Search Results

Coaching is a transformative, developmental partnership that empowers the person being coached to grow, navigate complexity, and achieve excellence. Anchored in trust, and the belief that everyone has the answers within them, it provides a reflective space to explore internal narratives, mindsets, behaviours, and goals. Coaching emphasizes heightened self-awareness, authenticity and sustained behavioural change.   Executed well, coaching inspires bold thinking, ignites intrinsic motivation and mindful action, enabling others to improve decision-making and elevate performance. It fosters transformation and drives success by creating a space for thoughtful contemplation and deliberate action in an increasingly fast-paced world.   Coaching is future focused, addressing professional challenges, while supporting holistic individual growth.   Checklist for Leaders: Thriving Through Coaching 1.     Self-Awareness and Reflective Practices o   Allocate time to pause and reflect choices, challenges and opportunities o   Ensure radical presence o   Observe personal strengths, blind spots, and triggers. o   Engage in deep reflective practices to recognize narratives, biases, beliefs and habitual actions and their impact on decisions. o   Foster a growth mindset. o   Recognize impact on others. o   Meta-cognition practice. 2.     Build Trust and Vulnerability o   Create safe spaces for open dialogue, transparency, vulnerability and feedback. o   Approach coaching with authenticity and a willingness to share challenges. o   Use coaching to explore and stretch beyond comfort zones. o   Develop the coaching relationship 3.     Challenge Habitual thinking o   Use coaching to explore and stretch beyond comfort zones. o   Challenge and refine thinking. o   Observe and act on thinking that is limiting personal growth o   Consider the immediate and longer-term. o   Explore options to transform leadership styles. o   Make more informed thoughtful and intentional choices. 4.     Adopt a Systemic Perspective o   Observe systems, including dynamics and culture. 5.     Embrace Continuous Learning and Behaviour Change o   Use adult learning principles: attention, reflect, apply + reflect for sustained change. o   Practice learned behaviours within your environment to reinforce change. 6.     Legacy and decision making o   Align leadership choices with personal and organizational values. o   Balance goals with self-care o   Identify a leadership legacy that inspires and influences others. o   Improve decision making and improve outcomes 7.     Recognize Boundaries o   Distinguish between coaching and therapy; focus on professional growth and future goals. o   Decide when personal challenges are relevant to bring into the coaching dialogue. 8.     Champion a Coaching Culture o   Embed coaching practices within the organization. o   Encourage team members to adopt reflective practices for improved performance. 9.     Address Rapid Change Effectively o   Create space for processing disruptions and adapting strategies. o   Embrace coaching as a tool to navigate complex, volatile environments.   Adopting these principles can maximize the value of coaching to support others in being at their best and cultivate a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

This is me in 2014 running the NYM. I am yet to repeat the experience! But something may, or may not be brewing. This image always sparks my curiosity as no matter how many times I share my story, people seem inspired by it (I ran with an injury and the physio telling me I couldn't run). What does that have to do with this blog, recently I was asked to design and deliver a workshop for leaders on the topic of Influence.  And that had me conjuring up an imaginary continuum starting with motivate, moving to inspire and ending with influence.  No doubt there are a few more words you could add to this imaginary continuum, but my curiosity was more so related to what leaders needed more or less of, and when.   So let’s start with defining the three. Most leaders agree that influence returns a desired action, whereas motivate or inspire is embedded in choice.  So, influence is about power, formal or informal and I believe motivate and inspire are about empowerment. As leaders there are times when you need all of the above.  Influence is especially important when you may not have authority or formal power, perhaps you’re working across business boundaries needing others to achieve a specific goal.  It may feel a little one sided, but used ethically reaps benefits for all.   I found influence was particularly important when needing to collaborate across multiple divisions; or with external partners; or across a client portfolio.  The more senior your role, the more influence plays a part because you are no longer working with just your teams, but across multiple divisions and externally to achieve organisational objectives.  Influence also plays a role when you're emerging as a leader. I recall my very early leadership days, where I was responsible for outcomes mostly through people reporting elsewhere. It was a conundrum I needed to get my head around quickly. Then there are roles that rely predominantly on our ability to influence, for example People and Culture partners.  