Digital innovation primer: Part two – Workplace innovation

By Craig Baty FIML

 

In this second of five articles about digital transformation for non-technical leaders, we’ll look at workplace innovation. After learning what digital transformation is in last week’s blog, what should leaders understand about how technology shapes the modern workplace?

 

Defining today’s workplace    

 

Digital technology has transformed the workplace, as it has so much else. The very concept of the workplace has evolved. For an increasing number of people, it is no longer a physical location. Rather, it describes the wider virtual environment enabled by such technology as smartphones, mobile broadband, virtual and augmented reality, collaboration tools and a range of other workplace productivity technologies.

 

It is now more than 40 years since digital technology transformed the back offices of large organisations. It is just over 30 years since the PC revolution swept through the front office and brought personal productivity tools such as word processors and spreadsheets to all information workers. Twenty years ago the Internet became a common business tool and the Apple iPhone ushered in the smart phone revolution around 10 years ago.

 

Each of these waves of technology transformed the workplace. We are now experiencing another revolution, driven by new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and the cloud-based delivery of personal and workplace productivity tools.

 

Technological backbone of the modern workplace

 

There are many names for the rapidly changing use of technology and related enabling policies at work including Workplace Innovation, Workstyle Innovation, Smart Workplace and others. Many technologies work together to make it happen. These include:

  • Collaboration tools: software that helps individuals in the workplace to work together on projects by sharing applications and data. Collaboration is not a new idea, but Cloud and artificial intelligence have enabled new ways of working together. At the same time, existing personal productivity tools such as Microsoft Office migrated to the Cloud and brought a new dimension to collaboration.
  • Social media: this is a consumer technology increasingly being used for workplace productivity. Sophisticated analysis tools, many of them driven by AI techniques, are leveraging social networks as important business tools.
  • Workflow and content management: another existing workplace application that has been revolutionised by new technology.
  • Mobility: smartphones, mobile broadband and mobile apps have enabled individuals to work anytime and anywhere.
  • Unified communications: the bringing together of different media – voice, data, image, video – into one integrated corporate communication system.

 

Not everybody is an information worker. New technologies are also transforming workplaces in areas as diverse as manufacturing, transport, energy, utilities and mining. Many of these applications, such as virtual and augmented reality, use a combination of technologies based on AI, the Internet of Things and other innovations. Individuals, the workplace, and the enterprise have never been more connected. Leaders should continue to work with their HR/HCM teams to identify any blockages to productivity and employee satisfaction, safety and engagement and with their ICT teams to co-create appropriate policies and procure the technology to enable them.

 

In next week’s blog, we will cover the Internet of Things (IoT).

 

Digital transformation – why you should care

 

Join us in Sydney where Craig will present an informative and insightful TEL Talk: Digital Transformation – Why should I care? This brief primer on Digital Transformation will address:

  • What is Digital Transformation and why is it important for today’s leader?
  • What are the key technologies and processes to be aware of?
  • How have these technologies been used to create truly transformative business outcomes?
  • As a leader, how can you prepare yourself for an increasingly digitalised future?

Craig Baty is Principal and Founder of Technology & Management Services (TMS), which specialises in research-based data-driven thought leadership and consulting for ICT strategy, outsourcing, vendor management, go-to-market execution, and market and competitive intelligence. TMS also consults on cross-cultural communications and managing virtual teams across multiple geographies. He previously held C-level leadership roles with global telecommunications provider BT (British Telecom), Japanese ICT & technology giant Fujitsu and ICT research and advisory firm Gartner. Craig currently serves as NSW Vice Chair of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) and on the NSW Council of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA).

Digital innovation primer: Part one – Digital transformation (DX)

By Craig Baty FIML

 

In this first of five articles, we’ll look at digital transformation (DX) in general and introduce the key technologies and concepts to be aware of. DX is important for non-technical leaders to have some level of understanding about, so as to effectively manage and use it to their advantage.

 

What is digital transformation?

Digital technology, in all its forms, is transforming business and society. Virtually every area of human activity is being profoundly altered. The most successful people and organisations are those embracing this transformation to build new products and services based on innovative business models enabled by the many technologies that comprise the trend.

The famous Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter, regarded as the father of the study of innovation, described it as ‘creative destruction’. That is what is happening now, all around us. The old ways of doing things are being destroyed. In their stead are rising new ideas, new techniques and whole new industries. In our increasingly digital economy that process is called Digital Transformation (DX).

