Synergen Leadership Podcast

Colin Ellis is the author of Culture Fix – How to Create a Great Place to Work.  In addition to being a best-selling author of 2 books, Colin is also an award-winning international speaker and facilitator. His latest book, Culture Fix, is the world's first 'how-to' guide for building a vibrant team, department or organisation culture. Colin delivers speeches and programs around the world that inspire and motivate individuals to become role models for others, and to provide organisations with the skills to build cultures of success. Whether it's the way that projects are delivered, how teams work together or how to change the DNA of an organisation, Colin provides practical information on how to make change easy. Using case studies, experience and plenty of humour, Colin always ensures people are engaged and laughing! During the conversation Julian explores Colin’s book, Culture Fix, in detail. Episode highlights include Why Colin decided to write Culture Fix What culture really is The 6 pillars of culture and how to apply them How to make culture stick   Links LinkedIn Profile Website Purchase Culture Fix

David Banger is the author of Digital is Everyone’s Business – A Guide to Transition. In addition to being an author, David is an advisor, Adjunct Professor and speaker. An internationally recognised innovator, he is a thinker and pragmatist. His expertise lies in offering unique and concise insights that enable organisations and their people to realise their technology and digital potential. David founded his business, CHANGE lead, in 2018 and now works with CEOs, Executives, CIOs and their teams. His international career of three decades has spanned multiple industries, much of it involving transformation and the next stage of ‘something’. David lived in London from 2001 to 2010 and is now based in Melbourne. He has been employed across many industries including Construction and Engineering, Professional Services, Technology, Management Consulting and Financial Services. During the conversation Julian explores David’s book, Digital is Everyone’s Business, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why David decided to write Digital is Everyone’s Business Making meaning of our work, and how to align teams A warning about design thinking, lean and agile What the future holds for David Links David's LinkedIn Profile David's Website Purchase Digital is Everyone's Business

Brad Giles is the founder of the strategic planning and coaching consultancy, Evolution Partners. He and is also the author of the book, Made to Thrive, The 5 Roles to Evolve Beyond Your Leadership Comfort Zone. Brad has more than twenty years’ experience as a serial entrepreneur, strategic planner and leadership coach, and has twice been recognised as a BRW Fast 100 founder and an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. He is also actively involved in the Entrepreneurs Organisation. During the conversation Julian explores Brad’s book, Made to Thrive, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Brad decided to write Made to Thrive The importance of accountability for both employees and suppliers CEOs being an ambassador for an organisation The importance of strategy and succession planning   Links Brad's LinkedIn Profile Evolution Partner's Website Purchase Made to Thrive

Join Julian for The Synergen Leadership Podcast Season Finale as he reflects on Season 2 episodes and what it has meant for us, our guests and for you, our listeners. Subscribe or follow the Synergen Leadership Podcast now so that you don’t miss our return for Season 3 in January 2020. Links Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's book Don’t miss Season 3 of the Synergen Leadership Podcast.  Subscribe on iTunes, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast listening app now!

Nancy Youssef is the founder of Classic Mentoring & Coaching. As a passionate mortgage broker and educator of new talent, she brings her love of service, teaching, learning and her commitment to the highest professional standards together to make a difference in the lives of her clients and the careers of her mentees. With a personal belief in practicing what she preaches, her ability to dig deep in business and in life to align her values with her Classic-branded businesses has seen Nancy grow into a unique position of professional leadership in the mortgage and business community. Nancy has been recognised by winning the MFAA Excellence Awards for Best Social & Community Champion in 2016 and 2017 as well as the Adviser magazine 2017 Better Business Award for Best Social Responsibility program. Episode highlights include: Nancy’s experience of starting her own business The lessons she has learned as a leader and how she has developed into the leader she is today Why Nancy decided to write her book, Fear Money Purpose The importance of sharing information and being transparent with your team Links Nancy's LinkedIn profile Nancy's website Purchase Nancy's book, Fear Money Purpose

Join Julian in this Synergen Group Content Ecosystem episode, where he introduces you to the framework called the 9 Box Grid. The 9 Box Grid is an approach to looking at people’s performance and potential, and can be used for succession planning, including identifying potential leaders within an organisation. This is a model which is gaining traction in organisations across Australia due to it’s simplicity and effectiveness. Episode highlights include: Background on the 9 Box Grid. The basis of the 9 Box Grid model - performance and potential How the 9 Box Grid model can be applied in a practical sense within a team environment How to use the 9 Box Grid to identify people as part of the succession planning process   Links:   Julian’s LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian’s Book Email Julian

Nigel Adams is the author of Match Fit for Transformation – Realising the Potential of Everyday Heroes. He is also the co-founder and director of Hetton Advisory, a boutique advisory firm specialising in building operational excellence capability and the governance to support it.  With significant experience as a passionate and innovative Chief Operating Officer, Nigel specialises in Service Operations Management and is known for driving performance and transformational change. After 15 years in consulting, Nigel has spent the last 14 years focused on Financial Services Operations. This has provided him with a level of depth and breadth of experience gained from working across a wide range of industries. During the conversation Julian explores Nigel’s book, Match Fit for Transformation, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Nigel decided to write Match Fit for Transformation What transformation actually is, and why it’s important to be ‘Match Fit’ Individual performance metrics and understanding customer quality What is Operational Excellence and how do we get started?   Links: Nigel's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Match Fit Hetton Advisory website

