# data[].attributes.headline
Apple Inc. Organizational Culture: Features & Implications 

# data[].attributes.subject
Apple Inc. Organizational Culture: Features & Implications 

# data[].attributes.body
As in last 15 year apple have one of the worlds most leading brand so what changes company made to achieve that when apple started they had just a mentality to win US market but when they started getting bigger and started inventing new product they found that apple can spread there flag all over the world for that apple company did change its organisational culture but also viewed there internal and external environment and then moved to organisational culture they decided when we say they did change there environment they did change the culture and thinking mentality of apple employee to think bigger than usual also bring people from different culture so that apple as a company can know about other culture and enter into that market can also solve the problem like internal and external problem .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Apple Inc.’s Organizational Culture & Its Characteristics (An Analysis) - Panmore Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Apple’s organizational culture characteristics pros & cons are analyzed in this consumer electronics business corporate culture case study & recommendations.

# data[].attributes.headline
Employees of Twitter can’t stop raving about the company’s culture.

# data[].attributes.subject
Employees of Twitter can’t stop raving about the company’s culture.

# data[].attributes.body
Twitter do think that employee are key to success and it is really important to make sure that work environment and organisational culture is board and open in the organisation saying that we will be thinking that what twitter does new for the employee well twitter is twitter do pay there employee better rate then market rate office at san Francisco has a roof top sitting area and atmosphere of the work place is always nice employee do claim that they like to send there more time at office then any were ales and this friendly environment helps twitter to achieve there goal successfully also was been found that employee do not go home till they finish there work also twitter as a company makes sure they have group activity every week and group meeting were if employee attend it does not need to work on that day .

So what twitter is trying to do twitter is trying to make best environment for employee to get innovative ideas out of them by giving them the best environment and doing group activity which also make twitter innovative by it self .

You cannot beat having team members who are pleasant and friendly to each other and are both good at and love what they are doing. No program, activity or set of rules tops having happy and fulfilled employees who feel that what they are doing matters.

Free environment and good organisational culture by putting rules latter and employee first gives him innovation and helps to achieve goal in the company .

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249174

# data[].attributes.headline
7-Eleven court penalties for exploiting workers tops $1 million, says Fair Work Ombudsman

# data[].attributes.subject
7-Eleven court penalties for exploiting workers tops $1 million, says Fair Work Ombudsman

# data[].attributes.body
It is really important to pay hard work and that what seven eleven and there franchise did not care about franchise did not pay right to workers at seven eleven after doing audit with seven eleven fair work found that there were lot of seven eleven stores which were under paying their employees and did not have there record in there system as well as that means that they did not know proper procedure of the company and did not know proper work health and safety methods as well which was one of the most serious problem for their work environment.

Regardless of knowing the law well and employee rights some of the franchise did not care to pay their employee right pay rate as they were student they never came up.

This kind of activity to earn more profit margin out of business franchise did not care of there employee their work environment and decided to underpay them and make them for longer hours with also not teaching them proper procedure.

What did seven eleven did seven eleven found that franchise was doing it due to get getting much money out of this as there was not much profit margin, so they stared doing this made environment and reputation of work place in bad name as people now do not want to get enrol in this work place.

Now seven eleven is keeping tight eye on every franchise out there and make sure that each store is paying right as payroll is now been handed 100% to seven eleven regardless or franchisee or corporate and inspection are been held ever 3 month to make sure that work environment is safe and employee are happy and know procedurehttps://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2015/7-eleven-revealed/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
HOW 7 ELEVEN IS RIPPING OFF ITS WORKERS

The lot of the average 7-Eleven worker in Australia is as simple as it is bleak: you get paid half the $24.50 an hour award rate - or less - and if you complain your boss threatens you with deportation.

It's highly illegal and goes against the Australian tenet of giving people living in this country a "fair go".

A joint investigation into 7-Eleven stores by Four Corners and Fairfax Media has found systemic underpayment of wages and the doctoring of payroll records within the country's biggest convenience store chain.

Politicians, lawyers and regulators all say something should be done to help these exploited and intimidated workers who are often are international students.

Doctored time sheets and rosters, store financials with possibly understated wage bills, store reviews and explosive documents relating to payroll compliance from head office are further evidence that something is deeply rotten within the 7-Eleven Australia empire.

Within days of the scandal breaking, the company is in crisis and has announced a "independent review" of wages and offered to buy out franchisees.

It has sought to pin blame for wrongdoing on those franchisees but the testimony of a whistleblower from head office, former workers from stores around the country, a consumer advocate who has lobbied head office for over two years, and the damning opinion of the Fair Work Ombudsman paints a bleak picture of what it is like to work in one of the 620 franchise stores.

The picture is painted in the words of these experts along with evidence here.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER

A whistleblower chose to speak out because he says he had had enough of 7-Eleven head office deliberately ignoring systemic wage fraud throughout the franchise system.

"Head office is not just turning a blind eye, it's a fundamental part of their business. They can't run 7-Eleven as profitably as successfully as they have without letting this happen, so the business is very proud of itself and the achievements and the money it's made and the success it's had, but the reality is it's built on something not much different from slavery," he says.

The insider said it was time someone told the truth "or else they'll just keep on doing it."

"Head office is not just turning a blind eye, it's a fundamental part of their business."

Documents seen by a joint investigation by Four Corners and Fairfax Media reveal that head office started scrutinising payroll compliance of its franchisees shortly after the media investigations team informed 7-Eleven it was looking into its business model, wage fraud and the relationship with franchisees.

"About a month ago panic set in," the whistleblower says. "We are now checking the paperwork against the CCTV and guess what? It doesn't match in nearly every store."

He said when Fair Work raided 20 stores last September, head office put in place processes to make it look like it was serious about addressing the problem. But he says few cross-checks were done, which made the process more like smoke and mirrors.

The whistleblower says the wage scam is shared among franchisees. In some cases, the most experienced franchisees who are handpicked to become mentors train new franchisees in how to falsify the payroll and manipulate records.

He estimates that more than 140 of the 620 stores would drown in red ink if they had to pay the legal wages.

Other documents show that 7-Eleven factors into its total earnings before interest and tax projections, store changeovers. In 2014, the company made almost $9 million from "changeovers" on more than 60 stores. Head office had projected more than 70 stores changing hands during the period. Store changeovers are money spinners for the group as every time a store sells it reaps a franchise fee.

THE VICTIMS

Pranay Alawala has worked in four 7-Eleven stores around Brisbane and at each store he's been underpaid.

At one store he was asked to train for a week without pay on the promise he would be hired. He wasn't hired and was never paid for the 40-plus hours he worked at that store. One store owes him more than $30,000 in unpaid wages. He quit after getting a back injury at work. He later confronted his boss for the money he was owed but the franchisee's lawyer sent him a letter threatening to report him to immigration for working more than 20 hours a week, which is in breach of his visa conditions as a student.

Pranay says he's disappointed with how he's been treated and wants to stand up for all the international students who are being ripped off. The popular young man (his phone rings often the day Fairfax meets him), who came to Australia to complete his Masters in IT in August 2013, can point to 70 different 7-Eleven stores in Brisbane who are committing wage fraud.

"It's a big fraud. They are making money on us, not the business."

Newlywed Sam Pendem has three degrees, including an Advanced Masters in IT, and oodles of ambition to build a life as a professional in Australia.

A former 7-Eleven store manager, Sam worked at three different stores under four franchisees in the Gold Coast region and was underpaid at each. He was part of the "half pay scam", where franchisees pay half the award rate. Sam was required to work longer hours, shifts of up to 18 hours straight, without breaks. He was doing the job of two people, having to watch petrol pumps (if someone drove off without paying for petrol, he footed the bill), serve customers, clean the store and stock shelves in a busy store all on his own. The long hours put him in breach of his visa conditions. It gave the franchisees leverage to threaten to go to the authorities to have his visa cancelled if he complained about his salary or working conditions.

He has four separate Fair Work claims on foot seeking unpaid wages in total of $140,000. Sam still has nightmares about 7-Eleven when he was robbed twice in the space of 18 hours: a long serrated knife, a black balaclava and drug fuelled eyes. After each robbery his boss yelled at him and said he should have fought the robber instead of letting him steal money from the till.

Despite his poor treatment at the hands of 7-Eleven, Sam says he loves Australia and has applied to become a citizen. "I'm very outgoing. The lifestyle here suits my personality," he says.

Mohammed Rashid Ullat Thodi came to Australia on a student visa to study architecture. He was one of the top students in India but long hours working at 7-Eleven drove him to the brink. He was living and studying in Geelong and his boss at 7-Eleven took a second store in South Yarra and asked him to work there. He was getting paid $10 an hour but after travel expenses and tax his wages were $5 an hour, which is slave labour.

On top of slaving long hours for low, below award wages, his complaints and attempts to resign were met with threats from his bosses that he would be deported. Student visas only allow students to work only 20 hours a week. A meticulous diary keeper, Mohamed kept a record of every single shift he ever worked at the stores. This diary was used by Fair Work to uphold his claim against the franchisees for unpaid wages and led to the couple who ran the store being fined $150,000 in the Melbourne Magistrates Court. It was a hollow victory for Mohammed, however, with the couple who owned the company placing their business into administration before any payment was made to Mohammed.

"You have to survive, you have to pay your rent, you have to pay your fees... you have to pay for your food."

Tejinder Jit Singh or "Jeet" worked at two stores in the Melbourne CBD that paid him below the award rate, sometimes cash in hand. The owner would then log in on her own name and pretend to be working, when really it was Jeet.

In all stores he was forced to do at least one week's training for free. One store, Parkville, paid him $11 and the other store paid him $16.50 an hour. Fair Work raided one of the stores last September and found wrongdoing. The regulator told the owners to pay back what was owed to staff. Fair Work never spoke to Jeet but based the amount he was owed on the rosters and what they saw on CCTV footage. The amount he was owed was estimated at $2500 but Jeet believes it is far more. The franchisees told staff they would pay them the money but afterwards that they would have to pay it back or lose their job. Jeet didn't pay it back and lost his job.

One of his worst memories was when two robbers started stealing food. He tried to stop them but one of them pulled out a knife and slashed his face, just under his eye.

Jeet knows a lot of people working at 7-Elevens in Melbourne. He says none of them are getting paid the proper wages. Many are scared to speak up for fear they have breached their visa conditions and will be deported.

THE BILLIONAIRE

Until now, Russ Withers, 68, has managed to escape the public glare. In rare interviews he is portrayed as the son of a grocery store owner and wholesaler, who built a fortune when he went to the United States in 1977 and struck a deal to bring the 7-Eleven licence to Australia.

The 7-Eleven network, headquartered in a no-frills office in Mount Waverley, includes 620 stores across Australia generating $3.6 billion in sales a year and profits of $1.44 million.

Withers shares the spoils with his sister Bev Barlow. Their fortune is worth an estimated $1.5 billion. Besides 7-Eleven Australia, they control the Starbucks chain in Australia and 300 Mobil stores. They also own $450 million worth of property including 7-Eleven properties, which they rent to franchisees.

Earlier this year Bev Barlow smashed the record for a residential home sale in Brighton, snapping up a sprawling seaside mansion in Brighton for $20 million.

Withers' principal place of residence in Australia is in the picturesque Victorian wine district the Yarra Valley, where he owns a property covering more than 250,000 square metres.

Withers is passionate about equestrian sports. He sits on the board of the Australian Olympic Committee and has held various sporting board seats over the years of sat on the board including Equestrian Australia between 2001 and 2006 and Team Equestrian Australia - the organisation helps to choose which athletes are picked in the Australian Olympic team.

He did not respond to questions as part of this investigation.

WHO IS RUSS WITHERS?

THE STITCH-UP

7-Eleven Australia operates on a franchise model that is unique to this country. It is part of a global chain of more than 56,000 stores in 16 countries. The model originated in the United States, with the US head office sharing gross profits with franchisees on a 50-50 split. In Australia 7-Eleven head office takes a 57 per cent cut of gross profits, while the franchisee receives a 43 per cent share.

Out of the 43 per cent share of gross profits, a franchisee has to pay wages as well as pay for superannuation, Work Cover, the telephone at the store, cleaning, landscaping, store supplies, bad merchandise, business licences, tax and "miscellaneous store expenses".

Head office pays the rent for the store and also covers the cost of new store fitouts and the maintenance of equipment within the store.

All items sold in the store apart from petrol are subject to the 57/43 per cent profit split.

7-Eleven's franchisees who own stores with petrol pumps receive a 1c per litre commission from the sales of fuel at their store, with the remaining income flowing back to head office. 7-Eleven says that, after its costs, it too only makes 1c per litre on fuel.

If a customer drives off without paying, 7-Eleven head office still counts that as a sale and the franchisee must pay for the full amount the customer did not pay. Often the franchisee will make the staff member who was working at the time of the drive-off pay out of their own pocket for the customer's stolen petrol - even if they are receiving only $10 an hour.

According to head office, the average wage bill for a franchisee is $230,000 per annum.

And documents seen by the joint media investigation show that about 140 7-Eleven stores in Australia generate gross profit of $300,000 or less a year for the franchisee.

That means for many franchisees there's $70,000 or less to cover all of the store's expenses, including interest payments on the loan.

One agent selling 7-Eleven franchises makes it clear what he thinks of the franchise model: "You wouldn't be able to afford to run profitably if you were paying those wages. It's impossible. There's no way," the agent says.

THE ADVOCATES

Michael Fraser began his crusade when he moved to the Gold Coast two years ago next to a 7-Eleven store and discovered what was going on. He wants to help the thousands of international students being exploited throughout the 7-Eleven franchise system. His friendship with Sam Pendem, who he met at the 7-Eleven store next to his apartment, sparked his interest. He's helping Pendem and other 7-Eleven staff pro bono to try and get their unpaid wages back.

Fraser has an IT business and is a consumer advocate. The self-described "Arbitrator" has previously exposed the Commonwealth Bank spying on members of federal parliament and went undercover to get 7-Eleven franchise agreements and talked to agents and franchisees as well as staff. He believes that head office is deliberately turning a blind eye. He has surveyed 60 stores around Australia and has found instances of wage fraud at most stores. He's also spoken to state managers and alleges that one of these senior 7-Eleven managers told him, "there are ways around paying award wages". He convinced class action lawyer Stewart Levitt to launch legal action against head office.

Stewart Levitt is a Sydney-based lawyer who specialises in immigration law and class actions. He launched a successful class action for victims of Storm Financial. He has investigated the situation and believes he has a strong case against the Australian head office of 7-Eleven and the US head office. He believes everyone is getting squeezed with staff the ultimate victims. He says head office is the only winner. It squeezes franchisees with a 57/43 per cent gross profit sharing model with franchisees then paying wages out of the 43 per cent cut. After wages and loan repayments, a number of stores are operating at a loss.

"Wage fraud is systemic across almost all franchises in Australia."

Levitt has set up a website and is signing up people to join a class action against 7-Eleven. He has pored over franchisee agreements and other company documents including retail reviews and store action plans and believes the business model used by 7-Eleven head office makes it hard for many franchisees to make a profit without trying to reduce labour costs.

The US head office has a well documented history of fostering similar problems, according to Levitt, who notes the US authorities have taken a much harder line on franchisees caught exploiting migrant workers with several prosecuted and sent to jail.

Levitt calls on the Abbott Government to offer an amnesty to international students to come forward and give evidence of wage abuse without fear of being deported.

THE RULE MAKERS

While Natalie James was appointed Fair Work Ombudsman in 2013 she is well across the regulator's run-ins with 7-Eleven over the past six years. She says Fair Work has "audited" or raided 7-Eleven stores three times in the past six years. The first raid highlighted serious problems with wage fraud. The second raid was a joint audit by the regulator and 7-Eleven head office in October 2009, with 56 stores in Victoria targeted.

Soon afterwards, Fair Work launched legal action against Hao Chen and Zue Jing, a couple that owned several stores, for a $85,400 wage fraud committed against four workers, including Mohamed, over a four year period. Fair Work won the claim but the couple put their business into administration and the workers have never been paid. In September 2010, Fair Work announced the outcomes of its raid on the 56 stores which found 30 per cent were breaching workplace regulations.

"The pattern of fabricated records is gravely concerning."

Fast-forward four years and in September 2014 Fair Work raided 20 7-Eleven franchises across Australia and found 60 per cent were underpaying wages. It is now investigating the role of head office and will publish a report late this year or early next year with a set of recommendations. James has fronted a Senate inquiry in the past few months defending the regulator's role in regulating working visas. Some of the criticism is that the regulator is under resourced and the powers of legislation need beefing up.

Labor Senator Deborah O'Neill is a member of a bipartisan Senate committee into working visas and wage fraud. She is concerned that wage fraud is widespread and is undermining the award wage system in Australia. There are more than 1.3 million people on working visas in Australia, which represents 10 per cent of the workforce. Many are underpaid. Senator O'Neill is worried about the impact on the economy. She believes that if it isn't addressed it will get worse.

Senator O'Neill is concerned at the damage the exploitation of international visitors is doing to the country's reputation overseas.

The goings-on at 7-Eleven have come on the Senator's radar. At a Senate hearing in Adelaide in July she grilled Fair Work about the convenience store chain and asked what they were doing. She says it is time for a significant review. One of the things that needs to be reviewed is the regulator and whether it can do what it should be doing with the current resources. The legislation also needs to be looked at the use of enforceable undertakings doesn't seem to be a deterrent.

When Allan Fels was chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission between 1995 and 2003 he investigated a number of franchise models, which together are worth $170 billion a year. He says there is a strong potential for exploitation by franchisors of franchisees - and franchisees in turn pass it on to staff. He believes that, given the evidence of widespread wage fraud and exploitation, there should be a fresh look at the Franchise Code of Conduct to make it stronger.

He says 7-Eleven is one of the toughest - and most controlling - models he has come across. He believes the profit share of 57 per cent to head office and 43 per cent to the franchisees is forcing some franchisees to underpay salaries to stay afloat. He says something needs to be done to fix the problem given it has been going on for years.

Fels advocates for stronger penalties, more resources for the regulator and less reliance on enforceable undertakings. Fels says the regulator should be looking at section 550 of the Fair Work Act, a provision that if you abet unlawful behaviour by others, you are liable for a penalty, admittedly a very small penalty.

Fels has looked at the 7-Eleven franchise agreement, store action plans and other documents and come to the conclusion that he would not buy into a 7-Eleven franchise.

"My impression - my strong impression - is that the only way a franchisee can make a go of it in most cases is by underpaying workers, by illegal behaviour. I don't like that kind of model," he says.

As chairman of the ACCC, Fels met 7-Eleven chairman and major shareholder Russ Withers on numerous occasions. He recalls he was a "forceful" businessman.

THE JOURNALIST

I first heard about the wage scandal at 7-Eleven when consumer advocate Michael Fraser contacted me and told me he had just finished visiting 60 stores around the country. He showed me that all the stores he visited were underpaying staff. The people he spoke to were miserable and frightened because they were students on visas only allowed to work 20 hours a week but were being forced to work longer hours for half the pay. If they were caught they would be deported.

It shocked me given 7-Eleven is such a big, familiar brand. Fraser put me in touch with a few students who had been victims of wage fraud and I felt their stories needed to be told. They put me in touch with more students and I realised it really was systemic.

I started to look into the business model to see why so many franchisees were part of the scam. Was it greed or out of necessity? With one in 10 workers in Australia on visas, this felt like a story that needed to be exposed online, in print and on ABC's Four Corners. Sarah Danckert, Klaus Toft and the team at Four Corners and Fairfax Media have worked tirelessly to bring the story to life.

Since this article was published, key leadership roles at 7-Eleven have changed with company founder Russ Withers and chief executive Warren Wilmot resigning. A 7-Eleven compensation scheme has so far paid $30 million to more than 800 people. Thousands of workers have applied for compensation, which could result in $100 million in payments. The company has also announced a new hardship program, involving a subsidy, to help stores that were making almost no money, and it has changed the way it shares profits with store owners. The Fair Work Ombudsman conducted an investigation into the systemic wage fraud and found that head office "compounded" the problems by failing to use systems and processes to detect or address deliberate worker exploitation. The fallout prompted the Coalition government to beef up the resources and powers of the regulator, set up a Migrant Workers Taskforce headed by Allan Fels and David Cousins and change the legislation so that franchisors will now be held responsible for wage fraud by their franchisees. This will have a profound impact on the $170-billion franchise industry.

CREDITS

​ INVESTIGATION ​Adele Ferguson & Sarah Danckert * BUSINESS EDITOR ​Mathew Dunckley * MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Felicity Lewis * VIDEO​ / STILLS​ Tom McKendrick * ​ ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE Supplied ​by Four Corners​ & Klaus Toft * PRODUCTION / DESIGN Mark Stehle ​ * DEVELOPMENT Nathanael Scott

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Revealed: How 7 Eleven is ripping off its workers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The lot of the average 7-Eleven worker in Australia is as simple as it is bleak: you get paid half the $24.50 an hour award rate - or less - and if you complain your boss threatens you with deportation. It's highly illegal and goes against the Australian tenet of giving people living in this country a "fair go".

# data[].attributes.headline
Using the Power of Charisma for better leadership

# data[].attributes.subject
Using the Power of Charisma for better leadership

# data[].attributes.body
Antonakis (2012) highlights how the power of charisma can be used to influence others, and alter the workplace culture and environment to obtain desired business objectives. Charismatic leaders use “impression management to deliberately cultivate a certain relationship with group members” (DuBrin, 2016, p75). In doing so, leaders can influence their followers improve company agility, productivity and employees satisfaction (Michel, Wallace, & Rawlings, 2013). I have been fortunate enough to experience the influence and positive effects of both an assigned charismatic leader (Norhthouse, 2013) through my employment, and an emergent charismatic leader (Pescosolido, 2002) who took control during an unexpected bushfire evacuation. Notwithstanding, the article does not take into consideration the context of the situation. Charismatic leadership is only possible under certain conditions (DuBrin, 2016). Consequently, the situational context will affect the outcomes of a charismatic leader. The article is helpful in gaining a brief understanding of the benefits of an ethical and charismatic leader, but it fails to explore the destructive side to charismatic leadership (Stachowicz-Stanusch, 2011), examples of which are Hitler (Robinson &Topping, 2012), and the Enron corruption scandal (Tourish & Vatcha, 2005).

References

Antonakis, J. (2012). Using the power of Charisma for better leadership. The Guardian. Retrived from: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/learning-charisma-sustainability-leaders

Dubrin, A. (2016). Leadership: Research, findings, practice and skills. (8th ed.). Manson,Ohio: Cengage Learning.

Michel, J., Wallace, D., & Rawlings, R. (2013). Charismatic leaders: The role of admiration and system justification. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 34(5), 469-487. doi:10.1108/LODJ-11-0099

Northouse, P. (2013). Trait Approach. In P. G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and practice,19-40. California: Sage.

Pescosolido, A. (2002). Emergent leaders as managers of group emotion. The Leadership Quarterly, 13 (5), 583-599.

Robinson, J., & Topping, D. (2012). The rhetoric of power: A comparison of Hitler and Martin Luther King, Jr. Journal of Management Inquiry, 22(2), 194-210. doi: https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1177/105649261245178

Tourish, D., & Vatcha, N. (2005). Charismatic leadership and corporate cultism at Enron: The elimination of dissent, the promotion of conformity and organizational collapse. Leadership, 1(4), 455-480.

# data[].attributes.headline
How leaders inspire change in the 21st century

# data[].attributes.subject
How leaders inspire change in the 21st century

# data[].attributes.body
The constant changes in technology has created a need for leaders to operate in an agile environment (Noor, 2005; Taylor & Helfat, 2009). Gleeson (2012) discusses how technology advances and globalisation, have altered the way businesses operate, highlighting the need for continual transformation within an organisation, in order to adapt to the constant and rapidly changing workforce.

The article outlines ten key principles for inspiring change, and creating an adaptive and agile business environment. While key principles such as culture, trust, accountability, and belief in the mission, are backed up by research (Seujts & Gandz, 2018; DuBrin, 2016), the article does not discuss the characteristics required to achieve such influence. Character is a multidimensional construct of attributes that reflect both innate and acquired strengths and values. (Sarros, Cooper, Hartican & Baker 2006, p29), nine of which have been said to contribute to leadership effectiveness in many situations (Dubrin, 2016). As the situation can influence the leadership behaviour or style, leaders should adopt a contingency approach to make their behaviour contingent on situational forces (Dubrin, 2016).

References

Dubrin, A. (2016). Leadership: Research, findings, practice and skills. (8th ed.). Manson,Ohio: Cengage Learning

Gleeson, B. How leaders inspire change in the 21st century. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2017/11/08/how-leaders-inspire-change-in-the-21st-century/#2e0f3e74bfd8

Noor, A. (2005). DISRUPTIONS OF PROGRESS. Mechanical Engineering, 127(11), 26-31. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/230173885?accountid=10344

Sarros, J., Cooper, B., Hartican, A., Barker, C. (2006). The character of leadership (3rd ed.), 11-29. Queensland, Australia: John Wiley & Sons.

Seujts, G., & Gandz, J. (2018). Tranformational change and leader character. Journal of Business Horizons, 61 (2), 239-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2017.11.005

Taylor, A., & Helfat, C. (2009). Organizational linkages for surviving technological change: Complementary assets, middle management, and ambidexterity.Organization Science, 20(4), 718-830. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/213831701?accountid=10344

# data[].attributes.body
This article delves into the issues surrounding a negative organsational culture and environment, and the impact of the misuse of positional and prestige power.

Despite Uber’s success, the toxic culture has resulted in a poor public image. This requires a transformation and fundamental shift in values and behavior (Hayes, 2014). This is achieved through the leader’s implementation of ten key roles (DuBrin, 2016, p91).

The article touches on the termination of some managers and employees who were deemed to be actively participating in poor behavior. Although, it does not discuss in detail how the actions of the isolate and bystander followers (DuBrin, 2016), aided the concealment of negative behaviours just as much as the active participants (Solas, 2016; Kellerman, 2004). From the perspective of someone who has been a personal bystander in a toxic work environment, the author believes that organsational transparency, candor, and accountability for all people, regardless of position, can build the trust of employees and empower followers to speak up against negative behaviour before it becomes a cultural norm. This theory is supported by Llorens (2010) and O’Toole and Bennis (2009).

References

Dubrin, A. (2016). Leadership: Research, findings, practice and skills. (8th ed.). Manson,Ohio: Cengage Learning.

Hayes, J. (2014). The theory and practice of change management. (4th ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmiliian.

Kellerman, B. (2004). Bad leadership: What it is, how it happens, why it matters. (1st ed.), 42-452. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Lilorens, J. (2010). A culture of silence threatens to impede a safer workplace. Journal of Health and Business, 64(11), 22-45. Retrieved from: http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=b4ce50bc-096f-4525-a412-76ed658090b0%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=heh&AN=55062959

O’Toole, J., & Bennis, W. (2009). A culture of candor. Harvard business review, 34 (4), 67-89. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2009/06/a-culture-of-candor

Solas, J. (2016). The banality of bad leadership and followership. Society and Business Review, 11(1), 12-23. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1762276013?accountid=10344

Why Uber’s boss must go. (2017, June 15). The Economist. Retrieved from: https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21723409-ride-hailing-giant-must-fix-its-reputation-it-cannot-properly-do-so-travis-kalanick

# data[].attributes.headline
 How poor workplace culture can affect well-being

# data[].attributes.subject
 How poor workplace culture can affect well-being

# data[].attributes.body
This article discusses the unhealthy effects that negative workplace culture has on employees’ wellbeing, such as stress, anxiety, depression and what often called “psychological injury”. These are then linked to leadership and what can leaders, from managers to executives, can do to contribute to a healthy workplace culture.

As leaders and managers are the one who set the tone of the workplace through leadership style, they are an important factor that affect the workplace culture. Poor leadership styles that overly control employees such as an autocratic style often results in more conflicts and even harassment. On the other hand, with leaders who lack control and tend to avoid confrontation and conflict such as a lassez-faire leader, problems often got brushed under the carpet, which will cause major confrontation and conflict later when these matters eventually surfaced.

Psychological injury can also be cause by matters that seemed to be minor as first but result in an unhealthy workplace culture that impact on productivity and the organisation, such as employees’ complaints that get ignored and not addressed or hostile behaviours that would affect workplace culture as well as the team environment.

To establish a healthy workplace culture and prevent psychological injury, it is managers’ and leaders’ responsibility set good behaviours example, conflicts, interpersonal matters and inappropriate behaviours need to be taken seriously by line manager and executives. More importantly, leaders should be open to feedback from employees and employees should be inclusive in the decision-making process to increase morale and therefore productivity and overall wellbeing in workplace.

The article however did not discuss the contribution of employees in workplace culture and the importance of employees being their own leaders and turn a negative workplace culture around.

Cotton, P. (2018, March 12). How poor workplace culture can affect wellbeing. Retrieved from Psychlopaedia: https://psychlopaedia.org/work-and-performance/poor-workplace-culture-can-affect-wellbeing/

# data[].attributes.headline
How Corporate Culture Impacts The Employee Experience

# data[].attributes.subject
How Corporate Culture Impacts The Employee Experience

# data[].attributes.body
This article focuses on the importance of organisational culture and its linked with leadership. Most believe that organisation culture reflects an organisation’s values, practices and is controlled by CEO, executives and managers. In fact, culture has more to do with leadership style, organisation structure, the mood and tone in the workplace and most important, the people.

Organisational culture is often informal, unwritten and no organisations would have the same culture. Despite being an informal aspect, culture is one thing that people care the most at an organisation, even above benefits, pay or perks. Organisational culture can have positive or negative impact on both employees and the organisation. Culture can make or break an organisation and in most circumstances, it falls into leadership’s hands to decide whether the current culture is healthy or not and to readjust it if necessary.

When working on organisational culture, it is critical that leaders are able to define the most suitable culture for the organisation. This can be done by working closely with employees and find out what they value and what kind of culture they want to be a part of and contributing to, as people are the culture themselves. Balance between a culture that provides employees with satisfaction, wellbeing and experiences and culture that guarantee productivity and organisation’s profit also need to be established by leadership.

References

Morgan, J. (2018, March 12). How Corporate Culture Impacts The Employee Experience. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/12/10/how-corporate-culture-impacts-the-employee-experience/#3e76980e787c

# data[].attributes.headline
How The Physical Workspace Impacts The Employee Experience. 

# data[].attributes.subject
How The Physical Workspace Impacts The Employee Experience. 

# data[].attributes.body
This article is in a series focus on how organisational environments affect employees and their productivity. This article focuses on the physical environment that employees experience at their workplace.

Physical environment is the physical aspects of the workplace such as facilities and equipment’s that are provided. Productivity and performance of employees are linked to their wellbeing and i employees who enjoy their work environment are happier, more engage and more productive at work.

The article suggests that an open, flexible floor plan that integrates multiple working spaces is the key to improve productivity of employees by providing different work modes so that employees can find a comfort and suitable space for them to carry out work, learn and socialise. The physical environment of an organisation reflects the organisation culture and perks such as free meals, free transportation, on-site aids, relaxing space are not for the mere purpose of pleasing employees so that they show up to work but a serious investment of the organisation on maintaining and improving their employees’ wellbeing and productivity.

References

Morgan, J. (2018, March 12). How The Physical Workspace Impacts The Employee Experience. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2015/12/03/how-the-physical-workspace-impacts-the-employee-experience/2/#172454f07b9c

# data[].attributes.headline
Why changing culture at the Commonwealth Bank is the new CEO's top priority 

# data[].attributes.subject
Why changing culture at the Commonwealth Bank is the new CEO's top priority 

# data[].attributes.body
The article ‘Why changing culture at the Commonwealth Bank is the new CEO's top priority’ is about how the culture at Commonwealth Bank needs improvement and how the new CEO is going to make culture a top priority for the bank.
One perspective is as the new CEO, Matt Comyn, has just been appointed in this position, he can’t be held responsible for previous culture problems from previous CEO. One of Comyn’s priorities is to improve the culture and once the culture has been improved the scandals and problems in the workplace should decrease.
My opinion on this article is that culture and work environment isn’t the only problem in the bank. I think that the employers need to take more responsibility for what kind of environment, culture and employees they produce.  If Commonwealth Bank had an acceptable culture and environment the scandals are less likely because employees know what is expected.

Pass, C. (2018). Why changing culture at the commonwealth bank is the new CEO’s priority, retrieved from
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/why-changing-culture-at-the-commonwealth-bank-is-the-new-ceos-top-priority-2018-1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Matt Comyn, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth, has a brief to fix culture at Australia's biggest bank.

The advantage of appointing an insider to head the bank is that there will be no pause to the internal push at the bank to work on culture, according to Catherine Livingstone, the Chair of CBA.

The key areas for change are operation and compliance risk management, two areas of failure which led to the money laundering scandal.

"That's where we have not performed as we should have," she told an analyst briefing today. "It's in those two areas that there will be a focus."

The Commonwealth Bank has been hit by a series of scandals, the latest seeing the bank in court accused of breaching the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act over combined cash deposits of $624.7 million.

The CEO, along with the other major banks, has been called before a parliamentary committee to face questioning on the culture within Australia's big banks. And now the banks also face a royal commission.

Livingstone says Comyn stood out during the intensive global search for a new CEO.

"In conducting the search we established some very clear criteria and we stuck to those," she says. "And on all of those Matt came out compellingly as the best candidate."

Livingstone says many talk about culture and the need for culture.

"Culture is not one big thing," she says.

"Culture is made up of quite a number of elements. If you look at the Commonwealth Bank, there are very strong aspects of culture which we would seek for Matt to encourage and nurture.

"However, do recognise and we have acknowledged that there are other aspects of culture which need improvement. They relate specifically to operating procedure and regulatory compliance risk. They are the areas where we have been focused and where are plan of action is.

"For that program to continue, one of the advantages of an internal appointment is that no momentum will be lost in terms of the various remediation activity that we are undertaking."

Livingston wouldn't be drawn on the specifics of the anti-money laundering scandal before the court and also wouldn't comment on the fact that the issue arose in retail banking, headed by the new CEO.

"We regard this as an organisation wide matter for which we all take a collective responsibility," she says.

However, she says Comyn has been very involved in the remediation program at the bank.

Comyn said: "I will look to accelerate that."

NOW WATCH: Money & Markets videos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why changing culture at the Commonwealth Bank is the new CEO's top priority

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Matt Comyn, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth, has a brief to fix culture at Australia's biggest bank. The advantage of appointing an insider to head the bank is that there will be no pause to the internal push at the bank to work on culture, according to Catherine Livingstone, the Chair of CBA.

# data[].attributes.headline
What's it really like to work at McDonald's?

# data[].attributes.subject
What's it really like to work at McDonald's?

# data[].attributes.body
The ‘What’s it really like to work at McDonald’s?’ posted by the BBC is an article about what happens in the McDonald’s fast food chain and what the environment is like for employees. Overall the article is mostly positive and addresses rumours about underpayments and bad work environments. Although the article doesn’t have multiple sources from different stores in the franchise, the store spoken about in the article seems to be an adequate place to work for regular employees.
The article talks about managers and supervisors that don’t seem to get treated as well, due to the fact that they have sales targets and responsibilities. I believe that this article represents a mostly positive place to work for employees. From a McDonald’s employee point of view, they are not looking for a career in McDonald’s they are looking for a pay check and a suitable place to work, which McDonalds offers.

Parkinson, J. (2015). What’s it really like to work at McDonald’s, retrieved from
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32283560

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 1955 the first McDonald's franchise restaurant opened in the US. Now it is the world's biggest fast food chain, employing 1.9 million people. The word "McJob" has become a term of derision, but what's it like to actually work there?

"Hello, can I help you?" asks the smiling young woman behind the counter. Within about 20 seconds of receiving the order, an Egg and Sausage McMuffin is on the counter. The woman smiles again and moves on to the next customer.

The restaurant's only part-full but the serving area is still busy. That's the way McDonald's likes it. Staff are set time targets for service. Efficiency and profit margins are key.

It's fair to say that, in the 60 years since the first franchised McDonald's restaurant opened, portrayals of its workplaces have not been universally positive.

Staff are often said to have a "McJob". The Oxford English Dictionary defines the term, first used by the sociologist Amitai Etzioni in the Washington Post in 1986, as "an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects, especially one created by the expansion of the service sector".

Further popularised in the 1991 Douglas Coupland novel Generation X, it has become synonymous with low-grade work, particularly for young people.

But McDonald's insists it offers more. Supported by some MPs and business leaders, it has urged the OED to change its definition, somehow incorporating the information that a McJob "teaches responsibility". It has instead extolled the "McProspects" it offers - an expression yet to infiltrate the popular lexicon.

Douglas Coupland's McJob

In Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, Douglas Coupland defines a number of cultural phenomena in footnotes, including the phrase "McJob"

McJob: A low-pay, low-prestige, low-dignity, low-benefit, no-future job in the service sector. Frequently considered a satisfying career choice by people who have never held one

He writes: "Dag got off his shift at Larry's Bar where, along with me, he is a bartender... (He) was bored and cranky after eight hours of working his McJob"

Staff working on McDonald's counters and in kitchens are called "crews" - a military-sounding word designed to emphasise the need for teamwork in a high-pressure environment. Like United States generals they are awarded up to four stars, in their case for skills acquired, such as hygiene awareness, till operation and food preparation.

"I always thought of the whole 'crew' thing as a bit of a lame Americanism," says Sarah (not her real name), who worked in a McDonald's in East Anglia from 2007 to 2009, serving customers in-store and at the drive-through hatch. "We never really used it. It was more of a management thing.

"But being at McDonald's was probably one of the most fun jobs that I've done, in a funny way. A lot of people, I'd say about 50%, were in the same position as me, at university or college. Nobody took it too seriously."

Staff at McDonald's work between four and 45 hours a week, those in the UK getting above the minimum wage, according to the company.

"There wasn't much variation," says Sarah. "It could get a bit tetchy. You didn't get anyone shouting, but there was pressure on the kitchen to ensure as little wastage happened as possible.

"The business manager in charge of the restaurant seemed to have a very stressful job, with the store constantly being measured against others. The shift managers were more like us."

The crew-based operation dates back to 1940 when brothers Dick and Maurice McDonald opened McDonald's Bar-B-Q in San Bernardino, California, in 1940, restarting it as a drive-in burger restaurant in 1948. They are credited with pioneering a fast-service, limited-menu service, with a focus on cheapness and disposable packaging.

In 1954, paper cup and milkshake-mixer salesman Ray Kroc, intrigued by the large number of orders coming from the brothers, visited them. He found they were looking for a nationwide franchising agent. Kroc got the role and the first restaurant under the scheme - regarded as the first proper McDonald's - opened in Des Plaines, Illinois, on 15 April 1955.

The operation expanded rapidly, opening its first UK outlet in 1974. McDonald's now has more than 36,000 outlets worldwide, some owned and run by the firm, but most by franchisees. Those approved for the role have to undergo nine months of training. In the UK, they have to leave a £5,000 deposit, refunded on completion of the course, and put down a one-off £30,000 franchise fee.

The franchisees are under pressure to keep profit margins high, as their living depends on it. A recent row over pay in the US focused on the question of who really is in charge of employment policy. The complainants argued that McDonald's was forcing franchisees to reduce cost and keep wages low, and that they should be regarded as "joint employers". The National Labor Relations Board ruled in favour of this.

All this was further ammunition to critics of the company who say it provides low-paid, dead-end work rather than a meaningful career.

Protests took place in South Korea in February against a "culture of exploitation" of part-time staff, which involved the storming of branches in Seoul. Several US workers have filed complaints over kitchen safety.

A day of protest is being planned at franchise restaurants to coincide with McDonald's 60th anniversary celebrations. This follows a dollar-an-hour rise at company-owned branches not being followed through by franchisees.

The McDonald's Workers' Resistance group describes working for the company as "degrading and dehumanising", accusing it of having a procedure in place for "every tiny action to make our role almost completely robotic".

Sarah didn't see anyone being mistreated during her time at McDonald's. "We never had any problems with health and safety," she says. "There were a few burns in the kitchen, but that's to be expected now and again in that job."

McDonald's employment practices have always been, in a physical sense, more open than most. The kitchens are visible to customers, albeit with staff working behind machines. The company even operates tours.

For those wanting a career, rather than a short-term job, McDonald's has run the Hamburger University in Illinois since 1961, offering courses in "hamburgerology" - preparing staff for restaurant management and executive roles. Those who pass receive a "degree".

McDonald's has established eight training centres around the world, one of them in north London.

Since 2009 the company has given teenage employees in England and Wales the chance to study for an apprenticeship in hospitality and catering, equivalent to five GCSEs at A* to C grades. This includes help with maths or English where this standard has not already been achieved.

"They're really quite well up in terms of educating their workforce," says Richard Cope, senior trend consultant at the market research group Mintel. "You struggle to see many other brands taking it on to that degree. It's very, very progressive. It's something we are predicting companies will do more and more."

This could be good for PR, as well as internal morale. Cope points to Mintel's research on the UK clothing sector, suggesting that 44% of consumers take into account manufacturers' treatment of staff before making purchases. Fast-food companies are also keen to project an ethical image, he says. "It's something people are more concerned about because they've got more information about it," he adds. "They have more access to details about corporate behaviour."

In January, McDonald's reported an annual global fall in sales of 15%, describing the climate as "challenging".

"As a food service business, we know that our employees and their skills are vitally important - to our commercial success, to the individual success of our people, and to making sure our customers have a great experience with us," says a McDonald's spokeswoman. "This is why we are committed to the continued training and development of our staff, at all levels. We want to equip our employees with the skills they need to progress in their career, whether it is with McDonald's or elsewhere."

It has started offering table service in some countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Germany. This is seen as a reaction to the growth in more upmarket burger restaurants such as Byron, Shake Shack, Five Guys and Fine Burger Company.

As some counter workers become waiters, this means a direct reversal of the McDonald brothers' experiments in the 1940s.

"If we're going to go anywhere," Ray Kroc once said, "we've got to have some talent and I'm going to put my money into talent." It will be some time, however, before everyone agrees that the McJob has been replaced by the McCareer.

More from the Magazine

It's easy to be flippant about flipping burgers at the world's biggest fast food chain, but as a teenager trying to scrape my way through sixth-form and then journalism college, my three years as a part-timer at McDonald's in Luton taught me many valuable lessons about life, writes the BBC's John Hand.
'Everything I needed to know I learned in McDonald's' Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What's it really like to work at McDonald's?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 1955 the first McDonald's franchise restaurant opened in the US. Now it is the world's biggest fast food chain, employing 1.9 million people. The word "McJob" has become a term of derision, but what's it like to actually work there? "Hello, can I help you?" asks the smiling young woman behind the counter.

# data[].attributes.headline
Article three: Microsoft Corporation's Organisational Culture & its Characteristics 

# data[].attributes.subject
Article three: Microsoft Corporation's Organisational Culture & its Characteristics 

# data[].attributes.body
This article was written by Jessica Lombardo and published by the Panmore Institute in
2017. The article is about the Microsoft corporation’s organisational culture and workplace environment. The article implies that Microsoft’s positive organisational culture and environment are a result of the corporation’s values, traditions and the expectation of its employees. Microsoft’s long-term success is highly dependent on human resources and in turn creates an environment in which an employee can be motivated. From the perspective of Microsoft employees, the effort that Microsoft has gone to, to ensure employees have a positive work environment would make them feel appreciated and valued.

After reading this article my conclusions are that Microsoft is a corporation that appreciates its employees and the value they add to the company, as well as the employee’s contribution to achieving the corporation’s strategic directions. I appreciate the effort that Microsoft puts into its workplace environment and culture ensure that employees can thrive.

Panmore Institute. (2018). Microsoft Corporation’s Organizational Culture & Its Characteristics, retrieved from
http://panmore.com/microsoft-corporation-organizational-culture-characteristics-analysis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Microsoft Corporation's organizational culture ensures workforce resilience and capability to address business needs in the dynamic market for computer hardware and software products. A company's corporate culture refers to the values, traditions and behavioral expectations among employees. Microsoft uses its organizational culture to facilitate innovation and customer satisfaction. As one of the leading firms in the IBM PC-compatible operating system market, the company must maintain cultural characteristics that suitably promote innovation and high quality output. Microsoft's long-term success partly depends on this organizational culture and the corresponding competence of the company's human resources.
Microsoft Corporation benefits from its organizational culture, which facilitates human resource competence. This organizational culture is essential to Microsoft's success in the computer hardware and software market.
Features of Microsoft's Organizational Culture

Companies have distinct cultural characteristics based on the nature of their businesses, industry situation, labor market conditions, and internal business processes. Microsoft Corporation's organizational culture has the following main characteristics:

1. Accountability

2. Quality and Innovation

3. Responsiveness to Customers

4. Growth Mindset

5. Diversity and Inclusion

Accountability. Microsoft describes its corporate culture as a culture of accountability. This cultural feature ensures that every employee understands that his actions have consequences in the company's context. To ensure accountability, this characteristic of Microsoft's organizational culture is applied in the form of all-employee surveys and reward and recognition programs. For example, an employee is evaluated for accountability based on Customer Partner Experience (CPE) criteria and related feedback. Such institutionalized accountability contributes to the ability of the organizational culture to motivate workers to adhere to Microsoft's rules and objectives for its computer hardware and software business.

Quality and Innovation. As a technology business, Microsoft needs to innovate to maintain its competitiveness against other computer hardware and software firms. Innovation and quality are features integrated in the company's organizational culture. For example, Microsoft heavily invests in research and development efforts for product improvement and new product development. Such efforts are linked to the company's organizational culture through emphasis on quality standards and innovativeness among employees. In addition, Microsoft rewards workers for their innovative contributions, based on feedback from customers and business partners. This characteristic of the corporate culture supports the company's needs for innovation-based competitive advantage. This cultural characteristic facilitates Microsoft's generic strategy for competitive advantage.

