late 2017, when I was asked this question at a conference in Brisbane, that I first used the term “intentional leader”. I used the word intentional to illustrate that managers really need to commit to being better and doing better. I wanted to emphasise that, in the vast majority of cases, good management practice doesn’t happen by accident. Of course, it can “just happen”. Some managers and leaders are fantastic at what they do because it comes naturally to them. For them (the lucky ones!) management is an effortless breeze.

 

Unfortunately, the reality is that the lucky ones are not the norm. They are the tiny minority. Just as the athlete who breezes effortlessly into the first team or who runs a sub-three-hour marathon with next to no training are the tiny minority, so the leader who leads well from day one is a very rare occurrence. For the rest of us – mere mortals – competence and good performance are a result of hours, days, weeks, months and years of practice. Improvement only occurs because we commit to being better. And that commitment is about intent.

 

Just as organisations need a vision and a strategy to head towards that vision, managers and leaders need a vision of who they want to be and how they want to manage and lead – and they need a strategy that will take them there.

 

So, when I get asked what leaders can do to be better, I refer to what IML calls “the six layers of intentional leadership”.
These are six practical things that managers and leaders
can do to improve.

 

The six layers of intentional leadership

1. Listen and ask questions. Leaders speak last

2. Find a mentor

3. Commit to self-awareness

4. Think before you act. Find time to make decisions

5. Commit to professional development

6. Reflect

 

And finally, the all-important (and yet so often forgotten) seventh layer; good leaders learn to say “thank-you”.  

 

BY David Pich FIML, chief executive of the Institute
of Managers and Leaders

 

 

 

 

Curious about how IML Membership works, and what it costs? Visit managersandleaders.com.au/join-iml/ to find out more

 

chief executive of the Institute
of Managers and Leaders

Thrown in the deep end of management

What happens when you find yourself managing people… by accident?

Not all managers start out with aspirations to become a leader. For many, it’s a role they find themselves in by accident; one for which they’ve never been adequately prepared. It can happen if you stay at a company for a long time, and rise up through the ranks ‘by default’ as your superiors move on. It can happen if you start a solo enterprise that suddenly morphs into a bigger business. It can even happen when you’re assigned new duties during a company re-structure – and no one bothers to ask if you’re able or willing to perform them.

All the scenarios above can place a person in the uncomfortable position of being an ‘accidental manager’. While some rise to the challenge and quickly find their feet, others are quite conscious that there are things they ‘could’ or ‘should’ be doing to manage people better – yet they have no idea what those things are. In Australia, management has previously been a somewhat invisible skill; something people assume we can all do naturally (much like raising a baby that’s been suddenly thrust into your arms).

Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Good managers aren’t born, they’re made. It’s not enough to rely on the learning by ‘just doing it’ – leadership calls for skills that must be taught. Things like developing skills in others, performance management and conflict resolution. Skills to cope with situations that, outside management, you’re unlikely to encounter.

It’s easy to see why accidental managers are costing their employers money and lost productivity. Managers have the greatest single impact on staff retention and engagement. Gallup recently identified that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement. It’s no wonder that 91% of Australian CEO’s believe leadership skills are the number one priority for learning and development.

The issues with Australia’s laid-back attitude to management is that legions of accidental managers are going about their business, with a creeping uncertainty that they’re actually ‘doing it right’. It was this key insight that inspired (IML) to re-brand last year with such a pointed focus on intentional leadership – and it’s this issue that we’re working hard to address.

So how do you avoid becoming an accidental manager?

For those who are on the brink of management (or hope to be soon), it’s worth taking a look at our Foundations of Intentional Leadership Program. This is a practical program where emerging leaders come together and learn the core fundamentals to get them off on the right foot. Over 12 weeks, including six face-to-face sessions, the program offers greater self-awareness through diagnostic tools, one-on-one coaching and mentoring, as well as access to IML’s impressive online Learning Management System – plus, the cost includes the annual IML Membership fee, making it easier to stay in the leadership loop once the program finishes.

“We know that people are being thrust into management roles, often because they’re great individual contributors – but this is not the same as managing a team,” says Sam Bell FIML General Manager, Corporate Services & Research chat IML. “These people really need support, especially if they’re suddenly having to manage people who were previously peers or friends. Through the program, we look at all sorts of challenges that can crop up, such as having difficult conversations, and provide practical ways to approach them. It’s a great way for emerging leaders to get the type of support they won’t automatically receive at work.”

And what if you already are an accidental manager?

“It’s never too late to get some formal training,” says Sam Bell.” Even if you’re a seasoned manager who’s confident in your skills, it can help to have some external support and recognition. We introduced the Chartered Manager  professional accreditation in Australia for this very reason – it’s an internationally recognised designation that gives experienced managers the chance to demonstrate competence and professionalise their skills.”

Wherever you are in the leadership journey, it’s important to know you’re not alone. Managing a team can be tough – but it doesn’t have to be an isolating experience. By connecting with networks like IML, you can get the learning through innovative leadership programs and meet people who get what you’re going through. And by getting your leadership foundations right from the start, you can enjoy a career that’s full of intent and purpose – and success that’s far from accidental.


To find out more about the Foundations of Intentional Leadership join us on July 17th for a free webinar. Register today!

There are limited places available in IML’s Foundations of Intentional Leadership Development Program. Register today: https://managersandleaders.alphasys.com.au/foundations-intentional-leadership/

CAREER DOCTOR: AN IML SPECIALIST TAKES A PROBLEM TO TASK.

BY PETER CULLEN MIML

Stepping out of your comfort zone and into the unknown

It is quite normal to have our thoughts and emotions hijacked by anxiousness when preparing to take on a new role, project or team. We can become overwhelmed with these thoughts and emotions to the point where we are not thinking clearly or perhaps even rationally. And we haven’t actually done anything yet.

