Podcasts about australian public service

Having taken the time to be more deliberate about what her vocational journey should look like, this senior lawyer has better positioned herself for success in ways that make sense to her, rather than what others may want or demand from a practitioner like herself. In this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy welcomes back Australian Public Service principal legal officer Rachael Karlyl to discuss having worked in so many Australian jurisdictions, how she's found the transition from being a firm owner to working for the public service as a team leader, how and when she started to design her career in more deliberate ways, and how the age of the pandemic has influenced lawyers' thinking on what their careers should look like. Karlyl also delves into what it means to design one's legal career, the important questions that lawyers need to ask of themselves (even if those questions are confronting), her advice to those who might be scared to undertake such vocational changes, whether it's incumbent upon lawyers to take such steps, and why she's a better lawyer for having done so. If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, X and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email editor@lawyersweekly.com.au

What does it really take to lead people well in a world of constant change? In this episode of Work with Purpose, host David Pembroke sits down with Jacqui Curtis, Chief Operating Officer at the ATO and Head of the APS HR Profession, and Eliza Kirkby, Managing Director at Hays, to explore how human resources in the Australian Public Service is being redefined.From the power of trust and genuine connection to the growing impact of AI and technology, Curtis and Kirkby share honest insights about what it means to be a people-focused leader today. They reveal how curiosity, courage and empathy can build stronger teams, shape culture and help leaders navigate complexity with confidence.Listeners will also hear how HR professionals are helping the APS evolve by embracing innovation, driving inclusion and belonging, and preparing for the workforce of the future. It's an inspiring conversation about keeping people at the heart of transformation and leading with purpose when it matters most.Key tipsLead with curiosity and connection. Build trust through open communication, empathy and genuine listening. Be straightforward, approachable and real.Use technology wisely. Let AI and digital tools enhance people's work rather than replace it.Create a sense of belonging. Inclusion and psychological safety are essential for high-performing teams.Stay open and ask for help. Strong leaders grow through curiosity and collaboration, not by having all the answers.Show notes Successful Public Governance | Utrecht UniversitySpeech to the American Society for Public Administration | Crawford School of Public PolicyPathways to Positive Public Administration An International Perspective | BookHas the time arrived for Positive Public Administration | The Mandarin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first senate estimates of the 48th Parliament have arrived – where the Albanese Labor Government and representatives from the Australian Public Service and government agencies are quizzed for up to 14 hours a day about pretty much anything. It's tedious, it's long, but it's all about accountability, and Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock takes us behind the scenes. Plus Bob Katter has a suggestion for the footy off-season, and Andrew Hastie has left the Coalition front bench.

In this episode of Work with Purpose, host David Pembroke speaks with Jamie Lowe, the Merit Protection Commissioner for the Australian Public Service and the Parliamentary Service, about how fairness, transparency and integrity are upheld across the APS.Described as the Commonwealth's “workplace umpire,” Jamie and her office review promotion decisions, Code of Conduct inquiries and other workplace matters to make sure they're not only lawful, but fair and correct. She explains how her team provides impartial review, carefully manages conflicts of interest, and works with agencies to lift capability and strengthen decision-making.Jamie also shares her career journey as a long-serving public servant, the lessons the APS can take from Robodebt, and why procedural fairness is essential in maintaining trust and confidence across the APS.Key tips:Document decisions clearly – thorough records ensure fairness and allow meaningful feedback in recruitment and promotions.Empower staff through reviews: Code of Conduct processes give people the confidence to raise concerns and strengthen workplace culture.Own-motion audits, shared case studies and communities of practice improve decision-making and integrity across the APS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Justin Bassi, Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and former National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and Hoover Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster, as they discuss threats to international security, Australia's role in the Indo-Pacific, and opportunities for Canberra and Washington to work together to promote peace and prosperity. Viewing China's military and technological rise as Australia's top security threat, Bassi discusses the ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party leaders and how Australia and its allies can compete more effectively to counter CCP aggression and prevent a war with China. The US and Australia sharing a deep history since World War I, Bassi reflects on how more recent internal debates are playing out within Australia regarding Trump administration policies, how we can promote a positive agenda to advance our mutual interests, and his views on the future of AUKUS – the alliance between Australia, the US and the UK to strengthen defense and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. For more conversations from world leaders from key countries, subscribe to receive instant notification of the next episode.  ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Justin Bassi is the Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. From 2015 to 2018, Bassi served as National Security Adviser to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, where he was responsible for security policy and operations, including counter terrorism, foreign interference, and cyberspace. He then served as the Cyber Intelligence Mission Manager at the Office of National Intelligence, and later as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne. Prior to this role, Bassi served as National Security Adviser to the Attorney-General. He spent over a decade in the Australian Public Service, including in the intelligence community and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. He was the 25th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.  

In this episode of Work With Purpose, host David Pembroke sits down with Madelaine Magi-Prowse and Dr. Loren Willis from the Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government (BETA), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, to explore how behavioural science is reshaping policymaking across the Australian Public Service.Take a behind-the-scenes look at BETA's multidisciplinary approach – blending psychology, economics, data analysis, and policy expertise – to tackle complex challenges like financial regulation, health decisions, and social policy. This episode highlights the evolution of behavioural insights from simple interventions to sophisticated, evidence-based strategies that drive real-world impact.A standout case study features BETA's partnership with the Organ and Tissue Authority, where a refreshed DonateLife campaign, including some behaviourally informed messaging, contributed to a 95% increase in organ donor registrations. The discussion also introduces the 4D Framework – Discover, Diagnose, Design and Deliver – a practical tool developed by BETA to help public servants apply behavioural insights in their daily work.Key tips:Tailor your approach using behavioural insights to match how people really behave.Use the 4D Framework to embed behavioural science into your team's policy work.Back your messaging with evidence to build trust and boost public engagement.Tap into BETA's online modules to grow your behavioural science skills.Whether you're new to behavioural science or looking to deepen your expertise, this episode offers actionable insights and inspiration to help you put people at the centre of policy.Show notesBehavioural Economics | BETA websiteThe 4Ds: A framework for managing behavioural insights projects | The BETA 4D Framework summaryBE up-skilled | Behavioural Economics | BETA's Online learning coursesOnline Survey Software | Qualtrics Survey Solutions | The BETA Behavioural Discovery Tool4 Easy Ways to Apply EAST Framework to Behavioural Insights | BIT website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australia's opposition party withdrew election promises to prevent public servants from working from home and to slash more than one in five federal public sector jobs. Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced his conservative Liberal Party had dropped its pledge that public servants would be required to work in their offices five days a week except in exceptional circumstances. “I think we made a mistake in relation to this policy,” Dutton told Nine Network television. “I think it's important that we say that and recognize it and our intention was to make sure that where taxpayers are working hard and their money is being spent to pay wages that it's being spent efficiently." The opposition also withdrew a promise to use forced redundancy payments to slash 41,000 jobs from the 185,000 positions in the Australian Public Service. The reductions would instead be achieved through natural attrition and an employment freeze, he said. Dutton's announcements were the first significant policy shifts since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the May 3 election in March. Albanese urged voters not to believe that Dutton now supported flexible work arrangements for public servants. “He's now pretending that that program won't proceed,” Albanese told reporters. Members of the center-left Labor Party government have accused their conservative opponents of mimicking U.S. President Donald Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk who has spearheaded the so-called Department of Government Efficiency efforts to downsize and overhaul the U.S. government. “This is DOGE-y Dutton taking his cues and policies straight from the U.S.,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said last week. The government had argued that the opposition's policy to reduce workplace flexibility would disproportionately disadvantage women because they often had greater childcare responsibilities. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

