How intentional leadership prepares leaders for the future

Our world is rapidly changing. A growing and increasingly diverse population, climate change, technological advancement and cyber risks – these are just some of the factors leaders must face now and increasingly in the future.

Leaders’ success will rest in the plans they have put in place to respond to factors, both known and unknown. More than ever, leaders need intent. You cannot rely on the off chance that the solutions will land in front of you. Sound leadership doesn’t happen by accident.

In response to the many leadership challenges that we anticipate the future will bring, IML ANZ introduced the Intentional Leadership Series. It featured three thought-provoking events held across New Zealand that provided leadership insights into future-focused topics.

Discussions ranged from how to overcome future challenges, how to adapt, thrive and lead in a rapidly changing world, to top tips for inclusive leadership. Three experts spoke about their experiences, insights and advice on intentional leadership with a future focus.

 

Here are some of the highlights:

 

Change, more change and climate change

Rob CampbellIn Auckland, we invited thought-leader and advocate for diversity, equality and sustainability, Rob Campbell, for a glimpse of what the future could look like for leaders in New Zealand. Importantly, Campbell took us on a journey through some of his personal leadership experiences and how these can help all leaders face the challenges to come.

Campbell pointed out that the old principles which underpin the way we do business are shifting. Short-term profits and shareholder interests no longer come first. Governments, social organisations, business communities and even investors are shifting their focus and responsibility to a wider range of interests.

However, he warned, that while our current legal, hierarchical and incentive structures remain intact, we cannot rely on leaders to drive change. This, Campbell declared, was utopian.

Finally, Campbell emphasised that the greatest challenge to leaders, not just in New Zealand but globally, is climate change. Speaking in advance of the historic passing of the Zero Carbon Bill, Campbell directed focus to the following issues:

 

  • Will the transition to a zero net emissions economy happen fast enough to avoid the worst projected negative effects?
  • Is the cost of the transition manageable without destroying social cohesion?
  • Can we adapt to the new physical living standards that the transition will require?

 

All are vital questions that leaders must address.

Campbell ends with optimism and believes that the solutions rest within the business community. He roused listeners not to stand aside or resist. Rather, be engaged and positive about their leadership roles.

 

Courage in the face of change

Kaila ColbinOpening with some amazing facts about how technology is changing the way we live and lead, Kaila Colbin, CEO of Boma New Zealand provided an inspiring and eye-opening session in Christchurch.

For Colbin, the positive social impact made possible by the massive technological changes we are witnessing today – including the ability to mass-produce essential goods such as food and power affordably – is not a given. It is a choice.

Leaders, therefore, need the courage to keep making choices that improve our world in the face of widespread change. Colbin cautioned that a lack of courage among leaders can result in:

  • An inability to tackle tough conversations
  • An erosion of trust
  • A lack of diversity, inclusivity and equality
  • A culture of shame and blame

 

Informed by the research of best-selling author Dr Brené Brown, Colbin highlighted how courage is the most important attribute for leaders facing change. In part, because change brings about the need to have incredibly uncomfortable conversations. Those might include conversations around:

  • Technological unemployment – the loss of jobs due to technological advancements
  • Increased inequality – those who own the technology get richer but as productivity increases, salaries remain stagnant
  • Rise in cyber risks – when everything is connected, everything is at risk
  • Algorithm bias – exponential technology is governed by algorithms that may have inherited their creator’s biases and prejudices
  • Undermining of trust – technology such as ‘deepfakes’ make it easy to put words (or even actions) into another person’s mouth, in extremely realistic ways.

 

When considering the optimisation of technological advancements, Colbin advised leaders not to first ask “can we”, but rather “should we”. This takes courage. Indeed, because leaders who make values-based decisions initially appear as ones who fly in the face of business norms. Later, once momentum gathers, these same mavericks are often heralded as game-changers.

In closing, Colbin reminded leaders that the world we desire requires courage – and she asked, “What are you going to do?”

 

 

Inclusive is not elusive

Dr Jo CribbWhen it comes to inclusive leadership, we went direct to the authority on the matter Dr Jo Cribb, former Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women.

Cribb challenged listeners, at her session in Wellington, to step out of their comfort zones. She emphasised how vital it is to not only invite different voices to the table – but to make them feel welcome and comfortable in order to truly harness their value. According to Cribb, leaders must embrace conflict and tough conversations instead of seeking support and affirmation.