Let’s take a step back in time. The people who made the decision to place this higher level of responsibility on you did so because they believe you are the best person for the role. They believe you are capable of achieving their desired outcomes. They believe you have the capacity to learn and grow in this new role and to be the person they need to grow the company in the future. They should also understand that learning and growing takes time, commitment and support from both sides.

 

There are some essential building blocks that will help you move forward with confidence. 

 Clarity: Seek as much clarity and truth about your role, responsibilities and reporting lines as possible. There is a need for discussions on expectations of those you will be reporting to, those who report to you and vice versa. Research the teams’ history to understand previous concerns and successes. When you have this clarity, you are better able to ascertain your own strengths that will support you in your new role and more clearly identify your development needs. Having this knowledge removes the unknowns and diminishes your potential to be anxious from over thinking the reality of the role.

 

Action: We will often need courage to make decisions and take action in areas which are new to us. Having personal one-on-ones with team members is a great way to create a mutual understanding of each other as people and respective capabilities. Exploring each other’s thinking typically results in better ideas while making it easier to assign tasks, delegate and to build a collaborative environment which often leads to more substantial outcomes. Your team and manager will expect you to be decisive and take action when necessary.

 

Practice: Remember, taking action also means we make mistakes. How we react to a mistake makes an enormous difference to establishing self confidence in our role. Knowing it is an inherent component of the learning process means we take the opportunity to be open and honest about our mistakes, seek advice or greater understanding from the person we report to, a peer or colleague and then implement it. Through consistent practice, focus and determination we will learn to get it right and continue to progress in our role. Honest self-reflection and feedback from others will help to continuously improve our current and newly learned capabilities whilst identifying new opportunities for personal and professional development.

 

Authenticity: Knowing and living your personal values goes a very long way in establishing yourself as the person you really are rather the person you believe other people want you to be. Being open, honest and transparent in your dealings with others in an appropriate and respectful way helps others to see you as a person more worthy of their trust. And that is the foundation stone for people believing in you as a role model.

 

Be true to yourself and move forward quietly, calmly confident

 

 

 

Peter Cullen is an education and training facilitator who teaches IML Education and training courses.

Each three-day program engages participants in developing and implementing their capabilities as managers and leaders.

 

 

 


MAKE YOUR MARK. GO CHARTERED 

Chartered Manager (CMgr) is the internationally-recognised professional designation accrediting management and leadership excellence.
The highest status that can be achieved as a manager and leader, it allows managers to professionalise their leadership skills and stand out in a competitive global market.
Focused on Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Chartered Manager is awarded on experience, expertise and a commitment to management and leadership.

For more details visit Chartered Manager

The courage to lead

IN 2007, LORNA WORTHINGTON PUT HER HAND UP TO BE A CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION TO THE CITY OF BUNBURY COUNCIL IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. THAT WAS WHEN SHE REALISED INVESTING IN HERSELF — AND HER LEADERSHIP SKILLS — WAS A LOGICAL STEP IN SELF-DEVELOPMENT.

STORY NICOLA FIELD | PHOTOGRAPHY CAMERON RAMSAY

Lorna Worthington CMgr FIML is Managing Director and Principal Strategist of management consultancy Baker Worthington. Her interest in developing management and leadership skills began many years ago when she was elected to the City of Bunbury Council in Western Australia. At that point Worthington enrolled in a Master of Leadership and Management because “I felt I owed it to the community to be the best leader I could be”.

Worthington admits the investment in herself paid off. And her leadership journey has continued to this day. She recently become a Chartered Manager (CMgr) through IML, a process Worthington describes as “amazing”. She takes up the story saying, “Despite having a number of other professional qualifications I’m sure I didn’t get off any more lightly than others in relation to the questions the assessors asked and the thought I had to put into answering each question.”

“That process enabled me to reflect quite considerably on the business and on the people that work with me – and what it is I really do.”

Along with the global recognition and portability of the qualification, Worthington says a key benefit of becoming a Chartered Manager through IML was reflecting on pivotal issues such as “am I saying or am I doing? And if I am doing, what impact is it having?” She explains, “This was very much the essence of the questions that were put forward.”

For Worthington, gaining formal recognition of her skills as a manager and leader was a critical driver. “Management and leadership is not recognised as a profession in its own right,” she notes. “I think the Chartered Manager designation is at least an attempt to rectify that. The landscape is changing and it’s important that individuals can validate their experience, so the designation is definitely helping to carve out a profession in its own right.”

From here, Worthington is focused on continuing her professional development as a Chartered Manager. She says, “Professional development is about using, developing and expanding on what it is that we are learning. That’s a real shift; not just doing it, but holding each other to account for doing it.”

Recently, Margot Smith, IML’s General Manager Membership — Strategy & Engagement, caught up with Lorna Worthington to discuss her views about leading, managing and inspiring both her team and her clients.


Margot Smith:   Lorna, in business you’re effectively selling the talents of your team. How do you get your people to buy into the values of the organisation?

Lorna Worthington:   I built the organisation based on what I have learnt over many years. Selling your organisation is easy if you really believe in your values, and people can see the values transpiring. Qualities such as honesty, integrity, courage, valuing people and creativity – these are all things that people will readily buy into. As long as you espouse these values, people can see that you operate by them.

My team, the people who work with me, are fabulous and they’re all unique with lots to contribute. They absolutely live and breathe our values. It’s pretty easy to get engaged with us, because you feel it, you don’t just see it.

MS:   Do you recruit based on these values or do you believe top talent can be encouraged to take on an organisation’s values?