Responsiveness to Customers. To ensure customer satisfaction, Microsoft Corporation includes responsiveness as a feature in its organizational culture. Responsiveness is achieved through training, so that employees effectively consider feedback from customers and partners. For example, Microsoft maintains feedback systems to allow employees to know what customers think and experience in using the firm's computer hardware and software products. In addition, the company trains employees to listen to such feedback, instead of just reading or delegating them. To ensure that this cultural feature is integrated in its human resources, Microsoft uses a variety of tools, such as product support services and social media. The resulting information is applied in innovating product areas, such as the Windows operating system and Bing. This feature connects the organizational culture to Microsoft's mission and vision statements, which focus on empowering customers and business partners.

Growth Mindset. Growth is a necessary part of every business. Microsoft uses its corporate culture to grow its computer hardware and software business. For example, the company trains employees to identify potential avenues for new business growth, such as new ideas and solutions. Workers are rewarded based on their contributions in this regard. This characteristic of its organizational culture affects Microsoft in terms of continued growth and resilience despite competitive rivalry in the global market.

Diversity and Inclusion. Diversity and inclusion is now seen as an essential factor in business development. Microsoft applies these factors in its organizational culture through appropriate training programs. Also, the company's human resource policies for recruitment and hiring ensure a high level of diversity and inclusion in the organization. This organizational cultural characteristic provides a means for Microsoft to maximize human resource competence based on diverse ideas and unity among employees.

Microsoft's Corporate Culture - Implications, Advantages & Disadvantages

Microsoft's organizational culture supports business goals for continuing global success. Such success is based on innovation and responsiveness to customers' concerns. These corporate cultural advantages show that Microsoft has what it takes to maintain its market position, based on satisfying needs in the computer hardware and software market.

A disadvantage of Microsoft's organizational culture is the lack of institutionalized support for adequate autonomy. Autonomy encourages employees to contribute new and innovative ideas. Based on such disadvantage, a recommendation is for Microsoft to integrate considerable autonomy in its organizational culture.

References

Alvesson, M., & Sveningsson, S. (2015). Changing organizational culture: Cultural change work in progress. Routledge.

Guiso, L., Sapienza, P., & Zingales, L. (2015). The value of corporate culture. Journal of Financial Economics, 117(1), 60-76.

Hartnell, C. A., Kinicki, A. J., Lambert, L. S., Fugate, M., & Doyle Corner, P. (2016). Do similarities or differences between CEO leadership and organizational culture have a more positive effect on firm performance? A test of competing predictions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(6), 846.

Huhtala, M., Tolvanen, A., Mauno, S., & Feldt, T. (2015). The associations between ethical organizational culture, burnout, and engagement: A multilevel study. Journal of Business and Psychology, 30(2), 399-414.

Microsoft Corporation, Form 10-K.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Microsoft Corporation's Organizational Culture & Its Characteristics (An Analysis) - Panmore Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Microsoft Corporation's organizational culture ensures workforce resilience and capability to address business needs in the dynamic market for computer hardware and software products. A company's corporate culture refers to the values, traditions and behavioral expectations among employees. Microsoft uses its organizational culture to facilitate innovation and customer satisfaction.

# data[].attributes.headline
Article two: 3 reasons why positive work cultures are more productive

# data[].attributes.subject
Article two: 3 reasons why positive work cultures are more productive

# data[].attributes.body
The article ‘3 reasons why positive work cultures are more productive’ was written by William Craig and published by Forbes. The article discusses the need to provide a positive workplace environment and culture and how it can benefit the organisation. The article’s three reason are: positive work culture encourages happier employees, positive work cultures promote collaboration and positive work cultures inspire creativity. The article suggests that creating a positive workplace environment and culture benefits the employees and increases their productivity which benefits the organisation. My conclusions of this article are that I agree that creating a positive work environment benefits both the employee and the employer. I agree that employees feeling supported and feeling comfortable within their workplace will increase productivity levels. I feel that the majority of organisations should encourage a positive workplace to assist employees to be more motivated in working towards the organisations strategy.

Craig.W. (2017). 3 reasons why positive work cultures are more productive, retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamcraig/2017/07/25/3-reasons-why-positive-work-cultures-are-more-productive/#578085971ede

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As CEOs, business owners and professionals, we're always looking for new ways to be more productive. When we're able to operate at maximum efficiency, we can get more done, achieve our goals faster and create strong foundations for our companies to build on. But getting an entire team to be productive can be a challenge.

Productivity in the workplace is something many managers and professionals struggle with. Trying to encourage employees to work harder and stop wasting time can be frustrating. However, if employees find it difficult to be productive at work, it may be a sign that something is wrong with the culture of the office.

Creating a positive work culture can do wonders for productivity. Let's take a look at a few reasons why.

Positive Work Cultures Encourage Happier Employees

When someone dreads going into work, they're going to drag their feet all day. They'll constantly check the clock to see if 5 pm has rolled around. They'll do the bare minimum, never wanting to go above and beyond to show their skills or get ahead.

However, if you establish a work culture that employees are excited to be part of, they'll be happier with their jobs. Happier employees are more likely to exceed expectations, meaning your entire office can get more done.

When employees are happy with their jobs, they're also more likely to stick around. When you don't need to constantly interview and replace employees, you can keep projects moving at a productive and consistent pace.

Positive Work Cultures Promote Collaboration

In a positive work environment, employees will feel encouraged to get to know their coworkers and team members. When everyone is interested in chatting, spending time in the office and truly getting to know the people they spend each day with, people can feel more comfortable sharing ideas, opinions and tips.

Collaboration is a huge part of creating a productive work environment. When everyone on your team is working together to solve problems and be more efficient, you're able to get things done faster. Collaboration and communication between team members can also ensure everything is moving smoothly and in the right direction.

Positive Work Cultures Inspire Creativity

There is hierarchy in just about every office. From the bosses and managers to the entry-level employees and interns, just about everyone knows who they report to. But when this hierarchy is overly enforced, those at the lower end of the spectrum may feel like they aren't being given the same opportunities to express themselves.

A positive work culture encourages individuals of all experience levels to become invested in the tasks and projects they're working on. When employees feel like they're able to speak up about what they think is the best idea for solving a problem or making a product or service better, they'll feel open to discussing their creative ideas. Fresh perspectives are always important for being productive.

When an office isn't being productive, the first reaction of many managers or business owner is to make things stricter. While having some guidelines and rules is important, tightening your grip too much can cause people to have negative feelings about working with you. If someone isn't happy with their work environment, they're likely to do even less for the business.

If you want to keep employees productive, you need to ensure they're happy, open to collaboration and able to express their creativity. By fostering a positive work culture that encourages all three, your employees can become more invested in what your business creates. And the more invested they are, the more productive they will become.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3 Reasons Why Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As CEOs, business owners and professionals, we're always looking for new ways to be more productive. When we're able to operate at maximum efficiency, we can get more done, achieve our goals faster and create strong foundations for our companies to build on. But getting an entire team to be productive can be a challenge.

# data[].attributes.headline
Woolworths worker’s suicide sparks calls for inquest 

# data[].attributes.subject
Woolworths worker’s suicide sparks calls for inquest 

# data[].attributes.body
The ‘Woolworths worker’s suicide sparks calls for inquest’ article published by the Sydney Morning Herald, is about a Woolworth’s manager who committed suicide, reportedly due to bullying in the workplace. Although unable to be proven as the victim was unable to testify.
The article states that the offender’s employee file had numerous bullying complaints against him and he undertook mandatory ‘formal counselling sessions’. The offender wasn’t suspended and no serious action was taken, until after the suicide where he was jailed for bullying an additional two employees. In my opinion it is unacceptable that it took the death of an employee for Woolworths to investigate bullying claims especially since there were multiple complaints from different employees against the same person. All bullying complaints should be investigated.
From the perspective of Woolworths employees, they would be satisfied a prolific bully received justice but disappointed that no previous claims were taken seriously. The suicide could have been avoided if Woolworths had acted promptly and professionally when claims of bulling were made.

# data[].attributes.headline
Article one: Parliament's toxic and aggressive culture a threat to good government

# data[].attributes.subject
Article one: Parliament's toxic and aggressive culture a threat to good government

# data[].attributes.body
The article was published by the Canberra Times on 5 March 2018. The article is about the changing culture within the government. The article states that politics has always been a high- pressure job but new evidence suggests that the culture within politics has never been as toxic as it currently is. The changes in the workplace culture have led to personalised attack on parliamentary officers in the Opposition Leaders office.

The article states that the end results were the same as always and that once passions cooled there was agreement that matters within the government escalated inappropriately and that all parliamentary officers would aim to act kinder to others.

My conclusions of this article are that the Government should be setting an example of workplace environment and culture and that it is unacceptable for adults leading the country to be involved in creating a toxic environment and culture with workplace bullying. The leaders of each political party need to address the toxic environment and ensure change to the way parliamentary officers communicate with each other.

Fairfax Media. (2018). Parliament's toxic and aggressive culture a threat to good government, Retrieved from
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/ct-editorial/parliaments-toxic-and-aggressive-culture-a-threat-to-good-government-20180302-h0wxlz.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If Parliament House was a family home then the odds are the cat and the dog would pack up their bowls and leave. The parents are at war; the kids are dysfunctional and the household help have been driven to despair.

Opened by the Queen 30 years ago this May, the 250,000 square metre home of Australian democracy is also an administrative centre and workplace for up to 5000 stressed out, and frequently unhappy, people.

While politics has always been a high pressure calling, and not one to be contemplated by the thin skinned, there is evidence to suggest the culture has never been as toxic as now.

That said, despite the myths and legends, there was never a golden age dominated by harmony and universal love.

What does seem to have changed is the descent into the personal that was epitomised by Michaelia Cash's attack on unnamed staffers employed in the Opposition Leader's office last week.

That, in turn, had been provoked by expert needling by Senator Doug Cameron and the fall out from the Barnaby Joyce affair.

The end result was the same as always. Once passions cooled there was a consensus matters had got out of hand; that parliament should be a kinder and gentler place to work and that everybody swears they won't act up this badly ever again.

That, like most resolutions, will evaporate as quickly as the morning dew. A week or two from now and things will be just as bad, if not worse.

None of this is really new. Katherine Murphy, writing in Meanjin last winter, noted: "Australian politics has a culture it can't talk about ... participants within the system are starting to feel ... politics has become not only unsustainable as a vocation, but hostile territory for human beings".

She made the point that while democracy depends on attracting good people into politics possibly more than ever before, the leaders of the future were either burning out before they made their mark or choosing not to enter the fray at all because they don't think the game is worth the candle.

The crisis, as the Cash attack this week made clear, doesn't just extend to the MPs and Senators. Their advisers and support staff put up with working conditions and work-life balance trade-offs that wouldn't be tolerated at any other workplace in the country.

Thanks to the 24-hour news cycle, every politician, and their staff, are now in campaign mode all of the time.

Couple this with a hot house working environment in which long days, late nights, frequent trips away from home and gossip and innuendo are the rule and a parliamentary's staffer's role can quickly become the job from hell.

While experts continue to argue over why things got this bad this fast, citing factors such as the intensification of the media cycle and the rise of social media in the early 2000s and the new level of "meanness" that followed the election of the Gillard minority government, nobody seems to have any real answers.

Given parliament's own toxic culture is now a grave threat to good governance in Australia that's just not good enough. This needs to be fixed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parliament's toxic and aggressive culture a threat to good government

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If Parliament House was a family home then the odds are the cat and the dog would pack up their bowls and leave. The parents are at war; the kids are dysfunctional and the household help have been driven to despair.

# data[].attributes.headline
Workplace and management should reflect organisational values

# data[].attributes.subject
Workplace and management should reflect organisational values

# data[].attributes.body
This article discusses the changing nature of the working environment, and how it is fast becoming a strategic imperative for organisations to adapt or get left behind. The main argument presented by the author, centres around the notion that organisation need to invest in and manage the areas of employee engagement, brand identity, and customer experience, in a way that promotes value creation, and sustainable growth going forward.

This view is not dissimilar to my own, I also believe that business environment is quickly evolving, that customers are becoming more demanding, and the ability of innovative competitors to exploit the short comings of other organizations is stronger than ever, thus “strategy as the management between an organization and its external environment must respond to these forces” (Grant, 2014) to ensure ongoing success. If an organisation lacks the motivation to even consider allocating resources outside of their immediate scope of works to capitalize on potential opportunities, then rival competitors will continue to seize these forgone opportunities for themselves, which may eventually leave that organisation disadvantaged within the market.

Additional references:

Grant, R. (2014). Contemporary strategic management. Milton, Qld.: John Wiley and Sons Australia.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Putting values at the centre of everything an organisation does is the starting point to create a strong and authentic brand. This needs to be done in practice rather than as some sort of lip service PR campaign. In my first article for Work&Place in 2013, I tackled the question of whether workplace directors can deliver a customer experience like a service brand. The underpinning concept is to manage holistically the areas of brand identity, employee engagement and customer experience, in a truly integrated way to create added value. In the long run, consistency and credibility is achieved in a sustainable way at all touch points of an organisation (inside and out).

That was in 2013. Today, arguably 'values' are even more at the front of the minds of political leaders and a wide range of people seeking to make a point around the world. There is even a World Values Day which saw participation from people in more than one hundred countries last October.

We are living in extraordinary times - volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous. Incremental change has been replaced by exponential change, largely driven by developments in AI, the digital world and our ability to gather and report data.

Many traditional approaches are no longer relevant and there is a new business agenda emerging. This is as relevant to the workplace sector as it is to business in general as demonstrated by the spectacular under a debt pile of £1.5bn, on 15 January 2018, as well as nervousness about the financial performance of other major service providers.

Brand Identity, Employee Engagement and Customer Experience

The landscape of brand identity, employee engagement and customer experience is changing . . . all at the same time, all of the time:

Organisations no longer own their brand. Investors are no longer the sole influencer.

Brands are co-owned by stakeholders: customers, employees, service partners, local communities and investors.

Employees want a sense of meaning and fulfilment more than a monthly pay packet . . . and outsourced does not mean out of mind - these employees represent the organisation every bit as much as employed employees.

Customers' expectations are increasing and they vote with their wallet or contactless card.

Social media amplifies all stakeholder opinion in what some are calling the age of the .

Values are the things that are important to us, the foundation of our lives. They are deeply held principles that guide our choices and behaviours and influence our emotions. Values are the core of who we are. They are our motivators, our drivers, the passion in our hearts and the reason why we do the things we do. In a world that is constantly and rapidly changing, values serve as a compass to navigate uncertainty. that purpose and values-led organisations consistently outperform. In this organisational context, values are moving from a PR exercise to become the guiding compass, not only for progressive, enlightened organisations but for more well-established corporates, too.
The enduring power of corporate culture
Articulating 'the way we do things around here' through an explicit set of core values empowers employees to make decisions and facilitates creativity and innovation. The resulting corporate culture is powerful, as Ivan Misner, quoting Peter Drucker, reminds us: "Culture will always eat strategy for breakfast."

In what way? Here are summaries of two of the most compelling explanations of the enduring importance of culture:

"Organisational culture does have an impact on financial performance. It provides additional evidence of the significant role of corporate culture not only in overall organisational effectiveness, but also in the so-called bottom line." Eric Flamholtz

"Without exception, the dominance and coherence of culture proved to be an essential quality of the excellent companies [we identified] ..... the stronger the culture and the more it was directed toward the marketplace, the less need was there for policy manuals, organisation charts or detailed procedure and rules." Tom Peters & Robert Waterman, In Search of Excellence

Just consider the example of Zappos: after just a decade of growth, this one time shoe retailer was acquired by Amazon for more than $1.2bn, Tony Hsieh, CEO and his team had built a unique corporate culture dedicated to employee empowerment and the promise of delivering happiness though satisfied customers and a valued workforce. Hsieh says " We wanted to come up with a list of core values that were actually committable. By committable, we mean we actually hire and fire people based on each of those core values. "
The value of values in the digital age
The changing landscape for business is bringing values into even sharper focus. The internet and social media have brought greater transparency than ever before. Some years ago, it was possible for organisations to fabricate a marketing and PR 'front', but now the truth gets out - fast. Just look at the Carillion story, and you might be interested to consider their organisational values:
A company can be financially successful and highly efficient, but it needs a heart, too. That's where values come in.Our values are at the heart of everything we do. They drive our commitment to delivering safe, sustainable and effective solutions for our customers and creating positive legacies wherever we work. We say that our people are "living our values" - our four values define the way we behave, both with each other and with our customers and partners, and how we think, helping to shape the culture, character and beliefs of our business. Our values mean that our work is always more than just a job.
There is little doubt that a different approach is needed for organisations to create sustainable performance. Collaboration . . . engagement . . . agility . . . and innovation are the new black. The successful service brands of the future will be those who share common values with stakeholders. We refer to this paradigm as the Values Economy.

Building on the above, one of the most important stakeholders in shaping an organisation's brand identity is the employee. There are factors such as pay, approach to personal development, company reputation which will affect an employees perception of their organisation. However, other factors also play a part and these include the quality, maintenance and cleanliness of the built environment, the workplace services (eg is there onsite provision of food and drinks?) and the behaviour of the facilities management services employees (who might be employed by other service partner organisations).

These frontline facilities management people are often the face of the organisations they are representing and their actions directly influence the visitors' and employees' perception of the organisation's brand and values. The key question is, how can a facilities management function build a strong internal service brand to enable the core business and also to reinforce the organisation's brand and values for, arguably, its most important and influential stakeholder group: employees. And what are the risks if a facilities management function does not do this?

________________________________

Alan Williams is the MD of Servicebrand Global and coaches service based businesses internationally and in the UK with a particular interest in workplace and facilities management. This piece references the book Alan co-authored with Alison Whybrow, The 31 Practices - Releasing the Power of Your Organisational Values Every Day. Its themes will be developed in the forthcoming Spring 2018 issue of Work&Place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Workplace and management should reflect organisational values - Workplace Insight

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Putting values at the centre of everything an organisation does is the starting point to create a strong and authentic brand. This needs to be done in practice rather than as some sort of lip service PR campaign.

# data[].attributes.headline
Cup of sorrow: the brutal reality of Australia's franchise king

# data[].attributes.subject
Cup of sorrow: the brutal reality of Australia's franchise king

# data[].attributes.body
Most franchisee’s enter the market with the ambition and desire to be their own boss, embrace the challenges and bask in the rewards of their hard work. Unfortunately for many franchisee’s under the Retail Food Group brands, they claim it has been a ‘heartbreaking’ experience.

The article shares insight into several franchisees who claim they were provided false or misleading information prior to purchasing their franchise. With the franchise company Retail Food Groups able to enforce various rules under their franchise agreement, often resulting in heavy costs to the franchisee.

Some of the brands that Retail Food Group now own, previously made strong revenue results. However after Retail Food Group bought them, and made the franchisees operate under their model, the stores were losing money. For many franchisee’s this was their lifesavings, homes, and livelihoods that have been jeopardizes due to the lack of innovation and culture within the Retail Food Group organisation. The article suggests over 200 stores under Retail Food Group have closed in the past 12 months.

The article shares the stories of many franchisees’ who have lost their homes, lost their life savings, trying to sell a franchise that is losing money. Many share their thoughts on the culture of Retail Food Group, "They treat us like dogs," and "It was a dream to have my own business, but it turned out they treat us like shit."

With so many franchisees feeling the same way, previous business owners having success with the brands before selling them to Retail Food Group, and the amount of stores that have closed down in a short space of time, it begs the question of what is their organisation doing well?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"We were told it was a gold mine, but from day one it was losing money," recalls Banks.

In November the couple reached breaking point. They cleaned the store, packed up the doughnut maker and coffee machine and took staff to a Christmas lunch at Sizzler to break the news that they had closed permanently.

"It was heartbreaking, but what could we do? We had run out of options."

The Bankses are one of hundreds of franchisees who have been financially devastated after signing up to one of the high-profile franchise brands under the RFG umbrella.

Days after closing, John Banks wrote to RFG's managing director, Andre Nell, telling him his Donut King had joined the growing list of stores that had either been closed, sold at a massive discount to its purchase price or become a "ghost store" - where RFG is still on the hook for rent but the shop does not open its doors to customers.

John Banks asked Nell to buy back the store the Bankses had bought for $230,000 via an agent hired by RFG, arguing the company had sold them a lemon. Banks says they were given the sales figures for the store as part of the sale process, but only when they signed on were they given financial accounts. Those accounts revealed, they say, that their newly purchased store was in fact losing $120,000 a year under RFG management.

"We question whether a reasonable person would consider that RFG and its representatives acted in good faith when making this sale," he wrote.

John is yet to receive a response, but RFG did send him an invoice for the latest rental payment due.

This network has created a lot of human misery. They're all unhappy. I haven't met a happy one.
Michael Sherlock

This is the reality of life inside the RFG juggernaut.

Growth by acquisition

Since listing on the ASX in 2006 at $1 a share RFG has, for most of that time, produced record profits, double-digit returns on equity and fat dividend payouts for shareholders. In 2015 RFG stock hit $7.15. It built a reputation as a franchise amalgamator as it spent more than $500 million in the past decade on 15 acquisitions including Crust Gourmet Pizzas, Pizza Capers, coffee chain Gloria Jean's, Café2U, DiBella Coffee and Hudson Pacific, a food manufacturer and distributor.

That scale has also seen it become one of the country's largest coffee roasters, as it sells to its Brumby's, Michel's and Gloria Jean's franchisees. In an Australian franchise sector estimated to be worth $146 billion in sales, and where there are four times as many franchisors per head here as in the US, RFG had become a serious player.

But it seems this phenomenal growth has come at a cost. A three-part investigation by Fairfax Media into RFG has uncovered a brutal business model that is pushing franchisees to the wall.

There is systemic wage fraud as franchisees do whatever it takes to make ends meet, the use of sham employment contracts and the underpayment of overseas workers hired on holiday visas.

The series also looks behind the man who floated RFG, Tony Alford, a Tasmanian- born accountant who has made hundreds of millions of dollars as the major shareholder in RFG and related businesses. It is under his leadership that RFG added to its brands and expanded overseas.

As part of the investigation, Fairfax spoke to many current and former franchisees and workers. It obtained confidential franchise agreements and financial accounts, disclosure documents, marketing fund reports and internal correspondence between RFG and franchisees. It trawled through court cases and court records to piece together a complete picture of RFG.

Signs of stress

They complain of too little product innovation, too little advertising and, in the case of Michel's, poor quality food.

Documents show some stores are manipulating their sales to try to avoid the royalties charged by RFG on every transaction. Fairfax Media can reveal RFG has been trying to manage this problem by hiring mystery shoppers, conducting audits and hiring a surveillance firm, Quantum Corp, to write observation reports that effectively spy on franchisees.

Fairfax has sighted documents that show the observation reports itemise the time of sale, type of sale, whether it was cash, takeaway or dine-in and who served the customer.

In the document cited, part of the audit involved using mystery shoppers. If franchisees were caught they were issued with threatening letters including demand for a payment of a franchise service fee and marketing fund contribution.

Sherlock sold the Brumby's franchise network to RFG in 2007 for $46 million and says he is surprised it has taken so long for the stories to come out.

Sherlock says a good franchise business is based on happy franchisees.

"This network has created a lot of human misery," he says. "They're all unhappy. I haven't met a happy one."

Wherever he looks, shops are for sale or empty.

"How many stores are trading is the question?"

Open stores

RFG bought Brumby's at a time when there were 321 stores in the chain and had plans to grow. Now, according to RFG's most recent full-year results, there are fewer than 246 stores.

This figure doesn't identify how many of those stores are not currently trading, with RFG declining to provide any further detail.

Sherlock believes RFG should have had 600 Brumby's stores by now. Instead, franchisees have either walked away or become "dinosaur franchisees".

These are "poor people", he explains, who have "got old, they still own it and they can't sell it, so they've just got to keep working.

"It was their nest eggs, their retirement, that they were going to sell or give to their children."

When Sherlock sold his stake in Brumby's he kept seven stores, but under the RFG model they started losing money. He extricated himself from the last store 18 months ago, at Kenmore Village in Brisbane. It was debadged and sold for just $10,000.

Sherlock says one of his stores went from making a profit of $100,000 a year to a loss under RFG control. He blames a rise in the cost of goods, a decline in head office support and a lack of innovation of products.

"It is run for shareholders, not franchisees," he said.

"The model is to cut out all the overheads, get rebates, charge lots of fees and keep shareholders happy."

Store numbers

At least 200 stores have closed in the past 12 months. A number of Pizza Capers are available for sale. Currently there appears to be no Pizza Capers stores in Victoria.

Michel's and Brumby's stores are closing all over the country and, while Gloria Jean's is struggling as competition intensifies in the speciality coffee shop sector.

Wayne Hong, who has a Michel's franchise at Knox Shopping Centre in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, says he will leave when his agreement runs out in six months.

"They treat us like dogs," he says.

"It was a dream to have my own business, but it turned out they treat us like shit."

Devi Trimuryani, who has a Michel's in Newcastle, tried to leave last year but couldn't find a buyer.

After buying a Michel's Patisserie in 2012 she has torched her life savings and racked up debts of $100,000 to Retail Food Group.

"I worked hard and saved up every dollar and it is worth nothing," she says. "I don't want to cry, but I don't know what to do."

"I tried to sell the business last year but who's going to buy a store that loses money?"

Fairfax can also reveal hundreds of stores are for sale, or about to go on sale, on websites including Gumtree and Seek.com.au, as well as in local Chinese-language newspapers.

As recently as December 3, Seek listed 40 Brumby's stores for sale and 37 Michel's stores for sale, while 21 Pizza Capers -- more than a quarter of the total network, according to Pizza Capers' website - are also on the market. There are also 23 Crust stores, 43 Donut King stores and 51 Gloria Jean's stores for sale. While some are new businesses, the bulk are for resale.

For industry insiders, any franchise network with more than 10 per cent of stores for sale is thought be under pressure. Fairfax Media estimates 17 per cent of Gloria Jeans stores are for sale; at least 25 per cent of Pizza Capers are for sale.

Fairfax Media sent RFG a series of more than 50 detailed questions on the day of its annual meeting. They included asking how many stores were for sale and how much of the network that represented. RFG also was asked the number of stores in each brand losing money, the number of stores in each brand breaking even, the number of terminations and the average sales per brand.

Challenging market

RFG did not respond in any detail. Instead, it issued a short statement saying it recognised its franchisees were operating in a challenging and evolving retail market, particularly in shopping centres.

"The livelihood and profitability of franchisees is of the utmost importance to RFG, and consequently it is focused on driving enhanced outcomes for franchisees," the statement says.

It reiterated that it had appointed Deloitte to conduct a business-wide review of its franchise operations.

"In addition, RFG has recently completed an extensive engagement process with its franchisee community to better understand where it can improve franchisee outcomes and enhance service delivery," RFG says in the statement.

It says "numerous" initiatives have already been implemented to drive improved franchisee outcomes. "In any franchise system, franchisor and franchisee outcomes are intrinsically linked," it says.

"As a consequence, RFG is focused on ensuring it provides the right type of support, informed by direct feedback from franchisees and independent third-party experts, to ensure positive outcomes are achieved across its franchisee networks."

RFG pre-empted Fairfax's investigation on Thursday when it released an update on what it describes as its "business-wide review". It also tried to reassure nervous investors by maintaining its forecast of 6 per cent "underlying" net profit growth for the 2018 financial year.

The company said the review, which will be conducted by accountants at Deloitte over two years, would focus on the domestic franchise operations to ensure its business model was "appropriate for a retail market which remains challenging, particularly for shopping centre tenants".

"RFG already has in place a number of proactive measures to inform, support and educate franchisees to ensure they are aware of their obligations as employers," RFG said. "Deloitte is also evaluating the company's complementary monitoring and supervision framework in relation to managing franchisees' employee entitlement compliance."

The problem for many franchises is that this has come all too late.

Desperation and hopelessness

Michael Fraser and Maddison Johnstone played a key role in Fairfax Media's expose of rampant underpayment of workers at convenience store giant 7-Eleven in 2015 and also helped unveil similar problems at Domino's earlier this year.

They run an assistance and support business for disaffected franchisees called Franchise Redress and spent 30 days on the road from October 25 this year monitoring the RFG network of brands, visiting more than 100 stores in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

In its report, titled RFG: The Zombie Brandchise​ Network, Franchise Redress said most of the franchisees they spoke to blamed RFG for the poor performance of their stores.

"In our investigations into other franchise models, we have never seen such desperation and hopelessness in large numbers. While conducting this investigation, five franchisees we encountered in a two-week period abandoned their stores. In the case of two stores, this happened right in front of us," the report said.

Many of the stores they visited were for sale, most at a heavily discounted price to the purchase price or the price advertised.

"The stores had been on the market for a very long time - in some cases, over a year," the report said.

"It is not uncommon for an RFG franchisee to say: 'I have already lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but if I can just walk away without having to continue paying the lease, I will be happy.' "

Franchises say RFG Group is built on their suffering.

Franchisees told Fraser that RFG acquired a brand, decimated the franchisee support staff, renegotiated supplier deals and collected "kickbacks" to the detriment of the franchisee's profit line, milked every possible cent out of the franchisees, before finally allowing the brand to die.

"The franchisees' overall conclusion was that RFG was not in business with their franchise partners. Instead, they were solely in business with themselves," the report said.

Of the Donut King franchisees Franchise Redress spoke to, most were averaging below $10,000 a week in sales, leaving next to no money to cover labour, rent, cost of goods sold and other expenses. The report quotes one Donut King franchisee saying her teenage staff members earned more a week than she did.

"Unfortunately, across the Donut King network, it was common to hear that franchisees were not able to draw an income, but still had to pay exorbitant franchise and marketing fees," the report said.

Don't buy RFG

The franchise sector is a $170 billion industry. Many people who buy into a franchise have little or no experience in business and buying into a franchise lowers the risk.

As Barefoot Investor says, it is marketed as a business in a box. However, franchise agreements can be complex and legalistic and difficult to understand. Sometimes agents don't give them the full accounts until they have signed the agreement. Sometimes the financial accounts provided understated labour costs due to rampant wage fraud.

Royalties reaped

A critical element of the RFG business model is that is based on franchisees growing sales not profit. Head office takes a percentage, or royalty, from every sale, regardless of whether the store is generating a profit or loss. The royalties can be as high as 7 per cent, depending on the brand.

Franchisees also have to contribute to a marketing fund, which is also charged as a percentage of sales. This can vary between 2.5 per cent and 6 per cent, depending on the brand. Between royalties and marketing fund fees, this can account for up to 10 per cent or more of gross sales.

Alongside a store's purchase price, which can be as high $700,000 there also is a franchise fee for the right to use the RFG brand, a training fee that can be more than $10,000 for a course run by RFG, and administration fees for the preparation of documents. There are rental costs, computer fees, project management fees and utilities. All up, it cost thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars a year.

RFG also makes money from the raw food it sells to franchisees (it recently purchased Hudson Pacific, which supplies frozen foods, cheese and dairy). As a wholesaler and speciality coffee business it sells coffee beans to brands including Gloria Jean's, Michel's and Donut King.

It is not unusual for operators to sell to franchisees, but many complain they could buy a similar product much cheaper at the local supermarket. One current Gloria Jean's franchisee, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals, says they pay $26 per kilo for Gloria Jean's beans, while a kilo of coffee beans branded Gloria Jean's was on special at Coles recently for $20.

Rebates claimed

At its height Gloria Jean's had 500 stores and served 64 million cups, but now has only 300 stores and sells 32 million cups, according to the video.

Ex-franchisee Donna Kilpatrick became part of a group of rebellious franchisees in 2015 that believed they were being oppressed and treated in an unfair manner. They raised concerns that the franchisor RFG had breached its obligation under the Franchising Code of Conduct to act in good faith.

Kilpatrick left in late 2015 after failing to sell the business.

"The impact on my life has been incalculable," Kilpatrick says.

Sharing growth?

A telltale sign that franchisees are being squeezed is to look at the network sales generated by franchisees and compare it with the operating earnings (also know as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) generated by RFG, which is rising.

In its bakery brands, RFG has actually made more money, with EBITDA per outlet has increasing from $45,600 in 2014 to $54,100 in 2017. Over a similar period the number of stores, particularly in Michel's, has fallen, which suggests a squeeze.

Network sales generated by franchisees at Michel's collapsed from $170 million in 2013 to $120 million in 2017, yet EBITDA generated by RFG from these franchisees went up from $15.5 million to $15.7 million. One explanation would be that RFG is taking a larger piece of the pie. RFG refused to comment.

Network sales at Donut King fell from $166 million to $160 million between 2013 and 2017. However, EBITDA generated by these same franchisee fees and other fees rose materially from $12.7 million to $17.4 million over the same period.

It was revealed in its annual accounts that RFG was never justified spending money out of the Michel's marketing funding on supply chain efficiencies that it was never justified spending. It was booked as a receivable and passed on as a cost to franchisees. When franchisees couldn't pay it, they wrote it off.

Some industry sources suggest that if RFG had applied the new accounting policies in previous periods, profits announced to shareholders would have been lower.

Michael Sherlock is surprised it has taken this long for problems to emerge.

"If you put the pressure on and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, then what's left? People have to survive, you know?"

Quality falls

Another shows a child's birthday cake that was broken and smeared over the box as well as biscuits in the shape of a gingerbread man that were broken in half.

For Rubini, the store became insolvent and they closed on July 6 this year, owing $350,000 in bank debts. "We couldn't catch up and we couldn't sell it because it was losing so much money."

RFG recently posted the store for sale for $300,000, plus stock at value - not a bad earner for RFG given the family walked away.

The family hopes there isn't a sucker big enough to buy the store and all the misery that comes with it.
Do you know more? Contact: adele.ferguson@fairfaxmedia.com.au or sarah.danckert@fairfaxmedia.com.au

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cup of sorrow: the brutal reality of Australia's franchise king

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"We were told it was a gold mine, but from day one it was losing money," recalls Banks. In November the couple reached breaking point. They cleaned the store, packed up the doughnut maker and coffee machine and took staff to a Christmas lunch at Sizzler to break the news that they had closed permanently.

# data[].attributes.headline
Well-being will be the Key Driver of Workplace Culture and Employee Engagement in 2017

# data[].attributes.subject
Well-being will be the Key Driver of Workplace Culture and Employee Engagement in 2017

# data[].attributes.body
This article outlines the fundamental importance of organisations looking after their employees, and how strategically focusing on employee well-being can lead to heightened levels of employee engagement and a strong workplace culture that drives business performance.

I whole-heartedly agree with the main assertion that this article puts forward, which is basically that: the more organisations utilize the well-being of their employees as a positive driver of company culture, the healthier, happier, and more engaged their employees will be; which will then translate into achieving better business results across the board through incremental gains in production and competitive advantage.

The issue of employee well-being is particularly prominent in the Australian mining industry, where many employees have to work away from home for extended periods of time, either in remote areas of Australia, or in operations located overseas. Working and living in these isolated locations not only makes it difficult for mining workers to access mental health services, but it also cuts them off from important societal associations, like their family and friendship groups (Tynan et al., 2016). Not to mention the long hours they are expected to work per shift, and the minimal control they have over their job-design.

Additional references:

Tynan, R., Considine, R., Rich, J., Skehan, J., Wiggers, J., & Lewin, T. et al. (2016). Help-seeking for mental health problems by employees in the Australian Mining Industry. BMC Health Services Research, 16. http://dx.doi.org/http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1186/s12913-016-1755-1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wellbeing will be the Key Driver of Workplace Culture and Employee Engagement in 2017 - HR in ASIA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Health and wellbeing - physical, mental, financial and emotional also affect employee engagement, and the majority of organisations realize that connection. High stress levels, both at home and in the office, financial concerns, poor physical health and demands for greater levels of productivity, can all adversely affect employee engagement.

# data[].attributes.headline
The world of work is changing fast, how will you stay ahead?

# data[].attributes.subject
The world of work is changing fast, how will you stay ahead?

# data[].attributes.body
This video contains an insightful reflection from global futurist, and award-winning speaker Rohit Talwar about the changing environment of the workforce, and how organisations can cultivate a sustainable collaboration between humans and technology going into the future.

Throughout the video Rohit discusses some of the challenges that organisations are now facing due to rapid advances in artificial intelligence, and automated technologies; but most notably underlines the importance of keeping people at the centre of organisational strategy to secure healthy and sustainable growth going forward.

The themes presented in this video are not only relevant to the topic but are also consistent with my own view that organisational leaders have a responsibility to train, develop, and build on the skills and capabilities of their current and future workforces in correlation to the external environment in which they operate, and the strategic direction of their company. This involves visualising the impact of any issue, trend, or technological advancement that may have a bearing on the industry in the foreseeable future; and preparing the workforce accordingly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The world of work is changing fast, how will you stay ahead?

# data[].attributes.headline
Finance Sector Union says sales culture to blame for misconduct of bank employees

# data[].attributes.subject
Finance Sector Union says sales culture to blame for misconduct of bank employees

# data[].attributes.body
With skepticism of the big banks at an all time high, the Australian government is now in the process of a Royal Commission into the industry. The big banks welcomed the commission to ensure that a proper and thorough review can take place, and allow for a better future without the skepticism that has been growing year on year. This particular article goes deeper into the culture of the banks and suggests that the constant focus on sales targets is the primary reason why the industry has a bad name. It also suggests that the rights of staff have been taken away under individual workplace agreements, and that staff may feel pressured to be unethical when it comes to 'selling' products to customers in order to achieve the targets. The article does not however discuss what actions the staff have taken, if any on raising these concerns. Most organisations also have various channels on how to raise issues that may be uncomfortable or unable to be discussed with an immediate manager, this is also not discussed in this article.
With many customers becoming negatively impacted by products that may not suit their needs, bank staff are being investigated and at times terminated, some even referred to the police. This may very well be a horrible situation not only for a customer, but also a staff member acting out of fear of losing their job.
With KPI's designed to drive goals and  provide guidance of what organisations want to see their staff achieve, having KPIs aligned to sales results in the banking industry is questionable as it has the potential to drive the wrong behaviours in an industry that the general population rely heavily on to trust and provide general advice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Finance Sector Union has called on the big banks to take responsibility for design failures that led bank employees to sell customers inappropriate products to meet targets and collect bonuses. Paul Rovere

The Finance Sector Union has called on the big banks to take responsibility for design failures that led bank employees to sell customers inappropriate products to meet targets and collect bonuses.

The union has criticised the banks for their relentless focus on sales targets and their tendency to lay the blame for misconduct at the feet of rogue employees in an application for leave to appear at next week's banking royal commission.

The FSU has made the claims in two applications to appear as an entity with a direct or substantial interest with two case studies to be presented to the Hayne royal commission when public hearings begin on Tuesday, March 13.

The first application relates to NAB's introducer program and fraudulent loan applications that saw it sack 20 employees and another 35 face disciplinary action. NAB is believed to have referred the matter to the police and the FSU claims disciplinary investigations are ongoing.

Financial Services Union says poorly designed systems and not people are the real reasons banks fail their customers. David Rowe

The FSU blasts the bank for its approach, asserting junior sales staff were the only employees to be disciplined, while there was no such fallout for the members of the senior management who designed and implemented the program which continues to operate.

It says it does not seek to defend those who were engaged in fraudulent behaviour but wants to shine a light on the design and structure of the program, claiming it has knowledge of operations inside the banks "no other person has".

It also claims NAB's response was consistent with a pattern of blaming rogue employees rather than carefully examining practices within the bank and poorly designed processes.

Sales targets

Commonwealth Bank also comes in for a serve from the FSU, with the union taking aim at the sales culture and cross selling of products within the bank.

CBA also comes in for a serve from the FSU, with the union taking aim at the sales culture and cross selling of products within the bank. Brendon Thorne

Commonwealth Bank will appear before the royal commission in relation to add-on insurance products. The bank refunded 65,000 customers $10 million after selling them unsuitable consumer credit insurance in 2017.

The FSU says the focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) produced a situation where employees were pressured to either sell unsuitable products to customers or put their livelihood at risk. It says branch employees were often managed according to their performance against daily or weekly targets.

The bank is understood to be reducing its reliance on KPIs but the union says the focus on meeting sales targets continues.

The bank is also criticised for its embrace of individual employment agreements which it says removes the right to have unreasonable targets reviewed.

Public hearings will focus on case studies centred on car finance, credit card practices, pre-approved overdrafts, account administration errors and the failure of automated systems.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sales culture to blame for misconduct of bank employees

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Finance Sector Union has called on the big banks to take responsibility for design failures that led bank employees to sell customers inappropriate products to meet targets and collect bonuses.

# data[].attributes.headline
Millennials, Loyalty, and Corporate Culture

# data[].attributes.subject
Millennials, Loyalty, and Corporate Culture

# data[].attributes.body
Student: Vilma Pontinen

The column provides tips on how to absorb millennials into a company culture and motivate them.

The author identifies the following as the characteristics of millennials and also what drives their workplace satisfaction and engagement:

1)       Think like a partner, not a boss (shared responsibilities)

2)       Be cognizant of work-life balance

3)       Positive criticism

4)       Overall company culture (more casual, less corporate stuffy)

The author sees the above as specific traits of millennials and aims the article clearly at companies who perhaps have an older workforce or culture (since he talks about absorbing millennials).

The columnist however does not consider whether the above is actually a mere reflection of the developed view of people’s worth in the workforce brought about by advancements in society, globalisation, access to education, etc. It could be argued that perhaps millennials have played a large part in making these the new norm for workplaces however it is unlikely that in today’s society only millennials are motivated by these.

References

Beccalori, J. (2017, September 20). Millennials, Loyalty, and Corporate Culture [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/entrepreneursorganization/2017/09/20/millennials-loyalty-and-corporate-culture/3/#39285d4b465a

# data[].attributes.headline
Exclusive: ‘Under Natura The Body Shop will return to its activist roots’

# data[].attributes.subject
Exclusive: ‘Under Natura The Body Shop will return to its activist roots’

# data[].attributes.body
Student: Vilma Pontinen

This article discusses the restrictive impact the Body Shop felt when purchased by L’Oréal circa 10 years ago and the opportunities it now sees with the company Natura who acquired L’Oréal (along with The Body Shop) in 2017.

The Body Shop’s head of Corporate and Social Responsibility Christopher Davis reports that the purchase by L’Oréal had been “a strain on many people in The Body Shop … The Body Shop over the past 10 years hasn’t had the freedom to express what is still alive in the Body Shop, the human activist spirit and purpose-led philosophy.” (Slavin, 2017)

Natura’s commitment to triple bottom line accounting, valuing social and environmental progress as well as financial metrics is what The Body Shop sees as one of the most exciting things and what will allow it ‘a freer hand to forge partnerships with the likes of Amnesty International and Greenpeace’. (Slavin, 2017)

The interview touches on some interesting aspects of corporate culture:

-          The stifling impact of an acquisition by a parent company that does not have the same culture/goals

-          The Body Shop’s culture of ‘activism’ which is somewhat unusual for a cosmetics and body care business

-          The impact a corporate culture have on the external environment rather than the other way around (The Body Shop’s culture of activism driving them to partner with Amnesty International and Greenpeace to create positive change).

References

Slavin, T. (2017, September 13). Exclusive: ‘Under Natura The Body Shop will return to its activist roots’. Ethical Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.ethicalcorp.com/exclusive-under-natura-body-shop-will-return-its-activist-roots

# data[].attributes.headline
China: ‘Women are creating a new corporate culture’

# data[].attributes.subject
China: ‘Women are creating a new corporate culture’

# data[].attributes.body
Student: Vilma Pontinen

The article discusses the impact that successful Chinese private businesses and their women founders and employees are having on the workplace culture for women in China and how it challenges the government institutions that are still heavily patriarchal.

In the course of discussing the above, a point that is also raised is how women leaders are still tailoring their behaviour for male dominant teams. Interviewee Ms So states that the restaurant half of her business is still mainly male, and she has tailored her leadership style accordingly. “I have to learn to be mindful of the way I communicate to them or the way I walk round in the kitchen,” she says. That includes wearing more masculine or gender-neutral clothing” (Feng, 2018).

The article and interviewee present the tailoring of behaviour as simply a gender issue however it can strongly be argued that it is not simply a gender issue. It is natural for (team) leaders to have to tailor their leadership to their employees and the particular individual characters. The character of a person is not necessarily driven by gender and therefore it is likely that this quote could be made about a team which includes or comprises entirely of females.

References

Feng, E. (2018, March 8). China: ‘Women are creating a new corporate culture’. The Financial Times. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/cfceb3f6-f703-11e7-a4c9-bbdefa4f210b

# data[].attributes.headline
Why Organisations Need to Focus on Culture First

# data[].attributes.subject
Why Organisations Need to Focus on Culture First

# data[].attributes.body
In this article, Stephen Childs explores his past as a human resources executive, along with some of the knowledge of leadership, and corporate culture he has gained through his experience. Childs explains that high levels of employee engagement are difficult to maintain if the culture of the organisation is not the main concern of management. Given Stephens experience, working as the head of human resources for a billion-dollar international organisation, I trust his judgement regarding the importance of corporate culture. This leadership insight is supported later in the article, where he describes the CEO’s responsibility to drive the importance of culture within the organisation. He also describes the change of a culture within an organisation as a “journey” rather than something which can be immediately amended. Stephen concludes the article with some of his results, supporting the statements and conclusions presented in the body of the article.