 

What’s driving this revolution?

There are many enabling technologies driving this revolution. Foremost amongst them is the Internet, which has allowed levels of communication, connectivity and information sharing unimaginable a few short years ago. It has given rise to the Cloud, to the Internet of Things (IOT), and to new ways of delivering and sharing software and services. In a few short decades, it has grown from a limited low bandwidth network connecting just a few computers to a universal high-speed matrix covering the whole planet.

Another key driver is the range of technologies known collectively as Artificial Intelligence (AI), which are enabling new ways of working, new ways of analysing data, and new ways of using existing technology. Massive advances in computing power have made possible AI technologies like machine learning, robotic process automation (RPA) and predictive data analytics. These techniques enable us to make sense of the vast amounts of information (often called ‘Big Data’) generated by the new technologies of the era of Digital Transformation.

 

Digital transformation impacts all aspects of leadership

Massive changes are happening all around us. In the workplace, mobile technologies increasingly mean that for the first time in history we are location independent. We are connected any time and anywhere. Smart phones have transformed many people’s lives and have been the most quickly adopted technology in human history. They have also enabled many new applications and new ways of working, driving a whole range of initiatives and technologies, often referred to as Workplace Innovation, to improve employee productivity and engagement.

At the enterprise level, corporate data and corporate applications have also become untethered from the physical world. Large scale corporate wide applications (Enterprise Applications/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)), services and even infrastructure are now delivered by the Internet. The separation of the digital world from the physical world is blurring, with robotics transforming manufacturing, drones being used for an increasing number of applications and autonomous vehicles becoming a reality.

Governments at every level are delivering their services digitally and are opening government data to third parties to help them develop new information-based services. Electronic identity management has become commonplace.

These changes are revolutionary. But they are not without cost. New technologies mean new opportunities, bad as well as good. In a totally connected world, Cybersecurity has become a major issue. It encompasses a range of technologies designed to protect computers and networks from unwelcome intrusion and to ensure their continued reliability.

Digital Transformation is sweeping the world. Its effects are significant, at every level of business and society. Leaders in all spheres of human endeavour will be impacted and need to become aware of the essential concepts and implications to maximise opportunities for innovation and managing in this rapidly evolving environment.

In the rest of this five-part blog series, we will cover each of the key DX technologies introduced above. Next week we will introduce Workplace Innovation and related technologies.

 

Digital transformation – why you should care

Join us in Sydney where Craig will present an informative and insightful TEL Talk: Digital Transformation – Why should I care? This brief primer on Digital Transformation will address:

  • What is Digital Transformation and why is it important for today’s leader?
  • What are the key technologies and processes to be aware of?
  • How have these technologies been used to create truly transformative business outcomes?
  • As a leader, how can you prepare yourself for an increasingly digitalised future?

Craig Baty is Principal and Founder of Technology & Management Services (TMS), which specialises in research-based data-driven thought leadership and consulting for ICT strategy, outsourcing, vendor management, go-to-market execution, and market and competitive intelligence. TMS also consults on cross-cultural communications and managing virtual teams across multiple geographies. He previously held C-level leadership roles with global telecommunications provider BT (British Telecom), Japanese ICT & technology giant Fujitsu and ICT research and advisory firm Gartner. Craig currently serves as NSW Vice Chair of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) and on the NSW Council of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA).

The onus is on leaders to create safe and respectful workplaces

By David Pich FIML

 

The nature of the workplace has changed. We no longer tie ourselves to a nine-to-five schedule, we work from home – even feel ‘at home’ when we’re at work. It’s not surprising then that in IML ANZ’s 2018 National Salary Survey, we found an increase in the number of workers who left jobs due to a lack of flexibility. It’s now an expectation and simply the way the modern workplace operates.

What that then means is in many cases, the lines that separate the workplace and home become blurred. The home can become a workplace or people may start to see the workplace as a home. Here lies the direct link to safety.

As a leader, we put measures in place to maintain safety in the workplace – physical or psychological. But the changed nature of work means you must go beyond that. Ask the question: “Are the homes of the people in my team a safe environment?” Not to pry, but to know if this requires your attention as their leader.

It matters because if one in five people who’ve experienced harassment say that this is a common occurrence in their workplaces, and they also experience some form of abuse at home, where do they go for respite? We spend a lot of time and invest a lot of effort in the workplace, therefore we all deserve to feel safe there.