David Pich is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Managers and Leaders and the author/curator of Leading Well – 7 Attributes of Very Successful Leaders. David has a strong and proven track record in the core skills of leadership that include setting strategy, defining culture and leading people. He has also worked with both the State and Federal Government on a series of significant funding projects. David feels truly at home in complex leadership roles, and in 2017 he authored the now bestselling book, Leadership Matters - 7 Skills of Very Successful Leaders. The book draws on his own personal leadership philosophy as well as on the experience of great local and international leaders to tell a compelling and interesting leadership story. David is the 2nd member to return as a guest on the Synergen Leadership Podcast, as we spoke about his leadership journey in episode 27 during season 1. During the conversation, Julian explores David’s book, Leading Well, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why David decided to write/collate this book The 7 attributes of very successful leaders The link between this book and the first book in the series The dark side of leadership A Synergen exclusive! David reveals there will be a third book in the series Links David's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Leading Well book Purchase Leadership Matters book Institute of Managers and Leaders website

Pamela Jabbour is the founder and CEO of Total Image Group, a uniform designer and manufacturer for some of Australia’s leading brands including Dan Murphy’s, Ford Australia and Fantastic Furniture. Pamela started Total Image group in 2005 straight after finishing university. To get the business started, Pamela jumped on the phone and made 100 phone calls a day for 12 months before she won her first customer. Her business really took off when she was invited to quote for one of the largest retailers in Australia who at the time had 30,000 employees. Pamela won the job and immediately Total Image Group began to grow as other brands started to enquire about the products and services they offered. Today, Pamela oversees the team at Total Image Group as they dress over 300,000 employees daily around the country as the business continues to grow and look at what the future holds. Episode highlights include: The early days when Pamela first started Total Image Group The lessons Pamela has learned as a leader and how she has developed the type of culture she believes in How the business looks at the performance of its leaders through a Management Accountability Plan The challenges that Pamela can see ahead for her industry Links Pamela's LinkedIn Profile Total Image Group Website

Join Julian in this Synergen Group Content Ecosystem episode, where he introduces you to the framework called the Johari Window. The Johari Window model is a simple and useful tool for illustrating and improving self-awareness, and mutual understanding between individuals within a group. The Johari Window model can also be used to assess and improve a group's relationship with other groups.  Synergen Group uses the Johari Window concept in some of our leadership programs, and the feedback from the participants has been very powerful. Participants have seen it as a very practical way to start building the relationships between those in the team. Episode highlights include: Introduction to the concept of the Johari Window The four quadrants of the window How to practically apply the Johari Window within a team environment How models like the Johari Window can be used to build deeper relationships Links Julian’s LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian’s Book Email Julian

Greg Smith is the author of Career Conversations – How to Get the Best from Your Talent Pool Early in his career Greg realised our motivations and behaviours determine the way in which we work with others, the way we lead, and whether we reach our career potential. In 2006 he completed his Masters in Career Development and later assisted Edith Cowan University in delivery of that program. Over a long and varied leadership career he has benefited from several major transitions. This included leading large international, merchanting and trading businesses at chief executive level, followed by leading various consulting businesses and finally, co-founding and leading the HR consulting firm, deliberatepractice, as Managing Partner and CEO. Greg’s extensive experience and strong track record of successfully shaping and driving business turnarounds, together with his expertise in career development, executive coaching and mentoring allows him to assist leaders to enhance their effectiveness and career satisfaction. He is also accredited in theoretical and applied aspects of Solution-Focused Coaching from the Coaching Psychology Unit of the University of Sydney, a Professional Member of the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA) and a Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) and Fellow of the Australian Marketing Institute (FAMI). During the conversation Julian explores Greg’s book, Career Conversations, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Greg decided to write Career Conversations The new career reality and how we can reinvent ourselves The importance of personal brand and the value of networking Leading the career conversation and why a written plan is so important Links Greg's LinkedIn Profile deliberatepractice Website Purchase Career Conversations

David Sharrock is the Managing Principal of Sharrock Pitman Legal, a thriving boutique Melbourne based commercial law practice where the credo is: ‘on your side’. David has over 40 years extensive business experience and provides business consulting to the owners and managers of small to medium enterprises. He also works with the executive and board members of not for profit organisations, advising on practical matters relevant to running their enterprises. A nationally accredited and experienced mediator and dispute resolution expert, David’s aim is to work with his clients on practical solutions to avoid the need for costly court proceedings. David is also an accomplished author, writing the book: Fighting for Enterprise Success: Through the Eye of the Tiger.  It’s a practical workbook comprising a 440-page journey through 44 years of personal and enterprise experience, with 68 self-assessment tools, samples and templates. Episode highlights include: David’s first leadership role and the challenges associated with this Servant leadership and why it is a leadership philosophy that David follows Leaving full time employment and starting your own business The challenges that the legal profession will face in the coming years Links David's LinkedIn Profile Sharrock Pitman Website Purchase Fighting For Enterprise Success  

Gihan Perera is the author of Disruption by Design – Leading Change in a Fast Changing World. Gihan is a futurist, conference speaker, author and consultant who gives business leaders a glimpse into what's ahead - and how they can become fit for the future. Since 1997, he has worked with leading thought leaders, change agents, business leaders and entrepreneurs, helping them with their strategy for thriving in a fast-changing world. Forbes magazine rated him the #5 Social Media Influencer in the world (and #1 in Australia) in his area of expertise. Gihan has always taken the lead in embracing emerging technologies and trends, from his university thesis in robotics and artificial intelligence, to leading a software development team building the infrastructure for the early Internet, founding one of Australia’s first Web development companies in 1996. On top of all that Gihan is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), the only internationally recognised designation for professional speakers. During the conversation Julian explores Gihan’s Book, Disruption by Design, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Gihan decided to write Disruption by Design How to look wider and further for opportunities and threats The Delphi Method and why it is important to lean in 90 day projects and mental contrasting Links Gihan's LinkedIn Profile Gihan's Website Purchase Disruption by Design