Hats off to those people because you're juggling many balls at once. When it came to leading my team, I preferred to muscle up on my ability to motivate and inspire, because their choice was important to me and I wanted them to see in themselves what I could see.  Choice enables people to recognise they have agency in any given situation, and this ultimately builds confidence, resilience and commitment to the outcome.  Motivating and inspiring empowers others, encouraging a sense of autonomy and control.  So when your team feels they’ve contributed positively to performance, it sparks a greater sense of satisfaction and happiness.  And that's an all round feel good result. What are some practical ways leaders can build their ability to influence, motivate and inspire others? When it comes to influence, check that it’s ethical influence first and foremost.  Relationships are key, so get to building them outside of your own team right now, don't wait. Remember that old fashion saying, give before you get?  Well if you’re not giving right now (and for the right reasons), the chance of you getting in the future might be a little challenging, so practice giving to others. When it comes to motivating and inspiring others, the key is empowerment. Share your career stories that might be relevant to the person and situation, to inspire them to see what other choices are possible. Adopt a coaching approach to help people find the answer within. Let people know you believe in them, and share with them what it is you can see that they cant - be their mirror. Encourage your people to refine their strengths, invest in their development. We have a number of leadership programs for leaders such as our Ignite Program for Leaders and RiseUP program for emerging leaders where we delve deeper into Influencing and Inspiring others. For more information reach out to melina@peopleq.com.au or suria@peopleq.com.au

I recently delivered a workshop as part of an eight month leadership program on "empowering our teams". Empowerment was a word I hadn't used for a while, but in bringing to life what was going to be important for this group of 40+ leaders to unpack, empowerment become the road to accountability because it drives ownership , and is a broad all encompassing concept that acts as a thread across all aspects of leadership. To first understand empowerment, it's important to dissect what dis-empowerment looks like, and acknowledge what's important about this to hone in on the themes that empowerment is made up of. When a team member or team feels dis-empowered, it results in self-doubt and a loss of confidence, turning a generally creative team member into a cautious, double checking overthinker. This is followed by a feeling of being stuck and a myriad of poor decision making, leading to a culture of silence and low psychological safety. It can be faintly seen in the poor results of a team or organisation and a lack of innovation, ideation or creative thinking which equals NIL in continuous improvement. There is also a sense of no support and clarity, with goal posts continuously moving meaning expectations are either unclear or simply out of the park unrealistic. With all this uncertainty and lack of results, disempowerment normally turns to micromanaging, more rework than is necessary and procrastination. There is what we call quiet quitting, and probably a lift in staff turnover as well as a generally all round unhealthy workplace culture. It means leaders are mostly likely not exercising self awareness, nor are they tapping into their emotional intelligence or strengths, or cultivating a team's psychological safety. Feedback may be a one-way street and the ability to cultivate trust, inspire others, or build resilience is met with inconsistent results. You start to appreciate why empowerment is like a thread across all aspects of leadership. And what does empowerment look like? A leader who builds other's self-belief and understands that each team member is unique and in different stages of their development, and therefore needing to be challenged and stretched differently. Trust and Psychological safety are understood and worked on by leaders and team members collectively, and there is a sense of power being shared with team members as opposed to having power-over others. This results in people feeling what they had to offer was valued, and delegation and information sharing being at an all time high. It also means leaders create space and put energy into coaching and mentoring others. And a culmination of all of this is a learning culture, robust discussion that challenges the status quo specifically for the purpose of innovating and improving equating to continuous improvement being high, individual confidence (and therefore ownership) also high, as is productivity. As well as leaders ensuring the organisation is structured to support an empowered workforce - there's clarity in roles and expectations, communication is exceptional, results, goals and customer stories are regularly shared with everyone and not limited to leadership catch-ups and workforce development was highly valued. The ripple effect of all of this is an uplift in results. Empowerment is a leadership thread, requiring leaders to acknowledge their behaviour has the power to either disempower or empower others and delegation and a coaching style has the power to unlock the potential of your workforce.

