Leading You

In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with powerful speaker and master questioner, Holly Ransom.  ‘I get up with the view that it is absolutely within our grasp to make tomorrow better and, there is a responsibility upon each and every one of us to play a role in that’ says Holly. Curiosity and learning play a huge role in our effectiveness as leaders.  ‘The inquisitive mindset is a muscle we all need to engage to grow and learn.’ 

We, in our modern era, are always busy. Holly challenges leaders to approach this differently - ‘One of the challenges encumbered on each leader is the busy mindset’ says Holly, ‘we need to be setting intent and structure while maintaining some degree of self-reflection and, the notion of continuous improvement.’ Holly goes on to explain how we can ‘manage energy, not time’ which is one of the most profound changes to the way that she has structured her own life. ‘It’s about finding the small ways to start new habits’ says Holly. 

Holly shares how her grandmother significantly influenced her personal journey to who she is today.  Her biggest lesson; ‘If you walk past it, you tell the world it’s ok.’ It was a formative lesson for Holly and a great example of what we need to do as leaders. Holly says ‘when I look back everything I have done, it is because of something I have encountered and not been willing to walk past.’ She shares how we too can re-frame our thinking to facilitate this change in mindset. 

‘Leadership is not match-fit – the game has changed.’ The leadership model from the events of 2020 with the pandemic has changed everything. ‘It is no longer a command-and-control world’ says Holly ‘we now have a very different relationship with people and we need to adjust accordingly.’ She shares with us how as leaders we need to constantly ‘learn, unlearn and relearn.’ Holly has interviewed the likes of Barack Obama and Richard Brandon and shares some of their key attributes. ‘There is a clear sense of self, vision and purpose’ she says, ‘They have done the work on who they are and, have a grounded sense of self in a way that feels humble but incredibly resilient.’ 

So, sit back and enjoy this episode as Holly Ransom Makes It Count. 

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with Colleen Callander. She is the Former Sportsgirl CEO, Founder of Mentor Me Women and Author of ‘Leader by Design’. Colleen starts by sharing her passion for working and how she used a kind leadership style to become recognised by her results. 
‘There are so many attributes that make up a good strong leader’, says Colleen. ‘For me, I’m passionate about the foundations of great leadership; self-awareness, values and purpose. It’s about building a strong home.’ The old style of leadership has expired. We are now in the era of kindness, compassion, humility and collaboration. I don’t believe we have enough leaders leading in this new style of leadership – Kindness is the new superpower and the new currency’ says Colleen, ‘staff need to feel safe, empowered and inspired.’
Kindness needs to extend to ourselves as leaders. In 2007, Colleen was the acting general manager of SportsGirl and had three young children. ‘I was a Red Ferrari which had never been serviced or been refuelled’ says Colleen, ‘I said yes to everything, no matter how full my plate was and, by age 36 I was burnt out.’ She took 4 months off and re-gained the balance in her life. ‘Burn out is not one size fits all - It can impact us all differently but, it comes back to self-care and setting boundaries.’
‘It’s your people who drive success’ says Colleen, ’People with purpose, equal passion and profit.’ Creating an environment where staff feel supported and cared for as human beings is key. Colleen’s book, ‘Leader by Design’, was written for female leaders to inspire confidence and self-belief. ‘I want people to become all they can be in both business, and in life.’ 
So, sit back and enjoy this episode as Colleen Callander Makes It Count as she leads with kindness. 

Links:

Making It Count
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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with Dr Kristy Goodwin who has become the thought leader in the neuro-productivity space. She openly shares with us the moment she realised just how much of a distraction technology can be in our lives and the impact it has on her family. ‘We have to examine our digital behaviours as adults – if we’re honest we’re a slave to our screens.’ says Dr Kristy. 

Tech has been designed to tap into our human need for connection. ‘We are hard-wired to be part of a tribe’ says Dr Kristy. Due to the design of tech ‘we no longer have a mar  ker of being complete in our tasks’ as the next task is always waiting for us. ‘In the back room of social media platforms there are psychologists and neuroscientists working to make these platforms as captivating and alluring as possible’ says Kristy, ‘there are sneaky mechanics working against us and our better judgement.’  Our digital habits are having a negative impact on our mental health. ‘These are our sleep, physical movement and our relationships’ explains Dr Kristy. ‘Your phone is a deterrent for interaction – just it’s presence has a powerful impact – just by having it in your line of sight makes you 10% less productive.’ 

