Dr Juliet Bourke GAICD

Reframing the ‘Culture Problem’: Over the past decade, regulated entities have had to face into a pervasive ‘culture problem’, framed as failures of governance, culture, accountability and remuneration. It begs the question: Could this ‘culture problem’ be reframed as a lapse in HR and P&C functions’ capability to proactively recognise and resolve cultural issues within a tightly regulated context? https://lnkd.in/gyUypuJn #culture #governance #accountability #remuneration #risk #compliance Australian Institute of Company Directors

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"Companies cannot create a purpose or mission statement and then call their work done." 👏 By far one of the best resources I've seen on organisational alignment to Purpose, Mission, Values and Strategy. ❤️ What I love best - it centres the role of strong communication! This is a comprehensive resource taking a whole-organisation, strategic view - highly recommended for senior leaders. Grateful for your excellent thought leadership Lisa Hannum and Beehive Strategic Communication team. #cultureandstrategy #valuesalignment #organizationalpurpose https://lnkd.in/gs2DpuUk

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As the year starts to draw to a close, it’s a natural time for reflection and planning. Many of us, whether on boards or in leadership roles often use this period to take stock of what worked, what didn’t, and where we want to go next. It’s a chance to reset priorities, refresh our strategy, and get clear on what the next year could hold. But let’s be honest: it’s not always easy to figure out the best path forward in such a fast-changing world. As we think about reviewing our strategic plans, here are a few key thought starters to keep in mind: 1. Reconnect with your customers: It’s easy to assume we know what our customers want, but how often do we really check in? Take the time to understand what’s working (and what’s not) from their perspective. Are your products or services still meeting their needs? What is your value proposition, and is it still as strong as it could be? 2. Look at the bigger picture: The market around us is constantly shifting. Have you taken a step back to understand what’s changed, not just internally, but externally too? What new risks or opportunities might be on the horizon? Staying ahead means being curious and open to what’s happening beyond the walls of your organisation. 3. Examine how things work internally: Let’s face it: no operating model is perfect. Where are the pain points or bottlenecks in your organisation? What’s not flowing as well as it could? This is the time to get honest about what needs fixing so you can build a smoother, more effective operation. 4. Don’t forget your people: Strategy is only as good as the team behind it. Are your people engaged and aligned? What support and tools do they need to thrive? Investing in your team’s wellbeing and capability is crucial. 5. Think about the long-term: In our society, there’s often a tendency to focus on the short term, immediate goals, quick wins, and near-term outcomes. While these are important, it’s equally vital to look further ahead. Where do you want to be in five or ten years, what are the steps you need to take now to get there? Start mapping out that pathway but build in the flexibility to adapt as markets shift and conditions change. Strategic foresight and agility can go hand in hand. Strategic planning is as much about asking the right questions as it is about finding the answers. It’s an opportunity to pause, reflect, and ensure your organisation is ready to adapt, compete, and thrive in the year ahead.

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Leadership encompasses three broad groups of competencies (specific knowledge/skills sets): ♥ Leading yourself ♦ Leading others ♠ Leading the organisation   Leadership development often hones in on one or two of these competency groupings, but regularly fails to address all three. You can set your own leadership up on solid foundations with an intentional focus on each of the competency groupings. I explore each of these in more detail in my latest blog.  https://lnkd.in/gfgfkxEV #leadership #selfleadership #organisations #leadershipdevelopment

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This post by Claire Day is definitely worth reading.

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Governance & Directors Role in Self-Directed Learning/Research: While the article headline will no doubt draw nods of agreement and stories about “directors, I have known who did that”. The sub-heading is equally impressive in its claims, stating “The desire for social recognition means that non-executive directors are failing shareholders.” Are the headlines and sub-headline, just that, headlines.   Sure, we can all recount stories of directors we know who stayed too long. Perhaps the “hankering for status” explains why some directors gather directorships, like trophies, for bragging rights. You know, I see your two directorships and raise you five. Or perhaps it’s not a “hankering for status” but simple economics that makes them stay beyond their use-by date. They need the money, as little as it may be. Or perhaps, no one has said, it’s time to go, or done a review, that identifies their lack of contribution, fit, or whatever. There will be many other reasons directors stay past when they should.          Why raise this with you? Two reasons. First, because directors like most of us have a habit of reading headlines, which we agree with and accepting the statements as facts, evidence to support our own already entrenched views (biases). I would like nothing more than for these statements to be true. To have the weight of scientific research supporting them. But they don’t. Anecdotally yes, factually no, especially if you want to extrapolate the findings to all director groups, which the headlines do.     Why am I being critical. Because the headlines and findings in this article are based on interviews with only 11 directors. Who were chosen through a process called “purposeful sampling.” Here, the researchers asked two well regarded and experienced directors to draw from their network to put them in contact with a second layer of potential study participants from different organisations. All participants are from the same country, possibly (not stated) the same city, demographic, schools, suburbs, etc. Who knows?   In relation to the sub-heading, nothing in the research identifies how the conclusion that “non-executive directors are failing shareholders” was tested. In fact, the word shareholder appears once in the whole paper.     It is an interesting article, but only that. As directors, we (you) have a responsibility to dig deeper, ask more questions about headline grabbing statements, be they in relation to research or a business report. Directors who do not ask questions and are not inquisitive are in my view a far greater issue for boards than a director who stays too long. The latter is easily dealt with. The former is not! The Chartered Governance Institute Chartered Governance Institute New Zealand Good Governance Academy Institute of Directors (IoD) Australian Institute of Company Directors https://lnkd.in/gZu5V-PM