Extend your view of what risk is. Managing risk from a safety perspective is important, however, we need to look beyond safety and explore areas such as customer risk, people risk and competitor risk. Episode highlights include: How we view risk A 4 Step framework for managing risk The risk of relying on one customer – a case study from Synergen Group How we can control risks and why we must always be thinking about risk Links Julian’s LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian’s Book Email Julian

Julia Steel is the author of Buy-In – How to Lead Change, Build Commitment and Inspire People. Over the last two decades Julia has worked with leaders around the world to plan and execute strategy in their business. She knows that frameworks and PowerPoint are not enough to deliver results on their own. That success depends on the buy-in of people, their ability to deliver, and lead change. When organisations and people struggle to execute, it affects confidence at every level. Values like trust, passion, and integrity, are replaced with tension and frustration that ultimately deliver a lack of results. During the conversation Julian explores Julia’s book, Buy-In, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Julia decided to write Buy-In What buy-in looks like and why it matters Competence killers, and confident competence Why engagement isn’t enough and how we can build commitment Links Julia's LinkedIn Profile Julia's Website Purchase a copy of Buy-In

Shane Hatton is the author of Lead The Room - Communicate a Message that Counts in Moments that Matter. Shane has spent more than a decade of his consulting and working in in-house marketing and communications gaining a deep appreciation of effective messaging that enables you to not only be heard but remembered. He spent seven years leading, speaking, coaching and mobilising volunteers in the not for profit sector where he was responsible for building and nurturing the health, growth and culture of a rapidly expanding membership. It's this experience at the intersection of people, communication and leadership, along with his studies in business and psychology, that formed the foundation for his work today as a trainer, author and speaker to leaders and teams. Shane knows the deep satisfaction of standing in front of a team of people, watching the lights go on, knowing they are with you; at the same time, he understands the sense of panic that can take hold when all eyes are on you in the crucial moments. He is a self-described ‘charismatic introvert’, so he has needed to learn how to face the fear of public speaking by embracing the potential of platform leadership. He has always believed that great communication is much bigger than ‘speaking’, that it must be viewed through the lens of leadership — and it’s through this lens that he approaches his work. Shane believes we don't need better speakers; we need great leaders. During the conversation Julian explores Shane’s book, Lead The Room, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Shane decided to write Lead The Room What kind of leader do you want to be? How to develop your character The 5 levels of leadership credibility and how to manage your reputation The 3 ways to challenge dysfunctional thinking Links Shane's LinkedIn Profile Shane's Website Purchase Lead The Room

Troy McKinna is the author of Brand Hustle – 4 Critical Foundations to Accelerate Brand Growth. Troy believes in the power of building brands because brands connect products and services with consumers. Brands strengthen P&Ls and drive growth. Brands attract the best talent and provide a beacon in the sea of choice. At his business, Agents of Spring, Troy builds brands by creating disruptive, consumer led products and services, by leveraging the creative problem solving framework. Troy helps organisations curiously seek out and creatively solve their customers most valuable problems. Problems, that once solved, create value for both consumers and organisations. The problems that motivate consumers to pay brands to solve. As a start-up entrepreneur and co-founder of Quest Beverages, he practices what he believes and is inspired by the journey of building the Calm & Stormy brand from nothing. A brand with a mission: Healthier people living on a healthier planet. During the conversation Julian explores Troy’s book, Brand Hustle, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Troy decided to write Brand Hustle How brand contributes to the financial success of an organisation Why it’s important to understand the problem you are solving for your customer How brands can stand out and deliver Link Troy's LinkedIn Profile Agents of Spring Website Purchase Brand Hustle

In many cases, organisations what higher levels of performance from their leaders, but they do not have the systems in place that support better performance. This is what makes leadership enablement so important. Episode highlights include: What is leadership enablement? Why leadership enablement so important and how it is practiced Who owns leadership enablement? A framework for exploring leadership enablement through both a people and process lens Links Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's Book Email Julian

Tony Holmwood is the author of Best Behaviour – Empowering managers and HR leaders to coach and align employee behaviours to supercharge growth. Tony is the founder of Outperf4m Consulting who offer a unique approach to improving business profitability by partnering with HR or management teams. Tony is passionate about human behaviour and people development. He is a commercially focused chartered accountant with substantial business performance experience in large local and global organisations.  He is also a qualified motivational, behavioural and emotional practitioner. He has gained a solid appreciation that people drive business and in the absence of people, there is no profit. He has worked with organisations such as Bega, Fonterra, American Express and KPMG. During the conversation Julian explores Tony’s book, Best Behaviour, in detail.  Episode highlights include: Why Tony decided to write Best Behaviour The new world of HR and management, and how we can develop ourselves Forging deeper relationships, and the significance of self-awareness The power of goal setting and why we must appreciate the need for change Links Tony's LinkedIn Profile Tony's Website Purchase Tony's Book, Best Behaviour