Of course, safety isn’t just about the absence of danger but also involves feeling safe enough to speak up if a situation occurs. Robust whistle-blower policies can help in a couple of ways. First, it maps out exactly what actions people can take to combat abuse and harassment in the workplace. More importantly, it sends a strong message of what your organisation considers to be acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. A policy is only as good as the people who implement it. Whilst policies are a must, you need to lift it off the page and live it.

Any form of harassment, whether it occurs at home or at work, is damaging and must be stopped. Organisations must be proactive and take the lead in preventing abuse. Are your managers prepared to act if an incident arises? Do they know how to support victims? Are they role models of the type of behaviour you’d like to see everyone displaying in your organisation?

Our actions as leaders set the tone for all those around us. When I interviewed Alan Joyce for IML ANZ’s book, Leadership Matters: 7 Skills of Very Successful Leaders, he spoke of the fundamental role leaders play in achieving buy-in and influencing the workplace culture: through actions, decisions, and messages we send. However, the culture that I’m talking about here isn’t limited to boosting engagement and results – it’s about a culture that highly values a safe and respectful workforce.

To be clear, abuse is not something the majority of us face daily. Naturally, it’s important to equip ourselves as people leaders on how to handle bullying, harassment and abuse, regardless if it occurs at home or in the workplace. I invite all managers and leaders to seek out ways to understand the reality that abuse, harassment, domestic violence and bullying is real and more common than you might think. Arm yourself with strategies, plans and a deep awareness of how to effectively handle what will most likely be a delicate situation.

Beyond all our other targets, goals and results – we are responsible for people. They give a significant amount of their time, effort and commitment to ensure targets are hit, goals are achieved and results are delivered. We owe it to our teams, as fellow workers – as human beings – to provide an environment where no one must look over their shoulder in fear of abuse. The time to act is now. Waiting until an event occurs is no longer good enough (if it ever was!).

David is the Chief Executive of IML ANZ. Learn what you can do as a leader to create a safe and respectful workplace at IML ANZ’s Leadership Outlook series 2019.

Management skills that promote workplace diversity

The actions of leaders impact not just the work culture but also the composition of their team. Selecting and hiring may give leaders a high level of control over the workplace make-up, but it’s skills and behaviours impact employee retention. Do you find yourself surrounded by clones? Or do you attract a diverse team? Developing certain skills could determine the answer.

 

The composition of our society is marked by increasing diversity. The same can be said of our workplaces. More than ever, the skills of today’s leaders must match the needs of modern organisations.

 

In addition, saying all the words can never outweigh a leader’s actions. If the focus of an organisation rests on creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, the actions of their leaders matter.

 

So, what skills will help managers respond to the needs of today’s workforce?  Here are some leadership skills that help promote workplace diversity:

 

Skills that support open communication

Promoting diversity is all about breaking down barriers. Communication can be both an enabler (when done well) and a barrier (when done poorly) of an inclusive culture. For those taking the lead, skills such as active listening, handling difficult conversations and developing skills in speaking to culturally diverse groups is vital. Displaying mastery of these skills will assist in breaking down communication barriers and encourage open conversations.

 

Skills that foster understanding

In order for diversity to flourish in your workplace, there is a need to empower teams to work together effectively. As a leader, your skills in facilitating teamwork makes that possible. You must also be aware of the need to develop skills in coaching so as to support where needed. If team members feel they may be disadvantaged in a certain way, good coaching skills will help fill that gap and grow their confidence in participating fully as a team member.

 

To create a work environment that fosters diversity and attracts workers from different backgrounds and beliefs, improving soft skills and continuous leadership development is the key ingredient.

Data detective: Harnessing machine learning

By Emma Mulholland

 

Many of us don’t realise that, as we go about our days, we leave long data trails behind us. When we use our smartphone, for example, not only is our location and interlocutor recorded, even the way we hold the headset is. Is that a bad thing? It can be, says data innovator Shashank Pawar MIML. But in the right hands, he says, our data can help us take control of our financial future.

Pawar has worked at Microsoft for 19 years, where he oversees healthcare and banking portfolios. His mission is to bring back customer service – albeit in a modern, digital way. “I think about my mum and dad’s experience of banking,” he says. “They used to deal with one person at a local branch who knew everything about their lifestyle. He knew how old their kids were and would say, ‘Why don’t you set up a college fund?’ There was a level of service that we’re not enjoying today, even though the banks probably have more information about their customers than they’ve ever had.”

