Penelope Barr

🚨 A recent study found that 91% of Australian teens have a smartphone... yet many are unknowingly exposing their identity and location! We’re not just facing a tech issue here, it’s a literacy gap. Teens aren't fully grasping the privacy risks tied to location sharing and digital footprints. The "privacy paradox” is real, where individuals prioritise convenience over security, even when aware of the risks. Like climate change, it's not just down to the individual changing their habits but other somewhat "bigger" players in the game also contributing. Parents – are you guiding your kids on safe phone use? Schools and tech companies, where’s your role in fostering safer digital habits? The time for proactive education and collaboration is now. Let’s secure the future of our digitally connected youth! 🔐📱 #DigitalSafety #ParentingInTheDigitalAge #DigitalWellbeing #YoungLivesMatter #DigitalLiteracy https://lnkd.in/gNCkkZxp

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Working hour by hour or set numbers of days per week is so last century. It's Outcomes that matter. Getting stuff done is very much a mantra in our business at Zensai. And so say a number of CEOs in this extract for Monday's The Australian Financial Review #succeedlikeyou #humansuccess #worklifebalance

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The term cyberfeminism first emerged in the early 1990s, coined by the Australian art collective VNS Matrix, who boldly declared, “We are the modern cunt, positive and free, suck my code.” Their provocative words were more than just a statement—they were a challenge to the male-dominated tech industry. Cyberfeminism began as a way to critique power structures in technology and imagine a digital world shaped by women. It’s a movement that has always blended art, activism, and technology to promote inclusivity and challenge patriarchal norms. But what does cyberfeminism look like today? It’s the recognition that technology isn’t neutral—it reflects the biases and power dynamics of the society that creates it. And as women, we have two choices: let tech happen TO us, or make sure it happens FOR us. In today’s world, that could mean anything from developing FemTech solutions that address women’s health needs to advocating for algorithmic justice to ensure that AI serves all genders equally. Working at DAYA, I see the power of cyberfeminism every day. It’s about using technology to dismantle inequalities, whether that’s in health, work, or daily life. It’s a movement that recognizes the potential of the digital realm as a space for feminist activism and innovation. So, are you a cyberfeminist? If you believe that technology should be a force for gender equity and justice, then the answer is yes. #Cyberfeminism #Femtech #innovation

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🔍 Cracking the Complexity Code An invitation to Ballarat's senior women leaders to explore Trail Blazers with me on Tuesday, 3 September 2024, online at 9:15 am until 10:00 am 🔥What's Trail Blazers? Trail Blazers is a face-to-face group coaching program for amazing female leaders in Ballarat who are grappling with complexity and change in their work systems - things like disruptive tech, hybrid work modes, staff wellbeing, diversity, politics (not to mention families!) It's a small group program (facilitated by me and capped at 8 experienced women leaders) that starts in October, but before we do any of that, I'm inviting you to... 🌟 Embrace the Trail Blazers Spirit! 🌟 Join me for an interactive and exploratory chat about you, your complexity challenges and what you'd like to gain from the Trail Blazers program during a 30-minute webinar on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 9:15 AM. This is your chance to... ✅ Meet like-minded local women leaders from different sectors and organisations ✅ Shape the perfect program for you ✅ Follow your curiosity ✅ Absolutely free and no obligation Find out more about Trail Blazers and register to secure your spot in this fun and empowering conversation 👉 https://lnkd.in/gvBGfTwZ Don't miss the opportunity to navigate complexity and lead with purpose! P.S. If you're not based in Ballarat but you like the sound of this, let me know! If there's enough interest an online version is not out of the question 😊 #complexity #systemsleadership #womenleaders #coaching #workplacepsychologist