LW:   I have a unique way of having people come and work with us. I like to understand what really motivates a person, what they’re passionate about, and what it is they think that they have to offer. Based on that I dare to ask, “what is it you think that Worthington could offer if you came on board?” Job candidates get quite excited about that. So, I often recruit people based on what it is that they’re passionate about and what it is the “Bank of Worthington” can sell to them.

MS:   How do you live up to valuing the individual on a practical level?

LW:   Everybody has their own way of working; everyone has their own habits and idiosyncrasies. We encourage each other to be who we are and to be valued for that. When you get to know people you end up in a great place because people are a lot more giving and it creates some resilience.

The other aspect around valuing individuals is in relation to how you operate. It doesn’t matter what level a person is if we’re labelling people, what matters is that they have the freedom to speak and to create and to have a voice. We try to flatten the organisation in relation to brainstorming because it doesn’t matter who you are, you can contribute to making the organisation successful.

MS:   It sounds like you create an environment where everyone can bounce off each other and thrive on each other’s individuality, thoughts and ideas. Could you describe how it feels to walk into that culture and environment?

LW:   The feeling is one of ease. When you come into the organisation you see people engaging with each other, people are spontaneous, they are respectful, and they encourage each other. The atmosphere is quite energetic, electric and there’s passion around. You can feel the camaraderie, the creativity and you can feel the willingness and the want to be there.

I’m privileged having people like that around me. They go above and beyond on a regular basis. It’s just amazing, that essence, that sense of engagement.

MS:   Not everyone is comfortable with change, yet you encourage individuals to contribute to the future. How do you develop and encourage the spirit of innovation among your team, and also among your clients?

LW:   We don’t talk about “change”. There’s a western way of talking about change and it’s very linear, with a beginning and an end. But most people feel that the end never actually comes, so don’t worry about it because someone else will change their mind shortly, and so on.

I’m very cautious about this notion of change. We talk about the evolution whereby, in fact, as things evolve they grow into whatever that new end point might be. People aren’t then pressured with the stress of change, they embrace it. They embrace the feeling of continually contributing to whatever the end point is.

MS:   I like that because there’s often a negative connotation with change. People talk about change fatigue. What about that spirit of innovation in general? How do you foster an environment of innovation?

LW:   First of all by valuing your staff. Valuing people at all levels, all walks of life. Grand innovations come from conversation, from an environment of safety, an environment of non-competitiveness and certainly non-ego.

MS:   The pitfall of being a micro-manager can be hard to avoid for those coming up through leadership ranks. How can leaders break away from this and take a big picture view?

LW:   It’s important for leaders and managers to know themselves really well and to be accountable for how people develop around them. Micro managing tends to come from a personality trait – and sometimes, insecurities. I find it particularly useful when you know you have a particular trait to call it out. That way, if you’re micro managing then your staff would know it, and secondly, someone would have the courage to say “Could you give me a little bit of extra leeway on this”, or “I don’t need quite that much supervision”.

I think it’s important for leaders and managers to be reflective and to understand their impact on others.

MS:   Negotiation is obviously a key skill. What do you believe are some of the key aspects of being a good negotiator?

LW:   Honesty, integrity, respect, don’t win at all costs. Negotiation is an art. There’s a fine line between negotiation and selling. If you’re genuinely negotiating, then you’re looking for a good outcome for all parties.

MS:   For emerging leaders thinking about moving into strategy or management consultancy, what should they consider on their career path?

LW:   Definitely consider organisational behaviour, but more than just the theory side of it. When you are going into an organisation and coming in as the assumed expert, you don’t actually have to be the expert, but you have to be good at hearing what people are saying. You have to understand the dynamics of the organisation, what’s really going on. If you’re going to be responsible for assisting people who develop strategy you must get in deep and understand what it is they’re trying to achieve.

MS:   What kind of skills does a strategy management consultant need? We talked about an open mind, and active listening skills. What else do you think there is?

LW:   That’s an interesting question for me, who generally recruits based on a person’s passion and whatever skill set they bring to an organisation at any point in time. I often talk about leadership management being a skill in its own right. It’s the same as being an engineer or a nurse, it’s just not recognised that way. If you do leadership management well, you can do anything. You can learn the subject matter.

What I look for are people who have the ability to lead and to manage, and get the best out of different teams.

You’re also leading and managing organisations because people look up to you, and people try to have a voice through you. So managing the voice in a really appropriate way that benefits the organisation and keeps the person or people sharing that information safe is quite an art.


Leadership in 60 seconds

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat?
Facebook.

Phone, Email, or face-to-face?
Definitely face-to-face.

Which leader do you admire and why?
Julia Gillard. She’s done amazing things and she’s been so courageous. She has absolutely put herself out there and has copped a lot for it but is still resilient and is still motivating to people that aspire, women especially.

Sum up your view of leadership in just three words.
Courage, integrity, and resilience.

Complete the sentence, leadership matters because…
You impact people’s lives, every day.

Which three guests would you invite to dinner to discuss leadership?
Napoleon, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King. I think that you would learn a whole lot in your living room.


MAKE YOUR MARK. GO CHARTERED 

Chartered Manager (CMgr) is the internationally-recognised professional designation accrediting management and leadership excellence.
The highest status that can be achieved as a manager and leader, it allows managers to professionalise their leadership skills and stand out in a competitive global market.
Focused on Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Chartered Manager is awarded on experience, expertise and a commitment to management and leadership.