A computer science graduate, Pawar helps organisations store and protect customer data and put it to work (under Australian legislation, companies keeping information must have customer consent).

“I help my clients get the most out of the biggest asset they have within their organisation, which is data,” Pawar says. “When a person walks into a bank, essentially everything is recorded: the time it takes to solve their enquiry, the nature of the transaction and the money involved. That data becomes a competitive difference: it’s something you know about your customer base that your competitor doesn’t.”

And that’s where artificial intelligence comes in. Pawar develops algorithms that can sift through millions of these recorded interactions, establish patterns and make predictions about each customer. In years gone by, it could take up to a year to set up an algorithm; with cloud computing, Pawar can now run tests in a matter of days.

He hopes to create the banking equivalent of Spotify, a music-streaming service that uses machine learning – based on tracks played by the listener and their friends – to suggest new playlists. “Why can’t we do that with financial advice as well?” Pawar asks. “The bank knows my peers’ spending habits so if I’m aiming to save a large amount of money, it could tell me what other people my age, who managed to reach that goal, did – it might be shopping at alternative grocery suppliers.”

Pawar imagines a future where no-one will have to wait in line at the bank. Instead, organisations will analyse data and predict their customers’ needs. “Then we can use digital technology to text them the solution,” he says. “Or the next time they pop in to a branch, a friendly face will come and say, ‘This is what you’ve been looking for.’ The interaction is seamless – we seem to know about the customer and can give them personalised service. That’s the vision.”

Reflections on International Women’s Day 2019

By Bernadette Uzelac FIML

 

Last week I participated in IML ANZ’s Great Debate in Melbourne – one of many events held throughout Australia to mark International Women’s Day. The topic was “Her aspiration needs his cooperation.” I was on the affirmative team and our underlying position was that we need all people on the journey if we are to achieve equality.

 

Cooperation, not permission

But ‘cooperation’ doesn’t mean women need the ‘permission’ of men to be successful. Rather, our team’s message was that we need to empower, educate and support men and boys to become agents of change. To challenge gender stereotypes and societal norms that typecast people from a very young age to conform to roles and behaviours that ultimately set the scene for gender bias and discrimination – counter to the notion of equality.

Initiatives like Male Agents for Change and White Ribbon are great examples of men driving positive change and being part of the solution. The United Nations and the European Institute for Gender Equality both support and recommend education and awareness programs for men and boys to combat stereotypic attitudes relating to women’s and men’s roles and responsibilities within the family and society at large. They also agree that we can only succeed in achieving equality through the participation of both women and men.

 

There’s no ‘merit-based’ silver bullet

A central ideology in the conversation is around the issue of merit-based recruitment and career advancement. The proposition that decisions should be based on merit and the best person for the job, regardless of gender and other perceived barriers, sounds fair and reasonable. Indeed, many fair-minded people have pushed for merit-based approaches for decades as a means to counter nepotism, prejudice and bias. Surely, if all organisations based their decisions on merit alone, then barriers based around gender and other biases will simply cease to exist? On the surface, the merit concept seems to be a far more equitable philosophy.

The facts, however, tell a different story.

Meritocracy has not proven to be successful in creating a diverse and culturally rich workforce. Women hold less than 30% of company directorships and a staggering 35% of boards and governing bodies have no female directors. In Australia today the C-Suite is a very male dominated environment. A mere 17.1% of CEOs are female and only around 30% of key management positions are held by women. Full time average weekly earnings of women are 14.1% less than men, and women retire with around 42% less superannuation than men.

 

Why meritocracy can’t stand alone

The reason that merit-based approaches haven’t worked is because underlying barriers like bias, prejudice and discrimination still exist – they’re just not necessarily talked about openly. If you’re not from the right socio-economic background, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age group, you have disability or have needs that challenge an organisation’s cultural ‘fit’ you may struggle. And whilst merit-based appointments continue to equate merit with experience, the end goal of achieving gender balance and diversity will remain elusive. People who are capable to do the job, but who may not have the preferred experience, may not always get to first base to even be considered due to barriers such as disadvantage or unconscious bias and prejudice.

The notion of the ‘best person for the job’ will continue to be a myth whilst we have highly capable people on the margin who may not have had the same opportunity, luck or favourable networks of support as others may have had. Consideration needs to be given to building more equity into the process and encouraging greater self-awareness of deep-seated personal biases and prejudices that may be unconsciously influencing decision making.