She also admits that creating truly inclusive teams is not easy. It takes time and effort, something not all leaders may have the commitment or determination to accommodate. However, Cribb points out that inclusive is not elusive. She listed ten tips for leaders:

 

  1. Conduct inclusive meetings: give everyone a say and implement a no interruption rule
  2. Seek out those you don’t agree with: pick people who are open to engaging, not arguing
  3. Widen your network: at networking events, chat to someone who doesn’t look like you
  4. Create small ripples: don’t underestimate the power of small actions, smile at people
  5. Recommend a variety of people: avoid only putting forward names of people within your ‘tribe’
  6. Be authentic: be honest and open both in your personal and professional life
  7. Check your actions: if you must work out of hours, avoid setting the expectation that your staff or colleagues must do the same
  8. Listen: open your mind and try to understand what people are telling you
  9. Listen again: if you ask a question, listen for the actual answer
  10. Listen some more

 

The session concluded with a thoughtful discussion with the audience. Cribb provided further advice on how to succeed in creating an inclusive team and workforce. She also cautioned that the aim to become inclusive must be hard-wired into your organisation’s DNA. If there is no business rationale to do it, your efforts are likely to fail.

Ultimately, Cribb reminded everyone present that inclusiveness comes down to your own behaviour – and it need not cost a lot.

It was a truly insightful and engaging series of events. Stay tuned for more events from IML ANZ.

 

Career Doctor: How do you know if you are behaving ethically?

By Peter Cullen FIML

 

Whilst facilitating, I often see a lot of blank faces when I ask the question ‘How do you know if you are behaving ethically in your workplace?’

These blank faces reflect the fact that ethical behaviour is not promoted or alive in many workplaces. This can expose organisations to all kinds of problems, leading to legal ramifications or worse. The intentional disregard for ethics by some led to the recent Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry whose findings rocked the sector and shocked people from all walks of life across Australia.

 

LEARNING ETHICS

Ethics is a very broad subject. In Australia alone, there are more than 20 bachelor’s degrees offered in the subject. One of the many topics covered in a degree is business ethics. This represents the practices that any individual or group exhibits within an organisation that can positively or negatively affect the business’s core values. It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organisations.

There is also the question of morals when discussing ethics. Morals refer to an individual’s personal principles regarding what is right and what is wrong. It is very easy for a person’s personal principles to guide their behaviour rather than adhering to business ethics. There can also be personal conflict between the two, making some situations even more difficult for individuals.

 

HUGE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES

Unethical behaviour by leaders can lead to catastrophic outcomes for an organisation. Widespread and continuous unethical behaviour by staff can cause untold damage to culture and reputation.

The downfall of Enron in 2001 is a classic example. It led to the imprisonment of several of its senior leadership group and destroyed one of the world’s largest audit firms Arthur Andersen. Charges laid on the senior leaders included manipulating accounting rules, money laundering, bank fraud, insider trading and conspiracy.

 

ETHICAL GUIDELINES

A quick question: Do you know your organisation’s core values, code of conduct, policies, procedures, processes and systems and do you live them in your workplace?

If you do, congratulations. If you don’t or are unsure, you have some work to do because those values probably define the ethical expectations in your workplace. In addition to the values, there is also legislation such as the Fair Work Act, Work Health and Safety Act and others. A great place to start if you are unsure about any of these is to speak to your human resources team.

There are many benefits when all employees from top to bottom are behaving ethically. They include trust, honesty, integrity, transparency, consistency, fairness, improved decision making, productivity and many more. Ethical behaviour creates an environment where people feel safe to speak up and challenge unethical behaviour knowing they are supported by the organisation.

Every person in every organisation – whether large or small – is responsible for behaving ethically in the workplace. Leaders are role models and must lead the way with ethical behaviour. People will observe their leaders’ behaviours and whatever they do becomes permissible for others.

Become a role model for others by embracing and living ethics in the workplace.

 


Peter Cullen is an education and training facilitator. He conducts three-day programs that engage participants in developing and implementing their capabilities as managers and leaders.

 


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

How to future-proof your leadership career

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

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

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

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

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

To know for sure, ask yourself the following questions:


Am I competent?