On today's episode of Work with Purpose, Andrew Walter from the Department of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Professor Anne Tiernan from the McKinnon Institute for Political Leadership unpack the caretaker conventions.The Australian federal election campaign is well underway – this means the Australian Public Service is now in caretaker mode. But what does this mean for the day-to-day work of public servants?Host David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, speaks with Andrew Walter, first assistant secretary of the Government Division at PM&C, and Anne Tiernan head of research and Professor of Political Leadership at the McKinnon Institute for Political Leadership, walk us through the basics, and talk about how to navigate political and administrative pitfalls. They also clarify when caretaker mode starts and ends, and how you can handle requests for information from ministers.Key tips:Get in touch your portfolio agency's caretaker team if you have questions on caretaker conventionsIf you've never been through caretaker, familiarise yourself with the guidance and speak to team members who have experienced it beforeIf a minister asks for factual information during caretaker period, you can provide it. However, be careful if it's not the type of information you ordinarily provide, requires significant resources, or is likely to be used for campaign purposes. When in doubt, seek advice.Show notes:Guidance on caretaker conventions | Department of the Prime Minister & CabinetCaretaker Conventions in Australasia | Jennifer Menzies & Anne Tiernan | ANU PressCaretaker conventions | APS Academy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Launching our new ‘APS Reform in Action' series, we hear from Dr Rachel Bacon and Professor Janine O'Flynn about enduring APS Reform and why public trust shouldn't be taken for granted.The APS Reform Agenda has been a major project for the Australian Public Service over the past years – so, where is it at and where will it go in the future?Dr Rachel Bacon, deputy commissioner, Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, and Professor Janine O'Flynn, director of the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, reflect on changes to the Public Service Act, the impact of capability reviews and long-term Insights Briefings, and the value of stewardship.Together with David Pembroke, CEO of contentgroup, they also talk about protecting the APS as an ongoing institution and maintaining trust with the public, as discourse about the value of public services grows globally.This series is produced in partnership with the Australian Public Service Commission.Key tips:To make change stick, you need a shift in culture, a fresh mindset, capability uplift, and patience.Public trust is not a given – it takes continuous effort to maintain.Stewardship sets the public service apart from the private sector – be an active steward for the service.Show notesAPS Reform | Australian GovernmentPublic Service Amendment Bill | Parliament of AustraliaLong-term Insights Briefings | Australian Public Service CommissionPathways to Positive Public Administration | Edward Elgar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if leadership was less about authority and more about connection?Imagine a young boy in rural Zimbabwe, discovering the world through books borrowed from a modest village library. That boy is Alfred Chidembo, whose love for stories sparked a journey from his village to Australia, where he now serves in the Australian Public Service and leads a literacy charity, Aussie Books for Zim.In this episode of GovComms, host David Pembroke explores how the Ubuntu philosophy—“I am because we are”—has guided Alfred's life and work. Alfred shares how empathy, storytelling, and genuine connection are at the heart of his mission. He also discusses how these values can enhance communication in government by fostering trust, understanding, and community engagement. It's a heartfelt look at how empathy, flexibility, and the stories we tell can create lasting change. This episode is for anyone who believes that by lifting others, we all rise together.Discussed in this episode:Ubuntu philosophy and leadership through empathyPower of storytelling in connectionFounding Aussie Books for Zim charityBuilding relationships in public serviceOvercoming challenges with resilienceEnhancing government communication with trust Show notes:Aussie Books for ZimUbuntu | Alfred ChidemboUbuntu Philosphy | The CollectorLiteracy: the greatest treasure of all |TEDx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP joins us on the episode of Work with Purpose to highlight how evaluation can help create better policies and programs.On a recent episode of Work with Purpose on the art of policymaking, our experts agreed that evaluation should be baked into the development process from the get-go – but how do you make it work when the pressure is high?The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, and Assistant Minister for Employment, joins presenter David Pembroke to talk about why evaluation shouldn't be an afterthought. Assistant Minister Leigh reflects the year past since the establishment of the Australian Centre of Evaluation, and how it aims to raise the quality and quantity of evaluation across the Australian Public Service.Discussed in this episode:· Assistant Minister Leigh's story from growing up as the child of two aid workers to working in politics· his role as Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury and Assistant Minister for Employment· the role of the Australian Centre of Evaluation one year in· lessons from medicine for randomised evaluation· why there is a strong appetite from politicians to pursue randomised trials· overcoming thought barriers to randomised trials· why solely relying on observational data can be misleading, and· building an experimenting society.Show notes:Fair game: lessons from sport for a fairer society & a stronger economy | Andrew LeighAPS builds skills for the future | Department of the Prime Minister & CabinetAustralian Centre for EvaluationEducation Endowment FoundationThe Magenta Book | UK Government Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 8:27-35 - Sacred Spaces – Where Human and Divine Meet The Reverend Melissa Conway (BTh, Grad Cert Public Sector Leadership, Cert Financial Markets (Financial Planning), JP (Qual)) is the Associate Priest in the Anglican Parish of Toowoomba – St James' in the Diocese of Southern Queensland, with primary responsibility for the Church of St Anne in Highfields.  Prior to entering ministry, Melissa served in the Australian Public Service for over 36 years, with extensive experience in leadership and managing projects, programs and change.  Melissa brings experience, expertise, attention to detail, discernment and ompassion to the work she undertakes.  Melissa takes a keen interest in community building and partnerships, discipleship, pastoral care, social justice, earth care, liturgy, liturgical music, and small group leadership.  As a guiding principle, Melissa is motivated to share the love of God and the reality of God's kingdom, here and now, with the people she meets.  Melissa currently serves on the Anglican Diocese's Angligreen Committee, the National Board of the Movement for the Ordination of Women (chairing its Strategic Planning and Communication Committee), and the Management Committee for Religious Instruction at Highfields State School. She chairs the Local Chaplaincy Committee for the Highfields State School and State College and represents the Anglican Church on the Toowoomba Inter-Faith Working Group.  Melissa was recently nominated as a representative of the Anglican Church on the Queensland Faith Communities Council. Melissa is the child of a post-war refugee to Australia. She was born in Sydney and grew up in Toowoomba.  Her adult children and young grand-children all live in Brisbane.

Our exciting new series explores critical dimensions of capability building across five insightful and thought-provoking episodes. This series is designed to help leaders instil continuous learning into their organisation's DNA and develop high-performing workforces that are equipped and ready to embrace the future. As the perfect start to our series on Solving the Capability Gap, Subho Banerjee, Deputy Commissioner of the Australian Public Service and Head of the APS Academy and Capability, joins Andy to discuss continuous learning.

Mike Pezzullo recently said that “the likelihood of conflict in this decade has been about 10 per cent, which is meaningful enough to plan for and indeed to be concerned about”. If Pezzullo's assessment is correct, that means there is a 90 per cent chance that conflict will not happen. What is Australia's plan for that (likely) scenario? This episode is about that 90% world, where Australia's relationship with China will still matter greatly, as Beijing's behaviour influences many of our interests, not just geopolitics and national security. How might Australia consider thinking about a cooperative agenda with the PRC? In the words of PM Albanese, his government's approach is to “co-operate with China where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest”. Where can we cooperate, especially given the deep freeze in political relations that the two countries are only now climbing out of? What does engagement in the national interest mean given the extent to which China can affect many things we care about? Darren is joined in this conversation by Dr Paul Hubbard. Paul is trained as an economist, first joining the Australian Public Service in 2006, and was sent from there to the ANU as a Sir Roland Wilson PhD Scholar in 2014.  More recently, in his capacity as a National Government Fellow at the ANU, Paul led a small team to produce a report - "A Sustainable Economic Partnership for Australia and China" that was launched in May. The report proposes an agenda for how Canberra and Beijing can take their economic relationship forward, and the two discuss that in the context of the broader question of what it means to develop a cooperative agenda with China and how should we think about the constraints imposed by geopolitics on that work? Note: the report reflects the views of the ANU research team, and Paul's comments in this episode are in an unofficial capacity as an expert on the Chinese economy, and do not represent the views of the Australian Government or its agencies. Australia in the World is written, hosted, and produced by Darren Lim, with research and editing this episode by Walter Colnaghi and theme music composed by Rory Stenning. Relevant links “A Sustainable Economic Partnership for Partnership for Australia and China”, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, May 2024: https://eaber.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/A-Sustainable-Economic-Partnership-for-Australia-and-China.pdf Partnership for Change: Australia–China Joint Economic Report, Report authored by East Asian Bureau of Economic Research and China Center for International Economic Exchanges, August 2016: https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/partnership-change#:~:text=The%2520Australia%E2%80%93China%2520Joint%2520Economic,in%2520both%2520Australia%2520and%2520China. 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper: https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/2017-foreign-policy-white-paper.pdf Paul Hubbard and Dhruv Sharma, “Understanding and applying long-term GDP projections”, EABER Working Paper Series, Paper No. 119, June 2016: https://eaber.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/EABER-Working-Paper-119-Hubbard-Sharma.pdf Paul Hubbard, A Wealth of Narrations: https://www.amazon.com.au/Wealth-Narrations-1-PC-Hubbard/dp/B0CR6TXX7C Chris Miller, Chip War: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Chip-War/Chris-Miller/9781398504127 The Ezra Klein Show, “Israelis Are Not Watching the Same War You Are:, Interview with Amit Segal, 14 June 2024: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/14/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-amit-segal.html

This audio article addresses the importance of respect and co-operation between ADF and Australian Public Service personnel.