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Then, of course, there is always the counter argument, so I asked ChatGPT 'What are the strengths of Australia’s system of 121 Modern Awards?' Australia’s system of 121 Modern Awards is designed to provide a standardized approach to fair pay and conditions across various industries and occupations. Here are some key strengths: 1. Fair Minimum Standards: Each Modern Award sets out minimum entitlements regarding pay rates, overtime, penalties, allowances, and leave for specific industries or professions, ensuring that all employees receive a basic level of protection regardless of their bargaining power. 2. Tailored to Industries and Occupations: By having specific awards, the system recognizes the unique demands and conditions of different sectors. This allows for more appropriate terms, like special rates for night shifts in hospitality or allowances for tools in trades, that directly respond to the industry's needs. 3. National Consistency: With the Modern Awards system in place, national standards are applied consistently across Australia, promoting equity and reducing disparities in labor conditions across states and territories. 4. Simplicity and Accessibility: The Modern Awards system consolidates numerous historical awards, making it easier for employees and employers to find the applicable award. This simplification reduces complexity and aids in compliance, making it easier to understand obligations and entitlements. 4. Protection for Vulnerable Workers: The awards act as a safety net, especially for vulnerable workers who may lack negotiation power. They help protect against exploitation by establishing firm standards on pay and conditions. 5. Adaptability: The Fair Work Commission regularly reviews awards, allowing them to be updated in response to economic shifts, inflation, or industry changes. This keeps the system relevant and ensures that awards evolve with workplace needs. 5. Promotion of Stability and Transparency: By setting clear, legally backed standards, Modern Awards help prevent workplace disputes and promote smoother industrial relations, as both employees and employers have a reliable framework for pay and conditions. Overall, Australia’s system of Modern Awards is a cornerstone of its industrial relations framework, ensuring fair and tailored labor conditions across various industries while maintaining simplicity and consistency. This reflection has reminded me of when Winston Churchill famously remarked on democracy in a 1947 speech to the House of Commons, "Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." There may be flaws in Australia's system of Modern Awards but despite its imperfections, it is still preferable to any other system we had before.

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Telstra's report shows Aussie small businesses need to embrace tech for efficiency and competitiveness. Many struggle with priorities like website updates and cybersecurity. There's a gap between recognising tech benefits and implementation. How can small businesses effectively prioritise and implement tech for success? Let me know in the comments below! #Leadership #Cybersecurity #Businessowners

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One of the fun things about coaching is meeting people we’re they’re at and uncovering what gets them going. I met Mabior through the Melbourne Innovation Centre’s Digital Solutions program. As an early stage business owner in Victoria (in this case a new side hustle) he’s got access to 3x sessions at a subsidised rate. With his permission I’m sharing a clip from one of our sessions. What I love about the process is not only seeing people absorb and learn new things on the spot - but then going out and applying it and reporting back on what worked, what needs tweaking, and what they noticed. This year I’ve been consciously migrating away from consulting work (high-touch, low volume) to coaching work (low-touch, high volume). I find it more energising since becoming a Dad and bloody adore the process of lighting founders up and helping them be better. The funny thing is before last year I had a spotty relationship with coaches. It was always something I was interested in but had 3-4 shit ones over time and it wasn’t until connecting with the current one last year that I’ve got the most out of the process. This understanding has helped me shape my own business, I don’t lock people in, let them try things out first, and with the right founders don’t take the majority of my fee unless they get the outcome they want. It’s win-win and I think they love it too.

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"Online toxicity is a growing problem. Nearly half of young Australians have experienced some form of negative online interaction, with almost one in five experiencing cyberbullying." The AI Ally team - University of Melbourne, are developing an AI tool to moderate toxic behaviour online. They say that to succeed, it needs to prioritise values like privacy, transparency, explainability and fairness. When I was younger, bullying was limited by face to face exposure before, during, or after school, which was challenging enough. Now that behaviour extends to all communication platforms, and only recently a young girl (12) took her own life. There needs to be multiple conversations had about this problem, as there is not one solution. We need to protect our children and prepare them for every scenario this beautiful, sometimes cruel world will present. #worldmentalhealth #AImoderation #youthsuicide

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Thanks to Kirsten (KP) Patterson, David Downs and Anna Campbell from the Institute of Directors in New Zealand on their reflections and lessons for #governance #directors from the Spark AI* Mini-MBA. Here is my favorite thought on how we should use #generative AI: Treat #AI like a 'high performing graduate'. It has a good base level of knowlege, needs adult supervision in the office, needs to be fact checked, needs good context and requests, your communication will determine it's responses and it will not always perform consistently. Let me know your thoughts on this take. Here are some more of my main takeaways: We have previously talked about an extending digital divide, and we may be seeing an AI class of leaders developing, with some being left behind. As Generative AI is new to a lot of people, many feel they are 'lurkers' - interested but not engaging or not knowing how to engage. You have permission to engage with AI, there is no one that is going to give you an endorsement or permission to explore and learn. Most directors and management are learning about AI together, at the same time. There is room to be an interested learner. Being a learner is key cornerstone of ongoing good governance. There is value in using AI as a "strategy companion", moving past the gimmicky uses of AI that most people engage with. For example in the images there is a clear divide in the depth of use of AI. Understanding the protection of sensitive and private information, AI should be looked at as a significant productivity tool for organizations. David shared a matrix of different uses: - Low risk / Low effort: Email drafting and responses Basic note taking Simple task management Information retrieval - Low effort / High risk: Basic sentiment analysis on public opinion Automated document reviews - Low risk / High effort: Personalised learning and development Advanced meeting summaries Automated report generation Smart scheduling assistance - High effort / High risk: Strategic planning ideas Comprehensive personal knowledge management Enhanced decision support Intelligent virtual assistance AI can help creativity, stimulating and prompting ideas. It can also help with more mundane decisions, allowing space for more intentional thought of complex issues. AI is often thought of as a technological tool, but this can be a limiter on how we can use it, personally as leaders and professionally as organizations. You can start prompts with a caveat, 'I want facts, validate and quote the source of information, and no generated or hallucinated information'. You can also also add these sorts of directions into ChatGPT settings, have a look in the cog icon. This can be a brilliant tool for neuro diverse people, as it can take a large amount of verbal information, and summarize this. There are some things that AI will be an expert on, such as getting AI to write a draft policy on AI use. *I have used AI in this post to refer to Generative AI.