For more details visit Chartered Manager

Mrs Mac’s recipe for retention Test

And why IML’s National Salary Survey is a key ingredient

Founded in the 1950s, Mrs Mac’s has grown from being a humble bakery to become a household name – now producing over 100 million pies, sausage rolls and other pastry products each year. While the quality of Mrs Mac’s product hasn’t changed over the years, the business itself definitely has. Today, Mrs Mac’s has a team of over 300 working across Australia and New Zealand – a far cry from the small family-run shop it once was. What’s impressive about this evolution is that so many of Mrs Mac’s people have stayed loyal throughout the process – a testament to the strength and consistency of the company’s culture.

 

Mrs Mac’s has been using and contributing to IML’s National Salary Survey for many years now, so we took the opportunity to chat to them about the survey – and the role it plays in their retention strategy. Here’s what Mrs Mac’s HR Manager, Toni Gray, had to say.

 

As Mrs Mac’s HR Manager, you’re responsible for all things HR – quite a broad job! What aspects do you find most challenging?

“At this point in time, I think staff engagement. We know that a number of factors feed into this – there’s pay, but then there’s also the general feel and culture of the business, and the way in which it evolves. As we seek to do things smarter, we make changes that we feel will add value or enhance the employee experience – but when you have a workforce with great retention and tenure, they’re sometimes not as used to change so we have to manage that effectively.”

 

Your average staff tenure is around seven years, and your pastry chef John Miller has been with the company for over 40 years. How do you explain this great retention?

“At Mrs Mac’s we’ve always worked hard to maintain an open culture with family values, and make it a great workplace for everyone – whether they’re working in the office or the factory. People are here for many hours each week, and we want those hours to be enjoyable. To achieve this, we run staff events once or twice a month that are accessible to everyone – from ‘bring your kids to work’ days, to talks from super or healthcare providers, to pizza lunches. Our products are freely available in our staff kitchens.

 

At Mrs Mac’s we promote a culture where people are allowed to learn from their mistakes, rather than getting in trouble for them. People are encouraged to ask questions, and have a bit of fun! We also like to give our people the chance to weigh in on decisions we make, so we run polls and surveys a few times a year. To keep people connected, we have a bi-monthly newsletter that includes things like a staff spotlight, recognising people and teams who are doing a great job. Our annual employee engagement survey also gives people a good opportunity to provide feedback – and we’re always conscious to report back to employees on how this has been actioned. There’s no point asking if people feel that their feedback has gone into a vacuum.”

 

What role has the National Salary Survey played in your retention strategy? What inspires you to keep using it?

“Mrs Mac’s was using the NSS even before I came on board – but I’ve always seen the value in these resources. I particularly like the NSS because we contributed to the survey, so I know our pay structure has been taken into account. We use the NSS as a key part of our annual review process to make adjustments to salaries, ensuring that we’re market competitive but also internally aligned. If there have been job changes we use it to see what a job is worth; if we’re recruiting for a new position, we use it to determine what someone will be paid. We’ve also used the NSS to make sure there are no discrepancies in salaries, giving our Management team and Board the peace of mind that we’re an equal opportunity employer.

I find that the survey also helps during conversations with employees who may be requesting a raise. Salary is someone’s livelihood and linked to their self-worth – so employees really need to feel like they’ve been listened to, and given an answer that has a credible basis. With the NSS, I feel confidence in the recommendations I make. Compared to other surveys, it’s also a cost-effective solution (plus it’s updated twice a year), so we can afford to access reliable salary information that’s always current. The fact the Staff Retention Report comes as part of the package is an added bonus; it’s always interesting to see how we stack up and whether there’s anything we can learn.

 

My job is really about getting the balance between what the company needs, and what our people need. At the end of the day, we can’t be a great brand without great people. From the Board to Senior Management down to everyone on the floor, we really do have a great culture and a great team – one I’m proud to support and be part of.”

 

Curious to see what else the NSS can tell you? Why not order your copy now, or download a free sample.


A Rich Palette of Success

Investment banker, philanthropist, art collector and self-made millionaire Simon Mordant AM discusses his views on leadership, management and the valuable role art plays in the mix. Story by Anthony O’Brien and photo by Daniel Boud.

SIMON MORDANT needs little by way of introduction. Renowned as one of Australia’s most successful investment bankers, he has a powerful reputation in business advisory, having co-founded Caliburn Partnership – the firm that successfully navigated some of Australia’s biggest mergers including Westpac’s $18 billion move on St George Bank in 2008, a merger that many thought would never pass muster with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

In 2010, Mordant and his partners sold Caliburn to Greenhill & Co in a deal valued at about $200 million. But just five years later, hungry to repeat his success, he teamed up with former business partners Ron Malek and Jamie Garis to launch Luminis Partners.

Despite his undoubted mastery of the deal, Mordant is perhaps best known for his passion for the creative arts. A visit to Luminis is a visual feast, providing an opportunity to view the impressive collection of artworks Mordant has acquired over the past four decades.

Indeed, it was their philanthropic support of the arts community that thrust Mordant and his wife Catriona into the public eye. In 2010, the couple donated an incredibly generous $15 million to Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), to help to fund a new wing. As a leader of the funding campaign Mordant couldn’t make the donation anonymously, yet he admits
to being wary of the scrutiny that would inevitably follow.

Mordant recalls, “We were incredibly nervous about what the community would say. I was nervous about what my team would think. I was nervous about what my clients would think.”

The donation was critical to garnering government support and getting the project over the line. “It was a game of poker,” says Mordant. “We were both so invested in that project that we thought we’d roll the dice.”

Mordant had the winning hand. His donation sparked a $26 million contribution from the federal and NSW governments, and the new wing – the aptly named Mordant Wing — was completed in 2012, extending the size of the MCA by 50 per cent and leading to over a million visitors each year. In that same year, Mordant was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to the arts and cultural community.

