Smart play is a serious team-building strategy

By Lisa Calautti

 

Richard Shrapnel is amongst only a small handful of Lego® Serious Play® Facilitators in Australia. Lego® Serious Play® involves using Lego bricks to bring together leaders and their staff to unite them in problem-solving to help create a cohesive business approach.

 

Building blocks of better business

Shrapnel strongly believes this is an effective tool to help develop better business strategy. He came across Lego® Serious Play® in 2002 via an article in AFR Boss reviewing CUB’s use of the method. He completed the facilitator’s course in Enfield, Connecticut, USA in 2003 and again in 2011, this time in Singapore, learning about the program’s methodology and science.

Shrapnel says the method is particularly popular in Asia, the USA and Europe. “In Australia the typical response I get is, ‘But this is a toy and it’s play and therefore it’s not serious!’”

It is a statement which Shrapnel can easily counter. He is passionate about this Lego method as a valuable learning technique and its power in getting people to use their left and right brains to bring creative logic together and their imagination to create stories around an image they build. “It actually allows you to tap into thoughts which you would otherwise not consider and to be far more creative,” he explains.

 

Serious play in action

Lego® Serious Play® workshops last from a half day up to three days and have been popular amongst medium-to-large corporations, not-for-profit organisations as well as religious groups. A typical workshop begins by proposing an individual activity, for example, ‘build your dream job’.

“It’s getting people used to expressing themselves through building a model and once they are comfortable with that you then come back to the business side,” Shrapnel says. “The tool and methodology allow people to communicate at a level that they otherwise would not be able to reach, and to build an outcome that they can then take away as a combined group. That is the power of it.”

As the workshop progresses and attendees are comfortable with using the specially selected Lego bricks, they come together to form a single model as a team to begin a narrative of their business. It is at this stage participants can see environmental factors around the model and their impact.

“Here’s your part of the business, here’s my part of the business and that is the market. These are the competitors, the technology … all impacting what we do. And because it is now a 3D model, it’s very rich and you walk around it and look at it from a different angle.”

As it is built, each person not only tells their story, but everyone tells a new combined story. “Every person speaks to the model explaining this is our story, our business, and how we will be effective and achieve the outcomes we seek.”

This article originally appeared in the September 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

What leaders need to know about modern slavery laws

By Elizabeth Ticehurst

 

It is hard to reconcile slavery – mostly thought of as a barbaric ancient practice – with the modern Australian workplace. Our employment laws and regulations are amongst the strictest in the world and our minimum wage is easily one of the highest. However, the reality is that practices such as forced labour and debt servitude still exist, even in developed countries, and can likely be found in the operations or supply chains of most businesses. Reliance on imported goods from regions such as South East Asia means that Australian companies are significantly exposed.

Until now, these connections to slavery and exploitation were hidden behind complex global distribution networks. But new legislation will force Australian businesses to inquire into and report on modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains.

 

WHO WILL BE AFFECTED?

Two modern slavery laws have now been passed in Australia – the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) and the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW). While both laws have a similar aim and content, the NSW law covers organisations carrying on business in the state with an annual revenue of A$50 million or more. The Federal Act has a higher annual revenue threshold of A$100 million but applies nationwide. Larger companies will not have to report under both schemes, as companies who report under the federal scheme will be exempt from making reports under the NSW scheme.

It is also worth noting that New Zealand organisations with revenues in Australia of more than A$100 million will be also subject to the federal requirements too.

 

WHAT ARE COMPANIES REQUIRED TO DO?

Under both laws, a company must produce an annual report on modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. The reports must be approved by the board of directors and will be made public by the respective governments. Broadly, the reports must cover six main criteria:

 

  • The entity’s structure, operations and supply chain
  • Risks of modern slavery practices in the entity’s supply chain (including any entities owned or controlled by the reporting entity)
  • Actions taken to assess and address modern slavery risks, including due diligence and remediation processes
  • How the entity assesses the effectiveness of its actions
  • The process of consultation with entities owned and/or controlled by the entity
  • Any other relevant information.

 

IS REPORTING THE ONLY OBLIGATION?

The short answer is yes. At present, neither law requires any entity to take concrete steps to prevent or eliminate modern slavery in its supply chain. However, because the reports will be made public, it seems pertinent to ask what you want your report to look like.

Organisations that value their public image will want to produce a report that paints the company in a positive light and highlights the efforts they have made to ensure ethical practices in their operations and supply chains. The federal reporting system in particular will enable a direct comparison between entities in the same industries. It is intended that this will create public pressure on organisations to improve their practices. However, care needs to be taken to ensure that reports are accurate – misleading information in reports can be subject to significant penalties.

 

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED?

