Workplace Bullying & Harrassment Seminar: What you need to know & what you can do

Things on the people side of the business, already complex and often tricky to manage, will soon have another level of legal complexity added to the mix. 

There's great potential for things to get a whole lot messier - even ugly - with real financial, productivity, interpersonal and emotional consequences.

Read on to find out what you need to know and what you can do.


A recent article highlights the fact that "from January 2014, employers [in Australia] will be subject to a new anti-bullying jurisdiction with employees alleging workplace bullying able to bring a claim to the Fair Work Commission."

Though the laws are Australia-specific, the issue that the article highlights is increasingly common in workplaces everywhere:

...the psychological contract between business and employee has noticeably shifted...there is an increasing mismatch between the expectations of employees and employers and the gap is widening.

In my work consulting and coaching in organizations I hear both sides of the story.

Managers complain of staff who think that being asked to take responsibility and held accountable for delivering on the requirements of their job constitutes "bullying".

On the other side, I routinely hear of people managers who either can't or won't manage people effectively - whether due to a lack of training and experience or, in the extreme, individuals who can best be described as corporate psychopaths.

What you can do

More than ever this points to the need for effective communication, conversations in which expectations are set and routinely reviewed (rather than the once-or-twice-a-year adversarial session that passes for a "performance review"). 

I call these Conversations for Real Life. In my experience when people are equipped to have these conversations successfully, it can make the difference between an organization that is high performance and one that is mired in unresolved conflict, low productivity, poor engagement and, increasingly, expensive and time-consuming legal dramas.

Specialized in the people side of the business, tmc offers clients a wide variety of ways to get people working better together. Get in touch to explore how to apply tmc's more than 15 years of experience working with organizations and discover how to bring out the best in your people, learn ways for them to engage more effectively with others, create more productive cultures and deliver better results, faster and with longer-lasting impact.

What you need to know

My associates at Cox Purtell are hosting an breakfast seminar in Sydney on Thursday 14 November, featuring a speaker from Harmers Workplace Lawyers. 

To join, please be sure to RSVP directly to John Le at Cox Purtell. 

For full details see below - and I look forward to seeing you on Thursday morning!

The HOW of Implementing Innovation

Well what a fun bunch at today's workshop! 

How to implement innovation was the topic of the day for us at Liquid Learning's Tertiary Education Teaching and Learning Innovation Conference 2013.

I was fully stoked to have a group of about 30 switched-on, participative and smart people taking part.

Wish you all every success in using the tips 'n' tools from today's session to Make Some SHIFT Happen!

Here's a reminder of the highlights from today's talk:

And here's a link to the paper that I'd offered with a more in-depth exploration of using the HOW to bring people along on your project implementation and innovative practices: People Engagement That Works

If you enjoyed today's session and want to keep in touch I'd be delighted to connect with you on LinkedIn. 

And there's a tmconsultancy page on facebook - pop by and give it a like, if you like!

Melbourne Workshop Series - Constructive Conversations

"Constructive Conversations" comes to Melbourne

Highlights:

• Three different skills-building workshops - attend one, two or all three 
• Each workshop includes a one-on-one coaching followup for each participant 
• Learn practical tools that you can use right away
• Dates: Tue 12 Mar / Sat 16 Mar
• Location: Temenos, an artistic "Playspace" in Gardenvale
• Cost: 1 workshop $149 or take 2 workshops @ $129ea.
• International Women's Day Special Offer: Attend all 3 workshops for $99ea.

Workshop #1: Giving and Receiving the Gift of Feedback (Tuesday 12 March at 18.00)

Workshop #2: How to get what you want at work...and in life Women-only session (Saturday 16 March at 9.00)

Workshop #3: The Art of Negotiation (Saturday 16 March at 13.00)

Click to order your tickets on Eventbrite

Todd Montgomery, M.A. CMC

Your Workshop Leader: Todd Montgomery
Author, Consultant & Executive Coach

Todd has over 15 years of experience working with people in the areas of human behaviour and interaction.

His workshops and coaching feature a practical and positive approach to personal and professional development. It helps you get very clear on what you want, gain focus in your actions, build on your strengths, draw out your unique know-how and resources, and then apply them directly to your current situation to actually execute your plans.

His consulting and coaching work takes him across Austral-Asia, UK/Europe and North America. A frequent keynote speaker and chair for organisations and conferences, Todd has delivered workshops and participated in panel discussions on a host of leadership and organisational topics. 

What previous attendees have said about Todd's workshops:

• Relaxed and warm approach. Love your humour!
• Clear structure and explanations.
• Good simulation, easy to apply technique, good structure.
• The group [demonstration] worked exceptionally well, balancing between structured, to-do advice and empathy about difficulties faced.
• You are friendly and nice to listen to - very good!
• There was a clear flow of information advice between parties, which I am very keen on.
• The role play brought home how the dynamics of the group can work.
• Well done! Great tools, way of sharing, and good humour!
• Good mix of theory and participation...it flowed - thank you!
• High engagement...excellent explanation and use of The Affirm technique.
• Energized and engaged - good experience.
• Very informative and easy to follow.

