Garry Browne AM

Our research and conversations with everyday Australians tell us that significant life changes and circumstances can contribute to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. This Loneliness Awareness Week we’re sharing real stories to spark conversations about why we feel lonely and encouraging all Australians to create a culture of connection at home, work, school and in the community. #EndingLonelinessTogether #LonelinessAwarenessWeekAU #MentalHealthMatters #SocialConnection #CommunitySupport #Wellbeing #MentalHealthAwareness #BreakTheSilence #TogetherAgainstLoneliness #StrongerTogether #EmotionalHealth #ConnectionCulture #SupportEachOther #GlobalWellbeing #SocialIsolation #LonelinessResearch #AUCommunity #WellnessJourney

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In the latest episode of Psych for Life, I chat with Ella Zhang on alignment and congruence in great leadership. Ella is a passionate, strategic change maker, Organisational Development Consultant and executive coach with decades of experience in Fortune100 companies and start-ups. Her expertise includes leadership development, cultural transformation and talent development and last year she published her first book, Upgrade: How to outperform your default self to gain your superpowers. Listen to hear our discussion on - ▫️Why congruent and aligned leaders are great leaders ▫️How awareness is the cornerstone for congruent and aligned leadership? ▫️Why one size fits all solutions don’t work for businesses ▫️The importance of taking control of your impact And so much more! 🎙️ Click the link to listen - https://lnkd.in/gFKMX8Xx #psychforlife #podcast #newepisode #mentalhealth #leadership #greatleaders #businesstips #mindset #workplaceculture #empowerment #congruence #alignment #leader #leadershipdevelopment

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Darren O’Brien, the regional head of Mondelēz, criticises what he calls “profit shaming” in Australia. This criticism comes after major companies faced scrutiny for recent price increases, with reports indicating significant profitable revenue gains during an inflationary period. Mondelēz defends its price hikes, citing higher raw material costs, particularly for cocoa, as a primary factor. Rising energy and freight prices have also escalated business expenses. O’Brien argues that high local manufacturing costs could drive operations overseas. He believes that industry profitability is crucial for driving investments, creating jobs, and fueling innovation. Similarly, some major local manufacturing businesses have argued that their financial challenges are akin to those faced by households. However, this comparison is not entirely correct because, unlike businesses, households cannot pass on their increased costs to others. The scrutiny and emotion surrounding price increases in the food and manufacturing industries are fundamentally about transparency and justifying value to customers, not ‘profit shaming’ as O’Brien puts it. Businesses could use these pricing inquiries as opportunities to improve—i.e., offering customers innovative pricing that promotes fair practices and generates value for both the customer and the business—ultimately helping to curb inflation. In essence, while manufacturing and B2B distributor businesses must manage rising costs and public scrutiny, increasing prices is not inherently wrong. However, doing so with blanket increases and/or without clearly justifying cost and price hikes and their impact on the customer will continue to alienate customers and consumers alike.  

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The best way to inspire change is to lead by example. Whether in business or healthcare, people are more likely to follow a leader who lives the values they preach. I believe in modelling the behaviours and principles I want to see in others. What leadership examples are you setting today? #LeadByExample #TransformativeLeadership #Inspiration #BusinessAndHealth #LeadershipValues

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What an inspiring moment listening to the legendary Cathy Freeman share her journey and wisdom. Cathy’s humble, authentic approach gave us a powerful glimpse into her world as an athlete and an Indigenous Australian, navigating her path with resilience and pride. Last week, while speaking at David Koch's keynote event, I highlighted five foundational principles that have driven my success, which align closely with Cathy’s insights: 1. **Seek Expert Advice** Growth happens when you connect with those who know more. Cathy sought guidance from the experts, surrounding herself with people who knew more to accelerate her performance. 2. **Keep Going Through Challenges** Cathy reminded us to stay so focused on our goals that there’s no room for excuses. Even when the journey was tough, she embodied resilience, moving forward despite any obstacles. 3. **Use Your Past to Fuel Your Future** Cathy started running at five, and her lifelong commitment to sport created a powerful expectation to win at the 2000 olympics. She leaned on those experiences to push her across the finish line—showing us how our own history can be a source of strength. 4. **Master Stress for Focus** Cathy managed her stress by remembering her roots in Mount Isa, grounding herself in the familiarity of home. Staying connected to her sense of self allowed her to keep anxiety in check and focus on success. 5. **Lean on Mentors** Cathy spoke about surrounding herself with supportive people she trusted. She relied on her mentors, finding strength in a network that offered guidance and encouragement. Listening to Cathy was a powerful reminder that resilience, support, and staying grounded are key to success, no matter where your journey begins.