References:

Childs, S. (2017, October 31). Why Organisations Need to Focus on Culture First. Forbes Business Magazine.
Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2017/10/31/why-organizations-need-to-focus-on-culture-first/2/#2f2a2a2545d3

# data[].attributes.headline
Three HR trends leaders should be aware of in 2018

# data[].attributes.subject
Three HR trends leaders should be aware of in 2018

# data[].attributes.body
Sarah Davey 11574648

This article produced by HRD refers to Andrew Warren-Smith’s three key areas that will impact how business in undertaken in 2018.

The article discusses (1) Potential, (2) Digital, and (3) People analytics.

Warren-Smith addresses the fact that potential was only ever considered in senior managers or executives. He believes organisations should be broadening this to anyone at any level having potential.

The article addresses pros and cons of digital enhancements. Namely that there is still a lot that AI cannot do such as show empathy or demonstrate emotional intelligence. It is important however that leaders demonstrate an ability to harness new technologies available, we must marry big data opportunities with the human side of things.

Thirdly, the article discusses how HR should be taking advantage of new technologies to make faster, more informed decisions. Warren-Smith argues that HR can now utilise their understanding of people and back it up with data.

Warren-Smith’s insights are hard to argue with. In today’s organisations it is easier to recognise potential in people through the use of modern technologies. I agree that it has become easier to recognise talent at any level. I also agree that new technologies have advanced almost every aspect of today’s organisations. This thought however leads me to the question ‘Can we go too far with how we rely on AI?’

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Given the constant state of flux and disruption most businesses find themselves in, choosing just three emerging trends that leaders will need to be mindful of in 2018 hardly seems sufficient.

However, if the task is narrowed to the emerging people-related trends that leaders must be on top of, the task is a little easier.

To get a sense of what these trends are, HRD spoke to Andrew Warren-Smith, managing director of DDI Australia. He has identified three key areas that will impact how business is undertaken in 2018.

1. Potential
Traditionally, organisations have used a narrow definition of 'potential'. Warren-Smith suggests that organisations had a pool of maybe 20 people at each level of the company who they considered to be part of a high-potential (Hi-Po) pool.

These Hi-Po 'heroes' would be the ones to come up with the brightest ideas and to execute on those ideas in the best possible ways to keep the organisation successful through murky, challenging times.

However, DDI's studies indicate that while 65% of organisations have a Hi-Po program in place, almost 70% say these programs don't work or are not effective.

"You have many organisations over many years that have put a significant effort into identifying high-potentials and relying and depending on high-potential programs to deliver results, and they're not delivering the results," says Warren-Smith.

Part of the problem is that the focus has traditionally only been on senior managers or executives. Warren-Smith suggests organisations should broaden and extend their view of potential. "Those organisations that are doing this more effectively are thinking about potential right through the organisation, at every level.

They are also factoring in a mix of timeframes, looking at short-term, medium-term and long-term horizons. That means not just looking at senior level roles and their immediate replacements but going beyond that to look at what sort of talent they'll need in the next two to three years, and then also investing significantly in the early stage leaders."

To succeed in this approach, DDI encourages organisations to develop an 'eco-system of leadership' not just more leaders. DDI has identified three critical steps that will enable organisations to surface, activate and accelerate potential.

"The eco-system refers to what must happen not only across the organisation but also at individual and team levels," Warren-Smith says. "Then it's about asking how you go about identifying and developing that leadership talent and ultimately produce better outcomes for the business."

2. Digital
Technology is impacting how everyone works so it has obvious ramifications for leaders, says Warren-Smith. For this reason, DDI has taken the broad theme of 'digital' as the second key trend impacting on leaders and the wider workforce in 2018.

Every day we see news about the automation of jobs. In October alone, NAB announced it was laying off 6,000 jobs due to digital disruption - but the banking giant also announced it was creating 2,000 digitally-focused new jobs. Warren-Smith says any job with a narrow scope will be "up for grabs" sooner rather than later.

On a positive note, there is still a lot that machines, computers and robots cannot do. Warren-Smith cites the example of a machine's inability to show empathy. "You might encounter voice recognition software when you phone the bank," he says "You can move through the process by engaging with a computer. However, the computer doesn't show any empathy if you've got a customer issue.

People and data will interact but there will be many roles for people and leaders beyond just the automation part of it. What are the sorts of skills people can take from an existing role and apply to the digital context? Think of problem-solving, decision-making, judgment."

Just as important for leaders, he adds, is the ability to harness the technology that is available.
"We come at it from a leadership and people perspective so for us it's how you combine both the tech and the people piece. How do you find the balance between what the AI and big data opportunities are and marry that with the human side of things?"

DDI sees the role of the leader in the digital world falling into three archetypes. On one end there is the Digital-Savvy Leader who is familiar with the technology and tools to enhance or improve their own individual productivity. At the other end of the spectrum falls the Inventive-Disruptive Leader - the Steve Jobs, Jack Ma, and Mark Zuckerberg 's of the world, who are the disruptors of organisations and industries.

These leaders are rare and there is very little one can do to develop these skills. In the middle comes the Agile-Ready Leader who is bringing about new business models and executing on the big ideas using their mix of mindset and skillset abilities to achieve business outcomes.

A digital leadership mindset means being open to change and growth. In the NAB example, those people who are being upskilled will need to be open to change and prepared to go on that journey of taking on skillsets that were previously outside of their mandate.

"You've got to encourage people to disrupt, encourage people to experiment and be somewhat comfortable with uncertainty," says Warren-Smith.

In addition to their mindset, leaders must think about their skillset. Warren-Smith again points to the fintech environment, where the big players are being disrupted by smaller start-ups, and are requiring new skillsets from their employees. "The banks and insurers are setting up ecosystems so they can collaborate with external partners because they can't be all things to all people," he says.

Warren-Smith refers to this as "hyper-collaboration", or the ability to collaborate with anyone, anywhere.

"Knowledge sharing is going to be paramount," he says. "Knowledge used to be power; in tomorrow's world I think knowledge will still be powerful but it'll be about how that knowledge is shared across departments, across organisations and even across industries."

3. People analytics
The third trend ties nicely to the second trend: the ability to leverage people analytics to make more informed decisions. Warren-Smith says this presents a golden opportunity for HR professionals.
"There's so much data flowing through organisations but HR very often lags in their ability to analyse and predict on the basis of people data. HR has the opportunity now to build analytics capabilities, to really get on top of what these digital trends are and then use technology to their advantage."

Warren-Smith cites the simple example of engagement surveys, which can today be done at a moment's notice as a pulse survey. "You don't have to wait months to get feedback on your culture; you can get it day by day, and then compare and contrast the data," he says.

He also sees opportunities for analytics to be used more widely in the D&I space. "It's now possible to make informed decisions about D&I issues based on more than someone's gender or background and instead look at people's effectiveness and the contributions they make," he says.
"HR can utilise their understanding of people - how they think, how they operate and what motivates them - but can now back that up with data. It's a wonderful combination."

Related stories:
Liam Hayes: A human-centric HR leader
Is this the best way to encourage workplace tolerance?
How to create an employee-led culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Three HR trends leaders should be aware of in 2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Given the constant state of flux and disruption most businesses find themselves in, choosing just three emerging trends that leaders will need to be mindful of in 2018 hardly seems sufficient. However, if the task is narrowed to the emerging people-related trends that leaders must be on top of, the task is a little easier.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Seven Characteristics of Successful Company Cultures

# data[].attributes.subject
The Seven Characteristics of Successful Company Cultures

# data[].attributes.body
This article considers seven characteristics of a successful company culture. It considers the goals of employees, and how the leader should empower them to try and achieve the goals, rather than manage them. The article goes on to consider communication methods with employees and how best to deliver messages. The article implies that the leader and managers of an organisation must be able to demonstrate empathy when dealing with subordinates, which will improve productivity. Although I agree with this to some extent, I don’t believe that productivity could necessarily only be improved, as too much empathy and communication may get in the way of the employees achieving their task at hand. This is a personal bias of mine, as I do not believe you can single out productivity to being the result of communication alone. The article also talks about support of diversity, such support is a key leadership behaviour.

References:

Rozen, M. (2016, May 8). The Seven Characteristics of Successful Company Cultures. Huffington Post. Retrieved from
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-rozen/the-seven-characteristics_b_11339884.html

# data[].attributes.headline
Impact of Working Environment on Job Satisfaction by Abdul Raziq

# data[].attributes.subject
Impact of Working Environment on Job Satisfaction by Abdul Raziq

# data[].attributes.body
Within Abdul Raziq work it discusses the struggles and challenges that are face within the dynamic nature of the organisations environmental. In his works he elaborates on the important for businesses to satisfy its employees to evolve and change with new and emerging changes and to respond with success and competitiveness. Raziq objective through this paper was to analyse the impact that working environment has on job satisfaction. Through his data Raziq concludes by relating a positive correlation between the organisation working environment and job satisfaction.

Therefore, this paper demonstrates the important of internal factors play a considerable role in the direction and success of any organisation. Raziq understands and analysed the benefits of encouraging peoples to expand their job contribution in order enable themselves to grow both personally and professionally. Thus overall, I believe this paper idea and logic closely related to my own and therefore be effective within Australian practices.

Raziq, A., & Maulabakhsh, R. (2018). Impact of Working Environment on Job Satisfaction. Retrieved 11 March 2018, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212567115005249

# data[].attributes.body
This article looks at business leader Alan Joyce – CEO of Qantas – and a recent statistical survey which has placed him as the number one leader, to which young people in Australia would like to work for. The results of the survey are based on statistical analysis of a sample population, so they are exposed to a risk of sampling error. However, the article continues on to demonstrate Joyce’s leadership style through mention of some of his attributes, including how he is supportive of equality and a diverse culture in the workplace. The article demonstrates Joyce’s leadership quality in how he attributes the business’ turnaround to others around him (Durkin, 2017). His ability to pass the companies successes away from himself and on to those around him is an essential leadership behaviour, improving morale in staff. This has clearly worked for him, given he is running one of Australia’s largest organisations.

Reference:

Durkin, P. (2017, March 20). Alan Joyce Voted Australia’s Top CEO. Australian Financial Review. Retrieved from
http://www.afr.com/leadership/alan-joyce-voted-australias-top-ceo-20170224-gukxdt

# data[].attributes.headline
Inside Uber’s Aggressive, Unrestrained Workplace Culture

# data[].attributes.subject
Inside Uber’s Aggressive, Unrestrained Workplace Culture

# data[].attributes.body
This article by Mike Isaac from the New York Times examines the poor workplace culture and apparent lack of leadership within the riding sharing organisation, Uber. Citing key examples of poor management and even poorer leadership, the article conveys the message that the key cultural ingredient at Uber is success and financial performance. This also includes individual performance which is at the detriment of colleagues and managers where their environment is effectively labelled as ‘dog eat dog’.

Having such an environment that Isaac labels as “aggressive and unrestrained” sets the tone for how Uber is operated both domestically and internationally. By having a workplace that is so performance driven, does not foster a team first environment that allows the organisation to further succeed. This type of environment does not ‘breed’ leaders within an organisation, which further negates the opportunity for the company to develop stronger and improved cultural behaviour.

The article details that at a global conference in Las Vegas, key management and ‘leader’ figures indulged in cocaine, gambling and excessive drinking which further mitigates the argument that there is a positive culture within the company.

While the article does not argue the success, the company has had or the positive elements of the culture such as customer orientated; the workplace culture, particularly for Women and low performing staff is full of exclusion, humiliation and isolation.

While Uber’s Human Resource department has said that  they are wanting to improve their working culture and overcome their past misdemeanours, the pattern of working against each other and not developing leadership traits amongst their staff could prove it to be a difficult assignment to conquer.

Reference:

Isaac, M. (2017, February 2). Inside Uber’s Aggressive, Unrestrained Workplace

Culture. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/technology/uber-workplace-culture.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/technology/uber-workplace-culture.html

# data[].attributes.headline
Proactive Leadership for Mental Health Culture

# data[].attributes.subject
Proactive Leadership for Mental Health Culture

# data[].attributes.body
The strain of working away for mining employees in Australia is having debilitating consequences for the mental wellbeing for them, colleagues and families. MQ, Transforming Mental Health indicated in their article that the BHP Billiton's Health, Safety and Environment leadership team proactively met with Beyond Blue to gain a greater understanding of the complexities surrounding mental health issues (2016).

Having an improved depth of understanding surrounding the issues that are so unique to their working environment, allowed BHP leaders to collaborate with managers and staff to form a culture and environment that acknowledges and accepts mental illnesses and improved well-being.

This in turn allowed further education and understanding through their already established leadership programs, where BHP has now allocated a whole module purely to mental health.

Implementing strategies and visions within a business is a regular activity to occur in an organisation. Monitoring the effectiveness of a culture or behaviour is perhaps one aspect that is forgotten about, however, that is not the case with this initiative.

This shows tremendous leadership values from those at BHP, who have ensured they follow through to ensure that this important cultural workplace issue was a noticed and continually improved. With Key Performance Indicators and increased mental health based referrals (MQ, 2016), the longevity and outcome will likely be successful due to the commitment from BHP leaders who understood and acted on the need for change.

Reference:

Workplace mental health at BHP Billiton. (2016) MQ Transforming Mental Health.

Retrieved from: https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/articles/bhp-billiton-work-place-mental-health-case-stud

https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/articles/bhp-billiton-work-place-mental-health-case-study

# data[].attributes.headline
The importance of strong leadership and culture

# data[].attributes.subject
The importance of strong leadership and culture

# data[].attributes.body
Anne Hyland, Associate Editor (Business) for the Financial Review has delved into the importance of culture and leadership within Australian businesses and compares its relationship with sustainable success.

Initially, Hyland uses examples from the Target Accounting scandal to highlight how a clear lack of cultural direction within a company, can unhinge years of workplace development (Hyland, 2016). Largely, it appears that through various managers and financial teams of Westfarmers and Target, there has been a lack of communication and transparency relating to the culture and environment that Target set out to achieve.

As the scandal has affected the results and reputation of the company, CEO Richard Goyder and his leadership team have the large task of remodelling the workplace environment and culture that will be required to reap the benefits that having a strong organisational culture can provide.

Hyland continues to use strong examples from Harvard Business School professor, James Heskett and expresses his view about the relationship that business performance and strong organisational culture has. The large list of positive outcomes such as reduction of the overuse of resources, improved productivity, performance and sales are some of the encouraging consequences a positive culture can have.

This piece echoes my views on how culture and leadership is a direct reflection of the performance an organisation has. Furthermore, if a colluded or unintentional breakdown of culture occurs, it will be detrimental to what reputation exists amongst internal and external stakeholders. How quickly and effectively leaders can reinstate a positive culture could be the difference to surviving long-term.

Reference:

Hyland, A. (2016). Why corporate culture matters and how to change it. Financial Review.

Retrieved from: http://www.afr.com/leadership/workplace/why-good-culture-will-boost-company-profits-20160413-go5q88

http://www.afr.com/leadership/workplace/why-good-culture-will-boost-company-profits-20160413-go5q88

# data[].attributes.headline
Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace 

# data[].attributes.subject
Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace 

# data[].attributes.body
In this article by the NY Times it reveals the working culture behind the company Amazon and their idea of conducting an experiment in seeing how far white-collar workers can be pushed to achieve growing ambitions. In the Amazon culture workers are encouraged to tear apart other employees and hold them to unreasonably ambitious standards. This method of work is a cut throat type of organisation culture. Susan Harker Amazon’s top recruiter “When your shooting for the moon, the nature of the work is really challenging. For some people it doesn’t work”

However, I don’t believe that this type of working culture is ultimately beneficial for any organisation unless you’re willing to incur the mass amount of employee turnover. But this form of working culture has allowed for Amazon to become one of the most profitable companies in the past ten years.

Streitfeld, J. (2018). Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 11 March 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/16/technology/inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-in-a-bruising-workplace.html

# data[].attributes.headline
Proof That Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive 

# data[].attributes.subject
Proof That Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive 

# data[].attributes.body
This article illustrated the importance of that cut throat organisational cultures are harmful for both the productivity and towards employees whilst further elaborating on how positive environment have dramatic results for all parties. The articles discuss the three hidden costs incurred by organisation that fail in providing a positive environmental and rely on figure and pressure to motive employees. The cost includes:

·         Increased health care expenditure due to high pressure environments

·         Long term disengagement of job as employees don’t feel valued, secure, supported or respected

·         Increase lack of Loyalty due to increase turnover figures

Furthermore, the article through their research have broken down a positive workplace culture to six essential characteristics which I believe all organisations should follow:

·         Caring for, being interested in, and maintaining responsibility for colleagues as friends.

·         Providing support for one another, including offering kindness and compassion when others are struggling

·         Avoiding blame and forgive mistakes.

·         Inspiring one another at work.

·         Emphasizing the meaningfulness of the work.

·         Treating one another with respect, gratitude, trust, and integrity.

Proof That Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive. (2018). Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 11 March 2018, from https://hbr.org/2015/12/proof-that-positive-work-cultures-are-more-productive

# data[].attributes.headline
TED Talks Graham Weston: Creating workplace cultures, energy of inspired employees

# data[].attributes.subject
TED Talks Graham Weston: Creating workplace cultures, energy of inspired employees

# data[].attributes.body
This TEDtalks focuses on how to create a culture. The key message is:

“We all want to be a valued member, of a winning team, on an inspiring mission”

If we pay attention to what people want from work the organisation and give them that they will in return give back:

·         More energy

·         More connected

·         Aligned to the organisation goals

Which all results in a more profitable and successful organisation.

If the above is ignored mediocrity can take over and a culture of not taking risks and ignoring ideas can become the norm effectively stalling development and organisational outcomes.

The concept of connecting your team to the organisation goals and accepting each individual as ‘they are’ and giving people responsibilities and jobs to match that is an interesting idea. It is very different from the accepted norm of people apply for jobs and then they stay in that role as opposed to being moved to a role which ‘suits’ the employee more.

TEDx Talks. (2010). TEDxSanAntonio - Graham Weston - Creating Workplace Cultures, Energy of Inspired Employees. [Online Video]. 27 December 2010. Available from: https://youtu.be/VAsLICK9vxc. [Accessed: 3 March 2018].

# data[].attributes.headline
What Australian businesses are doing to avoid 'bro culture'

# data[].attributes.subject
What Australian businesses are doing to avoid 'bro culture'

# data[].attributes.body
Bro-Culture is when a dominate male group sets the tone and direction of an organisations culture and environment. Often it is a group of males that exclude those who are different from themselves either on the grounds of sex, ethnicity or socio-economic background (Friendman, 2013).

The article addresses the issues that a ‘Bro-culture’ can create and how to overcome this issue. It is not as simple as hiring a lot of women or an ethic diverse team as if the Bro-culture is not addressed it will result in a high staff turnover of same.

To encourage cultural change and increase diversity in the workplace there needs to be three main elements

Leadership – the leadership needs to be committed to making the changes and model, encourage and educate the correct behaviour.

Human resources – the HRM policies for the company need to be consistent with the leader’s messages and encouraging the desired team culture.

Change the employee value proposition – to attract a diverse work force changes throughout all aspects need to be addressed. Offering a more flexible or fluid working arrange i.e. job share or work from home hours.

Friedman, a, 2013. How Do You Change a Bro-Dominated Culture?. New York Magazine, 12 September 2013. 1.

D'Mello, C, 2017. What Australian businesses are doing to avoid 'bro culture'. The Sydney Morning Herald, 16 August 2017

https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/what-australian-businesses-are-doing-to-avoid-bro-culture-20170815-gxwp3e.html

# data[].attributes.headline
The Relationship Between Corporate Culture and Performance

# data[].attributes.subject
The Relationship Between Corporate Culture and Performance

# data[].attributes.body
This article focuses on the link between the culture of an organisation and the impact that has on success.
The interesting aspect of the link are that whilst a positive culture can drive results, results cannot drive a culture. An organisation that does not improve the culture over time will start to generate falling organisation results.
Improvement of culture over time is difficult to make in a large sweeping change and is instead more effective when targeted on key or dysfunctional groups and teams as opposed to trying to attempt to change the entire organisation.

This article raises some very interesting points and ideas. It is lacking in scholarly references and appears to be focused around one study (link in the article) which is however well referenced and supported. I found the articles analysis and review of the study to be a good overview of the findings.

Dizik, A, 2016. The Relationship Between Corporate Culture and Performance. Wall Street Jounral, 21 February 2016.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-relationship-between-corporate-culture-and-performance-1456110320

# data[].attributes.headline
Fox Establishes Workplace Culture Panel After Harassment Scandal

# data[].attributes.subject
Fox Establishes Workplace Culture Panel After Harassment Scandal

# data[].attributes.body
This article describes how Fox (already a tarnished brand due to its many indiscretions) is attempting to change its culture after many sexual harassment lawsuits. However, it should be noted that The New York Times is not free from its own scandals and unfortunately when discussing reliable unbiased opinions both corporations have political agendas, meaning they will skew news to suit them (Fox being more conservative, and New York Times being described as liberal). So, neither organisation can be completely trusted when looking at the information they are giving you.

Fact checking as I go points out that this article is not an exaggeration or fabrication and shows how truly rotten the culture at 21st Century Fox is. With the expenses of a poor culture being highlighted with Fox being forced to pay out in excess of $110 million in a 1 year period.

Steel, E. (2017). Fox Establishes Workplace Culture Panel After Harassment Scandal. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/business/media/fox-news-sexual-harassment.html

# data[].attributes.headline
'Masculine culture' and micro barriers still major issues for women

# data[].attributes.subject
'Masculine culture' and micro barriers still major issues for women

# data[].attributes.body
Professor Elizabeth Croft is the new Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Monash University and in this article, she attempts to highlight gender disparity in terms of jobs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields. She puts this down to a culture issue within these fields. While she does state that she has used scholarly sources for her information she doesn’t mention what these sources are throughout the article, albeit she does make well-constructed and thoughtful points throughout the article stating “If leadership is not intentional about cultural change, nothing will happen. Saying you value diversity but not making fundamental change is like saying you want to lose weight without changing your diet and getting off the couch. It simply won’t work. This is long, generational, societal, cultural change.” (Croft, 2018) This point holds true for all culture change especially when it has been ingrained in an organisation/ field for decades. This article really highlights that there is still disparity within these particular fields this appears to make the fields seem rotten in a way and this makes them even more unattractive for females who would otherwise pursue.

Croft, E. (2018). 'Masculine culture' and micro barriers still major issues for women. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/careers/masculine-culture-and-micro-barriers-still-major-issues-for-women-20180212-p4z00s.html

# data[].attributes.headline
Creating the right culture and environment for employees to thrive in a digital age:

# data[].attributes.subject
Creating the right culture and environment for employees to thrive in a digital age:

# data[].attributes.body
An interesting article written by Daria Naumova, Director of Talent and Alexander Kalinovsky, Director of Engineering at Wipro Digital touches on the recruitment and retainment of ‘technically gifted people’ the article provides an honest (however opinion based) in-depth insight into the world of talent retention via the alteration of a business’s culture. The examples they use are particularly based on the tech field where they indicated that the environment is key to make feel comfortable it is then that they will be able to get the most out of their employees. They noted that it is also vital to allow employees the freedom to choose what path is best for them to further their own career.

While the article appears to be a good source of information around the topic of creating a stable environment there are no scholarly refences, meaning that the article is written from opinion and expirence which takes some of the credibility away.

Naumova, D., & Kalinovsky, A. (2018). Creating the right culture and environment for employees to thrive in a digital age. IT Pro Portal. Retrieved 11 March 2018, from https://www.itproportal.com/features/creating-the-right-culture-and-environment-for-employees-to-thrive-in-a-digital-age/

# data[].attributes.headline
How did Qantas improve its human resources management?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did Qantas improve its human resources management?

# data[].attributes.body
I chose this article based around Qantas as I believe it shows how good leadership can turn a company completely around. In 2014, Qantas was facing critical challenges. Increased competition from domestic and international airlines, record fuel bills, and a high Australian dollar resulted in a $252 million half-year underlying loss for the company, and forced Alan Joyce (CEO) to cut 5000 jobs and close routes (O'Sullivan & Massola, 2014).

To get through this tough period, operations manager Ian Jackson devised a long-term strategy around people and culture, where communication and strong business partnering were keys to success. Emphasis was also placed on customer operations, as well as developing a workforce with an intrinsic drive to do better year on year 'because they feel connected to the strategy and see the benefits being delivered'.

The key leadership message behind this article is to motivate employees to achieve a common strategy of creating customer satisfaction, even when times are tough and morale is low. Being transparent with the team is essential as it gives them a sense of ownership over what they have delivered, and motivates them to achieve more. The strategies developed and implemented by the Qantas leadership team had them nominated for a 2016 AHRI award.

In their latest report, Qantas made a bottom-line net profit of $607 million in the first half of the current financial year, the result being an 18 per cent improvement over its previous first-half net profit (Chau & Ryan, 2018).

Chau, D., & Ryan, P. (2018, Feb 22). Qantas could start paying corporate tax again after $607 million profit. ABC News. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-22/qantas-half-year-results-607-million-profit/9473154

Healey, B. (2016, November 28). How did Qantas improve its human resources management? HRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/strategic-hr/qantas-improve-human-resources-management/

O'Sullivan, M., & Massola, J. (2014, Feb 27). Qantas cuts 5000 jobs, posts $252 million first half loss. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/qantas-cuts-5000-jobs-posts-252-million-first-half-loss-20140226-33i4c.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When it comes to organisational transformation a few key things can set a company up for long-term success. One of these is dynamic human resources management that ensures initiatives and strategies are executed from the ground up. In the lead-up to the annual AHRI awards, we spoke with one nominee about how he's harnessed company-wide innovation to achieve tangible outcomes.

In 2012, Qantas was facing critical challenges. Increased competition from domestic and international airlines, record fuel bills, and a high Australian dollar had resulted in significant losses for the company. Ian Jackson, head of international operations, was an integral part of the team that developed a wide-reaching strategy that has resulted in the transformation of the business, outstanding financial results, high customer feedback and record levels of engagement. In advance of the AHRI awards this Thursday, he shared his human resources management journey with us.

What's needed to implement a sustainable strategy?

"My role was to lead the development of a strategy and collaborate with other parts of the business to develop a strategy which wasn't just focussed on costs, but was very critically focussed on our people and the customer."

In the face of challenges such as achieving a 30 per cent reduction in headcount while with the need to balancing short-term strategies around cost, and long-term strategies around people and culture, Jackson believes that communication, along with strong business partnering, were his keys to success. He maintains that placing emphasis on customer operations was crucial to the financial success of the organisation, as well as developing a workforce with an intrinsic drive to do better year on year "because they feel connected to the strategy and seeing the benefits delivered."

Another initiative Jackson considers critical was transparency and visible leadership at every level of the business "in terms of what we're aiming to achieve and how success looks" - even through challenging periods.

"Difficult times were being experienced over various points over this program," he explains. It was about "acknowledging that, but also acknowledging when we've still managed to meet or exceed the targets we've set for ourselves."

Incorporating training, technology and recognition

Underpinning the entire strategy of performance and culture the company has been working towards over the past three to four years is the 'creating great' program, which is now entering its third iteration. The one-day training program, which cuts across all teams - from cabin, airport and ground operation teams - has ensured that an integrated approach moulds every facet of employee training.

The next step for Jackson and the Qantas team was bringing those lessons back to the workplace using technology that has been integrated into to day-to-day operations. Over the last three years, Qantas has enabled all front-line duty managers and customer service managers - on aircrafts as well as at airports - to use iPads. Known as the 'red app', this technology connects employees to "everything from channels on customer feedback to channels we push to them, to communication around how we're performing. We've used that as a tool to keep directly in touch with our front-line people, even when they're in 23 or 24 of our remote airports around the world," Jackson says.

Finally, the culmination of each strategic element was a robust recognition program linked to accountability and the overall outcomes in terms of performance. For example, cabin crew who excel against key performance indicators receive rewards such as lounge access or an invitation to a two-day residential leadership development program.

"Everyone right out to the front line, as well as the partners within the organisation who are helping enable the strategy, are really clear on those targets are met and that there's recognition, rather than being a continuum without that opportunity to pause and reflect."

The key factor for success

For Jackson, the one thing he's seen embedded in all levels of the company during the past years - from human resources management - is the concept of authentic leadership. It's a mindset that has helped Qantas' people understand strengths and weaknesses, both individually and from a business point of view, and has also ensured their people have felt comfortable with company-wide change.

"They knew we had a strategy that was robust and that despite what may come it would deliver over time - and it has," Jackson says.

As for his thoughts on being nominated at the 2016 AHRI award s?

"I think it's genuinely great recognition for a collaboration between the human resources team and the business. It has clearly delivered great customer and commercial outcomes for a number of years now and I believe will fundamentally continue to do so," he says.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How did Qantas improve its human resources management? - HRM online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2012, Qantas was facing critical challenges. Increased competition from domestic and international airlines, record fuel bills, and a high Australian dollar had resulted in significant losses for the company. Ian Jackson, head of international operations, was an integral part of the team that developed a wide-reaching strategy that has resulted in the transformation of the business, outstanding financial results, high customer feedback and record levels of engagement.

# data[].attributes.headline
What To Look For In Great Leaders: Gary Bertoline at TEDxPurdueU

# data[].attributes.subject
What To Look For In Great Leaders: Gary Bertoline at TEDxPurdueU

# data[].attributes.body
At the beginning on the video, Bertoline states that at the end of the talk the audience will learn two things:

1: How to identify authentic leaders – The world is being run by leaders who don’t have what it takes to be good leaders, and they are in it for the wrong reasons.

2: You can become a good leader: Age, race, experience and many other areas are no reason as to why an individual cannot become a great leader if attention to detail is paid to certain characteristics.

Gary’s presentation focuses on 5 traits:

Vison: The most important trait out of the 5. If a strong vision is not possessed, then nothing else matter. Vison starts with the WHY? Leader’s need to understand why they are doing things, along with being passionate about what they are doing and what trying to achieve in order to attain their vision. To implement vison, todays leaders need to be willing to walk through walls.

Optimism: Leader’s need to believe that things will get better no matter how bad they are. This characteristic resonates with me due to my direct boss being very optimistic, there have been many obstacles thrown her way over the past 12 months, and although the storm is over, she remained optimistic throughout the whole process. Optimism was displayed in order for the rest of the department to not be effected, she displayed a positive message even though things were not positive.

Ego: Great leader’s have to have a big ego, they need to believe that what they believe is right. Some leaders may start of with a great vision, but at times their ego gets in the way and it becomes more about themselves as opposed to the organisation itself. Power can corrupt a leader’s effectiveness.

Charisma: Leaders need to be able to efficiently connect to the people they are around and work with. An individual’s charisma needs to be used to sell one’s ideas. In a previous job, my direct leader did not have any social skills, it was awkward at times and the team had no confidence in their ability to lead due to the lack of charisma.

Passion: Great passion needs to be displayed in what leaders do. Leaders need to let passion drive them internally when things are not doing well. Passion plays a major role in executing a leader’s vison.

Bertoline finishes off with talking about the importance of aligning the 5 attributes with your personal values, otherwise the leader will not succeed.

Refernece:

Gary Bertoline (2013), What To Look For In Great Leaders:

Gary Bertoline at TEDxPurdueU. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IHQyEC2GRU

[Accessed 10 Mar, 2018]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What To Look For In Great Leaders: Gary Bertoline at TEDxPurdueU

# data[].attributes.body
UK Drugs Minister opposes cannabis law reform while her husband profits from a licence to grow it

Anonymous
40m
UK Drugs Minister opposes cannabis law reform while her husband profits from a licence to grow it
Sarah Davey 11574648

Victoria Atkins is the Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability, whose remit includes drugs policy. Atkins openly opposes the legalisation of cannabis and yet it has recently been uncovered that her husband’s company has a highly profitable contract growing cannabis in partnership with GW Pharmaceuticals. 

Atkins argument is built on her opinion that cannabis users are “gun-toting criminals, whom think nothing of shooting each other… [Do you] really think these awful people are suddenly going to become law-abiding citizens?” 

Arguments against Atkin’s opinions point to facts that decriminalisation of cannabis actually showed positive changes. Much like what we saw after prohibition, regulating the drug made it safer. It is not the drugs that are killing people – it is the prohibition that is killing people.

Personally, seeing first hand in Australia what prohibition of cannabis has done, I believe regulation and decriminalisation are vital in making cannabis safe. Make it safe to purchase, regulate what is used to grow it, and fund education on the effects of cannabis. 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Same-sex marriage legalised in Australia as Parliament passes historic law

Anonymous
1h
Same-sex marriage legalised in Australia as Parliament passes historic law
Sarah Davey 11574648

A recent and public leadership issue in Australia was the fight for the legalisation of gay marriage. 

In this article, Michael Koziol of the Sydney Morning Herald discusses the undoing of the discriminative Marriage Act that previously forbid same-sex unions. 

Parliament faced the issue of whether to remain faithful to previous beliefs and carry on tradition, or to join the 25 other countries who have legalised same-sex marriage. 

Conservative critics of same-sex marriage raise a number of arguments, most of which are based on religious grounds stating that gays and lesbians are sinful and that marriage is a religious established practice essentially concerned with reproduction.

A large argument of individuals that are for marriage equality are claim rights, such as social security benefits upon the death of a spouse. Others are liberty rights to be free from various forms of governmental intrusion. 

Personally, I believe arguments against same-sex marriage are outdated. Australia must progress with the world and the people in it. Fighting cultural changes will only lead to further issues down the line. 


favorite_border
0


Add comment
How Culture Affects Leadership

Kyle Thompson
1h
How Culture Affects Leadership
 The article ‘How Culture Affects Leadership’ published by Martinbauer defines both organizational culture, followed by leadership. The article then goes into examples of how the culture of an organisation can affect a person’s capability to lead. The article provides a very in-depth analysis of leadership, with a large focus on the culture within the workplace. Leaders and leadership teams must take into account the culture of the organizational environment and also the behaviours and attributes of employees before making any major decisions. Leaders should not impede upon the culture of an organisation, but rather, should add to the culture. This article raises very strong points regarding the importance of culture and effective leaders. 
 
This article has a list of resources and references at the end, meaning that research has been conducted before the article was published. This increases credibility of the article, especially due to the range of media types used. 

Martinbauer. (N.D). How Culture Affects Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.martinbauer.com/Articles/How-Culture-Affects-Leadership
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behaviour

Kyle Thompson
1h
Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behaviour
Professional Finance Columnist Angie Mohr describes the influence that external factors may have on the behaviour of employees in her article “Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behavior”. Mohr describes situations in which there would be an effect to the behaviour of employees, which would then impact organisational culture. These factors include, but are not limited to, competition, economy, and reputation. 
 
The article provides information that will always be relevant to society, as there will always be some form of external influences. Whilst this article is sufficient at providing very basic information regarding the effect that the environment has on employee behaviour, it does not extend in-depth and as such is not very informative. Mohr does attempt to look at most of her points from both sides, however is lacking detail. Whilst I do agree that the environment does have a great impact on behaviour and performance, perhaps some recommendations on how the impact of this can be minimised would have been appropriate. 

Mohr, A. (N.D). 
Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behavior. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/factors-external-environment-influence-employee-behavior-1251.html
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Informal leaders and cultural change

Bradley Innes
9m
Informal leaders and cultural change
The word leader for me always conjures up the image of a member of management, someone who holds an important title within an organisation. After reading the below article from American Nurse today this image is now more representational of a formal leader. 

The below article hints at the benefits of having informal leaders within an organisation. These informal leaders can be extremely relevant when trying to change the direction of the organisations culture. Informal leaders are in a position where they can influence the groups that they are a member of and gain feedback that members of a team may not feel comfortable approaching a manager about. Whilst informal leaders can have a positive effect on culture, this may only be relevant when the leader is exerting a positive influence.

The article only touched on the positivity of having informal leaders in the organisation. Informal leadership whilst positive may slow down the decision making and confuse employees on who is responsible for the final decisions. This confusion can lead to job dissatisfaction and potential insubordination.

 

Krueger, D, L. (n.d.) America Nurse Today. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/informal-leaders-and-cultural-change/ [Accessed 10 March 2018] 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Understanding Leadership Impact

Kyle Thompson
2h
Understanding Leadership Impact
Understanding leadership impact is an article written by Human Resource Director Australia. The article analyses the impact that behavioural characteristics of a leader have on the success of their leadership. The article outlines the role of a leader and makes connections back to the behavioural traits with reference to why/how possessing the trait can impact on the effectiveness of your leadership. 

 

The article then goes on into unsuccessful leaders and also makes mention to a leader/organisation mismatch with some examples of this and situational leadership provided. The article provides reference to a leadership questionnaire, which will assist people in indicating their performance, along with predicting for future leaders. The article makes extensive reference to behavioural traits and how these impact upon performance. Overall, the article effectively conveyed the desired message, with the questionnaire reference being very handy. The ideas portrayed are very relevant to business within Australia and would likely be successful in practice. 
 

HRD. (2018). Understanding leadership impact. Retrieved from https://www.hcamag.com/features/understanding-leadership-impact-247035.aspx
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Ken Blanchard Servant Leadership

Lee Spencer
4h
Ken Blanchard Servant Leadership
Leadership expert Ken Blanchard speaks in this video on servant leadership and how it is establishing a compelling vision that ultimately allows goals to be achieved (Blanchard, 2012).  Blanchard (2012) asserts that there must be three pre-existing factors before organisational goals can have real meaning.  First, you must know what business you are in; you must know your why, secondly you must know where you are going if you do a good job and thirdly you must know what values are guiding you on your journey (Blanchard, 2012).  Blanchard (2012) states that goals tell people what you want them to focus on and to do this you must first establish these preceding elements.  

While I concur with Blanchard's (2012) ideas that people must feel compelled towards the why, the where and the how I also believe that it is essential for people to know their part in it.  A leader must set the vision and the horizon but must also people must also be able to locate themselves in the journey. 
  
Blanchard, K. (2012). Ken Blanchard Servant Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTiUy8uSWtE&index=2&list=PLS5AuD-tXWGXoJAWYDwhx8Qw-DnouDR3s
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Brene Brown Vulnerability and Leadership

Lee Spencer
4h
Brene Brown Vulnerability and Leadership
Renowned social researcher Brene Brown has been someone I have followed for years.  In her 2015 YouTube talk with Chase Jarvis, Brown (2015) explains why vulnerability in leadership is a necessary quality.  Brown (2015) highlights how this is counter-intuitive to most leaders who perceive vulnerability is an expression of weakness.  Brown (2015) suggests that the opposite is true with vulnerability being the foundation for trust engagement, accountability, adaptability to change and innovation.  

Brown (2015) indicates that women are the most resistant to vulnerability.  This attitude is not surprising to me given that women are attempting to make their way into a traditionally male-dominated world where they feel they must be able to demonstrate strength, and thus must try to minimise their often innately sensitive and intuitive sides for fear of being seen as weak.  

I believe there is an evolving change in social consciousness and I agree with Brown (2015) in the suggestions that vulnerability is a leadership advantage and should be redefined as showing up, being willing to take risks and expose yourself to achieve the organisational mission (Brown, 2015). 
 
Brown, B. (2015). Brene Brown Vulnerability and Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8YtQDiiT1U&index=1&list=PLS5AuD-tXWGXoJAWYDwhx8Qw-DnouDR3s&t=38s
favorite_border
0


Add comment
This video from Inc

Bradley Innes
8m
 This video from Inc starring Drew Houston, CEO of dropbox is a prime example of how people in leadership positions need to practice what they preach. Too many times in organisations it can appear that the rules do not apply to those at the heads of organisations, this then reduces the respect people hold for that leader. In turn the effectiveness of the leader to create change is diminished.

"We can write down all the pretty words about our culture and our values that we want," he said. "But people pay a thousand times more attention to what you do as a leader" (Houston, 2017).

This is the fundamentals of what being a leader is about. This short 1:51 video highlights how the little actions that leaders do can set the standards for the team, things you may not even realise you do. Culture after all is the things you do without even thinking twice about.

 
Houston, J. (2017). Personal communication. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/what-happened-when-the-ceo-of-dropbox-was-late-to-.htmlom


Bariso, J. (2017, July 10). What Happened When the CEO of Dropbox Was Late to an All-Hands Meeting. INC. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/what-happened-when-the-ceo-of-dropbox-was-late-to-.htmlom [Accessed 11 March 2018].

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Leadership Challenge // Part 14: Not for profit Leadership

Lee Spencer
4h
Leadership Challenge // Part 14: Not for profit Leadership
UQ Business School Professor of Public Administration Ken Wiltshire (2010) speaks on the unique characteristics of not-for-profit organisations and the corresponding leadership challenges that result from the distinctive space.  Wiltshire (2010) outlines that leadership needs to focus more on the opportunities for partnerships as opposed to the more traditional focus on competitive advantage.  Wiltshire (2010) poses that not-for-profits have a distinctive attractiveness to the corporate sector due to their credibility in regards to corporate social responsibility.  While governments seek to align with not-for-profits due to their ability to deliver community services through a caring and compassionate value system (Wiltshire, 2010).  While this attractiveness is a distinct advantage Wiltshire (2010) points out that it requires strong leadership to maintain these distinctions.  
Wiltshire (2010) asserts that not-for-profits face the constraints of lower resource availability while still needing to meet the traditional governance, financial sustainability and ethical standards of mainstream organisations. Leaders must maintain their unique organisational image and avoid being viewed as moving toward corporatisation.  

This insight would imply that there are distinct competencies required of non-for- profit leaders.  Having worked in this sector for many years, I would wholeheartedly concur with this view. However, from my experience, many leaders have trouble accessing development in this area given that many will be coming out of traditional leadership frameworks
 
Wiltshire, K. (2010). Leadership Challenge // Part 14: Not for profit Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT2lvubOpgY
favorite_border
0


Add comment
How companies can learn to root out sexual harassment

Karin Jones
16h
How companies can learn to root out sexual harassment
This article is based on US statistics and organisations, however, this change in culture within US organisations, impacts Australia. The article states that sexual harassment is not always being reported, with some victims being paid to not speak up. It also informs that the US Mining industry having the highest frequent of reported sexual harassment of women.
The article details best practices that organisations can implement to improve their workplace culture in regards to sexual harassment, which includes training, workshops, anonymous reporting and updating organisational policies.
The #MeToo (sic) movement is frequently in our media headlines and a need for change, is being acknowledge, worldwide.
Organisations in Australia, are currently taking action to change the culture within their respective organisations to expose sexual harassment in the workplace and encourage victims to speak up.
KPMG chairperson, Alison Kitchen, recently reported to Sydney Morning Herald, the measures their organisation is taking to change their workplace culture with a ‘zero tolerance’ to sexual harassment in the workplace.
 
Reference
Sawyer, K Thoroughgood, C (2017, October, 24) How companies
can learn to root out sexual harassment. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/how-companies-can-learn-to-root-out-sexual-harassment-85862 [Accessed 11 March 2018]
 
Reference: Williams, R, SMH (2018, March, 1) 'Zero tolerance': KPMG head speaks out on sexual harassment. Retrieved from: https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/zero-tolerance-kpmg-head-speaks-out-on-sexual-harassment-20180301-p4z298.html [Accessed 05 March 2018]
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviours

Bradley Innes
18h
Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviours
 
Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviours is an article from Harvard Business review written by Jim Whitehurst. Whitehurst believes that the first step to changing an organisations culture begins with the leaders. Whitehurst uses two different examples of how subtle behaviours can assist in shaping the companies culture. These examples highlight that a company’s culture is all the little things that we without even thinking about it. 

Leaders must model the behaviour they want portrayed so others can emulate it. This statement is incredibly pertinent to my beliefs on the relationship between culture and leadership. Within my current organisation leaders state one thing and do another. This creates a void and a level of distrust between the different levels within the organisation.  

A topic that Whitehurst does not touch on is that to create a change within the organisations culture, the leader must be respected by the team. Without this respect the leader by receive the opposite effect. 

 

Whitehurst, J. (2016). Leaders can shape a company culture through their behaviours. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/10/leaders-can-shape-company-culture-through-their-behaviors [Accessed 09 March 2018] 

favorite
1


Add comment
How Ford CEO Alan Mullaly turned a broken company into the industry's comeback kid

Christiana Kirchner
18h
How Ford CEO Alan Mullaly turned a broken company into the industry's comeback kid
 
In this article, Harry Kraemer talks about the turnaround of Ford and how CEO Alan Mullaly achieved this through a values-based leadership. This focuses on both the internal organisational culture and team thinking, and the external environment and relationships with suppliers and investors. 
 
To turnaround the company, Alan’s leadership had a focus on the idea of ‘one team,’ and inspiring all employees and departments to work together as ‘One Ford.’ This focus on team work encourages employees to work together towards organisational goals. A leader who encourages a one team mentality creates a more united front, and helps employees to feel aligned with the company. 
 
External relationships, such as those with a supplier, are crucial to the survival and success of a business. A values-based leader appreciates a win/win relationship with their suppliers, and will work to build trust and mutually beneficial agreements. It’s important here that the leader has a clear vision of the company’s future and goals and is able to communicate these with external stakeholders in order to gain this trust. 

Reference 

Kraemer, H. (2015, June 18).  
How Ford CEO Alan Mullaly turned a broken company into the industry’s comeback kid. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/431078/how-ford-ceo-alan-mullaly-turned-a-broken-company-into-the-industrys-comeback-kid/

favorite_border
0


Add comment
What makes us feel good about our work?

