Make It Work

Reviewing our 2023 episodes, we provide themes from the year, offering insights for those interested in the intersection of upskilling, AI, and business growth.

In episode 19 of series 4 of the Make it Work Podcast, Angela Connell-Richards, CEO of Vivacity, joins Karen Kirton and Lachy Gray to explore the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the training industry. Drawing on her experiences, Angela discusses the integration of generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, in education, emphasizing its role in writing materials, creating presentations, and enhancing productivity.  She shares insights on making AI personal, addresses concerns such as plagiarism, and predicts significant changes in the next 12 months. Angela underscores the importance of educators adapting to AI and highlights the need for responsible legislation to address potential misuse. Her valuable perspective offers guidance for those navigating the evolving landscape of AI in education.

Skills-based hiring and development is reshaping the way organisations attract and retain talent. By embracing skills-based roles, organisations can not only access a broader pool of talent but also foster diversity, reduce unconscious bias, and prioritise employee development and retention.

In the fast-paced world of modern workplaces, the mental health and well-being of our teams are increasingly important. Today Lachy and Karen delved into the intricacies of workplace mental health, discussing anxiety, stress, and burnout.  

Discover actionable strategies for closing the gender pay gap in small businesses. To tackle this issue, we emphasise the importance of pay equity and transparency, unconscious bias, and adopting structured interviews and involving diverse perspectives in hiring decisions.

This week Lachy and Karen talk to Mark Eggers, co-founder and head of sales of Yarno, a team-based gamified learning platform that embeds information to improve your team's performance in a fun and engaging way. They discuss how Yarno embeds and reinforces information to support upskilling teams and the challenges around defining learning success. Join the conversation

Karen and Lachy revisit one of the most popular episodes from season 3 which was about what kindness looks like in the workplace (from March 2022). They talk about what behaviors to expect in a kind workplace culture, from open and transparent conversations to empathy, respect, and consideration for others.

Learn how Outsourcing Angel empowers their team members, preventing burnout and fostering growth. Richard shares his invaluable insights on recruitment, communication, and the transformative power of progress over results.

In this episode, Lachy and Karen discuss how smaller businesses can develop their team members and consider career pathways. They highlight the importance of attracting and retaining great employees, and the value of having career conversations with employees to understand their motivations and aspirations.  How do you encourage employee development in your workplace? Join the conversation

Both Lachy and Karen are avid readers, and set up their own book club! The first book they selected was Machines Behaving Badly by Toby Walsh, and it is the topic of discussion for today's episode. The book is about ethics and mortality in AI, a topical choice given the ‘chat' around AI, right now.

In the latest Make It Work Podcast episode, Karen and Lachy are joined by Amal Awad, writer, director, performer, and author of a card deck called The Creative's Compass, a navigation tool for creatives. In this episode the topic of discussion is the importance of creativity in the workplace and how to develop this skill in ourselves and in our teams. 

In this week's episode, Lachy and Karen discuss the importance of building in consistent practices for learning and upskilling your teams throughout the year. They also discuss how challenging it is for businesses to prioritise learning when things get busy or revenue is low. 

We explore the pros & cons of AI in recruitment, including the potential to save time for the hiring managers, impact on the candidate experience and bias that may lie within  AI-driven hiring decisions.

In this episode, Lachy and Karen revisit an episode from season two where they discussed who is responsible for workplace culture.  This leads them to ask who is responsible for learning culture? Although everyone has a role to play in culture, someone needs to be accountable  

Ongoing skills shortages are a hot topic in Australia and businesses need to upskill and grow their teams to meet their own growth plans.  In this episode, Karen and Lachy are thrilled to be speaking with Executive Coach and Leadership Development Expert, Linda Murray on this topic of building a learning culture. Linda is a regular guest on the Make it Work podcast, having joined us in series 3, episode 18 when we discussed psychological safety. We are excited to be talking with Linda again in this episode.  

In our latest Make It Work Podcast episode, Karen and Lachy discuss why we need to shift the way workplace learning is approached. In this podcast episode, Lachy and Karen discuss the importance of upskilling staff in the workplace and what needs to change in workplace learning to achieve this goal. 