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This morning on Radio 4BC Brisbane Pty Limited, we dove into some fascinating trends in Australian consumer spending. Here are the key takeaways: Coffee Cutbacks, Weekend Splurges. Soaring living costs are causing Australians to tighten their belts, with data revealing a dip to pre-pandemic levels between 7am and 11am on weekdays in purchases from cafes and other food and beverage outlets. Interestingly, transactions during weekends have seen a rise. This points towards a changing spending pattern, with Australians choosing to indulge less frequently and typically with family and friends, rather than solo weekday treats. Retail Struggles, Experience Takes Centre Stage. Despite a small rise in April sales, overall consumer spending in retail remains sluggish. This cautious approach translates to a decline in non-essential purchases, leading retailers to work harder than ever to attract customers. With centres investing more and promoting experience-based retail, with the likes of Up Town's (formerly MYER) Dopamine Land, Queens Plaza's short run pop up interactive NBA Exhibition and Garden City's ever popular 8 Street. The discussion also touched on the move towards cashless transactions. While electronic payments offer convenience, cash remains crucial during emergencies like storms or outages. Australians are making significantly more electronic transactions today (around 650 per year) compared to a decade ago (around 300). The pandemic's emphasis on contactless payments and the rise of online shopping accelerated this shift. While digital payments are undeniable, cash still holds value. It's a matter of finding the right balance. As the saying goes, "use it or lose it!" Listen to the conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gzdUgNXZ #retail #consumer #costofliving #experientialretail #cashless

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Hallelujah. Woolworths Supermarkets now are offering and accepting free choice super. There has been a long unfruitful campaign to empower the lowest paid employees in Australia to have a choice of the super fund their compulsary superannuation contributions end up. The Liberal government bought free choice super into law only a few short years ago. Unfortunately, it never took place until current EBA's expire. The woolworths EBA expired last year and postponed the commencement of a new EBA for around 12 months and refused to honour super choice until the new EBA was signed. Before this legislation, giants like Woolworths used their employees super for the benefit of the company and unions, by nominating certain super funds required to be used in EBA agreements, neglecting the needs of individuals they employ. This has now been resolved, in 2024, about bloody time. Now we just need them to stop price fixing, exploiting workers and supplies, and engaging in abusive behaviour in the workplace agreements and nanagement. Brad Banducci don't let the door hit you on the way out. Your Greed, poor management strategies and total disregard to your hardworking employees is disgusting. Hopefully, your replacement can do better... https://lnkd.in/ggpuwZet

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If you’re doing online counselling, the Zoom Whiteboard is a superb tool for creating genograms, timelines and drawings to express problems and the good times in your client’s life. This 90 minute webinar is full of many creative ideas to expand and enliven your Zoom sessions. #counselling #zoomwhiteboard

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Tonight's federal budget isn't only going to be critical for individuals wanting relief on the cost of living pressures, but also businesses like mine trying to crack the overseas/US market.  Twisted Healthy Treats has had amazing export opportunities over the last 12 months, however our progress has slowed on the back of red tape, delays at the ports and costs on export . These do no favours for Australian small businesses when trying to compete with the industry giants. I'm hoping the government will provide clear and easy guidance on what help is available and an assurance can reach new markets with as few disruptions as possible.  I don't want cracking the overseas/US market to be just a distant unachievable dream, I want it to be a huge success story! For all Australian businesses. #australianmanufacturing #fmcg #cpg #brandaustralia https://lnkd.in/gjdv-H62