Sandra Hills is the CEO of Benetas, a leading not-for-profit organisation with a mission to provide older Victorians, their families and carers with a full range of quality community-based services and residential homes and apartments. Sandra joined Benetas in 2009 with career experience in health, business management and public policy. Under Sandra's leadership, Benetas has diversified its services to meet new and future demand with a specific focus on innovation, research, workforce development and sustainable fiscal growth. Sandra has also held senior roles at the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Whitehorse City Council. Episode highlights include: Sandra’s first leadership role and its associated challenges Challenging working environments Succession planning and how Sandra builds the capability of her executive team Economic and societal challenges that are on the horizon Links Sandra's LinkedIn profile Benetas Website

Kieran Flanagan and Dan Gregory are the joint founders of the Impossible Institute and the authors of Forever Skills – The 12 Skills to Futureproof Yourself, Your Team and Your Kids. The Impossible Institute is a strategic think-tank that is designed to help leaders, teams and organisations be people smart and make change positive. Together, Kieran and Dan are the strategic and creative team behind the most successful new product launch in Australian history and have applied their considerable experience to social change programs for the United Nations in Singapore, to category re-inventions and innovation initiatives for the likes of Coca-Cola, Unilever, Bayer and News Corp. They also run leadership development programs across Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA for organisations in categories as diverse as Banking & Finance, Education, Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Real Estate & Retail. On top of that They also write for Success Magazine & CEO Magazine in the USA and are regulars on ABC TV’s Gruen Series, Sunrise on Channel 7 and Sky Business News. During the conversation Julian explores their newest book in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Kieran and Dan decided to write this book The three spheres of change and how to embrace opportunities Thinking in questions rather than statements, and how to imagine an alternate framework or universe Why it’s important to hold yourself accountable and be values focused     Links: The Impossible Institute website Kieran's LinkedIn Profile Dan's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Forever Skills  

Networking is an essential component of successful leadership which many leaders struggle with.  Join Julian as he introduces the concept of Genius Networking. Episode highlights include: What exactly is Genius Networking? The definitions of networking, including seven networking considerations The 3 Step process for genius networking and how it can be implemented How to follow through and network with purpose Links:​ Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's book - Give Back. Lead Forward    

Lynne Cazaly is the author of ish – The Problem with our Pursuit for Perfection and the Life-Changing Practice of Good Enough. Lynne is obsessed with helping leaders lead their teams through transformation and change.  This is about business agility, about helping people apply their ideas and adapting to what happens when those ideas are put to practice. Leaders become more capable, boost engagement with their staff and make decisions quicker. Lynne has delivered keynotes, workshops and sessions for leaders globally including Europe, USA, Asia & NZ and is also the author of another 6 books in addition to ish. She is also an experienced board director and chair and has worked with clients such as Bupa, mebank, Microsoft, Zendesk, Intuit, Nestle, TAC, Australia Post, NAB, Metro Trains, Commonwealth Bank, and the Western Bulldogs AFL Team. During the conversation Julian explores Lynne’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Lynne decided to write ish Types of perfection and the impact these can have on us The change from default thinking to direct thinking and why this is such an important aspect of leadership Why perfection is on the rise and what we can do about it Links: Lynne's LinkedIn profile Lynne's Website Purchase a copy of ish

Anna Feringa is a Workplace Mental Health Consultant, speaker, trainer and Mental Health Program Strategist. Untreated mental health conditions cost Australian employers $10.9 billion every year according to Beyond Blue. Recent research by Safe Work Australia found more time at work is lost to mental disorders than any other type of injury or illness. As a Workplace Mental Health specialist, Anna supports employers by helping them see that embracing Mental Health in the workplace can help prevent injury and drive a great culture. She helps Australian businesses to go from fearful and confused, to confident and responsive when faced with Mental Health challenges in the workplace. Anna helps Australian businesses to understand how to be a best practice employer when it comes to psychological safety in the workplace through implementing uncomplicated and practical systems and offering dynamic educational forums. During the conversation Julian and Anna chat about all things related to workplace mental health. Episode highlights include:  What is workplace mental health? What does a mental health problem look like? What a leader should look for, and when to start the conversation The difference between a mental health conversation and a performance management conversation Anna’s 3 stage framework which she has developed as a guide for leaders Links: Anna's LinkedIn Profile Anna's Website

Shelley Flett is the author of The Dynamic Leader – Become the leader others are inspired to follow Shelley is a business and leadership trainer & coach who works with leaders to maximise efficiency and build high performance team cultures in organisations of any size. She has been doing this since 2015 after leaving a corporate career in customer service, operations and banking. During the conversation Julian explores Shelley’s book, The Dynamic Leader, in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Shelley decided to write The Dynamic Leader The spoken and unspoken problems leaders face The Leadership Ladder – a tool Shelley has developed to allow you to reach the level of a dynamic leader The importance of holding yourself accountable and the need to celebrate success Links Shelly's LinkedIn Profile Shelly's Website Purchase The Dynamic Leader

Managing all the stakeholders in leadership and business is a significant challenge that many leaders face.  In this episode Julian introduces content that we use in our face to face leadership programs around stakeholder management. This is our seventh content episode for Season 2, and it is also the seventh content episode of our Synergen Curriculum Eco-system. Episode highlights include: What exactly is stakeholder management? The principles of stakeholder management, and how you can apply them in a practical sense The 5 Step process for engagement with practical exercises to help implement it Barriers to effective engagement, and strategies for success Links: Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's book - Give Back. Lead Forward