EVENT DETAILS

Words that hurt, words that help – express yourself for best effect

In many key areas of day-to-day life - negotiations, giving and receiving feedback, handling conflict, backing yourself in an assertive way we fail to achieve what we want and experience unnecessary stress and drama.  

So much of our ability to connect with and influence others depends on the words we use...and yet we’re often sloppy with our language, putting others on the defensive and being unclear about what we want.

At the Constructive Conversations workshop series in Melbourne, you'll learn an effective model to make yourself clear, increase mutual understanding and make it much more likely that you'll get what you want out of your interactions with others.

Workshop #1: Giving and Receiving the Gift of Feedback (Tue 12 Mar at 18.00)

 

“Let me give you some feedback…”

Is there any phrase that sets people on edge as quickly as that one?! Done well, feedback provides an invaluable, irreplaceable source of useful information and insight. So why is it so often done so badly…? And how come so many people turn themselves inside out rather than offer their views on a matter that really matters to them?

Giving and receiving feedback – communication, not criticism
Instead of so-called “constructive criticism” you’ll learn how to have a Constructive Conversation where useful information is exchanged and both parties end up the better for having spoken. Never walk away from another touchy, controversial or complex issue again!

Click to order your tickets on Eventbrite

Workshop #2: How to get what you want at work...and in life Women-only session (Sat 16 Mar at 9.00)

 
Doing what works - choose your thoughts, choose your happiness
The way you choose to view the world has a tremendous impact on your own happiness and your ability to interact effectively with others. Learn a simple, lightweight and highly effective means to improve your life today!

Assertiveness Tips for Women
Learn ways to deal with broken promises, violated expectations and bad behaviour. Learn how to handle life’s situations with appropriate assertiveness (not excessive aggression). Keep your cool with Constructive Conversations for greater success in both negotiations and other life situations that call for savvy influencing skills...and a dash of assertive female persuasion.

ADDED BONUS: Be inspired! During this week of International Women's Day,  participants will have the chance to purchase a signed copy of Beatrice Imbert's latest book The Secret Diaries of Inspirational Women - How Everyday Women Achieved Extraordinary Lives and How You Can Too

Workshop #3: The Art of Negotiation (Sat 16 Mar at 13.00)
It's been said that all of life is a negotiation. Done badly, negotiation can waste huge amounts of time to reach an unsatisfying outcome that pleases no one. What's more, a failed negotiation can do lasting damage to your relationship with the other party. 

This workshop offers you a better way: An approach that is remarkably effective and remarkably quick to learn: a way to step beyond stuck positions and seek solutions that are better for both sides – better than current positions, better than mere compromise.

Why not use a little MAGIC
The best result from a negotiation is an agreement both sides want to keep, while building good relations and not wasting any time. Even in the face of hard-nosed bargaining, entrenched positions or dirty tricks, you’ll learn ways of holding Constructive Conversations and respectfully acknowledging the other – without in any way giving in. Instead you’ll have the confidence to hold your ground and the clarity to avoid being taken for a ride. That includes the confidence to know when to say yes – and when to walk away.

Click to order your tickets on Eventbrite

 

Putting your skills to work - follow-on coaching

Each of these three highly interactive workshops will give you the chance to work on a real-life issue that you currently face (and possibly dread), giving you concrete action steps to follow in the days and weeks to come. Together they offer a powerful toolkit of practical skills that you can start using right away!

To help you get the most from your new learning, I'm also offering these extensive added resources and support...

 **Exclusive to these Melbourne dates - along with the workshop content, you'll receive the following bonuses:

• your own copy of the book Where's the Gift - Using Feedback to Work Smarter, Learn Faster and Avoid Disaster  
• a one-on-one coaching session to fine-tune the application of your new skills to your real-life challenges

The full price of the each workshop is normally $495.00 per person.

In this exclusive time-limited offer, attend a single workshop for only $149.

Sign up for two workshops and the cost of each workshop drops to just $129 - that's $258 for a full day's worth of valuable workshop content AND a coaching sessions for each workshop topic.

And in celebration of International Women's Day, I'm offering the complete set of three workshops to any ladies who wish to attend at a rate of $99/workshop - that's just $297 for a day and a half of skills-building knowledge AND a coaching session for each workshop topic.

Click to order your tickets on Eventbrite

The Venue:
Temenos

Temenos - Our "Playspace" for each workshop

108 Gardenvale Road
Gardenvale, VIC 3185
Map

Gardenvale is a village inside the triangle of Brighton, Elwood and Elsternwick. 
It's an easy DRIVE 15-20 minutes south along St Kilda Road/Nepean Hwy to Gardenvale Road, then turn left. Street parking is available. 
By TRAIN take the Sandringham line to Gardenvale station then walk 5 minutes along Gardenvale Road, just past the award-winning  Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird Roastery and cafe.

Sponsor charity swim, get a complimentary coaching session

Need some help sticking to and achieving your New Year's resolutions? Want to set yourself up for success in 2012? Read on to find out how you can support a deserving charity and get a complimentary coaching session at the same time with this limited-time offer!