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Whether it’s frozen, protein-filled, indulgent, healthy or gluten-free, Australians love their snacks. We don't just only see snacks as treats; they're our energy boosters, mood enhancers, and comfort foods. Today's snack choices reflect a complex interplay of taste, health, convenience, and cost of living pressures. PLAY's latest snacking research has unlocked what snacks Aussies are buying and the all-important reasons for buying them. We will share the fascinating results with you during our new webinar called Aussie snack attack: trends, triggers, and tastes shaping 2024. In this live 30-minute webinar you'll discover: - The curious reason 40% of Aussies reach for a snack - The category of snacks Aussies are turning to in the morning - The top five reasons consumers munch on a snack - The balance parents look for when choosing snacks for their kids - The type of snack that's lowest on consumers’ shopping lists and why - When and why consumers are likely to hit the drive-through - What snacks consumers will grab on impulse versus what they plan to buy - Eight cost-saving measures consumers are taking right now when it comes to their snacks - The problems consumers have with healthier snacks - How Aussies like to indulge with a snack But wait, there's more… The future of snacking: consumers and AI design the ultimate snack Find out what happened when we: 1. Asked consumers to invent their ultimate snack 2. Ran their responses through ChatGPT for a brief You'll get a fascinating glimpse into the thoughts behind consumers' dream snacks. You'll also see how we use AI to transform consumer responses into some pretty cool product options, complete with ingredients and packaging design. Our panel I’ll be on the panel along with Taryn Sullivan, account director of PLAY. Taryn has 15 years of research experience and a wealth of multi-national insights experience. She has worked across a wide range of industries, methodologies and categories, from banks to booze. The details Please lock this date into your calendar: Date: Wednesday 29th May 2024 Time: 12 pm to 12:30 pm Medium: Zoom webinar (recording available to everyone who registers). Join us live to ask your questions on the day. The recording will be available within 24 hours to everyone who has registered. Reserve your spot now! Don't miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the snacking market and learn how to align your products with consumer expectations. Please use this link to register for the webinar ⇒ https://lnkd.in/gyCHc629 See you there. #fmcg #consumerinsights #consumerbehavior #snacking

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In recent times, we’ve witnessed a significant trend in leadership dynamics that is well worth highlighting. As SmartCompany pointed out, organisations like Nine, Woolworths, and Qantas are turning to women leaders in challenging times. The article delves into the reasons behind this phenomenon, suggesting that women leaders have crisis management skills that have made them particularly valuable for these organisations. Of course, women are capable of leading at all times, not just through crisis, but as we continue to move towards a society that recognises the value of women in leadership, the work that people like Catherine West, Amanda Bardwell, and Michele Bullock are doing is amazingly valuable. Their appointments are based on merit, experience, and a unique perspective that’s essential for navigating turbulent waters, and this will inspire future generations of women leaders. https://lnkd.in/g9wrcg8e

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That we're still asking this question - both for we who represent the 52% of the population to which it refers and, I know, for many of the men who understand that a functioning society must leverage what every distinctive part of that society offers, is galling. But the answer is no mystery. My role as founder and CEO at Co.OfWomen uniquely positioned me for the deep dive across almost 15 years that honouring our commitment, to equip the success journey of women from every domain, demanded of me. The number one challenge we face in Aotearoa NZ is that the conversation is often met with distain primarily due to a the lack of understanding of the key fundamentals. Why women fail to rise is two-fold; firstly, women's profound socialisation that our job is 'everyone else' is pervasive and persistent - across millennia. And secondly, the impact of that socialisation - that therefore, the majority of women find it hard to access our power on behalf of ourselves. To be clear, men are also socialised to their role and the expectations that they will show up in the world in a particular way. Over the last decade through the deeply researched work produced by eminent authors (whom I highly recommend) such as Angela Saini, Caroline Criado Perez, Amanda Montell, Kate Manne, Mary Ann Sieghart, Marieke Bigg, PhD and Annabel Crabb and Gina Rippon to name a few, the structural reasons why women's socialisation is as it is - as mens as theirs is - is abundantly clear. As a whole society - the human civilisation - our history clearly evidences that we have not been well served by these constructed social expectations. Their design is perpetuated by small numbers of men who hold power over several millennia - and still today, across the globe - and who are the primary beneficiaries. By the measure of wealth alone know this to be so. These systems are called Patriarchial and they do not exist to serve all men, on the contrary. They are explicitly held in place to assert control over men and women. However, men are still beneficiaries of the structures and systems and women are not. How we remediate this, and claim back our singular and collective voices is not a short term endeavour. But our optimal functioning as individuals and as a society is incumbent on us taking on this essential mahi. On a simply gendered basis we all have essential qualities that our societies and world needs. We must resist othering those who differ in views and seek at all times to understand all perspectives. It is incumbent on all of us to come to the table with open hearts, curious minds and the patience, grit and resilience needed to walk the long, walk toward a world that works for all. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly for kōrero on this important topic. It would be my pleasure to share more of my understanding and the many resources we have developed. [email protected]

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🌿 Meet the interim leadership dream team: innovators, problem-solvers, and, occasionally, professional tea-sippers. 💼🤝 Ready to take your business to new heights whilst discussing the finer points of herbal teas. Double tap if you believe in the power of leadership (and a good cuppa)! #Leadership #Innovation #EssentialExpert