Fashion and apparel is an industry where modern slavery risks are apparent. Oxfam Australia’s #whatshemakes campaign is placing significant pressure on apparel retailers to ensure higher wages for garment workers in developing countries. However, modern slavery risks have also been identified in financial services, property, food and beverage, agriculture, mining and healthcare. When looking at supply chains, factors include where products are produced in high risk geographies (countries experiencing conflict or high corruption levels); or where there are vulnerable populations (migrants or unskilled workers). Reporting entities will need to examine these ‘hot spots’ and consider what controls and due diligence measures they have in place at the procurement stage.

Even within Australia, increased scrutiny is required. Building services, cleaning, travel, security and maintenance services have all been identified as sectors with a high risk of worker exploitation. Surveys conducted by the Fair Work Ombudsman have identified persistent underpayment of wages and other legal and ethical issues in these sectors. Organisations affected by these new laws will need to report on the actions they have taken to address modern slavery from 1 January 2019 onwards. Whilst some organisations will take a ‘tick the box’ attitude, a more constructive view is to see this as an extension of the company’s corporate social responsibility, and an opportunity to provide investors, employees and customers with insight into how the company is managing its modern slavery risks.

 

Elizabeth Ticehurst is Special Counsel – Employment at KPMG.

 

This article originally appeared in the September 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

How to manage the ultimate remote workforce

When working life gets particularly stressful, many managers and leaders utter the old adage, ‘We’re not saving lives’. And, for most CEOs, that’s absolutely true.

But what if the organisation you lead actually does – literally – save lives? And then, what if your organisation also happens to be one of the most quintessential Australian brands in existence – right up there with Vegemite and the Sydney Opera House?

Oh, and just to keep it interesting: Let’s say that you and many of your staff spend large parts of your working lives flying long distances at breakneck speeds in tiny aircraft.

Now that is pressure on a whole new level.

Meredith Staib MIML agrees that being CEO of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland) is not a job for the faint-hearted. But she’s loving her role heading up one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world.

BUILT FOR THE TASK

Before joining RFDS, Staib was already one of Australia’s leading emergency assistance executives. She had provided leadership to global organisations such as the Cover-More Group (part of Zurich) and Allianz Global Assistance. Her experience also spanned clinical and corporate management roles in the health, medical assistance and travel insurance sectors.

As if all that weren’t enough, Staib has also held international board positions including being an executive committee member of the International Assistance Group (IAG) in Paris, France. In that role she shared global accountability for the IAG’s continued success and led the board in developing and defining IAG’s strategy.

That career trajectory suggests that Staib must be a strong and implacable leader. But is there anything that does scare her? And how does she manage a remote workforce scattered across more than one million square kilometres of land? IML ANZ chief executive David Pich CMgr FIML caught up with Staib to find out.

DAVID PICH: When someone thinks of the RFDS, it’s obviously the planes that spring to mind. But there’s a lot more to it than that isn’t there?

MEREDITH STAIB: That’s right. It’s not solely an aeromedical organisation. It does so much more. We provide free dental care. We’ve got a big mental health program. In fact, that’s probably one of our most rapidly growing programs. We do about 25,000 primary health consultations annually. We employ about 380 people including pilots, nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, mental health clinicians, dentists etc. We’ve got nine bases across Queensland, with 19 aircraft. In fact, if you combine all the aircraft across all the RFDS sections, we’re Australia’s third-largest airline after Qantas and Virgin.

MASTERING COMMUNICATION

DP: As a leader, how do you manage staff when they’re spread across a vast State like Queensland?

MS: Obviously, our people in Brisbane get to see the senior leadership team a lot of the time in the corporate office. But the experience is different for those based remotely. As a leader, the key to that is communication and making yourself available. You have to be clear on your strategy and make sure everyone knows the vision and mission of the organisation, and where we’re going. It’s important that the senior leaders in the business share that.

DP: What about face-to-face communication?

MS: Technology has made communication a lot easier, of course, with video conferencing, Skype, social media and so on. But as a leader, you really need to walk the floor. I’m a big advocate of that because you can’t sit in an office and expect all the information to come to you. So you need to be out among the people. Within 90 days of starting at RFDS, I made it a priority to get out and around to our bases. I’ve lived in Queensland for a long time but, when I made those trips, it really brought home to me what a vast state this is.

SOLIDIFYING STRATEGY

DP: The RFDS has existed for 90 years and some people might think, ‘Well, the CEO just has to keep the organisation strategy on the same track as before’. Is that the case?

MS: When I joined, the organisation had just formalised a five-year strategy and we’ve just started on that journey. But my experience of strategy is that you can’t ‘set and forget’. You should be reviewing your strategy every six months because things change. It could be technology, it could be people, it could be regulations. You need to be ahead of the game strategically. I think it’s also important to check in with people regularly, to align their work to the wider strategy. Then every year, our board has an offsite strategic board meeting in one of our bases to review the strategy. Are we still on track? Is it still right for the business? After my first 90 days in the role, I had the opportunity to present to the board. I validated that we have the right strategy and, as CEO, I was turning my mind to execution.