Christiana Kirchner
20h
What makes us feel good about our work?
In this video, Dan Ariely talks about motivation and effort, in regards to work, and describes various scenarios and experiments to prove his point about meaningful work. While the issue of leadership isn’t much talked about, I find this video to be highly relevant to the topic. Some people believe that leadership is about inspiring people to reach organisational goals. But it then needs to be asked how? 
 
Throughout the video, we learn that people are willing to do more work for less money, simply by being acknowledged and having their work regarded as meaningful. In cases where the work done was instantly destroyed in front of them, or simply not acknowledged, the results were fairly similar and drastically different to the results where the work was given purpose. Even small meaning made a difference. From a leadership perspective, these results are important in understanding what motivates people, how motivation works, and how this can be effectively used for achieving organisational goals. 

Reference 

Ariely, D. (2012, October). What makes us feel good about our work? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work#t-1210152
favorite_border
0
1 comment

Kyle Thompson 28m
Great media and commentary. I agree with this, I think it’s important as leaders and managers to acknowledge the contribution and effort of others, no matter how good or bad you perceive the work. A lot of companies and organisations miss the mark when it comes to this, while the company may pay well, the supervisors and leaders do not often appreciate and acknowledge the efforts of all employees. It doesn’t take much to show gratitude for the work of others, and even as explored by Dan Ariely in the video, can lead to reduced costs on labour. A win-win situation one could think. This idea is also explored by Claydan Krivan in his article ’10 Reasons to Recognise Employee Achievements’ where he lists 10 reasons within the workplace why recognition should be given to employees. The list includes reasons such as values and increased productivity, yet in workplaces around the world, there seems to be a lack of recognition. Recognition and acknowledgement programs should become inbuilt into the culture of organisations, with a continued focus on simply appreciating other people’s contributions.


Add comment
Unhappy Workers: Tackling the reason why Aged Care staff leave

Darren Jeffery
21h
Unhappy Workers: Tackling the reason why Aged Care staff leave

Dr Katrina Radford, a lecturer at Griffith Business School, who completed her PhD thesis on staff retention and turnover in aged care. Dr Radford’s thesis, found that organisational factors such as working conditions and job satisfaction were far more important than personal factors in determining whether a person continued working in the sector. Dr Radford also stated “the factors influencing whether staff stayed or left aged care were overwhelmingly under the control of employers”. 

The Australian Ageing Agenda Publication highlighted the importance of workplace conditions, support and culture in understanding why aged care employees stay or leave the sector. With high turnover rates evident in the report, employing, retaining and developing the right staff not only has important benefits for clients and delivery of effective quality of care but also reduces the strains on an organisations costs.

Dr Radford stated; “This shows that there is a great opportunity for organisations to invest in their staff, particularly, in a way that works for them”. A clear finding from Dr Radford’s study was highlighting a link between the culture and environment of an organisation and the intentions of stakeholders to stay involved in the enterprise.

The report states that in terms of organisational factors influencing staff intentions to stay, job satisfaction and the work environment including culture, management and supportive co-workers were the most dominant factors.

Personally, I feel that through quality, informative feedback, engaging with staff, fostering and developing a culture of recognition, will allow for employees to feel valued and appreciated and readily understand and openly see their ability to contribute to the success of an organisation. 

We can always see the link between unhappy unengaged stakeholders and poor performance both at an individual and organisational level.

Reference:

Belardi, Linda. (2016, January 27). Unhappy workers: tackling the reasons why aged care staff leave. Australian Ageing Agenda. Retrieved from: https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2016/01/27/tackling-why-staff-leave/

 

favorite
1


Add comment
Ahmed Ismail

Ahmed Ismail
16h
Ahmed Ismail
5 Things All Great Leaders Do to Create a Culture of Leadership

Developing a productive workplace environment rests with the management of an organisation. Leaders must provide clarity through clearly defined goals and vision. Strong leaders reflect company culture through their actions and reinforcement of favorable employee behaviour. 

The article stressors the need for transformational leaders who develop a clear strategic plan to motivate employees. Leaders who connect with their employees using a hands on approach are more likely to a stronger teamwork environment. Successful leaders are aware of their shortcomings and do not shy away from constructive criticism from other employees. 

One argument the articles fails to stress is the need for workplaces practices which enable employees to voice their concerns. Often employees refrain from voicing their opinions because of the repercussions it may have. Leaders should provide employees with the opportunity to express their feelings both publicly and in private. 

Reference

Hogg, B. (2015, January 16). 5 Things All Great Leaders Do to Create a Culture of Leadership. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from http://customerthink.com/5-things-all-great-leaders-do-to-create-a-culture-of-leadership/

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Women, here are seven ways to become the best leader in business and in life

Karin Jones
16h
Women, here are seven ways to become the best leader in business and in life
Although this article has been written with women in business, in mind, it really isn’t gender specific in its advice. The article was however, written just before International Women’s Day, so this is probably the reason for such a title.
Ensuring open communication (including active listening) in an organisation's culture is vitally important. It can be said that the person responsible for a role day-in day-out, has the best ideas of how it can be done better. Without open communication, this information cannot be relayed back to senior management.
Leaders who listen to their team and their ideas, will be respected by the team, as the team members feel that they have a voice.
By communicating openly, everyone in the organisation is on the same page. By communicating the goals, values and vision of the organisation to everyone, each person is able to contribute to achieving these. When a team member understands how their role fits in the big picture, they can see why their role matters and how their work contributes to the organisation reaching its goals, values and vision. The team member is then likely to take ownership of their role and buy-in to the success of the organisation. They make themselves, accountable.

Reference

Vetere, R (2018, March, 5). Women, here are seven ways to become the best leader in business and in life. In Financial Post. Retrieved from http://business.financialpost.com/executive/executive-women/women-here-are-seven-ways-to-become-the-best-leader-in-business-and-in-life
favorite_border
0


Add comment
We Tend To Give Up On Our Employees Too Quickly

bettesafour
22h
We Tend To Give Up On Our Employees Too Quickly 
This article was published in HRD Australia where NAB are making 6,000 works redundant due to automation. People do find it hard to change, they do not see or visualise the future. Dr Trevor Roberts said  “We tend to give up on our employees too quickly,” 

There are many organisations that face these issues due to the rapid  environmental changes. I believe like him that people can change, the problem is organisations like NAB, can they afford to keep them? 
Culture plays a big part in these changes and organisations should be responsible in helping people develop in new roles earlier. 

As a leader we should be working with our people to motivate them and give them the confidence to succeed. The rapid change of technology is placing a strain on most organisations and If they always do what they have always done there is a possibly that the organisation will fail.
 
References

Mehdi, M., Raza, S. H., & Raza, A. (2017). It’s What’s Inside: Impact of Culture on Strategy Making. GSTF Journal on Business Review (GBR), 5(2), 40-45.

“We tend to give up on our employees too quickly”. (Feb, 2018)Retrieved from
https://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/we-tend-to-give-up-on-our-emiployees-too-quickly-246977.aspx
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Employers looking for an ever widening skills set from future employees

bettesafour
22h
Employers looking for an ever widening skills set from future employees
Wow! The best companies are looking for people in the Arts field, and not engineering! Not sure I agree as some of the new age engineers are into robotics and are critical thinkers. We are in an environment where Artifical intelligence (AI) is moving in leaps and bounds and having these skills would be a benefit to reducing cost. 

I agree we need to consider different skill sets as this provides organisations a healthy work structure as well as the right people to do the job. I also believe people with diverse skills can benefit leaders and organisations. As leaders we should be able to help people see future visions.

The organisation I work for cannot afford to hire specialist’s skills due to cost, so employing people who have multiple skill sets can be cost effective for the organisation and a definite advantage for an employee for the future.

References

Heracleous, L., & Klaering, L. A. (2017). The circle of life: Rhetoric of identification in Steve Jobs' Stanford speech. Journal of Business Research(79), 31-40.
 
Bolton, R. (Feb, 2018). Employers looking for an ever widening skills set from future employees. In Financial Review. Retrieved from http://www.afr.com/leadership/employers-looking-for-an-ever-widening-skills-set-from-future-employees-20180102-h0ckun




favorite_border
0


Add comment
Is Changing Jobs The Best Move?

bettesafour
22h
Is Changing Jobs The Best Move?
Interesting article where people believe if they want more money they should move jobs. The reality is job roles are changing and more roles are becoming automated. They mention loyalty like banks, however there are more customers now looking for a better deal and the government have made it easier to switch. 

Threatening to leave may work however, organisations are focused on improving the bottom line this might be an opportunity to change the role and reduce cost to the organisation. Where the article mentions staying with an employer for a longer period would not be beneficial for the employee.

I agree that organisations need new talent and ideas to stay relevant. When employees stay too long they become relaxed and any changes become overwhelming which in turn increase mental health issues as well as cost to any organisation. 

References 

Australian Government. (2012, July 1). Account switching. Retrieved September 1, 2015, from Australian Banking Reforms: http://www.bankingreforms.gov.au/content/Content.aspx?doc=switching.htm 

Bright, J. (Feb, 2018). In Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/careers/is-changing-jobs-the-best-move-20180218-p4z0ra.html 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Toxic Fearful Culture at Victorian Hospital

Darren Jeffery
1d
Toxic Fearful Culture at Victorian Hospital
Internal documents reveal 'toxic', 'fearful' culture at Victorian hospital 
 
The article ‘Internal documents reveal 'toxic', 'fearful' culture at Victorian hospital’, as reported on ABC South West Vic by Bridget Judd on 19 December 2017, is in relation to a review by Vic Health prompted by allegations of systematic bullying at ‘South West Healthcare’ (SWH).

The ABC article identified and reported on serious issues relating to workplace structure and culture, including a lack of confidence in senior management to act 'consistently and fairly', and concerns accountability for patient care had been "compromised" within the mental health department of SWH.

The publicly released report from Vic Health found ongoing issues within senior management. The report identified the SWH organisational decision-making processes and associated culture as being; 

"idiosyncratic, confusing and even impulsive, toxic, fearful, hampered, distressing, blaming, scrutinized, ashamed, silenced, punitive and not supporting of either staff or managers”.

Staff reported they were made to feel inadequate or shamed if they expressed concerns and were left out of communication networks. The report identified open discussions about staff human resource management which fed a workplace culture that was driving away employees.

A toxic or unhealthy workplace culture and environment at an organisation can cause that organisation to struggle to retain and attract quality stakeholders and professionals. These unhealthy cultures take a toll on both the organisation’s ethics and missions, but also the employees and stakeholders mental health and their ability and motivation to function and perform effectively.

The trust that employees have in the leadership culture take long periods of time to embed, but can be undone in an instant.

Reference:

Judd, Bridgett, (2017, December 19). Internal documents reveal 'toxic', 'fearful' culture at Victorian hospital. ABC News. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-19/toxic-culture-revealed-at-south-west-healthcare/9271182


favorite_border
0


Add comment
When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Doesn’t

Karin Jones
16h
When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Doesn’t
This article explores the positives and negatives of empowering employees. Organisations in both western & eastern countries were analysed.
The positive outcome shows that leaders who empowered their employees, gave employees more autonomy in the workplace, which had the potential to lead to greater job satisfaction, higher staff morale, new ideas being implemented and employees excelling in their positions. One of the flow on effects of this is greater staff retention, which of course, ensures the organisation has more effective business continuity and less costs spent on hiring and training new staff.
The other side of the argument explored instances where employees could become overwhelmed or feel that their leaders were just avoiding doing the work themselves. In this instance, a good leader could implement a mentoring approach and some close guidance, to allow the employee to gain self confidence in their decisions and ideas. Most importantly, an effective leader needs to keep the communication lines open to ensure they are on the same page as the employee.
As organisations are constantly exposed to change, empowering employees with autonomy allows them to make the best decision based on the current situation that they may be in. As long as decisions made are in the best interests of the organisation, by complimenting its goals, values and vision, this ensures that the organisation is keeping up to date with the needs of its employees, customers, clients and relevant stakeholders, whilst also being proactive and responsive with changes in the business environment, both internally and externally. To ensure this is the outcome, effective leaders must ensure the employee has a sound understanding of the core values of the organisation as well as its vision and goals, decisions should made to align with these.

Reference
Lee, A., Willis, Tian, A.W (2018, March, 2) When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Does. In Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/03/when-empowering-employees-works-and-when-it-doesnt
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Toxic Cover up Culture

Darren Jeffery
1d
Toxic Cover up Culture 
Oakden nursing home: Senate inquiry told of 'toxic' cover-up culture at abuse-plagued facility

The article on ABC, reported by, political reporter Nick Harmsen on 21 November 2017, identified a "toxic" culture of cover up at the South Australian government-run Oakden nursing home. The report identified that multiple internal and external sources were responsible for the failure to identify years of abuse of elderly patients with dementia.

The report and article identified State and Federal Government inadequacies in their abilities to identify, respond to and manage concerns in such a “closed environment” as reported by the senior SA Health official responsible for the facility, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Jackie Hanson.

The internal and external accreditation and auditing systems failed in their ability to implement a diverse holistic approach to identifying cultural environmental concerns. Stakeholders expressed concerns of being intimidated by organisational factors that prevented them from reporting the abuse and cultural flaws.

It is evident in the report that a culture of cover-ups and a complicate nature of compliance to aged care accreditation standards is evident. The report states that the Federal Government was working on an action plan to approve accreditation practices and had made a commitment to move to unannounced visits.

Ensuring that all stakeholders are fully aware of, and involved in the oversight of, the blame from one government department or oversight committee for what was going on does not diminish the fact that an all-encompassing review need to be conducted. 

Through policy and procedure development, new accreditation and oversight standards implementation and internal reviews, a more open and non-toxic culture can be developed. Focusing on training and development is paramount, however ensuring that the systems are in place to effectively manage these concerns on an ongoing basis are compliant and sustainable is a major quality improvement undertaking.

Reference:

Harmsen, Nick., (2017, November 21). Oakden nursing home: Senate inquiry told of 'toxic' cover-up culture at abuse-plagued facility. ABC News. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-21/oakden-nursing-home-toxic-cover-up-culture/9175924 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Ahmed Ismail

Ahmed Ismail
1d
Ahmed Ismail
10 Examples of Companies with Fantastic Cultures

When you begin to analyze why some companies succeed and others fail, the common trait amongst successful companies is effective organizational culture. Management are becoming increasingly aware of the need for integrated workplace practices, which can no longer be ignored.

This particular article mentions 10 large organisations with successful organizational environments. One such company is “Southwest Airlines”. In an industry where consumers find air travel a hassle and competition is high, Southwest Airlines has built a reputation on satisfied customers who highly recommend the airline. This is a result of the company culture at the organization which has been operating for over 43 years now. Employees are encouraged to meet the needs of their customers, as a result customers feel valued and attended to. 

Where the article falls short, is clearly identifying the fact, that different organizations can have varying workplace norms and still find significant success. 

Reference

Patel, S. (2015, August 06). 10 Examples of Companies With Fantastic Cultures. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249174

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Building a Culture of Positive Disruption

Heidi van der Laan
2d
Building a Culture of Positive Disruption

Through position of influence, leaders can help create a positive culture of disruption. 
 
By allowing employees at all levels to have authority to disrupt the business norms, leaders are empowering employees to innovate, think outside the square. Leaders can help create a disruptive positive culture by creating a safe environment where speaking up is encouraged when new ideas or alternative views are generated.  
 
It’s important that an organisation listen’s to the people on the front line, they are one the ones receiving the customers feedback so it is crucial leaders allow these employees to have a voice and for them to be heard. 
 
Employees will need to gain trust in their leaders before a disruptive culture can be cultivated. Heath suggests key qualities leaders require to create and drive a culture that invites disruption include; the ability to remain non-defensive, have intellectual humility and be willing to have your ideas or strategic direction questioned. 
 
Heath, N. (n.d.). Building a Culture of Positive Disruption. Retrieved from https://managersandleaders.com.au/blog/building-a-culture-of-positive-disruption/ 
favorite_border
0


Add comment
7 mistakes people make when thinking about people and culture

Christiana Kirchner
2d
7 mistakes people make when thinking about people and culture
This article was written by Monika Gisler for Business Insider Australia. Monika is the co-founder of a people and culture consulting agency and draws on this and her experience working for Google for over a decade to outline the importance of people and culture for a business and its brand. 
 
The question of whether leaders are born or made is discussed in much leadership literature, Monika says that ‘leadership is developed.’ Employees who deserve it, should not only be rewarded with management positions, but their skills should be developed in order to create more managers who act as leaders, who then have the necessary skills when managing more future leaders, ensuring the future success of the business. This point is further proven by point 7, where it is pointed out that the companies that invest in people and the development of positive organisational culture with ongoing training are more successful.

Reference

Gisler, M. (2018, January 24). 7 mistakes people make when thinking about people and culture. Business Insider Australia. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com.au/people-and-culture-hr-mistakes-2018-1

favorite_border
0


Add comment
The power of culture as a Competitive Advantage

melkie woldemichael
3d
The power of culture as a Competitive Advantage
This Forbes article shows besides the product/service, technology or credentials, the secret ingredient to success is Culture.

The article provides numerous ideas and formats key points for achieving a strong corporate culture which inspires employees to become more intrinsically motivated. Alyssa Rapp (the writer), reveals her first point as drawing a clear and concise company vision for the employees (Rapp, 2015). This will allow team members to communicate the company’s vision clearly and succinctly. Secondly, surrounding the workplace with people who share similar values. Thirdly, celebrating the success of a team member, this shows the employee is valued within the organisation. Fourthly, make each goal clear so team members acknowledge where their efforts and hard work is going towards. And lastly, become a company that delivers a “double bottom line”, this encompasses both profits as well as impact (local and global) (Rapp, 2015). 

Culture holds the power to inspire employees to move themselves, to move mountains, and to support each other in a way that, when done right it is truly irreplaceable. And when the company presents a market-leading product supported by great technology, culture seems to be the most defensible competitive advantage of them all (Rapp, 2015). 


Reference

Rapp, A. (2015, September 15). The power of culture as a competitive advantage. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2015/09/15/the-power-of-culture-as-a-competitive-advantage/#6f321d4b3f6b

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Leaders in Innovation: How they’re creating cultures of creativity

melkie woldemichael
3d
Leaders in Innovation: How they’re creating cultures of creativity
The article written by Phil McKinney, explains on of the necessary goals for a leader in an organisation is to cultivate culture of creativity. This allows the individual to fulfil their abilities in their role. The article provides two exemplary leaders in today’s world, Elon Musk and Mark Benioff. Both of these innovative leaders have built a strong culture with their forward-thinking approach. 

The article supports the idea that creating a culture of innovation is treating employees well and acting with integrity. Innovative leaders never lose sight of the necessity of a strong and engaged team (McKinney, 2016). Engaging in questionable practices or treating employees like disposable resources is not the way to get the best ideas. When employees feel a sense of ownership and pride in the organisation, they’ll feel empowered to try new things and give their best. 

Reference


McKinney, P. (2016, June 02). Leaders in Innovation: How they're creating cultures of creativity. Retrieved from Philmckinney blog: Ideas of Innovation: http://philmckinney.com/leaders-innovation-theyre-creating-cultures-creativity/

favorite_border
0


Add comment
TEDx Talk on Today's Perception of Culture and Leadership by Joseph Trimble.

melkie woldemichael
3d
TEDx Talk on Today's Perception of Culture and Leadership by Joseph Trimble. 
In a changing society, new leadership styles are emerging. This video recognises the past dominating styles and brings to light on more inclusive, diverse and effective options. In the past, Joseph Trimble (the speaker) characterises the “Alpha Male Leader” approach as the leading leadership style (Trimble, 2015). Consequently, the main attributes of “Alpha Male Leader” leadership style were Bold, Aggressive and Self-centred to name a few. However, in the changing world, people are becoming more adaptive in their role to leaders who appreciate the culture and mirror their beliefs to the staff themselves.  

Trimble tells a story about Dianne and how she changed the whole culture and outlook of an organisation. Due to her diverse background, she introduced a unique presidential approach to the position. She engaged with all the various staff at an individual bases and created a bond never witnessed before between a president of an organisation and their staff. She also restructured the board meeting room into a more inclusive atmosphere by replacing the rectangle table into a round table. In such scepticism, the board members were worried she was spending too much time engaging with the staff and not enough time obtaining the company goals. However, in due time everything changed, the goals were met, staff were staying behind to complete extra work, and collaborating with one another. 

This example is a direct representation of how diverse and more relatable leadership attributes creates a strong culture within an organisation. Regardless of the age of the organisation, the changing world has improved the cultural expectations from their leaders to achieve greater performance limits. 

Reference            

Trimble, J. (2015). Culture and Leadership. Retrieved on 9th of March from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuHj3jsBdKE

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Apple under fire over reports students worked illegal overtime to build iPhone X

Jaik Payne
3d
Apple under fire over reports students worked illegal overtime to build iPhone X
 The article was published by “The Guardian”, and presents the issue of negative culture and working environment of Foxconn and Apple.

The article is an open view on the treatment of staff by both Foxconn and Apple, and the issues seem to stem from the lack of notice or care from leadership and management. This isn’t the only time Foxconn and Apple have been under fire, in 2010 reports of employee suicide and mistreatment of staff plagued the internet. Apple is very notorious for not implementing mechanisms to protect their staff, in my opinion this is mostly due to their company culture. The article, however, discusses the forced labour of students on work experience, it has been stated by Li Qiang, the executive director of New York-based non-profit China Labour Watch, “When Apple’s production demands it, Apple completely ignores the labour standards they have set” (Hern, A. 2017).  

The article leaves readers with the impression that the company culture of Apple of profit above all else is damaging not only their image, but the environments in which they work.  

 

Reference

Hern, A. (November, 22nd. 2017). Apple under fire over reports students worked illegal overtime to build iPhone X. The Guardian. Retrieved on 9th of March from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/21/apple-students-illegal-overtime-reports-iphone-x-foxconn-interns 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Chaos at Fox News: One Week In, Culture Change Is on the Rocks

Jaik Payne
3d
Chaos at Fox News: One Week In, Culture Change Is on the Rocks
The article explores the impact that a changing culture has on an organisation, and according to the article it looks like an “Implosion” (Saraiya, S. 2017). 

Due to a very public culture change Fox News is experiencing a very negative outcome impacting the organisations image and influence. Issues of sexual harassment, racism and resistance to culture change are all having a troubling and negative impact on the organisations attempt to change its culture. According to the author the company is in complete disarray, but, that has not deterred the efforts of the Murdoch family to continually change and implement solutions to the corporation’s culture.  The company’s attempt to remove problem employees and leaders has resulted in very public outburst by the former employees, with meltdowns on twitters as well as very verbal encounters, Fox looks like it is having a large issue with changing their culture. 

The article leaves the readers with the impression that Fox is rotten to its core and the resistance to change is a result the negative reaction to the need for change be Fox’s leadership. 

 

                Reference

Saraiya, S. (April 28, 2017). Chaos at Fox News: One Week In, Culture Change Is on the Rocks. Variety. Retrieved on the 8th March from
 http://variety.com/2017/tv/columns/fox-news-chaos-culture-change-1202402305/ 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Fixing a toxic culture like Uber’s requires more than just a new CEO

Jaik Payne
3d
Fixing a toxic culture like Uber’s requires more than just a new CEO 
The article was published by “The Conversation” and provides an intelligent look into the toxic culture at Uber and their road to redemption. 

The article first gives an insight into the toxic culture at Uber and whom is responsible for its emergence. It shows how the blame of the culture is traced back to the top of the corporation and extends throughout the managers, leaders and their followers. Leadership are accused of allowing the culture to fester, even after the resignation of the CEO Travis Kalanick.  Sexual harassment, sexism and inappropriate behaviour are just some of the many aspects identified by the authors to be toxic behaviour, it is suggested that bad leaders which allow this behaviour need to be removed from the company and much of the work towards redemption resides in the company themselves regulating their culture and behaviour. 

The article leaves the readers with the conclusion that the changing of the company culture resides in the leaders of the company to regulate and discipline themselves and their followers, and to also hold the company responsible for inappropriate actions. 

Reference

Sawyer, K. & Thoroughgood, C. (June 21st, 2017). Fixing a toxic culture like Uber’s requires more than just a new CEO. The Conversation. Retrieved on March 8 2018 from https://theconversation.com/fixing-a-toxic-culture-like-ubers-requires-more-than-just-a-new-ceo-79102 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Followership: The Other Side of Leadership

Matthew Heyward
4d
Followership: The Other Side of Leadership
This article was published by the Ivey Business Journal. The article sets out to provide an insight into followership and how it directly relates to leadership.

Quite often followership is overlooked in effective leadership and often there are backhanded comments such as “you are an excellent follower”, which assists in diminishing just how important followership is to leadership. But in essence followership goes hand in hand with leadership. By considering the characteristics of effective followership; judgement, work ethic, competence, honesty, courage, discretion, loyalty, and ego management. You are effectively also considering the functional characteristics of an effective leader. This reinforces the argument that leadership exists at all levels of an organisation but further to that it reinforces the argument of the article, that being followership is the underlying strength to leadership and that successful leaders are also successful followers.   

By monitoring and promoting effective followership within an organisation it will contribute to a more robust working environment and promote a positive culture. 
Reference 
McCallum, John. (2013). Followership: The Other Side of Leadership. Ivey Business Journal. Retrieved on 8 March 2018 from https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/followership-the-other-side-of-leadership/


favorite_border
0


Add comment
The Pros and Cons of Transparent Corporate Cultures

Matthew Heyward
4d
The Pros and Cons of Transparent Corporate Cultures
The article was published by Glassdoor, a recruitment agency, on their website. The article gives a sound insight into how effective transparency can be for an organisation and also how ineffective it can also be. 

The article is very pro transparency for a number of reasons that can be beneficial such as improving the workplace culture, communicating corporate intentions and also communicating of values of the organisation. However, it also provides an overview of how too much transparency to can have the opposite effect on organisational performance. As long as organisations are aware of the signs and symptoms too much transparency is having, such as organisational drag, then they can utilise a transparent culture to their advantage. This will result to less employee turnover and an increase in employee performance. 

In today’s competitive market, not only for bottom line results, but also in attraction and retention of talent this article can help steer an organisation in the right direction for success. 
Reference 
Greensonbach, Sarah. (2016) The Pros and Cons of Transparent Corporate Cultures. Glassdoor. Retrieved on 08 March 2018 from https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-transparent-corporate-cultures/

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Ahmed Ismail

Ahmed Ismail
16h
Ahmed Ismail
90 Second Leadership - The Culture Pyramid (Todd Adkins)

Management who adopt the view that organisational culture is merely a set of values and beliefs that employee hold are missing out on key issues. Workplace culture goes beyond what is visible and open to observation. 

For example the video link below explains the idea that culture can be viewed as a pyramid with levels, similar to a Hierarchy pyramid which displays the levels of power. Workplace culture is seen as having two distinct characteristics both “Visible” and “Invisible”. While management can often see the visible cues, which include company logos, social norms and employee behaviour, often assumptions are left unnoticed. Successful leaders conduct the necessary research needed to ensure assumptions are not and employees feel comfortable.

For greater clarity, the video, should have acknowledged ways to identify underlying assumptions in organisational culture. This will allow management to implement a more cohesive work environment. 

Reference

90 Second Leadership - The Culture Pyramid (Todd Adkins). (2018, January 02). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJT2nargQ4o

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Emotional Intelligence and Positive Workplace Culture

Matthew Heyward
4d
Emotional Intelligence and Positive Workplace Culture 
The article provides an insight into emotional intelligence (EI (or EQ)) and how it can be utilised to produce a positive company culture.

First the article gives a brief insight into the emerging world of EI and what it actually is. It shows how the interpersonal skills of EI are utilised for individuals and their abilities to communicate and work effectively with other people. The article then leads into the positive effects EI has on a workplace culture. It is wrapped up with steps individuals can take to use EI in their own work practices and also how they can utilise it to improve a workplace culture. 

This article is consistent with a number of studies into EI and how effective it is for individuals. Whilst EI has been around for a number of years (1985), it was primarily focused on how successful it can be for individuals. This article is a clear demonstration how EI as a field has evolved and how much it can contribute to a workplace culture. 
Reference 
Unknown Author. (2015) Emotional Intelligence and Positive Company Culture. Smallbizclub.com. Retrieved on 8 March 2018 from http://smallbizclub.com/leadership/people-skills/emotional-intelligence-and-positive-company-culture/

favorite_border
0
1 comment

Jaik Payne 1d
I found this article quite interesting as I also believe that Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a necessity in a leadership positon. Leaders need to possess the ability to understand the people they lead including aspects as complex as emotions. I agree with the reflection on how beneficial EI can be for individuals, however, I believe it holds more value to the overall organisation rather than just individuals. Emotional Intelligence is an excellent method of improving communication in areas such as constructive criticism and assists in motivating staff to work. Advancement in these areas should improve team cohesion. I found it intriguing, how EI has such a large impact on company culture, the drastic effect of leaders using effective EI can transform a negative working environment into a positive and productive one. Leaders should implement the strategy of EI as it has employees seen as actual people rather than just an asset to the organisation. When people feel appreciated they develop a sense of loyalty to the leaders or the organisation, leading to a dramatic increase in productivity and a healthy company culture and environment.


Add comment
What Really Defines Leadership in Today’s World?This article discusses what makes a leader and how building relationships can impact on the motivation of others. Biro’s (2017) article on what defines leadership reflects on the importance of building relationships and the impact this had on their motivation. Instead of the standard email with a request for information, a colleague whom they had never met took the time to introduce themselves and ask genuine and insightful questions about their personal life. This had a positive effect as it formed a relationship and motivated the reader to fulfil their request as they now felt a connection. Biro states that “Our ability to connect and create relationships trumps many other factors when doing business”. The article leaves the reader with some things to consider, such as: As leader, how likeable are you? And; As a leader, when you reach out, how many people are eager to assist?Reference:Biro, S. (2017). What really defines leadership in today’s world. In Forbes Coaches Council. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/03/27/what-really-defines-leadership-in-todays-world/#8a240ca20713 [Accessed, 7 Mar. 2018].

PAUL MAHON
5d
What Really Defines Leadership in Today’s World?This article discusses what makes a leader and how building relationships can impact on the motivation of others. Biro’s (2017) article on what defines leadership reflects on the importance of building relationships and the impact this had on their motivation. Instead of the standard email with a request for information, a colleague whom they had never met took the time to introduce themselves and ask genuine and insightful questions about their personal life. This had a positive effect as it formed a relationship and motivated the reader to fulfil their request as they now felt a connection. Biro states that “Our ability to connect and create relationships trumps many other factors when doing business”. The article leaves the reader with some things to consider, such as: As leader, how likeable are you? And; As a leader, when you reach out, how many people are eager to assist?Reference:Biro, S. (2017). What really defines leadership in today’s world. In Forbes Coaches Council. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/03/27/what-really-defines-leadership-in-todays-world/#8a240ca20713 [Accessed, 7 Mar. 2018].
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy.

PAUL MAHON
5d
Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy.
This article discusses the lack of effective listening amongst leaders and how empathetic listening contributes to successful leadership. As mentioned in the article, active listening combined with empathy is the most effective form of listening and is often what sets leaders apart from one another.
 
Empathetic listening is comprised of various behavioural sets, which can include:
 
·      Appropriate verbal and  non verbal cues
·      Processing
·      Responding
 
The ability to understand others and their emotional reactions allows leaders to gain insight on how to approach situations and effectively work together with others in building relationships. Riordan states that “The ability and willingness to listen with empathy is often what sets a leader apart.  Hearing words is not adequate; the leader truly needs to work at understanding the position and perspective of the others involved in the conversation”. 
 
Reference:
 
Roidan, C (2014). Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy.
Retrieved from :
https://hbr.org/2014/01/three-ways-leaders-can-listen-with-more-empathy
[Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].
favorite_border
0
1 comment

Matthew Heyward 4d
The reason for selecting this particular article is because it holds a true account of my previous work experiences. How often do we sit back at work and say to ourselves that it feels like management never listen to us or wonder how management can be so disjointed from our perceived reality? For me it is often. However, when I have had managers and supervisors who have taken the time to listen and respond to concerns it has improved the overall performance of the work group and also had a direct impact on the overall culture. I am not talking about the managers who do this because they have to and respond to every concern with a response that a politician would be proud of, or somehow manage to turn every conversation back to how good they are. I am talking about the ones that genuinely want to listen and you can see it in their demeanour as if they have failed us. These mangers act this way because they have emotional intelligence. This was also found to be true in Mansel (2014) where it demonstrated that in a nursing manager’s context those that were able to demonstrate empathy had far more successful outcomes in supervisor/manger employee relations which had a direct correlation to the operations of their respected wards.


Add comment
#MeToo Workplace Culture and Leadership

Olivia Anderton
5d
#MeToo Workplace Culture and Leadership
The below media post by Dixie Gillaspie discusses the much talked about #MeToo movement that has been prominent in media since October 2017. 
 
With such a strong and controversial topic being pushed to the forefront of people’s lives, it is important to think of the impact this may have on the way people work and their energy within the workplace. It’s important for leaders to foster relationships of trust and ensure that the organisations culture is one of safety so that all employees have no qualms when it comes to bringing to light any issues that may occur within or outside the workplace that may affect their performance. The right organisational culture can help employees to feel safe and valued and thus they are more likely to communicate with leaders. In the post, Gillaspie (2018) states that this movement should encourage organisations to “invest in creating a culture of universal respect”. She foregrounds the fact that this movement is “changing the standards of professional behaviour”, that conversation around this movement is “happening in your workplace, whether you’re aware of it or not and as a leader you need to be a constructive voice in that conversation”. It is vital that leaders are clued into their environment and such important topics and take part in positive change in the workplace. 
 
 Reference:
Gillaspie, D. (2018). How the #MeToo movement is affecting your leadership (and you might not even notice). Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/02/13/how-the-metoo-movement-is-affecting-your-leadership-and-you-might-not-even-notice/#6af720fc65fe [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Good leaders make you feel safe

Olivia Anderton
5d
Good leaders make you feel safe
Simon Sinek in the below video addresses key characteristics of leaders that are vital in creating an organisational environment and culture of trust, cooperation and safety. The premise here is that good leader should make employees feel safe. Sinek looks at not only what makes a leader, but what makes a GREAT leader. He suggests that a great leader is someone “who makes their employees feel secure, who draws staffers into a circle of trust”. 
Sinek supports the idea that in the right environment every person has the ability to do remarkable things. If employees feel safe within their workplace, and they trust their leaders, they will “naturally combine their talents and their strengths” (Sinek, 2014) working together to achieve organisational goals and objectives. 
 
The video provides an example of the value in creating such a culture and environment. Sinek talks about a large manufacturing company that ran into some issues and as a result needed to save a substantial amount of money. Rather than turn to layoffs as a solution, leaders of this organisation came up with a furlough program and jobs were saved. Every employee was required to take 4 weeks unpaid vacation time. Sinek described that when this solution was explained to employees, management said it was better that everyone suffers a little, than any one person suffers a lot. Because of this morale within the organisation went up. Because employees felt safe and protected by their leaders, the natural reaction was to trust and cooperate and so people started working together, helping each other. They started trading the time off. People who could afford it took on extra weeks of leave so those who could not afford it had less. This emphasises the point, a great leader looks after people, and an organisation that recognises this and thus has an environment and culture in which trust in leaders and cooperation of staff is focal, are far more likely to succeed in meeting organisational strategies and overall objectives.   
 
Reference:
Sinek, S. (2014). Why good leaders make you feel safe. Retrieved from:
https://youtu.be/lmyZMtPVodo
favorite_border
0
1 comment

bettesafour 22h
Olivia, what a great speaker. He really provided great examples and makes me think of why some leaders I have worked for excelled, they believe in you and inspire yo do to more as well as having your best interest at heart.


Add comment
Perth City CEO raised concerns about Councillors bullying behaviour

Lizzie Speer
6d
Perth City CEO raised concerns about Councillors bullying behaviour 
The Perth’s Now Sunday Times reported an article dated 24th February 2018 on the City of Perth Chief Executive Officer Martin Mileham about raising the bullying claims he was experiencing with the councillors and their behaviour towards himself and his staff.

The article mentioned that he had raised his concerns with the Department of Local Government days before he took stress leave. The City of Perth CEO Martin Mileham had also sought legal advice concerning the City’s obligation to minimise “the risks of employees being subjected to bullying behaviours, including those that result from communications that are aggressive, rude or repetitive”.

The department was in process of investing the allegations raised by the CEO Mr Martin Mileham and all the relevant parties involved to ascertain whether this may be the case. 
I found this article interesting as it demonstrates that poor behaviour can start at the top of the chain and infiltrate down to staff of all levels.

REFERENCE
Emery, K. 2018 (2018 February 28).Ceo Martin Mileham raised concerns about Councillors bullying behaviours. Retrieved from https://www.perthnow.com.au/politics/local-government/ceo-martin-mileham-raised-concerns-about-councillors-bullying-behaviours-ng-b88755622z

 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
A Good Culture wins awards

Paula lee
6d
A Good Culture wins awards 
Asana is a work management software company who have seen their company grow and achieve many awards for being a great workplace. They have achieved this by seeing culture as a product with many different features and each feature has owner and a responsibility.  When they uncover culture “bugs” they use their product to manage an example is when an employee leaves they ask “5 whys” and any bugs are given to the area of responsibility and addressed in the next round of design. The company have a clear and transparent workplace where employees take responsibility and ownership for their work, and are inspired about the mission. 

A concern for such successful rapid growth organisations is that when organsiation doubles its number of employees, opportunities to innovate and employees’ confidence in leadership drop precipitously. By having a well developed culture with values truly adopted and embedded,  a leadership style and culture present during periods of transition and change it can determine the likelihood of success or failure in an organisation. 

References 
Gonzalez, Z.J.F., Wolf, J.G., Dudjak, Z.L., & Jordan, Z.B. (2015). Impact of magnet culture in maintaining quality outcomes during periods of organisational transition.  Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 30 (4), 323.

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Culture - everyones responsibility

Paula lee
6d
Culture - everyones responsibility 
This article explains how  culture is everyones responsibility, however it requires leadership to set the example.

The article provides an example at Volkswagen during the low emissions scandal and how the leadership affected the culture at Volkswagen. The ex CEO instilled a culture of fear where failure was unacceptable and ultimately led to it’s downfall. 

However whilst the CEO was instrumental in the downfall of  VW,  all should not be blamed on the CEO.  The organisation is large with many leaders within, such as  board members, executive  all of whom are  all accountable.  As regardless of temperament or personality type, leaders can cope with the challenges of managing in today's work environment by demonstrating  a high level of integrity, removing fear from the workplace,  fighting for employees,  helping them save face and overcoming a lack of trust (Abbasi, Hollman & Hayes, 2008). 

To foster an inclusive and partipcptiative culture, leaders need to collaborate and communicate with their team. Having a well built managed organisational culture creates a competitive advantage to a company. 




Reference

Abbasi, S. M., PhD., Hollman, K. W., PhD., & Hayes, R. D., PhD. (2008). Bad bosses and how not to be one. Information Management Journal, 42(1), 52-54,56. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/227725450?accountid=10344








favorite_border
0


Add comment
11 Characteristics of great leadership

Lizzie Speer
5d
11 Characteristics of great leadership
Characteristics associated with Leadership can be classified into three broad categories as outline in DuBrin (2014 p37).

The article I have found on “the 11 characteristics of great leadership”, 1100 leaders and more than 700 of their employees were surveyed and tested by researchers to find out what they believed were important characteristics of a great leader. 
Out of this survey they narrowed it down to 11 core leadership characteristics. These 11 characteristics included: 
1.       Judgment: This involves making good decisions at the right time based on trustworthy data and analysis. 
2.       Courage: A decision may be unpopular, it may attract political consequences, there could even be negative repercussions for the leader, and yet still that leader makes the right decision. 
3.       Drive: This is ambition, motivation and hope. These leaders work with energy, passion and urgency.
4.       Collaboration: see their colleagues and employees as allies rather than enemies; as worthy of dialogue rather than monologue; as people with whom to share, rather than hoard, resources and ideas.
5.       Integrity: This personifies the leader who holds himself or herself up to a high moral standard, higher than what's expected of others. 
6.       Temperance: What's that old saying? Stressful situations are dealt with level-headedly, problems that arise are solved rationally.
7.       Accountability: This is when errors are rectified by taking personal responsibility, by avoiding excuses, and by refraining from finger pointing
8.       Justice: necessitates writing wrongs, seeking feedback, and remaining objective even during times of emotional turbulence.
9.      Humility: There's nothing wrong with accepting praise for accomplishments so long as there's as much willingness to accept criticism, to declare weaknesses, to seek opportunities for personal development, and to value others as much as oneself. 
10.   Humanity: At the heart of humanity is an understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that these are opportunities for coaching and learning rather than condemnation and punishment.
11.   Transcendence: A transcendent leader as one who "sees possibility where others do not … 
Therefore, its good observation to see what researches believe to be important characteristic of a great leader by surveying real people. 

Reference
Adonis, J 2017 (2017 February 16) The 11 Characteristics of Great Leadership Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/the-11-characteristics-of-great-leadership-20170216-guehie.html

 

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Toxic Culture

Paula lee
6d
Toxic Culture 
The City of Perth over the last five years have seen staff morale deteriorate which the acting CEO  ( the exisiting CEO is on leave due to an unsafe workplace) blamed external and internal forces.  In a staff survey the staff scored low for elected members of the councils  behaviour, leadership and team spirit . The culture has lead to deterioration of trust and positive engagement decrease. 

The culture of the City of Perth is not too dissimilar to many organisations across the world since the GFC in 2008,  businesses  have downsized, restructured  and surviving employees are forced to work harder. This has led to some management scholars calling  for action to promote more sustainable workplaces. In their study of 100 small business Jurik and Cavender (2016) found  staff valued the importance of a positive work environment to stimulating business innovation and stressed the importance of autonomy and of teamwork for their employees.

The articles highlights the damage a toxic culture can cause and how poor leadership behaviour can cascade through the organisation. The City of Perth will need to build a sustainable workplace by building a positive work environment and this can only start from the top. 


Reference 

Jurik, N. C., & Cavender, G. (2016). Sustainable workplaces as innovation. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 21(1), 53-71. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.9774/GLEAF.3709.2016.ja.00006 Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1787756134?accountid=10344
favorite_border
0
1 comment

Luciana Cajazeira 5d
I find this article very interesting in highlighting how culture is linked to leadership. In doing my research I noticed that there are plenty of sources and studies on how leadership influences culture and in turn, high performance but I struggled to find sources that explore the inverse relationship - how the culture influences leadership effectiveness. Maybe the council leaders are good but the culture limits their effectiveness? Or maybe the leadership style is not useful for cultural change? KorzynskiI (2014) suggests that cultural change is as complex exercise as cultural norms are embedded in the organisation and that transformational leadership behaviours are more effective in overcoming limitations. I feel that although leaders can play an active role in improving a toxic culture, a strategic approach to change management and a better understanding of the limitations affecting leadership effectiveness is also needed for a sustainable change. Reference Korzynski, P. (2014). Overcoming leadership limitations: a theoretical study of leadership behaviors and methods. Management and business administration. Central Europe, 22(4), 26-38. doi:10.7206/mba.ce.2084-3356.116


Add comment
Apples Corporate Culture

Rosemary Khoury
8d
Apples Corporate Culture
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Importance of Employee Engagement

Rosemary Khoury
8d
Importance of Employee Engagement
favorite_border
0


Add comment
NAB Cuts 6000 jobs.

Rosemary Khoury
8d
NAB Cuts 6000 jobs.
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Banks urged to make a sharp break with the past to improve culture

Bridgitte Evans
8d
Banks urged to make a sharp break with the past to improve culture
favorite_border
0


Add comment
How Facebook Tries to Prevent Office Politics

Bridgitte Evans
8d
How Facebook Tries to Prevent Office Politics
This article was published in the Harvard Business Review by Jay Parikh, the global head of engineering and infrastructure at Facebook.
favorite_border
0


Add comment
4 Things Successful Leaders Say to Create a Culture of Innovation

Michelle Klesman
9d
4 Things Successful Leaders Say to Create a  Culture of Innovation
 
This article by Tamara Kleinberg discusses the traits of successful leaders and how they create a culture where innovation thrives (Kleinberg). The four phrases Kleinberg recognizes in successful leaders are 

1.       I’m wrong 
2.       Tell me more about that 
3.       I don’t know 
4.       I want to share something personal with you 

The first one is something that some would see as a weakness in a leader, being wrong. To be both an innovator and a leader is it expected to be wrong (Kleinberg). This would help to create inspiration and is a true characteristic of a transformational leader (DuBrin, A, 2004, p.117). 

By getting clients to tell her more about their requirements and listening before answers Kleinberg was able to effectively solve problems through innovation (Kleinberg). I would agree that often leaders get caught up with being right and fast at decision making instead of listening to the needs of other. 

I don’t know is an interesting perpective on leadership. Of course, she doesn’t recommend that you simple respond you don’t know but instead take the time to find and answers and insists no one can possible have all the answers (Kleinberg). A expectation I imagine many leaders impose on themselves. 

Finally, she encourages leaders to share a personal side with their team (Kleinberg). I would agree with her closing line that innovation requires vulnerability, courage and openness (Kleinberg). 