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

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

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

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

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

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


Am I impactful?

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

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

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

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

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

 

Am I connected? 

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

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

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

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

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

Great leadership starts with you

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Info: Books on resilient leadership

By Sarah McDuling

 

When it comes to resilience in business, the simple truth is that it isn’t all that different from resilience outside business.

Resilience is defined by the ability to recover after a setback, to adapt quickly to change and persevere when faced with adversity. Learning how to view failures as opportunities, to remain calm in stressful situations, to build a supportive social network and take the time to clarify your goals… these are all important life skills that everyone should have both in their professional and personal lives.

The components that help make a person happy and successful in their personal life (self-assurance, life goals, friends) are the exact same components that help make people successful in business. For example, most strategies to build resilience in business tend to revolve around four key elements: Confidence, Purpose, Social Support and Adaptability.

When you consider those four key elements, it starts to become clear that in many ways, a ‘resilient’ person is really just an optimistic and emotionally stable person. Or in other words, a happy person. If you want to build your resilience, you need to work towards increasing your self-confidence and maintaining a positive outlook.

The reading list on this page contains an inspiring selection of books about resilience. Here you will find some of the best ‘how to’ guides, full of useful tips and strategies to help you build the skills you need to improve your business life, as well as your personal life.

Reading these books will help you develop skills to cope with a stressful work environment, manage time effectively, deal with sudden upheavals and adapt to change. Most importantly, these books will teach you the importance of looking after yourself so that you are better equipped to deal with whatever problems and setbacks may come your way.

When we hear the word ‘resilience’ we so often associate it with being strong, tough and determined. The books on this list will help you to understand that ‘resilience’ isn’t really about strength. It’s about emotional intelligence, positive thinking and self-care.

A resilient person is a happy person… so happy reading!

 

Books to inspire resilience

RESILIENCE BY HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW

This book reveals the traits of those who emerge stronger from challenges. It also provides advice on training your brain to withstand the stresses of daily life and presents an approach to an effective career reboot.

 

DIGITAL RESILIENCE BY RAY ROTHROCK

This powerful guide provides the digital resilience-building strategies you need to prevail – no matter what strikes.

 

RESILIENCE AT WORK BY DEBORAH M KHOSHABA, SALVATORE R MADDI

Why do some people remain so calm and collected in the face of looming deadlines, combative meetings, impending layoffs, and turbulent changes? And why are these seemingly unflappable people the ones who consistently get ahead in their lives and their careers? This book provides the answers.

 

HOW TO BE HAPPY BY LIGGY WEBB

You can make the decision right now to be happier if you really want to be, says author Liggy Webb. Life is what you make it, she says, so learn how to be happy, effective and energetic.

 

OPTION B BY SHERYL SANDBERG, ADAM GRANT

From Facebook’s COO and Wharton’s top-rated professor, this powerful, inspiring, and practical book is about building resilience and moving forward after life’s inevitable setbacks.

 

FLY! BY RICHARD DE CRESPIGNY

In Fly!, Richard de Crespigny shares the insights and techniques he built up over decades in the high-pressure world of military and civilian aviation. Covering leadership, teamwork, risk assessment, decision-making, crisis management, lifelong resilience and more.

 

POSITIVE THINKING BY GILL HASSON

This book gives readers the tools to view life with a positive outlook and charge ahead in achieving goals that once seemed out of reach.

 

TRAIN THE BRAVE BY MARGIE WARRELL

Train the Brave is a handbook for being more courageous. Written for busy people on the go, its short, focused chapters provide practical tools and empowering perspectives to help you build your ‘courage muscles’ in work, relationships and life.

 

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS BY CHRIS GARDNER, QUINCY TROUPE

The astounding yet true rags-to-riches saga of a homeless father who raised and cared for his son on the mean streets of San Francisco and went on to become a crown prince of Wall Street.

 


Sarah McDuling is the Senior Content Producer for Booktopia and the Editor of the Booktopian Blog.

This article originally appeared in the June 2019 edition of Leadership Matters, IML ANZ’s quarterly magazine.