We are excited to be speaking with Winning Academy Learning and Development Manager, Chris Tan.  Chris has first-hand experience in upskilling and tailoring learning to individual learner needs. He believes that L&D specialists need to educate their leaders about the value add that learning can create and not just run training as a tick box exercise. He shares how he approaches workplace learning for the Winning Academy.

In this episode, we dive into upskilling, what it is, and what particular skills we're referring to. We also chat through the skills that are in demand right now, and the skills that are expected to be in demand this decade.

In this episode, Karen and Lachy discuss the importance of hiring for behavior rather than just skills or experience with Pree Sarkar, the founder and director of Switch Recruitment.  Pree explains that 46% of hires fail when they are hired just based on skills alone, and that hiring based on values is critical. He shares his experience of creating a value-based hiring process, which involves identifying non-negotiable values and creating an interview guide to score candidates on a scale of one to ten.  They also discuss how this process helps reduce bias and unify the hiring process. When we hire for values it creates a culture of shared values and reduces friction in the company. References:  https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/1-03-23-gartner-identifies-top-nine-workplace-predictions-for-chros-in-2023 www.switchmethod.com.au  

In Season 4 of Make it Work, we're talking about upskilling and why we believe it's the key to attracting and retaining great people and thriving in today's workplace.

In Season 4 of Make it Work, we're talking about upskilling and why we believe it's the key to attracting and retaining great people and thriving in today's workplace. We aim to give you thought-provoking ideas and practical takeaways that you can use to future-proof your organisation. Check out Amplify HR or Yarno for more information.

The Make it Work podcast has covered a range of interesting and important topics this year, including insightful guest interviews. The first episode aired after Russia invaded Ukraine, Australia elected a new Prime Minister, and the economy saw a rise in inflation. There were a lot of changes! This episode shares some of Lachy and Karen's highlights of 2022.

Diversity is a hot topic. Yet one aspect of diversity that's less commonly talked about is diversity of thought and perspective. In this episode, Karen and Lachy explore thinking diversity with Michael Morgan, the CEO of Herrmann Asia. Herrmann are the organisation behind the globally recognised Whole Brain Thinking model. Together they discuss how our thinking preferences influence our behaviour, how to foster a culture of thinking diversity, and what leaders can do to recognise and accommodate different perspectives across individuals in their teams using Whole Brain Thinking. Learn more about brining Whole Brain Thinking for your organisation: https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/whole-brain-thinking/

Organisations talk about their culture in glowing terms, saying it's healthy, inclusive, and transformative. Yet what does that actually mean? One aspect is psychological safety, which is the idea that people feel comfortable showing up and speaking up at work. In this episode, we discuss psychological safety at work with Linda Murray, founder and Executive Coach and Leadership Development Expert at Athena Leadership Academy. Linda shares with us what a psychologically safe workplace looks like, the role a leader plays in creating a safe environment and some activities we can all incorporate into our day to day.

The 9-5, in the office, working week has changed dramatically in the last few years, thanks to Covid-19.  Whilst many are enjoying the flexibility offered by remote and hybrid working are we starting to see a downside to the situation?  We have less in-person connection with our colleagues and friends at work, which can result in loneliness, difficulty building rapport and a feeling of being disconnected from our workmates. In this episode, Karen and Lachy discuss whether remote and hybrid workplaces are making us feel lonelier.

As business owners we generally have a goal of growing our business and making it scalable. But growth isn't always linear and it isn't always what the business needs.  In this episode, we discuss business growth and its challenges with Darrell King, founder and CE of PolarSeven, a consulting and managed services organisation.

Did you know that 70% of change programs fail? This is often due to employee resistance and lack of support from management. In this episode, Karen and Lachy talk about implementing change in the workplace, why it is not always handled skilfully, and what businesses can do to manage change successfully.

How is compassionate leadership different from empathetic leadership? Difficult workplace conversations require a mindful touch, and while wisdom without compassion can be ruthless, compassion without wisdom is naive. In this episode, Karen and Lachy are in conversation with Jenny Steadman about the role of compassion in being a leader, and how this intersects with wisdom. Jenny Steadman is the Acting National Director for Potential Project, a global leadership training, consulting and research firm. She is also a highly qualified mindfulness trainer and corporate facilitator.

