Making a Difference

Mark Crosweller is an expert in crisis and emergency management, with 37 years of experience leading and advising on state and federal levels. These days, Mark works as the Director of Ethical Intelligence, an ethical leadership consultancy, while he finishes a PhD on leading through loss and disasters. In this episode, Mark explains the ethics of disaster management, and what resilience can look like in the face of adversity. Plus, he shares an insight into how to “lead with virtue”, and gives examples of the role-model world leaders who are doing just that.   Resources and links: https://ethicalintelligence.com.au/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is part 2 of a two-part series with Thomas ‘TJ' Clynch of Civic Mind in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Thomas founded Civic Mind in 2011 as the political and economic climate of the “Great Recession” created a market in demand for social impact through community organisation, creativity, and collaboration. In this episode, Thomas dives further into the chequered story behind the redevelopment of Dillon Stadium. This includes how it has led Thomas into legal action with personnel at his local City council – twice! He then goes on to talk about public policy, before sharing his vision for how social equity and economic justice can be leveraged to build more compassionate, progressive and sustainable communities.   Resources and links: www.civicmind.com https://yankeeinstitute.org/2020/07/20/the-fitch-files-attorney-generals-office-refuses-to-investigate-dillon-stadium-deal-but-questions-remain/ https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/01/23/nfl-new-england-patriots-abandoned-move-hartford-connecticut   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is part 1 of a two-part episode with Thomas 'TJ' Clynch, the founder of (another!) Civic Mind, from Hartford, Connecticut, USA. His blend of social entrepreneurship and public interest advocacy has made Thomas a recognised leader in community wealth building, social equity, and economic justice. In this episode, Thomas discusses Hartford's storied history, including its dark underbelly. He then goes on to talk about sport and how it's organised, the difference between social enterprise and social capital, before diving into the saga of Dillion Stadium, which has led Thomas into legal action with his local city council.   Resources and links: www.civicmind.com https://yankeeinstitute.org/2020/07/20/the-fitch-files-attorney-generals-office-refuses-to-investigate-dillon-stadium-deal-but-questions-remain/ https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/01/23/nfl-new-england-patriots-abandoned-move-hartford-connecticut   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anne-Marie Cade is a Dispute Resolution Practitioner, an Accredited Mediator, a Divorce and Parenting Coach and a Family lawyer who is passionate about people and relationships. She wants to change the way families experience divorce and separation, and help them transition through to their new life in a calmer, kinder and more respectful way. In this episode, we discuss how Anne-Marie works with clients to empower them to reach a peaceful, amicable separation and stay out of the Family Court, believing this approach will ensure a positive outcome for the family. We also discuss how she works with parents who want to reduce the conflict and improve their co-parenting relationship so the kids are happier, healthier, feel safe and secure. We then move on to discussing Anne-Marie's role as a local municipal councillor; relate a story of a famous conflict resolution guru's local government experience that went bad and; land on some effective behaviours to arrive at the best outcomes.   Resources and links: www.divorceright.com.au Politico article about Gary Friedman Also on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn @thepeacefuldivorcelawyer   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martina Clark became a carer for my best friend Anoula, who died from cancer in 2015. She discovered how hard it was to find resources and services to make her friend's time more comfortable and manageable while looking after her health in the process. Wanting to improve support systems for individuals and families who care for a person during and beyond a cancer diagnosis, Martina built the Carers Couch, alongside a team of passionate and dedicated people who understand the importance of human connections and ongoing support. Every day they strive to provide innovative, relevant support to those carers who need it most.   Resources and links: Visit the Carers Couch website: https://www.carerscouch.com/ Follow Carers Couch on: Carers Couch on Facebook Carers Couch on Twitter Carers Couch on LinkedIn Download the Carers Couch app: Apple App Store Google Play Store   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hannah Kennedy is an experienced project manager with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and healthcare industry. As a management specialist in the healthcare sector, Hannah needs to be skilled in relationship management, quality and business process improvement, and change management. In today's episode, Hannah discusses the changing trends in healthcare as the pandemic progresses, and what skills healthcare staff need to keep up with these changes. She also shares the importance of ethical communication with patients, and what has changed in community attitudes to healthcare.   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jill Hennessy has been the Member for Altona in the Victorian Legislative Assembly since February 2010. She was Minister for Health from December 2014 to November 2018, and Attorney-General from November 2018 to December 2020 — the second female Attorney-General in Victoria's history. In this episode, Jill talks about respect, its place in our interactions, and the costs to us all when respect is absent. We also discuss policy ambition, the workings of parliament, and what good policy implementations look like.   