One week from today on February 5th I'll have another go at the Cole Classic, Australia's largest ocean swim event. In what's become an annual charity fundraising event for my company, I'll once again tackle the 1km course from Shelly Beach to Manly Beach.

I'm doing the swim to raise money for  the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), in support of their efforts to help protect animals around the world from cruelty.


THE ASK: I'm seeking sponsorships of my race-for-charity. Any amount is gratefully accepted - even $10 donations add up - and you can donate from wherever you are in the world at my everyday hero fundraising page.

THE OFFER: if you choose to donate AUD$50* or more, tmc will offer you a complimentary 1-hour coaching session. No further obligation is required - just make a donation and we'll book you a coaching session (live or by telephone) at your convenience. That's it!

*that's about £33 / €40 / SEK360 / HK$410 / SIN$65 / CAD$53 / US$53

So...with just one donation, you get four things at once:

1. A chance to try out coaching, if you've not done so before, at a knock-down rate
2. Feel-goods as you help a deserving global charity to improve animal welfare
3. The one-on-one attention of an experienced coach to address an issue that's real for you today - and walk away with practical actions to do right away
4. And as a charitable contribution, it's tax deductable.

Why coaching?
Coaching will benefit anyone who wants something and has not yet been able to get it. It is a structured way to renew your focus, better tackle your challenges and identify how you can make the best use of your efforts and resources to get sustained results over a period of time.

Todd asks great questions - pertinent and provocative. Then makes sure you work through to a good answer. ~ Paul Z. Jackson, Owner, The Solutions Focus

In the same way that top athletes have coaches to help them realize their full potential and improve their performance, coaching helps you to be your best. Far from being a remedial step or an admission of weakness, having a coach is a useful way to head off potential issues before they impede your performance, and draw on your existing strengths to get results.

At the outset of a new project, coaching is also invaluable in setting the right course so that when storms blow up along the way, you will already have the means in place to handle them and not get blown off course or overwhelmed.

GET THINGS DONE
Coaching...gave me real clarity and focus, which was just what I was needing at the time. After just one coaching conversation, I found that I was better organised, and managing my time much more effectively. Over time, I have found that the tools I gained have stayed with me, even if my method has changed. ~ Linnet Good, writer and entrepreneur, Goodscribble

How does coaching work?

You will draw on your own experiences as you “think out loud,” with the added benefit of an impartial outside point of view for fresh perspective. Through skilled work as both a sounding board and source of positive support, a coach can help uncover your own hidden insights and ideas. An ongoing coaching dialogue also makes it more likely that you will follow through on your commitment to do the actions you know need to be done.

BUILD ON EXISTING STRENGTHS
Being involved in many other coaching training sessions, the one with Todd has given me the most improvement and value. That’s because it’s not often that I can put theory into practice and have a seasoned expert sitting on the side-line who can objectively provide valuable pointers and guidance to improve my coaching style and technique. ~ Eric Wong, Manager, NRMA

A coaching session gives you that all-important pause to get clarity on a course of action, identify useful and practical ways forward, and follow up on those actions to get the maximum possible learning benefit from them.

ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGH INSIGHTS
I've found Todd's coaching consistently excellent, in one session helping me reach a goal I'd been striving towards for 15 years...in a field with which he had no previous experience! He is very creative, and generous with his time, energy and ideas. He is both very professional and excellent company. Time spent with Todd is time very well spent. ~ Shakya Kumara, Training Manager and Coach, windhorse:evolution

Some practical examples

Coaching can help if you’d like to develop your skills in any of these areas:

• assertiveness in business and personal situations
• negotiation to get the outcomes you want
• having difficult conversations with co-workers or partners
• using effective persuasion and influencing skills
• leadership development
• becoming a better manager
• coaching others to help their performance/business focus
• time management and priority-setting to get things done
• business planning
• strategy execution to turn your plans into reality
• decisiveness in knowing what you want and how to get it
• cross-cultural (or other) communication challenges
• presentation skills to deliver your message with maximum effect

And if you want to:

• get “unstuck” from current dramas
• achieve breakthrough insights
• handle conflict in a no-dramas way
• interact more effectively with other people
• set a course that’s right for you and stick to it
• get your business in shape to achieve its full potential

FIND YOUR OWN WAY FORWARD
Todd has helped to build my awareness of my own behaviour and provided valuable models, frameworks, techniques and practical examples for how I can work through challenges. Overall I have really noticed the difference in how I approach my career in general and my day-to-day work interactions. ~ Manager, Aon-Hewitt

What to do next

Please make your donation at the fundraising page and then to contact me directly to schedule your coaching conversation. Also: encourage your friends, colleagues and anyone else you can think of who could put this offer to good use to make a donation as well.


**Remember, the donations support a worthy global charity, with a tax receipt issued directly to the donor.

Thanks - I hope I can count on your support of my efforts and look forward to speaking to donors very soon.


The fine print: one coaching session per donor, session to be booked within 1 month of donation date and delivered within 6 months' time. Coaching sessions are for the donor only and cannot be reassigned to others.

Employee engagement forum (Sydney, Wed 16 Nov)

Want to learn more about how to use employee engagement research to inform and promote organizational change? Read on to discover how to secure your complimentary seat at this discussion forum on Employee Engagement.