So, let’s talk nomophobia. ‘Digital fatigue, and burn-out, is a real threat to our productivity. Yes – we have seen improved and increased output but, it has been at the expense of our health, wellbeing and overall performance’ says Dr Kristy. Her suggestions for taming the digital beast as an employer – ‘We need to upskill our employees to adopt healthy hybrid-workplace habits’. We also need businesses, of all sizes, to articulate their digital guard-rails or tech-expectations, so our people can disconnect. 

Dr Kristy shares her three top hacks for taming the digital beast. ‘Do not nibble at your inbox’ she says, ‘it’s really ineffective as we are constantly task-switching.’ Check your emails a limited 2-4 times per day and do this outside of your deep work mode. ‘The second strategy is to control your notifications – both on our personal and professional platforms – and create VIP notifications’. And finally, ‘The basics work if you work the basics – put your phone in a draw where you cannot see it when you want to focus.’ Dr Kristy reminds us that ‘you can, and you need to, tame technology so that you are not a slave to the screen.’ 

So, sit back and enjoy this episode as Dr Kristy Goodwin Makes It Count as we learn to tame technology. 

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with Steve Grace from The Nudge Group.

Steve Grace has successfully built and sold two profitable businesses from the ground up so he knows a thing (or a thousand) about what makes a business successful. His new venture, The Nudge Group, was born from a genuine desire to help businesses grow from start-ups, to unicorns. Steve is also the founder and host of the Podcast, ‘Give It A Nudge’.

Passion for start-ups, for Steve, came from watching his father create start-ups to survive. ‘He just made things work. He was one of the first people to bring Rap music into the UK from the states because he saw an opportunity.’ Steve has always had quite bad dyslexia but, with the encouragement from his father, he found himself in the area of recruitment. ‘I don’t think you’ll find any successful recruiters who left their schooling and decided to become a recruiter – it’s very much one of those careers which you fall into’ says Steve. He learnt to create an opportunity and then just make it happen. 

So, what is the key when it comes to recruiting for a start-up? ‘I like start-ups because of the energy’ says Steve, ‘but the recruitment process for start-ups is expensive - anywhere between 10-30k- which is the first problem’ says Steve. Then, recruiters didn’t understand the differences between start-ups. People are being put into the wrong jobs and, the roles are always evolving. ‘So, we set-out a business that dealt with those problems.’ The language around recruitment for start-ups needs to change. Steve has developed a new and original recruitment model that gives early stage and rapid growth businesses direct access to top-tier talent and specialist expertise without the traditional price tag. ‘For me, you have to love that start-up space and it is so fun’. 

The culture in any business is huge. ‘To be successful at anything, you have got to be willing to do more than the average person’ says Steve, ‘however, those who have been the most successful know how to look after themselves. You have to balance it with freedom, looking after your health and sleeping well.’ Again, it comes back to the language used in this space. ‘There is a lot of vibrato that gets thrown around in this space that is not realistic. You have to try cut through that’ says Steve. This is why he created Balance the Grind, work-life balance publication. 

There is a lot of chatter about scalability for a start-up. ‘Employees need systems and structure’ says Steve, ‘they need to know what is expected of them and how they can achieve it. The teams that succeed are the ones where everyone plays their roles successfully.’ If you can identify your weakness’ before you recognise your strengths it will put you in a great position. 

And finally, Steve shares with us how we too can become high performers in our field. ‘Habits are important’ says Steve, ‘You have to spend time identifying what makes you function well and what makes you function badly. Exercise, diet and sleep all have an impact on your mental health. ‘Take the time to look at your health. This should be the number one priority for anyone running a business.’

So, sit back and enjoy this episode as Steve Grace Makes It Count for start-ups. 

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with founder of the Women’s Business League, Amy Pocsik.

Growing up, Amy was sassy and always had an entrepreneurial dream in her heart. She even started a lemonade stand at age 6! ‘From that moment I was hooked on starting a business and just wanted to make people smile’ says Amy.

A few years into her finance and accounting career, Amy felt she had ‘arrived.’ She had a 6-figure salary but on the inside she was unfulfilled. ‘I felt like there had to be something more. I had a deep narring that just wouldn’t go away’. This led Amy to book a lunch with her mentor, who shared the regrets of her own career. ‘It was as if she was giving me a crystal ball to look into my future’ says Amy, ‘later that evening I decided that this would not be me.’ So, Amy gave herself permission to pursue the dream in her heart.