Resources and links: https://www.jillhennessy.com.au/ https://publishing.monash.edu/product/respect/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Attracta Lagan is a leading Australian business ethicist who has advised Boards and CEOs in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, as well as state and local governments. She's a pioneer of corporate social responsibility and sustainability in Australia. Attracta challenges business leaders to develop positive values-led workplace cultures that balance what is good for business with what is good for society. In this episode, she discusses ethics in organisations, with a particular focus on what has been learned in the last 12 months living with COVID.   Resources and links: Managing Values website "Give it a Nudge'' — the recent paper by Dr Attracta Lagan on behavioural insights   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melissa Harris is the Registrar of Titles in Victoria as well as the Chief Executive for Land Use Victoria (LUV), an agency within the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). Melissa began her career as a town planner and has dedicated her career to public service, working across state and local government for over 30 years. In this episode, Melissa shares how her agency is responsible for all aspects of land administration from property titles, valuations, and government land advice. She also discusses advances in technology, service improvements, and how a seamless response to COVID led to unexpected benefits for all Victorians.   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cass Bennett is a mother, wife, athlete and accountant. In July 2018, at the age of 38, she was diagnosed with a slow-growing but intrusive brain tumour. When Cass was diagnosed, she found a raft of information and tools for patients and their families, but not an easy way to keep track of all the information to be managed throughout treatment. So Cass teamed up with a graphic designer friend, along with some exceptional doctors, patients and carers, to create the Survivorship Diary — a resource for patients and their families to help them deal with the difficulties of treatment.   Links and resources: www.survivorshipdiary.com www.peaceofmindfoundation.org.au   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Pakana is a proud Aboriginal man of Tasmanian descent. He's a journalist, broadcaster, podcaster and public speaker, and also the Founder and Owner of Connection Matters Radio. In this episode, Charles and Steve discuss the importance of NAIDOC Week and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. They also talk about how Charles came to travel Victoria, reporting positive Aboriginal stories that show the state, country and world the amazing resilience, innovation and determination of Aboriginal people.   Resources and links: https://connectionmatters.net.au/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julie Eisenbise is currently Chair of Administrators at South Gippsland Shire Council and a Victoria Grants Commissioner. Julie has experience in Local Government as a Mayor and Councillor and has held various positions at RMIT University for over 15 years involving the management of local, national and international projects. In this episode, Julie discusses the events involved in the removal of the councillors at South Gippsland Shire and why it was so significant, why cultivating trust and respect is necessary for building any resilient high-performing organisation, and her advice on how to deal with any potential conflicts of interest.   Resources and links: http://www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melissa Scadden is a Partner at Justitia, an employment law firm. In addition to advising employers across public and private sectors on employment law matters, Melissa has acted as a mediator and arbiter on numerous disputes and has worked with organisations, boards and elected councils to refresh their Codes of Conduct. In this episode, Melissa shares the costs and opportunities associated with conflict in workplaces, discusses the steps to reaching an agreement, and how — when done well — dispute resolution can deliver outcomes that best meet the needs of disputing parties beyond mere compromise.   Resources and links: https://justitia.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-scadden-employment-lawyer/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geri McDonald is the Director of Prevention & Wellbeing at Peter McCallum Cancer Centre, and is passionate about empowering consumers and their families to be active in their care and engagement with the health sector. In 2018, Geri was awarded and completed a Churchill Fellowship to investigate the role of patient navigation in cancer. And in 2020, Geri was recognised in the ProBono 25 people of Influence in the Australian social sector. In this episode, Geri shares how socio-economic and cultural differences can impact patients, and the importance and meaning of patient-centred care in the face of unconscious bias.   Resources and links:  https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellow/geraldine-mcdonald-vic-2017/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldinefmcdonald/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cici Edwards-Jensen (a pastoral carer and counsellor in grief and loss) and Mike Jensen (a consultant who specialises in cultural change in organisations) together walked the Camino via de la Plata, in Spain. Except this walk was more like a pilgrimage. In this episode, they talk about the why, and how, of that 1,100 kilometre, fifty-five-day journey. And they share how, over the course of that journey, they found a new view on life and work.   