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ENROLMENTS CLOSING SOON: Dare to Lead™ Public Program starting Thursday 25 July 2024 Will this be the year you finally have that tough conversation you've been avoiding? Will this be the year you consciously cultivate your courage as the leader of your career and your life? Will this be the year you invest in deepening your relational and emotional intelligence? Will this be the year you add new language, insights and tools in service of having greater confidence and better boundaries? Will this be the year you give yourself permission to know yourself better so you can show up and speak up with authenticity and grace? Starting Thursday 25 July 2024, you're invited to join an intimate group of curious leaders as together we dig into the four critical skills of daring leadership: 1. Rumbling with vulnerability (defined as risk, uncertainty and emotional exposure) 2. Living into your values (a unique way to define your two core values and the behaviours that support them) 3. Braving trust (dig deep into the seven behaviours of trust building: boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, non-judgment and generosity) 4. Learn to rise (a process for bouncing back from a failure, disappoint or setback) Details: - Commencing Thursday 25 July 2024 - 3 hour sessions over 8 consecutive weeks (10am - 1pm AEST) - Accessible to leaders and their teams everywhere - Highly interactive and engaging program delivery - Limited numbers for deeper impact - Evidence-based curriculum - Support available if you're unable to attend a live session - Minimal out-of-session work required - 12 months of ongoing post-program support - Digital certificate of training on completion - Delivered by Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, Kylie Lewis Join us. Let's grow together. Bookings and information here: https://lnkd.in/diBqvhrn

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Learning to be a great leader feels like an ever evolving pathway that seems to unfold itself each day, week and year. It has no final destination. It requires more introspection and self learning than we might have anticiptated. We never truly ‘arrive’, do we? Embrace the adventure and continue to bring courage, self compassion and curiosity as we traverse the endless unravelling of new and novel moments together. I hope your leadership experience comes with a good dose of joy, good humour and appreciation for the opportunities and people that greet you along the way. #leadership

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There's so much "change" happening in workplaces. Realignments, restructures, reviews, consolidations, QI projects, compliance implementation - whatever the source it's incessant, particularly as businesses attempt to manage with leaner budgets. Last week I read an article that cautioned us to not see change - as a single start and finish event - but rather understand it is a continuous cycle. The article posited that employees still feel there will be a time when "change" is finished and they can go back to "normal" - cautioning that this is a false expectation as change is constant. Today, in contrast, this thought provoking article from Ashley Goodall says we should be looking at "stability management" and seeing this as equally as important as managing change. I concur entirely. In my first book Transforming Norm - I explained that change leaders can create a sense of stability (and transparency and trust) during change by a set schedule of communications. No matter what, on Tuesday every fortnight at 9am you communicate your update on the change initiative. Simple. I also mention in Finding Equilibrium, the need to focus on what isn't changing to give a sense of stability and that not all of the ground is shifting. Goodall's article provides additional insights on how you can create stability through a focus on your specific team. He warns that "... constant change emerges as the enemy of performance, not its catalyst" and that "teams are the source of much stability for its members." Focusing on strengthening team role clarity, strengths use, shared team goals/values and team organisational purpose are all ways leaders can support teams to feel more stability. I might add - that incidentally all of these elements are considered job resources for individuals which research shows help buffer the impact of intolerable work demands. An article well worth a read and ponder. #jobdemandsandresources #leadingsuccessfulchange #teamperformance https://lnkd.in/gqXB8kaA

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Many of you will know that I am already Chairman of Inspiring Workplaces because I am passionate about its Purpose of helping organisations to succeed by putting their people first. I'm delighted to announce that I am now Principal Consultant in the new Inspiring Workplaces Consulting arm. https://lnkd.in/gH5g7-wt   My specific goal as Principal Consultant is to help businesses find solutions to their biggest people-related problems by using our new PeopleFirst Matrix diagnostic. Much like BCG's Growth Share Matrix helps companies decide how to prioritize their different businesses, our PeopleFirst Matrix helps business leaders prioritise where to invest in their people.    Smart leaders know that if they put the people first they will achieve sustainable success and outperform companies who do not. But they are bombarded with a myriad of things to do from wellness programmes to technology platforms. Using our diagnostic pinpoints exactly where to prioritise action. It will save huge amounts of wasted time, effort and money by enabling organisations to identify exactly where to focus their effort.   Send me a message if you'd like to unlock the true potential of your business. #PeopleFirst #prioritisation #employeeengagement #belief #belong #inspiringleaders

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Arrogance is so passé. There are better ways to demonstrate competence and capability at work: https://lnkd.in/gVCW7QY5

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#ValuableChange Myth Buster #2. Focus on what we are doing will lead to change success. 🚫No! Effort to go somewhere will definitely get us there.. ▶️Truly valuable change is driven by a clear and meaningful why (why are we doing this), and proofs (the onus for how we will know we are successful is on change initiative leads). ✅️Then our actions can be continually assesses for their contribution to this change goal, and aligned. Thanks Brendon Baker.