Next week in Sydney I'm attending the latest in a series of discussion forums on Employee Engagement hosted by my associate partners at ORC International.

These discussion forums are designed to offer guidance on how to increase employee engagement in your organization by creating ownership amongst key stakeholders. Drawing on recent case studies and contemporary thinking, forum participants will consider the latest techniques for generating buy-in to employee engagement research and ensuring the business, your managers and your employees are ready and willing to drive internal improvements.

In addition, ORC International will be joined by special guest speaker Ben Palmer from GENOS, who will be offering insights from his research in the field of emotional intelligence. He will describe how the traditional engagement approach does not always drive engagement, and discuss the need to create a shared ownership model. Organizations need to ask individuals what motivates them, and individuals need to take responsibility for themselves, whilst being supported by managers. Ben will outline the GENOS approach to individualizing engagement and how this can complement your employee engagement survey.

The meeting will provide an excellent opportunity to:

• Understand how to harness the potential of your employee research
• Learn different tactics to raise the profile of employee engagement in your organisation
• Understand how to increase employee engagement at an individual level
• Share best practice with your industry colleagues

If you are going to be in Sydney next week, I look forward to seeing you at this event!

Date: Wednesday 16 November 2011
Time: 09h00 - 12h00 followed by luncheon
Cost: complimentary

Robinson William Room
The Bayview Boulevard Sydney
90 William St, Sydney NSW
View location map

Register for this no-cost event online here or contact Phil Pringle at (03) 9935 5729  

Hello Movember, meet "Grovember" - How expressing Gratitude can change your life

As a useful complement to Movember, I suggest the practice of "Grovember" - using November to establish your daily habit of expressing Gratitude. By introducing a bias towards the positive and focusing on what you DO want (rather than lamenting what you don't want), you can break the downward spiral of depression and positively influence your thinking in ways that can dramatically improve the enjoyment of life and increase your levels of happiness.

We're now in Movember (the month formerly known as November) when many men grow a moustache to raise funds and awareness on two biggest health issues men face: prostate cancer and depression.

The overall intent is to work to change established habits and attitudes men have about their health, to educate men about the health risks they face, get them to act on that knowledge and increase the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.

This year for the first time I'm having a go and raising money for charity in memory of my brother Jim, who died this year and who often suffered from bouts of deep depression.

Raising awareness of organizations (like Beyond Blue and Mensline in Australia) that exist to help men combat depression is important work. I think it's also important to offer men the tools for a bit of self-help DIY. That's what this post is about.

How you can combat depression - and live the best life you can!

A really effective way to combat depression, and to shift your state of mind in general for the better, is to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude"

One specific practice is to intentionally and regularly record positive appreciation in a Gratitude Journal. Here's how it works:

You write down five (or more) things every day that you are grateful for

That's it.

Even Don kept a journal!

Don't be fooled! Though simple, the practice it is a surprisingly powerful way both to get out of negative/depressed states of mind and to positively influence your thinking in ways that improve your enjoyment of life.

Depression is often the result of a pervasive, circular pattern of negative thoughts. Keeping a gratitude journal breaks that pattern and re-programs your mind to think more positively.

By regularly noticing and recording things for which you're grateful, you train your brain to focus on things you like about your life (and want to have in it) rather than the things you don’t. This simple practice, done consistently, can improve your whole perspective on life.

In her book The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want, University of California professor Sonja Lyubomirsky praises the practice of writing a Gratitude Journal as a good way to increase your level of happiness. In a nutshell, her research has found that "truly happy individuals construe life events and daily situations in ways that seem to maintain their happiness, while unhappy individuals construe experiences in ways that seem to reinforce unhappiness."

In other words, as Lincoln said:

"People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." 

Have a Go!
And so as well as taking part in Movember, I've started keeping a regular Gratitude Journal this month. What you write down doesn't have to be huge or mind-blowing. It might not matter to anyone but you. For example, my entries for today included:

1) taking time this morning to tend to the plants on the balcony and in the flat - gives me a sense of nurturance and feeling "grounded"
2) hearing about NaNoWriMo - feel inspired about doing more writing and like the idea as a way to increase connection with others while pursuing an inherently solitary activity
3) I like that I can get Dutch goodies like speculaas, hagelslag and honingkoek in Oz - yum! (feeding belly & soul, "ethnic" food)
4) liked reading the positive inspirational quotes that come through daily on my facebook page
5) enjoyed sitting on balcony this AM eating breakfast with the springtime Sydney sunshine on my face, a full day of coaching, meeting people and writing ahead of me, and an early surf session with some mates set up for tomorrow morning

You can write things in the AM - including things you're looking forward to with the clarity of mind that comes after a good sleep, or in the PM - recording what you've appreciated about the day and to symbolically end your day, heading off to sleep with a positive frame of mind. For my part, I'm doing both as I like the idea of having a morning-and-evening ritual.

Start your journal writing today, whether it's at the start or end of the day, or both!
Continue the daily habit of expressing Gratitude consistently through November and I bet you'll notice a difference in your life. Think of it as your own personal "Grovember". It's a practical habit that, as you have learned, can profoundly change your life. Who knows, maybe it'd be better to call it GROW-vember!