Think about a great workplace experience, what words would you use to describe it? And then consider an unpleasant one?  That's often a question we ask when looking to describe workplace culture, we refer to things more often felt rather than seen .   Workplace culture sits beneath the surface.  When beliefs, values and ideologies are shared between colleagues pervasively and implicitly, they form workplace culture.  The core of what we do at PeopleQ is bringing visibility to workplace culture, so leaders can be intentional rather than passive towards it.   When something is visible, we are more likely to pay attention, without visibility, it's out of sight, out of mind.   Bringing visibility to workplace culture requires an organisational shift from thinking culture just happens.  From a passive leadership mindset to a more intentional, inclusive, and empowered leadership mindset where we proactively look for, and nurture potential, foster connection and trust and  turn the volume up on all voices  to make it a great place to work.  And there are numerous benefits to this. Productivity goes up.  Turnover reduces.  People are Happier at work.  Customer Satisfaction improves as a result.  Business flow is more rhythmic rather than irregular.    It’s all about the choices we make!  Today, the cost of disengagement in Australia is estimated at AU$211 billion annually. And low engagement typically culminates into an 18% reduction in productivity and results in higher turnover which is estimated to result in a $3.8b loss to productivity.  Yikes, disengagement + turnover amplify each other and productivity losses. Thriving shouldn't just be a word used to describe our workplaces, or on career pages and socials. It should be what people have the potential to experience at work.  And if we’re going to be intentional about nurturing a thriving workplace culture, we should also consider what is needed to protect it as people come and go from our workplaces.   For us, this means acknowledging the role of your Talent Team and Hiring Managers as first responders of workplace culture.  You heard it here at PeopleQ first, talent teams as First Responders of Workplace Culture!   As first responders, what considerations might be important when assessing potential employees for workplace culture.  We jotted down a few of our thoughts to share with you on this.    1️⃣Start with Inclusivity Identify if potential new employees are willing to listen to others with a curious mindset resting their judgments and biases, as well as show appreciation for others' contribution to foster belonging.  And share with them why inclusivity is so important to protecting your workplace culture, inviting them to imagine how they might contribute to this.    2️⃣Check in on Self-Awareness  There is no doubt this is the super-skill of the decade .  So take a moment to understand if your potential new employee is regularly flexing their self-awareness.  Self-reflection is a skill that enables a deeper sense of self, to stretch our habitual thinking patterns resulting in more productive choices for ourselves.  It signals a willingness to adapt and grow.     3️⃣Team Team Harmony doesn't mean avoiding robust discussions, it means a collective curious approach to improving the status quo whilst appreciating and inviting individual contribution.  So ask potential new employees what team harmony means to them and how they demonstrate appreciation for individual contribution whilst supporting the team to achieve greater outcomes as a collective.  What stories and experiences can they share, and if their team experiences have not been great because they’ve come from a poor workplace culture, then invite them to imagine themselves in your team’s environment and to describe what opportunities and growth they can see for themselves.  It's an interview and coaching question wrapped up in one!   4️⃣Accountable for culture We all contribute to workplace culture.  And therefore, we should all be accountable for workplace culture.  So set your potential new employee up for success and ask them what role that might play in being accountable for a thriving workplace culture.   As first responders of workplace culture we acknowledge it's not so black and white, here are a few things to consider to either adjust or finesse your approach.     What’s the Leader’s and Organisation's appetite for protecting/improving workplace culture?  The higher the appetite, the more creativity you can serve up.     It’s not as easy as assessing previous experience and capability, so decipher between what can be developed or nurtured versus what is nature.  And now would be a great time to consider a move away from personality assessments, personally we prefer a more skills based approach like hiring for emotional intelligence.    Honour diversity and neurodivergent talent in your processes.  We don't think the same and different environmental elements will either amplify our talents or have the opposite effect.  My son was recently diagnosed with mild ADHD, and I’m fairly certain, as my husband constantly reminds me, it came from me.  Environments that enable him to thrive will amplify his talents, but a leader who doesn't understand the divergence in thinking, will easily get frustrated with the lack of focus and quickly shut down any potential.     Skills Shortages can have a detrimental effect on an organisation's ability to fulfil its customer’s needs.  And so we get that in these periods, long hiring times could domino quickly and negatively impact the organisation.  In these times, be prepared for what you’re willing to sacrifice, get creative and proactively strategise for these periods with your employer branding efforts now.   Which leads us to the next point, building your employer brand brings enormous benefits.  Get to work and talk to experts like Brett Mitchington or Outhire for the latest tech in this space.  A strong employer brand can reduce the cost per hire by 50%. For more information on how PeopleQ can help support your workplace cultures to thrive, get in touch.  Speak to Melina Lipkiewicz (PeopleQ)  or Suria Ward  today.