Maxime Fern and Michael Johnstone are life and working partners, based in Sydney and Canberra, Australia, where they started their consulting practice (Vantage Point Consulting) in 1988. They have worked as leadership consultants, facilitators, and coaches with clients in the public and private sectors, not-for-profits, and professional service firms for forty years. They were visiting faculty at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University for fifteen years, are on the Faculty Advisory Board of the global Adaptive Leadership Network (Washington, D.C.), and are members of the Inaugural Faculty for the Australian Adaptive Leadership Institute. Before starting Vantage Point, Maxime was a development officer for the Australian Public Service, a social health visitor in a low-income neighborhood, and a counseling psychologist for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. She is an Australian National University (Psychology and Politics) graduate with a Master of Educational Counselling from Canberra. Maxime can be found in her gardens, and she practices her Italian on Duolingo in her spare time.Michael trained as a youth worker and has worked as a town and regional planner, social researcher, and university lecturer in Human Geography and Sociology - and for a while, was a dairy farmer on a kibbutz in Israel. He holds a BA from Auckland University, a Master of Social Science (cum laude) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a Ph.D. from the Australian National University. In his spare time, he likes to read, cook, watch movies, and work in the gym.They have three children and eight grandchildren and live in Sydney and Lazio, Italy, north of Rome.Quote From This Episode"We wanted to expand people's capacity to think about provocation as something productive, something worthwhile, and that, for leaders, something essential."Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBook: Provocation as Leadership - A Roadmap for Adaptation and Change by Fern and JohnstoneBook: The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups by Camilleri, Rockey, and DunbarBook: Musk by Isaacson About The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. Plan for ILA's 26th Global Conference in Chicago, IL - November 7-10, 2024.About The Boler College of Business at John Carroll UniversityBoler offers four MBA programs – 1 Year Flexible, Hybrid, Online, and Professional. Each track offers flexible timelines and various class structure options (online, in-person, hybrid, asynchronous). Boler's tech core and international study tour opportunities set these MBA programs apart. Rankings highlighted in the intro are taken from CEO Magazine.About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: The Leader's EdgeMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. Nothing can replace your reflection, research, and exploration of the topic.

In this unique podcast, we share a fascinating behind-the-scenes exchange between Emerge Australia's CEO Anne Wilson and Chair Mark Clisby. Mark is co-founder and CEO of two social enterprises and has an extensive background in the Australian Public Service, universities, and NGOs, including as Deputy Director Human Resources at Flinders University, Director Human Resources at […]

What is the mission of APS Academy and what does it offer for APS grads? What should APS grads know about the APS Craft? What is the Australian Government Graduate Development Program?On the 10th of October 2023, Gradcast hosted its first live podcast event, where we invited current and aspiring Australian Public Service graduates and junior staff to experience the recording firsthand and participate in a live Q&A session. The live podcast featured a special guest, Kristin Boag, Director of Leadership and Graduate Development, APS Academy, APS Commission.This is part 2 of our host Callum Irving's conversation with Kristin which focused on insights and practical advice for those seeking to upskill while working in the Australian Public Service. We hear from Kristin about the APS Academy, APS Craft and the Australian Government Graduate Development Program.The episode begins with interviews with our event attendees, who share their experiences working in the Australian Public Service and offer advice for someone considering working in the APS.Join us as we hear more of the Q&A session where our event attendees ask Kristin their questions about what is ahead for the future of the APS.Show notes: APS Academy | About Us APS Academy | 2024 APS Graduate development opportunities APS Academy | APS Craft Wheel Writing for busy readers: Communicate more effectively in the real world LinkedIn | Kristin BoagGradcast is produced by contentgroup and sponsored by the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What qualities are employers in the APS seeking in graduates and junior staff? What skills can we expect to be in high demand in the next 5 years? What is the APS reform agenda? How might artificial intelligence (A.I.) impact the way we work in the APS?On the 10th of October 2023, Gradcast hosted its first live podcast event, where we invited current and aspiring Australian Public Service graduates and junior staff to experience the recording firsthand and participate in a live Q&A session. The live podcast featured a special guest, Kristin Boag, Director of Leadership and Graduate Development, APS Academy, APS Commission.This is Part 1 of our host, Callum Irving's, conversation with Kristin, where they discussed her journey from being an APS graduate to her current position at the APS Academy, and delved into key topics concerning the future of the APS. These topics include in-demand skills, the APS reform agenda, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI).Tune in to also hear a Q&A segment where our event attendees posed their questions to Kristin about what's ahead for the future of the APS.Show notes:APS Academy | About UsAPS Academy | 2024 APS Graduate development opportunitiesAPS Reform | Outcomes and InitiativesDTA | Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the APSWork with Purpose | EP#84: How is Australia's public sector using generative AI?LinkedIn | Kristin BoagGradcast is produced by contentgroup and sponsored by the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lot of people have at some point jokingly said “Oh that's my OCD acting up” when it comes to being a bit specific about details and for a lot of us that is the extent of our experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.But for many this can be a debilitating and difficult mental health condition to live with.In today's episode I have the honour of speaking with Simon Rinne. Simon is a qualified Social Worker, and has 15 years experience in the Australian Public Service, has lived with Mental Illness for over 30 years and is the host of the Mindful Men podcast.In this episode Simon Rinne shares:The many ways OCD compulsions presented themselves for him during childhoodHow it took him around 20 years from experiencing the first symptom to finally getting a diagnosis for OCD.How accepting your mental health challenges, people are able to seek help and embark on the path to healing.His experience with burnout and it's connection to OCDThe different ways you can seek professional helpWhy it is so important to change the discourse around mental health and end the stigmaWhy trivialising OCD can be damaging Key Quotes“Acceptance is the key thing in every single situation.”“If you hold a knife there's this overwhelming fear that you're going to stab someone. You don't want to but it's just an intrusive thought that you can't get rid of.”“Having this really high bar of perfectionism. A lot of that was to control the anxiety that comes with obsessive thoughts if I didn't do something in a certain way.”More about SimonCheck out his website at www.mindful-men.com.auListen to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-mindful-men-podcast/id1604992311 Follow him on social mediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindful.men.ausInstagram: @mindful.men.ausLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-rinne-246207247/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindful.men.ausYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbXBNQmbj4ZQj3rzFAZALTAYou can get involved with the podcast onlineOur facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/challengesthatchangeusOn Instagram: @challengesthatchangeus To find out more about what Ali does, check out her business via the website:http://www.trialtitudeperformance.com.auFor her other business go here:www.altitudefitnessarmidale.com.auOr you can follow them on Instagram:@Altitudefitnessarmidale@trialtitudeperformance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2019, the Thodey Review highlighted capability challenges and untapped potential within the Australian Public Service (APS). Two years have passed, and the APS Reform Agenda is providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build capability and improve public service. With growing awareness of APS Reform across the service and 270 specialist capabilities within various agencies and departments, we explore the challenges and opportunities of building and sustaining capability across the APS's large and diverse workforce.In part two of this special episode of Work with Purpose, we continue our conversation with Dr Rachel Bacon, deputy secretary at the APS Reform Office, and Dr Subho Banerjee, head of APS Academy and Capability. We explore some of the mechanisms that are supporting capability uplift – the Capability Reinvestment Fund, new in-house consulting model, and the APS Academy. Rachel and Subho also discuss some of their top tips on how to drive capability uplift as a leader in the APS, including being prepared to have meaningful and hard conversations, approaching each task with curiosity, and being a role model that others can look up.Discussed in this episode:Initiatives driving capability uplift in public service, including the Capability Reinvestment Fund and regular capability reviews.Role of APS Academy in fostering academic partnerships and skill developmentStrategies for future-proofing public service capabilities, including in-house consulting and systems approach.Show notes:APS Capability Reinvestment Fund 2023-24 | APS ReformUplifting the capability of the APS | APS Commission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With more than a third of Australian Public Service employees reported as wanting to leave within the next two years, according to the June 2022 APS Census, one correlation you can draw is that leaders need to look for ways to bridge the gap between employee expectations and employer needs. In this episode, Andy talks with Tina McAllister, Acting Director of People and Culture at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for the Queensland Government, as Tina provides her Queensland lens to questions on what it is that employees want, how leaders can respond, ways to to managing flexibility within the workforce, and the role that internal mobility plays for employee retention and ways of addressing it.

In 2019, the Thodey Review highlighted capability challenges and untapped potential within the Australian Public Service (APS). Two years have passed, and the APS Reform Agenda is providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build capability and improve public service. With growing awareness of APS Reform across the service and 270 specialist capabilities within various agencies and departments, we explore the challenges and opportunities of building and sustaining capability across the APS's large and diverse workforce.In part one of this special episode of Work with Purpose, we sit down with Dr Rachel Bacon, deputy secretary at the APS Reform Office, and Dr Subho Banerjee, head of APS Academy and Capability, to explore the nuances of capability within the public service. They discuss the role of the Secretaries' Board and the capability committee in setting strategic priorities, including attracting talent, embracing technological advancements, and fortifying leadership integrity. Tune in to discover how the APS is taking a decentralised, outward-facing approach to drive continuous improvement in public service.Discussed in this episode:The meaning of 'building capability' in a workforce contextChallenges relating to the APS Workforce Strategy's three focus areas for capability upliftRole of the Reform Office in building capabilityCollaboration between the Reform Office and Australian Public Service Commission.Show notes:APS Reform priorities | APS ReformAhead of the Game: Blueprint for the Reform of Australian Government Administration | Advisory Group on Reform of Australian Government Administration APS Workforce Strategy 2025 | Australian Public Service Commission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dylan and Kulja sit down with David Manne, Executive Director of Refugee Legal, who unpacks the state of Australia's offshore detention regime following reporting from 9 News about dealings between the Department of Home Affairs and Pacific Island politicians.Judith Brett, emeritus Professor of Politics at La Trobe University, discusses her essay for The Monthly covering the PwC controversy and the Australian Public Service's continued reliance on the ‘Big Four' consultancy firms.Todung Mulya Lubis, lawyer and human rights activist, gets into the issues investigated in his new book War and Corruption: An Indonesian experience.Plus, Cameron Hurst, Co-Founder & Co-Editor of The Paris End - a new Melbourne arts and culture newsletter and where it fits within the current Melbourne media landscape.

