Welcome to the new look Leading Edge newsletter.  

We’ve refreshed the format and experience of our monthly Member update in response to the way Members engage with the Institute. I hope you enjoy the simpler and more contemporary layout that makes it easier for you to read and find the updates that interest you the most.  

This year, managers and leaders have had to find the right balance in everything we do. The shift to working from home meant that many of us were required to handle distractions, additional demands on our time and unfamiliar thoughts and emotions while still focusing on our business goals. It helps that we are part of a community here at IML ANZ that understands how crucial that balance is. In fact, this need for balance, especially when it comes to your professional development, guides our entire approach at the Institute. 

The term “head, heart and hands” is a common reference used to describe holistic and balanced learning. The “head” refers to the knowledge we acquire while the “heart” represents the emotional and human connections that impacts our learning. Finally, the “hands” represent how we apply both new knowledge and new behaviours through our actions. I’d like to use this month’s edition of Leading Edge to showcase some of the Institute’s best “head, heart and hands” offerings this quarter.  

It’s easy to identify knowledge; it sits at the foundation of the services we provide our Members and their businesses. Recently we held another Virtual Development Day, which focused on providing managers and leaders with the knowledge they need to build resilience. Attendees received many practical tips, guides and frameworks that they could implement immediately. The event – and the resources from each session – was provided free of charge to all IML ANZ Members. If you missed it, make sure to check out the session recordings featured in this newsletter. 

Another service provided by the Institute is the annual Australian National Salary Survey (NSS).  This provides managers, leaders and HR professionals with the data and market analyses they need to guide their remuneration and employee engagement decisions. The October release of the 2020 NSS Update, and the two supplementary reports, offers you the chance to receive valuable insights into the current Australian employment market. 

Undeniably, it is our Member-community here at IML ANZ that, when it comes to developing better managers and leaders, comprises the heart. We have all faced similar challenges and staying connected with like-minded managers and leaders offers valuable opportunities to grow and develop. The Institute is committed to its role in bringing managers and leaders together. Indeed, several upcoming Member events feature IML ANZ Members as guest speakers and as expert panellists. I would encourage you to take the opportunity to learn from the experiences and insights of your fellow Members by registering for a face-to-face or virtual event. 

A crucial aspect of a leader’s role is to help others to lead well. In this sense, the “hands” of the IML ANZ Membership experience is represented by our industry-leading mentoring program, called Member Exchange. The mentoring relationship is a unique forum for experienced professionals to share knowledge and leadership thinking. It is also an excellent means for our Members to support one another. I encourage you all to sign up to become a mentor. You never know whose leadership journey you’ll get to play a part in shaping!  

As Members of IML ANZ, we really do stand to gain the most value out of the Institute’s leadership community if we engage actively and when we support the leadership journey of others. It’s then that we are able to have an impact on the leadership community in the most meaningful way – by shaping the future of our profession. 

Keep leading well, always involving your head, heart and hands in everything you do. 

John Withers CMgr FIML

Chair of the Board

Welcome to the September edition of Leading Edge.

As leaders maintaining positivity during what could be the most trying economic and social test of our lifetime is a tough task. However, when we encounter adversities beyond our control, a new outlook might just be what we need to keep ourselves in balance. Indeed, our response to situations that impact our teams and businesses can be one of the only things we can control as leaders.

Talking to my network of professional colleagues around Australia I recognise these challenges and impacts vary significantly and therefore influence how we need respond.  In Tasmania where I reside, I recognise from an external perspective it may seem that we have been largely spared from the more significant impacts of Covid19. However from my personal experience in managing my own team the impact of the pandemic is pervasive at many levels and continues to test and question my leadership approach almost on a daily basis.  I expect that will resonate with many of you.

This month, Chief Executive, David Pich MA (Cantab) FIML had the pleasure of speaking with one of the world’s leading experts in the field of positive psychology: Tal Ben-Shahar. Tal’s views on happiness rejects ideas that it is simply a superficial, fleeting joy. Instead, he discusses with David the science-based evidence of how a positive mindset can help lift the performance of leaders and their teams. I encourage you to read and reflect on the points made in the article that we’ve included in this edition of the Member newsletter alongside other highlights from across IML ANZ I recommend you explore this month.

Often our mindset determines how we handle situations. A positively focused mindset enables leaders to stay focused on ways to progress, to reach goals, be open to change and improve. Delving into the leadership mindset is one of the cornerstone learnings of our Intentional Leadership™: Foundations program. As the new cohorts begin next month, I urge you to think of a colleague, friend or team member who you feel would benefit from gaining a more profound mastery of the skills, attitudes and mindset that sets them on the path towards becoming an intentional leader.

Of course, improvement only comes after we’ve considered our previous actions and plan to do better in future. So the reflective process of becoming a Chartered Manager is a vital step for any manager looking to elevate their leadership ability. For Chartered Managers, the confidence that comes with their accreditation can be a real catalyst for building a positive leadership mindset. If you are thinking about the next step in your leadership journey, speak to the IML ANZ team to see if accreditation is the right move for you.

Another aspect of our professional lives that contributes to a positive mindset is our interaction with people. Connecting with peers is one way to receive support, even if it’s just through the exchange of ideas. Remember that as an IML ANZ Member you have access to complimentary events that aim to shed light on some of the most pressing topics in leadership today. For instance, we will be looking at trust and ethics, organisational culture and what leaders need to keep in mind while managing their businesses through a recession. As most of these events are held virtually, why not invite a friend or few?

Keeping a positive view amid challenges does not deny that tough times exist. Part of a leader’s task is to do everything we can to ensure our teams and organisations move forward, even if that might be at a slower pace than we are used to. Negativity depletes the energy required to achieve that goal.

Let us remain realistic but hopeful, cautious but driven and spread a bit of positivity whenever we can.

John Withers CMgr FIML

Chair of the Board