 

Education, awareness and support

A local expert in diversity and inclusion recently said, “Change is grounded in education and awareness. The issues of equality between genders are deep and complex. We don’t know what we don’t know… it doesn’t matter which gender you are. We need to encourage curiosity so that people… seek further understanding, increasing awareness so that we know why we need to continue to drive change!”

Women are successfully raising the bar and driving change, however, change won’t come quick enough unless everyone is on board and actively contributing. Whilst there is a strong argument for quotas in some circumstances to fast track change and bring greater balance to workplaces, we do still have a long way to go. When the term ‘gender equality’ is no longer a part of our daily lexicon we will know that we have arrived. The force for change is in us all.

Bernadette Uzelac is a former CEO, is a fellow of IML ANZ, company director and small business advocate. Follow her on twitter @Bern_Uzelac

Leading ladies weigh in on gender balance

By Karyl Estrella MIML

 

While the day dedicated to all things women’s equality might be over, it takes more than 24 hours to transform and shape the social order. In fact, International Women’s Day’s (IWD) #BalanceForBetter campaign will continue to run all year long.

Building a gender-balanced society requires courageous leaders. So IML ANZ spoke to three fearless, leading women – all of whom spoke at our IWD Great Debate events.

We get a glimpse of their views on the current state of gender equality, the role of professional development in moving the needle and what practical steps leaders can take to achieve true balance.

 

Gender balance: current state of play

For Privcore’s Managing Director and data privacy thought-leader Annelies Moens CMgr FIML, the current state of gender balance is a precarious dance. “I am reminded of a quote about Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire attributed to Bob Thaves. While Fred was great, let’s remember Ginger Rogers did everything he did backwards and in high heels,” said Moens.

That women usually have to perform better than men is a sentiment shared by Clariti Group’s CEO, Belinda-Jane Dolan CMgr FIML. Herself having to battle through disadvantages including being rejected for top leadership roles due to her gender, Dolan reflects, “As women, we have to work incredibly hard. Now, should we? The reality is no, we shouldn’t have to work any harder than anybody else. But how can we now change the conversation to ensure this doesn’t have to happen for generations to come?”

A crucial area where gender balance is obviously lacking is on the boards of the largest Australian companies. According to Maroondah City Council’s Director of Corporate Services, Marianne Di Giallonardo CMgr MIML, the problem could be rooted in change aversion – for both men and women. “The reason why women on the boards of ASX corporations is only 30% is that for the men, the other 70%, it’s hard to give up the benefits of those roles,” she said.

Di Giallonardo adds, “To get to 50-50, 20% of the male groups that are currently participating have to not participate, and then an extra 20% of females need to participate. So the big question is how do we gear all of the systems, processes and unconscious biases for that to happen.”

A poignant question which isn’t resolved with just one answer.

 

Visibility is key

One possible response seems to rest on role models. Dolan emphasises that the visibility of women in leadership plays a crucial role in helping younger women attain for it. “I do believe that you definitely can’t be what you can’t see. If you are not able to see women leaders then how do you know that’s a role you can achieve?” Dolan added.

And visibility must stretch beyond the workplace, as Moens explains, “Advertising for airlines’ premium products, such as business class, often shows images of men sitting in business class seats served by female cabin crew. I would love to see more images of women in those business class seats being served by male cabin crew.”

Indeed, seeing women in powerful or influential positions can help shift perceptions and alter mindsets about what leadership really looks like.

 

Not a numbers game

“Often the notion of quotas come through,” Di Giallonardo points out. But she adds that it’s much more than a numbers game. “You don’t want to set a number and then just get people into the roles because you’re trying to meet the quotas,” she says.

Dolan agrees, “From what I’ve seen at high-performing organisations, they’re not hiring in leadership roles based purely on gender. It’s imperative that the correct person is hired for the right role. As a female leader and a board director, I want to be in that role because I’m the best candidate and not based solely upon my gender.”

 

Development matters

Moens is quick to point out that the skills and competencies that leaders need to respond to a society seeking balance, is changing fast. She explains, “You need a broad range of interdisciplinary skills, including people leadership skills, communications, technical or competency areas depending on your industry. Constant learning is required, regardless of your role, but especially as a leader.”