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In this episode, Tracey Newman and I discuss how organisations can share decision-making at different levels, including strategic, program/service, and individual levels, in order to better meet the needs of clients and stakeholders they support through more inclusive and collaborative processes. Practical tips are provided on setting up structures and processes to facilitate shared decision-making. Check it out here... Apple Podcasts - https://lnkd.in/eg_6nBH5 Spotify - https://lnkd.in/eHWQuCWs #SocialInnovation #SocialImpact #Podcast #Innovation #Impact

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Embark on a transformative journey with The Strategic Organisational Leadership Experience (SOLE) where we delve into the most critical strategic leadership questions and themes of our time. 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 2025 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩. Who should participate? SOLE is suitable for Executive level colleagues, who are looking to enhance and broaden their leadership practice and networks as they establish themselves as part of an Executive team. It is also beneficial for rising academic, clinical or professional service colleagues stepping into their first senior or executive level role and anyone looking to broaden their leadership perspective as part of their own CPD plan. Each cohort is built with leaders from different sectors to enable a rich conversation, giving different learning perspectives from different landscapes. The experience provides a dynamic exchange of knowledge and experiences that will broaden participants’ view of leadership. If you would like further information, please feel free to reach out to any of our co-founders Dr Tom Kennie, Siobhan O'Reilly FCIPD and Claire Carter ✏ Registration link is in the comments #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipexperiance #crosssector #knowledgeshare #highereducation #nhs #socialhousing #thirdsector

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Have you ever had the best intentions but still faced unintended consequences? It's something that resonates with many of us, including in leadership roles. Having the right intentions but missing the mark with actions and the impact of those actions. 🤐 Really enjoyed the Partnering Leadership conversation with Grant 'Upbeat' Bosnick - Leadership Enabler on his book, Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership, where he shared his thoughts on aligning intentions with actions. In the conversation, Grant shared something I often see in my coaching and advising work with CEOs and leadership teams. Many leaders have good intentions but sometimes fail to consider the impact of their actions and how they are perceived. If you have ever faced that, here are a few strategies that can help: 1. Active Listening Regularly hold open forums or one-on-one meetings to genuinely listen to your team's input. This fosters inclusion and enables you to understand their viewpoints better. Your reaction to this input determines whether people will share candidly or withdraw, seeing it as pointless. For example, one CEO I work with held regular open forums and practiced responding thoughtfully, even to feedback he disagreed with. By handling these sessions better, his team felt genuinely listened to and valued. 2. Reflect and Adjust After significant decisions or actions, take time to reflect on their outcomes. Did they achieve the intended impact? If not, what can be adjusted? Many executives fall into the 'doing trap ', where constant activity prevents deep thinking and reflection. This can lead to decisions being made without considering their full impact. One executive I know blocked an hour weekly in her schedule as a 'reflection' appointment to review and adjust plans. This practice led to more strategic decision-making. 3. Seek Feedback Create a culture where feedback is encouraged and valued. This continuous loop of feedback helps realign intentions and actions over time. While many executives believe they are open to feedback, the reality often differs. I've seen leaders transform their teams by actively seeking and acting on feedback through anonymous surveys and open feedback channels. By bridging the intention-impact gap, we not only enhance our leadership effectiveness but also pave the way for more positive outcomes for our teams. What strategies have you found effective in aligning your actions with your intentions and ensuring the desired impact? 🤔 #partneringleadership #leadership Strategic Leadership Ventures #culture #collaboration #strategy #intention #management #feedback

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Once upon a time… Many summers ago… we’ve all grown up with stories that we’ve told and stories that we’ve been told. The Storytelling Canvas is one of my favourite back of the pocket approaches to bring alignment over time. The Storytelling Canvas helps people honour the past, accept the foreign element of change and then decide what experiments and actions to take to nudge the change forward together. #alignment #innovation #storytelling #canvases #projectmanagement

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The concept of psychological safety is slowly evolving and thankfully becoming more prevalent in organisations today. We have however, a massive opportunity as leaders to continue to create an environment where innovation can thrive and where our team can flourish buy bringing their true and authentic self to work. The core of it remains to be, can we as leaders be vulnerable. I believe it’s essential for leaders to be vulnerable in order for others to feel safe to do the same. Only through authentic leadership vulnerability can psychological safety thrive. #vulnerability #psychologicalsafety #performanceunlocked

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