My first job at the university newspaper was to write the back page of the next edition. It wasn't what I'd signed up for. I’d agreed to doing layout. Not happy! Still, I felt obligated. I remembered seeing this mini-poster showing all the grammatical uses of the ‘F’ word. You know, noun, verb, adjective, adverb etc. with examples. I was a teenager, so all is forgiven. I blew it up to full-page newspaper size and took the risk. Next week it was all over campus. The risk paid off. I was … [Read more...]

You can learn leadership from anywhere. Judge Judy is one unexpected place for me. Go figure! You know what it's like. You've got something important to run by your boss. You want to time it right, so you do the smart thing and ask her Executive Assistant: "what's the weather like today?" Everyone knows what that means. How's the mood in the land of the Big Cheese. Now, you'd hope that one of the reasons the Big Cheese got to that position is because they're great at emotion regulation. … [Read more...]

Last week at the Women in Manufacturing Leadership Summit in Melbourne, I spoke about navigating change and uncertainty. You might call it leading in disruptive times. After all, we are in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Still, some things don't change. Take the human condition. Here's an example that's just as apt for the workplace as it is for a Nonna and her bambinos. Imagine you're out with a group of friends having a picnic in the local park. Mostly adults and a couple of kids who … [Read more...]

Agency. It's the extent to which you believe you make things happen (an internal locus of control) versus things happening to you (an external locus of control). They can make your work life hellish until the cows come home. In oh so subtle ways. They can exclude you from meetings they should invite you to, they can have a "typo" on your title on social media blasts, they can ignore your meeting requests. And you're so busy with hundreds of emails daily and back to back meetings, that it … [Read more...]

First, the bushfire support update How awesome is this... people from as far-reaching as the Czech Republic to Trinidad and Tobago purchased the online course Leadership Essentials this past week! Thank you!!! In case you missed last week's email, until the end of January 31, 2020, I'll be donating 100% of all purchases of Leadership Essentials to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Appeal. It's to help those communities impacted by the bushfires. There are just two more … [Read more...]

Happy 2020! As I'm sure you know, it's been a challenging start here in Australia with the bushfires. A family member who was evacuated, spent two nights on a church floor and just got out with enough petrol before the roads were closed, said: "it was apocalyptic". I'm glad they're safe. But what of the communities ravaged and without homes, workplaces or incomes? Will you help me help them? Until the end of January 2020, I'll be donating all, that is, 100% of all proceeds from … [Read more...]

It's that time of year. End of year catch-ups. Kids concerts. Too much champagne. Shopping frenzies. Holiday planning. You're busy! But not everyone has places to go and people to see. It can feel lonely. So it's timely that one of the exhibitions currently on at the National Gallery of Victoria is Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness. That's me (above on the left) at the exhibition yesterday with my excellent friend. We met at work over three decades ago and she still provides … [Read more...]

You know I was thinking you wouldn't be interested in this, but a leader has to have her eyes across many domains. I'm talking about online security. Don't we all wish it wasn't a thing? It's something I never thought I'd have to get my head around. But I have to. And it's something I take very seriously. That's why I have PCI Certification with Trustwave. It means I meet the Payment Card Industry security standards. Now, I know that's good. Many small businesses like mine don't even … [Read more...]