It’s a far cry from the young man who arrived in Australia “with nothing”. Nothing material perhaps, but Mordant had plenty to offer the business community. He started his career in accounting – and to a large extent still works in a numbers game. However, he doesn’t see a head for figures as critical to success. Indeed, Mordant believes good leadership comes down to three key attributes.

First and foremost is the ability to distil information quickly. “There is so much information thrown at you,” he says. “Understanding what that information is, what is important and being able to interpret it is key.”

Mordant’s most critical skill is his ability to listen. “Being able to listen is very important,” he explains. “I’ve often thought that an advisor is like a corporate psychiatrist. We can’t claim to be experts in our clients’ industries, and when a client comes to us to help them through a problem, they invariably already have the answer. They may not have confidence that they have the answer, or evidence that it’s the solution they’re looking for, but they often have an intuitive sense of what will work because it’s their business.

“Where the advisor comes in is to listen, probe intelligently, ask the right questions to draw out the client in explaining what the issue is, and then brainstorm. You can’t do that if you talk all the time.”

For Mordant, the third valuable attribute is having the confidence to make decisions. He notes, “I’ve seen people who are very strong at the first and second qualities but fall at the third. And at the end of the day you’ve got to be able to make a decision. Not all your decisions are going to be perfect in hindsight, but a leader has to be able to make a decision.”
Describing his leadership style, Mordant says, “I’m a very caring person; I’ve learnt to be empathetic. I wasn’t when I first started out, but I’ve learnt that that’s very important.” He may fine-tune his style according to the situation but he believes the same skills apply.

“When I run the business I obviously have to make decisions. When I sit on the board of a not-for-profit, I’m there to challenge and support the chief executive.
So my style is a little bit different but the skills I employ are very similar. I listen, I draw out, I probe.”

NOURISHING THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN

For Mordant, engagement with the creative arts goes beyond a personal interest: it plays a noteworthy role in his business success. “Creativity and leadership are very intertwined,” he says. “In a business like ours, every problem is new and different and can’t be cookie cut. We need to provide bespoke solutions, and creativity is vital.”
This need for creativity goes a long way to explaining the pageant of artworks on display at Luminis’s offices. “I want the team to be challenged by works of art, and I want our clients to be challenged.”

Clearly, Mordant is delighted when the artworks have their desired effect. He recalls how a client waiting to speak with Mordant went missing. “I came in to welcome him and he wasn’t in the meeting room,” explains Mordant. “The door was open, and I couldn’t work out whether he’d gone to the bathroom or whatever. In fact, he was wandering around the office, just immersed in the paintings. It was fantastic.”

The ability for art and business to feed both sides of the brain matters to Mordant. “Emotional intelligence and empathy are deeply connected with leadership.” He adds, “I’ve seen incredibly smart leaders who have no emotional intelligence. And invariably those businesses are impacted by that.”

Mordant believes “all business leaders should engage with something creative outside of their business.” He says, “At the MCA, we now run a corporate program, and we’ve had a number of leadership teams hold part of their planning days in one of the creative spaces. It just takes you into a different place.”

RESILIENCE IS VITAL

Mordant’s diverse interests, and his unwavering commitment to each of them, could exact a high personal toll. It’s an area where he says resilience plays a valuable role. “The demands on leaders today are 24/7,” notes Mordant. “The way technology works, you’re accessible the whole time and that does require a high degree of resilience.”

His personal resilience is also vital to the success of his team. “In our business, transactions have a very long lead time,” explains Mordant. “If you get a project completed in nine months, that’s fast. Projects can come on and off the boil over many years, and at the end of the day, sometimes they’re not successful, they just peter out.”

“The ability to hang in there and motivate your team, who are doing the work through the ups and downs of a transaction, is really key.”

Resilience has served Mordant well in the arts community also. In late 2017 he pulled out of funding Australia’s next exhibition at the Venice Biennale when the Australia Council failed to consult major donors about changes to the arts commissioning model.

It was a very public stoush, but Mordant felt compelled to speak out.

“When you are used to being forthright in the advice you give, you need to have the same values in your personal life,” he says. “If I didn’t say something publicly, everyone would assume I was comfortable with the arrangements. I felt I had a duty to the people who had partnered with us to make my views known.”

COMMITTED TO PERSONAL WELLBEING

Mordant may have just left the board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation but his schedule hasn’t eased. He’s chair of the MCA and on the board of numerous not-for-profit organisations including the Garvan Research Foundation, MoMA PS1 in New York and the American Academy in Rome, to name a few. He also chairs the Barangaroo Lend Lease Public Art Program, with a $40 million budget to put public art at Barangaroo.

Such commitments can often involve a smorgasbord of social engagement. Down the years, that caught up with Mordant.

“Sitting down at 9pm at a function, if there were bread rolls there, I’d eat them,” he recalls. “If there was bad wine there, I’d drink it.”

With his weight topping 120 kilograms, Mordant admits, “I couldn’t buy any clothes from a shop; everything had to be made.”

The lightbulb moment came when he left Caliburn, and headed to Italy for a year. “When I was in Sydney, I was out every night. I couldn’t control my environment, whereas sitting on the top of a mountain in Italy, I was in a completely controlled environment and I thought I’d try and lose 20 kilos.”

The basis of Mordant’s weight loss success was simple.

He explains, “I just reprogrammed my brain. I cut out carbs, bread, rice, sugar, potatoes and pasta. It didn’t mean I didn’t put bad things in my mouth occasionally, but it became a conscious decision. I cut out wine too, and as a partner in a winery that was pretty challenging.”

Mordant didn’t just lose 20 kilos: he lost 60 – half his original body weight. And his best tip for managing well-being as a business professional is: “Think about what you put in your mouth. It’s a pretty simple thing to do, but for 55 years of my life, I never thought about it.”