Additionally, there’s a real danger when the thinking and mindset of a leader stands still. Dolan confirms, “Neurologically, our brains need to be stimulated. We need to be stretched and challenged in order to grow, if not we become stagnant or worse still our skills are not relevant. As leaders, we need to take accountability for our growth to actively seek out development opportunities and challenge ourselves to always be better leaders.” Dolan adds, “Being a leader means we should be learning alongside our teams too, establishing connections and growing with them.”

Hence, there’s merit in ensuring leaders are measuring up to the best. Di Giallonardo agrees, “With the Chartered Manager designation, I think it’s a fantastic opportunity to get yourself benchmarked with an international standard.”

She adds, “I’m always encouraging everyone to think about growth and development – so that people can shine and at the end of the day, that’s what all companies want. We want all our staff to shine. Not only for themselves but for the whole team.”

 

Practical steps to fuel change

 

  • Rethink recruitment. Moens challenges leaders to step outside of their comfort zones when it comes to hiring. She concludes, “The less we hire people that look like us or think like us the better for a diverse and inclusive workplace.”
  • Improve work-life balance. Di Giallonardo believes in creating as many opportunities that promote equality in the roles of men and women. “Depending on where you work, men are given a few days of paternity leave whereas women can take much longer. That could be seen as being unequal. It’s worth looking at it with fresh eyes to see what you can do to try and swing that around,” she says.
  • Professional support. Having a strong network is vital. And this must not stop at the occasional networking event or time-bound coaching sessions. “Managers and leaders need to encourage and train sponsors, so they can be confident with people who are different to them or who may ultimately challenge them. Inevitably, when sponsors become comfortable with people not like them, outdated attitudes will fall to the wayside,” Moens points out.

 

Change and ultimately balance, can be achieved with sustained effort by both men and women. Dolan is hopeful in what she’s seen happen so far. She reflected, “If I go back 10–15 years, there were substantially less women leading. In 2018, 15 of 146 world leaders are women, eight of whom served as their country’s first female leaders. Whilst we have more women in leadership than ever before there is much more we need to do.”

For Di Giallonardo, the strive for balance requires the efforts of both men and women – but women especially should take heart. “There’s strength on the male side and there’s strength on the female side. But there’s nothing women can’t do if they’re given the opportunity to do it.”

Karyl is IML ANZ’s content producer. Contact her for queries regarding the IML ANZ blog and quarterly magazine, Leadership Matters.

Career Doctor: How can I build a high performance team?

By Peter Cullen FIML

I was extremely fortunate and very grateful to have been a member of a really great team on one occasion in my career. There were seven of us with a very close bond that was forged over time. People from outside the company wanted to join our team. They could not, because no-one left. Our team exemplified five fundamental foundations that most great teams share: leadership, purpose, values alignment, accountability and communication. Here are some ideas to help embed these five foundations in your own team.

1. LEADERSHIP

As a leader remember: it is not about you, it is about what you do. You need to consistently role model the behaviours you seek in the team because your attitudes and behaviours are contagious.

Trust sits at the heart of any high performing team. Displaying genuine vulnerability is an essential ingredient in establishing trust and it must start with you. This should be encouraged within the team as people flourish in an environment where they feel safe. You need to be open and honest about your mistakes as well as your achievements.

Give your time to your team and people. And have courage! Be the advocate of your team and their protector.

2. PURPOSE

Do you and your team members know their purpose and that of the team? It is a great idea to develop this with the team so everyone has clarity, buy-in, ownership and responsibility for their purpose.

Provide time for team members to consider the who, what, when, where and how of their work. Plan a team meeting to brainstorm and consolidate all this information into a concise paragraph that is relevant and easily relatable.

3. VALUES ALIGNMENT

Knowing, understanding and living your personal values provides personal satisfaction, contentment and a sense of quiet confidence. Values form the basis for your attitudes, beliefs and perception of the world and how you fit in it.

People whose personal values are aligned with team and company values usually perform at a higher level because they are generally happier and want to contribute. They want to support each other and the team. Help yourself and your colleagues by providing a personal values assessment then ask the team to create some jointly agreed team member behaviours.

4. ACCOUNTABILITY

Knowing what team members need to be accountable for – and then consistently following up – has a big influence on how a team performs. KPIs are normally front of mind when we think about accountability. Remember that these need to be realistic, achievable and agreed by both you and the person who reports to you. It is beneficial for a team to create and develop some targets collectively and they should feel comfortable to hold each other accountable for them. When working in an environment of trust, team members will appropriately and respectfully call each other on it.