In the wake of the PwC tax advice scandal and the robodebt royal commission findings, chief political correspondent Paul Karp talks with Katy Gallagher, the federal minister for women, finance and the public service, about the government's reform plans

Is Australia's Chinese diaspora misunderstood? What challenges do Chinese Australians face when trying to establish a career in the Australian Public Service? And how can the national security community increase pathways for this community to enter, and stay, in this field of work? In this episode of the National Security Podcast, Dr Jennifer Hsu and Yun Jiang join Olivia Shen to unpack the diverse experiences of Chinese Australians and explore how these perspectives can enrich Australia's national security community. Dr Jennifer Hsu is the author of the Lowy Institute's 2023 Being Chinese in Australia: Public Opinion in Chinese Communities. She is Visiting Senior Fellow at the Social Policy and Research Centre at the University of New South Wales and most recently, Research Fellow and Project Director of the Multiculturalism, Identity and Influence Project at the Lowy Institute. Yun Jiang is the Australian Institute of International Affairs China Matters Fellow. She was previously the co-founder and editor of China Neican, managing editor of the China Story blog at the Australian Centre on China in the World at ANU, and a Commonwealth public servant. Olivia Shen is a Director in the Executive and Professional Development Program at the ANU National Security College. Show notes: Being Chinese in Australia: Public opinion in Chinese communities - Lowy Institute ANU National Security College academic programs: find out more To share your own experiences on diversity and inclusion in the APS, please get in touch with the taskforce at caldstrategy@apsc.gov.au The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP on forthcoming research by economists Robert Breunig, David Hansell and Nu Nu Win: read more We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes. The National Security Podcast is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2023 cohort of graduates in the Australian Public Service has now started their first rotation.In this episode, we hear stories about what happens after you accept your graduate program offer and the start of your journey as an APS graduate. Our guest for this episode is Tom Dobrochodow, who is Callum's fellow Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC) alumni and work bestie. Both Tom and Callum have experienced starting an APS graduate program firsthand when they began theirs at CSC at the start of 2022.Tom's start to the grad program was full of surprises. He had to move from Melbourne to Canberra just four days before the program's start and was then told to work from home due to the pandemic restrictions. Despite the challenges, Tom has persevered and is now working in the Relationship Management department at CSC.You will also hear from a couple of new graduates from CSC who share their experiences and discuss the resources that helped them when applying for the graduate program.Stick around till the end of the episode for a new segment on Gradcast – Fun Facts about the Australian Public Service (FFATAPS). You will hear facts like: what were the original departments of the APS when it was established?, and what percentage of the APS workforce are graduates? Listen now to find out!Gradcast is produced by contentgroup and sponsored by the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bio  Evan is the Founder and CEO of the Business Agility Institute; an international membership body to both champion and support the next-generation of organisations. Companies that are agile, innovative and dynamic – perfectly designed to thrive in today's unpredictable markets. His experience while holding senior leadership and board positions in both private industry and government has driven his work in business agility and he regularly speaks on these topics at local and international industry conferences.    Interview Highlights  01:10 Nomadic childhood  08:15 Management isn't innate  14:54 Confidence, competency and empathy  21:30 The Business Agility Institute  31:20 #noprojects  Social Media/ Websites:           LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanleybourn/          Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eleybourn          Twitter: @eleybourn          Websites: o   Business Agility Institute https://businessagility.institute/  o   The Agile Director (Evan's personal site): https://theagiledirector.com/          Books/ Articles                   #noprojects: A Culture of Continuous Value by Evan Leybourn and Shane Hastie https://www.amazon.co.uk/noprojects-Culture-Continuous-Value/dp/1387941933          Directing the Agile Organisation: A Lean Approach to Business Management by Evan Leybourn https://www.amazon.co.uk/Directing-Agile-Organisation-approach-management-ebook/dp/B01E8WYTQ6          Out of the Crisis by W. Edwards Deming https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Crisis-Press-Edwards-Deming/dp/0262535947          The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goal-Process-Ongoing-Improvement-ebook/dp/B002LHRM2O          Sooner, Safer, Happier by Jonathan Smart, Jane Steel et al https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sooner-Safer-Happier-Antipatterns-Patterns/dp/B08N5G1P6D          Dare to Lead by Brene Brown https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dare-Lead-Brave-Conversations-Hearts/dp/1785042149          Article: Evan's Theory of Agile Constraints https://theagiledirector.com/article/2017/04/27/evans-theory-of-agile-constraints/ Episode Transcript  Ula Ojiaku (Guest Intro): Hello and welcome to the Agile Innovation Leaders podcast. I'm Ula Ojiaku. On this podcast I speak with world-class leaders and doers about themselves and a variety of topics spanning Agile, Lean Innovation, Business, Leadership and much more – with actionable takeaways for you the listener.  Ula Ojiaku  I am honoured to have with me Evan Leybourn, he is the founder and CEO of the Business Agility Institute, an international membership body that champions and supports the next generation of organisations. I am really, really pleased to have you here. Thank you for making the time Evan.  Evan Leybourn  Thank you Ula, I'm looking forward to this.  Ula Ojiaku  Awesome, now, so I always start with my guests and I'm very curious to know who is Evan and how did you evolve to the Evan we know right now today?  Evan Leybourn  I suppose that's a long one, isn't it? So I'm Australian, I was born in a small country town in the middle of nowhere, called Armadale, it's about midway between Sydney and Brisbane, about 800 kilometers from both, about 200 kilometers inland, and moved to Sydney when I was fairly young. Now I've spent my entire childhood moving house to house, city to city. So  the idea of stability, I suppose, is not something that I ever really had as a child. I'm not saying this is a bad thing. I don't, I had as good as childhood as any, but it's, I love moving, I love new experiences and that's definitely one of the, I think drivers for me in, when I talk about agility, this idea that the world changes around you. I think that a lot of that early childhood just, disruption, has actually put me in a pretty good place to understand and deal with the disruption of the world and then so, well, we've got COVID and everything else right now. So obviously there is a big, there are issues right now, and disruption is the name of the game. I started my career as a techie. I was a systems administrator in Solara Systems, then a programmer, and then a business intelligence data warehousing person. So I've done a lot of that sort of tech space. And, but you mentioned like the Business Agility Institute and this is the organisation I work now, but probably have to go back to 2008 when, I've been using agile, capital A agile, Scrum and XP, primarily a little bit of FDD in a data warehousing business intelligence space. And in 2008, I got promoted to be an executive in the Australian Public Service. And this was, I think, my first exposure to like, before that I'd run teams, I'd run projects, I knew how to do stuff. And like being a first level leader or project manager, it's, everything is personal. I don't need process, I don't need all those things that make organisations work or not work as the case may be, because when you've got seven people reporting to you, like that's a personal form of management.  So when I became a director, this was, I think, my first exposure into just how different the world was when, well the world of business was. And, I'll be blunt, I wasn't a good director. I got the job because I knew what to do. I knew how to, like, I could communicate in the interview how to like, build this whole of governments program, and that isn't enough. I had this assumption that because I was good at X, I would be good at being a leader of X and that's not the case. And so I actually, there's a concept called the Peter principle, being promoted to your level of incompetence. And that was me. I, it's, that's literally, I didn't know what I was doing, and of course, no one likes to admit to themselves that they're a fraud. It took my boss at the time to tell me that I was arrogant, because, and, and that actually hurt because, it's like, I don't see myself as arrogant, it's not part of my mental model of myself. And so, that push, that sort of sharp jab at my ego, at my sense of self was enough to go, hang on, well, actually, maybe I need to look at what it means to be a leader, what it means to create that kind of skillset, and I had this idea at the time that this thing that I'd been doing back as a techie called agile, maybe that might help me with, help me solve the problems I was facing as an executive – coordination, collaboration, not amongst seven people, but amongst like five, six different government agencies where we're trying to build this whole of government program and long story short, it worked. And this was sort of my first ‘aha moment' around what we sort of now would call, or what I would now call business agility, though definitely what I was doing back in 2008 was very, a far cry from what I would think of as good business agility. It was more like agile business, but that's what sort of set me up for the last, almost 15 years of my career and helping and advocating for creating organisations that are customer centric with employee engagement, engaged people, that idea of, we can be better if we have, take these values and these principles that we hold so dear in a technology space and we make that possible, we make that tangible in a business context. So it's a bit rambly, but that's kind of the journey that got me to where I am.  Ula Ojiaku  Not to me at all. I find it fascinating, you know, hearing people's stories and journeys. Now, there's something you said about, you know, you, weren't a good director, you knew how to do the work, but you just didn't know, or you weren't so good at the leadership aspects and then you had a wake up moment when your boss told you, you were coming off as arrogant. Looking back now and knowing what you now know, in hindsight, what do you think where the behaviours you were displaying that whilst it wasn't showing up to you then, but you now know could be misconstrued as arrogance?   Evan Leybourn  So let me take one step. I will answer your question, but I want to take it one step before that, because I've come to learn that this is a systemic problem. So the first thing, I shouldn't have been given that job, right. Now, do I do a good job? Eventually, yes, and I grew into it, and I'm not saying you need to be an expert in the job before you get it. Learning on the job is a big part of it, but we as a society, see that management is innate. It's something that you have, or you don't, and that's completely wrong. You don't look at a nurse or a doctor or an engineer and think, I can do their job. No, you think if I go to university and train, I can do that job. I don't think we look at a janitor and go, I can do their job without training. And a janitor is going to receive on the job, like it might be a couple of days, but they're going to receive on the job training. There was a study by, I think it was CareerBuilder, 58% of managers receive no training. We just have this assumption that I'm looking at my boss, I can do their job better than them. And maybe you can, but better isn't the same as good. Like, if they've reached their levels in competence, yes, you could probably be better, but not good. And so I think the skills of management are, it's an entirely different skillset to what, the thing that you are managing. And so I was good at, I was Director of Business Intelligence, so I was good at business intelligence, data warehousing systems. I didn't have the skills of management, no, running a thirty-five million dollar P&L, coordinating multiple business units, building out those systems and actually designing the systems that enabled effective outcomes. And so I think, I'm going to touch on two things. The first is, people and I, definitely, should have invested in learning how the skills of management before I became a manager. Not so that you're perfect, not so that you're an expert manager before you start, because you will learn more on the job than you ever will, from anything before you, before you do that job. But I didn't, it's the, I didn't know what I didn't know. I didn't know I was a bad manager. I was completely blind to that fact. I knew that outcomes weren't happening and that I was struggling, but half the time, it's a, why won't people listen to me? Why wouldn't they do what I say? Right, which, okay, yes, definitely not servant leadership material, but I didn't even know servant leadership was a thing. Right, so that's the point. At a minimum, I should have known what it took to be a manager, the skills that were going to be required of me. I should have made some investments in building that before I took that job, which is now the second point as to, they shouldn't have given me the job. And, again, this goes to that systemic problem.  