Finally, if you've found this post at all helpful then I'd love you to support my Movember fundraising efforts. All amounts are appreciated as every little bit helps. Remember, anything over $2 is tax-deductible.

The view from 4 years on - tmc blog's birthday

Four years ago I penned my first post to launch both this blog and my journey here in Australia, re-establishing the consulting business I'd successfully run in London and before that in Montreal.

I'm very grateful that during the past four years I've had the chance to work with some great companies, make so many connections with terrific people, learn a lot and spread the word about how bringing out the best in your people produces better results, faster, with longer-lasting impact.

Who knows what the next four years will have in store... for the moment, to mark this anniversary I'll be diving into the archives over the next few weeks to find some of the best and well-discussed posts, which I'll repost with updated content and insights.

I'll also begin sharing details of the project that I'll launch in 2012 to increasingly be the vehicle for my work, building a community and a movement around the concept of promoting Positive Change.

So as usual, watch this space - to make that a little easier, subscribe to this blog! Just enter your email address in the "Get blog updates sent to your email" box in the top-right side of this page, Or, you can click on the "Get blog updates by RSS feed" button (Wondering how RSS works? Watch this video.) That way you can be sure to hear about upcoming posts as they're published. 

Employee Engagement research - Executive Briefing (next Thu in Sydney)

Want to learn more about how to use employee engagement research to inform and promote organizational change? Read on to discover how to secure your complimentary seat at this Executive Briefing on Employee Engagement. You'll gain valuable insight on how to create a culture that invites maximum staff engagement and also hear the latest thinking on how to develop and implement a strategic engagement program.

Next week in Sydney I'll be co-presenting a session entitled Using employee engagement research to drive organizational improvement. It's happening on Thursday 26 May 2011 from 09h00 to 12h00, finishing with lunch.

Sign up today at no cost for this Executive Briefing, part of a series of discussion forums put on by my Associate partners at ORC International. These sessions are designed to offer guidance and useful insights into how to use employee engagement research to inform and promote organizational change.

Drawing on recent case studies and contemporary thinking, we will offer a strategic framework and valuable insight on how to initiate change and maximize staff engagement.

The meeting will provide an excellent opportunity to:

• Understand engagement in your workforce
• Learn the processes for effective action planning
• Share best practice with your industry colleagues

The most challenging aspect of employee engagement research is delivering sustainable action. In this session we will use case studies and recent client experiences to isolate the obstacles for taking action, and outline how these challenges can be overcome.

Making Business Personal - People Engagement that Works
Effective people engagement is a hard thing to get right but the benefits are tremendous. Engagement describes a relationship, and like any relationship it takes time and ongoing attention to nurture its development. Making business personal means having a people-positive culture. This interactive discussion will give you some of the practical tools you need to build and sustain engagement. A few topics we'll cover include:

• The key role of people managers when implementing engagement strategies
• New ways of thinking about the emotional component of engagement
• Key components of a "culture of engagement"

If you are going to be in Sydney next week it'd be great to see you there!

Date: Tuesday 26 May 2011
Time: 09h00 - 12h00 followed by luncheon
Cost: complimentary

Fraser Suites
488 Kent Street
Sydney NSW 2000
map

Register for this no-cost event online here or contact Phil Pringle at (03) 9935 5729

Change management - the what and the how

Intranet projects address the whole organization and their holistic focus can offer a unique window into an organization's inner workings. Addressing the organizational issues that can emerge during this process involves both the "what" and the "how" of change management - to implement the intranet project itself and to ensure the organization's long-term success in achieving its strategic objectives. Read on to find out more...

During conversations this morning at Step Two Designs' inaugural Intranets 2011 conference in Sydney some interesting views on change management have emerged that I'd like to share.

The link between intranets and organizational change
A good intranet encompasses the whole of an organization, cutting across departments and functional areas as a tool for internal communication, social interaction and even community-building.

Intranet projects (whether new or renewed) are therefore about much more than "just" the intranet itself. These projects offer a unique window into an organization's inner workings. During intranet projects many organizational issues and internal tensions can swiftly rise to the surface, presenting an opportunity to identify and address key stumbling blocks that impede overall organizational success.

Intranet champions beware! It pays to be aware of these potential added elements and have the means and expertise ready-to-hand to address these issues when they arise. Demonstrating a thorough understanding of the client's context and offering value that goes beyond the intranet itself is a sure way to develop the coveted "trusted advisor" status.

What's more, it reinforces the value of a holistic view and positions the intranet itself as a key tool for change management and organizational success.


Effective change management - the power lies in the "doing"

When it comes to projects (intranet or otherwise), it's worth teasing out the steps involved between the stages of planning/strategy development and actual project implementation.

1. Develop the project plan/strategy (e.g. new intranet, org restructure, product launch, merger, new CEO/leadership team, etc.)
2. Understand what needs doing to make the project plan/strategy happen (change management plan)
3. Identify how to implement of the project plan/strategy (at the level of people's day-to-day behaviours, promoting interactions that get the outcomes needed to ensure project success)

The third bit is really handy. It helps to build change competence in the organization, with people who are able to handle all of the changes involved in this particular project as well as changes in other future contexts. That's value that goes well beyond a single project and makes a meaningful difference in the long term.