DP: And as a leader, a big part of strategy execution comes down to people, right?

MS: Yes, absolutely. People are one of the main pillars of our strategic delivery. I think they are the RFDS brand – that’s how important they are. I’ve been really struck how people are willing to represent the brand, and go the extra mile to make a difference.

People are also central to my thinking when I focus on future-proofing the organisation. We rely upon four skillsets that are in very short supply in Australia and overseas: pilots, nurses, mental health clinicians and doctors. So we can’t rest on our laurels there. We need to make sure we’re an employer of choice and we attract and retain talent. We need to support colleagues if they need to go and live somewhere remote, away from their family. Or if they need to work shifts, because we operate 24/7. Or if they need to work out of hours to support fundraising and community events.

DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS

DP: Your workforce is clearly very passionate about what they do. They literally change the course of people’s lives for the better. However, that can sometimes come with a flipside can’t it? Passionate people can be amazing with their technical specialism, but not always strong at managing and leading those around them.

MS: I started out as a nurse myself and have worked with clinical professionals for most of my career. You shouldn’t assume that because someone is technically a great clinician, they’ll naturally be a great manager. Leading others is a skill people have to learn. I’ve been fortunate to develop the skills to manage people and drive organisations forward – but that has required training, qualifications, and experience. I think it’s our responsibility as leaders to provide those kinds of development opportunities for technical specialists who want to grow. We need to help them build upon the technical foundation they already have.

DP: Does mentoring have a role here too, do you think?

MS: Yes, I’m a big supporter of mentoring. It’s invaluable if you can have a person outside your organisation offering advice and guidance. That external perspective is so useful. I’ve been both a mentee and a mentor during my career and all those experiences have helped me professionally. When I look back over my own career, I’ve sought to learn something from all the leaders who I have worked with. I think that’s how you develop your own leadership style.

MANAGING RISK AND STRESS

DP: Flying planes in the air and dealing with medical emergencies, your organisation is exposed to a fair amount of risk. As a leader, how do you manage that?

MS: It’s when leaders underestimate risk that you run into challenges. So I take a rigorous approach to managing it. From my previous career experience, I understand health risk. And RFDS has got really strong clinical governance.

I’ve now learned a lot in a short space of time about the aviation side of the organisation too. As part of my leadership role, I hold the Air Operator’s Certificate from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority. So ultimately, should something go wrong, then that will rest with me as the manager holding the licence. That’s a lot of responsibility but I’m comfortable with it as I have an expert team in the aviation space.

So, I know I’ve got the right people in the right place. We have defined structures around reporting. These people have direct access to me, and I meet with them regularly. I think the main thing I need to do as the responsible manager is make sure they feel that we have an open and collaborative relationship. If they need me to raise any risk issues with the board, then that’s what I’m here for.

DP: Collectively, your organisation deals with life or death situations all the time. On a personal level, how do you manage stress?

MS: Like many people in the health sector, I’m passionate about what I do and consequently it can be challenging managing work-life balance. But my home life is a welcome distraction from work. I like to run and do gardening. I have two great kids and they help me switch off from work. The normal things like, ‘Mum, where’s my school hat?’ and ‘I need help with my homework’. That all helps.

But I don’t think anyone takes a senior leadership role and expects it to be a nine-to-five job. And modern technology means that everyone in today’s workforce is virtually connected 24/7. You can either see that as a challenge or an opportunity. I think it’s quite liberating to be able to work from anywhere in the world.

The full version of this article originally appeared in the September 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

The business of mindfulness in modern workplaces

By Anthony O’Brien

 

It’s not the start of an Irish joke, but what do search engine Google, retailer Target and bank JP Morgan, share in common? Apart from making plenty of moolah, these corporate heavyweights have introduced a commitment to mindfulness practices into their workplaces in recent years.

While often associated with adherents to the Buddha rather than mammon, mindfulness training courses are becoming common in New Zealand and Australian workplaces as firms seek ways to reduce stress and absenteeism, increase productivity, develop better leaders, and generate more creative workplaces.

The Australian Psychological Society’s website says work-related stress results when the demands of work exceed resources for managing those demands. Another report from the Victorian Government says workers experience stress over organisation culture, bad management practices, job demands, the physical work environment, relationships at work, change management, lack of support, role conflict and trauma.

 

MINDFUL LEADERSHIP

As a leadership tactic, mindfulness helps people to be more effective by directing focus to the most pertinent task at hand, according to Harvard Business Review. Deprogramming multi-tasking tendencies and intentionally focusing with full attention results in higher quality interactions and decisions, says HBR.