Life has a way of placing you where you need. Falling pregnant Amy took a year off and became a mortgage broker overnight. This led her to jump into the world of networking. ‘What I found, for women, was there was a lack of opportunity and information for female entrepreneurs.’ She launched ‘Women’s Business League’ to help women design a business that will suit their lives.

‘I am so passionate about helping women create a business which supports the life they want to live’ says Amy. Most business owners are good at the main projects but not so good at the back-end. Amy says ‘Slow down and start asking some powerful questions - not about the business, but about your life.’ The magic of business lies in the freedom and, the earlier you can be intentional about those choices the faster you will receive freedom in your life.

Amy shares her top tips for achieving freedom and flexibility in your business. Ask yourself – what can you eliminate to create space? ‘No-one achieves success on their own’ so, ask how you can lean into the tasks you enjoy and what menial tasks can give to someone else. ‘A business is just a set of systems. Systems are sexy because they give you the tools to do what you want.’ Automation is the answer. Any task you are doing repetitively can be automated and optimised. ‘Let it be easy’ says Amy. Amy walks us through a quadrant exercise to identify the tasks we are able to pass off to others. 

Amy was once challenged by a mentor who asked - Would you hire yourself as the CEO of your business? ‘I really had to sit with that because it made me look at my business objectively and elevate my thinking’ says Amy. She has recently started her own business mentor program called ‘Bold Moves’ where she partners with female founders to make an impact, helping them own the role of CEO professionally and personally. 

Amy takes her fun very seriously. ‘I schedule in the experiences I want to bring into my life because, if you don’t it never happens. I ensure I book one thing in a quarter that is just for me so I have something to look forward to’, says Amy, ‘And also, I heavily invest in my health and wellbeing.’ Your vibe attracts your tribe so find your tribe, enjoy the connection and celebrate the achievements. ‘We have one life to live. The most precious gift you can give anybody is your time and attention’ says Amy. So, slow down, be present and enjoy the process.

So, sit back and enjoy this episode as Amy Pocsik Makes It Count when designing your business.

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Women’s Business League

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we get a one-on-one with our host, Julie Hyde. 

This year is flying past at a rapid speed. 2021 has been a rollercoaster for most of us with lots of disruption so, I wanted to share with you what I have been observing in the business landscape over the last 6 months. The game has changed for leaders and it is time to level up and play a smarter game.

So, what do leaders need to be aware of moving forward? Fatigue is my number one observation. Although we have become better at managing the disruption, we are continuing to put out spot fires of different intensity. Teams have had to deal with lots of change including the cancelling of holidays. This has a huge impact on performance and wellbeing. 

In a recent survey, 87% of people believe it is the perfect time to innovate and change how things have always been done. 76% have also seen 2020 as a chance to re-prioritise. As a result, people are taking shorter, more frequent blocks of leave. This can become a problem for business. So, as leaders, we need to make a shift from ‘the employee experience’ to ‘the life experience’. Supporting your employees in their personal lives more effectively enables them to not only live better lives, but also to perform at a higher level. Employers who do this, see a 21% increase in productivity. 

I have also seen a trend called ‘The Great Resignation’, referring to the number of people switching jobs.  In the US alone, April saw more than 4million people quit their jobs, which is the biggest spike on record. Why? The biggest factor is how staff are being treated by their employers.  Flexibility has also become a factor. Since the events of 2020, there has been a 63% increase in the expectation that workplaces will be managing a hybrid workplace. We need to measure output vs time at the desk. When, or even where, people are completing their work has become an old mindset. 

Everyone is exhausted and this is one of the top three issues faced by leaders as it impacts performance. So, how can you keep your work forced energised? I believe that we need to align our priorities and needs, to create a high-performance culture.  It is no longer one size fits all as people are more in tune with what is important for them. We need to be creating a culture where employees feel valued and understand how they contribute to the higher purpose of the organisation. 
As leaders we need to throw away the numbers and understand that your people are the power of your business. Relationships and trust are key. This is where we really need to level up. If your people don’t trust you, it will impact on performance, culture and engagement.  We need to understand what people want and, how to get the most out of them. Taking time for reflection is a great way to elevate our thinking as leaders and constantly re-asses the needs of our team.  Reflection gives our brains an opportunity to pause amongst the chaos, to untangle observations and then create meaning. 