Step into the public speaking spotlight with confidence

By Nicola Field

 

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld nailed our phobia of public speaking when he said, “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

Our dislike of public speaking can come down to fear of rejection, according to Tim Bevan AFIML, Chairman of the IML Speaker’s Forum in Brisbane. He explains, “Suddenly we are separated from the herd and we have innate concerns about ‘will the audience be hostile?’ Or ‘will I bore them?’”.

Rather than avoid public speaking altogether, taking steps to improve your skills can boost your confidence – and your career.

 

REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT

Emma_Bannister_Presentation_Studio
Emma Bannister, CEO, Presentation Studio

Emma Bannister is the founder and CEO of Presentation Studio, specialising in presentation writing, design and training. She says, “Preparation is so important, and nerves should encourage better presentation.” Bannister believes content is critical. “This is your foundation,” she says. “If your content is good you can be confident in your own message. It can be a massive game changer when you know the information you provide is helping your audience achieve something.”

The clincher is to deliver content in a way that is clear. “Keep the message simple, and repeat your most important points so that people can understand them, remember them, and act on them,” advises Bannister.

Technology has changed the way we deliver presentations, and PowerPoint in particular is widely used, though not always to best effect.

“PowerPoint slides should never be used as a script to read from,” Bannister cautions. “Having a lengthy essay appear on a slide is the equivalent of using a crutch or autocue.” Moreover, she notes that when an audience is focused on reading the screen, they can’t listen to what’s being said, and that makes the speaker irrelevant. Bevan adds, “PowerPoint slides should only feature three or four bullet points, this way the speaker can talk around those points.”

 

FEEL THE ENERGY

When it comes to managing nerves, there’s a lot to be said for the old maxim ‘take a few deep breaths’. Bannister explains, “Deep breathing is critical to ensuring oxygen flows to your brain so you don’t forget what you are saying.”

While it may sound counter-intuitive, the quality of your delivery will improve if you regard your audience as friend rather than foe. “Instead of being afraid of your audience, make eye contact with audience members and use their energy,” suggests Bannister.

“If you’re speaking in a darkened auditorium, ask for the stage lights to be dimmed so that you can see members of the audience.”

Nerves can be the catalyst for rapid-fire speech, and this can seriously downgrade the quality of what you say and the image you project. As Bannister explains, “We often speak rapidly, or talk a lot just to fill in space. Slowing down your pace and allowing for pauses is vital. Have a sip of water if necessary but pause long enough to allow a message to sink in with your audience.”

According to Bevan, a pace of around 120 words a minute is ideal: “When we speak quickly we lose the power of pause, gesture and intonation.”

Speaking slowly also improves clarity. This matters because as Bannister points out you may have audience members who are not native English speakers. This further highlights why simple icons rather than lengthy essays are a must for PowerPoint slides.

 

PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT

 

Tim_Bevan
Tim Bevan AFIML, IML Speaker’s Forum Chairman

Sitting through a monotone speech can be tortuous, and good speakers contrast their pace, volume and modulation. Bannister notes, “As human beings we like change – a bit of variety helps to keep everyone actively listening.” It may sound like a tall order but it can all come with practice. “Don’t just read through your speaking notes on your screen,” says Bannister. “Say them out loud to your team, your kids, the family pet – anyone who will listen. Get someone to video you – or video yourself.”

Bevan emphasises the need to rehearse, saying, “Practice makes permanent, and practising using the wrong techniques can become habit forming.” In his involvement with the IML Speaker’s Forum, Bevan has seen the benefits of practice combined with constructive criticism. Ryan McKergow MIML, for instance, is a current member of the IML Speaker’s Forum and was recently awarded an IML ANZ Sir John Storey Leadership Award in the Emerging Leader category. McKergow joined the group in early 2018, and says, “I’ve noticed a dramatic improvement in my public speaking ability, and also in my day-to-day communications, which is vitally important in my role as a leader.”

 

DANGER ZONES

For nervous speakers, a lectern can seem like a safe harbour. However, Bannister cautions “Audience members often don’t like it when a speaker stands behind a lectern.” She recommends enquiring about the availability of a remote system for the microphone, so that you can move around a little.

The key word is ‘little’. Going overboard with gestures – or repeat gestures like pointing and waving, can be distracting for the audience. Bannister suggests: “If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, follow the likes of Barrack Obama, whose resting position was often one hand on top of the other just below his watch. When speaking, his hands were expressive and animated but not repetitive.”