Pippa Hanson CMgr FIML, Chief Executive Officer from The Sports Injury Clinic, regularly speaks on the topics of stress management, work-life balance and thriving under pressure. The IML ANZ Member believes the age of the mobile phone and the internet has increased the need for mindfulness. “People are on their emails, not just when they’re sitting in front of a computer but they’re getting access on their phones. They’re carrying those phones around with them, they’re contactable 24/7 if they’re not putting boundaries in place.”

Creating boundaries is being mindful of what limits you’re setting for yourself as a manager and leader, “not only to complete your day-to-day activities, but so you know what your day looks like and what time it starts and finishes,” Hanson advises. “If you allow your day to be interrupted by responding to every email, you’re not mindful of what your day looks like, and that causes pressure, stress, poor mental health, and a lack of productivity. So, a lack of mindfulness has a negative impact on people’s work day.” Hanson also advises managers and leaders to be aware of how many times per day they check emails, while strategies such as turning off app notifications, can improve mindfulness.

 

DEFINING MINDFULNESS

Hanson says mindfulness can be confusing for the uninitiated. “I find some people only associate it with meditation or colouring in. They don’t believe that they’re mindful when they do other activities like crafts,” she says. “Mindfulness is about being present and aware of your current situation, rather than being on a mouse wheel and just going through the motions every day.”

For Hanson, who manages a busy allied health business employing 60 staff including health practitioners and administrators, mindfulness includes taking a midday break to assess the first half of the day before the afternoon shift begins. “I walk, at the end of the day because after a busy schedule of meetings, phone calls and face-to-face contact, just walking and listening to a podcast, radio or music, allows me to switch off from work, before I step back into family time.”

Hanson adds that mindfulness doesn’t just speak to physical fitness, but mental fitness and the ability to cope with pressure, stress, and the unexpected.

 

Mindful leader, Catherine Stock-Haanstra FIML

 

FINDING THE SWEET SPOT

A 90-day mindfulness plan has been around since Warren Buffett was a boy. But it’s only now becoming more widely accepted in business, says Hanson. “Mindfulness has crossed over into leadership in the workplace for health and wellness as well as business strategy and time management.” While practising mindfulness is part of Hanson’s daily routine, it is also a major component of her firm’s broader strategy. “Our leadership team takes a day every quarter to switch off from everything. This day is about focusing on our achievements and where we’re going, but really without interruption and without taking the phone calls and without reacting to the emails. This enables us to be present, slow down and focus without the extra pressure.”

Hanson says individuals will have a unique mindfulness sweet spot. “Mindfulness is different for everyone, and everyone does respond differently, and it’s about identifying that for yourself. There are simple breathing strategies that you can do at lunchtime to slow your heart rate down, and to take those deep breaths, which when you’re rushing and busy you don’t often do. Others might walk around the block, or someone might say, ‘No, I’m going to put my headphones on and listen to music for 10 minutes’.”

Laps of a pool give swimmers plenty of time to cogitate and practise mindfulness, while Hanson says some people gain satisfaction from running or riding. “When you’re focusing solely on something different, your present activity, you are switching off from work, or your family life because you can’t think of both of those things at the same time.”

If managers and leaders can understand mindfulness, they are better placed to educate their teams. “Maybe the phones haven’t stopped and the team won’t take a lunch break or a tea break. However, if managers and leaders can teach their employees about walking away and getting some fresh air and then coming back, it just makes for better relations in workplaces, better relations with clients and better outcomes for everyone.”

The full version of this article originally appeared in the September 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

The future of the workplace is flexible

By Anthony O’Brien

 

‘Working nine to five’ for many of us old enough to remember is more closely aligned with the offices, factories, and workshops of the 20th Century. A phrase also popularised by singer Dolly Parton, working nine to five is giving way to the flexible working arrangements demanded and legislated for, in Australia and New Zealand today.

 

According to the 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey, the three most essential elements millennials look for from a new employer are pay (51%), culture (57%) and flexibility (44%). With millennials set to make up 42% of the workforce by 2025, Charles Go MIML, Research Product Manager at IML ANZ, says, “Flexibility is becoming a very important topic and will be the norm in the future.” Go hosted an IML ANZ webinar, ‘Navigating the Future of Work’ in April examining the importance of flexibility, the gig economy and the skills managers need to navigate modern workplaces.

 

It’s worth reiterating that workplace flexibility is enshrined in Australian law through the Right to Request Flexible Work arrangements that form part of the National Employment Standards (NES). This right to request flexible working arrangements applies to permanent workers and casuals employed for 12 months or more.

 

Catherine Heilemann AFIML, director at the Salary Coach, explains, “There are some eligibility criteria for the Request Flexible Work arrangements such as being a carer, having a disability, being 55 or older, experiencing domestic violence, being a parent and so on.” In a past career at IBM, Heilemann was the first manager to have a virtual team with a mix of Australian employees working flexibly and outsourced workers in China and India.