Leadership in 60 seconds

EARLY IN YOUR CAREER WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF LEADERSHIP ADVICE YOU WERE GIVEN?

Listen, don’t talk.

WHICH LEADER HAVE YOU LEARNT FROM MOST DURING YOUR CAREER?

Let me answer that in two ways. The leader I learnt the most from during my career would have to be Giles Kryger, who was the Managing Partner of Ord Minnett, when I was there in the early 1980s. The business leader I have admired most during my career is Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas.

NAME THREE LEADERS IN THE ARTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES WHO YOU ADMIRE?

The first one has to be Liz Ann Macgregor, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. The second would be Justin Milne, Chair of the ABC. Third would be Glyn Davis, outgoing Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.

WHICH LEADERSHIP BOOK DO YOU MOST RECOMMEND?

That’s a no-brainer for me, Good to Great by Jim Collins. The way Collins contrasted the best performing companies in their sectors with the worst performing companies, to draw out a set of characteristics around leadership in the successful companies versus leadership in the unsuccessful companies was fascinating. I’ve applied some of those learnings to Australian companies, and it’s very illuminating.

NAME THREE QUALITIES THAT A LEADER CAN’T SUCCEED WITHOUT?

Empathy. Listening skills. Decisiveness.

COMPLETE THE SENTENCE. LEADERSHIP MATTERS BECAUSE…

Everything is changing rapidly and you must be able to lead your organisation through change, in order to meet its ambitions.

The ‘Intentional Leader’ in the age of work/life blend

Way back in 1994 I took delivery of my very first (and sadly, only!) company car.

Naturally, I thought I’d made it! I thought I had finally arrived at the top of the tree. It was a bright red Renault 18 with lots of fancy stuff, like part leather seats, air-conditioning and electric windows. Oh, and a car phone. Yep, a car phone. The phone had been installed in the centre of the car between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat – where the central storage unit used to be. That had been removed to allow room for the car phone. The phone was absolutely huge. It was massive. It was the size of a small brick wall. And it was connected to its base station by a 2-meter curly, black plastic cable.

When I jumped into the car for the very first time, the very first thing I wanted to do was call somebody. Of course I did! – I had my first company car and it had a phone – albeit the size of a small brick wall jammed between the driver and passenger seats! The problem was that I had no-one to call. That was because back in 1994 almost no-one had a mobile phone. (To anyone reading this under the age of 35, this was what life was like ‘back then’. Back in the dark ages! It was very uncool and depressing). So, I called my mum at home in Manchester. She answered my call on the cream-coloured, dial-style home-phone that everyone had in 1994. My mum couldn’t believe that I was calling her from a car. A car! Whilst I was driving! It was like magic had actually happened.

If we fast forward a lifetime, we can only dream of not having someone to call and of not being ‘connected’ pretty much 24/7. Imagine that – no texting, no social media, no smartphones, no Facetime. The horror!

“As our work lives and our non-work lives become ever more entwined, connected and indistinguishable, two things are becoming very evident.”

It’s 2018 and this the modern world. Of course, it would be so much better for everyone if we could switch it all off and leave the workplace mentally at the same time as we leave it physically. I fear that the truth is that that ship has sailed. And it ain’t coming back anytime soon.

If anything, all evidence points to even more blurring of the now almost-indistinguishable line between work life and home life. Have you noticed, for example, how ‘work/life balance’ – the buzz phrase of the past decade – is fast becoming obsolete? And it’s just as quickly being replaced by a new concept and a shinier and more modern new buzz phrase; ‘work/life blend’.

As our work lives and our non-work lives become ever more entwined, connected and indistinguishable, two things are becoming very evident.

The first is the realisation that companies employ the whole person. That we aren’t two people. Revolutionary, hey! It seems silly to acknowledge that there’s work John or Joan and non-work John or Joan. But back in 1994 when I was cruising in my red Renault 18 with no-one to call, there was a clear line between work and home. That is no longer the case.

The idea that the organisations employ ‘the whole person’ has been creeping into management thinking for a few years.

“This ever-increasing blending of work and life is having another absolutely profound impact; it’s making management and leadership even harder than it once was.”

The funny thing is that the work/life balance revolution was focused mainly on the life side of the equation. Work was work and the workplace was the workplace. It was all about working from home, setting up a home office, taking days off for family reasons and ‘mental health days’. The new work/life blend trend is different. The focus is on the work side of the equation. Now that our homes are set up to mirror the workplace, the focus is on making the workplace more like our homes! As an example, I popped to see a Corporate Member of IML (an architectural firm) the other week and there were 3 dogs running around the office!

This ever-increasing blending of work and life is having another absolutely profound impact; it’s making management and leadership even harder than it once was.

Back in the day – in the day of car phones the size of small brick walls – managers were typically only required to manage ‘work John’ and ‘work Joan’. Not anymore. Today, we now need to manage and lead the whole person. We need to manage people who are experiencing illness, infertility, divorce, relocation, debt, alcoholism, issues with teenage kids, issues with pre-teenage kids, issues with blended families, issues with non-blended families, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, Gen whatever. The list is endless. The role of the leader is endless and boundary-less. Leadership – and leaders – have an impact on the whole person, not just on the person at work. As work and life have blended, so the role of the leader has become blended and blurred.

And all of this means that managing and leading today is bloody tough. It’s certainly not a 9-5 job that you can leave at your desk when you head off home. It’s a role – and a responsibility – that has become blended into what was once thought of as personal time. These days, as a leader we can’t simply switch off, leave the workplace and leave our ‘leadership’ on our stand-up desk. We take it with us. We carry it home. And this means something extremely important; it means that we must absolutely ensure that we are Intentional Leaders as opposed to Accidental Managers.