Financial rewards are one way of motivating staff, but research suggests they're not the most effective. Factors like work-life balance and pleasant work atmospheres are becoming much more popular in someone's motivation to work somewhere. In this episode, Karen and Lachy discuss the question, if it's not cold hard cash, then what does motivate us at work? 

It's a tough time for recruiting at the moment. Australia's skills shortages have only been exacerbated by border closure and other pandemic-related factors. Many businesses are struggling to recruit and retain key roles, leading to outsourcing overseas. In this episode, Karen and Lachy, with special guest Nathan Sobi, MD of Ethos360, unpack and analyse current challenges in recruitment, and talk about what businesses need to do to find (and keep!) new talent.

Feedback is critical for effective communication at work, to help us learn and develop. However, it's not always delivered well, if at all. Karen and Lachy delve into the hot topic of feedback: why it's important, how to give it, and, maybe most importantly, how to receive it.

This week, Karen and Lachy look at the role and importance of technology in business with special guest Maria Padisetti. Leveraging technology has become vital to business growth, but it can be an expensive investment if it's done ad-hoc and without purpose.  CEO of Digital Armour, Maria is an expert in implementing IT solutions and transforming businesses through the use of technology.

Humans respond strongly to rewards - and financial incentives seem to be the most popular in business settings. Yet, research shows they're not the most effective form of motivation in the long run.In this episode, Karen and Lachy are looking at financial rewards: what works for them, what doesn't, and do they actually encourage behaviour change?

Vulnerability at work seems to be a hot topic at the moment. The image of the emotionless work persona is thawing, and leaders are being encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. But showing vulnerability is daunting!In this episode, Karen and Lachy look at what vulnerability looks like in a work context, and the role it plays in effective leadership.

As flexible and hybrid work becomes the new normal, businesses are faced with the new challenge of how to design spaces and offices that cater to this. In this episode, we chat with Christina Kim, who specialises in designing human centric spaces, about the role of workplace design in today's hybrid, flexible environment.

The biggest challenge to setting goals is keeping track of them, and staying accountable. Scorecards are a great way of measuring your company's goals at a high level. In this episode, Karen and Lachy discuss the balanced scorecard, and how you can use it to set simple and achievable goals, and to stay on top of key performance indicators.

Goals are easy to set but difficult to follow. It's one thing to set up a goal framework, but then you have to track how you're going and measure against it - it's easy to lose track pretty quickly! A major part of setting goals effectively is making sure they are achievable and measurable. Karen and Lachy explore different goal-setting frameworks, why some goals are more effective than others, and how you can use goal-setting to measure performance, motivate your team, and celebrate wins.

Special guest Peter Solway is put in the hot-seat in this week's episode.An expert in solving B2B sales challenges, Peter is an entrepreneurial sales leader for small businesses. Karen and Lachy discuss with Peter the best ways business owners can build sustainable sales processes and grow their businesses.

You've invested so much in the hiring process, yet simply showing a new employee their workspace (or in today's world, sending them their new laptop) and wishing them well on day one isn't going to set them up for success. Put yourself in their shoes: we all know how nerve-wracking it can be to start a new job at a new company. The actions you take, or don't take, in an employee's first 30 days will stay with them throughout their whole career with your company. What does a successful onboarding process look like? How do I ensure new starters feel welcomed and enthusiastic? **This is a recording of the live webinar event ‘Set new starters up for success: what to do in the first 30 days'**

Generally, workplace cultures are described as ‘fast-paced', or ‘fun'. But, what about ‘kind'? Kindness in the workplace can be difficult to pin down, but Lachy and Karen are up for the challenge! Looking at how we define workplace kindness and whether it's overrated, they bring their leadership experience to dive deep on whether kindness is a necessity or a distraction at work.

We spend a lot of time at work with our colleagues. It's not uncommon to hear a workplace referred to as a family - but how does this impact the culture of the workplace? In this episode, Karen and Lachy are discussing the impact of calling your work environment ‘family'. Does it foster a stronger sense of teamwork? Does it negatively impact managerial relationships?