I believe that leadership is the difference that makes the difference. By walking in the shoes your employees you can drive change and creating high performing team. 

So, sit back and enjoy this episode with Julie Hyde as she shares how we can Make It Count as a leader. 

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, I sit down with Alicia Payne. She is a senior sales executive with Lucid Software, based in Melbourne. As a teenager, Alicia always loved singing, and her path led her to teaching. So, how did she find herself in the world of IT at Lucid Software? ‘A colleague told me I had a passion for connecting with people. I ended up in IT sales and have never looked back - I get excited to get out of bed and connect with customers, and my team-mates. And, that is where I found my purpose’ says Alicia. 

Alicia has had a huge influence in her company. After falling pregnant, Alicia was the first women, in Australia to apply for maternity leave at Lucid Software. Realising she was not eligible for the government Centrelink scheme; she drew attention to this problem. ‘I wanted to bring attention to the situation’ says Alicia, ‘It is something that would certainly impact the diversity aspect of the business, as we were trying to employ more women.’ Two days before her maternity leave, Alicia was told that a new company policy had been written for this issue. In addition, she would receive paid parental leave. ‘I was so thrilled, not just for me but for what it meant.’ says Alicia. ‘It’s perhaps my greatest achievement so far.’

‘I’m a recovering people pleaser and I used to find it really hard to speak up’ says Alicia. She goes on to share how she became bold and learnt to share feedback, rather than negativity. ‘When you speak from the heart and share your truth, you can’t go wrong.’ The world has changed dramatically and leadership also needs to change. ‘Empathy and vulnerability are essential to building successful teams and establishing trust’ says Alicia. ‘What I’ve noticed is the ability to be open and honest with each other is missing. It all starts with a wiliness to share.’  

As a leader, Alicia is making the most of the opportunity to hone her skills. Connecting with those who are outside of her comfort zone has given her inspiration to continue to use her voice to create change. She also encourages us to be present and provide feedback. She practices this in her mentoring - ‘It’s an ongoing learning process but you just need to say it like it is.’ says Alicia.  

So, sit back and enjoy this episode with Alicia Payne as she continues to Make It Count and be a voice for change.

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Lucid Software

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with experienced financial services professional and the former CEO of Westpac, Brian Hartzer. 

He is a veteran of New York-based banking strategy firm, First Manhattan Consulting Group, and has held senior roles at ANZ and the Royal Bank of Scotland. His experience in this field is unrivalled and has recently shared his wisdom on the topic of leadership in his book called ‘The Leadership Star - A Practical Guide to Building Engagement.’

Employee engagement is something all leaders strive for. Only 15% of employee’s are actively engaged worldwide. Brian explains that for someone to be engaged they need to be emotionally committed to the organisation. ‘It’s helping people see that what they’re doing isn’t just a job that they show up to and get paid for. You want to create an environment where people think - this is meaningful, worthy of my time and brings a satisfaction that goes beyond just getting paid.’ 

In his book, Brian covers 5 key steps to building engagement within your team. The first is care. Caring about people as individual human beings and the outcome. Secondly to provide context –why an organisation exists and why their input is important to the organisation. Third is clarity around the role, goals and expected behaviours. Forth is clearing the way – removing the barriers which may get in the way of your employee’s success. And finally, celebrate - recognising achievement and re-enforcing their achievements outside of monetary bonus’. If you organise yourself as a leader around these 5 C’s Brian says ‘you almost inevitably see a significant increase in engagement and, in my experience, that is necessary to achieve great performance as well.’ 

Leadership can be relatively simple in its structure. ‘I was able to use this structure to embed certain activities into my schedule over the course of a year, which made an enormous difference in my effectiveness’ says Brian. One of Brian’s chapters is engagement in times of crisis. ‘Laying the groundwork is really important’ explains Brian. When we are in crisis people’s psychology shifts from fulfilment to security. ‘As a leader, you need to remember this and address people’s worries and be conscious of what matters in the moment. Be empathetic and give them something to do that is within their control’ says Brian. 

Brian says, ‘The way you get wise is to go through pain’ and goes on to share how his personal experiences have given him resilience. When speaking about his time at Westpac Brian says, ‘I knew that when I became a CEO, there were times that I would be tested and given choices where I could do what was best for me, or right for the organisation.’ Making the choice to do best by the company meant Brian was able to leave without regrets. ‘I cannot imagine how horrible it would feel to live with the regret of having compromised my values.’