Reference
Kleinberg, T. 4 Things Successful Leaders Say to Create a Innovative Culture. Innovation Excellence. Retrieved from http://innovationexcellence.com/blog/2018/02/12/4-things-successful-leaders-say-to-create-a-culture-of-innovation/
favorite_border
0


Add comment
The 4 Keys to a positive Corporate Culture

brayden201294
6d
The 4 Keys to a positive Corporate Culture
This video is about the 4 keys for developing a positive culture. This has a strong connection to recruiting and retaining top talent, leadership development, sales, productivity, innovation (HR Exchange Network,2017). The four keys to a positive culture are:
1. Feeling Valued- This is conducted by acknowledging employees of doing a job well done. It is important that a leader acknowledges an employees value to an organisation. If employees do not feel valued they will leave the organisation (HR Exchange Network,2017).
2.Feeling connected-This is conducted by a leader inviting people from other departments and have lunch with them. A  company happy hour must be organised so employees can engage with each other. This will also give them a chance to communicate with other organisations and this improves communication skills (HR Exchange Network,2017).
3.Feeling a sense of contribution- The goals and mission must be communicated throughout the whole organisation to everyone.This makes employees feel they are part of the organisation and they feel valued. If employees do not feel valued they are likely to leave the organisation.  A leader must ask the employee how their role achieves the goals and mission of the organisation to make them feel they are contributing and belong to the organisation (HR Exchange Network,2017).
4.Feeling growth- This is a psychological need for every individual. Training is required to improve employee habits in the workplace. A leader must step up for this training to occur. When employees feel they have some improvement in themselves they improve their self esteem and this increases productivity (HR Exchange Network,2017).
These 4 keys for developing a positive culture are essential in every organisation. These 4 keys can only be achieved if a leader steps up and takes charge. This video has a perception that 4 keys must be followed to develop a positive culture. Leaders must adapt to a transformational and charismatic approach for this to occur.

Reference:
HR Exchange Network(2017,October, 31). The 4 Keys a Positive Corporate Culture. Retrieved From:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZcGj-eMH5o


favorite_border
0


Add comment
The cure for toxic leadership

Olivia Anderton
3d
The cure for toxic leadership
There are numerous articles and web sources online that focus on the topic of ‘toxic’ leadership. These make reference to managers not acting like leaders themselves, people in leadership positions being dishonest and not caring about individuals within the company, but rather about profit margins. These descriptions to me do not define a leader. Leadership is not a rank but rather a choice. 
 
The below article by David Novak foregrounds the idea of the solution to toxic leadership being every employee stepping up. “The fastest way to take control of your career, work more effectively with others, positively influence them and build a healthy workplace culture is to become a stronger leader yourself”. Novak states that “toxic leadership is eroding trust, destroying company cultures and killing the bottom line”.  The solution? “Take control of your own career and become a stronger leader”. Novak then goes on to discuss how exactly to become a leader, and what the key traits of an effective leader are. He states that through “casting a positive leadership shadow” one can motivate others and work together to become their own leaders within the workforce and creating an engaging work culture where everyone’s opinion counts. 

Reference:
Novak, D. (2018). Former Yum! Brands CEO: Here’s how to fix toxic leadership. [online] CNBC. Retrieved from: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/02/22/former-yum-brands-ceo-heres-how-to-fix-toxic-leadership.html?play=1 [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].
favorite_border
0
1 comment

Heidi van der Laan 4d
In response to Olivia Anderton's post 'The cure for toxic leadership': This article suggests that in principle it sounds pretty straight forward to eradicate toxic leadership by "taking control of your own career" and that if you "work more effectively with others, positively influence them and build a healthy workplace culture" you will become a stronger leader as suggested by Novak. Novak refers to toxic leaders within the C Suite of organisations such as government and schools, which are large multi-faceted organisation. No doubt toxic leadership does exist here, but it would also exist within the myriad of small businesses also. However not every being has the ability to display these traits for example a quiet introvert who is quite happy to follow instructions/orders would find it difficult to act in an influential way. I think Novak's advice would be easier to put into action in a larger organisation in order to be able to 'do your own thing, lead others..' but in a small business where every move or decision is magnified it may not be that simple. I believe given the right circumstance and environment individuals can create the opportunity to lead others. Novak also talks about the shift in leadership over the years from being in a leadership position where people "work for you" compared to today a good leader would will recognise their workers as "working with them", collectively achieving a common goal. If leaders are committed to the organisation and are helping their people to really succeed and help them reach their potential they will create a fired up culture which will result in organisational success. Novak strongly believes leadership can be taught which I believe also to a degree, but you have to want to learn it and practice it to become a great leader.


Add comment
Shaping the Corporate Culture of a Tech Giant

Laura Skipworth
9d
Shaping the Corporate Culture of a Tech Giant
Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of Dell, speaks about the way they maintain their organisational culture. The key points he raises is that they make their values known from the outset and they get feedback from their employees (Forbes, 2014).

From the outset Dell makes their values known to potential employees; they do not want to spend time on potential employees who are not going to fit into their culture. This means that Dell is ensuring that they are only hiring people who are willing to work with the company’s culture. This is an advantage as it means that less time needs to be spent once an employee is employed adapting them to the company’s culture. Some people may argue that it is a form of discrimination, however, as a prospective employee, if you do not agree or do not wish to fit in with Dell’s culture most people would not apply. Most people would prefer to work in an organisation where their personal values are in line with company values and culture. Therefore, little discrimination should occur as those with conflicting values would not apply for the job.

As a leader it is important to show employees that you care about their thoughts and feelings. Dell conducts anonymous surveys of employees to gain an understanding of their feelings and understanding of the company’s values. By doing this they can measure the effectiveness of their leadership. However, when conducting this evaluation, they must be aware that if employees are dissatisfied or have negative feelings they may expect action to be taken. Therefore, companies must be willing to make changes and/or follow-up with employees if anything gives negative results.  

Reference
Forbes. (Producer). (2014). Shaping the corporate culture of a tech giant [Video]. Available from https://www.forbes.com/video/3249234428001/

favorite_border
0


Add comment
Leadership and Organisation Culture

Laura Skipworth
9d
Leadership and Organisation Culture
Despite this video being an advertisement for Directive Communication International it provides a great message about the importance of organisational culture.

The main message from this video is the importance of leaders knowing their employees (Directive Communication International, 2014). The video alludes to the impact that employees have on one another, how people work together and the different perspectives that employees can have. Leaders must realise that everyone is different, however their main goal is to create a cohesive and positive culture. To do this, leaders need to adapt the way they approach different people and understand the differences in perspectives. Some leaders may prefer an organisation that has all employees with a similar perspective, however, without a variety of perspectives it becomes harder to gather a wide range of ideas and may make it difficult for a leader to implement change. 

Understanding how your employees work together and impact each other is another important tool for leaders. As discussed in the video, some employees distract others from their work and thus reduce productivity. Distracting others from their work can be a sign of a poor work ethic and culture within the organisation. If leaders can identify this, they are more likely to be able to implement appropriate strategies and adapt the culture to rectify these issues. Many people believe that it is up to the employee to ensure they are productive at work and achieve goals; however, an employee must enjoy their work and their workplace to be productive. The organisation’s culture is a major contributor to the way an employee feels about an organisation and thus their productivity.

Reference
Directive Communication International. (Producer). (2014). DCI leadership and organisational culture [Video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maeluvhMGl8
favorite_border
0


Add comment
John Bertrand remembers his America's Cup win, 30 years on

Laura Skipworth
9d
John Bertrand remembers his America's Cup win, 30 years on
John Bertrand is the current Australian Swimming Team President and was the Skipper of the Australian team who won the America’s Cup (News Corp Australia, 2013). John had great success as the leader of the America’s Cup team and has now had continued success as the leader of the Australian Swimming team. One of John’s major beliefs for his teams’ success was the culture of trust, integrity, honesty and transparency in communication (News Corp Australia, 2013). Having had great success as a leader in the America’s Cup, John used his leadership in the Australian Swimming Team to transform their culture and produce success. 

Are these four elements the basis of all good organisational cultures? People would argue that aspects of determination, inclusiveness, desire for success and willingness to learn are also key components of a successful culture. However, given John’s multiple successes with the same theory it would suggest that these four components may be all that are needed for a successful culture. Although, the more you listen to John speak, you realise that implementing his four key aspects induces the likes of inclusiveness, the drive and desire for success and the willingness to learn. 

John also alludes to the type of people that he was leading and how their backgrounds and personalities; Australians. Australians “love a come from behind win” and this gave John’s crew the determination to win the America’s Cup (News Corp Australia, 2013). This suggests that there is a strong connection between an organisation’s culture and the people within the organisation. Some people would believe that the leader should be able to influence their team to adopt any culture, however, individuals have their own values and beliefs, and many would not be willing to forgo their own values for their workplace culture.

Reference
News Corp Australia. (Producer). (2013). John Bertrand remembers his America’s cup win, 30 years on [Video]. Available from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/bertrand-we-want-people-to-be-proud-of-the-australian-swimming-program/news-story/7b53c8666b718eec031d46637f4608c8
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Corporate Culture Apple example

brayden201294
9d
Corporate Culture Apple example
This video provides an explanation on the corporate culture of Apple. There are high expectations within the organisation for every person to succeed and perform to an outstanding level. Employees at Apple are encouraged to set goals that challenge them to secure high corporate management roles for example software coordinator. The employees are expected to be highly intelligent and be disciplined. All employees are expected to adjust to the culture in a quick and efficient manner. The organisational culture is conducted as a collective unit at Apple (Learnandtransorm, 2013).

Having a culture that is built on discipline and high expectations is positive for an organisation as this shows that an organisation can work together and adapt to any change that will occur. This will attract potential customers as they will find it positive that an organisation that delivers perfection will deliver excellent quality products. The culture at Apple is seen as a normal part of life and this is how all employees perform to an exceptional standard.
Reference
Learnandtransform (2013,July 24). Corporate Culture Apple example. Retrieved From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcHpgsTg458
favorite_border
0
1 comment

Laura Skipworth 8d
It is very interesting to see how positive all the Apple employees are about their work and the culture of the organisation, given the major push for success and achievement. I agree that organisation’s must have some drive for success, otherwise productivity would be low and ultimately business objectives would not be met. However, there would be some people that would find the increased pressure for success too much and not enjoy the culture. This would have to come back to the leaders at Apple to ensure that when hiring employees, they are aware of candidate’s personalities and personal values to make an educated decision regarding the suitability of the candidate to the organisation. Leaders at Apple would also need to be highly motivating and supportive of all employees to reduce the sense of pressure and allow employees to enjoy their work. From the video, it would appear that the leaders at Apple have been successful in achieving a positive culture with high expectations as it depicted a wide range of diverse employees and they all highly praised the corporate culture of Apple (Leadandtransform, 2013). Reference: Leadandtransform. (Producer). (2013). Corporate culture Apple example [Video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=275&v=EcHpgsTg458


Add comment
How Company Culture Shapes Employee Motivation

Luciana Cajazeira
7d
How Company Culture Shapes Employee Motivation
McGregor and Doshi (2015) discuss the relationship between leadership, culture and high performance. The article explains what is known as creating Total Motivation (ToMo) and that by capitalising on the three main motives that increase performance while minimising the motives that hinder performance is essential for creating a high performance culture (McGregor and Doshi, 2015). It also provides a simple formula to calculate what culture is worth for an organisation utilising the ToMo model.

Further, the article explores the processes in an organisation such as role design and the organisational identity and how these influence ToMo.  Lastly it proposes ways in which leaders can increase team motivation, such as having clear communication on the reasons behind the work of the team, to create a high performance culture that is a source of competitive advantage (McGregor and Doshi, 2015). 

I found this article relevant to understand how we, as leaders, can help in motivating others not only to reach organisation’s goals but individual satisfaction as well. 

References
McGregor, L. & Doshi, N. 2015. (2015, November 25). How Company Culture Shapes Employee Motivation. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/11/how-company-culture-shapes-employee-motivation

favorite_border
0


Add comment
How Great Leaders Transform A Broken Culture

Luciana Cajazeira
7d
How Great Leaders Transform A Broken Culture
Gleeson (2017) analyses the importance of leaders actually understanding and believing in the change effort and how the mindset translates into their action and communication, which in turn motivates their followers. The author uses the Army as a good example of how the frame of mind of an individual can influence results. Believing in the end result and the reasons why the effort is needed will change the level of effort individuals put in their work.

The article also brings to light the difference between management and leadership when it compares different CEO’s trying to shift the culture of a company. One CEO designed a new strategy and culture change plan and presented to staff while the other included employees in the process and worked with the team to understand the issues and find solutions. The leadership behaviour of the second CEO resulted in committed followers that believed in the change.

References
Gleeson, B. (2017, June 12). How Great Leaders Transform A Broken Culture. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2017/06/12/how-great-leaders-transform-a-broken-culture/#2d684aff2b29
favorite_border
0


Add comment
The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture

Luciana Cajazeira
7d
The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture
This article provides insightful models and frameworks for managing and aligning culture and organisational strategy. It explores four generally accepted attributes of culture, those being shared, pervasive, enduring and implicit (Groysberg, Lee, Price & Cheng, 2018). The authors further analyse literature and proposes eight difference culture styles that focus on two dimensions of culture; people interactions and response to change.

This integrated culture framework is then utilised to identify key attributes of both group culture and individual leadership styles (Groysberg, Lee, Price & Cheng, 2018) and measure the likelihood of a leader fitting and being able to shape organisational culture.  Lastly it highlights the importance of matching leadership and culture with organisational strategy whilst considering the dynamic and fast changing external environment.

I found this article very useful for gaining a deeper understanding of the complexity of cultural change and all the different factors that must be considered to successfully manage change – which is essential for effective leadership.

References
Groysberg, B., Lee, J., Price, J, & Cheng, Y.J. (2018, February). The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/01/the-culture-factor
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Patel, S. (2015, August 6

Amanda Mackenzie
12d
 Patel, S. (2015, August 6). 10 examples of companies with fantastic cultures. Entrepreneur 	Media. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249174
favorite_border
0


Add comment
How leadership has changed because of technology.

Heidi van der Laan
2d
How leadership has changed because of technology. 
 
The work environment in which we work and operate in is forever changing due to the dramatic changes we have seen in technological advances over the past decade. 
 
This article talks about how technology is changing the way in which leadership can be maximised via the use of technology. Through data analytics available at the touch of leaders fingertips, leaders are able to make quicker and more accurate decisions to impact and improve business outcomes. 
 
Not only are leaders able to utilise technology for decision-making, but they are using more and more forms of technology to communicate from group project platforms like Microsoft Team to Slack. Leaders are able to have their voice heard by more than just the people within their organisation, they can utilise online platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn and even Instagram to influence and reach millions of people all over the world. 
 
To be a successful leader, a successful influencer, you must take advantage of technology advancements. 
 
Ross, E. (2016, September 12). How leadership has changed because of technology. Retrieved from https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/how-leadership-has-changed-because-technology 
favorite_border
0
2 comments

Ahmed Ismail 1d
Interesting post HEIDI! I wasn’t fully aware with how much technology has changed workplace culture and the way we interact with one another. Especially in larger organisations, I can see the benefit applications such as slack and Microsoft can have. I often find myself using technology like Drop box and Skype, to conduct daily business. This has helped me tremendously with improving business efficiency and communication with other staff. As we become more dependent on technology, leaders must develop skills which help them adapt more efficiently. Companies are increasingly adopting new programs and practices that require further training. Hence successful leaders must be willing to learn and evolve. Despite the benefits of technology, I have found that traditional face to face communication is the best way to gauge body language. This is very important as more often than not, an email is not sufficient enough in determining the tone of an individual’s voice. Reference D. (2016, October 20). What are the advantages of face to face communication? Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.starmedical.co.uk/blog/2013/04/15/advantages-and-disadvantages-face-to-face-communication/

bettesafour 21h
Very interesting article. Sometimes the problems with technology is it does not work and becomes an more of an issue and as leaders we may need to make decisions based on fact and not the data. This is when your leadership can be tested.


Add comment
What happens when the CEO finds the workplace culture toxic?

Heidi van der Laan
2d
What happens when the CEO finds the workplace culture toxic?
The title of this article “What happens when the CEO finds the workplace culture toxic?” pulled me into reading the article as I was intrigued to actually find out what would happen if in fact a CEO did find their workplace culture toxic.  

City of Perth CEO Martin Mileham , did find his workplace culture to be toxic and what he did about it was commendable in that he took a stand and raised an investigation into the unacceptable behaviour within the workplace.

As a CEO, Mileham was able to maximise his position of power and use it as a platform to address this issue in a very public way, not only raising awareness of the unacceptable so it could be investigated, but also made a very public stance to let everyone know that he does not, and will not tolerate unacceptable behaviour in the workplace. This to me exemplifies great leadership. 

Woodard, A. (2018, February 26). What happens when the CEO finds the workplace culture toxic? HRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.hrmonline.com.au/section/featured/ceo-finds-workplace-culture-toxic/ 

 
favorite
1


Add comment
Leadership in the Eye of the Beholder

Allana Condron
13d
Leadership in the Eye of the Beholder
There are countless perceptions placed upon what leadership is and how leadership is attained. In many organisations effective leadership is perceived to be developed through the projection of motivation, inspiration and innovation toward organisational succession (Kerfoo, 2012). 
 
In support of this theory, TheBlaze (2014) places forth the theory leadership is developed through a providing a “service to another human being”, placing another individuals wellbeing before their own. TheBlaze (2014) also theorizes leadership is not identified through the individual, but more so the position the individual holds and the level of accountability they possess (TheBlaze, 2014). It has been identified a lack of understanding of true leadership is clear amongst many organisations with ‘leaders’ soon realising the ‘perks’ of their role is exactly that, of the role and not of the individual. The individual merely drives leadership succession through upholding accountability and supporting those employees that follow (TheBlaze, 2014).
 
This theory of leadership has defined my understanding of leadership and how it impacts organisational succession. Moving forward and looking to how leadership impacts the environment and culture of organisations, this source provides clear guidance as to what behaviours and capabilities a strong leader would desirably possess.
 
 
References
Kerfoo, K. M. (2012). The Pursuit of Happines, Science, and Effective Staffing: The Leader's Challenge. Nursing Economics, 305-306. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=67&sid=11c710d9-1db0-4b9c-91b0-233b56898a03%40sessionmgr4008
TheBlaze. (2014, July 30). Simon Senek: What is Leadership "Glenn Beck Program". Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CbNCtzG8wM 
favorite
1
1 comment

brayden201294 9d
This video had an interesting perception of the true meaning of leadership. Leadership is not about just the perks it is about what leaders can do for others and support for others (TheBlaze, 2014). People do not understand the true meaning of leadership and do not understand the honourable privilege to be a leader, for example ranks in the military (TheBlaze, 2014). The leader needs to realise that being in that position is a special privilege. A leader also needs to be a positive influence on others and the motivation for being a leader is to support others in developing a positive culture, also improving employee relationships. It is not appropriate for a leader to just become a leader to get special privileges for example personal car space (TheBlaze, 2014). Leadership is not about just the perks it is about what leaders can do for others and support for others (TheBlaze, 2014). Leaders have to be able to support others and come together with others to support organisational goals and objectives. Passionate leaders achieve positive organisational performance with others and have effective productivity.TheBlaze. (2014, July 30). Simon Senek: What is Leadership "Glenn Beck Program". Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CbNCtzG8wM


Add comment
How to Build A Great Company Culture

brayden201294
9d
How to Build A Great Company Culture
This article outlines the requirements of building a great company culture. Todd McKinnon CEO of Okta gives an insight on the approach he conducted to start building a culture when he realized he did not know the roles and names of the majority of his employees. According to McKinnon 2014 "A strong and clear culture can give everyone the proper framework to work within" (McKinnon,2014). This is when Todd realised he needed to start building a strong culture at Okta.

Todd came across six lessons along the way. The first lesson was to assign an owner, this means that that a company needs someone who is responsible for creating the culture and is responsible for having an influence on others so a positive culture is maintained (McKinnon,2014). The second lesson is leadership sets the tone which means what culture would suit the type of company for example a team work culture(McKinnon,2014). The third lesson is that structure says everything, which means it is essential that an effective organizational structure is put into place as this drive the company's structure (McKinnon,2014). The fourth lesson is not just Kumbaya and trust falls, this means communicating to employees what they like and do not like about the culture. This will give the owner a chance to make adjustments to the culture where necessary (McKinnon,2014). The fifth lesson is prioritize and focus which means that it is normal to disagree with the customer as the customers perception may not be in the best interests of the company and its direction (McKinnon,2014). The sixth lesson is to communicate always, this means that culture has to be communicated to everyone to maintain the positive culture, also it will be positive to influence employees to embrace this culture and reward them for doing so (McKinnon,2014). I found this article insightful on the techniques of building a great company culture.
Reference
McKinnon, T (2014,October 4).How To Build A Great Company Culture. Forbes, Retrieved From:https://www.forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2013/10/04/how-to-build-a-great-company-culture/#710e6d471bc6
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Culture and Leadership

Allana Condron
13d
Culture and Leadership
The below video works to explain the effect of culture and leadership and how culture works to shape beliefs, values and change throughout an organisation toward succession. Culture as portrayed within this video has the potential to work as a means to develop trust, respect and transparency, and emphasises the importance of the acceptance of differing judgements and beliefs when working toward organisational integration. 
 
TEDx (2015) develops the theory that introducing culture into leadership develops innovation and projects different ways to do things to ultimately reach organisational succession. As portrayed in this video, the cultural changes introduced to the organisation were physical in some aspects, moving desks to face each other, enhancing communication through genuine conversations and achieving goals through collaboration.
 
TEDx (2015) identifies the importance of culture in leadership and how it works to develop cohesion toward organisational succession and total integration. It is important for an organisation to develop values, visions and shared beliefs through cultural diversity and organisational wide cultural acceptance. 
 
References
TEDx (2015, June 23). Culture and Leadership: Joseph Trimble. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuHj3jsBdKE
 
favorite
1


Add comment
Uber boss Travis Kalanick resigns amid shareholder concern over the company's 'toxic culture' was published in the Herald Sun on 21st June, 2017.

Michelle Klesman
11d
Uber boss Travis Kalanick resigns amid shareholder concern over the company's 'toxic culture' was published in the Herald Sun on 21st June, 2017.
The article discusses how Uber Chief Executive resigned due to shareholder concern. The article talks about acts of sexual harassment, bullying and use of illicit drugs and alcohol (2017). 
In a previous article Mr Kalanick sent out an email about “sexual rules of engagement’ for work-related trips. As a leader this behaviour is completely inappropriate and the shareholders has strong grounds to ask for his resignation (2017). 
It seems that in the article the Travis Kalanick is individually responsibility for the toxic culture within the organisation. Although he was defiantly a contributor this is a company values at close to $US70 billion.  To clean up the image of this company he was one of only 20 employees fired for harassment (2017). 
Mr Kalanick was criticised in 2014 for his behaviour as he said his role helped him to attract women. The shareholders could have been more proactive in requesting his resignation as it appears this culture has infiltrated the company. 
The article by Daniel Goleman "What Makes a Leader" states that truly effective leaders have a high degree of emotional intelligence including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. All of which Mr Kalanick was lacking in (2004). 
References
Goleman, Daniel., What Makes a Leader? Best of HBR 1998. 2004. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c7d8/003b4c351950440b8275a998640674482d2d.pdf
Uber boss Travis Kalanick resigns amid shareholder concern over the company's 'toxic culture'. Herald Sun. (2017) Retrieved from  http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/companies/uber-boss-travis-kalanick-resigns-amid-shareholder-concern-over-the-companys-toxic-culture/news-story/1910a303a1e087acee6cdec794ea3f37
 
favorite
1
1 comment

Olivia Anderton 4d
This article really shed some light on the detrimental effects that weak leadership can have on a company and its success. Forbes Coaches Council highlights what Uber's company culture crisis can teach us about leadership and management. The post foregrounds the importance of organisational leadership, affirming that it was lack of a strong leader that led to such management failures and culture crash within the company. Within the post, Maleeka T. Hollaway states that it is important as a leader to "never get to the point where you feel that your company has 'made it'. You should consistently and constantly seek new ways to raise the bar for your organisation as a whole" (Forbes Coaches Council, 2018) and this is where Uber fell short. The new CEO of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, in an attempt to address the culture fiasco and bring new life to the company, had employees write and vote on cultural guidelines for the workplace. Khosrowshahi was clear that "the culture and approach that got Uber where it is today is not what will get us to the next level" (Balakrishnan, 2017). References: Balakrishnan, A. (2017). Uber employees voted on the new company culture - and it looks a lot like Google and Amazon. [ONLINE] Retrieved from: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/07/ubers-new-cultural-norms.html. [Last Accessed 8 March 2018]. Forbes Coaches Council. (2017). What Uber's Company Culture Crisis Taught Us About Leadership and Management. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/08/15/what-ubers-company-culture-crisis-taught-us-about-leadership-and-management/#b6339e84904c


Add comment
What is Leadership?

Allana Condron
13d
What is Leadership?
As portrayed in the below video, leadership is developed as the direction of self and others. Leadership is developing succession through own self-management, courage and authenticity and not developed around an individual’s position, power or title. 
 
Rierson (2014) identifies the clear links between success and leadership through enhanced accountability, confidence and growth toward individual succession and own self-management.
 
It is developed an individual’s ability to lead is not dependent upon an individual’s title nor position within an organisation, how long they have been there or their perceived ‘ability’ to successfully achieve a goal. The ability to lead is on the contrary portrayed as an individual’s ability to grow, to become confident and to be courageous within the space in which they lead (Rierson, 2014).
 
Rierson (2014) also works to develop leadership as turning potential into desired results through effective people management, and further, the management of own self and acceptance of growth. Leadership is finally developed through continued exposure to what an individual perceives to be an effective leader or someone in which they are targeting to be (referent power). 
 
 
References
Rierson, R. (2014, July 14). What is Leadership? Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpNWDekfGog
favorite
1
1 comment

Amanda Mackenzie 12d
Interesting views on what leadership is, I agree that each and every individual is a leader no matter what their job title and Reirson’s (2014) point that a pay grade does not dictate leadership. However what that job title does give a leader is an advantage of how they are seen by colleagues. In every organisation there is a hierarchy, or organisational structure that dictates who is a leader (supervisor, manager) to whom. Although an individual may have the ability to lead, they may not processes the right position in the eyes of others to be respected or taken seriously. In a “flat” management culture like that of “SquareSpace”, it would not be a big issue, as there a fewer levels of management and everyone feels appreciated in what they do and achieve (Patel, 2015). Multi-level management systems could make it harder for individuals to not only present themselves as leaders, but cause employees to be less inspired to achieve their personal and professional goals. References Patel, S. (2015, August 6). 10 examples of companies with fantastic cultures. Entrepreneur Media. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249174 Rierson, R. (2014, July 14). What is Leadership? Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpNWDekfGog


Add comment
Leadership and Management Part of 4: The Iceberg of Organisation Culture

Amanda Mackenzie
18d
Leadership and Management Part of 4: The Iceberg of Organisation Culture
This video explains the iceberg of organisational culture, which has three levels. Firstly at the top you have artefacts, what we can see, hear and feel when we walk into or are surrounded by an organisation. Secondly you have values and beliefs which we can’t see, it is why the organisation does what it does. Thirdly on the bottom is underlying assumptions, again what we can’t see, these are perceptions and ways an organisation does things and we don’t stop and think about why. 

Looking further into what we can't see, the values and beliefs of an organisation are significant to the organisational culture as it provides a basis for organisational strategy to accomplish competitive advantage on a continual basis. To portray a collective and united working group it is these values and beliefs that originate from the environment, which leaders have to expose upon employees to encompass the culture. Having a healthy culture that stems from the way leaders implement values and beliefs will encourage positive underlying assumptions from stakeholders in the environment.

Reference 
HumberEDU. (2015, November 13). Leadership and Management part 4 of 4: The iceberg of organisational culture [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjziCs-R2S4


favorite
1
1 comment

Michelle Klesman 9d
Interesting video. It is absolutely true that it can be difficult to define culture as we can't see all the levels (HumberEDU 2015). This video explains the 3 levels of culture as the artefacts, values and beliefs and underlying assumptions and likens it to an iceberg as you can only see the artefacts (HumberEDU 2015). It is a simplistic yet effective way of looking at culture. I find often when new staff start in our organisation they take awhile to adapt to our culture. Although we do a in depth induction and thoroughly explain our policy and procedures it does still take some time to adapt to the culture. In Amanda’s reflection on the article she talks about how culture can be used to accomplish competitive advantage. I would agree with this statement as cohesive teams achieve higher results in my experience. In an article by Simoneaux and Stroud they conclude that firms with strong corporate culture have higher productive, higher profits and recruitment and retention is much easier (p. 53, 2014). Reference HumberEDU. (2015, November 13). Leadership and Management part 4 of 4: The iceberg of organisational culture [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjziCs-R2S4 Simoneaux, S. L., & Stroud, C. L. (2014). BUSINESS BEST PRACTICES: A strong corporate culture is key to success. Journal of Pension Benefits, 22(1), 51-53. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1564038377?accountid=10344


Add comment
How Technology is Defining the Ground Rules of Leadership

Amanda Mackenzie
18d
How Technology is Defining the Ground Rules of Leadership 
There are many different internal and external factors that influence the environment of an organisation, one of those factors is the constant change of dynamics of globalisation and technology. Rao (2018) explains that the “acceleration in technology” forces leaders to change the way in which they handle work and its future. This article focuses on the impact that social media and technology has on how leaders portray and conduct themselves, defining this new generation of leaders as a culture in themselves. Technology presents multiple opportunities for leaders to implement new training and development strategies to help upskill employees, increase productivity, provide profitable career options, generate a higher competitive advantage and promote employee job satisfaction. The article takes aim at “young leaders” however it is important for the older generation to stay up to date with technology and be accessible to employees to promote and drive a motivated healthy culture. 

Reference
Rao, R.R (2018, February 22). How technology is defining the ground rules of leadership 2.0. YourStory. Retrieved from https://yourstory.com/2018/02/technology-defines-ground-rules-of-leadership-2-0/
favorite
1
1 comment

Allana Condron 11d
Interesting theory and great reflection – I agree with the initial reflection of how technology has come to shape leadership and the way in which individuals interact. With rising exposure to the larger economy and countries separated from our own through an increase in accessibility and technological communication, the world is rapidly becoming a smaller place. In addition and in reflection of the development and review of different approaches to sustainable leadership, I believe not only targeting Millennial’s and Generation Z are effective in the development of sustainable leadership. I believe leadership must target the aging workforce in line with the new generations. Knowledge management and knowledge sharing are core in organisational succession (Mowles, 2010). In reflection of the complete theory presented in this article, I found it interesting the emphasis placed on technology and this connection to effective leadership, however I disagree with the need for a leader to be completely engaged and submersed by social media channels. I believe leaders develop leadership skills through partly technological means, however are grown through training and development, interaction with the greater community on a more personal level and through enhanced exposure to individuals they find to be great leaders (Ojedokun, 2011). Mowles, C. (2010). Post-Foundational Development Management - Power, Politics and Complexity. Public Administration and Development, 149-158. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=70&sid=11c710d9-1db0-4b9c-91b0-233b56898a03@sessionmgr4008 Ojedokun, A. (2011). Mentoring: A Factor for Organisational Management. Department of Pure and Applied Psychology, 337-353. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=64&sid=11c710d9-1db0-4b9c-91b0-233b56898a03@sessionmgr4008 Rao, R.R (2018, February 22). How technology is defining the ground rules of leadership 2.0. YourStory. Retrieved from https://yourstory.com/2018/02/technology-defines-ground-rules-of-leadership-2-0/


Add comment
Googles Successful Management Practices

Michelle Klesman
9d
Googles Successful Management Practices 
 
The article attached was published on Inc. in July 2017 and discusses the practices of Google which may been seen as terrifying for traditional leadership-style companies. 
 
 Being ranked No.1 place to 8 times in 11 years give credibility to both this article and the management practices at Google (Schwantes, 2017). 
 
 The first fact of their management practices is consistency. Bock found that by employees having clear parameters they can have more freedom opposed to working under inconsistent leaders which leads to a restrictive and frustrating experience (Schwantes, 2017).  This sounds like common sense but a lot of leaders are unable to achieve this. 
 
 Another fact is to have a moral, not a business mission (Schwantes, 2017). Googles mission statement is simple and Bock sees' it as a moral mission which provides a platform for work that matters (Schwantes, 2017). It could be challenged that this mission is quite simple and is it really a 'moral mission'?
 
 Google see transparency as the cornerstone of their culture (Schwantes, 2017). Schwantes makes an impressive point that if people are your greatest asset you must be open - otherwise you are lying (Schwantes, 2017). I found this an interesting perspective as it challenges the status quo. 
 

The employees have a real say in how the company are run and during recruitment GPA’s and test scores don’t matter (Schwantes, 2017). General personality traits of effective leaders are self-confidence, humility, trustworthiness, authenticity, optimism and a sense of humour, all of which are not reflective in test scores (DuBrin, 2014, p.38). By employing without requiring a high-test score and giving employees a voice they are creating a inclusive and successful environment in which natural leaders will flourish. 


References 
 DuBrin, Andrew, J., Leadership. Research Findings, Practice and Skills. Rochester Institute of Technology. 2016. Eighth Edition 

Schwantes, Marcel. 5 Unusual Facts About Google's Odd (and Wildly Successful) Management Practices. Inc.. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/5-inside-secrets-from-googles-unusual-management-p.html

 
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Leadership: Engage your Team - Create a Culture of Engagement

Amanda Mackenzie
18d
Leadership: Engage your Team - Create a Culture of Engagement
Wright (2013) focuses on engagement to promote culture and states that engagement is a measure of the team’s emotional commitment to their leaders. It a certainty that disengagement has negative effects on business, and as mentioned costs Australian organisations over $45 billion a year. Creating a culture of engagement through leadership interactions will boost morale attitudes and results with bottom line employees as well as attract and retain the best people. Wright also talks about “on the fence employees” and “bad apples”, it could be argued that employees become disengaged for other reason besides effective leadership. It could be that the job just isn’t right for them on a personal level and nothing to do with the leadership or culture of the company. It is also suggested that to leaders need engagement intelligence to help understand people and help find individual motivators. This could prove time consuming for some leaders to individually persuade employees to become “engaged”. It also could be risky for both leadership and employees who do not understand how to separate the ‘personal’ from the ‘business’.


Reference
Wright, K. [Ken Wright]. (2013, August 26). Leadership – engage your team – create a culture of engagement. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZA94smSkQg

favorite
1


Add comment
You’re Not Busy, You’re Just Rude - WSJ

Jennifer Weller
7mo
You’re Not Busy, You’re Just Rude - WSJ
favorite_border
0


Add comment
15 signs you have emotional intelligence - World Economic Forum

Jennifer Weller
7mo
15 signs you have emotional intelligence - World Economic Forum
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Bill Gross - A Devotion to New Ideas - Stanford Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (podcast)

Jennifer Weller
7mo
Bill Gross - A Devotion to New Ideas - Stanford Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (podcast)
favorite_border
0


Add comment
The Power of Introverts - TED Talk

Jennifer Weller
7mo
The Power of Introverts - TED Talk
favorite
1
1 comment

Anonymous 15d
Fantastic ted talk! So agree stop the constant group work for all situations sometimes people need time to refocus on their own.


Add comment
How Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are - TED Talk

Jennifer Weller
7mo
How Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are - TED Talk
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee - NY Times

Jennifer Weller
7mo
Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee - NY Times
favorite_border
0


Add comment
Great Leadership Isn't About You - HBR

Jennifer Weller
7mo
Great Leadership Isn't About You - HBR
favorite_border
0


Add comment

# data[].attributes.body
Negativity in the workplace can often spread amongst employees and peers, resulting in a downward spiral of a toxic culture. When employees are not happy and feel they cannot speak up, it becomes a strong driver of poor employee and team engagement. It can also become a danger to organisations for compliance and quality control measures, customer experience, and workplace health and safety.

With many modern day organisations encouraging staff to speak up, and encouraging leaders to listen, it opens organisations up to thrive and innovate and bring their employees on this journey. Often by staff speaking up, Continual Improvement can enhance an organisations environment and culture.

In promoting a ‘speak up’ culture, not only does this improve employee morale, it also encourages other cultural enhancements such as diversity, inclusivity, fairness, and a learning opportunity for many to hear others point of view.  This particular article is further inspiring, as it shares the story of Catherine Low, becoming the Singapore country manager for ING bank. Not only has Catherine been in the banking sector for over 30 years, she agrees discrimination against women in the industry is a real problem. Catherine has taken control of her career, encourages others to speak up and do the same, she has also played a key role in lobbying for better benefits for employees to assist in times of illness, which is a significant cultural enhancer.

The banking sector is an industry, that around the world is continually working on innovation and evolving their team and culture to ensure a compliant, ethical, customer centric business, and prioritising their staff’s workplace culture is key to this success.

Reference:

Yahya, Y. (2018, February 12).  Banking veteran believes in speakING up. Retrieved from

http://www.straitstimes.com/business/banking/banking-veteran-believes-in-speaking-up

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Catherine Low believes in raising her hand and speaking up.

While she agrees that discrimination against women is a real problem in the finance sector, the banking veteran firmly believes that women should be more proactive in grabbing opportunities.

She said: "Discrimination is real but sometimes I think there's more of a 'sticky floor' syndrome than a 'glass ceiling' syndrome."

The 52-year-old walks the talk.

Her outspokenness is one factor that has helped the mother of two rise from being a bank relationship manager to becoming the head of the local branch of Dutch bank ING.

Ms Low, who is ING Bank's Singapore country manager, is one of the more prominent female banking leaders here.

During an hour-long interview at the ING Bank office at Guoco Tower, she spoke passionately about the importance of voicing one's opinions.

Throughout her 30 years in the finance sector, Ms Catherine Low has not been afraid to speak up when there were things that needed fixing, regardless of whether or not these related to her job scope. She also believes in getting staff to voice their views. ST PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN

EMPOWERING STAFF
Instead of people complaining, 'This doesn't work, this policy is stupid', and expecting senior managers to solve it, now we give them the power to own the responsibility for improving things.
MS CATHERINE LOW, ING Bank's Singapore country manager, on a regional forum called Sounding Board, under which groups of ING middle management staff get together to come up with ideas on how the bank could improve.

Throughout her 30 years in the finance sector, she has not been afraid to speak up when there were things that needed fixing, regardless of whether or not these related to her job scope. In one case, she helped a colleague who had breast cancer to fight for better benefits.

In that case, the breast cancer could be treated without hospitalisation or surgery, she said, but the bank where she worked did not offer insurance to staff to cover non-surgical, non-hospitalisation chemotherapy treatments. "So I spoke up and lobbied and got us insurance to cover such cases."

Ms Low also believes in creating an environment where staff feel free to voice their views.

The irony is that she was once told by some employees that they would like her, as country manager, to lead more discussions on how operations could be improved.

"So they were telling me, 'Catherine, you could do more'," she said with a laugh.

The employees are part of a regional forum called Sounding Board, under which groups of ING middle management staff get together to come up with ideas on how the bank could improve.

The idea behind the programme, Ms Low said, is to allow employees to challenge senior management and think of ideas to address problems and help the company seize opportunities faster.

"Instead of people complaining, 'This doesn't work, this policy is stupid', and expecting senior managers to solve them, now we give them the power to own the responsibility for improving things."

Things have certainly improved for Ms Low, who grew up in modest circumstances and had to give tuition and take on holiday jobs to support herself through university.

She joined the finance sector after graduation. At one point, she found herself juggling her job as a relationship manager at a bank, running a frozen yogurt business, and caring for her two young daughters, who are now 20 and 26.

"I would start work at 7am, end at 10, 11pm and go to my Yogen Fruz shop at Great World City to collect the cash and count the inventory," recalled Ms Low, whose husband also works in finance.

But she ended the business after a while. " I was the most profitable relationship manager at the bank and I'd just had a second baby at the time, so I thought it was all too much," she said.

Ms Low has worked at six banks, including ING, which she joined in 2003 to head the Singapore commodity trade finance team. She was promoted to be the head of the Asia commodity trade finance team, which she led to become a market leader in the business.

In 2012, Ms Low was appointed ING Singapore country manager.

She appreciates the bank's culture of encouraging employees to go beyond their job scopes to speak up, collaborate across departments and find solutions to problems.

Ms Low said bank employees are appraised, for example, on their "stretch ambitions" - things they do outside of their roles.

She said: "It gets people excited because they can be an agent for positive change. A lot of times, people complain that the things they are unhappy about are beyond their control, so they can only grouse about it. But we encourage staff to make things happen."

As an executive committee member and former president of the Financial Women's Association, she has heard her share of stories about gender discrimination in the industry, but she admits she has never experienced it herself.

"Looking back, I think I have been very fortunate. I've always had nice colleagues and good mentors, coaches and sponsors," she said.

Ultimately, she believes that speaking up and being proactive can make a big difference. "I think in most organisations. if you have the will and interest and what it takes to move ahead, you can get it."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Catherine Low believes in raising her hand and speaking up. While she agrees that discrimination against women is a real problem in the finance sector, the banking veteran firmly believes that women should be more proactive in grabbing opportunities. She said: "Discrimination is real but sometimes I think there's more of a 'sticky floor' syndrome than a 'glass ceiling' syndrome."

# data[].attributes.headline
UK Drugs Minister opposes cannabis law reform while her husband profits from a licence to grow it

# data[].attributes.subject
UK Drugs Minister opposes cannabis law reform while her husband profits from a licence to grow it

# data[].attributes.body
Sarah Davey 11574648

Victoria Atkins is the Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability, whose remit includes drugs policy. Atkins openly opposes the legalisation of cannabis and yet it has recently been uncovered that her husband’s company has a highly profitable contract growing cannabis in partnership with GW Pharmaceuticals.

Atkins argument is built on her opinion that cannabis users are “gun-toting criminals, whom think nothing of shooting each other… [Do you] really think these awful people are suddenly going to become law-abiding citizens?”

Arguments against Atkin’s opinions point to facts that decriminalisation of cannabis actually showed positive changes. Much like what we saw after prohibition, regulating the drug made it safer. It is not the drugs that are killing people – it is the prohibition that is killing people.

Personally, seeing first hand in Australia what prohibition of cannabis has done, I believe regulation and decriminalisation are vital in making cannabis safe. Make it safe to purchase, regulate what is used to grow it, and fund education on the effects of cannabis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A cannabis law reform lobbying group has hit out at a Tory drugs minister for what they call "hypocrisy" for opposing drugs reforms while her husband's company has a lucrative contract growing cannabis.

Victoria Atkins husband's company is in partnership with GW Pharmaceuticals, a UK biotech firm, which is developing Epidiolex, a synthetic drug made from cannabis plants and used to treat childhood epilepsy.

Families with children with epilepsy around the world have been medicating the condition with natural cannabis tinctures too - which when kept under certain temperatures avoid the psychopharmaceutical "high" effects of the drug.

Atkins is the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability, and her remit includes drugs policy.

And so far she has towed the Government's line and opposed calls from MP's from all sides of the House of Commons for a more common sense approach to harm reduction with cannabis legislation, especially when many Brits turn to cannabis and cannabis oils for medical reasons ranging from Multiple Sclerosis to chronic pain and cancer.

In the drugs policy debate on 18th July 2017 (before she was appointed drugs minister) she told the House of Commons:
"We are talking about gun-toting criminals, who think nothing of shooting each other and the people who carry their drugs for them. What on earth does my hon. Friend think their reaction will be to the idea of drugs being regulated? Does he really think that these awful people are suddenly going to become law-abiding citizens?"
And "I do not share the optimism of others about tackling the problem through regulation."

However Clear's President Peter Reynolds writes: "in what must be the most blatant hypocrisy ever from a government minister, Ms Atkins benefits directly from regulation of drugs.

"She is married to Paul Kenward, managing director of British Sugar which is growing 45 acres of cannabis under licence in its mammoth Norfolk greenhouse.

"Mr Kenward is producing high CBD cannabis for use in Epidiolex, GW Pharma's cannabis extract epilepsy medicine.

"Ms Atkins has tried to brush this off calling it "...a very different substance (from the)psychoactive version of cannabis." Of course, anyone with even the most basic knowledge of plant science will know this is nonsense.

"The difference between different strains of cannabis is the same as the difference between different varieties of tomatoes.

"Whether they're Ailsa Craig or Alicante, they're all tomatoes."
(MP for Louth and Horncastle Victoria Atkins did not respond to our request for comment.) RELATED
Since you're here ...

Contributing & Investigations Editor & Director of Growth wears glasses and curly hair cool ideas to: ben.gelblum (at) thelondoneconomic.com @BenGelblum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UK Drugs Minister opposes cannabis law reform while her husband profits from a license to grow it

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A cannabis law reform lobbying group has hit out at a Tory drugs minister for what they call "hypocrisy" for opposing drugs reforms while her husband's company has a lucrative contract growing cannabis. Victoria Atkins husband's company is in partnership with GW Pharmaceuticals, a UK biotech firm, which is developing Epidiolex, a synthetic drug made from cannabis plants and used to treat childhood epilepsy.

# data[].attributes.headline
Same-sex marriage legalised in Australia as Parliament passes historic law

# data[].attributes.subject
Same-sex marriage legalised in Australia as Parliament passes historic law

# data[].attributes.body
Sarah Davey 11574648

A recent and public leadership issue in Australia was the fight for the legalisation of gay marriage.

In this article, Michael Koziol of the Sydney Morning Herald discusses the undoing of the discriminative Marriage Act that previously forbid same-sex unions.

Parliament faced the issue of whether to remain faithful to previous beliefs and carry on tradition, or to join the 25 other countries who have legalised same-sex marriage.

Conservative critics of same-sex marriage raise a number of arguments, most of which are based on religious grounds stating that gays and lesbians are sinful and that marriage is a religious established practice essentially concerned with reproduction.