Resources and links: Happiness is That Way   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Lyn Stavretis of Performance Wise Consulting, makes her living helping people in organizations get the most out of performance management. Performance reviews, performance management, performance conversations — we can't live with them; we can't live without them. In this episode, Lyn discusses how to do the process well (and how to avoid doing it badly), how to create a 'performance culture' in your workplace, and why a lacklustre performance review process can often do more harm than good.   Resources and links:  https://pwcg.com.au/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liddy Clark is an actor, parliamentarian, unionist, cricketer and author. She's starred as an actor on Australian television, on the big screen, and was even a presenter on the iconic children's television program, Playschool. In this episode, you'll hear about her love of the arts, the incredible impact she's had in her field, and how she became an accidental politician.   Resources and links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liddy-clark-a594a221/ https://www.griffithreview.com/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenny Menzies is a Principal Research Fellow in the Innovation Hub at Griffith University, who is passionate about bringing clarity to the murky topic of federalism. At the heart of our democracy, it's the citizens who vote for and elect governments at all levels. But in these weird times of COVID-19, the respective roles of federal and state governments are not always clear. In this episode, Jenny discusses public policy, inter-government relations and federalism.   Resources and links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-menzies-96638022/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Pakana is a broadcaster and journalist, and a man of Aboriginal heritage. How do you measure the wellbeing of a society? Things like the GDP — or more subjective indicators such as satisfaction, happiness, and anxiety — are often used. But can wellbeing be addressed without thinking of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities when the annual Closing the Gap indicators have shown little, if any, progress? On this episode, Steve chats with Charles Pakana, and together they attempt to answer some of these difficult questions.   Resources and links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keirwells/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Attracta Lagan — from Managing Values — is a business ethicist, a speaker and a writer. Her life's work focuses on challenging business leaders to act on workplaces cultures. Ethics should be simple and about doing what's right. So why are ethics (particularly business ethics) such an issue for large and small organisations? And why are these issues so often highlighted in the media? Are those in the spotlight bad people, or can good people be ethically blindsided?   Resources and links: https://au.linkedin.com/in/attracta-lagan-64445514   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, we speak to Janet Cribbes, who took the bold step to solve her problems by running for local council. Janet is the former Port Phillip Councillor and Mayor. Steve and Janet discuss what actually happens after someone is elected to local council, why making change isn't always easy, and Janet's recommendations for running a successful campaign.   Key takeaways: There are lots of different motivations for people to run for Council. People who have a particular issue they're passionate about, people who have a good connection with the community, career politicians, etc. Once elected, there are so many competing demands and trade-offs. This means that it's not always possible for an individual to be immediately effective on the issue that they campaigned on. It's important to understand the relationship between the budget and the council plan to be effective and to be able to negotiate the space. 90% of the budget is already set for the year. Elected officials need to know how to work effectively as a group to get things done and lead a community. It's the compromise that gets the greater good going.   Resources and links: https://www.janetcribbes.com/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we're speaking with Hannah Kennedy from Cabrini Health. Hannah is a twenty-something, who would describe herself as a project manager, certainly not a doctor or a nurse. Early in 2020, out of the blue, Hannah was tapped to project manage the response to the coronavirus pandemic for a network of over 800 patient beds, across 5 sites. Most of us would do the human thing and panic, but not Hannah, who took on the project with empathy, intellect, and an inspiring ability to foster change.   Key takeaways: Hannah has been responsible for the coordinated response to COVID across five Cabrini Health sites, which she's been doing for the last couple of months. Cabrini Health has multiple sites but is best-known for Cabrini Malvern, a 400-bed acute care hospital with an emergency department, an ICU, maternity services and well-respected cardiac care and cancer care units. There were two categories in Hannah's COVID project: (1) significant and real risk; and (2) anxiety-led risk. In the early days, there was a lot of uncertainty. She managed the anxiety by consulting with the experts within Cabrini Health and then bringing a consistent message to front-line staff. Cabrini is a Catholic organisation and has Catholic values in its centre, which has shone strongly during these times of COVID. As the first public health lockdown restrictions started to ease, people started wanting to come and visit their friends and family in hospital again. But Cabrini had to stay firm on the restrictions. Now that the case numbers have risen again, they are relieved that they did.   Resources and links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-kennedy-1a98a986/ https://www.cabrini.com.au/   Connect: More information about Civic Mind Connect with Steve Cooper on LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.