I forget who like, there was like a Facebook, like, or a Reddit, like screenshot tweet, meme thing. And I saw it like six or seven years ago, and it stuck with me ever since. It was ‘God save us from confident middle-aged white men'. And I wasn't middle-aged, I was the youngest director in the public service at the time, but I definitely was confident. And for those of you not watching the video, I am white. So, the privilege and the assumption, I carried confidence into the interview, of course I can do the job, I run this team, I know how to do, like I know business intelligence and I know how to design business development systems, and it's like, sure it's a different scale, but it's the same thing. And because I came across as confident, because I thought I could do the job. I thought it was just what I was doing before, plus one, right. But it wasn't, because sure, I could do the plus one part, but that was 30% of the role. I was completely missing everything else. And so that's that other systemic problem, which I have learnt, sadly, over the last decade and a half, in terms of just, we overvalue confidence, then empathy, we overvalue confidence over skill. And I had one, I was empathetic. I didn't have, and, but I was weak at the skills, the management skills, I should have had all three, competence, confidence and empathy, but we value in interviews, as hiring managers, we interview confidence a lot more than the other two. And that is, I think the, one of the real systemic problems we have in the world, especially in tech, but just generally in the world.  Ula Ojiaku  Awesome. I mean, I was going to ask you, you know, what were those skills, but you've kind of summarised in terms of competence, confidence and empathy. So, well, I'm glad to hear the story had a happier ending, because you definitely changed course. So now knowing, again, what you now know, and you're speaking to Evan of 2008, what are the things, before going for that job, would you have told him to skill up in to be prepared for management?   Evan Leybourn  So, let me get very specific. So confidence, competence, empathy for me, those are the, so  this is something that I came up with, or I don't know where this idea emerged from, it's something that I've carried with me for the better part of a decade. For me, those three attributes are my measures of success. If I can have all three, that's what can make me successful. Now in terms of, going deeper than some of the specific skills that we need, that I needed, so the first one, emotional intelligence. Now, I know that's broad and fuzzy, but there were many times, and many times since I'm not saying I'm perfect and I'm not perfect now. This last week, there have been challenges where it's like I've misobserved, and I wish I had seen that, but being able to understand when you're not hearing somebody, when they're talking to you and you're listening, but not hearing, and so the emotional intelligence to sort of read and understand that there's a gap, there's something missing between what is being said and what is being processed up there in the little grey cells. The other one that, a couple, I'll call it emergent strategy. So, this idea of the three-year plan is completely ridiculous, it's been wrong for 30 years, but we don't develop enough of the counter skill, which is being able to take an uncertain environment, where there's insufficient information and ambiguity, make a decision, but design that decision with feedback loops so that, you know the decision is probably, right, that strategic decision is probably wrong, so rather than sort of run with it for three months and then make another decision, it's designed with these feedback loops, so it's, the next decision is better because you, it's the whole strategic system is designed to create those loops. And that was a key skill that I was missing, in that, this is the government, like I was a Prince 2 Project Manager, an MSP programme manager. I knew how to build the Gantt charts, and I was also an agilest, like I've been doing Scrum for the past five years, but like Scrum at a team level and agility at a business level was not something that many people had even thought about. And so, all of the programme level strategy was not agile. Again, this is 2008, and so we had this,  if I had known how to build an emergent, adaptive strategy, a lot of the challenges, the systems level challenges would have been resolved. And I could go a long time, but I'll give you one more.   So, I'm going to say communication, but not in the way that I think many people think about it. It's not about like conveying ideas or conveying messages, but it is that empathetic communication. It goes with that emotional intelligence and so forth, but it's the ability to communicate a vision, the ability to communicate an idea, and intent, not just the ability to communicate a fact or a requirement, like those are important too, but I could do those, but I had a large teams of teams across, not all of them reported to me, this was a whole government program. So there were people who reported to the program, but their bosses were in a completely different company, government department to me. And so I needed to learn how to align all of these people towards a common vision, a common goal beyond just a here's your requirements, here's the Gantt chart for the program. Please execute on this 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, right, which, sure, they did, but it's, they would, what's the saying? I think it was Deming, give someone a measurable target and they will destroy the company in order to make it. And you give them these, it's like, they will do like what that Gantt chart says, even if the world changes around them and it's the wrong thing to do, and we know, we've learned a lot better as a world, the idea of program level agility is pretty standard now, but 2008, it definitely, wasn't definitely not in government, definitely not in Australia. So, if I had been able to communicate intent and vision and get them aligned to that vision, and not just aligned to a Gantt chart, we would have been a lot more successful, we'd have a lot more buy-in, a lot more engagement. So, there's more, a lot more, but those would be, I think, some of the three that I would say really, really learn before you get the job.   Ula Ojiaku  Well, thanks for that. I'd like to just dive in a bit more, because you said something about the designing, you would have benefited if you knew how to design, build and adapt, that adaptive emerging strategy. How do you do that now? What's the process for doing this?   Evan Leybourn  So let me jump to the present. So, I run the Business Agility Institute. We're a fiercely independent advocacy and research organisation. We've been around for about four years, we don't do consulting, we're funded by our members primarily. Now, one of the very first publications that we put together was something called The Domains of Business Agility. It's not a framework, it doesn't tell you how to do it, it's not like Scrum or SAFe or Beyond Budgeting. Actually, Beyond Budgeting is not quite, if Bjarte heard me call Beyond Budgeting a framework, I'd be in trouble. It's, I think of it, I call it the ‘don't forget' model, because if you're going to change an organisation, these are the domains that you can't forget. The customers at the centre. Around that I would call the relationships, the workforce, your external partners, your vendors and contractors and suppliers, and your Board of Directors, because they represent ownership of the business. Around that are the nine, what I think of as ‘what's domains', right? These are the things that you need to focus on, right, there's leadership domains, individual domains, and so forth. One of them is strategic agility, otherwise known as adaptive strategy or emergent strategy. Now, one of the reasons that is one of the core domains of business agility and has been since 2018, I think, when we first published this, is because this is one of the fundamental capabilities for an organisation to not survive, but to thrive in uncertainty. Now, there are different approaches and, like, there's a whole bunch of different frameworks and approaches to BS, like four quadrant matrixes and tools and canvases. I'm not going to go to any of that, because A, all the tools are fine, right. So, find the one that works for you, Google will be your friend there, but what I want to do is, however, just look at what the characteristics of all those tools, what do they have in common? And I mean, I do that by really telling a little bit of a story. We, one of the things that we run is the Business Agility Conference in New York. It did run every March in New York city until 2020, well actually it ran in 2020. I know the exact date COVID was declared a pandemic because I was literally onstage, because I had to tell our delegates that this was now officially a pandemic, and if you needed to leave early to get flights and so forth, because we had delegates from Denmark and Switzerland, then please feel free to leave and all that kind of thing. Now, this isn't about the conference, but it's about what was happening before the conference. So you had this emergent problem, COVID-19, starting in China, hitting Italy, and I think it was like February 28 or March 1st, thereabouts, the first case hit in America, and it was California, I think it was Orange County, it was the first case. And what happened was we started to see companies change. Now, I describe it, well, sorry, these aren't my words, I'm stealing this from a comic I saw on Facebook at the time, we saw companies responding and companies reacting. Now, this is the difference between strategic agility and non strategic agility. So what was happening, so the first company pulled out from the conference, travel ban, our people can't attend. Within a week we'd lost about 50% of our delegates, right. Now, remember all we know at this point, this isn't the COVID of today, right? All we knew was there was a disease, it was more contagious than the flu, it was deadlier than the flu and it had hit America, right. We didn't know much more than that. We certainly didn't imagine it would be two years later and we're still dealing with it. I remember thinking at the time it's like, all right, we'll have a plan for like September, we'll do something in September, we'll be fine by then, and a famous last words. But companies had to make a decision. Every company didn't have a choice, you were forced to make a decision. Now, the decisions were, like, do I go to a conference or not? Right. Do I ban travel for my employees? Do we work from home? But that decision came later, but there was a first decision to make and, you know what, there's no, there was no difference between companies, those companies that responded and reacted made the first decision the same, right. It's what came next, right. Those companies that were reacting, because every day there was something new that came up, a new piece of information, more infections, a new city, new guidance from the World Health Organisation or the CDC, and companies had to make decisions every single day. And those that were reacting, took the information of the day and made the decision. Those that were responding, took the decision they made yesterday, the new information, looked at the pathway that was emerging, that's that emergent strategy out of it and made the next decision. And so those strategic decisions that they were making as an organisation were built on the ones that came before, rather than discreet decision after decision after decision after decision. And so what ended up happening is you had those companies who were able to build a coherent strategy on insufficient information that grew and adapted and emerged as new information emerged, were better able to respond to the pandemic than those that were chaotically making decisions. And you could see that in something as simple as how quickly they could start working from home, or how quickly they made the decision to work from home, because those that responded, they had this thread of strategy, and so they were able to make the decision to work from home much faster, and then they were able to execute on that much faster. Whereas those that were not, did not. And I think of this as going to the agile gym, or business agility gym, no company was prepared for the pandemic. No company had a strategy paper of, if there's a worldwide pandemic, these are the things that we're going to do. But those companies that have practiced emergent strategy, right, in their product, in how they engage with the marketplace, they'd sort of, they'd taken concepts like lean startup and adopted some of those practices into their organisation. Those who had been to the agile gym, they knew how to respond. They weren't prepared for the scale of pandemic, no one had done emergent strategy at that scale, but they knew, they had the muscle memory, they knew how to do it, and so they just scaled up and operated in that new context. And it's like literally going to the gym, it's, if I build up my muscles, I mean, I definitely don't go to the gym enough, but if I did, right, I could lift more weights. So if a friend goes, hey mate, can you help me move a fridge, right, I'm able to do that because I have the capabilities in my body to do that. If I don't go to the gym, which I don't, not enough, right, and my mate goes, hey, can you help me move a fridge? It's like, I can help, but I'm not going to be that much help. It's, I'll stop it from tilting, right. I'm not going to be the lifter, right. So, the capabilities of that business agility enabled that emergent strategy or the responsiveness during a pandemic, even though no one was prepared for it. And that's kind of really what I see as organisations as they adjust to this new world.  