 

FLEXIBLE IS BECOMING THE NORM

According to a June 2018 survey from recruiter Hays, the most common flexible working practices employers offer are flexible working hours and compressed working weeks (77%), part-time employment (75%) and flex-place arrangements, such as working from home or an alternative location (66%).

 

“Some employment situations lend themselves towards greater flexibility,” Heilemann says. “It’s tough for some workplaces to offer the kind of flexibility that companies such as IBM offer because they have people working on shifts and who must attend a location to perform their work.

 

“Doctors, nurses, teachers, railway maintenance specialists, factory workers and the like must attend their place of work to do their job.” Although, Heilemann says many shift workers can bid for their start and finish times. “This is a common practice with airlines. Moreover, workplaces allow for staggered shifts starts such as at Sydney Trains, with 6 am, 7 am, and 8 am starts at some maintenance depots.”

 

Billie-Jo Barbara CMgr FIML, Deputy Director of Workforce Planning at Charles Darwin University, adds that her former employer, the NSW Government takes the view of ‘if not, why not?’ She says this encourages employers and leaders to think beyond compressed hours and part-time work towards flexible strategies such as staggered starts and finishes. “This might even be about allowing an employee who currently takes two hours to commute each way in peak times to start later,” says Barbara. “Flexibility looks like a whole different range of things.”

 

ORGANISATIONS MUST ADAPT

Notwithstanding the pervasiveness of flexible working, the concept appears to have limited influence on recruitment and retention, according to the 2018 IML ANZ Staff Retention Report. When asked the main reasons for resignations, only 6.6% of surveyed organisations listed ‘lack of flexible work arrangements’ as a main reason, compared to 75.7% of organisations who listed ‘to seek a new challenge.’

 

Moreover, only 7.4% of those surveyed said a ‘lack of flexible start and finishing times’ were factors in resignations compared to 38.7% that listed ‘insu­fficient financial reward. Despite these findings, Heilemann maintains that if an employer isn’t offering flexible working arrangements in some form, “then they probably won’t be winning any prizes as a great place to work.”

 

Barbara says that trying to implement policies suitable to current and future workforces can be challenging for leaders trying to operate a profitable organisation. “I’ve noticed, for example, more millennials want a portfolio career at the start of their careers rather than the end.” A millennial herself, Barbara has already sat on several boards and been a coach, in tandem with her previous full-time role as a director of human resources with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

 

KEEPING YOUR BEST PEOPLE

Concerning staff retention, Heilemann equates flexible working arrangements with a bank account. “While you are depositing, things go well. Retention issues can relate to many things and offering flexible work arrangements to those who value it will add to the bank account.”

 

Go maintains that flexible working makes it possible for a diverse group of individuals to work for an organisation. “These arrangements support returning mothers and aged workers who need to work part-time or from home, as well as workers with health issues or disabilities,” he says.

 

Heilemann believes it is possible for older workers to undertake backfills to cover for employees on parental leave. “But for those who want to stay in the workforce, but not on a full-time basis, flexible working is a sensible option,” she says.

 

As with any change, maintaining the drumbeat on flexible work is crucial. “The IML ANZ 2016 Staff Retention Report found that only 3% of organisations lost staff to resignations because of a lack of flexible working arrangements. In 2018, this number doubled to 6%.

 

“At the moment, it is only a small percentage of employees who are linking a resignation to lack of flexibility,” says Go. “However, the concern is that both resignations and the desire for workplace flexibility is trending upwards. It’s crucial managers and leaders champion flexible working arrangements.”

 

IML ANZ itself celebrates the benefits of flexible work for people and organisations in a number of ways, including Chief Executive David Pich CMgr FIML being an ambassador for Flexible Working Day.

 

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

An area Heilemann has identified for improvement relates to those leaders who don’t trust their employees with flexible work arrangements. “These leaders don’t necessarily discourage working flexibly but do not encourage it with real intent,” she explains. “I’ve seen leaders in recent times who talk flexible work, but the team says behind their back: ‘oh they don’t like it.’ This discourages people from asking for flexible working. To those leaders, I say: set the guidelines for flexible work. Then let your people have it. Be sure to lead and manage the outcomes, not the hours at the desk working away or pretending to work.”

 

Barbara subscribes to the view that many employees aren’t aware of the flexible arrangements on other. For example, when Barbara worked in a human resources role for the NSW Government she wasn’t aware of provisions for a career break. “And, I worked in human resources! It wasn’t until I moved to the NSW Department of Planning that I became aware this provision existed.

 

The conversation about workplace flexibility is not just about women working part-time continues Barbara, “But it is about taking a study break, or the opportunity to try a different career path. Successful workplace policies are dependent on the culture of an organisation and the willingness of employers to enable these policies.

 

“The smart employers have recognised the research that workplace flexibility will help attract and retain good people. For some organisations, there is a lack of awareness, while the incidences of employers deliberately denying these policies are in the minority now.”