Look forward to discussing these and other points during the balance of today and at tonight's social networking event on Sydney Harbour. See you there!

Employee Engagement research - Executive Briefing (next Tue in Melbourne)

Want to learn more about how to use employee engagement research to inform and promote organizational change? Read on to discover how to secure your complimentary seat at this Executive Briefing on Employee Engagement. You'll gain valuable insight on how to create a culture that invites maximum staff engagement and also hear the latest thinking on how to develop and implement a strategic engagement program.

Next week in Melbourne I'll be co-presenting a session entitled Using employee engagement research to drive organizational improvement. It's happening on Tuesday 29 March 2011 from 09h00 to 12h00 finishing with lunch.

Sign up today at no cost for this Executive Briefing, part of a series of discussion forums put on by my Associate partners at ORC International. These sessions are designed to offer guidance and useful insights into how to use employee engagement research to inform and promote organizational change.

Drawing on recent case studies and contemporary thinking, we will offer a strategic framework and valuable insight on how to initiate change and maximize staff engagement.

The meeting will provide an excellent opportunity to:

• Understand engagement in your workforce
• Learn the processes for effective action planning
• Share best practice with your industry colleagues

The most challenging aspect of employee engagement research is delivering sustainable action. In this session we will use case studies and recent client experiences to isolate the obstacles for taking action, and outline how these challenges can be overcome.

Making Business Personal - People Engagement that Works
Effective people engagement is a hard thing to get right but the benefits are tremendous. Engagement describes a relationship, and like any relationship it takes time and ongoing attention to nurture its development. Making business personal means having a people-positive culture. This interactive discussion will give you some of the practical tools you need to build and sustain engagement. A few topics we'll cover include:

• The key role of people managers when implementing engagement strategies
• New ways of thinking about the emotional component of engagement
• Key components of a "culture of engagement"

If you are going to be in Melbourne it'd be great to see you there!


Date: Tuesday 29 March 2011
Time: 09h00 - 12h00 followed by luncheon
Cost: complimentary

RACV City Club 
501 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Register for this no-cost event online here or contact Phil Pringle at (03) 9935 5729

tmc's facebook page: Make Shift Happen (you like...?)

Today I've launched the facebook page for tmc: Make Shift Happen. Check it out and be sure to give it a like to be a part of this young yet growing community. While it's early days, I'm excited about the chance to reach out to more people and develop great new ways to Get people working better together.

And yep, twitter too: @MakeShiftHappen

Though still a work-in-progress, I wanted it live in time for tomorrow's Young Entrepreneurs' UnConvention here in Sydney, to be a part of the discussion already happening on their facebook page now and in the days to come.

Watch this space, look forward to many more conversations to come!

Chair for Communications Conference in Canberra

How do you negotiate today's complex communications landscape, where new merchants of public opinion can spring up overnight and influence the masses? 

Have the basic ingredients that constitute a workable, effective and ethical media strategy changed or do they merely need to be adjusted?


I'm delighted to be Chairing this year's 3rd Annual National Public Sector Communication Officers Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week in Canberra.

Issues of the new, the tried and tested, as well as the unexpected will be discussed, explored and debated by experts and peers to help communication professional navigate the changing road ahead. Billed as "the premier event for communication professionals to exchange and acquire knowledge, tools and skills" the focus this year is on the how – as leading practitioners engage their audience in how to apply leading edge strategies and solutions to contemporary problems and challenges.

Look forward to seeing familiar faces and making new friends at this week's event. See you there!

Cole Classic result: coaching offer still on!

Shark's-eye view

Wow I can hardly believe it's been two weeks since I swam the Cole Classic ocean swim. There's so much great stuff going on that time's got away from me!

Tell ya more about that later, for now: I'm happy to say that it's official - I braved the crowds on land and in the water, dodged the jellyfish (sharks?) and completed the 1km in under half an hour. Pretty happy with that result for my first-ever swim! Check out pictures of the event here.

Good show, old chap!

What I'm even happier about is the generosity of more than 20 donors, whose support of my chosen charity the WSPA raised over $1,100. Over half of those donors can now take advantage of the coaching offer.

And - the offer still stands! The fundraising page is still live and if you choose to donate AUD$50.00 or more, tmc will offer you a complimentary 1-hour coaching session. No further obligation is required - just make a donation and we'll book you a coaching session (live or by telephone) at your convenience. That's it!

Thanks to all the donors so far and I hope anyone who wanted to donate before the event will take advantage of this chance!

Save-the-world in 2011

In this inaugural Save-the-world-Sunday (STWS) post I expand on the resolution I made for 2011 to help charities through fundraisers, by volunteering time and of course by increasing people's awareness of what they can do about the issues that matter to them.

As mentioned in my previous post, I've decided to restart my Save-the-world Sunday (STWS) series. Regular blog readers are aware of my own support (and that of my company, tmc) for environmental causes, particularly those devoted to animal welfare and habitat preservation. While this is a "corporate" blog, I began the STWS series on the principle that weekends are for spending time pursuing hobbies and interests, and so I designated Sundays as the day to highlight some important causes and provide information on how readers can act for change. I hope this will continue to be of interest and aim to publish series posts roughly fortnightly.