When all else fails, smile. According to Bannister, “As a general rule, when the speaker smiles, the audience smiles back.”

The thought of fielding questions from an audience can be especially daunting as this is one area where curve balls can be thrown. Bannister says it is possible to control at least part of this by explaining at the outset that you will be speaking for 10 or 20 minutes and taking questions at the end of your presentation. “This discourages interjections and maintains the flow of your presentation,” she notes.

At some stage, you will need to respond to questions, and even Bannister admits “this can be tough”. She advises, “Always start by repeating the question so that everyone else knows what was asked. Make eye contact with the person, and even if you don’t have a ready answer, explain how you are addressing the issue moving forward.”

 

THE NO-GO AREAS

When it comes to workplace presentations, humour can be risky business. “What is funny to you can be offensive to some of your audience members,” cautions Bannister. Play it safe by skipping the jokes altogether.

Bannister also believes metaphors can be equally hazardous: “I’ve seen US-based speakers consistently using baseball analogies, talking about home runs. Audiences outside of the US can become quite upset about this.” She says this highlights the need to “Respect your environment and use analogies that are relevant to your audience – if you must use them at all.”

Few things can be more uncomfortable than the sinking feeling that your audience has lost interest, and unfortunately, these days, people may even start checking their phones during a presentation. That may seem impolite, but the onus is on the speaker to prevent this happening. “Mixing up your content, visuals, and tone of voice and volume keeps the energy and engagement of your audience,” says Bannister. “People notice when things change so keep a good mix.”

Ultimately, a good presentation is relevant to your audience. As Tim Bevan points out, “Don’t focus on yourself, focus on the audience. Your aim is to be a person of influence over your audience.


This article first appeared in the February 2019 print edition of Leadership Matters magazine. 

Champions of Change

By Anthony O’Brien

Our leadership community is privileged to have two leaders who exemplify excellence and integrity and who encourage the highest ethical standards: noted humanitarian Professor Shirley Randell AO FIML and Dr Donna Odegaard AM, CEO of Aboriginal Broadcasting Australia. They share some inspiring leadership insights with Leadership Matters.

Dr Donna Odegaard AMTHEIR LONG ROADS TO LEADERSHIP

A long-time public servant including stints in the Department of the Prime Minister and the Public Service Commission, Randell was one of Australia’s 100 Inaugural Women of Influence in 2012. She is also a big supporter of International Women’s Day, which is fast approaching on 8 March. Prior to her public service, Randell taught Aboriginal children in remote schools in Western Australia before moving to Papua New Guinea to lecture at teachers’ colleges operated by the Uniting Church.

After her first retirement, Randell owned and operated consultancy businesses in Sydney, Rwanda, and Vanuatu. She also worked in a consulting role in Bangladesh in 2004–5 and 2014–15.

Darwin-based Odegaard is the founder and CEO of Darwin-based Aboriginal Broadcasting Australia, which is seeking to establish free-to-air television operations in every capital city. Currently, her unique television licences are regulated to broadcast nationally. As a result, the busy Odegaard is collecting frequent flyer miles taking her vision for her businesses to boardrooms across Australia.

It’s an impressive result for Odegaard who started her business career selling handmade clothes to support her family. She is recognised as one of Darwin’s most respected businesswomen and has strong views on what it takes to be a leader and manager today. Odegaard also has robust opinions about how business leadership has changed for women since the 1970s. She explains, “I’ve seen some massive changes in the past 30 years for women leaders, especially Indigenous women. We were breaking some ground in the 1970s but mostly in the areas of activism, politics, education and the arts.

“Today, young women are trailblazing in areas such as business, economics or they are entrepreneurial and are looking at global markets.”

Professor Shirley Randell AOWOMEN HAVE COME A LONG WAY

There were very few women in leadership roles when Randell joined the Commonwealth workforce in the mid-1960s. “I’m pleased to see that we now have many more women leaders,” says Randell who cites former Victorian Premier Joan Kirner and philosopher Jean Blackburn as inspirational female leaders.

“There’s more individual support for women today from other women, and we have more men who are fighting for women’s rights. In regard to whether we are better off, of course, we are.”

However, there is no reason for complacency, counselled Randell, “because, in reality, for example, we’re still a tiny percentage of engineers, surgeons, and parliamentarians in the Liberal/National party coalition.”