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How would you react if your boss/board/CEO ran an experiment to replace your team with AI? I’m all for using AI to help drive efficiency, productivity and creativity. But I think being honest and transparent is more important. Cosmos magazine has AI generated explainer articles fact checked on its own body of work. Using AI to repackage your content into other formats makes commercial and practical sense, but needs to be done responsibly. "We had no knowledge of the proposal to employ AI as a background writer creator" How would you react? #ArtificialIntelligence #CosmosMag #AiEthics #CSIRO https://lnkd.in/g4yb48Yq

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Such a good post. Small things make a difference. One of the things I love and value most about working with public sector and others that embrace diversity is the way that people have become more open about who they are, conditions they have, that they're fasting or that they need to go to the temple/synagogue in the morning, or that being trans means clinical appointments need more thought. It's been an education to learn more about all of you. One I cherish. Please don't think any silliness about lanyards represents what others really believe. Oh - and, it's the government's own policy that asserts the right to dress how you like, be who you want, and, not least, to reinforce the Public Sector Equality Duty, which underlines that public sector should go over and above the terms of the Equality Act (2010).

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Want to ensure that your product ideas limit harm to society and the environment? Try our new disrupted idea pad which we launched at Leading the Product last week in Sydney. There are now 5 questions to consider: 1️⃣ Who the idea is for? 2️⃣ What problem(s) the idea solves for the customer? 3️⃣ What benefits the customer gets from your idea? 4️⃣ What benefits the business receives by developing, implementing and managing the idea once in market? 5️⃣ What impact will it have on the world? https://lnkd.in/gfaYAxv6 If you need help completing this, drop me a note. #productmanagement #product #LTPCON

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Attention Kiwi employers seeking international talent: Have you thought about the essential preparations newcomers to New Zealand must make before stepping foot in your office? Our resettlement programs guarantee that your new hires are fully equipped to hit the ground running from day one. #relocation #resettlement #globalmobility

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Ready to make 2025 your year of growth? Our latest research uncovers the bold ambitions of mid-market businesses in Australia and the strategic technology investments they’re making to stay ahead next year.     📊 52% plan to invest over $100,000 next year   📈 31% will invest between $200,000 and $300,000     This shows a clear trend. Mid-market businesses are ready to punch above their weight, leveraging technology to compete with larger players. With the right tools, the mid-market can thrive in a big-business world.     Read more about our research on the blog and explore the full report.   https://lnkd.in/g84csRGr   https://lnkd.in/gu7mZt3f 

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I have mixed feelings about this; I can absolutely see the value, used correctly. Augmenting an already stretched capability with an 'assistant' level process seems to be the right thing to do, given the global shortage of people working in this area, and with an aging population. On the other hand, show me the certifications and standards that would make this acceptable, clarity around IP, liability, etc., vs. 'letting it loose in the wild'. Value is one thing, patient safety needs to be the number one priority. And not revenue... https://lnkd.in/g62j24zQ

In New Zealand, we’re at a critical juncture. The conversation around productivity is crucial, but talk alone won’t cut it. It’s time to shift gears. Here are some ways business leaders can do this: Methodical Approach: Develop a plan—prioritise quick wins or tackle long-term projects. Create a sustainable framework for positive change. Continuous Mindset: Embrace continuous improvement. Be open to new ideas and revise processes for efficiency gains. Metrics and KPIs: Set clear metrics—ROI, cost-benefit analysis, and productivity data. Regular measurement allows timely course corrections. Strategic Motives: Understand why you’re adopting ways of working. Whether it’s cost reduction, efficiency, or future-proofing, tailor your approach accordingly. Together, let’s drive action and propel NZ forward! #Productivity #ActionNotTalk #BetterBusiness

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