Look out for next week’s blog about the Intentional Leader.

 

 

By David Pich FIML, Chief Executive

Institute of Managers and Leaders

 

The big, fat lie on my CV. Why leadership is about creating a mentally healthy workplace.

Ok, it’s confession time. My CV is not 100% accurate. Actually, that’s not 100% accurate. I’ll re-phrase it and tell it how it is; I tell a big fat lie on my CV.

I guess that now I’ve gone public with this uncomfortable fact, I’m going to need to fish out my CV and ‘make it good’. Were I ever to apply for a new position it’s pretty likely that I’ll be ‘googled’ and this article will probably pop up. Given that fact, I’m probably best to correct my omission and admit to my … my … my what?

My anxiety disorder.

My anxiety disorder that stemmed from doing a job that I absolutely hated, in a workplace environment I found incredibly stressful and toxic.

I ‘survived’ in the role for just 4 months. And then I called and said I wasn’t coming back. Ever. And I didn’t. I never went back. Not even to complete the dreaded ‘clear your desk’ routine. I simply stayed home one morning and decided to pretend the job had never existed. And I deleted it completely from my CV. It was easier that way. It meant that I didn’t need to explain that I’d taken a job and quit after 4 months. That I was a quitter. Or worse than that; that I was a quitter who called one morning and said I wouldn’t be coming into work. Ever again.

The morning that I called to say I was never coming back will live in my memory for years to come. That’s because it was totally different from the previous four months of Monday mornings to Friday mornings. On each of those mornings, I had travelled from home to Wynyard Station in Sydney by train. I had then sat on a bench on the platform of Wynyard Station for anything from 30minutes to 2hours (yes, on more than one occasion I sat for two whole hours!) trying to muster the courage to walk into the office. Every single one of those minutes sitting on that bench on the platform was nothing less than personally excruciating. Each minute was spent trying to pluck up the courage to stand up and go into work. On a few occasions I didn’t. I simply walked over to the opposite platform, boarded a train heading back the way I came, and went home.

Even when I did make it into the office (via the longest possible route from Wynyard Station to Castlereagh Street), I headed straight for the bloke’s toilets. Once in the toilet, I invariably needed to remove my shirt. And wait. And wait. And wait.

This waiting game was due to the fact that I’d developed a very weird ‘sweating issue’. And when I say sweating, I don’t mean normal ‘Sydney style sweating’. I mean sweating that resembles swimming. In a swimming pool. Fully clothed. My time in the toilet of the toxic workplace was spent wafting my shirt in a vain attempt to dry it out, and mopping my torso with a towel. A towel that I had been forced to carry with me when the weird sweating thing had started about two weeks into the job.

Needless to say, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Looking back now, I guess I’m pretty lucky. I did pluck up the courage to seek help and that help really helped. The psychologist suggested that quitting the job might be the best course of action.

And yet, the odd thing is that I continue to lie on my CV. I continue to pretend that ‘it’ didn’t happen. And I know exactly why this is. It’s because I’m ashamed. I’m ashamed to say that I couldn’t cope. That I was weak. That ‘it’ (a toxic workplace) got to me. That I quit.

In the cold light of day, if I were to describe the workplace (that description is for a different blog on another day!) it would be crystal clear to everyone that the workplace was a complete disaster. It was totally toxic. From top to bottom. And yet, I remain embarrassed. Embarrassed that I couldn’t cope. That ‘it’ got to me. That I didn’t man up and push through. That I regularly sat frozen on that bench on the platform at Wynyard Station – sometimes for up to two hours. That I sometimes just went home. That I stood in the toilet mopping the sweat from my body with a towel I carried solely for that purpose.

That I wasn’t mentally strong enough to cope with a workplace that wasn’t mentally healthy.

And I’m still not. I continue to lie on my CV.

And I’m certainly not alone or unique in this. Research by beyondblue has found that up to 1 in 5 employees is working with a mental health issue. They also found that whilst 91% of staff thought that mental health in the workplace was a crucial issue, only 52% felt that their workplace was mentally healthy. In the UK, stress, depression and anxiety is the single biggest cause of absence from work – accounting for almost 13million days off work every year.

Here in Australia, all States have WH&S legislation that require employers to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks to health, including psychological health. The onus is firmly on employers to provide a workplace that is mentally (and physically!) healthy, and to monitor the mental health of their employees.

Creating a mentally healthy workplace is a key leadership issue. As leaders we must ensure that our workplace operates in a way that protects workers from harm to their psychological health. Doing nothing is no longer an option. It’s time for the stigma surrounding mental health to end. It’s time for change. Maybe it’s time for me to change my CV.

 


In February and March 2018, the Institute of Managers and Leaders, in conjunction with beyondblue, will deliver a workplace mental health series in 18 different locations around Australia. The series – called Leadership Outlook will focus on equipping helping businesses with the practical strategies and resources to create mentally heathy workplaces. Click here to register for your nearest event.

 

By David Pich FIML, Chief Executive

Institute of Managers and Leaders

 

 

Three key ways to create a mentally healthy workplace

beyond blue

 

By beyondblue

 

 

One in five employees in Australia is likely to be working with a mental health condition and interestingly beyondblue research has found that despite 91% of employees believing workplace mental health is important, only 52% think their workplace is mentally healthy.

While organisational leaders are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of good mental health at work, many aren’t quite sure how to turn this awareness into action.

The good news is any business can achieve great outcomes by following a process that includes involving employees in the design, implementation and review of mental health strategies.

While leaders have a major role to play, everyone in the workplace needs to play a part for there to be enduring improvements.