Yu Dan Shi is the author of Come Alive – live a life with more meaning and joy. Yu Dan is known for helping professionals, executives and entrepreneurs find clarity in their life, career and business, so they can focus on what really matters and succeed with joy and meaning. In 2008, she was a senior executive with a young family and seemingly had it all. However, she felt stagnated and unhappy and she wanted to quit. She didn't quit, instead, she began a search for answers. Yu Dan did extensive research over the years and found that what she felt is normal and can be turned around with the Strengths & Inner Genius approach. The approach has given her, and hundreds of corporate professionals renewed direction and energy, and has taken them to a whole new level of joy, success, and fulfillment. Yu Dan has worked as a senior executive within Fortune 100 companies and has been a leadership coach for a global talent management consultancy. She also holds several coaching psychology degrees and qualifications. During the conversation Julian explores Yu Dan’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Yu Dan decided to write Come Alive The patterns and habits that lead us to where we are The four habits of high achievers and four practices of living well Yu Dan’s daily practice checklist Links Yu Dan's LinkedIn Profile Yu Dan's Website Purchase Come Alive

Gabrielle Dolan is the author of Real Communication – How to be you and lead true. A highly sought-after keynote speaker, educator and author, Gabrielle has worked with thousands of high-profile leaders from around the world and helped countless of Australia’s top 50 ASX companies and multinationals to humanise their communications. She holds a master’s degree in management and leadership, an associate diploma in education and training and is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education in both the Art and Practice of Leadership Development and Women and Power: Leadership in a New World. Gabrielle is also the bestselling author of Ignite: Real Leadership, Real Talk, Real Results (2015) which reached the top 5 on Australia’s bestselling business books. During the conversation Julian explores Gabrielle’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Gabrielle decided to write this book The four trends that are influencing how effective we are when we communicate to others The communication conundrum and the impact of technology on how we communicate Owning your genius and knowing what’s real for others Links: Gabrielle's LinkedIn Profile Gabrielle's Website Purchase Real Communication - How to be you and lead true

Evette Cordy is the author of Cultivating Curiosity – How to unearth your most valuable problem to inspire growth.  Evette is a human-centred designer who innovates and creates using a unique blend of curiosity and creativity anchored in the framework of Creative Problem Solving. As the Chief Investigator at Agents of Spring, she helps organisations curiously seek out and creatively solve their customers' most valuable problems. As a psychologist she has the expertise to get to the heart of human motivation, to create an optimal creative environment, and to both energise and synergise teams. Evette believes that to unearth the right solutions, you must first find the right problems to solve and she uses a collaborative four-stage process designed to unlock the creativity and curiosity of both internal and external stakeholders to ensure the best business outcomes are achieved. During the conversation Julian explores Evette’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Evette decided to write Cultivating Curiosity The value of finding your customers problems and how to future focus your outlook How to challenge assumptions and ask the right questions The 6 curiosity mindsets and how they act as a valuable framework for promoting depth of thought Links: Evette's LinkedIn Profile Evette's Website Agents of Spring Website Purchase Cultivating Curiosity

One of the biggest challenges all leaders face, is not having the frameworks and understanding to deal with conflict in the workplace. Some leaders are naturally comfortable with this and some are not. Episode highlights include: The differences between constructive conflict and destructive conflict. Why many leaders do not resolve conflict and what the consequences of that are. Bell & Harts Eight Causes of Conflict - diagnosing the root cause of conflict. The process to resolving conflict and principles around mediating conflict resolution. Links: Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's book - Give Back. Lead Forward

Wendy Born is the author of The Languages of Leadership - How to use your words, actions and behaviours to influence your team, peers and boss. Wendy works with leaders and leadership teams to become more effective and productive by showing you how to remove all the ‘stuff’ that gets in your way. She can help you get cut through by effectively managing everyone you work with. She shows leaders how to become better by driving performance, increasing accountability, having higher quality conversations, building trusting relationships and working towards a clear common goal.   Leaders who work with Wendy are able to engage in constructive conflict, be more collaborative within and outside of their business, and make better higher quality decisions. During the conversation Julian explores Wendy’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Wendy decided to write this book The Six Levels of Leadership and why it is important to be courageous Leaders being the catalyst for change The top 5 trust killers and why building a connection is so important   Links: Wendy's LinkedIn Profile Wendy's Website Purchase The Languages of Leadership

Jo Burston is one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs.   She has launched six businesses - the standout being Job Capital which went from $0 to $40-million turnover in five years and has kept her on the list of Australia’s top 30 female entrepreneurs since 2013. Jo has worked in partnership with the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Office For Women as well as global brands such as Microsoft, Google, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Xero. Her most recent launch is www.startup.business which runs entrepreneurial Learning in Action programs for school-aged children both in curriculum and as school holiday programs in every state and territory in Australia. Jo is passionate about the idea that you can’t be what you can’t see and uses these programs, as well as her globally recognised social impact business Inspiring Rare Birds, to inspire, support and educate entrepreneurs with the goal of giving every woman the opportunity to be an entrepreneur by choice. During the conversation Julian and Jo speak about all things mentoring - a passion they both share. Episode highlights include: Jo’s definition of mentoring and why she believes mentoring is so important Some of the success stories Jo has seen as a result of mentoring programs The skills someone needs if they want to be a mentor Who inspires Jo and why? Links: Jo's LinkedIn Profile Inspiring Rare Birds website