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In Friday’s Change Wisdom Circle Ngaire Angus, Jenni Schanschieff (ICF), Eleanor Fala, Jacqui O'Connor, Renita Reddy, Tania Burt and I discussed the relationship between changing mindset, behaviour and habits. On the surface the relationship between mindset and behaviour is bi-directional: our mindset influences our behaviour, and our behaviour can also shape our mindset. Habits emerge from consistent behaviour and they complement each other. Practice stems from a belief, that what you are doing over and over again has or will have a positive impact e.g. brushing your teeth. But is it enough when dealing with transformational change? 🤔 Here are our perspectives: 😮 80% of our actions are driven by our sub conscious, shaped by what was before us and what is in front of us. The perennial Monday diet. 💪 Forming habits cannot be time bound - you need belief, willpower, confidence driven by a clear WHY e.g. consistently biking for 4 months driven by testing a theory despite seeing immediate benefits. 🔌 Changing habits requires energy for unlearning and relearning. It’s easier to add a habit and keep adding then it is to change existing ones. ⏪ It takes the tiniest disruption to go off course, not matter how strong a habit is. The rubber band effect is real and challenging. 🐘 A conscious approach, focusing on the HOW instead of the WHO or the WHAT is critical for success - ensuring it is in place as part of something bigger instead of a point in time positive skew. Ingrained practices take us beyond what we think possible. 🔍 Leading yourself through change, understanding who you are as the captain of your emotional ship and intentionally guiding your response through change, is a game changer. The ability to focus on self enables others to: - Pursue positive intent more quickly, unapologetic about self-care and thereby reducing stress weight and volume within a group context. The gift of self-awareness. - Walk with an energy of consistency, creating trust and inspiration for what change looks like together. Picking up the crown and moving forward. - See how far that rubber band can actually stretch, with each pause and self-reflection choosing a different response. Practice makes progress. How are you treating change management as a strategic discipline, ensuring your current practices in self-leadership align with your organisation's transformation goals and are refined in building a culture of adaptability and agility? 🤙 DM me if you want to explore strategic change services and enhance change leadership capabilities. #enterprisechange #changeleadership #transformation #culturechange

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In partner dancing, Lead/Follow roles can be fixed, or more fluid, with partners silently trading roles as they dance. This takes agility, patience and full-body listening, all equally key to good business communications. Check out my tips here... https://buff.ly/3LDZyol #SoundAsSmartAsYouAre #TakingTheLead #BusinessCommunications #SummerDanceCamps #BeantownCamp #SwingOutNewHampshire #DanceNeuroscience #LeadFollowConnection #CommunicationsConsulting #CustomerExperience #OwningTheLead #TakeABeat #GiveTakeShare #DanceOn

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I see Chris Quin from Foodstuffs North Island Limited its at it again - trying to convince us that a bigger and more powerful supermarket monopoly is somehow in our best interests. In The Post last week, Mr Quin regaled us with a full 10-point list of all the fabulous benefits the further consolidation of our oligopolic supermarket sector would bring the country. Obviously, it's a bunch of disingenuous self-serving spin - and the reason why is easy to see. Nowhere in his exhaustive list does Mr Quin suggest that the hugely inflated prices Kiwi families are paying at the checkout will decrease. And the source of those inflated prices is easy to find - it's the excessive profits of Foodstuffs North Island Limited and Woolworths Supermarkets ... which, clearly, Mr Quin isn't interested in reducing. So before lecturing us further with his self-serving opinion pieces, perhaps Mr Quin can explain why a kilo of pure NZ lamb mince is £9.50 in the UK - that's about NZ$19.75 to you and me - despite having travelled halfway around the world, while the same kilo of mince is a full $32.99 in my local New World supermarket, just down the road from the farm the lambs were raised on. And more importantly, what he intends doing about that. If the answer is more of his hand-waving about "stronger cooperatives", then the path for the Commerce Commission is obvious - decline the Foodstuffs merger, forcibly break up the supermarket oligopoly, and prosecute both companies for abuse of market power under the Commerce Act. It's time for a lot less lobbying and a lot more legal action. https://lnkd.in/gFY9wWds Tex Edwards Ernie Newman GAG (Grocery Action Group Inc) Pierre van Heerden

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“Expand your Vision of Leadership: Be the Courage to lead the Way” workshop in planning for June. Just went to see this unique Venue - aligns fully with the unique workshop I planned. We will discuss hot topics of culture, diversity (moving beyond demographics), inclusion, psychological safety, motivational drives, behaviour, UNcommon sense and interpersonal clashes. If you would like more information, let me know. #leadership #challangeofleadersbip #diversityandinclusion #workenvironment #leadershipworkshop

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