The full version of this article originally appeared in the September 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine. For editorial suggestions and enquiries, please contact karyl.estrella@managersandleaders.com.au.

How to retain talent through learning and development

By Chris Burton

 

Increasingly, successful organisations understand that providing impactful development programs not only deliver performance benefits, it also provides a wonderful way to engage and retain staff who value learning and professional growth. But what does that look like in practise?

 

USE FEEDBACK TO INFORM DECISIONS

Many organisations use psychometric feedback tools as part of their professional or team development initiatives, for example, you might have a teamwork session that provides feedback about your team preferences or style. However, good feedback tools should be versatile enough that they can be re-framed to look at your work performance through multiple lenses and in multiple contexts. A learner might have good insights about how they work within teams, but what does the feedback tell them about their own individual work? Alternatively, the feedback might be great at helping an individual leader understand how to better collaborate with the different works styles of their teammates, but can it provide the entire team with reliable metrics to analyse their work processes?

 

To address how feedback informs our performance conversations, we can use a psychometric like the Team Management Profile (TMP) which was developed in Australia and used by more than two million people around the world. We know from the TMP worldwide database* that 51% of managers prefer to work in a systematic way on activities focused on immediate, tangible results. While that is not particularly negative, a problem arises when we compare the numbers of people who like to innovate and come up with new ideas (8%), or who like to focus on activities that ensure the sustainability of our work processes and organisational culture (2%). When we can understand the operational consequences of this disproportionate distribution of our work preferences, we can then make better decisions about our performance improvement strategies.

 

GENERATE ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND SCOPE

By extending the way that staff apply their learning to improve performance, we not only generate an economy of scale for the business, we also realise an economy of scope. The economy of scale occurs when we generate efficiencies by working with multiple people and supporting collaborative learning. The economy of scope occurs when we see that we reuse our learning resources to apply knowledge to other activities and contexts, providing us with the adaptability we need to compete in the 2020s.

 

Organisations keep their staff engaged with L&D initiatives by providing the workforce with new ways to apply and evolve their current knowledge in order to enhance how they work. And when the employees are increasingly capable of transferring their ideas into performance improvements, they achieve results more efficiently and contribute more to their teams. This, in turn, creates a multiplier effect, because when staff are generating good results in a continually improving, inclusive and results-focused environment, they are more inclined to be engaged and remain with the company.

 

FOSTER A LEARNING ATTITUDE

How do you promote your professional development initiatives internally? Do you shine a light on the opportunities your staff have to improve their performance? Do you help foster an attitude of learning transfer and continuous improvement? By making the effort to evaluate the performance impact that your training has on your team, you can highlight the benefits to your staff and stakeholders. And this, in turn, will engage, stretch and retain staff.

 

EQUIP YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS

Retention of key talent is always a hot topic for Australian managers. The Institute of Managers and Leaders Australia and New Zealand has a suite of diagnostic and development tools engineered to improve the ability of your organisation to retain talent and develop performance through improving self-awareness. If you would like to know more about the range of People Analytics tools available, please call 1300 362 631, email corporate@managersandleaders.com.au or visit managersandleaders.com.au/people-analytics

* Team Management Systems Research Manual (5th Edition), 2019. ITMS: Brisbane

Chris Burton is the Learning & Development Director, Asia-Pacific at Team Management Systems (TMS). He previously worked with Margerison and McCann for more than 20 years, is now an Executive Director and leads TMS’ Learning & Development Asia-Pac team as a programme facilitator and subject matter expert. An accomplished speaker and facilitator, Chris’s work spans from delivering keynotes at international conferences, to coaching boards and senior executives as well as delivering engaging, impactful workshops.

How to future-proof your leadership career

Forward: To move in front, make progress and head towards the future. Nothing about this definition suggests standing still or lagging.

It’s that forward focus that has defined many great leaders. They sought a clear vision of the future they wanted and made it a reality.

Aspiring leaders, change-makers and influencers must have that same focus. Regardless if you aim to launch a business, take the next step up in your organisation or make it into the C-suite, envisioning where you want to be is essential. It’s imperative to back that vision with the skills to achieve it.

Of course, skills can only propel you so far. What sets apart leaders who stand the test of time are their leadership qualities. Why? Driving your team into achieving a vision requires more than the mastery of processes.

So, are you a leader who is looking to stand out? Have you got the qualities to succeed now and in the future?

To know for sure, ask yourself the following questions:


Am I competent?

Defined as the ability to do something successfully or efficiently, competence is a must for any leader – particularly for business owners and professional consultants. To determine competence, one study recommends the use of objective measures of performance. Rather than relying on confidence, speaking ability or persuasiveness, which are difficult to quantify, you want to stand out for your proven ability to lead successfully.

For Dr Travis Kemp, an organisational psychologist, independent company director and adjunct professor at the University of South Australia’s Business School, his profound appreciation for the importance of competent leaders led him to seek out a globally recognised accreditation. Kemp observes that “management is one of the emerging professions that need standards and barriers to entry put in place.