Odegaard, who earned her PhD from NSW’s University of Newcastle, agrees and even as recently as the early 2000s discovered there were still gender roadblocks for female entrepreneurs. “I very carefully ventured into the media and had a lot of pushback from males in the industry. But I just kept quietly chipping away to try and get more of a voice not just for women but for Indigenous people.”

Randell warns that when female leaders earn some successes, there can be a backlash. “When countries, for example, are taken over by fundamentalism, which we are now seeing, women’s rights are one of the first things to go.”

MEN’S VIEWS ARE CHANGING TOO

With a working résumé stretching over 60 years, Randell says she took her first significant leadership role in 1984 when she was appointed Director of Programs ACT Schools Authority in Canberra. She then honed her management skills when she was named CEO of the Council of Adult Education, in Melbourne from 1991–94. In this challenging role, Randell was responsible for 1,000 teachers and 50,000 students. When she first retired in 1996, she was CEO of the City of Whitehorse, the second-largest city in Victoria.

Men’s view of leadership had to change too over the past 30–40 years to help open doors for female leaders, opines Randell. “Quotas for women in leadership roles are important. Men had to change as well, and we’ve had these champions for change in Australia who are doing tremendous work in supporting women such as Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. Things are changing to help us achieve gender parity.”

Having more women on public and private sector boards is a must to promote gender diversity, argues Randell. “On those boards and in those executive suites where men are welcoming women, the fact that women are there is a considerable incentive to other people. However, in my opinion, quotas need to be there to achieve balanced leadership across the boards.

“We haven’t yet done this with business, but Elizabeth Proust who has just retired as Chair of the Australian Institute of Company Directors has been talking publicly about the importance of targets if we want to change the position of women on business boards.”

Randell recognises the success of diversity targets in the European Union and the United Kingdom to illustrate the effectiveness of getting more women and minorities onto boards. “We need to do the same in Australia. However, for this to be effectual, you need men welcoming women.”

ADVICE FOR YOUNG LEADERS

Randell advises young leaders to pursue the routine actions involved in climbing the leadership ladder such as:

  • Working hard
  • Completing academic qualifications
  • Getting published
  • Attending conferences

She adds, “When you make mistakes you don’t stop.

“I’m a great believer that in every setback there’s an opportunity. That’s happened to me. I’ve had disappointments in my career, but there’s always a silver lining. In every loss, there’s always an opportunity.”

Odegaard advises aspiring women leaders to harness the power of social media. “Through social media women can connect to other support groups, and to networks such as IML ANZ.

“Those of us who were doing business in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s were doing it basically on the smell of an oily rag. We were doing it out of our homes, we were poor, but we had a lot of creativity, but back then we didn’t connect as a community of women because we just didn’t do that. You couldn’t even think about doing things like that.”

The roles of women in business are changing, continues Odegaard, who is confident the younger brigade “are strong, confident and are sort of quietly changing things”. The television executive is fond of asking young aspiring female leaders, “What do you want to do?”

“If they have dreams and aspirations, I advise young leaders to stick close to good people and networks such as IML ANZ.

“The Institute can also provide valuable mentoring services, and certainly good advice and experience. Get as much out of it as you possibly can.”

Other life: The X Factor

Taking the helm as licensee of TEDxCanberra has been a rewarding journey for Wisdom Learning consultant Ingrid Tomanovits AFIML, on both a professional and personal level.

By Lisa Calautti

When Ingrid Tomanovits sat among the audience at her first TEDxCanberra event six years ago, little did she know she was about to embark upon a life-changing path.

Upon learning that the speaker and performer event was organised entirely by volunteers, Tomanovits made it her mission to get involved. Fast forward to 2018, and she is the TEDxCanberra licensee, where she oversees a volunteer crew, who spend more than 3,000 hours bringing an event to life each year in the nation’s capital.

The experience of organising has left Tomanovits grateful for those in the world who want to make life better for others. “One of the things that I love about TEDxCanberra is everybody on that stage is just an ordinary person who decided to pursue their ideas and take action to improve something,” she says. “It is really inspiring to me to see people who are relatable. You don’t have to be a business or industry mogul or a millionaire to have a positive impact on your world. That was the thing that stood out to me the most.”