Ashleigh Alsadie is the founder and CEO of The PromoDonna, a Melbourne based boutique agency which provides businesses with effective marketing communications programs aimed at generating new business opportunities and the acquisition of new clients. She is also the founder of Sales Sistas, a membership-based organisation and support network which enables women to implement effective sales and marketing strategies into their business. Sales Sistas also aims to develop the superstar sales persona to enable women to run the successful business that they’ve always dreamt of.  Ashleigh has held senior leadership roles such as General Manager and Sales Manager and has a degree in Public Relations. And, a bit of a fun fact - she has appeared in on television in shows such as Neighbours and City Homicide! Episode highlights include: The challenges associated with Ashleigh’s first leadership role The importance of understanding the difference in people’s business styles and behaviours The challenges of being a leader within a business that you own The importance of really understanding your team Links: Ashleigh's LinkedIn Profile The PromoDonna Website Sale Sistas Website

One of the biggest challenges all leaders face is making sure they are communicating effectively. It is one of the biggest complaints staff have - that their managers do not communicate effectively. It is also one of the biggest issues that our clients talk to us about. During the episode Julian introduces a straightforward process which looks at the process of communication. Episode highlights include: The importance of being clear on your outcome and what barriers might get in your way. Why we need to understand who we are delivering the message to and being crystal clear on what the actual message is. Feedback - why it is a vital component of effective communication. Links: Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's book - Give Back. Lead Forward

Toby Hall returns to The Synergen Leadership Podcast to share his thoughts and views on his leadership passion: Purpose. Toby is Group CEO of St Vincent’s Health Australia, the nation’s largest not-for-profit health and aged care provider.  They operate six public hospitals, nine private hospitals and 17 aged care facilities in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. St Vincent’s Health Australia employs over 20,000 staff and has revenue in excess of $2B. Prior to joining St Vincent's Health Australia, Toby was CEO of Mission Australia – Australia's largest national community welfare services organisation. Toby has an extensive background working as a senior executive in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Toby's commitment to the poor and vulnerable, both in Australia and internationally, has seen him in leadership roles at World Vision and governance roles with two regional hospitals and the health care services provider, Sterihealth. He is a director of UNICEF Australia and holds an MBA from Southern Cross University. Episode highlights include: Toby’s definition of purpose and what he believes his purpose is Why is purpose so important and how can we articulate it? How our personal purpose needs to be aligned to the organisational purpose How can our purpose ever be fulfilled? Links: Toby's LinkedIn profile St Vincent's Health Australia Website

Travis Jones is the founder and CEO of Results Based Training (RBT) Gyms, a business with over 20 locations around Australia and overseas. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Attain Digital, which is a digital marketing agency already having great success in delivering big results for their clients. He is also the founder of Think Tank, a business coaching firm specialising in working with small businesses to grow and dominate their industries. In addition to these roles, he is also the founder of “If Not Now, Then When” a not-for-profit charity foundation with a mission to establish and maintain relationships and business hub's to support entrepreneurs and other like-minded not-for-profit organisations throughout Australia. During the conversation Julian and Travis explore several different aspects of Travis’s leadership journey. Episode highlights include: When Travis was first in a leadership role and also the link back to his early sporting experiences. Feedback and how important Travis believes it is. Travis shares his view that he doesn’t see himself as a very good manager, he sees himself more as the visionary leader. Leadership and discipline and how they are linked. Links: LinkedIn Profile Instagram Website

Darrell Hardidge is the author of The 10 Commandments of Client Appreciation. AS founder and CEO of Melbourne based business Saguity, Darrell is passionate about working with businesses who are committed to providing exceptional client service. Saguity enables companies to define their unique point of difference from an independent market perspective and help businesses to create a new standard of KPI’s that connect team engagement, customer loyalty and turn revenue into a one number focus that everyone in the company understands and is committed to. During the conversation Julian explores Darrell’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: Why Darrell decided to write this book Client appreciation and what it really means, including the impact it has on both customer and supplier The idea of the first 15% and how Darrell has taken learnings from some of the lean six sigma methodology How to avoid the price trap Links: Darrell's LinkedIn Profile Saguity Website

Join Julian as he introduces part 2 of a special content series on Emotional Intelligence – Awareness of Others. Emotional Intelligence is becoming more and more accepted as a critical component of effective leadership and management and in today’s episode Julian explores how we can work towards being more aware of others and the impact this can have on the way we lead. Episode highlights include: The links between behaviours, emotions, actions and outcomes The distinctions between social awareness and relationship management The value of recognising emotional cues Psychological safety and what it really means in practice Links: Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's book - Give Back. Lead Forward Part 1 - Emotional Intelligence, Awareness of Self

Sandra Aloi is the founder and director of the Bureau of Business, a boutique PR, marketing, events & lifestyle agency.  The Bureau of Business breathes new life into brands to create, refresh or re-position them, developing authentic brand stories and memorable visual languages to bring out their best. Sandra is a highly experienced professional with almost 20 years experience in protecting and enhancing the reputation of multinational organisations servicing markets in Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific and North American regions. She has worked for organisations such as Fairfax, BASF, Dow Chemicals and the EPA. As well as being the CEO of Bureau of Business, she has recently launched a new venture, The Mind of Femme - a new initiative that is committed to increasing the visibility of women in Australia (and abroad) who are capturing our attention through their determination to drive change in the world as we know it. Episode highlights include: Sandra’s leadership journey beginning with when she was a first in charge of a team of 3. Diversity of thinking – getting the most from your team Connectedness - how and why it happens. How we can become the best versions of ourselves by believing in ourselves Links: Sandra's LinkedIn Profile The Bureau of Business Website The Mind of Femme Website  