Gaining an internationally recognised designation, built on industry-leading standards, is one way for leaders to display evidence of their competence. The result of having truly competent leaders, according to Kemp is that “people working in organisations get access to growth-centred leaders and managers.”

Similarly, Head of Customer Service and APAC Professional Services at Intelledox, Sue Ann Mckenzie-Smith, wanted to quantify her competence. She looked to accreditation for “industry recognition of my skills as a manager and effectively leading people.”

So, are you competent? How can you improve your leadership competence? And what can you do to showcase this?

  • Assess the level of your leadership skills and compare this with industry standards
  • Develop any skills or competencies that you might feel you lack or need to improve
  • Accredit your leadership skills against an internationally-recognised standard


Am I impactful?

Making a meaningful impact on your future and that of your organisation requires the ability to drive people. Your skills and experience can mean very little if you are unable to empower yourself and others to achieve results.

Kemp, who is an academic specialising in leadership, agrees. After researching the topic and becoming a business leader himself, he points out where his passion for leadership stems – being impactful. “I think leaders’ impact can be incredibly positive when it is directed in the right way, to the right people in the right time,” Kemp said.

For the Director of CatholicCare Social Services in Toowoomba, Kate Venables, making an impact is the main factor in becoming a stand-out leader. Venables explains, “I think everyone has the capacity to be a leader, but leadership is a real privilege. And the importance is that you empower and engage others to do the best in their job.”

Does your leadership make a positive impact on your career, team and organisation? Here’s how you can ensure that it does:

  • Focus on delivering results that make the most significant impact on the business
  • Empower your teams to achieve goals through effective and inspiring leadership
  • Reflect on your skills to lead others and deliver results to determine where you can improve

 

Am I connected? 

Whether you aim to start your own business, offer services and expertise as a consultant, or simply want to move up in your leadership journey, undeniably, your professional network contributes to your success.

Venables knows that an excellent professional network is an essential resource for leaders. She believes that there’s much value in connecting with people with “a lot of wisdom and knowledge”. Venables also recommends seeking out other networks where you can find other leaders who can mentor you.

In thinking of the type of professionals you need to network with, quality is critical. Mckenzie-Smith advises those looking for support in becoming better leaders to, “connect with like-minded managers,” through strong professional networks.

Leadership success sometimes comes down to who you know, not just what you know. That’s why you should examine the quality of your professional network. Remember, an effective network should:

  • Connect you with professionals from a variety of industries – not just your specialty
  • Allow you to engage with forward-thinking professionals – leaders who represent the gold standard
  • Identify you as a leader who is committed to maintaining good leadership practice

Great leadership starts with you

If your vision includes making an impact on the future of business – as a leader, a business owner or professional consultant – you need to equip yourself with the skills and qualities to future-proof that goal.

The Chartered Manager accreditation involves an in-depth self-reflection process. Your skills and experience will be assessed against 34 leadership competencies, ensuring you are equipped to manage yourself, others and the organisation successfully.

You’ll also become part of a community a diverse network of professionals from various industries and sectors via the Institute of Managers and Leaders Australia and New Zealand (IML ANZ).

By becoming a Chartered Manager – like Travis Kemp, Sue Ann Mckenzie-Smith and Kate Venables – you’ll ensure your leadership success now and in the future. In fact, the Chartered Management Institute in the UK (CMI), found that among Chartered Managers:

  • Are competent: 96% of Chartered Managers use their designation as proof of experience
  • Are impactful: 91% of Chartered Managers see their designation as proof of their ability to deliver results
  • Are connected: 70% of Chartered Managers use their designation to increase their visibility

Change the future of management and leadership – become a Chartered Manager.

To find out more or to apply, visit managersandleaders.com.au/chartered-manager.

Thinking bigger for business development

By Adrienne McLean MIML

Thinking bigger about what your business offers to customers can propel the business into areas of growth never imaged. It also keeps the business relevant, agile and in step with changing market forces locally and internationally.

But if something isn’t broken you don’t fix it, right? Sticking to the same way may seem reproducible and efficient, but is it limiting your business? While being able to offer a service or product well is of course good business, remaining stagnant in the way you do things means business efficiency could suffer. If you think of a wheel, it fundamentally hasn’t changed but its features have adapted to suit the needs of today’s modern vehicles.

It’s worth asking if there are new markets your business can go into. Or could you offer new products to your current market?

The business development process may simply involve implementing a culture of continuous improvement or it may require you to look for the next big growth step. Whichever stage the business is in, these five steps are important for thinking bigger about the business and focusing on what the business is offering customers and prospects.

1. Innovate

Coming up with new approaches and better delivery of the service/product to the customer are the driving forces for innovation and growth. Awareness of what is happening in the industry and the market is also essential. If you don’t keep track of these, beware – other companies certainly do and they can overtake you.