A large argument of individuals that are for marriage equality are claim rights, such as social security benefits upon the death of a spouse. Others are liberty rights to be free from various forms of governmental intrusion.

Personally, I believe arguments against same-sex marriage are outdated. Australia must progress with the world and the people in it. Fighting cultural changes will only lead to further issues down the line.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Australia has done it. What a day for love, for equality, for respect," declared a jubilant Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who punched the air as he called it a historic day for the nation.

"This belongs to us all. This is Australia - fair , diverse, loving and filled with respect for every one of us. This has been a great, unifying day in our history."

Later, Mr Turnbull put the momentous social reform in the same category as the 1967 referendum to count Indigenous people in the census, and said he was proud it occurred under his leadership.

Fairfax Media understands a special meeting of the Executive Council has been called for Friday morning for the Governor-General to officially sign the bill into law.

Government gay marriage supporters Tim Wilson and Warren Entsch embrace as Trent Zimmerman watches on.
Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Attorney-General George Brandis advised the law would formally change on Saturday, allowing same-sex couples to lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage from this weekend.

The minimum notice period is one month, meaning the first legally recognised same-sex wedding could take place on January 9.

Liberal MPs Jane Prentice, Tim Wilson and Warren Entsch hold up a sign saying "Ryan said yes".
Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Only four MPs voted against the change, and so clear was the result that a formal count was not required. A handful of MPs - including former prime minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Scott Morrison - chose to abstain.

When the vote was declared on the floor of the House, the packed public gallery exploded into cheers and applause, while MPs crossed the chamber to embrace each other, waive rainbow flags and in some cases cry.

The public galleries sustained rapturous applause for several minutes and eventually burst into a rendition of I Am, You Are, We Are Australian. Some also chanted "Warren!" referring to Liberal MP Warren Entsch, a long-time gay rights advocate and ally.

Numerous well-known gay and lesbian Australians were present to witness the historic moment, including Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe and actress Magda Szubanski.

"What an extraordinary moment," Szubanski said. "When I watched all of those people move to the 'yes' side of the House, I thought Canberra was going to tip over."

Thorpe, who struggled with his sexuality for many years and came out publicly in 2014, said it was a "momentous day" for young gay and lesbian people.

"We have created an Australia that is more equitable, more fair and more just, and it is the kind of place that more Australians want to see," he said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he was "humbled" by the momentous event and "privileged" to be part of it.

"This isn't about me or the other 150 members of Parliament - it is about Australians and Australia, the LGBTIQ people and their families and their partners," he said immediately after the vote. "We are telling them: we love you, you're equal."

While gay rights campaigners have fought for marriage equality for decades, the direct path to Thursday's vote began two years ago when the former Abbott government announced it would settle the question of same-sex marriage by a public plebiscite.

Mr Turnbull continued that policy, but it was blocked by opponents in the Senate. The government later opted to hold a voluntary postal survey asking: "Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?"

Australians voted "yes" to that question by 61.6 per cent to 38.4 per cent, prompting the government to allow a free vote in Parliament, which passed on Thursday.

The four MPs to vote against the change were Queensland independent Bob Katter, and Coalition MPs Keith Pitt, David Littleproud and Russell Broadbent. While the votes were not formally tallied, it was clear in the chamber that close to 130 MPs voted "yes".

It followed a long day of debate over proposed amendments to Liberal senator Dean Smith's same-sex marriage bill, most of them put forward by conservative Coalition MPs opposed to change. All amendments were comfortable defeated by Labor, the crossbench and several Liberals including frontbenchers Christopher Pyne and Kelly O'Dwyer.

There were emotional scenes in Parliament House following the vote, as Labor senator Louise Pratt hugged her partner Bek and flagged their intention to marry. "It means the world to us," she said. "We've been working to this day for a really, really long time."

Veteran gay rights campaigner Rodney Croome dedicated the victory to those who had campaigned over many years, including those who had died before the law was changed. Their lobbying and activism had "built a mountain from which our legislators were able to see the truth," he said.

Alex Greenwich, the NSW parliamentarian who co-chaired the Equality Campaign, said: "We came, we saw, and love finally conquered. Marriage equality is finally the law of the land and we are so proud of Australia."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Same-sex marriage legalised in Australia as Parliament passes historic law

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Australia has done it. What a day for love, for equality, for respect," declared a jubilant Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who punched the air as he called it a historic day for the nation. "This belongs to us all. This is Australia - fair , diverse, loving and filled with respect for every one of us.

# data[].attributes.body
The article ‘How Culture Affects Leadership’ published by Martinbauer defines both organizational culture, followed by leadership. The article then goes into examples of how the culture of an organisation can affect a person’s capability to lead. The article provides a very in-depth analysis of leadership, with a large focus on the culture within the workplace. Leaders and leadership teams must take into account the culture of the organizational environment and also the behaviours and attributes of employees before making any major decisions. Leaders should not impede upon the culture of an organisation, but rather, should add to the culture. This article raises very strong points regarding the importance of culture and effective leaders.

This article has a list of resources and references at the end, meaning that research has been conducted before the article was published. This increases credibility of the article, especially due to the range of media types used.

Martinbauer. (N.D). How Culture Affects Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.martinbauer.com/Articles/How-Culture-Affects-Leadership

# data[].attributes.headline
Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behaviour

# data[].attributes.subject
Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behaviour

# data[].attributes.body
Professional Finance Columnist Angie Mohr describes the influence that external factors may have on the behaviour of employees in her article “Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behavior”. Mohr describes situations in which there would be an effect to the behaviour of employees, which would then impact organisational culture. These factors include, but are not limited to, competition, economy, and reputation.

The article provides information that will always be relevant to society, as there will always be some form of external influences. Whilst this article is sufficient at providing very basic information regarding the effect that the environment has on employee behaviour, it does not extend in-depth and as such is not very informative. Mohr does attempt to look at most of her points from both sides, however is lacking detail. Whilst I do agree that the environment does have a great impact on behaviour and performance, perhaps some recommendations on how the impact of this can be minimised would have been appropriate.

Mohr, A. (N.D).

Factors in the External Environment That Influence Employee Behavior. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/factors-external-environment-influence-employee-behavior-1251.html

# data[].attributes.body
The word leader for me always conjures up the image of a member of management, someone who holds an important title within an organisation. After reading the below article from American Nurse today this image is now more representational of a formal leader.

The below article hints at the benefits of having informal leaders within an organisation. These informal leaders can be extremely relevant when trying to change the direction of the organisations culture. Informal leaders are in a position where they can influence the groups that they are a member of and gain feedback that members of a team may not feel comfortable approaching a manager about. Whilst informal leaders can have a positive effect on culture, this may only be relevant when the leader is exerting a positive influence.

The article only touched on the positivity of having informal leaders in the organisation. Informal leadership whilst positive may slow down the decision making and confuse employees on who is responsible for the final decisions. This confusion can lead to job dissatisfaction and potential insubordination.

Krueger, D, L. (n.d.) America Nurse Today. Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/informal-leaders-and-cultural-change/ [Accessed 10 March 2018]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Author: Deborah L. Krueger, MSN, RN, NE-BC, CNRN, CHTP

Informal leaders are crucial to the success of a change involving the nursing team, yet they are often overlooked. A literature search of nursing publications over the past 5 years found only a small sampling of journal articles that used the key words "informal leaders." Leadership was often discussed in terms of positions and roles such as the "nurse manager" or the "nursing administrator."

A review of the business and management literature also found a number of articles that dealt directly with leadership types related to change and teams but likewise did not discuss the role of informal leaders. The literature in both nursing and business describe the role of the "follower," which displays attributes of the informal leader.

Nursing leaders at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center tapped into the valuable resource of informal leaders when implementing a new professional practice model, which ultimately transitioned to a theoretical basis for our model of care.

Role of the informal leader

Before we could implement a change that significantly impacted nursing culture, we had to understand the nature of informal leadership. Teams may operate without explicitly assigned roles or established authority and as a result are classed as "informal." Informal leaders in nursing are often nurses with a high level of clinical competency who are recognized as experts. This type of leader influences the group, comes from the team, and is chosen by the team.

Informal leaders don't have the power to hire or fire other staff or influence compensation, but are often charismatic, with an outspoken nature or a strong will. Many informal leaders in nursing can be troubleshooters, super users, and champions who volunteer for extra jobs, serve on unit or hospital-wide committees, and shared governance councils. The informal leader is often tapped to provide feedback for new projects and may assume supportive roles such as preceptor, educator, or charge nurse.

Informal leadership is often an innate characteristic found in many nurses and integral to the role of "advocate." Autonomy and empowerment in the work environment are key attributes supporting advocacy. Advocacy hones communication skills in order to follow through with, or change, interventions to create more positive outcomes for patients.

Informal leaders are in a unique position to influence the groups they work with. The influence can be used in a positive or obstructive way when change is involved. The informal leader is most influential when a group is first exposed to the change and the knowledge base is just beginning to form. As the group becomes more certain and experiences success, the informal leader's influence may diminish.

Informal leaders can also be excellent followers. A follower is often thought of as weak, ineffectual, or prone to failure, but that is usually far from the truth. Followers can easily move in and out of informal leadership roles by supplying energy, enthusiasm, and interest. Followers often have an emotional attachment to the leader. A mentor relationship may exist and with cultivation the follower may become a formal leader. The relationship between the follower and leader varies depending upon the type of change or intensity of the change that is undertaken. Through the relationship with the leader, the follower may attain a fair degree of power.

Starting the change

We undertook a redirection of nursing practice: developing a formal model of care, or philosophy of nursing, articulated and owned by staff. The model of care transitioned to a deeper, theoretical format. We enlisted the support of informal leaders within pilot units to facilitate this change.

In preparation for implementing the new model, we used several techniques to strengthen a healthy and caring environment including role playing, team-building exercises, and leveraging empowerment and autonomy. Education and discussion took place in a venue incorporating all selected representatives and was led by a formal leadership team, with delegated responsibility for the model of care by the chief nursing officer (CNO).

Two RN nurse champions were chosen by the unit staff to represent their practice areas with recognized content experts and resources in caring practice. Relationship-based care was implemented using a wave progression where model units completed small, incremental steps through the Shared Governance structure. The Nurse Champions in Caring Practice led the education, discussion, and implementation of core strategies unique to each area. Strategies addressed care of patient/family, care of self, and care of team.

Staff developed two strategies specific to their work areas. As the model units completed their work, the next wave of practice areas participated in the same process. As all units stabilized, the champions assisted in planning the next transition in the model of care-operationalizing Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring.

Value of informal leaders

Informal leaders are important to any change process. The leader of the change needs to be available and provide information. Team members often address concerns and issues with informal leaders that are not shared with managers. The leader of a significant change event should be visible to coach informal leaders by providing direction with informing, educating, observing, and giving positive feedback. Teachable moments are critical and even small successes should be celebrated. Expectations should be clear, specific, and written. The Nurse Champions in Caring Practice were developed to coach the staff in their areas. Few limitations were put on the strategies and creativity was encouraged. Development occurred within unit-based shared governance councils so that all staff was a part of the projects.

Even when staff agrees that a change is positive, acknowledgement of loss of routine, feelings of competence, the formation of a new team and new role definitions is important in the transition period. Change is more successful if framed in terms of the effect on the team and should be addressed in a direct way. Questions that arise as a result of change often represent different points of view. The manager/leader may be outcome focused and ask:

What is the goal?

What will it look like?

The informal leader or staff may question how they are directly impacted by the change and ask:

What am I getting?

What am I losing?

What will be different?

Tangible and discreet events may help smooth a change that impacts culture and allow for time to adjust emotionally within the context of a larger project. The analogy, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time," may elicit buy-in and investment from the informal leaders who can then act as coaches with other staff.

The informal leaders formed a core group who acted as role models and assisted other nurses in establishing appropriate patient goals, which helped make the change occur more smoothly. The informal leaders also provided follow-up and assistance if goals were missing.

An early success came when the CNO held town hall meetings about the new professional practice model. The meetings were web-cast throughout the medical center. A nurse in the audience shared her experience with several of the patient-centered strategies while her husband was a patient on a pilot unit. His course was complicated and difficult, but she felt there was a difference in his outcome as a result.

Resistance to change

When informal leaders do not exert a positive influence, it is important to provide information and directly address their role in the change. Resistance is a natural part of change and demonstrates that staff is engaged. The leader needs to maintain a clear focus during the transition period.

If the informal leader continues to resist, the leader should work to find a part of the plan that the informal leader can live with and enlist support for that part. This endorsement often positively affects the rest of the project. Regular meetings to provide information to all staff will narrow the gap between an informal leader and other staff, especially if the informal leader is highly resistant and blocking change. Involvement of all staff, focusing on development of the team and assessing the need for skills training, is equally important.

An example of resistance occurred when we began bedside reporting as part of patient care. Bedside reporting was supported as a tool to increase patients' participation in their plan of care by providing direct information and improving communication between the staff at shift change as well as supportive of the development of the nurse patient relationship.

Report shifted from the conference room to the bedside and included nursing assistants. All staff felt uncomfortable with this change at first and hesitated to share sensitive information. They believed the histories were too complex to deliver in the presence of the patient. Their feedback reflected the challenge with communication skills in this type of report.

Several informal leaders were especially vocal and unless the manager invited them to move to the bedside, they resisted. Individual discussion and coaching occurred on several levels and actions were taken to avoid making this change a compliance issue.

The resistance was defused in several ways. Nurse managers met with charge nurses, the nurse champions. As informal leaders, the nurse champions addressed the issue through the shared governance process and developed a flow sheet for report that provided more structure for inexperienced nurses. The process was changed so that histories and sensitive information were discussed outside the room and report at the bedside was shorter in preparation for a fuller version in the future when the comfort and skill level of the nurses improved. The patient was asked if he or she preferred report given in front of visitors, or a private report. Additional inservices using low fidelity simulations were scheduled to discuss scripting, family or visitor appropriateness, privacy issues, and other barriers defined by the staff.

A valuable resource

The following strategies may be used to best integrate informal leaders into the change process:

Obtain staff buy-in and feedback in the selection of informal leaders to lead change.

Provide information and make it safe for informal leaders to ask questions, take risks, and challenge the change by providing different perspectives.

Ask for suggestions and find common ground following feedback.

Incorporate the feedback provided by the informal leader into the change or the process leading to the change.

Break the change down into parts with the informal leaders sponsoring the different components to avoid the perception of one person "owning" the change.

Give the informal leader frequent feedback and share outcomes.

Effective change requires a nursing team of members who feel that the environment is supportive, the change has value, and they are acting together. The informal leader is a critical part of this process.

Deborah L. Krueger is the director of nursing for the Center for Nursing Research and Magnet Program Director at Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Selected references

Bridges W. Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. 3rd ed. New York: Perseus Publishing; 2009.

Grossman S, Valiga T. The New Leadership Challenge: Creating the Future of Nursing. 4th ed. Indianapolis, IN: F.A. Davis, Company; 2012.

Koloroutis M. Relationship-Based Care: A Model for Transforming Practice. Minneapolis, MN: Creative Health Care Management; 2004.

Pescosolio A. Informal leaders and the development of group efficacy. Small Group Research. 2001;32(1):74-93.

Smart M. The Hidden Power of Informal Leadership. Xulon Press; 2010.

Tosi H, Pilati M. Managing Organizational Behavior: Individuals, Teams, Organization and Management. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd; 2011.

Watson J. Human Caring Science: A Theory of Nursing. 2nd ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC; 2012.

Zemke C, Zemke S. Identifying Roles and Behaviors of Informal Leaders on Student Design Teams. (Best Paper Award). American Society for Engineering Education Conference, June 24, 2008.

Related Articles:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Informal leaders and cultural change - American Nurse Today

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Informal leaders are crucial to the success of a change involving the nursing team, yet they are often overlooked. A literature search of nursing publications over the past 5 years found only a small sampling of journal articles that used the key words "informal leaders."

# data[].attributes.body
Leadership expert Ken Blanchard speaks in this video on servant leadership and how it is establishing a compelling vision that ultimately allows goals to be achieved (Blanchard, 2012).  Blanchard (2012) asserts that there must be three pre-existing factors before organisational goals can have real meaning.  First, you must know what business you are in; you must know your why, secondly you must know where you are going if you do a good job and thirdly you must know what values are guiding you on your journey (Blanchard, 2012).  Blanchard (2012) states that goals tell people what you want them to focus on and to do this you must first establish these preceding elements.

While I concur with Blanchard's (2012) ideas that people must feel compelled towards the why, the where and the how I also believe that it is essential for people to know their part in it.  A leader must set the vision and the horizon but must also people must also be able to locate themselves in the journey.

Blanchard, K. (2012). Ken Blanchard Servant Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTiUy8uSWtE&index=2&list=PLS5AuD-tXWGXoJAWYDwhx8Qw-DnouDR3s

# data[].attributes.body
Understanding leadership impact is an article written by Human Resource Director Australia. The article analyses the impact that behavioural characteristics of a leader have on the success of their leadership. The article outlines the role of a leader and makes connections back to the behavioural traits with reference to why/how possessing the trait can impact on the effectiveness of your leadership.

The article then goes on into unsuccessful leaders and also makes mention to a leader/organisation mismatch with some examples of this and situational leadership provided. The article provides reference to a leadership questionnaire, which will assist people in indicating their performance, along with predicting for future leaders. There may be possible issues regarding entering incorrect information which would produce an inaccurate result The article makes extensive reference to behavioural traits and how these impact upon performance. Overall, the article effectively conveyed the desired message, with the questionnaire reference being very handy. The ideas portrayed are very relevant to business within Australia and would likely be successful in practice.

HRD. (2018). Understanding leadership impact. Retrieved from https://www.hcamag.com/features/understanding-leadership-impact-247035.aspx

# data[].attributes.headline
Brene Brown Vulnerability and Leadership

# data[].attributes.subject
Brene Brown Vulnerability and Leadership

# data[].attributes.body
Renowned social researcher Brene Brown has been someone I have followed for years.  In her 2015 YouTube talk with Chase Jarvis, Brown (2015) explains why vulnerability in leadership is a necessary quality.  Brown (2015) highlights how this is counter-intuitive to most leaders who perceive vulnerability is an expression of weakness.  Brown (2015) suggests that the opposite is true with vulnerability being the foundation for trust engagement, accountability, adaptability to change and innovation.

Brown (2015) indicates that women are the most resistant to vulnerability.  This attitude is not surprising to me given that women are attempting to make their way into a traditionally male-dominated world where they feel they must be able to demonstrate strength, and thus must try to minimise their often innately sensitive and intuitive sides for fear of being seen as weak.

I believe there is an evolving change in social consciousness and I agree with Brown (2015) in the suggestions that vulnerability is a leadership advantage and should be redefined as showing up, being willing to take risks and expose yourself to achieve the organisational mission (Brown, 2015).

Brown, B. (2015). Brene Brown Vulnerability and Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8YtQDiiT1U&index=1&list=PLS5AuD-tXWGXoJAWYDwhx8Qw-DnouDR3s&t=38s

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brene Brown   Vulnerability and Leadership

# data[].attributes.body
This video from Inc starring Drew Houston, CEO of dropbox is a prime example of how people in leadership positions need to practice what they preach. Too many times in organisations it can appear that the rules do not apply to those at the heads of organisations, this then reduces the respect people hold for that leader. In turn the effectiveness of the leader to create change is diminished.

"We can write down all the pretty words about our culture and our values that we want," he said. "But people pay a thousand times more attention to what you do as a leader" (Houston, 2017).

This is the fundamentals of what being a leader is about. This short 1:51 video highlights how the little actions that leaders do can set the standards for the team, things you may not even realise you do. Culture after all is the things you do without even thinking twice about.

Houston, J. (2017). Personal communication. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/what-happened-when-the-ceo-of-dropbox-was-late-to-.htmlom

Bariso, J. (2017, July 10). What Happened When the CEO of Dropbox Was Late to an All-Hands Meeting. INC. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/what-happened-when-the-ceo-of-dropbox-was-late-to-.htmlom [Accessed 11 March 2018].

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dropbox's CEO Was Late to a Companywide Meeting on Punctuality. What Followed Wasn't Pretty

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Drew Houston, the co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, scheduled an all-hands meeting to encourage timeliness in the workplace. Then he showed up late.

# data[].attributes.headline
Leadership Challenge // Part 14: Not for profit Leadership

# data[].attributes.subject
Leadership Challenge // Part 14: Not for profit Leadership

# data[].attributes.body
UQ Business School Professor of Public Administration Ken Wiltshire (2010) speaks on the unique characteristics of not-for-profit organisations and the corresponding leadership challenges that result from the distinctive space.  Wiltshire (2010) outlines that leadership needs to focus more on the opportunities for partnerships as opposed to the more traditional focus on competitive advantage.  Wiltshire (2010) poses that not-for-profits have a distinctive attractiveness to the corporate sector due to their credibility in regards to corporate social responsibility.  While governments seek to align with not-for-profits due to their ability to deliver community services through a caring and compassionate value system (Wiltshire, 2010).  While this attractiveness is a distinct advantage Wiltshire (2010) points out that it requires strong leadership to maintain these distinctions.
Wiltshire (2010) asserts that not-for-profits face the constraints of lower resource availability while still needing to meet the traditional governance, financial sustainability and ethical standards of mainstream organisations. Leaders must maintain their unique organisational image and avoid being viewed as moving toward corporatisation.

This insight would imply that there are distinct competencies required of non-for- profit leaders.  Having worked in this sector for many years, I would wholeheartedly concur with this view. However, from my experience, many leaders have trouble accessing development in this area given that many will be coming out of traditional leadership frameworks

Wiltshire, K. (2010). Leadership Challenge // Part 14: Not for profit Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT2lvubOpgY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Leadership Challenge // Part 14: Not for profit Leadership

# data[].attributes.headline
How companies can learn to root out sexual harassment

# data[].attributes.subject
How companies can learn to root out sexual harassment

# data[].attributes.body
This article is based on US statistics and organisations, however, this change in culture within US organisations, impacts Australia. The article states that sexual harassment is not always being reported, with some victims being paid to not speak up. It also informs that the US Mining industry having the highest frequent of reported sexual harassment of women.

The article details best practices that organisations can implement to improve their workplace culture in regards to sexual harassment, which includes training, workshops, anonymous reporting and updating organisational policies.

The #MeToo (sic) movement is frequently in our media headlines and a need for change, is being acknowledge, worldwide.

Organisations in Australia, are currently taking action to change the culture within their respective organisations to expose sexual harassment in the workplace and encourage victims to speak up.

KPMG chairperson, Alison Kitchen, recently reported to Sydney Morning Herald, the measures their organisation is taking to change their workplace culture with a ‘zero tolerance’ to sexual harassment in the workplace.

Reference
Sawyer, K Thoroughgood, C (2017, October, 24) How companies
can learn to root out sexual harassment. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/how-companies-can-learn-to-root-out-sexual-harassment-85862 [Accessed 11 March 2018]

Reference: Williams, R, SMH (2018, March, 1) 'Zero tolerance': KPMG head speaks out on sexual harassment. Retrieved from: https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/zero-tolerance-kpmg-head-speaks-out-on-sexual-harassment-20180301-p4z298.html [Accessed 05 March 2018]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fox News renewed its contract with former host Bill O'Reilly earlier this year despite knowing that he had just settled an expensive sexual harassment case, according to recent revelations.

Given this and other tales of bosses accused of harrasment, many Americans are surely wondering what companies can do to stop and stave off harassment. As organizational psychologists who have researched toxic work environments and consulted on related issues for years, we believe that it is possible.

The key, we've found, is to build organizational cultures where people fear the consequences of not speaking up more than they fear the consequences of remaining passive and silent. In short, human resources departments need to change their ways.

A workplace menace

The scourge of sexual harassment has been getting ample media attention in recent weeks amid a raft of stories reporting allegedly abusive behavior by, among others, show business executive Harvey Weinstein, screenwriter and director James Toback, celebrity chef John Besh and Amazon Studios executive Roy Price.

Most recently, The New York Times reported that O'Reilly struck a US$32 million deal to settle sexual harassment allegations just weeks before Fox News gave him a new four-year contract. O'Reilly, who denies doing anything improper, was fired in April after the network investigated multiple allegations against him.

Fox News has been contending with sexual harassment scandals enveloping not just O'Reilly but many more of its executives and hosts for more than a year. The network's management faces pressure from its owner to end what appears to be an institutional culture that has treated unwanted sexual advances and misogyny as routine.

Underreporting

Even with all this attention, sexual harassment remains a poorly understood concept that often remains in the dark.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency tasked with enforcing laws barring discrimination against job applicants and employees, has a solid definition.

"Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment."

Yet most victims don't report incidents. An EEOC task force estimated in 2016 that anywhere from 25 percent to 85 percent of American women have experienced harassment on the job.

Researchers have found that sexual harassment can make people less engaged with their work and less satisfied with their jobs. It may also cause physical and mental illnesses, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The long-term psychological harm is one reason why harassment victims may prove reluctant to file formal claims.

Sexual harassment on the job is also costly in monetary terms and to a company's reputation. Employers paid about $125 million in 2015 and 2016 to settle claims through the EEOC. That doesn't include claims that ended up in court or those, like the ones involving O'Reilly, which were settled confidentially and can lead to big payouts.

Workplace culture

So what can companies do to root out the bad behavior of some bosses? First it helps to consider the types of workplaces where harassment is most common and why more people who witness it don't speak out.

Studies have determined that sexual harassment is most common in male-dominated industries, such as construction, where women are underrepresented. Even when famous movie stars experience harassment, they may attribute their silence to a lack of faith that their employer or other authorities will believe them and take their complaint seriously. Many develop a sense of shame and fear career damage - including job loss.

Uber's debacle is a case in point. Until a former employee exposed the company's entrenched sexual harassment problems - leading to the CEO's ouster - Uber's culture and human resources team tolerated them.

In contrast, female-dominated and gender-balanced fields such as education harbor less tolerance of this behavior.

These patterns point to how employers can rid their workplaces of this problem and encourage witnesses to sound the alarm.

For starters, employers can adopt and enforce strong anti-harassment policies and train staff to recognize and report instances of this behavior.

But making a real difference demands more than formal policies and practices, which won't on their own deter perpetrators or make victims speak out unless employees believe their employer is serious about enforcing them. Bystanders won't do their part either if they think they'll experience backlash for offering their help and support.

And as one of us (Katina Sawyer) found in her recent work, powerful men can help rid their companies and organizations of gender inequality and sexism by being good allies to the women they work with.

Best practices

We believe workplace leaders can help by improving their organization's informal culture. Here are four ways that senior managers can actively signal their commitment to stopping sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination:

Participate in and even present at sexual harassment training sessions.

Attend conferences and workshops geared toward preventing sexual harassment.

Create and protect anonymous reporting channels.

Hold HR managers accountable for enforcing these policies, aiding victims and encouraging bystanders to speak up.

When workplace leaders truly lead, victims feel more empowered to report their experiences and bystanders become more likely to intervene. Perpetrators, in turn, realize they could be punished or fired over sexual harassment, making them less likely to do it.

Reuters/Rashid Umar Abbasi

Fixing HR

In addition, the profession of human resources - usually the first place a victim of harassment will go to find support - needs to change.

That's because, beginning in college and graduate school, HR professionals learn to worry more about protecting employers from anti-harassment lawsuits than rooting out the misogyny that makes the perpetrators of harassment feel free to prey on their victims.

In addition, HR departments seem to treat harassment training as more of a box to tick rather than an important message to employees that this behavior is both wrong and illegal.

Instead, these professionals should be trained at school and encouraged on the job to create and promote the conditions that deter harassment. They can do so by encouraging reporting and leaving no doubt that management will take complaints seriously.

They should never fail to follow through on harassment claims or enforce harassment policies. Letting them go or even giving employees accused of this behavior a raise - as Fox did with O'Reilly - signals tolerance to perpetrators, victims and bystanders.

Reporting the problem, in other words, should be encouraged and not punished in any formal or informal way.

Once victims and bystanders feel that it's safe for them to report harassment and other outrages, it won't take decades for powerful men like O'Reilly, Weinstein and Toback to be held accountable for their alleged misdeeds. Otherwise, harassment is bound to remain underreported and pervasive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How companies can learn to root out sexual harassment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fox News renewed its contract with former host Bill O'Reilly earlier this year despite knowing that he had just settled an expensive sexual harassment case, according to recent revelations. Given this and other tales of bosses accused of harrasment, many Americans are surely wondering what companies can do to stop and stave off harassment.

# data[].attributes.headline
Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviours

# data[].attributes.subject
Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviours

# data[].attributes.body
Leaders can shape company culture through their behaviours is an article from Harvard Business review written by Jim Whitehurst. Whitehurst believes that the first step to changing an organisations culture begins with the leaders. Whitehurst uses two different examples of how subtle behaviours can assist in shaping the companies culture. These examples highlight that a company’s culture is all the little things that we without even thinking about it.

Leaders must model the behaviour they want portrayed so others can emulate it. This statement is incredibly pertinent to my beliefs on the relationship between culture and leadership. Within my current organisation leaders state one thing and do another. This creates a void and a level of distrust between the different levels within the organisation.

A topic that Whitehurst does not touch on is that to create a change within the organisations culture, the leader must be respected by the team. Without this respect the leader by receive the opposite effect.

Whitehurst, J. (2016). Leaders can shape a company culture through their behaviours. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/10/leaders-can-shape-company-culture-through-their-behaviors [Accessed 09 March 2018]

# data[].attributes.headline
How Ford CEO Alan Mullaly turned a broken company into the industry's comeback kid

# data[].attributes.subject
How Ford CEO Alan Mullaly turned a broken company into the industry's comeback kid

# data[].attributes.body
In this article, Harry Kraemer talks about the turnaround of Ford and how CEO Alan Mullaly achieved this through a values-based leadership. This focuses on both the internal organisational culture and team thinking, and the external environment and relationships with suppliers and investors.

To turnaround the company, Alan’s leadership had a focus on the idea of ‘one team,’ and inspiring all employees and departments to work together as ‘One Ford.’ This focus on team work encourages employees to work together towards organisational goals. A leader who encourages a one team mentality creates a more united front, and helps employees to feel aligned with the company.

External relationships, such as those with a supplier, are crucial to the survival and success of a business. A values-based leader appreciates a win/win relationship with their suppliers, and will work to build trust and mutually beneficial agreements. It’s important here that the leader has a clear vision of the company’s future and goals and is able to communicate these with external stakeholders in order to gain this trust.

Reference

Kraemer, H. (2015, June 18).

How Ford CEO Alan Mullaly turned a broken company into the industry’s comeback kid. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/431078/how-ford-ceo-alan-mullaly-turned-a-broken-company-into-the-industrys-comeback-kid/

# data[].attributes.body
In this video, Dan Ariely talks about motivation and effort, in regards to work, and describes various scenarios and experiments to prove his point about meaningful work. While the issue of leadership isn’t much talked about, I find this video to be highly relevant to the topic. Some people believe that leadership is about inspiring people to reach organisational goals. But it then needs to be asked how?

Throughout the video, we learn that people are willing to do more work for less money, simply by being acknowledged and having their work regarded as meaningful. In cases where the work done was instantly destroyed in front of them, or simply not acknowledged, the results were fairly similar and drastically different to the results where the work was given purpose. Even small meaning made a difference. From a leadership perspective, these results are important in understanding what motivates people, how motivation works, and how this can be effectively used for achieving organisational goals.

Reference

Ariely, D. (2012, October). What makes us feel good about our work? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work#t-1210152

# data[].attributes.headline
Unhappy Workers: Tackling the reason why Aged Care staff leave

# data[].attributes.subject
Unhappy Workers: Tackling the reason why Aged Care staff leave

# data[].attributes.body
Dr Katrina Radford, a lecturer at Griffith Business School, who completed her PhD thesis on staff retention and turnover in aged care. Dr Radford’s thesis, found that organisational factors such as working conditions and job satisfaction were far more important than personal factors in determining whether a person continued working in the sector. Dr Radford also stated “the factors influencing whether staff stayed or left aged care were overwhelmingly under the control of employers”.

The Australian Ageing Agenda Publication highlighted the importance of workplace conditions, support and culture in understanding why aged care employees stay or leave the sector. With high turnover rates evident in the report, employing, retaining and developing the right staff not only has important benefits for clients and delivery of effective quality of care but also reduces the strains on an organisations costs.

Dr Radford stated; “This shows that there is a great opportunity for organisations to invest in their staff, particularly, in a way that works for them”. A clear finding from Dr Radford’s study was highlighting a link between the culture and environment of an organisation and the intentions of stakeholders to stay involved in the enterprise.

The report states that in terms of organisational factors influencing staff intentions to stay, job satisfaction and the work environment including culture, management and supportive co-workers were the most dominant factors.

Personally, I feel that through quality, informative feedback, engaging with staff, fostering and developing a culture of recognition, will allow for employees to feel valued and appreciated and readily understand and openly see their ability to contribute to the success of an organisation.

We can always see the link between unhappy unengaged stakeholders and poor performance both at an individual and organisational level.

Reference:

Belardi, Linda. (2016, January 27). Unhappy workers: tackling the reasons why aged care staff leave. Australian Ageing Agenda. Retrieved from: https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2016/01/27/tackling-why-staff-leave/

# data[].attributes.body
5 Things All Great Leaders Do to Create a Culture of Leadership

Developing a productive workplace environment rests with the management of an organisation. Leaders must provide clarity through clearly defined goals and vision. Strong leaders reflect company culture through their actions and reinforcement of favorable employee behaviour.

The article stressors the need for transformational leaders who develop a clear strategic plan to motivate employees. Leaders who connect with their employees using a hands on approach are more likely to a stronger teamwork environment. Successful leaders are aware of their shortcomings and do not shy away from constructive criticism from other employees.

One argument the articles fails to stress is the need for workplaces practices which enable employees to voice their concerns. Often employees refrain from voicing their opinions because of the repercussions it may have. Leaders should provide employees with the opportunity to express their feelings both publicly and in private.

Reference

Hogg, B. (2015, January 16). 5 Things All Great Leaders Do to Create a Culture of Leadership. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from http://customerthink.com/5-things-all-great-leaders-do-to-create-a-culture-of-leadership/

# data[].attributes.headline
Women, here are seven ways to become the best leader in business and in life

# data[].attributes.subject
Women, here are seven ways to become the best leader in business and in life

# data[].attributes.body
Although this article has been written with women in business, in mind, it really isn’t gender specific in its advice. The article was however, written just before International Women’s Day, so this is probably the reason for such a title.

Ensuring open communication (including active listening) in an organisation's culture is vitally important. It can be said that the person responsible for a role day-in day-out, has the best ideas of how it can be done better. Without open communication, this information cannot be relayed back to senior management.

Leaders who listen to their team and their ideas, will be respected by the team, as the team members feel that they have a voice.

By communicating openly, everyone in the organisation is on the same page. By communicating the goals, values and vision of the organisation to everyone, each person is able to contribute to achieving these. When a team member understands how their role fits in the big picture, they can see why their role matters and how their work contributes to the organisation reaching its goals, values and vision. The team member is then likely to take ownership of their role and buy-in to the success of the organisation. They make themselves, accountable.

Reference

Vetere, R (2018, March, 5). Women, here are seven ways to become the best leader in business and in life. In Financial Post. Retrieved from http://business.financialpost.com/executive/executive-women/women-here-are-seven-ways-to-become-the-best-leader-in-business-and-in-life

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Competition is not just a man's sport. Women have their eyes on the prize too, and are continuously soaring to great heights in business and leadership positions. Female empowerment is no longer just a term, it is now an industry of its own. With this comes cultural change. The change agents of our era are the female pioneers who help empower and embrace others. How do they do it? And more important, how can you follow their examples?

These are my top business and leadership tips to help you become the best leader in business and life.
Practice active listening
Leaders do not make it to the top because they tell everyone what to do. They succeed because they listen carefully. Listen to your clients, supervisor, colleagues and family members. Whoever it is, just listen. You learn more by keeping your ears open in curiosity than you do speaking. By listening, you take in the subtle patterns of individuals and information. Not only does active listening improve your understanding, it improves relationships. Individuals have deep respect for those that actively listen with a conscious and attentive energy. There are endless opportunities for the individual that keeps a keen eye on all surroundings.
Communicate openly and efficiently
Transparency is an important quality for business leaders. Open communication allows colleagues and clients alike to build trust with the leadership and the company. Keep the door open to allow for transparent conversations. Openness can be a paramount quality to your personal leadership skillset. Make your values known in a respectful way and others will appreciate your directness. If you are true to your word, sincerity will shine through your interactions. Everyone in your workplace and personal sphere appreciates sincere and genuine interactions based in transparency.
Display courage for managerial roles
You may have reached your peak leadership position, or you may still have your eye on it. Either way, play the part to achieve your goals. Carefully curate yourself to act in a distinguished and respectable manner. Make your decisions with a decisive and direct approach that reflects confidence. Leaders are those who do not hesitate on big decisions. Take responsibility in stride and develop bold moves that are for the overall good of the company and its workers. Take risks, and aim to pursue your ambitions to reach the top.
Be respectful
You are never too good to respect others. The golden rule remains true in every avenue of life. Many people get caught up in the labels and forget that regardless of your position, everyone is a person just like you. Overlooking respect is a dangerous path, particularly if you are in a leadership role. Business success is rooted in kindness. Genuine kindness to others and acknowledging their presence goes a long way. There is no need to be best friends with everyone, but a simple hello and respectful interaction is a necessary expression of humanity and respect.
Be accountable
Accountability is easy to come by when things are going well. The boss takes note of who is accountable when things go badly. Express your bravery and take responsibility for your actions. Placing the blame on others is a cowardly outcome, and will not increase your chances of climbing the ladder of leadership. Be a leader now and take responsibility.
Recognize your team
Business is not a one-man or one-woman game. It takes a team of people with quality contributions to make a working collaborative product. Express appreciation for ideas and help on projects. There is no one person doing all the work because the end product is a representation of a mosaic of ideas. Grant everyone credit for a job well done.
Preparation is the bottom line
The most qualified person may not always be the best person for the job. Preparation is a pivotal quality in successful individuals. Natural personality is excellent, but it won't get the job done. Proper preparatory measures are taken by the most responsible and aware individuals. Those are the people you want running an event or project. Be ready for every outcome, and know that the best leaders take planning into their own hands ahead of time. The most prepared individual that can think on their feet execute tasks most effectively.

Leadership roles are challenging and just like the best things in life, you must work hard to achieve them. Perseverance, responsibility, respect and encouragement get you farther than you ever thought possible. Remain humble and appreciate the people that help build up the company. Just remember - you may not currently be in a leadership role, but that does not mean you cannot be a leader now.
Rhonda Vetere is an industry advocate for women entrepreneurs around the world. She is president at nThrive and board advisor of On The Dot Woman, which helps empower and advance women with daily, four-minute motivational segments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Women, here are seven ways to become the best leader in business and in life

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Competition is not just a man's sport. Women have their eyes on the prize too, and are continuously soaring to great heights in business and leadership positions. Female empowerment is no longer just a term, it is now an industry of its own. With this comes cultural change.

# data[].attributes.headline
We Tend To Give Up On Our Employees Too Quickly 

# data[].attributes.subject
We Tend To Give Up On Our Employees Too Quickly 

# data[].attributes.body
This article was published in HRD Australia where NAB are making 6,000 works redundant due to automation. People do find it hard to change, they do not see or visualise the future. Dr Trevor Roberts said  “We tend to give up on our employees too quickly,”

There are many organisations that face these issues due to the rapid  environmental changes. I believe like him that people can change, the problem is organisations like NAB, can they afford to keep them?
Culture plays a big part in these changes and organisations should be responsible in helping people develop in new roles earlier.

As a leader we should be working with our people to motivate them and give them the confidence to succeed. The rapid change of technology is placing a strain on most organisations and If they always do what they have always done there is a possibly that the organisation will fail.

References

Mehdi, M., Raza, S. H., & Raza, A. (2017). It’s What’s Inside: Impact of Culture on Strategy Making. GSTF Journal on Business Review (GBR), 5(2), 40-45.

“We tend to give up on our employees too quickly”. (Feb, 2018)Retrieved from

https://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/we-tend-to-give-up-on-our-emiployees-too-quickly-246977.aspx

# data[].attributes.headline
Employers looking for an ever widening skills set from future employees

# data[].attributes.subject
Employers looking for an ever widening skills set from future employees

# data[].attributes.body
Wow! The best companies are looking for people in the Arts field, and not engineering! Not sure I agree as some of the new age engineers are into robotics and are critical thinkers. We are in an environment where Artifical intelligence (AI) is moving in leaps and bounds and having these skills would be a benefit to reducing cost.

I agree we need to consider different skill sets as this provides organisations a healthy work structure as well as the right people to do the job. I also believe people with diverse skills can benefit leaders and organisations. As leaders we should be able to help people see future visions.

The organisation I work for cannot afford to hire specialist’s skills due to cost, so employing people who have multiple skill sets can be cost effective for the organisation and a definite advantage for an employee for the future.

References

Heracleous, L., & Klaering, L. A. (2017). The circle of life: Rhetoric of identification in Steve Jobs' Stanford speech. Journal of Business Research(79), 31-40.

Bolton, R. (Feb, 2018). Employers looking for an ever widening skills set from future employees. In Financial Review. Retrieved from http://www.afr.com/leadership/employers-looking-for-an-ever-widening-skills-set-from-future-employees-20180102-h0ckun

# data[].attributes.body
Interesting article where people believe if they want more money they should move jobs. The reality is job roles are changing and more roles are becoming automated. They mention loyalty like banks, however there are more customers now looking for a better deal and the government have made it easier to switch.

Threatening to leave may work however, organisations are focused on improving the bottom line this might be an opportunity to change the role and reduce cost to the organisation. Where the article mentions staying with an employer for a longer period would not be beneficial for the employee.

I agree that organisations need new talent and ideas to stay relevant. When employees stay too long they become relaxed and any changes become overwhelming which in turn increase mental health issues as well as cost to any organisation.

References

Australian Government. (2012, July 1). Account switching. Retrieved September 1, 2015, from Australian Banking Reforms: http://www.bankingreforms.gov.au/content/Content.aspx?doc=switching.htm

Bright, J. (Feb, 2018). In Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/careers/is-changing-jobs-the-best-move-20180218-p4z0ra.html

# data[].attributes.headline
Toxic Fearful Culture at Victorian Hospital

# data[].attributes.subject
Toxic Fearful Culture at Victorian Hospital

# data[].attributes.body
Internal documents reveal 'toxic', 'fearful' culture at Victorian hospital

The article ‘Internal documents reveal 'toxic', 'fearful' culture at Victorian hospital’, as reported on ABC South West Vic by Bridget Judd on 19 December 2017, is in relation to a review by Vic Health prompted by allegations of systematic bullying at ‘South West Healthcare’ (SWH).

The ABC article identified and reported on serious issues relating to workplace structure and culture, including a lack of confidence in senior management to act 'consistently and fairly', and concerns accountability for patient care had been "compromised" within the mental health department of SWH.

The publicly released report from Vic Health found ongoing issues within senior management. The report identified the SWH organisational decision-making processes and associated culture as being;

"idiosyncratic, confusing and even impulsive, toxic, fearful, hampered, distressing, blaming, scrutinized, ashamed, silenced, punitive and not supporting of either staff or managers”.

Staff reported they were made to feel inadequate or shamed if they expressed concerns and were left out of communication networks. The report identified open discussions about staff human resource management which fed a workplace culture that was driving away employees.

A toxic or unhealthy workplace culture and environment at an organisation can cause that organisation to struggle to retain and attract quality stakeholders and professionals. These unhealthy cultures take a toll on both the organisation’s ethics and missions, but also the employees and stakeholders mental health and their ability and motivation to function and perform effectively.

The trust that employees have in the leadership culture take long periods of time to embed, but can be undone in an instant.

Reference:

Judd, Bridgett, (2017, December 19). Internal documents reveal 'toxic', 'fearful' culture at Victorian hospital. ABC News. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-19/toxic-culture-revealed-at-south-west-healthcare/9271182

# data[].attributes.headline
When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Doesn’t

# data[].attributes.subject
When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Doesn’t

# data[].attributes.body
This article explores the positives and negatives of empowering employees. Organisations in both western & eastern countries were analysed.

The positive outcome shows that leaders who empowered their employees, gave employees more autonomy in the workplace, which had the potential to lead to greater job satisfaction, higher staff morale, new ideas being implemented and employees excelling in their positions. One of the flow on effects of this is greater staff retention, which of course, ensures the organisation has more effective business continuity and less costs spent on hiring and training new staff.

The other side of the argument explored instances where employees could become overwhelmed or feel that their leaders were just avoiding doing the work themselves. In this instance, a good leader could implement a mentoring approach and some close guidance, to allow the employee to gain self confidence in their decisions and ideas. Most importantly, an effective leader needs to keep the communication lines open to ensure they are on the same page as the employee.

As organisations are constantly exposed to change, empowering employees with autonomy allows them to make the best decision based on the current situation that they may be in. As long as decisions made are in the best interests of the organisation, by complimenting its goals, values and vision, this ensures that the organisation is keeping up to date with the needs of its employees, customers, clients and relevant stakeholders, whilst also being proactive and responsive with changes in the business environment, both internally and externally. To ensure this is the outcome, effective leaders must ensure the employee has a sound understanding of the core values of the organisation as well as its vision and goals, decisions should made to align with these.