Ula Ojiaku  Now you have this book, actually you've authored a couple of books at the very least, you know, there's #noprojects – A Culture of Continuous Value and Directing the Agile Organisation: A Lean Approach to Business Management Which one would you want us to discuss?   Evan Leybourn  So #noprojects is the most recent book, Directing the Agile Organisation is definitely based on my experience, it's drawing upon that experience back in 2008, I started writing it in 2009. It is out of date, the ideas that are in that book are out of date, I wouldn't suggest anyone reads it unless you're more interested in history. There are ideas, so sometimes I'll talk about the difference between business agility and agile business, where business agility is definitely, it's creating this space where things can happen properly through values and culture and practices and processes. But also it's very human, it's very focused on the outcomes, whereas agile business is more, how do we apply Scrum to marketing teams? And so my first book is unfortunately much more agile business than business agility.   Ula Ojiaku  Okay, so let's go to #noprojects then. There is a quote in a review of the book that says, OK, the metrics by which we have historically defined success are no longer applicable.  We need to re-examine how value is delivered in the new economy. What does that mean, what do you mean by that?   Evan Leybourn  So, the reason I wrote the #noprojects book, and this predates the Institute. So, this is back when I was a consultant. I've run a transformation programme for a large multinational organisation and their project management process was overwhelming. Everything was a project, the way they structured their organisation was that the doers were all contractors or vendors, every employee was a Project Manager. And so what ended up happening was they've got this project management process and it would take, I'm not exaggerating nine months, 300 and something signatures to start a project, even if that project was only like six weeks long. There were cases where the project management cost was seven to eight times the cost of the actual execution. Now that's an extreme case, certainly, and not all were that ratio, but that was kind of the culture of the organisation, and they were doing it to try and manage risk and ensure outcomes, and there's a whole bunch of logical fallacies and business fallacies in that, but that's another matter altogether, but what was happening is they were like, I'm going to focus in on one issue. I said there were many, but one issue was they valued output over outcome. They valued getting a specific piece of work, a work package completed to their desired expectations and they valued that more than the value that that work would produce. And I've seen this in my career for decades, where you'd run a project, again, I used to be a Project Manager, I'm going back like Prince2, you've got this benefits realisation phase at the end of the project. The Project Manager's gone, the project team is gone, the project sponsor is still around, but they're onto whatever's next. Half the time benefits realisation fell to the responsibility of finance to go, okay, did we actually get the value out of that project? And half the time they never did it, in fact more than half the time they never actually did it. It was just a yes, tick. And for those of you who have written business cases, the benefits that you define in the business cases are ridiculous half the time, they pluck it from the air, it's this bloody assumption that, hey, if we do this, it'll be better. I've seen business cases where it's like, we will save $10 million for this organisation by making like page reloads, half a second faster. So every employee will get three minutes back in their day, three minutes times how many employees, times how average salary equals $10 million. It's like how are you going to use that three minutes in some productive way? Is that actually a benefit or are you just trying to upgrade your system, and you're trying to convince finance that they need to let go of the purse strings so that you can do something that you want to do. So if we actually care about the value of things, then we should be structuring the work, not around the outcome, sorry, not around the output, but around the value, we should be incrementally measuring value, we should be measuring the outcome on a regular basis. Agile, we should be delivering frequently, measuring the value, and if we're not achieving the value that we're expecting, well, that's a business decision, right. What do we do with that piece of information? And sometimes it may be continue, because we need to do this, other times it may be, is there a better way to do this? And once you're locked into that traditional project plan, then sure, you might be agile inside the project plan, you might have sprints and Scrum and dev ops and all that kind of stuff, but if you can't change the business rationale as quickly as you can change the technology like the sprint backlog, then what's the point?  Ula Ojiaku  So you mentioned something and I know that some of the listeners or viewers might be wondering what's business outcome versus output? Can you define that?   Evan Leybourn  So, there is a definition in the book, which I wrote like six years ago. So I'm going to paraphrase because I don't remember exactly the words that I wrote, but an output is the thing, the product, the tangible elements of what is created, right. In writing a book, the output is the book. In this podcast, the output is the recording, the podcast that we're doing right now, the outcome and the impact is what we want to achieve from it. So, the output of the podcast is we have a recording, but if no one listens to it, then why? The outcome is that, well, the ultimate outcome is changing hearts and minds. Well, at least that's why I'm here. We want to create some kind of change or movements in, well in your case with your listeners, in the case of the book, the readers, we want to create a new capability, a new way of looking at the world, a new way of doing things. And so the outcome is, hopefully measurable, but not always. But it is that goal, that intent.   Ula Ojiaku  Exactly. So, I mean, for me, outcomes are like, what they find valuable, it's either you're solving and helping them solve a problem or putting them in a position, you know, to get to achieve some gains. Now let's just, are there any other books you might want to recommend to the audience, that have impacted you or influenced you?  Evan Leybourn  Yep. So I'm going to recommend three books. Two are very old books. So the first book is Deming, or actually anything by Deming, but Out of the Crisis is probably the best one, the first one, otherwise The New Economics. Deming is coming out of lean and manufacturing and the Japanese miracle, but he might've been writing in the eighties, seventies, but it's as agile as it gets, right. His 14 points for managers reads like something that would emerge from the Agile Manifesto, right. So I definitely love, I will go to Deming quite regularly in terms of just great concepts and the articulation of it.  The other book that I recommend for the idea, I have to admit it's a bit of a hard read, is The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt. The Theory of Constraints, and if you Google Evan's Theory of Agile Constraints, and I think we're almost out of time, so I don't really have time to talk about it, but it's the Theory of Constraints, both in a practical sense as to how you actually optimise a process, but it also applies when you're looking at it from a holistic metaphorical standpoint, because I like to say, there is a constraint to agility in your organisation. You're only as agile as your least agile function, and it's not it IT software anymore, it's some other part of your business. You might have a sprint that can create a potentially shippable product increment every two weeks, but if it takes you three months to get a hiring ticket, or nine months get a budget change approved or six weeks to, until the next project control board, you're not, your agility is not measured in weeks. Your agility is still measured in months. Yeah. So Theory of Constraints, the book's a bit hard to read, it's definitely dated, but the concept is so powerful.   Evan Leybourn  So the last one that I'm going to recommend is, Sooner Safer Happier by Jon Smart. It's a relatively recent book. I, it's the book I've read most recently, which is partly why it's on the top of my mind. It is a very powerful, it really touches to the human sense of agility. It's in the title - Sooner Safer Happier, sooner is a technical value, right. Safer, happier, right? These are more than that, these are human values, these are human benefits. I know I said  three, but I'm just going to add a fourth, one more for the road. It comes to what I was talking about early in terms of my own experiences as a leader. And the book didn't exist at the time, but Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. Growth mindset is a bit of a buzzword these days, and there are definitely more mindsets than just growth and fixed. There are different kinds of mindsets that we hold, but just as a way of getting people to understand that you don't have to have all the answers, that you don't have to be right. So the reason I was arrogant, I was called arrogant by my boss at the time was because I didn't have a growth mindset. I didn't know I was wrong, or I didn't know what I didn't know. And it took some poking to make myself realise that I need to open up and I needed to be willing to learn because I didn't have all the answers. And the assumption that as a manager, as a leader, you're meant to have all the answers is a very toxic, cultural, systemic problem. So I think Brené Brown and the growth mindset work Dare to Lead is such a powerful concept that the more we can get people sort of internalising it, the better.  Ula Ojiaku  So thank you for that. How can the audience engage with you? Where can they find you?   Evan Leybourn  Yep. So, LinkedIn is probably the easiest way. I'm just Evan Leybourn, I think I'm the only Evan Leybourn on the planet, so I should be fairly easy to find. Otherwise, look at businessagility.institute We have a very comprehensive library of case studies and references, research that we've published, the models, like the domains that we have a new behavioural model that's coming out fairly soon, and you can always reach me through the Business Agility Institute as well.   Ula Ojiaku  Okay. And for like leaders and organisations that want to engage with the Business Agility Institute, would there be any, are there any options for them, with respect to that?  Evan Leybourn  So individuals can become individual members, it's 50 bucks a year, that's our COVID pricing. We cut it by 50%, at the beginning of COVID, because a lot of people are losing their jobs and we wanted to make it possible, easier for them to maintain as members. That gives you access to like, full access to everything. We publish books as well, so you can actually download full eBooks of the ones that we've published, and also obviously supports us and helps us grow and helps us keep doing more. We are however primarily funded by our corporate members, so it's what we call journey companies, those companies who are on the journey to business agility. So TD bank and DBS bank, for example, are two of our members, Telstra in Australia. So there is value in corporate membership and I'm not going to do a sales pitch if you are, if you want to know more, reach out to me and I'll definitely give you the sales pitch.  Ula Ojiaku  Awesome. Well, thank you so much. These will be in the show notes, and I want to say thank you so much, Evan, for making the time for this conversation. I definitely learned a lot and it was a pleasure having you here.   Evan Leybourn  Thank you. I really appreciate being here.   That's all we have for now. Thanks for listening. If you liked this show, do subscribe at www.agileinnovationleaders.com or your favourite podcast provider. Also share with friends and do leave a review on iTunes. This would help others find this show. I'd also love to hear from you, so please drop me an email at ula@agileinnovationleaders.com Take care and God bless!   