5. COMMUNICATION

It is essential to be open, honest and transparent with the team and your people while being appropriately respectful. Two important motivators for people are recognition and acknowledgement. These can be delivered by providing regular feedback which should always be affirmative and supporting, never blaming, criticising or judgmental.

Depending on how many direct reports you have, consider weekly 20-minute catch-ups and weekly structured team meetings. To ensure you all get the most from every meeting, ask what worked well and why and what can be improved and how.

Be present! Ensure you ‘walk the floor’ and chat with people to see how they are going and whether they have any concerns you can help them with.

Keep people informed on the progress and developments of the company. Remember, we are all human and as such we will make mistakes and we will have wins. Use each mistake or win as an opportunity to build self-awareness through self-reflection.

If you can establish these five foundations with your team then you will be a formidable force together. And you will be the leader your team needs you to be.

Peter Cullen is an education and training facilitator. Each of his three-day programs engages participants in developing and implementing their capabilities as managers and leaders.

The real battleground for gender equality

By David Pich CMgr FIML

(Warning: This is not an article about the ins and outs of Brexit!)

As a dual citizen of Australia and the UK, I tend to keep a foot in both camps, so to speak. Whilst primarily focusing my attention on local leadership issues, I do keep a keen eye on leadership matters in the land of my birth. This inevitably brings me to the absolute shambles that has commonly become known as ‘Brexit’.

Before your eyes glaze over, before your finger twitches towards the minimise button, let me restate that this isn’t another article about Brexit! It’s about something arguably more significant. It’s about institutional gender inequality. It’s about the fact that – typically – our institutions remain male-dominated domains. And it’s about the fact that this needs to change.

A reality check is needed

On 14th January there was (yet another) crucial vote on Brexit in the House of Commons. (It was a vote so crucial that most people, including me, have long since forgotten what was being voted on). My interest was piqued not by the vote itself but by the reports and images of Tulip Saddiq, the MP for Kilburn being wheeled into the voting chamber in a wheelchair.

The issue was – and still is – that Westminster doesn’t have a proxy voting system that allows absent MPs to vote in debates when they are away from Parliament. In fact, the British Parliament almost has a proxy system. About 12-months ago all political parties agreed that a modern political system needed this facility. And then nothing happened.

Back in 2018, Harriet Harman MP arguing in favour of the introduction of proxy voting pointed out that there 200 women MPs in Parliament and that an increasing number were young. She went on to say that ‘there are two babies in the offing and it’s time we just got on with it’.

Indeed. I find it almost unbelievable that the institution that arguably holds a good many of the keys to political power in one of the most advanced democracies in the world doesn’t have processes in place that accommodate the realities of modern life. And that promote one of the very basic principles of gender equality.

Of course, I’m actually not that surprised at all. The ‘Tulip Saddiq incident’ is just one example of the way that women in leadership roles are viewed and treated.

What often surprises me the most about this, and other examples is the reaction of men (and yes, I’m one of those!). One notorious Parliamentarian at the time of the discussion around proxy voting in the British Parliament proudly pointed out to a newspaper that he was no ‘modern man’ and that he hadn’t changed a nappy in his life (or in the life of his kids!). That he said this proudly says it all really. That he said it at all should surely disqualify him from voting on issues such as this!

Systemic change is needed

As leaders, we are always accountable for the decisions we make. Taking personal responsibility for the way we view, decide and act on matters is part and parcel of the job description. The equal treatment of women should be no different. ­

Unfortunately, the fact remains that men continue to dominate many of the positions of responsibility in society. Until there is parity in positions of power men must play both a leading and a supporting role in the fight for gender equality.

This is a real battle and better leaders need to lead the charge. Better leaders are key. The mark of a great leader rests on decision making based on the highest standards. The highest standards of our society demand that decision-makers show the respect and consideration that women deserve. Our actions, great or small, as leaders is what will shape the society we desire. Indeed, we need to rethink how to create a gender equal future. This cannot be done in isolation, it needs the cooperation of all regardless of gender.

Cooperation is needed

Right thinking men need to be there to support women in the push for gender equality. That struggle isn’t a one-sided battle; we are stronger fighting inequality together.

My view is that cooperation is always desirable. This isn’t a fight of us and them, of men v women. It’s a battle between equality and inequality. The battlegrounds are everywhere – in the workplace, in our political institutions, in religion, families and throughout society.

The only way to fight inequality of any sort is through collaborative action.

David Pich is the Chief Executive of IML ANZ.