Reference
Lee, A., Willis, Tian, A.W (2018, March, 2) When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Does. In Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/03/when-empowering-employees-works-and-when-it-doesnt

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Many leaders often try to empower their employees by delegating authority and decision-making, sharing information, and asking for their input. But a recent meta-analysis of 105 studies on this "empowering" leadership style found that it works best in motivating certain types of performance and certain types of employees. It found that first, empowering leaders are much more effective at influencing employee creativity and citizenship behavior (i.e., behavior that is not formally recognized or rewarded like helping coworkers or attending work functions that aren't mandatory) than routine task performance. Second, by empowering their employees, these leaders are also more likely to be trusted by their subordinates, compared to leaders who do not empower their employees. Third, leaders who empowered employees were more effective at influencing employee performance in Eastern, compared to Western, cultures, and they had a more positive impact on employees who had less experience working in their organizations.

Research has regularly demonstrated that when employees feel empowered at work, it is associated with stronger job performance, job satisfaction, and commitment to the organization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
When Empowering Employees Works, and When It Doesn't

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many leaders often try to empower their employees by delegating authority and decision-making, sharing information, and asking for their input. But a recent meta-analysis of 105 studies on this "empowering" leadership style found that it works best in motivating certain types of performance and certain types of employees.

# data[].attributes.body
Oakden nursing home: Senate inquiry told of 'toxic' cover-up culture at abuse-plagued facility

The article on ABC, reported by, political reporter Nick Harmsen on 21 November 2017, identified a "toxic" culture of cover up at the South Australian government-run Oakden nursing home. The report identified that multiple internal and external sources were responsible for the failure to identify years of abuse of elderly patients with dementia.

The report and article identified State and Federal Government inadequacies in their abilities to identify, respond to and manage concerns in such a “closed environment” as reported by the senior SA Health official responsible for the facility, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Jackie Hanson.

The internal and external accreditation and auditing systems failed in their ability to implement a diverse holistic approach to identifying cultural environmental concerns. Stakeholders expressed concerns of being intimidated by organisational factors that prevented them from reporting the abuse and cultural flaws.

It is evident in the report that a culture of cover-ups and a complicate nature of compliance to aged care accreditation standards is evident. The report states that the Federal Government was working on an action plan to approve accreditation practices and had made a commitment to move to unannounced visits.

Ensuring that all stakeholders are fully aware of, and involved in the oversight of, the blame from one government department or oversight committee for what was going on does not diminish the fact that an all-encompassing review need to be conducted.

Through policy and procedure development, new accreditation and oversight standards implementation and internal reviews, a more open and non-toxic culture can be developed. Focusing on training and development is paramount, however ensuring that the systems are in place to effectively manage these concerns on an ongoing basis are compliant and sustainable is a major quality improvement undertaking.

Reference:

Harmsen, Nick., (2017, November 21). Oakden nursing home: Senate inquiry told of 'toxic' cover-up culture at abuse-plagued facility. ABC News. Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-21/oakden-nursing-home-toxic-cover-up-culture/9175924

# data[].attributes.body
10 Examples of Companies with Fantastic Cultures

When you begin to analyze why some companies succeed and others fail, the common trait amongst successful companies is effective organizational culture. Management are becoming increasingly aware of the need for integrated workplace practices, which can no longer be ignored.

This particular article mentions 10 large organisations with successful organizational environments. One such company is “Southwest Airlines”. In an industry where consumers find air travel a hassle and competition is high, Southwest Airlines has built a reputation on satisfied customers who highly recommend the airline. This is a result of the company culture at the organization which has been operating for over 43 years now. Employees are encouraged to meet the needs of their customers, as a result customers feel valued and attended to.

Where the article falls short, is clearly identifying the fact, that different organizations can have varying workplace norms and still find significant success.

Reference

Patel, S. (2015, August 06). 10 Examples of Companies With Fantastic Cultures. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249174

# data[].attributes.headline
Building a Culture of Positive Disruption

# data[].attributes.subject
Building a Culture of Positive Disruption

# data[].attributes.body
Through position of influence, leaders can help create a positive culture of disruption.

By allowing employees at all levels to have authority to disrupt the business norms, leaders are empowering employees to innovate, think outside the square. Leaders can help create a disruptive positive culture by creating a safe environment where speaking up is encouraged when new ideas or alternative views are generated.

It’s important that an organisation listen’s to the people on the front line, they are one the ones receiving the customers feedback so it is crucial leaders allow these employees to have a voice and for them to be heard.

Employees will need to gain trust in their leaders before a disruptive culture can be cultivated. Heath suggests key qualities leaders require to create and drive a culture that invites disruption include; the ability to remain non-defensive, have intellectual humility and be willing to have your ideas or strategic direction questioned.

Heath, N. (n.d.). Building a Culture of Positive Disruption. Retrieved from https://managersandleaders.com.au/blog/building-a-culture-of-positive-disruption/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Building a Culture of Positive Disruption

Leaders can help create a culture that encourages employees to question the status quo to benefit the company. By Nicola Heath

Albert Einstein made a strong case for disruption decades before it became a buzzword.

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them," said the famous scientist.

In other words, if you want to upset the applecart, you need a culture that values creativity and questioning the status quo.

Disruption is a key component of success in today's business landscape. "In an environment where things are changing very rapidly and where new opportunities are coming up all the time... it's the quick or the dead," says Anya Johnson, Senior Lecturer in Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School.

The link between culture and performance has also been firmly established. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, "[a] positive corporate culture-one that engages and motivates employees-helps a company's bottom line."

"Being a good listener is absolutely critical to being a good leader. You have to listen to the people who are
on the front line." - Sir Richard Branson
What does a culture of disruption look like?
"Workplace culture can inspire disruption," writes Leanne Hoagland-Smith in the Chicago Tribune.

A culture of disruption is one "in which people feel psychologically safe to speak it out, to say things that perhaps are not popular or that perhaps go against the norm," says Johnson.

Without it, "the people at the top of the organisation are the ones that drive the agenda," she says. "Often they're not the people who are... in contact with the market in the most direct sort of way."

Subtle cues that an organisation doesn't value questioning of the status quo can shut down dialogue and stifle innovation, says Johnson. Often these organisations become "monoliths", driven in one direction by a single overarching view until they are usurped by a more agile competitor.

Peter Wilson, Chairman of AHRI, says that to create a culture of disruption, CEOs must get out of the executive suite and spend time at the coal face, talking to the employees who serve the customers.

It's an approach favoured by Virgin CEO Sir Richard Branson, one of the leading disruptors of his generation. "We encourage all of our companies to seek feedback from their staff and implement great ideas where possible," Branson wrote in a 2015 blog post giving examples of ideas proposed by Virgin Trains employees that had been adopted by the company.

Wilson also cites David Thodey, who was famous for his use of Yammer during his tenure as Telstra CEO. A 2015 HBR article reported that Thodey used the tool to cut through layers of management to directly engage with the telco's thousands of employees. It gave him "an immediate and intimate look into what wasn't working at Telstra" and "demonstrated that employee participation made a difference," notes the author.

Wilson agrees. "[Thodey] said he learnt a lot more about what was going on than the traditional performance reports that headed their way up to the CEOs office."
What leadership qualities help create a culture that invites disruption?
Johnson says as a manager or a leader it's important "to have intellectual humility, to be willing and open to having your ideas questioned, to being non-defensive when others perhaps are critical of a particular direction [in which] you're moving... your team."
Learn more leadership tips at the Institute of Manager and Leaders events

Posted on 22 August 2017

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Building a Culture of Positive Disruption | Institute of Managers and Leaders

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Building a Culture of Positive Disruption Leaders can help create a culture that encourages employees to question the status quo to benefit the company. By Nicola Heath Albert Einstein made a strong case for disruption decades before it became a buzzword.

# data[].attributes.headline
7 mistakes people make when thinking about people and culture

# data[].attributes.subject
7 mistakes people make when thinking about people and culture

# data[].attributes.body
This article was written by Monika Gisler for Business Insider Australia. Monika is the co-founder of a people and culture consulting agency and draws on this and her experience working for Google for over a decade to outline the importance of people and culture for a business and its brand.

The question of whether leaders are born or made is discussed in much leadership literature, Monika says that ‘leadership is developed.’ Employees who deserve it, should not only be rewarded with management positions, but their skills should be developed in order to create more managers who act as leaders, who then have the necessary skills when managing more future leaders, ensuring the future success of the business. This point is further proven by point 7, where it is pointed out that the companies that invest in people and the development of positive organisational culture with ongoing training are more successful.

Reference

Gisler, M. (2018, January 24). 7 mistakes people make when thinking about people and culture. Business Insider Australia. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com.au/people-and-culture-hr-mistakes-2018-1

# data[].attributes.headline
The power of culture as a Competitive Advantage

# data[].attributes.subject
The power of culture as a Competitive Advantage

# data[].attributes.body
This Forbes article shows besides the product/service, technology or credentials, the secret ingredient to success is Culture.

The article provides numerous ideas and formats key points for achieving a strong corporate culture which inspires employees to become more intrinsically motivated. Alyssa Rapp (the writer), reveals her first point as drawing a clear and concise company vision for the employees (Rapp, 2015). This will allow team members to communicate the company’s vision clearly and succinctly. Secondly, surrounding the workplace with people who share similar values. Thirdly, celebrating the success of a team member, this shows the employee is valued within the organisation. Fourthly, make each goal clear so team members acknowledge where their efforts and hard work is going towards. And lastly, become a company that delivers a “double bottom line”, this encompasses both profits as well as impact (local and global) (Rapp, 2015).

Culture holds the power to inspire employees to move themselves, to move mountains, and to support each other in a way that, when done right it is truly irreplaceable. And when the company presents a market-leading product supported by great technology, culture seems to be the most defensible competitive advantage of them all (Rapp, 2015).

Reference

Rapp, A. (2015, September 15). The power of culture as a competitive advantage. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2015/09/15/the-power-of-culture-as-a-competitive-advantage/#6f321d4b3f6b

# data[].attributes.headline
Leaders in Innovation: How they’re creating cultures of creativity

# data[].attributes.subject
Leaders in Innovation: How they’re creating cultures of creativity

# data[].attributes.body
The article written by Phil McKinney, explains on of the necessary goals for a leader in an organisation is to cultivate culture of creativity. This allows the individual to fulfil their abilities in their role. The article provides two exemplary leaders in today’s world, Elon Musk and Mark Benioff. Both of these innovative leaders have built a strong culture with their forward-thinking approach.

The article supports the idea that creating a culture of innovation is treating employees well and acting with integrity. Innovative leaders never lose sight of the necessity of a strong and engaged team (McKinney, 2016). Engaging in questionable practices or treating employees like disposable resources is not the way to get the best ideas. When employees feel a sense of ownership and pride in the organisation, they’ll feel empowered to try new things and give their best.

Reference

McKinney, P. (2016, June 02). Leaders in Innovation: How they're creating cultures of creativity. Retrieved from Philmckinney blog: Ideas of Innovation: http://philmckinney.com/leaders-innovation-theyre-creating-cultures-creativity/

# data[].attributes.headline
TEDx Talk on Today's Perception of Culture and Leadership by Joseph Trimble. 

# data[].attributes.subject
TEDx Talk on Today's Perception of Culture and Leadership by Joseph Trimble. 

# data[].attributes.body
In a changing society, new leadership styles are emerging. This video recognises the past dominating styles and brings to light on more inclusive, diverse and effective options. In the past, Joseph Trimble (the speaker) characterises the “Alpha Male Leader” approach as the leading leadership style (Trimble, 2015). Consequently, the main attributes of “Alpha Male Leader” leadership style were Bold, Aggressive and Self-centred to name a few. However, in the changing world, people are becoming more adaptive in their role to leaders who appreciate the culture and mirror their beliefs to the staff themselves.

Trimble tells a story about Dianne and how she changed the whole culture and outlook of an organisation. Due to her diverse background, she introduced a unique presidential approach to the position. She engaged with all the various staff at an individual bases and created a bond never witnessed before between a president of an organisation and their staff. She also restructured the board meeting room into a more inclusive atmosphere by replacing the rectangle table into a round table. In such scepticism, the board members were worried she was spending too much time engaging with the staff and not enough time obtaining the company goals. However, in due time everything changed, the goals were met, staff were staying behind to complete extra work, and collaborating with one another.

This example is a direct representation of how diverse and more relatable leadership attributes creates a strong culture within an organisation. Regardless of the age of the organisation, the changing world has improved the cultural expectations from their leaders to achieve greater performance limits.

Reference

Trimble, J. (2015). Culture and Leadership. Retrieved on 9th of March from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuHj3jsBdKE

# data[].attributes.headline
Apple under fire over reports students worked illegal overtime to build iPhone X

# data[].attributes.subject
Apple under fire over reports students worked illegal overtime to build iPhone X

# data[].attributes.body
The article was published by “The Guardian”, and presents the issue of negative culture and working environment of Foxconn and Apple.

The article is an open view on the treatment of staff by both Foxconn and Apple, and the issues seem to stem from the lack of notice or care from leadership and management. This isn’t the only time Foxconn and Apple have been under fire, in 2010 reports of employee suicide and mistreatment of staff plagued the internet. Apple is very notorious for not implementing mechanisms to protect their staff, in my opinion this is mostly due to their company culture. The article, however, discusses the forced labour of students on work experience, it has been stated by Li Qiang, the executive director of New York-based non-profit China Labour Watch, “When Apple’s production demands it, Apple completely ignores the labour standards they have set” (Hern, A. 2017).

The article leaves readers with the impression that the company culture of Apple of profit above all else is damaging not only their image, but the environments in which they work.

Reference

Hern, A. (November, 22nd. 2017). Apple under fire over reports students worked illegal overtime to build iPhone X. The Guardian. Retrieved on 9th of March from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/21/apple-students-illegal-overtime-reports-iphone-x-foxconn-interns

# data[].attributes.headline
Chaos at Fox News: One Week In, Culture Change Is on the Rocks

# data[].attributes.subject
Chaos at Fox News: One Week In, Culture Change Is on the Rocks

# data[].attributes.body
The article explores the impact that a changing culture has on an organisation, and according to the article it looks like an “Implosion” (Saraiya, S. 2017).

Due to a very public culture change Fox News is experiencing a very negative outcome impacting the organisations image and influence. Issues of sexual harassment, racism and resistance to culture change are all having a troubling and negative impact on the organisations attempt to change its culture. According to the author the company is in complete disarray, but, that has not deterred the efforts of the Murdoch family to continually change and implement solutions to the corporation’s culture.  The company’s attempt to remove problem employees and leaders has resulted in very public outburst by the former employees, with meltdowns on twitters as well as very verbal encounters, Fox looks like it is having a large issue with changing their culture.

The article leaves the readers with the impression that Fox is rotten to its core and the resistance to change is a result the negative reaction to the need for change be Fox’s leadership.

Reference

Saraiya, S. (April 28, 2017). Chaos at Fox News: One Week In, Culture Change Is on the Rocks. Variety. Retrieved on the 8th March from
http://variety.com/2017/tv/columns/fox-news-chaos-culture-change-1202402305/

# data[].attributes.headline
Fixing a toxic culture like Uber’s requires more than just a new CEO 

# data[].attributes.subject
Fixing a toxic culture like Uber’s requires more than just a new CEO 

# data[].attributes.body
The article was published by “The Conversation” and provides an intelligent look into the toxic culture at Uber and their road to redemption.

The article first gives an insight into the toxic culture at Uber and whom is responsible for its emergence. It shows how the blame of the culture is traced back to the top of the corporation and extends throughout the managers, leaders and their followers. Leadership are accused of allowing the culture to fester, even after the resignation of the CEO Travis Kalanick.  Sexual harassment, sexism and inappropriate behaviour are just some of the many aspects identified by the authors to be toxic behaviour, it is suggested that bad leaders which allow this behaviour need to be removed from the company and much of the work towards redemption resides in the company themselves regulating their culture and behaviour.

The article leaves the readers with the conclusion that the changing of the company culture resides in the leaders of the company to regulate and discipline themselves and their followers, and to also hold the company responsible for inappropriate actions.

Reference

Sawyer, K. & Thoroughgood, C. (June 21st, 2017). Fixing a toxic culture like Uber’s requires more than just a new CEO. The Conversation. Retrieved on March 8 2018 from https://theconversation.com/fixing-a-toxic-culture-like-ubers-requires-more-than-just-a-new-ceo-79102

# data[].attributes.headline
Followership: The Other Side of Leadership

# data[].attributes.subject
Followership: The Other Side of Leadership

# data[].attributes.body
This article was published by the Ivey Business Journal. The article sets out to provide an insight into followership and how it directly relates to leadership.

Quite often followership is overlooked in effective leadership and often there are backhanded comments such as “you are an excellent follower”, which assists in diminishing just how important followership is to leadership. But in essence followership goes hand in hand with leadership. By considering the characteristics of effective followership; judgement, work ethic, competence, honesty, courage, discretion, loyalty, and ego management. You are effectively also considering the functional characteristics of an effective leader. This reinforces the argument that leadership exists at all levels of an organisation but further to that it reinforces the argument of the article, that being followership is the underlying strength to leadership and that successful leaders are also successful followers.

By monitoring and promoting effective followership within an organisation it will contribute to a more robust working environment and promote a positive culture.
Reference
McCallum, John. (2013). Followership: The Other Side of Leadership. Ivey Business Journal. Retrieved on 8 March 2018 from https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/followership-the-other-side-of-leadership/

# data[].attributes.headline
The Pros and Cons of Transparent Corporate Cultures

# data[].attributes.subject
The Pros and Cons of Transparent Corporate Cultures

# data[].attributes.body
The article was published by Glassdoor, a recruitment agency, on their website. The article gives a sound insight into how effective transparency can be for an organisation and also how ineffective it can also be.

The article is very pro transparency for a number of reasons that can be beneficial such as improving the workplace culture, communicating corporate intentions and also communicating of values of the organisation. However, it also provides an overview of how too much transparency to can have the opposite effect on organisational performance. As long as organisations are aware of the signs and symptoms too much transparency is having, such as organisational drag, then they can utilise a transparent culture to their advantage. This will result to less employee turnover and an increase in employee performance.

In today’s competitive market, not only for bottom line results, but also in attraction and retention of talent this article can help steer an organisation in the right direction for success.
Reference
Greensonbach, Sarah. (2016) The Pros and Cons of Transparent Corporate Cultures. Glassdoor. Retrieved on 08 March 2018 from https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-transparent-corporate-cultures/

# data[].attributes.headline
Emotional Intelligence and Positive Workplace Culture 

# data[].attributes.subject
Emotional Intelligence and Positive Workplace Culture 

# data[].attributes.body
The article provides an insight into emotional intelligence (EI (or EQ)) and how it can be utilised to produce a positive company culture.

First the article gives a brief insight into the emerging world of EI and what it actually is. It shows how the interpersonal skills of EI are utilised for individuals and their abilities to communicate and work effectively with other people. The article then leads into the positive effects EI has on a workplace culture. It is wrapped up with steps individuals can take to use EI in their own work practices and also how they can utilise it to improve a workplace culture.

This article is consistent with a number of studies into EI and how effective it is for individuals. Whilst EI has been around for a number of years (1985), it was primarily focused on how successful it can be for individuals. This article is a clear demonstration how EI as a field has evolved and how much it can contribute to a workplace culture.
Reference
Unknown Author. (2015) Emotional Intelligence and Positive Company Culture. Smallbizclub.com. Retrieved on 8 March 2018 from http://smallbizclub.com/leadership/people-skills/emotional-intelligence-and-positive-company-culture/

# data[].attributes.headline
What Really Defines Leadership in Today’s World?This article discusses what makes a leader and how building relationships can impact on the motivation of others. Biro’s (2017) article on what defines leadership reflects on the importance of building relationships and the impact this had on their motivation. Instead of the standard email with a request for information, a colleague whom they had never met took the time to introduce themselves and ask genuine and insightful questions about their personal life. This had a positive effect as it formed a relationship and motivated the reader to fulfil their request as they now felt a connection. Biro states that “Our ability to connect and create relationships trumps many other factors when doing business”. The article leaves the reader with some things to consider, such as: As leader, how likeable are you? And; As a leader, when you reach out, how many people are eager to assist?Reference:Biro, S. (2017). What really defines leadership in today’s world. In Forbes Coaches Council. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/03/27/what-really-defines-leadership-in-todays-world/#8a240ca20713 [Accessed, 7 Mar. 2018].

# data[].attributes.subject
What Really Defines Leadership in Today’s World?This article discusses what makes a leader and how building relationships can impact on the motivation of others. Biro’s (2017) article on what defines leadership reflects on the importance of building relationships and the impact this had on their motivation. Instead of the standard email with a request for information, a colleague whom they had never met took the time to introduce themselves and ask genuine and insightful questions about their personal life. This had a positive effect as it formed a relationship and motivated the reader to fulfil their request as they now felt a connection. Biro states that “Our ability to connect and create relationships trumps many other factors when doing business”. The article leaves the reader with some things to consider, such as: As leader, how likeable are you? And; As a leader, when you reach out, how many people are eager to assist?Reference:Biro, S. (2017). What really defines leadership in today’s world. In Forbes Coaches Council. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/03/27/what-really-defines-leadership-in-todays-world/#8a240ca20713 [Accessed, 7 Mar. 2018].

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lately, I have been thinking about what makes a leader in today's world.

Are we leaders simply because others report to us, or because we are responsible for an area of the business? Are we leaders because we have a future vision that no one else seems to be able to see just yet? Or is the answer that we are only leaders when others are following? After all, how can we call ourselves leaders if, when we turn around, no one is following us or the initiatives we need them to support?

After much contemplation, I propose that a leader today is someone who sparks in us a desire to help.

In our networked, matrixed, dotted-lined, ever-changing organizational structures, a leader today must be a follower tomorrow, and vice versa. Therefore, we are not leaders simply because of our titles or responsibilities, nor are we leaders because we have a vision for the future. What makes us leaders is our ability to connect with others in a way that makes them want to help us.

I once received an email from a new colleague in Asia. This colleague needed information she hoped I could provide. However, before requesting the information, she must have first taken the time to learn about me, as her email began with a short, professional introduction but then quickly turned personal. She congratulated me on the arrival of my first child (could there be a better way to get my attention and create in me a desire to help?) and then took a sentence or two to share her experience of motherhood and her best wishes for me and my new family.

To say that her email struck a cord is an understatement. I forwarded it to another colleague, who had a similar, positive reaction. Together, we wondered whether her approach was a result of culture (my experience is that Asian cultures have a stronger tendency to first establish a relationship before turning to business) and we wished that more in North America understood the importance of doing so.

Although I had several other more pressing matters that morning, I placed her request at the top of my list and responded immediately. Why? Because I felt a connection-a very real, human connection to someone whom I had not yet met or even spoken to. It was as if this new colleague was an old friend, one that I would naturally promote to the front of my to-do list! Given the personal tone of her email, I was also sure my response would get a pleasant reception, another reason I replied to her before answering the many others on my list that day (others who, by the way, do not always respond so warmly). The result was that my new colleague obtained the information she needed quicker than others who might have made similar requests. She also established relationship equity with me, so that in the future, should she need my assistance, I would be more inclined to help.

Of course, merely asking about family when you could care less is inauthentic and will only detract from any relationship you seek to create. Leading today is never as simple as just do this or don't do that. It's about making a connection. This requires you to actually consider the other person: Who are they? How do they like to work? What would they most appreciate ( i.e., what will make their day easier and/or better)? It's about taking the time to try and understand the world of another, then operate more fully within it. Sometimes this means genuinely inquiring about another's family, other times it means getting straight to business (so as not waste time when you know someone dislikes social chit-chat).

Many of us are maxed out by the demands of work and family and unfortunately, we often take out this stress on each other. After all, it has to go somewhere, right? However, by doing so, we only shoot ourselves in the foot. When we treat others poorly-a cold or sharp tone, an unnecessary cc to a colleague's boss, or venting behind another's back versus honoring the relationship by having the real conversation directly -we hurt ourselves in unseen ways. We might wonder why we were passed up for a promotion or why working with a colleague's team members is always frustrating. And yet, we fail to take into account our own contribution to the situation. If we want to make our lives easier, we need only be easier to work with: a little friendlier, more consistently responsive, and eager to help.

Our ability to connect and create relationships trumps many other factors when doing business. Ample evidence shows that people simply want to work with other people they like, sometimes selecting a likable person or company over one that actually has more qualifications or a superior product. Consider for a moment your own personal and professional life as well as how you behave as a consumer. Do you find evidence of this?

Leadership today is about working extraordinarily well with and through others. As our organizational landscapes continue to change, how we connect with others remains paramount. Every interaction we have either contributes to a relationship or it detracts from it. When what we do detracts, the result is more work for us and fewer supporters- those who are willing to help us, and ultimately, follow us and the initiatives we want and need them to support.

So, food for thought: how likable are you? How much are the people you work with most closely willing to advocate on your behalf? When you reach out, how many seem eager to assist? How many truly have your back? These are questions to consider as today's direct reports can quickly become tomorrow's boss or client.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Really Defines Leadership In Today's World?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lately, I have been thinking about what makes a leader in today's world. Are we leaders simply because others report to us, or because we are responsible for an area of the business? Are we leaders because we have a future vision that no one else seems to be able to see just yet?

# data[].attributes.headline
Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy.

# data[].attributes.subject
Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy.

# data[].attributes.body
This article discusses the lack of effective listening amongst leaders and how empathetic listening contributes to successful leadership. As mentioned in the article, active listening combined with empathy is the most effective form of listening and is often what sets leaders apart from one another.

Empathetic listening is comprised of various behavioural sets, which can include:

·      Appropriate verbal and non verbal cues

·      Processing

·      Responding

The ability to understand others and their emotional reactions allows leaders to gain insight on how to approach situations and effectively work together with others in building relationships. Riordan states that “The ability and willingness to listen with empathy is often what sets a leader apart.  Hearing words is not adequate; the leader truly needs to work at understanding the position and perspective of the others involved in the conversation”.

Reference:

Roidan, C (2014). Three Ways Leaders Can Listen with More Empathy.

Retrieved from :

https://hbr.org/2014/01/three-ways-leaders-can-listen-with-more-empathy

[Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].

# data[].attributes.body
90 Second Leadership - The Culture Pyramid (Todd Adkins)

Management who adopt the view that organisational culture is merely a set of values and beliefs that employee hold are missing out on key issues. Workplace culture goes beyond what is visible and open to observation.

For example the video link below explains the idea that culture can be viewed as a pyramid with levels, similar to a Hierarchy pyramid which displays the levels of power. Workplace culture is seen as having two distinct characteristics both “Visible” and “Invisible”. While management can often see the visible cues, which include company logos, social norms and employee behaviour, often assumptions are left unnoticed. Successful leaders conduct the necessary research needed to ensure assumptions are not and employees feel comfortable.

For greater clarity, the video, should have acknowledged ways to identify underlying assumptions in organisational culture. This will allow management to implement a more cohesive work environment.

Reference

90 Second Leadership - The Culture Pyramid (Todd Adkins). (2018, January 02). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJT2nargQ4o

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
90 Second Leadership: Leadership Pipeline (Todd Adkins)

# data[].attributes.body
The below media post by Dixie Gillaspie discusses the much talked about #MeToo movement that has been prominent in media since October 2017.

With such a strong and controversial topic being pushed to the forefront of people’s lives, it is important to think of the impact this may have on the way people work and their energy within the workplace. It’s important for leaders to foster relationships of trust and ensure that the organisations culture is one of safety so that all employees have no qualms when it comes to bringing to light any issues that may occur within or outside the workplace that may affect their performance. The right organisational culture can help employees to feel safe and valued and thus they are more likely to communicate with leaders. In the post, Gillaspie (2018) states that this movement should encourage organisations to “invest in creating a culture of universal respect”. She foregrounds the fact that this movement is “changing the standards of professional behaviour”, that conversation around this movement is “happening in your workplace, whether you’re aware of it or not and as a leader you need to be a constructive voice in that conversation”. It is vital that leaders are clued into their environment and such important topics and take part in positive change in the workplace.

Reference:

Gillaspie, D. (2018). How the #MeToo movement is affecting your leadership (and you might not even notice). Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/02/13/how-the-metoo-movement-is-affecting-your-leadership-and-you-might-not-even-notice/#6af720fc65fe [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In October 2017, the #MeToo hashtag was used by more than 4.7 million people in 12 million Facebook posts during the first 24 hours alone. But you don't have to be on social media to be aware of the impact of the #MeToo movement.

Since that initial avalanche of stories, we've heard from celebrities, from members of Congress, from business executives, from stay-at-home moms. Mostly, we've seen #MeToo stories posted by women, but men are standing up to be counted as well. We've seen accusations against Hollywood moguls, celebrity comedians, politicians and, in uncounted social media posts, a range of colleagues, bosses, even clients and vendors. And we've seen the repercussions as alleged aggressors are shunned, fired and in several cases, charged with sex crimes.

This conversation presents both a challenge and an opportunity to you as a leader. Considering the sobering statistics on the number of people in the United States who have experienced rape or sexual abuse, it's highly probable that, whether you know it or not, you have multiple survivors on your team. Just consider that according to this fact sheet posted by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in four girls and one in six boys have been sexually abused before they turn 18, and one in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point during their lives. And those statistics don't address unwanted sexual advances, slurs or harassment.

How many people do you interact with every workday? How many direct reports, peers, managers and customers (external and internal) look to your leadership to help them succeed? Do the math. If those statistics apply, what is the likelihood that you talk to at least one survivor every day?

Why is the #MeToo movement your problem? Surely we can expect that true professionals won't let their history of sexual abuse or harassment affect their work, right? Well for the most part, that is what we've expected, and it's what we've achieved, to some extent. But is that really in our best interest or the best interests of our companies?

Certainly, many survivors go through their entire lives without revealing their past. And some of them are among the most tenacious, productive, driven and successful people you'll ever know. Anyone who has survived that kind of trauma probably had to be a little tougher, a little more determined and a little more disciplined than their peers just to get where they are.

But if there is anything I've learned in 20-plus years of coaching professionals, it's that no matter how diligently or successfully your people work to compartmentalize their personal experience from their professional performance, they always access greater levels of creativity, problem-solving, panoramic visioning and goal achievement when they are not required to commit energy to keeping those aspects of their life separate and when they work in environments that are safe and supportive.

That means that we, as business leaders, cannot afford to ignore these statistics or the impact of the #MeToo movement. Right now, you have people who are reliving some of the most traumatic experiences of their lives. Whether they're joining the movement, telling their stories or keeping their silence, you have both survivors and abusers who are being reminded of past traumas on an almost daily basis. You might not know who these people are, and you might not see a change in their behavior. But it's almost certain that they are expending energy maintaining the behavior and performance you've come to expect from them while they process the personal implications of the #MeToo articles, posts and revelations. And that is energy that cannot go into their work.

We can choose to stick to "business as usual" and pretend that this movement is something happening outside of our cubicles and conference rooms. Or, we can take the initiative to review internal policies, to establish personal ethics and boundaries and to invite questions and concerns rather than waiting for formal complaints or leaving people to suffer in fear of discovery. We can maintain a "code of silence," or we can invest in creating a culture of universal respect and ensuring a safe environment for our people to create, express and produce the value for which they are paid.

This movement is changing the standards of professional behavior, and it is gathering the momentum to change interpersonal relationships between men and women in every public arena. This conversation is happening in your workplace, whether you are aware of it or not, and as a leader, you need to be a constructive voice in that conversation. The tone you set will determine the part you play in the change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How The #MeToo Movement Is Affecting Your Leadership (And You Might Not Even Notice)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In October 2017, the #MeToo hashtag was used by more than 4.7 million people in 12 million Facebook posts during the first 24 hours alone. But you don't have to be on social media to be aware of the impact of the #MeToo movement.

# data[].attributes.body
Simon Sinek in the below video addresses key characteristics of leaders that are vital in creating an organisational environment and culture of trust, cooperation and safety. The premise here is that good leader should make employees feel safe. Sinek looks at not only what makes a leader, but what makes a GREAT leader. He suggests that a great leader is someone “who makes their employees feel secure, who draws staffers into a circle of trust”.

Sinek supports the idea that in the right environment every person has the ability to do remarkable things. If employees feel safe within their workplace, and they trust their leaders, they will “naturally combine their talents and their strengths” (Sinek, 2014) working together to achieve organisational goals and objectives.

The video provides an example of the value in creating such a culture and environment. Sinek talks about a large manufacturing company that ran into some issues and as a result needed to save a substantial amount of money. Rather than turn to layoffs as a solution, leaders of this organisation came up with a furlough program and jobs were saved. Every employee was required to take 4 weeks unpaid vacation time. Sinek described that when this solution was explained to employees, management said it was better that everyone suffers a little, than any one person suffers a lot. Because of this morale within the organisation went up. Because employees felt safe and protected by their leaders, the natural reaction was to trust and cooperate and so people started working together, helping each other. They started trading the time off. People who could afford it took on extra weeks of leave so those who could not afford it had less. This emphasises the point, a great leader looks after people, and an organisation that recognises this and thus has an environment and culture in which trust in leaders and cooperation of staff is focal, are far more likely to succeed in meeting organisational strategies and overall objectives.

Reference:

Sinek, S. (2014). Why good leaders make you feel safe. Retrieved from:

https://youtu.be/lmyZMtPVodo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why good leaders make you feel safe | Simon Sinek | TED

# data[].attributes.body
Asana is a work management software company who have seen their company grow and achieve many awards for being a great workplace. They have achieved this by seeing culture as a product with many different features and each feature has owner and a responsibility.  When they uncover culture “bugs” they use their product to manage an example is when an employee leaves they ask “5 whys” and any bugs are given to the area of responsibility and addressed in the next round of design. The company have a clear and transparent workplace where employees take responsibility and ownership for their work, and are inspired about the mission.

A concern for such successful rapid growth organisations is that when organsiation doubles its number of employees, opportunities to innovate and employees’ confidence in leadership drop precipitously. By having a well developed culture with values truly adopted and embedded,  a leadership style and culture present during periods of transition and change it can determine the likelihood of success or failure in an organisation.

References

Gonzalez, Z.J.F., Wolf, J.G., Dudjak, Z.L., & Jordan, Z.B. (2015). Impact of magnet culture in maintaining quality outcomes during periods of organisational transition.  Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 30 (4), 323.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's not (just) about the in-house culinary program.

# data[].attributes.body
This article explains how  culture is everyones responsibility, however it requires leadership to set the example.

The article provides an example at Volkswagen during the low emissions scandal and how the leadership affected the culture at Volkswagen. The ex CEO instilled a culture of fear where failure was unacceptable and ultimately led to it’s downfall.

However whilst the CEO was instrumental in the downfall of  VW,  all should not be blamed on the CEO.  The organisation is large with many leaders within, such as  board members, executive  all of whom are  all accountable.  As regardless of temperament or personality type, leaders can cope with the challenges of managing in today's work environment by demonstrating  a high level of integrity, removing fear from the workplace,  fighting for employees,  helping them save face and overcoming a lack of trust (Abbasi, Hollman & Hayes, 2008).

To foster an inclusive and partipcptiative culture, leaders need to collaborate and communicate with their team. Having a well built managed organisational culture creates a competitive advantage to a company.

Reference

Abbasi, S. M., PhD., Hollman, K. W., PhD., & Hayes, R. D., PhD. (2008). Bad bosses and how not to be one. Information Management Journal, 42(1), 52-54,56. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/227725450?accountid=10344

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Few things are more perilous to the employee morale than persistent workplace negativity. Not only does it create disengagement, but it also saps the energy of an individual, diverts him from work and impacts his productivity. Negativity in the attitude, outlook, and talk of employees is the general outcome in a workplace that is reeling with insidious issues.

For any organization, it is essential that its workforce is engaged and feels positive about the work environment. And this is only possible when leaders curb workplace negativity and prevent it from occurring in the first place. While it's not uncommon for companies to witness an aura of antagonism sometimes, here are a few tips that can help to minimize the negativity around:
1. Reward employees well:
Offering adequate reward and recognition to your employees is important. It not only inculcates a feeling of belonging but also shows that you value their contribution. The influence of the right rewards and recognition system on boosting employee morale is considerable and should never be overlooked.
2. Communicate clearly and consistently:
Uncertainty can lead to fear and negativity in the workplace which is why it's essential to have clear-cut communication across the different levels of the organization. Keeping the top-down messaging and communication consistent will lead to employee confidence. Consistent communication among teams is vital for the seamless operations in teams and to boost productivity.
3. Provide avenues for growth:
Team members who are engaged in their jobs and are optimistic about growth prospects are less likely to harbour negativity towards the workplace. To help enhance employee satisfaction, it is important that there is clarity on the career ladder for role advancement for employees. This helps boost retention rate and inspires an engaged workforce.

Employees who feel their contribution is valued and appreciated are sure to have higher trust levels in the management.
4. Hire a culture fit:
If recruits find themselves out of place and in the new work culture, they will have trouble adjusting and may become unproductive. That's why it's important to hire people who fit into the work culture and resonate with the values and principles of the organization. So, recruiters should orient to the potential recruits regarding the work culture and probe them about their comfort and preference for such an environment.
5. Treat Employees fairly:
Every individual expects and assumes to be treated fairly and without any judgment bias at the workplace. However, it's not unusual for employees to scrutinize their management personnel for signs of unfairness or bias even if they find their managers naturally clicking with a few colleagues more.

In this context, the manager must exercise caution and stay away from favouritism. Such behaviour can lead to resentment and disinterest among co-workers and create negativity in office. Conversely, when fair treatment and equal opportunities are provided to all, employees are happier and more productive.
6. Give and elicit regular feedback:
Supervisors must acknowledge the power of giving regular feedback. An Employees' performance is liked with the vision of the organization. And to make sure that he/she is on the right track, timely feedback is a must. Besides, a feedback session also gives a worker the platform to voice their issues, expectations, and ideas. An occasional boost or appreciation during feedback plays a great role in signalling the employee that their hard work is appreciated and any good work does not go unnoticed with the company leadership.

Organizations must provide all employees with avenues to offer suggestions, express their ideas and partner in the decision-making process.
7. Overwork isn't cool:
When employees are overworked, they aren't just disengaged; they are also unproductive. So, every manager should define tasks and priorities clearly and ensure that they are realistic and achievable. Encouraging team members to work harder for their goals is a good thing, but burning them out isn't. Overworked employees aren't happy to take steps to reduce their workload. A delegation of responsibilities and clear setting up of expectations helps to structure the tasks for every worker and avoid overwork.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Seven ways leaders can reduce workplace negativity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Few things are more perilous to the employee morale than persistent workplace negativity. Not only does it create disengagement, but it also saps the energy of an individual, diverts him from work and impacts his productivity. Negativity in the attitude, outlook, and talk of employees is the general outcome in a workplace that is reeling with insidious issues.

# data[].attributes.headline
Perth City CEO raised concerns about Councillors bullying behaviour 

# data[].attributes.subject
Perth City CEO raised concerns about Councillors bullying behaviour 

# data[].attributes.body
The Perth’s Now Sunday Times reported an article dated 24th February 2018 on the City of Perth Chief Executive Officer Martin Mileham about raising the bullying claims he was experiencing with the councillors and their behaviour towards himself and his staff.

The article mentioned that he had raised his concerns with the Department of Local Government days before he took stress leave. The City of Perth CEO Martin Mileham had also sought legal advice concerning the City’s obligation to minimise “the risks of employees being subjected to bullying behaviours, including those that result from communications that are aggressive, rude or repetitive”.

The department was in process of investing the allegations raised by the CEO Mr Martin Mileham and all the relevant parties involved to ascertain whether this may be the case.

I found this article interesting as it demonstrates that poor behaviour can start at the top of the chain and infiltrate down to staff of all levels.

REFERENCE
Emery, K. 2018 (2018 February 28).Ceo Martin Mileham raised concerns about Councillors bullying behaviours. Retrieved from https://www.perthnow.com.au/politics/local-government/ceo-martin-mileham-raised-concerns-about-councillors-bullying-behaviours-ng-b88755622z

# data[].attributes.body
Characteristics associated with Leadership can be classified into three broad categories as outline in DuBrin (2014 p37).

The article I have found on “the 11 characteristics of great leadership”, 1100 leaders and more than 700 of their employees were surveyed and tested by researchers to find out what they believed were important characteristics of a great leader.
Out of this survey they narrowed it down to 11 core leadership characteristics. These 11 characteristics included:
1.       Judgment: This involves making good decisions at the right time based on trustworthy data and analysis.

2.       Courage: A decision may be unpopular, it may attract political consequences, there could even be negative repercussions for the leader, and yet still that leader makes the right decision.

3.       Drive: This is ambition, motivation and hope. These leaders work with energy, passion and urgency.

4.       Collaboration: see their colleagues and employees as allies rather than enemies; as worthy of dialogue rather than monologue; as people with whom to share, rather than hoard, resources and ideas.

5.       Integrity: This personifies the leader who holds himself or herself up to a high moral standard, higher than what's expected of others.

6.       Temperance: What's that old saying? Stressful situations are dealt with level-headedly, problems that arise are solved rationally.

7.       Accountability: This is when errors are rectified by taking personal responsibility, by avoiding excuses, and by refraining from finger pointing

8.       Justice: necessitates writing wrongs, seeking feedback, and remaining objective even during times of emotional turbulence.

9.      Humility: There's nothing wrong with accepting praise for accomplishments so long as there's as much willingness to accept criticism, to declare weaknesses, to seek opportunities for personal development, and to value others as much as oneself.

10.   Humanity: At the heart of humanity is an understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that these are opportunities for coaching and learning rather than condemnation and punishment.

11.   Transcendence: A transcendent leader as one who "sees possibility where others do not …

Therefore, its good observation to see what researches believe to be important characteristic of a great leader by surveying real people.

Reference

Adonis, J 2017 (2017 February 16) The 11 Characteristics of Great Leadership Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/the-11-characteristics-of-great-leadership-20170216-guehie.html

# data[].attributes.body
The City of Perth over the last five years have seen staff morale deteriorate which the acting CEO  ( the exisiting CEO is on leave due to an unsafe workplace) blamed external and internal forces.  In a staff survey the staff scored low for elected members of the councils  behaviour, leadership and team spirit . The culture has lead to deterioration of trust and positive engagement decrease.

The culture of the City of Perth is not too dissimilar to many organisations across the world since the GFC in 2008,  businesses  have downsized, restructured  and surviving employees are forced to work harder. This has led to some management scholars calling  for action to promote more sustainable workplaces. In their study of 100 small business Jurik and Cavender (2016) found  staff valued the importance of a positive work environment to stimulating business innovation and stressed the importance of autonomy and of teamwork for their employees.

The articles highlights the damage a toxic culture can cause and how poor leadership behaviour can cascade through the organisation. The City of Perth will need to build a sustainable workplace by building a positive work environment and this can only start from the top.

Reference

Jurik, N. C., & Cavender, G. (2016). Sustainable workplaces as innovation. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 21(1), 53-71. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.9774/GLEAF.3709.2016.ja.00006 Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/docview/1787756134?accountid=10344

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Email Icon
Kate Emery

City of Perth staff have described their work environment as "toxic", with low morale and little faith that complaints would be handled properly.

A survey of staff found that morale had deteriorated in the past five years, with staff scoring the City particularly low for elected members' behaviour, leadership and team spirit.

While most staff said they knew how to report misconduct, harassment and bullying, only half were confident complaints would be handled "confidentially and appropriately". The survey was carried out in September by Catalyse.

The City's workplace culture has been under the microscope since chief executive Martin Mileham unexpectedly took stress leave earlier this month, alleging an "unsafe workplace".

Days before taking leave he raised concerns with the Department of Local Government about the effect councillor conduct was having on the relationship between the council and the administration.

The Catalyse report found employees believed "the culture of the City has deteriorated, with trust, staff morale and positive engagement decreasing across the organisation".

The City scored below the industry standard on a number of fronts, including as an overall workplace.

Of the 588 employees surveyed, 17 per cent rated it excellent, 36 per cent good, 29 per cent OK, 13 per cent poor and 6 per cent terrible.

Employees whose comments were included in the report said morale had "dropped in the last five years", that the City was "a very toxic environment to be working in" and that it "will have to spend a lot of time regaining the trust of their workforce".

Acting chief executive Robert Mianich acknowledged the City had faced "many internal and external challenges" and said it had identified ways it could improve, including improving processes in human resources and project management.

"From the survey, staff identified elected member behaviour and the executive leadership providing inspirational leadership as two of the main areas for concern," he said. "The City concedes these factors would've been reflected in the results of the survey of last September."

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said she did not accept the workplace was toxic based on one comment but the City sought to address all concerns raised. Cr James Limnios said he believed once issues around leadership of the council and the administration were resolved morale would improve.

Cr Lily Chen said she had been working "very well" with the administration for six years. Asked about the events surrounding Mr Mileham's leave, Premier Mark McGowan said the State Government was looking at what action it could take.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Workers brought down by 'toxic' City of Perth culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Email Icon Kate Emery City of Perth staff have described their work environment as "toxic", with low morale and little faith that complaints would be handled properly. A survey of staff found that morale had deteriorated in the past five years, with staff scoring the City particularly low for elected members' behaviour, leadership and team spirit.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unless you've had your head in the sand, you've been barraged with reports telling you how the American workforce is utterly disengaged. Gallup recently reported that only one-third of American workers are engaged and 16% are actively disengaged. In a 2013 survey, only 24% of the 550 executives surveyed reported that employees in their organization are highly engaged. Given that the cost of disengagement is estimated between $450 billion to $550 billion in lost productivity per year, it's probably time to get to the bottom of this issue.

So, who is responsible for engagement? Your employees? Your organization's management team? The executive team? I'm here to tell you - and the research proves - it's all (paywall) of the above.