Are you starting your APS Graduate program this year, or have you just completed it?Gradcast is the perfect resource for you to make the most out of your experience. Our podcast features tips, advice and real-life stories to help you navigate the APS Graduate Program and beyond.As part of the grad experience, the year after your grad program is just as important. Host Callum Irving, who has just completed his own grad year, will share his experiences, and provide relatable insights for those who have recently completed their program.In this episode, Callum will introduce you to Gradcast and how it can benefit you. We'll then start our conversations with graduates, employers, and senior professionals in the Australian Public Service from our next episode.In addition to revisiting important topics such as APS Graduate Program applications, interview preparation, and engaging with your managers, Season 2 will cover new topics that are relevant to the everyday life of an APS graduate and feature exciting new guests AND guest hosts.Season 2 will be more than just a podcast. We've recently launched our TikTok page where we post humorous skits, behind-the-scenes, key insights, and more. You can stay updated with the latest from Gradcast on our Instagram page and find additional resources on our LinkedIn page that are essential for your pre-grad, grad, or post-grad year.Let Gradcast guide you through your journey in the world of the Australian Public Service with our expert tips, advice, and real-life stories.Gradcast is produced by contentgroup and sponsored by the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I share the mic with Simon Rinne. Simon is the host of the Mindful Men podcast, as well as a social worker with 15 years experience in the Australian Public Service, who shares his personal experiences and perspective to help men who desire and need emotional support as they navigate challenging life circumstances. Our conversation sheds light on the importance of offering a safe space for men to be vulnerable and how we can all join the effort to make this world a happier & healthier place for every gender. Tune in to hear Simon open up about: Societal expectations of masculinity set during childhood What forced him to confront his personal mental health issues How his obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and anxiety diagnoses led him to pursue a career path in social work Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and how it changed his approach to managing OCD Working through the shame associated with taking medication to help manage mental illness How regularly practicing mindfulness improves your quality of life The importance of having a strong support system to encourage personal growth A few of Simon's quotable moments from this episode: “I said, mate, you've just gotta stop crying. You've gotta stop it. He goes, why? I said, boys don't cry. We're not allowed to cry. We don't, we're not meant to cry. And he looked at me and said, Simon, I can cry if I want to, and that planted a seed.” “I didn't even know mental health wasn't even in the dictionary from my perspective. Like nobody talked about it at all.” “I said to myself, Simon, no matter how dark today is, or seems like, the sun will always rise tomorrow.” “When you get it out of your brain into the world, it just becomes words which disempowers it.” “Mindfulness has been something that I'm really practicing as well. And, and I've found that through my burnout, recovery as a way to reconnect, find joy again, but also ground myself..” Interested in working with Simon? Visit the Mindful Men website to learn more. Check out the Mindful Men podcast hosted by Simon Rinne: Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Youtube Pocketcasts RadioPublic Keep up with Simon & Mindful Men on Social Media: Follow Mindful Men on Instagram Follow Mindful Men on TikTok Join Mindful Men on Facebook Subscribe to Mindful Men on Youtube Connect with Simon on LinkedIn --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/whothefck/message