TED originated in 1984 with the goal of spreading ideas via short and powerful talks, where Technology, Entertainment, and Design come together. Today, TED covers topics ranging from science to business to global issues. As one event in the global TEDx program, TEDxCanberra showcases the best-undiscovered ideas in the local community, which Tomanovits says is also about bringing people together to make things happen. Ideas on how to eradicate scabies, to schooling solutions for children suffering from critical or long-term illnesses, to starting a revolution of human kindness are just some of the talks that featured in the 2018 event.

Likening her work with TEDxCanberra to running a business in her spare time, Tomanovits’ passion is palpable. Her enjoyment at seeing the end result drives her, as she knows from personal experience that being in the audience can be life-changing. One achievement she is most proud of is securing more women speakers through taking a deliberate approach to finding and assisting them to prepare for the stage. Also, learning there are times as a leader when you don’t have all the answers has been a welcome lesson, she admits. “It might be contrary to a lot we are taught about leadership but, for me, it is about having the humility to know that I don’t have all the answers but I do know how to ask for help. I have found time and time again, if I am prepared to ask for help, it will be there,” she said.

The murky world of self interest

New research shines the spotlight on how managers and leaders make decisions when personal gain conflicts with organisational benefits.

By Professor Danny Samson FIML

Leaders and managers typically find that decision making – be it strategic or tactical – is a core part of their professional lives. We should therefore question the extent to which those decisions benefit the organisation or the individual making the choice on its behalf. Whenever there is a discrepancy between what is good for ‘me’, and what is good for the organisation, then trade-offs invariably play a part.

Leader as selfless steward, or selfish agent

Good leaders and managers recognise that to do what is right for the organisation’s stakeholders, a combination of controls, monitoring mechanisms and incentives might be required. Take bonus systems as an example. Imperfect as they are, we see them paid in short and long-term share options as an example of attempts to improve alignment between what is good for the employee, including the CEO, and what is best for the organisation’s other stakeholders, most notably its owners. The competing view of this aspect of leadership, called stewardship, assumes selfless behaviour and the desire to maximise the outcomes for the whole organisation. Which view is closer to the truth, and if there are both types of people in leadership roles, how can we tell one from the other?

New perspectives on this age-old problem

As part of our research, we have built, tested and validated a new theoretical framework, called Multi-Stakeholder Decision Theory, that recognises the continuum between pure (self-maximising) agent and pure (selfless) steward positions. Our studies showed us that many people weigh up what is good for them personally (for example bonus, career progression), and what is good for the organisation, (such as sales and profits), when making decisions. The question is what are the relative weightings that different leaders apply?

It is interesting to note that for many decades, organisations have allocated massive amounts of resource conducting business analyses including strategic, tactical, market research, cost reduction, and quality improvement under the assumption the findings that are in the broader interests of the organisation will automatically be implemented by its leaders. But we should also consider what would happen if the decision maker is a pure agent (or close to it) and the monitoring, controls and incentives aren’t strong enough to ensure they will do right by the organisation if it conflicts with their personal interest?

Empirical evidence of this trade-off phenomenon

As part of our research we asked managers to anonymously respond to decision situations by choosing between alternatives that had either a monetary benefit to their organisation and nothing for them personally, or vice versa. Under the assumption that there would be no detection of their choice, they were asked to choose between making a profit of $1 million for their organisation (eg closing a deal) or making an amount for themselves while the organisation did not benefit at all. This revealed some scary findings. The first was that only a few individuals are ‘steward-like’. That is, they selflessly put their organisation first and stated that they worked primarily to maximise outcomes for their organisation. Our research revealed that the majority of surveyed managers were ready to forsake significant benefits for their organisation if they could get away with a personal gain instead. The extreme of this was a manager who said that $10 in his pocket was enough to sway him from making a $1 million for his firm. For many people it was one or a few thousand dollars. We found a few different processes and factors that people used to guide their trade-offs.

Workplace implications

The first implication of our research is that, for better or worse, we cannot assume that the majority will do the right thing by their organisation, when their personal interests and gains are in conflict with organisational outcomes. Striving to achieve close alignment between organisational and personal outcomes is a key task for leaders and managers at all levels. Finding that sweet spot – where personal gain and organisational gain overlap – is all important. We would also advocate being on the lookout for agent-like behaviours and highly opportunistic types of people and decision-makers: this shows the need for measurement and motivation systems that carefully drive alignment. This thinking should apply to all decision processes from recruitment, selection and promotion choices to project team formation, and all aspects of leadership.