The research is replete with examples of organizational practices and leadership behaviors that lead to higher levels of engagement, often referred to as the employee experience. Now, you ask, what is the employee experience? The psychological and cognitive experiences that touch an employee in their workplace -- their manager's style, the design of the job, the policies and procedures of the workplace, the culture of the workgroup and the organization at large - all make up the employee experience.
How Leaders Can Enhance The Employee Experience
After reviewing over 200 studies on this topic, I've identified the top leadership behaviors and organizational practices that create an exemplary employee experience. I've put them into straightforward actions and behaviors for your ease of use below:

1. Set transparent and achievable expectations for performance that are logically tied to the organization's vision and give employees a sense of purpose.

2. Provide employees with the tools and resources to do their job.

3. Ensure employees have opportunities to put their strengths to work.

4. Allow autonomy to accomplish tasks most effectively.

5. Build individualized and caring relationships with and between team members.

6. Offer recognition as well as regular and timely feedback.

7. Support ongoing development (paywall).

About now, you're probably thinking, "That's a lot of work" or "If I do all this, I won't have time to do my job!" To that, I say, engaging your team is your job. It should be your No. 1 priority. If your team is highly engaged, you will spend a great deal less time involved in delivering disciplinary action, firing employees, hiring new staff, managing poor relations between team members and dealing with disgruntled customers or clients.

Oh, but wait, it gets better: You'll also have higher productivity, employees who engage in greater discretionary effort, and team members who look for and identify ways to improve processes and the work environment. And now for the best part: You'll have greater customer loyalty and higher profits. Now, I ask you, should this not be your No. 1 priority? Look at the list again. Would you rather offer recognition, provide feedback and support development, or spend your days preparing and delivering disciplinary action?
How Employees Can Enhance The Employee Experience
OK, so we've got a great case for what leaders and organizations should do to engage their teams. What about the employees themselves? Do they have anything to do with engagement levels? You bet!

There is also a good deal of evidence indicating how individual traits and characteristics play a significant role in employee engagement. Employers should look for a candidate who demonstrates these traits if they want to build an engaged workforce. For example, there is a positive relationship between employees who are more open to experiences (a trait found in the big five personality measures) and levels of work engagement. One study (paywall) found that the greatest predictor of individual engagement is EQ (emotional intelligence). Finally, some researchers have explained that personal resources such as self-efficacy and resilience are directly related to higher levels of work engagement.

I leave you with one last thought from Dr. Arnold B. Bakker, a prominent researcher in the area of work engagement: "Enthusiastic employees excel in their work because they maintain the balance between the energy they give and the energy they receive."

My challenge to you is to create an environment that drives employee engagement - put that energy out there! Hire team members who can demonstrate through their past employment experiences that they have high EQ, are open to experiences, and are resilient when faced with change. You will see a dramatic improvement not only in employee engagement but in your organizational performance overall.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Who Owns Engagement: Employees Or Leaders?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unless you've had your head in the sand, you've been barraged with reports telling you how the American workforce is utterly disengaged. Gallup recently reported that only one-third of American workers are engaged and 16% are actively disengaged. In a 2013 survey, only 24% of the 550 executives surveyed reported that employees in their organization are highly engaged.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On Monday, NAB confirmed it will cut 1000 jobs as part of its plan to cut a total of 6000 jobs over the next three years. Ian Waldie

NAB has been slammed by its workforce representatives for taking the "lazy option" of cutting 6000 jobs and hiring 2000 people in order to please investors, rather than retraining its existing workforce.

Speaking before the Senate committee on the future of work on Wednesday, Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said NAB was taking the "lazy option to simply say they can cut 6000 and bring on 2000 new people".

She asked the government to consider making it more expensive for the bank to retrench their workforce, to financially incentivise the bank to seriously consider retraining their staff.

Former NSW Labor premier Nathan Rees, who has last year been appointed as the national assistant secretary of FSU, said the NAB job cuts were introduced in order to appease investors.

FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano said NAB was taking the "lazy option to simply say they can cut 6000 and bring on 2000 new people".

"We're not the audience for those announcements. The audience is the stock exchange. [The news] horrifies ordinary people, but if you're an analyst at the stock exchange that's actually a good thing."

On Monday, NAB confirmed it will cut the first 1000 jobs as part of its plan to cut a total of 6000 jobs over the next three years. At the same time, it is also planning on hiring 2000 technology specialists such as data scientists and specialists in AI, robotics and automation.

NAB chief people officer Lorraine Murphy said on Wednesday in a statement: "We care about our people. From the outset, we have been committed to ensuring our transformation to a simpler, faster bank is completed with care and respect.

"We are consulting with employees who have been impacted by proposed changes, including exploring deployment opportunities. For those who do leave us we will provide best-practice career transition support via our new program - The Bridge. We also value our relationship with the FSU. We have consulted with them about proposed workforce changes, and will continue to do so."

The bank will hold 18 consultation meetings with employees in major sites over the next two weeks.

NAB is also planning on hiring 2000 technology specialists such as data scientists and specialists in AI, robotics and automation. Penny Stephens

NAB posted a 3 per cent rise in cash profit to $1.65 billion on February 8.

A NAB customer service officer and FSU member Myrna Ellery told the Senate committee said unless finance sector employees were accredited for their skills and qualifications, there was a risk staff would have to "join Centrelink queues".

Mrs Ellery emotionally told the committee she feared the so-called "smarter banking" at NAB was "one of the most alarming developments to date" and she was very conscious of the irony in shedding thousands of loyal staff when the bank posted a record profit of $6.7 billion last year.

"There is little or no evidence our senior team is keen to communicate with affected workers," she said.

She said there was uneasiness among her colleagues about what "smarter banking" will mean for their future employment opportunities.

She said she was also very concerned about the impact "smarter banking" will have on regional and rural communities, where people are not as computer literate and there is inadequate internet connections, and she feared this will lead to branch closures.

"Given banking is an essential service everyone relies on, this is unacceptable," she said.

Mrs Ellery said many bank staff members are not university-qualified and she feared there won't be job opportunities in the banking sector once the job cuts take place.

"Competition for banking roles will be enormous. Transition into the retail industry will also be problematic for finance sector workers given it is also shrinking due to digitisation," she said.

Ms Angrisano said there was a high level of anxiety for FSU's NAB workforce due to the lack of consultation.

"At the moment NAB themselves remain unclear about what the future looks like," she said.

In its submission, FSU said banks should consult staff better, provide redeployment opportunities and set up an industry-wide accreditation system to make it easier for banking staff to transition into other jobs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NAB's 6000 job cuts 'lazy option': Finance Sector Union

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NAB has been slammed by its workforce representatives for taking the "lazy option" of cutting 6000 jobs and hiring 2000 people in order to please investors, rather than retraining its existing workforce.

# data[].attributes.headline
Banks urged to make a sharp break with the past to improve culture

# data[].attributes.subject
Banks urged to make a sharp break with the past to improve culture

# data[].attributes.body
This article highlights recommendations made by Stephen Sedgwick on behalf of the Australian Bankers Association for the four big banks in Australia to review their reward system for employees and managers. Currently the system is based on sales performance alone, which is due to banks putting the pursuit of their institutional profits above all other purposes.

One recommendation is that sales should not be the dominant component and that maximum payments should be scaled back in some roles. Although the articles states this recommendation, the author fails to advise how the banks can achieve this without damaging the morale of staff.

One suggestion for improvement include developing core values based around the customer that employees and managers set their goals based on. This way leaders can ensure that they get the best out of both their staff and customers. This can be done in the form of cutting fees and giving more back to shareholders at a time of record profits.

Ryan, P. (2017, April 7).

Banks urged to make a sharp break with the past to improve culture: ABA report. ABC News. Retrieved from

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-19/banks-urged-to-break-with-the-past-to-improve-culture/8453814

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Posted April 19, 2017 15:23:33

Australia's banks are under pressure to overhaul the way they reward staff and managers for selling products to customers, after a major review into banking practices.

The final report into product sales commissions by former public service commissioner Stephen Sedgwick made 21 recommendations urging banks to "make a sharp break with the past".

The review - commissioned by the Australian Bankers Association, which represents the big four banks - recommended incentives for retail bank staff no longer be based on sales performance alone.

Mr Sedgwick said the recommendations would address a "trust deficit" in the banking industry.

"Almost every bank will need to change at least some of its practices to comply with these recommendations," Mr Sedgwick said.

"Time is not on the side of the industry. I suggest that each bank quickly implement these proposals irrespective of whether they perceive other banks are moving similarly.

"Decisive action will clearly signal that each bank stands for doing the right thing."

No ban on incentive payments

While Mr Sedgwick did not recommend an outright ban on incentives, he urged banks to implement models where a range of measures were considered in rewarding staff.

A key recommendation was that sales should not be the dominant component and that maximum payments should be scaled back in some roles.

Mr Sedgwick's proposed overhaul comes as banks attempt to revamp their image amid continuing calls for a royal commission into bad banking behaviour.

The Australian Bankers Association (ABA) quickly welcomed the recommendations and said banks would implement them as soon as possible.

Chief executive Anna Bligh said the changes represented a "transformational change" in the way banks operate.

"It is a clear indication that all banks are serious about making a better banking industry," Ms Bligh said.

"This is not just about payments - it's about governance and leadership. It's not just about bank tellers and their managers. It goes up the line."

Royal commission still needed: union

The Finance Sector Union welcomed the Sedgwick Review as having made a serious contribution to the debate around banking culture, but said a royal commission was still needed.

FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano said the limited terms of reference, written by the ABA, meant the review did not examine the areas of banking that had been rocked by scandal over recent years.

"What we need is a full inquiry into banking and the financial services sector so Australians can be confident that when they interact with financial institutions they won't be exploited," Ms Angrisano said.

Ms Angrisano said without legislation creating a level playing field for all financial service providers, Mr Sedgwick's recommendations for cultural change would bring only piecemeal change and a staggered adoption over more than three years.

"Without supporting legislation, many of the key elements of the report will not be universally adopted by the industry and this could be fatal to the reform process," he said.

Of the major banks, the National Australia Bank and ANZ have committed to putting the Sedgwick recommendations into practice.

While Mr Sedgwick did not find evidence of systemic risks to customers to support a total ban on bonuses, he urged banks to get their houses in order.

"Some current practices carry an unacceptable risk of promoting behaviour that is inconsistent with good customer behaviour and should be changed," Mr Sedgwick said.

Banks are also being urged to stop paying incentives to mortgage brokers which could see the end of "soft dollar" payments including travel and hospitality.

Mr Sedgwick wants the changes in place as soon as possible but no later than 2020.

Topics: stockmarket, management, banking, corporate-governance, company-news, australia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Banks urged to break with the past to improve their culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Posted April 19, 2017 15:23:33 Australia's banks are under pressure to overhaul the way they reward staff and managers for selling products to customers, after a major review into banking practices. The final report into product sales commissions by former public service commissioner Stephen Sedgwick made 21 recommendations urging banks to "make a sharp break with the past".

# data[].attributes.headline
How Facebook Tries to Prevent Office Politics

# data[].attributes.subject
How Facebook Tries to Prevent Office Politics

# data[].attributes.body
This article was published in the Harvard Business Review by Jay Parikh, the global head of engineering and infrastructure at Facebook. The article focuses on five strategies that Facebook adopted to ensure that workplace culture was kept positive and productive.

Parikh suggests to ensure that when recruiting staff, screening criteria be highlighted around what they can bring to a team environment and what leadership skills that possess. I feel that this is a great approach to ensuring that you hire the right skills set and character to fit your current team and that will not affect team dynamics.

Another tactic that is discussed is around creating opportunities for employees to be open and transparent, and for their voices to be heard. This is something that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been guilty of not possessing. Taulli (2012) exposes the leader as a poor communicator, who kept things to himself and riled his employees. To move the company forward, the CEO and his management team have had to work on the strategies outlined in this article to keep a harmonious culture.

As the author is an employee of Facebook, there is the potential for the article to contain bias. I agree with all of the tactics outlined in this article and believe they are very beneficial to creating a positive  environment for employees and should be adopted by leaders who have issues in or want to minimise office politics. Due to the article being published in a well respected journal, the bias risk is minimised.

Parikh, J. (2016, June 26). How Facebook Tries to Prevent Office Politics. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/06/how-facebook-tries-to-prevent-office-politics
Taulli, T. (2012, October 8). Facebook's Lessons in Leadership. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/224649

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When personal motivations trump company goals, it can hinder a company's ability to get things done. Since our earliest days at Facebook, we've been mindful about not letting office maneuvering poison work life. We'd seen the negative effects that certain kinds of political behavior can have when they creep into office life, and we wanted to make sure we didn't let them creep into ours.

We're not so naive as to think we can change human nature altogether; where there are humans, there will be feelings to consider, and politics will crop up. But when we approach our interactions thoughtfully, a company's culture can be a powerful antibody against destructive office politics.

We've found five tactics especially useful in our effort to keep our company culture healthy and productive.

Look for empire builders, self-servers, and whiners in the hiring process - and d on't hire them. All companies screen candidates for skill sets and experience. Everyone wants to hire the best and smartest people they can find. We add additional criteria, screening for the ability to calibrate to a team environment. We use prompts such as:

"Describe your responsibilities as a leader."

"Can you tell me about four people whose careers you have fundamentally improved?"

"Describe a few of your peers at your company and what type of relationship you have with each of them."

"What did you do on your very best day at work?

"What does office politics mean to you, and do you see politics as your job?"

"Tell me about a project that you led that failed. Why did it fail and what did you learn?"

Questions like these are meant to get the discussion started and allow the interviewer to ask follow-up questions. Successful candidates should clearly demonstrate that their priorities are company, team, and self - in that order. This makes it more likely that they'll put the company's mission above their individual interests and that they'll set the proper example for others.

Take the incentive out of "climbing the ladder." People don't fight for management roles as much when management is not an end goal. Most people think "success" happens when you get the big job with the big title - that you're not growing unless you're moving up. At Facebook, moving into management is not a promotion. It's a lateral move, a parallel track. Managers are there to support people and to remove barriers to getting things done. Managers focus on building a great team, creating a vision for how that team will execute its goals, and helping the people on that team develop in their careers. They are put in those positions because of their strong people skills. They aren't there to tell teams what to do. This viewpoint has become so effective that some managers at our company have even gone so far as to stop saying things like "my team," instead opting for things like "the team I support."

People not familiar with this strategy might ask, "Then who is in charge?" Lest anyone think it's a Lord of the Flies scenario, our managers still moderate, facilitate, and tie-break. But the notion that our individual contributors (ICs) shouldn't own strategy doesn't hold water. If you've hired right, your ICs should be your best minds for informing team goals and direction. (As an added bonus, your ICs are much more likely to execute effectively when the idea was theirs to begin with.)

Of course, you still have to provide a way for ICs to have career challenges and growth opportunities outside of becoming managers. We provide different opportunities for growth by empowering employees to work on new projects or in new groups when interested. This keeps ICs engaged by allowing them to broaden their areas of expertise and expand or focus their scope by moving to projects at different levels of development. If a short-term break is called for, rather than a complete switch, we have something we call "hackamonth," where ICs can take a month to help another team on a specific project. This freedom of movement helps keep mold from growing on our teams, and it helps keep talent at the company. After all, if you don't keep challenging talented people to grow, they will look for new opportunities outside your company.

Be open and transparent, and create opportunities for voices to be heard. It's harder for politicians to operate if everyone is on the same page.Knowledge is power, so transparency is anathema to anyone who tries to succeed at the expense of others. Being open can be so counterintuitive to seasoned workers that a wide variety of tactics for keeping communication open have to be employed. Here are a few of my favorites:

Make escalation "legal." I've heard people say escalating to your manager or someone else's manager is political. A lot of people avoid escalating because they think they're going to get in trouble with their direct manager or get someone else in trouble. That's quite simply wrong. We make escalation "legal" by making sure people know they won't be blamed or punished for speaking up or asking hard questions. I learn a ton when someone outside my direct reports hits me with an issue. My general reaction is, "Wow, I had no idea, but let me see how I can help." This kind of openness and directness surfaces problems early and creates an environment where dirty office tactics can't thrive. If everyone is in the loop, no one can be saying one thing to one person and something else to another. Skip-level meetings, where employees meet with their boss's boss, are also powerful tools in this regard. They'll help you get a signal on a lot of things that might be filtered out by speaking solely to direct reports: team happiness, engagement, areas to improve, cross-team collaboration, and more.

Frequent question-and-answer sessions with leadership. For years Facebook has held weekly Q&A sessions where anyone at the company can ask a question and get an answer directly from our CEO and the rest of our leadership team. These Q&As are a forum for people to get information on and hold leaders accountable for any part of the business, and they surface valuable information and feedback for our leadership team. The leaders of individual internal organizations have all-hands meetings with Q&As included for their groups. We also include a written forum using the Facebook Groups platform and some lead time for remote employees (or employees not interested in being at a mic) to submit questions, so everyone who wants to ask a question gets a chance to do it.

Engagement surveys. Most big companies have some kind of employee engagement survey. The mistake some companies make is that they don't act on the information they've gathered. We spend months responding to the feedback we get to make sure employees are fulfilled with the work they are doing. We even pulled the creation and facilitation of our survey in-house so we'd have better control over the questions and be able to understand the feedback more deeply.

Make everyone accountable, so personal bias can't creep into decision making. People are resentful when they don't know why decisions are made. We've created processes and tools to minimize the impact of personal bias on our hiring process and our performance reviews.

In hiring, feedback for each interviewee has to be written and logged by all interviewers, and everyone on the recruiting and interview loop teams is able to see that feedback. There's just one caveat: Interviewers can't see others' feedback until they've submitted their own. That stops the unintended "I love this person" pressure that happens when someone else on the team says he or she likes a candidate before everyone else has submitted their feedback. This is done to ensure feedback submitted is the honest opinion of the interviewer and not the feedback the interviewer thinks his or her boss wants to hear.

As for reviewing performance, we have 360-degree reviews twice a year, meaning feedback on a person's performance comes from all directions on the org chart. All managers are reviewed by their teams, and that feedback goes to the managers' bosses. Reviews also come in from colleagues in other functions. Many companies have these peer reviews, but many companies don't hold managers accountable for using that feedback in the rewards process. We make sure HR business partners have access to that same performance information. That way if something stands out - good or bad - the partners can call out the information and calibrate it, regardless of whether the manager brings it up. This helps ensure managerial friendships don't give unwarranted protective cover - concerning feedback from a peer or someone else in the org will be vetted despite the manager ignoring it. And, conversely, it makes sure conflicting personalities don't cause unwarranted punishment for someone who is a solid performer - so a manager won't be able to downgrade someone without reason if the rest of the person's feedback is great. In other words, feedback is reviewed by multiple people, helping ensure it sees the light of day.

Train your leaders to effectively manage politics out of conversations. This may be the hardest thing to do, but it's probably the most important. When things aren't going your way, assuming "politics" is at fault is easy. Managers need to be trained to help give employees perspective when politics isn't really the cause of the problem. When someone does cite politics as the cause of an issue, our managers dig in and try to find out what's really going on. Simply asking, "What do you mean by that?" or "Can you tell me about the specifics of the situation?" is often a good place to start. We've found digging in and asking for specifics on what the person is seeing and feeling usually will help get to the root of the issue - and it's usually not politics.

Rather, it's often something like a lack of communication. I've seen lots of cases where someone goes to their manager to protest a decision - on the direction of a project, resource allocations among teams, or something similar - on the basis that the decision was driven by politics or some other personal factor. More often than not in cases like these, the leadership team and the team's managers simply haven't done a good enough job of explaining the decision in the context of the company's broader priorities. When we dig in and provide that additional context, the notion that the decision was politically driven is dispelled.

Of course, every once in a while politics do crop up and teams have trouble getting along. We equip our employees with the communication skills needed to be empathetic and to solve these issues in constructive ways. In learning and development sessions offered to the whole company, we train employees on how to have hard conversations. We tell them that when they see something they don't like, they should start by telling the other person what they saw, how they felt, and what the result of that action was. We ask the teams to avoid saying, "You did this because you want..." We tell them not to assume you understand the why - start by trying to understand the other person's perspective. Doing so helps avoid the kinds of resentment that can lead to political behavior.

Obviously, these strategies are at their most effective when the whole company adopts them. But even if you're at a company that doesn't embrace these tactics, there are things you can do for the team you work with: Set the tone with the team you support when it comes to what you believe and what you stand for. Make it plain that you expect the same from them. Lead by example. And don't hold another team or another person at a higher level of accountability than you hold your own team or yourself. Complaining about someone else when you need to clean up your own backyard creates holes where politics can grow and incite resentment.

At Facebook, we've found these tactics helpful in maintaining a productive company culture. Interoffice maneuvering is a distraction. Working to stop politics before it starts results in a stronger organization and empowered, motivated teams.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Facebook Tries to Prevent Office Politics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When personal motivations trump company goals, it can hinder a company's ability to get things done. Since our earliest days at Facebook, we've been mindful about not letting office maneuvering poison work life. We'd seen the negative effects that certain kinds of political behavior can have when they creep into office life, and we wanted to make sure we didn't let them creep into ours.

# data[].attributes.headline
4 Things Successful Leaders Say to Create a  Culture of Innovation

# data[].attributes.subject
4 Things Successful Leaders Say to Create a  Culture of Innovation

# data[].attributes.body
This article by Tamara Kleinberg discusses the traits of successful leaders and how they create a culture where innovation thrives (Kleinberg). The four phrases Kleinberg recognizes in successful leaders are

1.       I’m wrong

2.       Tell me more about that

3.       I don’t know

4.       I want to share something personal with you

The first one is something that some would see as a weakness in a leader, being wrong. To be both an innovator and a leader is it expected to be wrong (Kleinberg). This would help to create inspiration and is a true characteristic of a transformational leader (DuBrin, A, 2004, p.117).

By getting clients to tell her more about their requirements and listening before answers Kleinberg was able to effectively solve problems through innovation (Kleinberg). I would agree that often leaders get caught up with being right and fast at decision making instead of listening to the needs of other.

I don’t know is an interesting perpective on leadership. Of course, she doesn’t recommend that you simple respond you don’t know but instead take the time to find and answers and insists no one can possible have all the answers (Kleinberg). A expectation I imagine many leaders impose on themselves.

Finally, she encourages leaders to share a personal side with their team (Kleinberg). I would agree with her closing line that innovation requires vulnerability, courage and openness (Kleinberg).

Reference
Kleinberg, T. 4 Things Successful Leaders Say to Create a Innovative Culture. Innovation Excellence. Retrieved from http://innovationexcellence.com/blog/2018/02/12/4-things-successful-leaders-say-to-create-a-culture-of-innovation/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Tamara Kleinberg

In my 25 years of playing in the innovation space and partnering with both Fortune 500 and start-ups, I've come to realize that the most successful leaders say "I'm wrong" more than they say "I'm right." Truly successful leaders that seek to build a culture where innovation thrives don't try to have all the answers. In fact, it's their willingness to recognize other perspectives and the openness to new thinking, that makes them successful leaders. It's what allows them to find the most innovative answers. It's easy to fall into the trap of believing that being an innovator or in a role of leadership is about having all the answers. Turns out, the opposite is true.

Here are the four phrases I've come to recognize from true successful leaders.
1. I'm Wrong
That's a hard one to say. Most people take admitting their mistakes as a personal failure. As if being wrong makes them wrong, as a person. Your ego wants to protect itself and admitting you are wrong puts a big dent in your fragile "id." But innovation takes mistakes, sometimes lots of them.

Mistakes mean you are learning and growing. It means you've tried a lot and some things worked and some didn't. Without mistakes, we wouldn't have laundry detergent or Sticky Notes.

An innovator knows that saying "I'm wrong" is one of the most powerful phrases. In fact, it's the confident person that can admit their mistakes, learn from them, and evolve. It's the most insecure that try to be right and hide mistakes at all costs.

If you want to be an innovator and a leader, recognize that it's not only ok to be wrong, it's expected.

If you are an innovator or leader that is "right all along" or says "I always knew it," I'd question whether you have a severe case of tunnel vision. Edison was wrong 1,000 times before he figured out the light bulb.
2. Tell Me More About That
Years ago, I closed on the biggest innovation engagement of my young career. I was only 32 and the deal was worth a quarter of a million dollars. When I heard the client on the other end of the phone say, "we'd love to work with your company, and specifically you Tamara" I was blown away. Later, once I felt like the client and I had a strong rapport, I braved the question "What made you decide to go with us?"

He told me something I'll never forget. He said, "Tamara, all the other leaders in innovation we talked to were quick to jump to solutions. They had an answer to every question we asked. We couldn't even take a breath before they jumped in. You, on the other hand, would pause and instead of answering the question, you kept saying back to us, 'Tell me more about what makes you ask that?' or 'that's an interesting question, what makes you ask?' We got more clarity and more insight in those moments than in the solutions everyone else provided. It was as if your desire to uncover the 'why' for yourself helped us do the same. That's why we enthusiastically hired you."

Often times as innovators or leaders you think you have to be the solution person. The minute someone asks a question, you should jump to the answer. But what I've learned over the years is that the "why" behind the question is more powerful and more insightful than the question itself.

If you want to be a successful leader, one that ignites a culture of innovation, get into the habit of pausing and asking a question of their question. You'll be amazed at what you learn.
3. I Don't Know
Much like "I'm wrong," I don't know is hard for many innovators and leaders to say. Again, you are supposed to know everything, aren't you? Of course not, that's why we have teams, hire experts, and seek advice. Nobody has all the answers. What you do have is the ability to find out the answer.

I was in a meeting with the vice presidents at a major consumer packaged goods company. There were at least 10 of us in the room discussing the direction of the brands and products they each ran, totaling over 750 million in annual sales. As we went around the room sharing, each VP gave a confident sounding and clear answer to why their businesses were lagging or thriving... until Doug. Doug looked around the room and with a clear head and just as much confidence as everyone else, said, "I don't know." Then he followed it up with, "we've had this crazy spike up and down in our performance. So instead of coming up with the answer today, we decided to take a step back and dedicate time and resources to understanding why so we can move forward correctly. But until we dig in, I don't know."

Wow! Can you imagine being in a room with all your peers, the people you are judged against, the people who seemingly have the answer, and admitting "I don't know"?

Here's the interesting thing that happened next. It was as if a collective sigh of relief swept across the room. First Jennifer, at the other end of the table, spoke up and said, "You know, we aren't totally sure about why our dip in the Midwest was so big." And then Peter piped in with "I wish we knew more." Soon almost everyone in the room was admitting their lack of knowledge.

Later many of the VPs admitted to me that that was the most productive meeting they'd ever had. They said it freed them up to drop the "show boating" and focus on the work that needed to be done - figuring out what they don't know.

"I don't know" is vulnerable and real. It doesn't show insecurity, in fact quite the opposite. It shows confidence. Confidence that it's ok not to know something. Confidence in your ability to figure it out. Doug was one of the most confident leaders with the most innovative answers I have ever met and he often said, "I don't know." And then he followed it up with how he was going to find out.

"I don't know" and the curiosity to find out is a powerful leadership tool for real innovators.
4. I want to share something personal with you. Leave your personal life at home... Don't get mushy at work...
We hear those phrases all the time. But I witnessed something this week that proved to me the power of being personal with people. I had the good fortune of being the only outside keynote speaker for the annual meeting of a national restaurant chain. It was an incredible multi-day experience that was all brought home with the final talk from the CEO. Instead of wrapping up the 2 days of business progress reports and future business presentations with more business, she got all personal. She shared an incredibly personal story about resilience. You could feel the vulnerability from the stage and you could feel the connect happening with all 1,000 employees in the room. Not because her story was or wasn't relatable to them. Rather, by sharing something incredibly personal she built a human connection. Looking around the room, I could see the warmth, respect, and the engagement in their work elevate with every sentence of her story.

At the end of the day, we are all just people trying to get by. We all have our experiences, our stories, and our baggage. We are all seeking connection. It's human nature to want to be communal, even for the most individualistic solo wolves (myself included). And we want our leaders to show the same vulnerability and connection too. I'm not saying you shouldn't get down to business and I'm definitely not saying work is chatty time. What I am saying is to bring the whole you to work.

Just because you are a leader doesn't mean you suddenly can't bring your whole self to work. In fact, it's a mandate that you, more than anyone else, should because you set the tone. If you want to motivate people to follow you to the ends of the earth, get personal with them.

Clients often tell me that their favorite micro-learning videos on our On Demand platform have to do with being open to new thinking, being willing in challenging assumptions and overcome the biases that hold them back. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Leadership and innovation requires vulnerability, courage, and openness.

Wait! Before you go...

Choose how you want the latest innovation content delivered to you:

Tamara Kleinberg of GoToLaunchStreet is a TED speaker and entrepreneur. From building and running multimillion dollar businesses, advising Fortune 500 like Disney, Procter and Gamble and RICOH on fostering innovative ideas and people. Tamara's life is about breaking through the status quo for game-changing results, and that's what her keynotes, online programs and assessments can do for you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
4 Things Successful Leaders Say to Create a Culture of Innovation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Tamara Kleinberg In my 25 years of playing in the innovation space and partnering with both Fortune 500 and start-ups, I've come to realize that the most successful leaders say "I'm wrong" more than they say "I'm right." Truly successful leaders that seek to build a culture where innovation thrives don't try to have all the answers.

# data[].attributes.headline
The 4 Keys to a positive Corporate Culture

# data[].attributes.subject
The 4 Keys to a positive Corporate Culture

# data[].attributes.body
This video is about the 4 keys for developing a positive culture. This has a strong connection to recruiting and retaining top talent, leadership development, sales, productivity, innovation (HR Exchange Network,2017). The four keys to a positive culture are:
1. Feeling Valued- This is conducted by acknowledging employees of doing a job well done. It is important that a leader acknowledges an employees value to an organisation. If employees do not feel valued they will leave the organisation (HR Exchange Network,2017).
2.Feeling connected-This is conducted by a leader inviting people from other departments and have lunch with them. A  company happy hour must be organised so employees can engage with each other. This will also give them a chance to communicate with other organisations and this improves communication skills (HR Exchange Network,2017).
3.Feeling a sense of contribution- The goals and mission must be communicated throughout the whole organisation to everyone.This makes employees feel they are part of the organisation and they feel valued. If employees do not feel valued they are likely to leave the organisation.  A leader must ask the employee how their role achieves the goals and mission of the organisation to make them feel they are contributing and belong to the organisation (HR Exchange Network,2017).
4.Feeling growth- This is a psychological need for every individual. Training is required to improve employee habits in the workplace. A leader must step up for this training to occur. When employees feel they have some improvement in themselves they improve their self esteem and this increases productivity (HR Exchange Network,2017).
These 4 keys for developing a positive culture are essential in every organisation. These 4 keys can only be achieved if a leader steps up and takes charge. This video has a perception that 4 keys must be followed to develop a positive culture. Leaders must adapt to a transformational and charismatic approach for this to occur.

Reference:
HR Exchange Network(2017,October, 31). The 4 Keys a Positive Corporate Culture. Retrieved From:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZcGj-eMH5o

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 4 Keys to a Positive Corporate Culture

# data[].attributes.body
There are numerous articles and web sources online that focus on the topic of ‘toxic’ leadership. These make reference to managers not acting like leaders themselves, people in leadership positions being dishonest and not caring about individuals within the company, but rather about profit margins. These descriptions to me do not define a leader. Leadership is not a rank but rather a choice.

The below article by David Novak foregrounds the idea of the solution to toxic leadership being every employee stepping up. “The fastest way to take control of your career, work more effectively with others, positively influence them and build a healthy workplace culture is to become a stronger leader yourself”. Novak states that “toxic leadership is eroding trust, destroying company cultures and killing the bottom line”.  The solution? “Take control of your own career and become a stronger leader”. Novak then goes on to discuss how exactly to become a leader, and what the key traits of an effective leader are. He states that through “casting a positive leadership shadow” one can motivate others and work together to become their own leaders within the workforce and creating an engaging work culture where everyone’s opinion counts.

Reference:

Novak, D. (2018). Former Yum! Brands CEO: Here’s how to fix toxic leadership. [online] CNBC. Retrieved from: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/02/22/former-yum-brands-ceo-heres-how-to-fix-toxic-leadership.html?play=1 [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unfortunately, too many people in the workforce today - what I call the 'Now Generation' of workers - aren't receiving the leadership development they want and need. Studies show that the majority of managers say they wished they received more training when they first took on the role. Over half of Millennials say their leadership skills aren't being fully developed.

So how do people who want to get ahead find a way to navigate such a challenging environment?

The fastest way to take control of your career, work more effectively with others, positively influence them and build a healthy workplace culture is to become a stronger leader yourself. It also helps you differentiate yourself, take control of your own destiny and make a bigger difference in the world.

It used to be that leadership was translated as being The Boss. That's an old line hierarchical way of thinking that puts a few in power up top, and the rest below. Today, leadership needs to be in the hands of many. I believe that everyone has the power to become more proactive in whatever role they may have and that everyone can learn how to be a better leader.

The reality is that transforming your personal leadership doesn't happen overnight. It takes commitment, a solid plan and action. It means not just thinking or wishing about what you want to have happen, but creating a practical plan of attack to make it happen, and then sticking to it. What I refer to as closing the 'Intention-Action Gap'.

To be an effective leader, you need to learn the skills to engage others, equip people to be successful and elevate everyone around you by building up others through actions and words rather than tearing them down. True leaders can bring out the best leaders in others which leads to the best possible results. So where exactly do you begin?

Leadership starts with the right mindset. The best leaders realize they can't accomplish anything big in life if they try to do it alone. We need people to help us along the way. Good leaders understand the importance of casting a positive leadership shadow that motivates people and brings them along to get things done. Start by being a good listener, truly caring about your people and believing the best about them and build from there.

Effective leaders are also self-aware. They are confident about their strengths, but are also honest about their vulnerabilities and what they don't know. They have a hunger that makes them avid learners so they not only know themselves, they grow themselves. They have humility that lets others know their input is valued. They realize no involvement means no commitment.

More than ever before, today's leaders need to create positive and engaging work cultures where everyone feels that they count. Start by acknowledging the importance of each person's role on the team because it demonstrates that the only way to achieve bigger goals is to harness the full potential of everyone.

Don't underestimate the power of recognition and how vital it is to create a positive work environment. Recognition is universal; everyone likes to be appreciated for their contributions. It helps drive performance because it gets the team pumped up and focused on the mission.

Celebrate great work and great ideas whenever you see them along the way, don't just wait for a big monumental event. That way you'll build momentum in your business and work environment. The best recognition is personal, from the heart and fun, always reinforcing the behaviors that will drive success.

Leadership may be in a state of crisis today, but I believe that together, we can change the trajectory. We have the solution. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind building stronger, more positive leaders will a change for the better.

Commentary by David Novak, co-founder, former chairman and CEO of Yum Brands and founder and CEO of , the digital leadership training platform that includes the new oGoLead Heartwiring and Hardwiring Your Leadership ™ Online Program. Novak is also author of three leadership books including The New York Times bestseller, Taking People With You.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
David Novak, former chairman and CEO of Yum Brands

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Here's the best way to cure toxic leadership, says former Yum Brands CEO

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unfortunately, too many people in the workforce today - what I call the 'Now Generation' of workers - aren't receiving the leadership development they want and need. Studies show that the majority of managers say they wished they received more training when they first took on the role.

# data[].attributes.headline
Shaping the Corporate Culture of a Tech Giant

# data[].attributes.subject
Shaping the Corporate Culture of a Tech Giant

# data[].attributes.body
Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of Dell, speaks about the way they maintain their organisational culture. The key points he raises is that they make their values known from the outset and they get feedback from their employees (Forbes, 2014).

From the outset Dell makes their values known to potential employees; they do not want to spend time on potential employees who are not going to fit into their culture. This means that Dell is ensuring that they are only hiring people who are willing to work with the company’s culture. This is an advantage as it means that less time needs to be spent once an employee is employed adapting them to the company’s culture. Some people may argue that it is a form of discrimination, however, as a prospective employee, if you do not agree or do not wish to fit in with Dell’s culture most people would not apply. Most people would prefer to work in an organisation where their personal values are in line with company values and culture. Therefore, little discrimination should occur as those with conflicting values would not apply for the job.

As a leader it is important to show employees that you care about their thoughts and feelings. Dell conducts anonymous surveys of employees to gain an understanding of their feelings and understanding of the company’s values. By doing this they can measure the effectiveness of their leadership. However, when conducting this evaluation, they must be aware that if employees are dissatisfied or have negative feelings they may expect action to be taken. Therefore, companies must be willing to make changes and/or follow-up with employees if anything gives negative results.

Reference

Forbes. (Producer). (2014). Shaping the corporate culture of a tech giant [Video]. Available from https://www.forbes.com/video/3249234428001/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shaping The Corporate Culture Of A Tech Giant

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Billionaire founder, Michael Dell, opens up about the importance of defining his companys' values, while also remaining flexible as the company evolves in the marketplace.

# data[].attributes.body
Despite this video being an advertisement for Directive Communication International it provides a great message about the importance of organisational culture.

The main message from this video is the importance of leaders knowing their employees (Directive Communication International, 2014). The video alludes to the impact that employees have on one another, how people work together and the different perspectives that employees can have. Leaders must realise that everyone is different, however their main goal is to create a cohesive and positive culture. To do this, leaders need to adapt the way they approach different people and understand the differences in perspectives. Some leaders may prefer an organisation that has all employees with a similar perspective, however, without a variety of perspectives it becomes harder to gather a wide range of ideas and may make it difficult for a leader to implement change.

Understanding how your employees work together and impact each other is another important tool for leaders. As discussed in the video, some employees distract others from their work and thus reduce productivity. Distracting others from their work can be a sign of a poor work ethic and culture within the organisation. If leaders can identify this, they are more likely to be able to implement appropriate strategies and adapt the culture to rectify these issues. Many people believe that it is up to the employee to ensure they are productive at work and achieve goals; however, an employee must enjoy their work and their workplace to be productive. The organisation’s culture is a major contributor to the way an employee feels about an organisation and thus their productivity.

Reference

Directive Communication International. (Producer). (2014). DCI leadership and organisational culture [Video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maeluvhMGl8

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
organizational behavior (field of study)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DCI Leadership and Organizational Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
http://directivecommunication.com DCI Leadership and Organizational Culture introduction video for training and consulting services

# data[].attributes.headline
John Bertrand remembers his America's Cup win, 30 years on

# data[].attributes.subject
John Bertrand remembers his America's Cup win, 30 years on

# data[].attributes.body
John Bertrand is the current Australian Swimming Team President and was the Skipper of the Australian team who won the America’s Cup (News Corp Australia, 2013). John had great success as the leader of the America’s Cup team and has now had continued success as the leader of the Australian Swimming team. One of John’s major beliefs for his teams’ success was the culture of trust, integrity, honesty and transparency in communication (News Corp Australia, 2013). Having had great success as a leader in the America’s Cup, John used his leadership in the Australian Swimming Team to transform their culture and produce success.

Are these four elements the basis of all good organisational cultures? People would argue that aspects of determination, inclusiveness, desire for success and willingness to learn are also key components of a successful culture. However, given John’s multiple successes with the same theory it would suggest that these four components may be all that are needed for a successful culture. Although, the more you listen to John speak, you realise that implementing his four key aspects induces the likes of inclusiveness, the drive and desire for success and the willingness to learn.

John also alludes to the type of people that he was leading and how their backgrounds and personalities; Australians. Australians “love a come from behind win” and this gave John’s crew the determination to win the America’s Cup (News Corp Australia, 2013). This suggests that there is a strong connection between an organisation’s culture and the people within the organisation. Some people would believe that the leader should be able to influence their team to adopt any culture, however, individuals have their own values and beliefs, and many would not be willing to forgo their own values for their workplace culture.

Reference

News Corp Australia. (Producer). (2013). John Bertrand remembers his America’s cup win, 30 years on [Video]. Available from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/bertrand-we-want-people-to-be-proud-of-the-australian-swimming-program/news-story/7b53c8666b718eec031d46637f4608c8

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
MAKING it in the world of professional sport is a hard slog.

It takes years of dedication, backbreaking training and more often than not the athlete's blood, sweat and tears.

The ultimate reward according to most people would be to cross the finish line first, to beat the competition and come out on top.
WE'LL SUCCEED BY NOT THINKING ABOUT WINNING
But South Yarra's John Bertrand, Australia's sailing legend who skippered the Australia II to success in the 1983 America's Cup, said the real victory was in the mind.

It was this victory, the feeling of having done their best, that he said he hoped the country's Commonwealth Games athletes would take away after this year's games on the Gold Coast.

But don't get him wrong, he'd also like to see them win a swag of medals.

As the president of Swimming Australia, it's Mr Bertrand's job to ensure our athletes perform.

But he said it was also important athletes took the time to prepare themselves for life after sport, and there was now greater recognition of that among the wider sporting community.

"Nearly three quarters of our athletes are now unde rtaking tertiary education and that's a relatively recent change," Mr Bertrand said.

"Years ago coaches were absolutely sure that these young people were fully committed to the training. It's since become clear that people with a more balanced life train better.

"And of course it's fundamentally important to set them up into retirement. And that's something that we're very much encouraging."

The better balance includes athletes engaging in intense study sessions on top of a gruelling training regimen that includes physio and gym workouts on top of their sessions in the pool.

It's enough to make you wonder why they do it, especially considering most of our swimmers would struggle to earn as much as AFL players or professional cricketers.

"From my perspective at least, it was this fascination of endeavouring to seek perfection," Mr Bertrand said.

"It's also the concept of intrigue around competition.

"I had jobs, there was no money, like zero financial support. There's just no way that without supporting yourself that you could actually go and follow the dream as well.

"But when we're talking about the lucky country, part of the luck you might say, or the profile of Australia ... is this concept of sport.

"We don't fire bullets at each other. We don't have riots as a result of state and federal elections. But we love our sport.

"These young men and women are striving for higher, further and faster, so they're training as hard as they can. They're in that giving it their best. So when people succeed it's a great sense of celebration, and rightfully so."

And if you think our athletes are under pressure in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in April, then one can only imagine the task at hand for Mr Bertrand.

He wants the country to see its swimmers deliver and he knows he could have people breathing down his neck if they don't. This could include the baker down the road at one of Mr Bertrand's favourite cafes, Ned's Bake in South Yarra.

"Ned competed in the 1988 Olympic Games for Croatia in rowing. So he's a like-minded character. He follows the Australian swimming program literally stroke for stroke," Mr Bertrand said.

"The focus is really for the country to be proud of the Australian swimming program, a pretty high level focus of course. Pretty ambitious you might say," he laughed.

As far as his own professional sporting career goes, Mr Bertrand said he's all but finished in the world of ocean racing.

At 71, he still plans to compete at the 2018 Etchells World Championships in October, which is the highest level of competitive sailing at the amateur level.

But when it comes to setting out on the boat with his wife, kids and grandchildren, he said he's now happy to let someone else take the helm while he takes charge of the anchor and a good book.

He and his wife Rasa have five grandchildren to keep them busy, as well as a wedding to look forward to following the recent engagement of their only daughter, Sunshine.

They're also enjoying life in Stonnington, after defecting from Brighton where they had originally planned to build a "Taj Mahal" of a house many years ago.

"We rented up in Williams Rd and we thought, 'how long has this been going on?' It's a different way of living here altogether."

If you ask whether he's close to retirement however, the answer is resoundingly in the negative.

He's still keen to embrace each new opportunity in life as it comes, particularly if it allows him to contribute to the community in some way, such as through his role at Swimming Australia and as the chairman of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

"I enjoy being involved and hopefully contributing, and I am in a position where I can contribute to the community and to the country in many ways," Mr Bertrand said.

"The America's Cup was one and the Australian swim program is, interestingly enough, another.

"I look at the consideration of different people who work all their life to go into retirement mode and play golf, and I think to myself, 'how boring is that?'"

Until recently, Mr Bertrand was also the chairman of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, which coincided with his focus on mentoring youth and giving them a safe upbringing.

He said the world he grew up in was very different from today's.

But he doesn't worry about his kids and the world they, and later his grandchildren, will inherit, because he has an infectious, and some would say typically Australian, attitude that gives him a resounding faith in the younger generation's ability to overcome challenges.

"My brother and I grew up on the beach down at Chelsea. The house where we grew up, you climb over the back fence and you're onto Chelsea beach. In that era you'd just ride your bike and disappear all day and come back at night," Mr Bertrand said.

"However for the future, do I worry about them (my grandkids)? I don't. Because you back youth every time.

"All our kids are doing their own thing. They're all entrepreneurs as it turns out. Anyone can do anything if they really want to. That's the beautiful thing about freedom and a democracy, which is what we have here. We're very fortunate."
ACHIEVEMENTS:
1946 - Born on December 20

1969 - Graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Engineering

1971 - Graduated Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master of Science

1976 - Won a bronze medal for sailing at the Summer Olympics in Montreal

1983 - Won America's Cup after three previous failed attempts

1984 - Awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

1985 - Induction to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame

1993 - Became a member of the America's Cup Hall of Fame

2000 - Awarded an Australian Sports Medal for outstanding achievement at America's Cup

2001 - Awarded a Centenary Medal for service to Australian society through sailing

2001 - Became chairman of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation

2005 - Became chairman of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame

2008 - Named Melburnian of the Year

2013 - Awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Victoria University

2013 - Became president of Swimming Australia

2014 - Became Monash University Vice Chancellor Professorial Fellow

2016 - Upgraded to Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Queen's Birthday Honours

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
MAKING it in the world of professional sport is a hard slog. It takes years of dedication, backbreaking training and more often than not the athlete's blood, sweat and tears. The ultimate reward according to most people would be to cross the finish line first, to beat the competition and come out on top.