Silent Bullying is underplaying your organisation's best talent.     When the word bully enters corporate dialogue, we tend to envision the more observable forms occurring regularly and intensifying.  Unprofessional emails, outbursts, harsh delivery of messages, lack of empathy and self-management.  It’s obvious and visible and thank god we have our P&C champions to help us get on top of it quickly.     The Bullying I’ve had the privilege of witnessing is less obvious and generally out of sight and therefore out of mind.  It can be passive aggressive, micro behaviours or “silent bullying”, where bias fuelled feedback tends to focus on what's wrong lacking balance.     It's often ongoing and delivered by leaders who believe they are well equipped to form opinions about another person’s future, OR fear what might happen if someone has the opportunity to step up.  It’s subtle, slow burning, ongoing.  Similar to simmering a meal to extend its cooking time beyond what is needed to improve the taste.    It can result in playing your best people small.  And when we play our best people small, they play themselves even smaller and this is dangerous.  Dangerous to self-belief, confidence and internal dialogues that shape how that person steps into their future.  Sure, we could say it toughens people up, builds resilience and bounce back, for the most part its damaging to the human soul!   I am not suggesting it’s always intentional, leaders can get caught up in an inflated sense of self and their priorities and workloads, forgetting there's more than a head receiving the feedback.  When we speak to give feedback, we are speaking to the heart who then connects with and responds with the head.     Leaders will never step into their true potential if this pernicious cycle continues.   I’ve heard this time and time again; senior leaders express upon reflection they may have underplayed someone.  Or witness other senior leaders behave this way, and fearful of the ramifications if they speak up.  This cycle of silent bullying is not only prevalent in the workplace, perhaps even more pronounced in sports where the knock-on effect could be catastrophic, particularly in kids sports!   What I have learnt is this 👇and these are my tips; ✅Start with questioning your own opinions and biases, deeply reflecting that your intentions are wholehearted, checking that your sense of self is grounded in varying perspectives.  At an executive level particularly we rely on the viewpoints and feedback of a limited few - CEO, a peer, and if you're lucky the Head of P&C.  Three people with the same viewpoint is too narrow a perspective.  Have an expanded network of trusted advisor’s so you don't fall prey to your confidence.   ✅Balance the focus of your feedback with strengths and achievements taking a holistic approach.  Cause and effect.  What effect will adjusting blind spots have on the situation and short-long term performance ?  What effect would amplifying strengths have on the situation and short-long term performance?  What's the better path here? ✅Feedback should be helpful and constructive not destructive, before offering it check to ensure this criteria is met.   And that also involves appreciating how the person might "receive" feedback so you can adjust your style accordingly. ✅Deliver feedback that acknowledges how the heart and head might react by being emotionally intelligent when delivering feedback, aware negative emotions trigger the amygdala which narrows our focus on the "bad" (also referred to as a negativity bias) and when that happens, its the only thing we see and soon becomes ALL we see. ✅Practise both giving and receiving feedback in that same moment. I do this often.  An environment where two-way feedback is normalised enables senior leaders and executives to positively influence (and role-model) how feedback can be received and actioned for the betterment of all. ✅Check your intentions.  Do you have the person’s best interest at heart?  Is it balanced with all interests - The customer, organisation, team and yours. ✅If you witness feedback that is silent bullying and intentionally damaging, you have choices .  You could say nothing and ultimately be a part of what is systematically wrong, sitting in conflict with your own values.  Long term it’s unhealthy for your wellbeing. Or take a strategic systemic approach and agitate for cultural change.  This won't be the easy route, nor quick or comfortable one, but it will be the most fulfilling when you’ve had the opportunity to positively impact your people. At PeopleQ, we offer executive coaching given senior leaders and executives the space needed to build their trusted network. We offer coaching matching services, get in touch to find out more. Melina Lipkiewicz melina@peopleq.com.au Suria Ward suria@peopleq.com.au

If you want to level up your emotional intelligence and well-being, having a wide range of emotional words at your disposal is key, being able to identify and express subtle emotions helps you understand yourself better and connect more deeply with others. Vulnerability and transparency around emotions within a team or group setting can create alignment, empathy, and better problem-solving. Having a strong emotional vocabulary is a game-changer, especially in leadership roles. Leaders who are emotionally savvy can navigate human interactions smoothly and lead diverse teams effectively, creating a supportive work environment where everyone feels valued. Emotional literacy is linked to improved decision-making in leaders. Embracing emotional literacy lets you use your emotions as valuable clues about your needs and values. Instead of ignoring them, you can learn from your feelings to make better decisions and live a more authentic life. Mastering emotional literacy also means learning how to manage intense emotions and avoid impulsive reactions. Techniques like reflection, mindfulness, and emotional regulation can help you stay calm and think clearly, especially in high-stress situations. By challenging negative biases and seeking growth opportunities, you can expand your emotional toolkit and develop a more balanced mindset. Investing in emotional intelligence and vocabulary can boost your self-awareness, communication skills, and relationships. precision with naming emotions enables more effective communication and understanding. Overall, developing emotional fluency is a powerful way to grow personally, build resilience, and strengthen connections with others. It's a journey that not only enriches individual lives but also fosters empathy and harmony in communities and workplaces. Our