For now, here are a few things I have in mind for this year to give charities a helping hand:

Charity athletic events

• I've registered to swim the annual Cole Classic, Australia's largest ocean swim which takes place here in Manly on 06 February (and sharks be damned!) - will post further details later this week on which charity I'll fundraise for and how you can get involved
• With luck, I'll (survive?) enjoy that one so much that I'll be keyed up to do the 10th annual Sydney Harbour Swim Classic 2km circuit that takes place next to Sydney Opera House on 13 March - if I decide to go ahead with it I'll figure out which cause to support with the event
• Another maybe event is the Bridge to Beach 11km ocean paddle happening on 17 April - again, I'll look into it and provide an update closer to the date
• And of course later this year there's the City2Surf 14km race from Hyde Park to Bondi Beach on 14 August. At this point I've got it in the back of my mind and I think it'd be a bit of fun, maybe even get a team to enter...for now I'll see how things develop over the year.

Volunteering:

Pure, total surf-stoke!

DSA (Disabled Surfer's Association) I volunteered at last year's "Let's Go Surfing Day" at Collaroy Beach and I'm looking forward to doing so again on 26 February this year. You just need to look at the face of first-time surfer James in this picture to understand why - you just can't find a more authentic expression of raw surf-stoke!

Have a look at the DSA website for info on when and where other events are happening near you - you don't need any experience as a surfer whatsoever, just a willingness to bring an amazing experience into the lives of people who might otherwise never get the chance.

[UPDATE: if you'd like to come along and are nervous about showing up on your own, come look for me & my mates from the Sydney Surf Group - there's over a dozen of us who'll be volunteering on the day and we're always happy to welcome new faces!]

(Click image to find out more)

Doggie Rescue is a registered charity with a strict No Kill philosophy and relies heavily on volunteers for all operational aspects. DoggieRescue has saved almost 9,500 dogs from death row in council pounds around Sydney and has some 200 dogs looking for homes. DoggieRescue runs a shelter at Ingleside and has many dogs in foster care throughout Sydney. Its Life Saver program enables dog lovers to support a doggie on an on-going basis.

If you have read Seth Godin's excellent book Tribes you will have heard of the work of Nathan Winograd (@nwinograd) in opposing the killing of healthy dogs and cats in animal pounds and "shelters". It's estimated that anywhere between 5 and 6 million healthy animals are killed each year in the US; in Australia at least 200,000 healthy cats and dogs are killed each year. Starting this week I'll be volunteering at Doggie Rescue in support of its continuing good work. [UPDATE: check out pix here] If you'd like to offer financial support click on the "Life Savers" logo above to find out more.

I'll wear a cooler hat though... ;-)

Penguin Monitoring - Something else I'd like to have a go at this year is to participate in the penguin monitoring program at Montague Island Nature Reserve in South Coast, NSW.  The project supports ongoing wildlife conservation, including monitoring the difference in breeding success of penguins (which is more scientific and less lewd/voyeuristic than it may sound). It's a great way to learn a more about them in a beautiful natural setting and to contribute to the long term protection of the Australia's third largest Little Penguin colony.

Now that's a look that says, "Thanks mate..."

Koala volunteering - A few years back during the Victorian bushfires an unlikely hero emerged from the ashes: Sam the Koala. I wrote about this iconic Australian critter previously and have had an ongoing interest in helping to protect these unique and endangered animals. So far, however, my research has yet to provide any tips on where/how to get involved as a volunteer in a koala-related activity - so I'd be grateful of any tips or info that readers can provide in the comments section below.

If there's one thing that my research into how I can support charities has shown, it's that there is no shortage of need. I hope that this year brings more people into contact with these worthwhile organizations and that you'll get to experience the feel-good that comes from doing good.

New Year, New Beginnings...

How was your 2010? In what ways did you finish strong, and what are you looking forward to in the New Year...? Here is a quick update and a preview of what's in store at tmc for 2011 - enjoy!

The sands of time - Aussie style

My first tweet of the year (expanded here for readability):

"In 2011 I'll: build a community, ask for help, surf!!, write my book, start a company, care for family (&myself), help charities, travel, have more fun!"

As with most of us, I could easily expand that list to include many more New Year's resolutions...writing more regular blog posts being one that comes readily to mind. So I thought I'd knock that one over right away.

Planting the seeds for Positive Change

Build a community - this one's been a while in coming, largely because I've been too chicken to commit and get the ball rolling. Thing is...it's not about me, so I should get the hell outta the way. I reckon the world needs - and people want - more chances to bring good things into their lives. So while I've been talking about it for a while now and even blogging about the idea, watch for the Positive Change movement to become reality this year. All are welcome in what I hope will become a community much bigger than the sum of its parts and last a lot longer than any of us imagine, which leads to...