So, what is next for Brian? Well, he is consulting, investing in some start-ups, but is most excited about his work with the Australian Museum where they are making a difference as they aim to learn from the past and help the Australian community build a better future. 
 
So, sit back and enjoy this episode as Brian Hartzer Makes It Count.

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Get a copy of ‘The Leadership Star’ - A Practical Guide to Building Engagement by: Brian Hartzer

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with Thought Leader, Mentor, Author and Podcast Host, Elinor Moshe. 

Elinor’s career started when she enrolled into architecture and discovered she was a creative, but not in the conventional sense. ‘I started asking deeper questions as an architect, which led to me the world of construction and I really enjoyed the challenges and complexities of the industry.’ After getting to her career ‘destination,’ Elinor found herself in a place of unfulfillment. ‘I knew I wanted to climb the corporate ladder but I couldn’t tell you why’ says Elinor. Over time Elinor’s confidence had eroded away and she became meek, diminished and dull. But, meeting her mentor Ron changed all that. It has taken a lot of work on her mindset but Elinor says, ‘what gives me ultimate confidence is I know who I am – to the macro and the micro’. 

With her new-found confidence, Elinor became an ambitious and driven Thought Leader. However, it has not come without criticism- ‘passive aggressive people can’t stand to see others win’ say Elinor ‘I learnt early on, that I’m very glad to have haters because I know I’m doing something right.’  

On a construction site you have to a contingency plan for anything that may go wrong – and this is exactly the same for our careers. ‘On a project we plan for the worst and people aren’t using that same principal-based insight and wisdom in their careers.’ This is why advising and coaching is so necessary.  

So, what is Thought Leadership? ‘A Thought Leader is someone who is known for what they know, because what they know makes a difference’ says Elinor. ‘It allows you to scale out as you build your message, your brand and your market based on something you are really passionate about.’  It will attract the right, value aligned people, to your business.  

So, as the top Thought Leader in the construction industry what is Elinor’s top advice? ‘The best thing that someone can do for themselves is dig into their heart of hearts and understand – what is it that I want and what is it that I yearn for. The onus is always on the individual to ask – what do I want?’  

So, sit back and enjoy this episode with as Elinor Moshe Makes It Count. 

Links: 

Making It Count 

https://www.juliehyde.com.au/ 

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In this episode of the ‘Making It Count’ podcast, we sit down with Sophie Bretag who is a heart centred leader and works in Aged Care as a People and Culture Manager. ‘Often the elderly are not featured as much as they need to be’ says Sophie. ‘We have 80 residents and it is so amazing to be able to have that time with people who have lived extraordinary lives.’

Sophie’s role is to manage 150 staff who care for the residents. She is first and foremost a heart centred leader with kindness at the core. To make this work Sophie says, ‘You need to be able to set clear boundaries, be direct, give space for open communication and connection.’ It comes down to empowering her staff to do what they need to do and, giving them the tools and information to do so successfully.

‘Respect is hard to gain but easy to lose’ says Sophie ‘I don’t expect anything of my team that I don’t expect of myself – It’s about walking the talk.’ As a leader, you are being watched every second of the day. ‘If you want to be respected, then act in a respectful way. Be what you want to see.’

Since Covid lockdowns, business and personal worlds have collided. Workplace wellbeing and psychological safety have always been a non-negotiable for Sophie. She openly discusses her anxiety and the realisation that her staff may also feel this way. ‘Workplace wellbeing makes sense - If you take care of the humans as humans within the workplace then it is a win win.’ Staff need to feel safe to approach everyone, from the CEO down to the floor manager. ‘It’s our responsibility, as leaders, to make sure it is happening and to trust your team’ says Sophie. ‘The key is one on one conversations. Not to check in on a task, but to ask them what they need from me.’

In 2020, Sophie was a finalist for the Leadership HQ National Women in Leadership Award which celebrated kind, courageous and inclusive female leaders. ‘I have so much respect for women who are thriving, leading, being brave and are unapologetically themselves. To be in that category was overwhelming’ says Sophie, ‘But, the best thing was being able to talk about aged-care.’

So, sit back and enjoy this episode as Sophie Bretag shares how a leader Makes It Count.

Links:

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Connect with Sophie via email: [email protected]

Follow Sophie @mettaleaders on Instagram

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