tips to level up leading with emotional intelligence; Develop a robust emotional vocabulary to allow for more precise identification and expression of one's own emotions as well as those of others. This precision enables more effective communication and understanding. Check out this interactive tool at sixseconds to start your practise today! https://www.6seconds.org/2022/03/13/plutchik-wheel-emotions/ Emotional literacy is linked to improved decision-making in leadership. When you start naming to tame your emotions you are better able to navigate complex, emotionally charged scenarios more effectively. Pausing to reflect on emotions, rather than avoiding or diminishing them, is crucial. This allows you to manage the intensity of emotions to make wiser choices, rather than allowing them to bottle up. If you do bottle them up, it normally results in an explosive conversation further down the track, and no leader wants that? Vulnerability and transparency around emotions within a team or group setting can actually create alignment, and activates ours and others' empathy, and again, the outcome of this is better problem-solving. Emotional intelligence really is about using emotions as data - understanding their meaning and purpose, rather than getting caught up in or avoiding them. I always say its about being wise with our emotions by using them as data. Replaying or ruminating intense negative emotions from a heavy internal meeting actually can prolong the impact (science of emotions tells us we can regenerate the emotion after the situation has occurred). It's important to find a balance between acknowledging them and moving forward with what you want instead. By the way, this picture is us at the SA Women in Leadership Summit in August 2024. I was fortunate enough to MC the two days, it was an amazing line up of speakers. Reach out if you want to know more about how we can support your next leadership conference or programs for your leaders to muscle up on emotional intelligence. melina@peopleq.com.au I 0498 800 008 suria@peopleq.com.au I 0407 776 888

I often hear people express a desire for a coach or a mentor, and when they share what they’re truly looking for, I feel a strong urge to clarify the differences between these two roles. Both are incredibly valuable, but they offer distinct outcomes, and understanding this can help you make a more informed choice.  Let’s take a moment to explore the pros and cons of each.  A mentor can play a vital role in sharing knowledge and insights. They help you build a solid understanding of issues related to your division or business performance, and may provide strategies to enhance your outcomes. Many people choose mentors based on their achievements, looking up to those who have paved the way in areas they aspire to grow in. A mentor becomes a trusted resource you tap into. In my own experience as a mentor in corporate, I've seen how mentees select mentors based on what they’ve accomplished, and I’ve been fortunate to mentor others eager to learn . External mentors are often selected because of their remarkable achievements in fields that resonate with our own aspirations, whether similar or adjacent.  It's a two-way relationship where mentors can also   learn from their mentees. This dynamic enriches the experience for both parties and results in bonds beyond the professional landscape.  The wisdom lies with the mentor, whose responsibility it is to impart it with their mentee.   It's a loosely structured professional relationship with a conversational approach. Talking time might be equal, but generally skewed towards the mentor who has the answers. Mentors don’t need specific qualifications and are generally selected based on their business achievements and accolades.   EMCC Global's definition of mentoring is; “Mentoring is a learning relationship, involving the sharing of skills, knowledge, and expertise between a mentor and mentee through developmental conversations, experience sharing, and role modelling. The relationship may cover a wide variety of contexts and is an inclusive two-way partnership for mutual learning that values differences.” A coach's role is a collaborative creative partnership, and it’s important to recognize how this dynamic differs from that of a mentor. In this relationship, the coach takes a step back to observe and listen holistically, noticing language, behaviour, action, somatics, beliefs, mindsets and assumptions. They ask thoughtful, powerful questions that encourage you to reflect on what matters most to you, helping to stretch your usual thought patterns to open up new possibilities and ways of being. This relationship is structured and intentional, built on a foundation of chemistry between you and your coach. Together, you identify objectives and aspirations, often working with an internal sponsor. The focus is very much on behavioural change and personal growth. A skilled coach creates a safe space for you to explore and rewrite your narratives, encouraging you to question any limiting beliefs that may be holding you back. The underlying belief is that you have the answers within you, and the coach’s role is to facilitate that discovery by providing a reflective environment that helps you tap into your own wisdom. A coach is a thinking and accountability partner where they require you to do the work, bring a point of focus to your sessions and commit to actions.  While a mentor may champion your journey, the coach holds you accountable for the work you choose to undertake To find out more about what coaching is, visit one of our previous blog here .   Coaches are required to be certified and credentialed and engage in ongoing learning.  To be a great coach requires that we get coached, it’s rare to find a coach who isn't being coached themselves! The ICF’s definition of coaching is; Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership. Partnering with a coach is a game changer in business and life because the impact is sustainable change that's confidence boosting. To partner with one of our certified coaches, get in touch today and create the impact you desire. melina@peopleq.com.au I suria@peopoleq.com.au