Mike Adams is the author of Seven Stories Every Salesperson Must Tell. AS founder and CEO of The Story Leader,  Mike helps their clients grow revenue by systematically leveraging the most important human communication mechanism – Story. Having worked for organistions such as Nokia, Siemens, Motorola and Spotless Group, Mike’s significant global experience and leading of sales teams has put him into a unique position where he is qualified to talk about all things sales and leadership. During the conversation Julian explores Mikes book in detail from a leadership lens. Episode highlights include: Why Mike decided to write this book How stories can change our minds and how the mind has a natural language The simple story framework and how we can use it to build connection How we can learn from other people’s stories Links: Mike's LinkedIn Profile The Story Leader Website Purchase Seven Stories Every Salesperson Must Tell

Dr Karen Morley is the author of Lead Like a Coach – How to get the most out of any team. As an expert in coaching, collaboration and connected leadership Karen’s work focuses on the areas of leadership identity, transition and transformation, leadership styles, inclusive leadership, gender equity and unconscious bias. She works at individual, team and organisational levels with her purpose being to reset leadership. Typically, she works with clients who are CEOs and executive teams, to develop organisational capability and work better together.  She also works with individual executives, to increase leadership capability, build presence, step up, increase engagement and be more balanced. Karen is particularly motivated to work on eliminating barriers to potential. These might be barriers that individuals place on themselves, that organisations place on how they choose leaders, or that society places on who can be a leader. Her vision is to reset leaders so that they are energised, amplified and connected. That enables them to reset leadership so that it mobilises action, unites effort, and creates value. Episode highlights include: Why Karen decided to write this book How coaching realises potential, and the four main forms of mind Elements of Coaching Presence Creating a coaching culture   Links: Karen's LinkedIn Profile Karen's Website Purchase Lead Like A Coach

Join Julian as he introduces part 1 of a special content series on Emotional Intelligence – Awareness of Self. Emotional Intelligence is becoming more and more accepted as a critical component of effective leadership and management and in today’s episode Julian explores how we can work towards being more aware of ourselves and the impact this can have on others. Episode highlights include: ‘Trigger to Impact’ - how this process can lead us to better understand ourselves The distinction between self-awareness and self-management The value of exploring your emotional strengths and weaknesses 360 Degree reviews - a valuable contributor to your own self development Links: Julian's LinkedIn Profile ​Purchase Julian's Book, Give Back. Lead Forward

Michelle Gibbings is the author of Career Leap – How to reinvent and liberate your career. As a recognised expert in organisational change and leadership, Michelle is passionate about working with leaders and teams to unlock high-impact choices so they accelerate meaningful progress, and are able to thrive in a complex, changing world. Her work and reputation extends globally as a keynote speaker, advisor, expert facilitator and executive mentor of choice for many leading edge global organisations. With more than twenty years’ senior executive experience across multiple industries, Michelle knows how to successfully navigate uncertain and ambiguous environments to secure sustainable outcomes.During the conversation, Julian explores Michelle’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: • Why Michelle decided to write this book • The importance of recognising your own potential and the challenges associated with this • Career identity and how that can change over time • The Career Reinvention Cycle Links: Michelle's LinkedIn Profile Michelle's Website Purchase Career Leap

Bryan Whitefield is the author of Winning Conversations – How to turn red tape into blue ribbon. With over 30 years of experience across engineering, financial services and management consulting Bryan has helped thousands of executives achieve their goals. His passion is for making the difficult and complex doable. He has authored books on decision making and influencing, and has featured in The Weekend Australian, News.com.au, CEO World Magazine, CMO Magazine, HR Director and myriad other publications, podcasts and radio interviews. He is best known for his workshop facilitation skills and his ability to engage and influence at board and executive level. He helps organisations drive risk leadership from risk management programs, reframe decisions using data and he works with corporate services to cut red tape and create blue ribbon. During the conversation, Julian explores Bryan’s book in detail. Episode highlights include: The building blocks of persuasion, and what the push and pull of persuasion is The importance of sometimes needing to think fast and sometimes needing to think slow The concept of Deep Listening, and why it is important   Links: Bryan's LinkedIn Profile Bryan's Website Purchase Winning Conversations

Jeremy Nichols is the author of The Power of Culture – How to transform your organisation through the one thing that is hard to overlook and difficult to shift. As the owner of the boutique consultancy Composure, Jeremy helps organisations to create cultures and develop their leaders to improve the growth and performance of their organisations, teams, and individuals. With over 25 years in the Management Consultant industry Jeremy has been a key advisor to many CEO’s, Boards, Executive Teams, Business Unit Leaders, and HR professionals. He has also led and managed 4 consultancies, all at different stages of development. He is an experienced Board member and has held board positions with Melbourne Football Club, Signcraft and I-LEAP, a Melbourne University sponsored initiative for Indigenous Leadership Excellence Acceleration Program. Through a focus on culture and leadership, Jeremy helps clients increase financial performance, manage risk and enhance their reputation. Episode highlights include: Why Jeremy decided to write The Power of Culture The 4 distinct phases of culture, and why organisations need to recognise which phase they are in The importance of having a culture roadmap and why leadership is crucial The best next step, and what leaders should be looking for in their organisation Links: Jeremy's LinkedIn Profile Composure Website Purchase The Power of Culture