Developing your leadership for the future of work. Welcome to series 3 of the Make It work Podcast! -Returning on 10 March 2022- My name is Karen Kirton and along with my co-host Lachy Gray, we explore what the future of work looks like, and how as leaders we need to adapt. Each episode is less than 30 minutes as we explore the theme of growth. Of ourselves as leaders, our people and our businesses, as we move into the future of work. Through these conversations we aim to give you some thought provoking ideas and practical take-aways that you can use to future-proof your organisation. Check out Amplify HR or Yarno for more information.

Can anyone believe it's almost a new year?! And what a year it's been.It felt like the longest year and the shortest year, all at the same time. But, either way, it's brought up a lot of different and interesting big questions for business and for leadership.In the final episode of 2021, Lachy and Karen recap the biggest issues and key takeaways discussed in this series of Make it Work.

As we begin to approach ‘COVID-normal', what does this mean for work? Most workplaces are navigating the return to the office, but this might not suit everyone who had grown accustomed to their more flexible work-from-home lifestyle. On the other side, the office may look entirely different from how we left it almost 2 years ago! In this episode, Karen and Lachy discuss the ups and downs of returning to the office and how leaders can support new work habits.

You've heard it everywhere: the ‘Great Resignation' is upon us. Employees are dropping out of the mainstream workforce to pursue freelance work or working gigs.  So how can business owners ensure they keep their people when the gig economy continues to rise as an attractive option? In this episode of Make it Work, Lachy and Karen discuss what motivates people to go freelancing, vs. working in a team, as well as business strategies for keeping people on board.

In this very special episode of Make it Work, Lachy and Karen welcome special guest Kaylene Wynn. Kaylene has over 20 years of experience working as a transpersonal psychotherapist and executive mind coach, and she's the author of Rise and Shine - awaken your greatest self. Together, they talk about the importance of workplace wellness and strategies for mental wellness, both for leaders looking out for their team, and for when leaders might be feeling a bit of burnout themselves.

Where does the responsibility for building culture fall? On the leader? On the HR department? On everyone in the team? In this episode, Lachy and Karen discuss opposing sides of the question. They both explore how the responsibility of culture is shared, communicated and enforced. They also talk about the repercussions of weak business culture, and how you can check in and make sure your workplace's culture is to the benefit of all.

At some point or another, we've all had conversations with people with strong beliefs. It's uncomfortable, and it's easy to get defensive, or angry, when coming against an opposing belief. But what if you could take a step back, and approach the conversation with empathy and an open mind? Would that change the outcome of your conversation? In this episode of Make it Work, Karen and Lachy share experiences they've had in the workplace coming against people with strong beliefs. They discuss useful strategies for dealing with such occasions, whether the other party is a manager, peer or client.

Surely being an overachiever is paramount to running a business. Leaders are often tasked with generating passion and energy and fuelling business growth. But, recent research from the Harvard Business Review may indicate otherwise.... In this episode of Make it Work, Karen and Lachy talk about the relationship between a leaders' personality and their leadership style. Are overachievers damaging their workplace with what is actually their main strength?

How can we as leaders navigate mental health? It's a pretty difficult subject, and it can be hard to know where the boundaries are around talking about mental health and checking in on your team.  Sharing their own experiences as leaders, Karen and Lachy delve in and discuss the importance of discussing mental health at work. Being proactive about mental wellbeing is so important. Having plans and resources such as EAP available that provide support to you and your staff will help, but what are the next steps? How can you ensure your team feels supported and comfortable without over-stepping the boundaries?

Developing your leadership style for the future of work. Welcome to series 2 of the Make It work Podcast! My name is Karen Kirton and along with my co-host Lachy Gray, we explore what the future of work looks like, and how as leaders we need to adapt. Each episode is less than 30 minutes and are designed to take broad themes about the future of work, and discuss how these apply in business today.  Through these conversations we aim to give you some thought provoking ideas and practical take-aways that you can use to future-proof your organisation. Check out Amplify HR or Yarno for more information.