Did you get along to these amazing two days put on by The Hatchery?  If not, put it in your diary for 2025. Wow, what an amazing experience it was to be the MC for a line up of extraordinary women who captivated over 200 leaders with their stories, expertise, and wisdom! Throughout the summit there were many powerful moments that resonated with me and inspiring themes emerged over the course of those two incredible days. Here is my viewpoint of what emerged. Listen with Head, Heart and Gut! 🌟  Embrace the power of listening with your head, heart, and gut - Leigh Sales emphasized this which themed throughout the insightful advice shared by many of our speakers. Leigh also reminded us genuine listening is a highly skilled craft, and whilst I inherently know this as a coach, she illuminated the magic that unfolds when you listen beyond words.  🌈 Simple language and thoughtful questions can unlock profound insights beyond our imagination! Take what you need from feedback. Not everything is true, hold on to that. We are frequently bombarded with feedback, stories, and information, and as women, there is a tendency to feel accountable and take it all on board. No, you don't need to take it all . Be selective and decide what is true, important, and relevant to you. You absolutely deserve the seat!   If you're not at the table, you're on the menu.  Thank you April Lawrie - every woman in the room felt the power of this message. We embraced it, we cheered for it! This empowering message echoed throughout the entire event. Sandy Pitcher emphasized our right to be at the table , as did Julie Gillard. Theresa May urged us to believe in ourselves and embrace our strengths, echoing the sentiments of many other inspiring speakers. Empower yourself, Tame the inner critic. Women are more likely to underestimate their own abilities compared to men. We have a tendency to analyse situations thoroughly, absorb all feedback, and lead with empathy and understanding.  And it often leads us to under estimating our contribution and the value we bring, poking holes at what we are missing rather than celebrating what we are. Whilst these traits are admirable, it's time to inject assertiveness into the mix! Let's value our own opinions, speak up more and evaluate feedback received objectively instead of being overly self-critical as a result of it. Taming the inner critic is key to unleashing our full potential! Surround yourself with the right people.  Role Models, Mentors, Coaches, Ally's and Sponsors appeared in every woman’s story.  Have them in your corner. Asking for help and support is a testament to strength of character, not a flaw. Wherever you are on your path, seek them out, and when you witness other women on their journey, BE that for them.  Don't just find them, be them, imagine the change we would collectively create. Theresa May surrounded herself with trusted allies who offered invaluable feedback that propelled her towards her aspirations, as well as aiding her personal growth.  She emphasised the importance of nurturing these connections highlighting respect and mutual appreciation for each others input and worth as cornerstone to developing that trust. We’ve always believed at PeopleQ that trust is a lever for accelerating performance. Courage to dream, resilience to persist.  Pursue your dreams and develop your strengths with unwavering determination.  We witnessed through Helen Clark's story what achievements are possible when you do.   Theresa May emphasized the significance of her upbringing, where she viewed everyone equally and was encouraged to believe she could achieve anything she wanted. Are you actively fostering a similar environment and mindset for the next generation of leaders or are our biases subtly influencing us? Creating lasting change requires a multi-generational effort. Let's take a moment to reflect on how we can initiate change today and influence future generations positively. Theresa May also highlighted that criticism doesn't crush others, tone delivery and intent does. Leaders are not always the experts in giving (and receiving) feedback.  Use tone and delivery wisely and check-in on our intentions. Empowering leadership during challenging times! Jane Pickering from Eldercare discussed the essential qualities of leadership in times of crisis. She described the need to embody agility, optimism, fact-seeking, decisiveness, and a commitment to over-communicate. Communication, regular check-ins and seeking feedback fosters connection during uncertain times. And our ability to lead with empathy, kindness, and trust is paramount in guiding teams through adversity. Taking care of our expectations.  Our Panel on secret women's business delved into the challenges women face in silence while navigating the evolution of their bodies in preparing for and giving birth and post these years.  The powerful message here was that women work like we don't have children, and parent like we don't have jobs.  It's time to redefine our expectations and prioritise self care and shatter the veil of secrecy surrounding women's experiences. Leading with Purpose! All speakers were united by the powerful thread of purposefulness! A sense of purpose empowers us with clarity, resilience, and fortifies us with a strong sense of self and guarantees perspective. The significance of embracing purpose, serving others, prioritizing their needs above your own is the secret to making a positive impact, expanding your influence, and attracting support from others! Grab at Opportunity, the power of YES.  Say yes, don't criticise what you have or don't have, what you can or can't, most of these women said YES first, dealt with the rest after.  Another common theme through the summit but most interestingly emanating from the panel discussion on leading with authenticity.   Change is generational.  Inequity for Women still exists, and inequity for our First Nations people is heart-breaking.  I had the pleasure of meeting the extraordinary Dana Shen - her grace, clarity, understanding and unique talent for driving forward thinking ways to uplift diversity are unmatched. Dana and the panel brought awareness to the importance of allyship in contributing to a more diverse workplace and world. Over the two days it was apparent that we are only just scratching the surface on equity, on diversity, and to bring about real change, we must engage with both the current and future generations simultaneously and beyond. Hope to see you back at the summit in 2025! For more information on how PeopleQ can help, email melina@peopleq.com.au or suria@peopleq.com.au