Customers are the lifeblood of any business and we should always be looking at how we can stack the value we are providing to them. During this content episode, Julian will explore each of the 5 levels of Customer Value: The product or service that you provide The experience your customers have when they engage with you The results your product or service delivers to them Becoming a trusted advisor Becoming a strategic partner Links: Julian's LinkedIn Profile Purchase Julian's Book, Give Back. Lead Forward

Donna McGeorge is the author of The 25 Minute Meeting – Half the Time, Double the Impact As Speaker, Author and Mentor, Donna McGeorge helps organisations, executives and leaders adapt to the disruption of the traditional working model and embrace both the now of work and future of work anywhere, anytime. She empowers managers to create work environments, interactions and relationships that engage employees and make them want to show up, play nicely, and get the work done. Donna has worked with managers and leaders throughout Australia and Asia–Pacific for over 20 years. She delivers practical skills, training, workshops and facilitation to corporates — such as Nissan Motor Company, Jetstar, Medibank Private and Ford Motor Company — so they learn to manage their people well and produce great performance and results. Donna is the author of five books including the one we are going to explore today, The 25 Minute Meeting, published by Wiley. Episode highlights include: Why Donna decided to write this book The 6 types of meetings, and why only 33% of meetings are useful The importance of setting meeting ground rules so that everyone is on the same page The 25 Meeting roadmap and what leaders can do to get there Links: Donna's LinkedIn Profile Donna's Website

Jayne Ward is the Group Head of Performance, Remuneration & Payroll at Australia Post – an organisation which has over 35,000 employees. Jayne is passionate about making a difference by creating and implementing tailored strategies that work for the business by developing a values led culture, filled with high performing teams. In 2017 and 2018 Jayne achieved LinkedIn Power Profile status within the HR space, and has one of the most viewed profiles in Australia. She is also a Board Director, transformational change leader and corporate governance specialist with over 20 years of progressive and global experience and has extensive consulting and corporate experience advising Boards, senior leadership teams and the management of publicly listed organisations. Episode Highlights include: Jayne's leadership journey beginning with when she was a team leader in a contact centre. The differences between being in a consulting role and being in a leadership role Jayne's area of leadership passion - coaching and supporting someone to grow into the best they can be. We also end up talking about the impact her CEO has had on the business overall Links: Jayne's LinkedIn Profile Australia Post Website

Scott Stein is the author of Leadership Hacks – Clever Shortcuts to Boost Your Impact and Results. Scott is a certified speaking professional, mentor, CEO and Director who works with leaders to help them implement fast track strategies to improve results. He has worked with thousands of leaders from CEOs and front-line managers to small business owners to identify ways to make a difference to the people they manage and the tasks they undertake. Scott also mentors senior leaders with practical strategies that allow them to get more results from themselves and their people and work with senior leadership teams using a process called Compression Planning. This allows them to collectively identify the strategic framework to move toward their goals in less time. Scott has worked with many of the world's best known brands and government agencies including City of Sydney, Mazda, Carlton & United Breweries, American Express and Mercedes-Benz. Episode highlights include: Why Scott decide to write this book The challenges of distractions, both from an internal and external perspective. Delegation, the critical aspect of leadership. Scott shares his model for being an effective delegator. Core 30 and Fence 50, how they help you consider how to get your message across. Links: Scott's LinkedIn Profile Scott's Website Purchase Leadership Hacks

Join Julian in a special content episode as he shares his ideas on the importance of setting expectations as a leader. This is our first content episode for Season 2, and it is also the first content episode that has been specifically designed to be a part of our Curriculum Ecosystem. Setting expectations is one of the most important things a leader can do to make sure they are getting the most from their teams and importantly, from themselves. During the episode Julian explores the concept of setting expectations from 3 perspectives - Self, Manager and Team.  He also encourages you to participate in some activities to help you set expectations this way. Episode highlights include: The link between setting expectations through the lens of result and behaviour, whilst tying them to your organisational values. Using the Balanced Scorecard as a mechanism for fleshing out expectations and to focus in on the importance of being adaptable in your approach. Commitment and measurement and why these are so important when it comes to setting expectations. Links: Julian's LinkedIn Profile Synergen Group Website

Emma Bannister is the founder and CEO of Presentation Studio, as well as the author of Visual Thinking – How to transform the way you think, communicate and influence with presentations. Emma thinks in pictures and stories. She is an expert at transforming the written word into visual masterpieces that matter more. As a highly sought-after creative, workshop facilitator and keynote speaker, she is passionate about presentations and presenting big and beautiful ideas. Emma leads a team of around 30, and by using their practical tools they have helped transform multi-million-dollar pitch presentations for companies such as Telstra, Westfield, Microsoft, Hyundai, Yahoo!7, Commonwealth Bank and PepsiCo. When she’s not presenting, or teaching others how to present, Emma is writing for the likes of Smart Company, Business Insider, Qantas Radio, SMH, Financial Review, B&T, The CEO Magazine, Entrepreneur.com & Kochies Business Builder. Emma has also been a finalist in the 2015 + 2016 Telstra Business Women Awards. Episode highlights include: Emma's leadership journey within the business she founded over 12 years ago, and how she has evolved as a leader during that time. The future of presentations including how they will look with rapid technology advances Emma’s area of leadership passion - enabling those in her team to be the best they can be Geeking out on the TV show Vikings Links: Emma's LinkedIn Profile Presentation Studio Website Purchase Emma's Book: Visual Thinking