The full research report is available by email from Danny Samson, d.samson@unimelb.edu.au

Professor Danny Samson, University of Melbourne Director, Master of enterprise & Master of Supply chain Management

SNAKES AND LADDERS: What not to do when taking a sideways or downward career step

FIVE THINGS NOT TO DO WHEN TAKING A SIDEWAYS OR DOWNWARD STEP IN YOUR CAREER.
Margot Smith

Careers can sometimes be like Snakes & Ladders. You take on a high profile project and overachieve, and you climb up the ladder. Next thing, you realise you are becoming too technically specialised, and you decide to take a step down to get more experience in a broader range of management and leadership skills, and down the snake you go.

When people take a step down or sideways, even if it’s for very strategic reasons, the biggest success factor is attitude. As in Snakes & Ladders, different roles (both paid and voluntary) are steps towards your ultimate destination. This is never a straightforward path.

If you’re faced with a sideways or downward career step, my advice is to put you big girl (or boy) pants on and make the most of it. See it is an opportunity. After all, many other people would probably be grateful to have the role you’ve just secured.

LONDON CALLING

I moved to the UK at the start of the global financial crisis. I considered myself quite the catch from an employer’s perspective and thought it would take me days, not weeks or months to land a role in London. But it took me two months to secure a three-month contract position. I went from managing a team of 20 in Australia to flying solo in a project-based role. But I embraced it and, before long, I was offered another, meatier role.

It’s fair to say that I went to London to add global experience to my CV and also to enjoy living and working in Europe. During these two years, I travelled more than I have ever had the pleasure of doing before or after. I also met some lifelong friends.

So my priority was living life to the fullest, not just career development. But it took me several years to get back to the responsibility levels of my pre-London role.

FIVE TIPS

Informed by my experiences, and also those of friends and colleagues who have also taken a perceived sideways or downward career step, I can share the following tips.

  1. Don’t remind everyone repeatedly that this is a step down for you. Whether or not the decision to take this career move was your choice, be mindful of those around you. Reminding everyone around that you are “better than this” doesn’t reflect well on you. If you are humble and show colleagues what you can do, they will see how much value you can add.

2. Don’t treat the role as beneath you. Give the role 100% and approach it with a positive and proactive attitude. That is the best way to demonstrate that you can add more value. You have made a choice to take this role (whether or not the path that led you here was of your choosing), so do your best and overachieve, if that’s what you have the potential to do.

3. Don’t fail to respect the people around you in similar roles or circumstances. Be aware of those around you, and how your language and behaviour could be interpreted by them. If they are both fortunate and happy with their role and position within the organisation, your comments about this role being a step down (for you) is not particularly sensitive. So zip it, and get on with it.

4. Don’t ditch the role as soon as you can. I can think of too many circumstances where people have taken a role for the right reasons at a point in time, only to resign within a few weeks when something else comes up. Yes, you have your career to think about and you are only answerable to yourself, but think about the organisation you have made a commitment to. They have inducted you, spent time and resources to get you up to speed and, if you make a fast exit, you’re leaving them in the lurch. Think carefully about your reasons for taking the role in the first place. Are they still valid? If so, don’t jump ship for the sake of it. Consider if there is still growth in this role.

There are times when the role advertised doesn’t match the reality you find once inside (and probation exists for both parties). But if you made a choice to take this role and if it’s exactly what they advertised it to be – you should consider honouring that commitment for a reasonable period of time.

5. Don’t be smug when you move onto the next opportunity. Okay, so you’ve given the role a red hot go, and a new opportunity has opened up internally or externally. Everything is finally falling into place. Be gracious, be grateful for the opportunity and thank everyone who supported you in this role. Time for your next adventure!

 

Margot Smith is the General Manager Membership at IML.

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

BY PETER CULLEN MIML

Stepping out of your comfort zone and into the unknown

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Be true to yourself and move forward quietly, calmly confident

 

 

 

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

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

 

 

 


MAKE YOUR MARK. GO CHARTERED 

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

For more details visit Chartered Manager