In today's rapidly changing landscape, organisations are aware more than ever before the value of a thriving workplace culture. A thriving workplace culture moves beyond traditional goal achievement, it considers the well-being and engagement of employees and the dynamics of teams, resulting in increased productivity, innovation, and overall success. Where to start? Stimulate positivity in the workplace A thriving workplace begins with a positive and inclusive culture. Easier said then done when we are constantly working under pressure, so start with fostering respect and trust between each other. This means having open communication and embracing diverse perspectives. To resolve pain points, focus on strengths first. Celebrate all achievements - not just the big one and try to inject a bit of fun along the way. Prioritise Employee Well-being Investing in employee well-being is crucial for creating a thriving workplace. Provide resources and support systems that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Offer programs, flexible work arrangements, and opportunities for work-life balance. By prioritising employee well-being, you not only foster a healthy workforce but also demonstrate your commitment to the overall happiness and satisfaction of your employees. Opportunity for Meaningful Work Employees are more engaged and motivated when they find meaning and purpose in their work. A sense of purpose comes when you align their goals and impact with organisational purpose and impact. When employees can see the impact of their contributions, fulfilment and drive lift. Engage Engage Engage your Employees Don't leave this to chance, employee engagement is a significant factor in cultivating a thriving workplace culture. Ensure you have all the right elements in place - satisfaction in their work, motivated to pursue excellence, leaders that are role-models, opportunities to be challenged and stretched, constructive and regular feedback on performance, and everything else in this blog! Engaged employees will offer you their discretionary effort. Be relentless about Open Communication Open and transparent communication is vital to team trust, harmony and safety. Establish clear channels for communication - top-down, bottom-up, outside-in and inside-out. It requires transparency, authenticity, a genuine desire to hear every voice, active listening, feedback, ongoing conversation and action. Communication strengthens relationships, enhances collaboration and promotes trust. It's through our words that cultures are built. Recognize and Reward Performance: Recognizing and rewarding employee performance is essential for fostering a thriving workplace culture. Acknowledge achievements, both individually and collectively. Activate recognition programs that celebrate exceptional work and contributions to encourage a culture of excellence. Growth Mindset: Embrace a growth mindset throughout the organisation. So embrace challenges, learn from mistakes and see them as opportunities to relentlessly perfect what you do. It means carving out space for innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement, and this is often benched with rising workloads. A growth mindset gives people permission to push boundaries. A thriving workplace culture requires a holistic approach, we've listed a few elements and there a few more we would also recommend. It requires continuous effort and energy, no different to the energy you put into your financial outcomes and brand reputation. The good news is, this is our sweet spot when it comes to the work we do and love to do, talk to us today to discuss how we support organisations cultivate thriving workplaces.

No matter the leadership role, there's always a significant focus on "getting others on board". We see it everywhere: P&L changes, new strategies, mergers, acquisitions, and new technology. While we may talk about leading change, inspiring, or motivating, what we're really discussing is how well we influence others. But let's be clear about the word influence. For some, it can carry an ethical dilemma. Here, we're talking about influencing for good, with positive intentions that serve and improve our communities. And when leaders struggle to influence, the top three reasons are consistently the same: Relationships are always at the top Trust is a close second, or lack of Authority/expertise follows next People will "get on board" with people they like, align with and feel united with. This means that before you can influence you must invest effort and energy into building genuine well intended relationships (and it doesn't mean being an extrovert). Your title and authority are not enough, I know this from experience. Three ways to build influence. Tip 1: Proactively invest in building relationships and connections. Actively develop relationships with people across the business, not just within your direct teams or division. This requires energy and effort to also nurture these connections, be genuine, well intended and generous, and don't allow your title, calendar or sense of importance limit your behaviour. Tip 2: Offer support to those outside of your direct accountability. If you believe you can help, give it freely without expecting anything in return. I once had a senior leader offer to check-in over coffee, inviting me to share my challenges. I was met with advice, mentoring and organisational insights. This one-off turned into regular advice and mentoring that I welcomed. As a result, when they needed something, I couldn't wait to repay their help in spades! "People naturally reciprocate, so be generous with your support and make it a way of life." And if you're on the receiving end of this kind of generosity, my motto is to "pay it forward". Whatever elevates your experience in the workplace, your career, your aspirations, find someone to pay it forward with. Tip 3: Share your knowledge Share your knowledge and expertise generously. Support others, both inside and outside your direct accountability to build their own skills. Look for opportunities to mentor or coach others, and share your learnings. Doing this may build your authority in a specific area, without needing a formal title, whilst also building your reputation and strengthening your personal brand. Tip 4: Bank credits in your Trust bank with others Act and behave always with integrity and honesty. Be transparent, follow through on all your promises (so only promise what you can deliver) and be consistent in how you show up in the workplace. These small, yet powerful acts builds your Trust Bank with others. Also consider that trust is a journey not a destination, so acting like this in bursts, or for a period of time, will likely diminish Trust faster than you can build it. These tips shouldn't be one-off actions. I prefer to see it as ways of working, a way of life. Done without expecting any return and always in service of the greater good. Influencing others has been woven into our leadership programs, and is a key module in our emerging leaders program, Rise-UP. Reach out to discover more.