Ask for help - a hard-won insight gained this year is that I'm notoriously, shockingly bad at asking people to help me. There's no explanation or good reason for it. The net result is that I think I need to do it all myself; the harsh reality is...I can't. I've got so many terrific people in my world, it'd be stupid not to ask for their help, involvement, ideas and creativity. After all, if they asked and I was in the position to do so I'd happily help them out; this year it's time that I extend to them that same assumption of good intentions and be willing to accept the help of others.

Manly Beach surf break on a glorious January morning

Surf!! - Having grown up in landlocked dairy-farming country in Canada, I got a really late start on surfing. I only bought my first board on my birthday in March 2008. Since then I've done my best to make up for lost time and during this Xmas/New Year's break I've spent nearly every day surfing at my local break on Manly Beach. I always feel great after a surf, even if the swell is tiny or I've had a couple truly epic wipe-outs. 

Making a serious go of it this year means not just getting wet, but paying attention to my fitness, diet and managing the general aches and pains associated with being a 40-year-old surfer-dude. Beyond the purely physical component, as I wrote back in 2008, there's more to surfing than the sea, the sun and the stoke. Reading Shaun Tomson's excellent book The Surfer's Code on the beach this holiday reinforced that insight...and I will keep it alive this year by honouring the Code (see here for a summary) and getting more involved in my local surf community, especially the Sydney Surf Group (take note, Mark, Miki & co...see you in the lineup!).

Gaining inspiration...

Write my book - what this really means is do more writing in general. Business and personal matters took my focus away from this blog over the past two months and I've felt the absence. When I don't write my head fills up with an excess of unprocessed stuff. I don't know if this will make sense but in some ways I think it gums up the gears...and may even make me dumber!

When I write, I think things through, make connections and sharpen my perspective. I also love the act of crafting words to express ideas in ways that are both meaningful and memorable - and hopefully that are useful to my readers as well as giving needed focus to my work efforts (as I did with last year's white paper "It's not Business. It's Personal" - People Engagment that works). I want my book to be a longer version of that kind of work, to string together my thoughts, connections and ideas with a central theme and a practical focus. Rather than a book-as-vanity-project, an object to flog at work and speaking events, I want my book to make a difference in the world and to people's lives, helping them to realize their longstanding goals and dreams.

Today Austral-Asia...

Start a company - I've learned a lot over the past two years about what works and what doesn't in creating viable partnerships and joint-ventures. The greatest lesson from this informal MBA at the "school of hard knocks" has been two-fold: trust my gut and combine positive expectation with eyes-wide-open realism about what a given situation can and cannot offer. This year I'll apply that learning to launch a new international venture. I hope it affords new opportunities to collaborate with some of the talented people I've met over the past few years, and opens doors to work with new people in 2011 as well. More details to come, so watch this space...

Birthday dinner with my brother Trent

Care for family (& myself) - speaking of partnerships and good relationships, I was particularly fortunate during 2010 in (re)connecting with family. My brother Trent made the trek from Canada to Oz and I had a great time celebrating my milestone birthday together with him. I'm proud of the progress my brother Jim has made in successfully rebuilding lots of broken bridges and we've had many long and enjoyable conversations as a result. Other family connections have been more challenging and I continue to learn lessons from the work that goes into making them a success. Here I've discovered a paradox: it's never too late to reconcile, but it pays to take action sooner rather than later because life is too short to waste valuable time doing what you know doesn't work. I will extend more care both to family members and to myself this year, as I've been guilty of taking many things for granted that are in fact very fragile and require care and attention.

They need our help!

Help charities - In 2009 my company tmc made donations to several charities as part of a 1% for the planet commitment and I personally raised over $1,300 in support of the WSPA by participating in Sydney's annual City2Surf 14km race. In 2010 my activities were more modest in scale (primarily raising funds and awareness in support of the Save the Koala campaign). For 2011 I want to exceed 2009's contributions; besides my own efforts I want to kick things up a notch by reinstating my Save-the-world Sunday (STWS) series of posts to help raise awareness of what others can do to help out as well. Look for tomorrow's inaugural STWS post for more details of what I have in mind for 2011.

"Should I stay or should I go now...?"

Travel -This has been the easiest one to say and the hardest one to write about. Without doubt I'll travel a lot this year, as I have done in recent years. I love to travel and relish the variety and novelty of experience that each new journey offers; at the same time I long for constancy and the security that comes from a sense of belonging in a particular place. This tension of variety/constancy is common to many people and we must each find the balance that works for us. For my part this year I want to be intentional, not only about where my choices place me on the variety/constancy spectrum, but about fully enjoying what each experience has to offer. In the words of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley: "The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance. The wise man grows it under his feet." Which brings me to my final resolution...

Trying on a new look... :-)

Have more fun! - OK so, who doesn't want more fun, right? Well, for me this one means a couple of things: being present and enjoying the moment (rather than dwelling on what's coming up or regretting what's passed); being playful rather than serious; most of all, daring to be myself. I once heard (can't recall where) the saying, "If you want to be happy in life, learn to care a lot less what other people think." This is a tough one for me, but like a coach of mine said, "To succeed in life, do what you're most afraid of doing." 

So to sum up this year's biggest resolution in the words of the immortal entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., "I gotta be me...I can't be right for somebody else if I'm not right for me."