Thinking bigger about your business offerings drives innovation. Wanting to be the best, wanting to offer a brilliant service, wanting to reach more clients than ever thought possible – all these mindsets will help drive the innovation your business needs for business development.

2. Plan

Boldness and aiming high will get the business out of its comfort zone and propel it forward. However, change and improvement require more than just new ideas and aspirations – you must support it with a plan. Set goals against implementation timeframes. Whether these are long- or short-term periods will all depend on the size of the change and what you are trying to achieve.

Set down a pathway for growth that involves everyone in the business – from management to staff. Inform everyone of their involvement in the change to ensure a smooth process.

3. Set goals

This is about setting your focus and involves the following steps:

  • Set SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timebound
  • Keep goals easy to see as reminders
  • Check in daily and weekly to track whether you’re on target
  • Celebrate when tasks are completed, and goals are achieved
  • Reset to goals that will stretch you and the business further

4. Collaborate

Constantly search for strategic partners who can help you in the pursuit of your aspirations. You may (or may not) currently do business with them but always keep an eye out for those who can help you get where you want to go.

Building collaborations will also help with secure referral partners and affiliate marketing – therefore growing your connections and the opportunities to get your message out there.

5. Measure

Measurement is pivotal as it keeps the business honest. Select metrics that are relevant to your goals and what you are trying to achieve.

You can measure several metrics including:

  • Financial: Measure the impact on the profit and loss or cash flow statements
  • Sales and marketing: Track the number of leads in pipeline, website views or sales calls against acquisitions
  • People and teams: Set metrics to measure not only what your people are achieving but also if they remain motivated

Thinking bigger is a mindset of growth and development about your business offering. It’s the way to build the business and achieve your aspirations. Focusing actively in on innovation, planning, setting goals, collaborations and measurement will propel business development on a successful pathway.

Do an audit on your business and check where you are at with each of these five steps. This will highlight steps for the business to think bigger and look at growth strategies.

Adrienne McLean is the founder and principal marketing and speaking coach for The Speaker’s Practice – which runs workshops, coaching and events that help professionals to improve their marketing and communications.

IML ANZ Members in Sydney are invited to join Adrienne at the Professional Services Marketing Conference on August 17th, 2019. This information conference takes delegates on the business development journey starting with marketing and digital marketing, going through to sales topics with mindset topics covered throughout the day. IML ANZ Members who book by July 17th enjoy a 15% discount when they use the code IMLEB. To book or find out more, visit www.professional-services-marketing-conference.com.

Why do organisations need learning leaders?

Have you ever noticed that the difference between the words ‘leader’ and ‘learner’ are merely two letters? Perhaps it’s because the best leaders are ones who constantly seek to learn and encourage the same of others. We unpack why the learning leader is the best type in today’s modern business world.

Organisations know that good leaders never stop seeking development. According to IML ANZ’s latest research on employer and graduate expectations around leadership skills development, 72% of employers believe they need leadership skills development in their organisation.

In addition, the 2019 National Salary Survey found that one of the top human capital challenges for organisations is the need to develop effective leaders (44%). Interestingly, survey respondents (52%) also rated this as a crucial value-add to organisations if managed correctly.

Clearly, organisations will then seek leaders who share their view on the importance of leadership development. For the individual, that starts with their attitude towards the importance of learning.

Another benefit of having a leader who continually seeks to learn is that they will encourage those around them to do the same.

If you’d like to become a learning leader, here are some simple tips:

 

View learning as an unending process

Progress in technology, education and society mean that what we knew a few years ago may already be outdated. The time between when we acquire knowledge and their ‘use-by date’ is shrinking.

Leaders therefore, must look at every opportunity to learn and to update their expertise. When you’re the person in charge of organisational changes, the strategy, business growth and employee engagement, you cannot afford to get left behind.

 

Stop thinking that learning equals courses

As humans, we like to evaluate ourselves based on measurable, tangible and finite outcomes. Part of the appeal of attending a class is that participants normally come away with a piece of paper that tells them they’ve ‘learned’ about a particular topic, skill or capability.

Learning can come from a variety of contexts. Leaders can gain new knowledge from trialling a new process for instance. Shift the focus from the ‘outcome’ to the ‘journey’ and the lessons won’t be confined to just whether the process resulted in a win or loss.

 

Learn from your people

In the relentless cadence of managing and leading the business, it can be easy for leaders to focus only on their individual learnings. However, reflection is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that you are a learning leader.

Involve your people when reflecting on outcomes, processes and areas of improvement for the team and the business. Each person has a unique way of viewing things and no two people will ever come up with exactly the same idea – no matter how similar they think and behave. By taking in the perspectives of others, you’ll open yourself up to experiences and ideas that would have simply been impossible for you to learn about.