We've all had moments where, despite our best intentions, we've inadvertently disempowered others. It may stem from a desire to "fix" things quickly because of time constraints or resource pressures, and often is mixed with our own narrative of solving it all. We might jump in with a solution or decide it's easier to do it ourselves, it will take less time. Leadership isn't just about what we do, it's how we use and share power, shifting our internal narrative so those around us RISE. It requires a deliberate, conscious approach. Empowerment at its heart is a deliberate act of delegating decision-making . It's entrusting our team with the autonomy needed to act and grow. When we empower our people, we are investing our time in them, and indirectly displaying our belief in them and confidence in ourselves. Empowered teams are confident, capable, and accountable, creating a ripple effect on the teams capacity and achievements, leading to higher engagement and thriving. When Leaders intentionally lift those around us, everything rises. Empowerment isn't a single action but a continuous thread woven into every act of leadership. It's about building others up to achieve better outcomes for everyone. Here's what an empowered workplace looks like: Support, not solutions:  time and space for people to explore and find their own answers. Power with, not power over:  Building accountability collectively Delegate:  Delegating responsibilities with appropriate support, including new opportunities, not just passing off tasks or the opposite, micromanaging. RiseUP:  Challenge and stretch others beyond their comfort zones. Clear communication:  We ensure everyone has the necessary context, information, and a shared understanding of goals, fostering transparency and trust. A strengths-based approach:  Recognize and value the unique skills and talents each person brings to the team and encourage their passions and interests. Delegation is often the biggest hurdle for leaders, they struggle with this, claiming they have time pressures or fear a drop in standards. Overcoming this requires a mindset shift to see delegation as a pathway to building the team's capacity, which ultimately, positively impacts our resource pressures. Instead of avoiding delegation, try these strategies; Delegate in stages  and include check-ins with micro-milestones. Be clear  about what's being delegated and why. Share all relevant information  and provide context. Coach and provide mentors  to your team member. Empowerment is a continuous journey and dynamic due to the changing nature of our teams. By being intentional with our actions and embracing a culture of shared power, we drive better outcomes for our entire community. To find out more information about how we can help your Leaders build the skills needed to empower others, reach out. Our workplace culture and leadership programs incorporate empowerment strategies for all levels of leadership.

Melina and Suria at work in Halifax Street Our work with leaders, as well as ourselves, often centre's on strategies to effectively navigate challenging conversations, introducing our 5I's model as a tool to assist leaders engage in these dialogues productively. And no matter how prepared we feel going in, I've noticed, and experienced, that internal compass sometimes steering us away from difficult conversations, while at other times urging us to courageously lean in. This made me wonder if this hesitation is due to the individual, or the relationship climate? I’d like to suggest the latter! When challenging conversations are easy, I've observed a powerful combination of factors at work.   Alignment , going beyond the surface to establish a shared understanding of the why and how, common objectives and desired outcomes clarifying the what and where.  It means we operate from a unified perspective.  A collective approach. A deep sense of connection with a healthy respect and appreciation for each other's perspectives, expertise, beliefs and strengths. And implicit understanding that team success is prioritised over the individual, whilst valuing the individual.  Individual needs are considered within the broader context of the team's goals. A quiet and powerful acceptance that intentions are good , and individuals approach the dialogue with positive intent.  Essentially building goodwill among each other.   A genuine desire to appreciate what others contribute and a willingness to support their growth and development beyond their own expectations of success. There is acceptance that open robust transparent discussions are pathways to positive outcomes, which enhance trust and confidence.  Therefore leaving nothing unsaid and being clear with what we are communicating, rather than being ambiguous or or evasive, which are unhelpful approaches.   When hard conversations become exponentially more difficult, I witness, and experience disconnection, misalignment and misunderstandings. People drift away from collective understanding to individual agendas and selfless pursuit of excellence may be traded for selfish pursuit of success.  As this dynamic unfolds, judgement becomes rife giving rise to shame, which results in searching for the nearest exit to avoid uncomfortable interactions.  And, truth telling and candid dialogue are overshadowed by a tendency to skirt around issues, rely on inuendo and indirect references versus addressing the core of the matter at hand. So what’s the work of leaders? Apart from adopting tools like PeopleQ's 5I's to prepare for these dialogues, also consider creating the right relationship climate by; 🔢Getting on the same page with your team, what's important, whats the objective and why 🔢Cultivating and building a deep sense of connection 🔢Defining your purpose, and gaining clarity on your legacy to anchor to in these moments 🔢Adopt, and practice language that doesn't place others into a defensive state, amp up EQ + Trust 🔢Be open and fluid, supporting the growth of others. 🔢Practice communicating with clarity and avoid ambiguity Connect with us for a coffee chat on how we can support you build your approach for challenging conversations.