A key responsibility for leaders is to inspire and inform employees so they can achieve their best possible mental health.

beyondblue has found there are three crucial elements that lay the groundwork for improving the mental health culture of a business.

Creating a mentally healthy workplace

  1. COMMITMENT FROM SENIOR LEADERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS

Showing a visible commitment to mental health in the workplace is essential to developing a plan, its implementation and ongoing refinement.

Leaders should educate themselves and inform staff about conditions such as anxiety and depression and speak openly about mental health, including their own personal experience if they feel comfortable.

Making mental health an everyday discussion in the workplace creates a culture where managers will know how to look after their own mental health and what to do if an employee tells them they are experiencing difficulties.

It also makes employees feel comfortable that they can speak to a manager about a mental health issue.

Staff will also have the ability to recognise if a colleague is struggling, the knowledge to support them and refer them to professional health services.

workplace activities and staff participation

  1. ONGOING MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION

Research shows that involving your workforce in developing and imbedding a workplace mental health strategy is essential to the initiative’s success.

Staff should be invited to participate in its design, development, implementation and review.

Employees have a role in influencing the strategy’s design and will feel that they own the changes and the results, once the plan is implemented. It will also mean the strategy will be relevant to the specific needs of the workplace.

workplace communication

  1. KEEP THE COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN

Informed staff are engaged staff.

Continual communication will help break down barriers to addressing mental health and wellbeing while also contributing to reducing stigma.

Regular and ongoing communication also means a mental health strategy can be adapted as needs change and can gain buy-in from new employees.

These three factors are crucial to the success of mental health plans in workplaces.

They can help ensure that a workplace treats mental health the same as physical health, that stress and other mental health risks are managed, and employees are able to thrive.

Watch the video below to learn more about how you can play a role in workplace mental health.

 

FIND OUT MORE

Members of the beyondblue Workplace Engagement Team will present a series of mental health workshops at 18 locations throughout February and March as part of the IML 2018 Leadership Outlook Series.

They’ll provide insights into how to develop a workplace mental health plan and show how beyondblue’s Heads Up website and resources can guide an organisation’s approach.

To participate in a session, click here.

How to choose a leadership coach

Written by Phil Crenigan FIML, Executive coach and the Managing Director of Executive Turning Point.

 

Leadership coaching is big business. while it can have a positive influence on your career, much of the benefit comes down to finding the coach who is right for you.

JUST LIKE LIFE, our careers do not run in straight lines. A leadership coach can at least help to keep you on the right path, so long as you do your research and find the right one.
Recent studies have confirmed that engaging the right external leadership coach has a profound and measurable effect on positive engagement. It can also unlock potential and increase performance in two main ways – developmental coaching and coaching to resolve a problem or potential risk. In the latter case, I would argue that every coaching experience is a positive one, provided the organisation or individual will acknowledge that a problem or risk exists.

 

DEVELOPMENTAL COACHING
A leadership coach can help you to develop greater emotional intelligence. They can also help improve your skills and knowledge and provide frameworks for work/life balance, which is essential for good leadership. At an interpersonal level, a coach can support a leader in a new role and help teams set the bar for inspiring behaviour.At an organisational level, they can support the succession planning process by helping people realise their potential.

They can also fast-track the development of those with high potential and assist those who are leading transformational change or who have to influence a board. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is acting as the team coach to build high performance. The ability to inspire others is a critical trait of successful leaders, but knowing how to build high performance is not always easily understood.

 

COACHING TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS OR RISKS
A leadership coach can help prevent career derailment and reduce stress levels or other emotional factors that might be interfering with performance. They can assist the coachee to address career-limiting behaviours and to avoid cultural misalignment in new roles. Where talent retention is an issue for an organisation, the engagement of a leadership coach can make a significant difference to the employment brand. A skilled leadership coach will be effective at reducing conflict between team members and closing gaps in the leadership skills that may be required in transformational change.
An experienced external leadership coach is usually preferred over internal coaches, given they tend to have less bias, focus on the right issues and require commitment and application of just-in-time learning. As personal development is often a casualty of time-poor executives, the engagement of an external leadership coach is both efficient and effective as there is a specific focus on outcomes.

 

CHOOSING A LEADERSHIP COACH
When it comes to selecting the right coach for you or your organisation, you must understand what you want to achieve from the process. As with many professions, there are outstanding coaches out there. However, as Leo D’Angelo Fisher described in his 2013 Australian Financial Review article ‘Time for Executive Coaching to come out of the shadows’, it seems there are more executive coaches out there than Elvis impersonators. D’Angelo Fisher wrote: “Coaching is one of the most heavily spun sections of the consulting fraternity.

I have met many scores of coaches over the years; they have ranged from impressive trusted advisors and confidantes of substance to opportunistic spivs, flakes and carpetbaggers.” This simple checklist can help you choose the right coach.

 

 

1. START WITH THE ISSUE
What is the purpose of coaching and what is the desired outcome? What does success look like? How might you measure the outcome? Ensure you have secured support from your boss whatever level you are.

2. IDENTIFY A SHORTLIST OF COACHES
Ensure they have the experience to address your issues and avoid having a coach imposed upon you.

3. DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE 
What do you see when you Google a potential coach’s names? Do they have strong recommendations from former clients on LinkedIn?

4. SEEK EXAMPLES FROM YOUR CANDIDATES
Ask them to show how they have addressed a particular issue in the past and understand the process they will adopt. Be clear on what style of coach you want and assess whether they are the right fit in your initial discussions.

5. ASK TO SPEAK TO THEIR CLIENTS
Find out what it is like to be coached by this person.

 

The relationship you develop with your leadership coach will be one of deep trust and respect, so it is worth being rigorous in the selection process so you get the most out of it.