It's episode 10! We made it to a decade so far...so today we're spilling the tea on some real life bullying experiences. Today's episode covers #quietquitting, acting your wage and workplace cultures.There's details on how your mental health suffers in a toxic workplace culture. Where each and every day is a struggle. The insidious ways bullying takes place which on the surface is like the death of a thousand cuts and how quit quitting helps people to merely survive the environment every day.  Also get a bit spicy on the real things that go on behind closed doors in the Australian Public Service the lip service, performative actions and circle jerk conversations where the underlying issues get ignored rather than dealt with.  Do you have your own story to share? Reach out and let me know! Would love to connect with you. __________________Thank you so much for listening and I'd love to continue this conversation - you can connect with me directly on instagram @notcompliantenough or over on twitter @notcomplianten and if you want to get all professional, let's connect on LinkedIn.Need a speaker or panel member for your next event or a spicy guest for your podcast?Drop us a line at hello@intuitivelycreate.comwww.karistamarcinek.comwww.intuitivelycreate.comYou can buy us a coffee to support our content here - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/karista This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit karista.substack.com

The public service offers opportunity to contribute to positive outcomes for Australian communities and to pursue rewarding careers. It also comes with challenges, obstacles, ethical dilemmas, and racism for some of our First Nations public servants.In this special re-run of one of our most popular episodes of 2022, we revisit the conversation we brought to our listeners in NAIDOC Week. The conversation explores the push and pull factors for First Nations people in the Australian Public Service.We were joined by Professor Tom Calma AO FFA, Chancellor of the University of Canberra, Kate Thomann, the Executive Director, Research and Education, AIATSIS, and Geoff Richardson PSM, First Nations Development Consultant. They shared insights from decades of service in the APS.Discussed in this episode:Push and pull factors for First Nations people in the APS.Benefits of public sector careers.Dealing with the stigma of working in the APS within Indigenous communities.Addressing racism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special re-run of one of our most popular episodes of 2022, we feature the late Brendan Sargeant, who was the Professor of Practice in Defence and Strategic Studies and Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University (ANU), former Associate Secretary of Defence, and long-time supporter and Deputy President of IPAA ACT. Professor Sargeant sadly passed away shortly after the recording of this episode, leaving a legacy of invaluable contributions to ANU, the Australian Public Service, the Australian Defence Force, the wider Canberra community and the nation. Brendan was joined by Katherine Mansted, Director of Cyber Intelligence and Public Policy at CyberCX and Senior Fellow at the ANU National Security College.Discussed in this episode:A rapidly changing Asia-Pacific region and its impact on Australia.Articulating difficult conversations to develop a robust sense of defence in a complex time.The impact of climate change on the strategic order.The APS response. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, author and head of The Australia Institute's international and security affairs program Allan Behm joins Mark Kenny to discuss Australia's diplomatic challenges and the fallout from the Victorian election.Has the new federal government changed the way Australia does diplomacy? Will progress in reconciling internal divisions over race and gender change how Australia is perceived, and how the country carries itself, on the international stage? And after a comprehensive loss in the Victorian state election, is the Liberal Party suffering an identity crisis? On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Head of the International and Security Affairs program at The Australia Institute Allan Behm joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss Australia's diplomacy in Asia and the Pacific and the results of Victoria's state election.Allan Behm is Head of the International and Security Affairs program at The Australia Institute. He spent 30 years in the Australian Public Service, was Chief of Staff to Minister for Climate Change and Industry Greg Combet, and Senior Advisor to the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong.Mark Kenny is a Professor at ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Show notes | The following were mentioned during this episode:‘Sean Turnell speaks to 7.30 on how he coped in Myanmar prisons', 7.30, Australian Broadcasting CorporationDemocracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the GovComms chair this week is the Director of Communication with Cushman & Wakefield, Ben Roberts. Ben is an experienced strategic communication expert with comprehensive experience in the Australian Public Service and in the Australian Defence Industry.A Navy veteran, Ben has spent the last several years in senior communication roles in the Defence industry and prior to that he was a senior speechwriter in the public service where he wrote for Ministers, agency heads, the Senior Executive Service, ambassadors, and more. He was also a political adviser many years ago.Ben talks about how he began his career in communications with host, CEO, and founder of contentgroup, David Pembroke."What I really cut my teeth on was speech writing, especially. Lots of speeches, lots of constituent correspondence and things like representations to ministers. That's where somebody will come in and say, "I need your help with this matter. Can you please write a letter to the minister on my behalf and kind of flag this issue with them?" Doing lots of that kind of work. Also, things like op-eds, media releases with the Cumberland Newspapers and all that kind of stuff. It was really great"The pair also discuss how best to communicate with ministers offices. Who to befriend, and how best to leave your mark. "Always make friends with your EAs and your EOs, they're the gatekeepers to your senior executives and they're a very important person for you to be friendly with because they can be influential and they can also give you more information when you need it. And you don't necessarily want to bother, you don't want to bother your DepSec, but you can talk to the EO and get the information that you need out of them. That's really important."The two discuss some of the best advice to help government communicators engage effectively with citizens, to help build community, and to help restore trust in government. Some of this advice includes your communication being frequent and sincere, clear and concise and understanding context. "Firstly, you need to be clear, and that's a point in really all communication and something that I'll return to time and time again when discussing this with people, which is don't ever try and sound clever. Go for clarity instead. Clarity over cleverness every day, all the time. "Discussed in this episode: The importance of contextThe future of communications Why you should utilise your LinkedIn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 89    Maj. General Elizabeth Cosson AM, CSCLiz Cosson was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Major General in the Australian Army. She enlisted in the Army in 1979. She was selected with 32 other women for the first male-equivalent officer training course. Throughout her distinguished military career, she held significant logistics and administrative positions. She received a commendation for her work in Cambodia. In 1999 she was responsible for logistics planning for the East Timor operation, and she was subsequently appointed as Chief of Staff of the Peace monitoring group in Bougainville for which she was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 2001. In 2007, she was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Major General in the Australian Army. Following this remarkable career, she retired from full time military service in November 2010 and joined the Australian Public Service where she eventually reached her current role as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.But it hasn't all been without its obstacles. We discuss a career threatening issue that Liz had to overcome. How she did that can be taken as a valuable lesson. As is our discussion on the value of values in becoming a worthy leader - in any field. 

Do you have questions about the APS Graduate Programs? Are you wondering where, how, and when to apply for APS Graduate programs? What Department to go for? Or what are graduate programs? We have the answers to all your questions. In this episode, we are joined by the expert of APS Graduate Program – Craig Smith, Assistant Director - Career Pathways at Australian Public Service Commission. Craig has been part of the Australian Public Service for over 21 years across different departments and agencies. In this episode, Craig talks about the inception and future of the APS Graduate programs. Over the last couple of months the listeners have sent us questions about the Graduate program. We took this opportunity to ask Craig all your questions and more. From details of the application process to understanding streams, we have covered it all. Craig will continue the conversation and answer more of your questions in the next episode. Keep an eye on this space for APS Graduate Program 101 (Part 2). 3 things discussed in this episode:How, where and when to apply for APS Graduate programsAPS Graduate Program rotations and optionsThe future of APS Graduate program Relevant Links:APS Jobs: https://www.apsjobs.gov.au/s/graduate-portal Craig Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-smith-994640246/ APS Professional Streams: https://www.apsc.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/aps-professional-streams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please sign and share this petition to bring Collaborative Proactive Solutions to Australian Schools!https://www.change.org/CPSinAustralianschoolsPlease write to Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell and request that CPS (Collaborative Proactive Solutions) be introduced to NSW schools: office@mitchell.minister.nsw.gov.au In this episode, Lou talks to Yenn Purkis.  Yenn Purkis is an author, public servant and passionate advocate for Autistic people and their families. Yenn is the author of ‘Finding a Different Kind of Normal: Misadventures with Asperger Syndrome' – an autobiography, ‘The Wonderful World of Work: A Workbook for Asperteens'- an activity book about employment for teens on the Autism spectrum. Yenn is co-author of ‘The Guide to Good Mental Health on the Autism Spectrum' and ‘The Parents' Practical Guide to Resilience for Children aged 2-10 on the Autism Spectrum.' Yenn has also contributed to other books, journals, blogs and websites. Yenn has a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and atypical schizophrenia.Yenn has been working full-time for the Australian Public Service since 2007. In between writing and paid work, Yenn frequently gives talks about living well with Autism and mental illness. Lou and Yenn talk about behaviourism, Yenn's life growing up, the intersection of neurodivergence with mental illness, gender diversity and other related topics that Yenn has first hand experience with, as well as Yenn's experience when they spent some time in prison in earlier life.  PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RATE AND REVIEW!Please join the Square Peg Round Whole podcast Facebook private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/536225331089755Please like the Facebook PUBLIC page: https://www.facebook.com/Square-Peg-Round-Whole-Public-PAGE-108284341497676Instagram: @squarepegroundwholepodcastTwitter: @PegWholeWebsite: www.squarepegroundwhole.com.auRESOURCES DISCUSSED DURING THIS EPISODE:1. Yenn Purkis website: http://yennpurkis.com/2. 

This week your intrepid hosts braved some interstate travel craziness (the things we do for you) and came together IN 3D REAL LIFE AND EVERYTHING to bring you this pod from Wurundjeri land.We have been loving the energy twitterati folks having at our ISP episode and in response to our follow up question “what would you want to see in a supercharged ISP?” we received plenty of excellent fodder from friends of the pod Emma, Tom Quinn, Craig Memery and more! A no-surprises tech scenario, a supercharged electrification/green hydrogen one as well as the fraught question of a just transition and how all this necessary infrastructure is to be paid for. Gulp.Our truly hipster choice for this week's pod was to eschew the boringly mainstream Victorian Gas Substitution Roadmap and instead dive into one of the reports that fed into it… Infrastructure Victoria's report ‘Towards 2050: Gas Infrastructure in a Net Zero Emissions Economy'. Thank you to dear friend of the pod, Rob Murray-Leach for recommending the 190-page-report-disguised-as-half-that-size

The new federal government has made the performance of the Australian Public Service a priority. A key part of this is the capacity of public servants to acquire and manage data and to effectively identify and adopt new digital technology. To deliver on those improvements, it is integral for those in digital and data to work together. This has been evident over the last couple of years, to deliver COVID-19 vaccine statuses and case numbers to the public in a timely manner.In this episode, we are joined by National Data Commissioner, Gayle Milnes and Chief Executive Officer at the Digital Transformation Agency, Chris Fechner. Listen as they discuss how they work to increase the use and availability of Australian Government Data.Discussed in this episode:· How the DATA scheme works.· The role of data sharing across government in the COVID-19 pandemic.· Digital transformation in the Australian government. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The public service offers opportunity to contribute to positive outcomes for Australian communities and to pursue rewarding careers. It also comes with challenges, obstacles, ethical dilemmas, and racism for some of our First Nations public servants.Our conversation for this episode is an important one, with our guests exploring the push and pull factors for First Nations people in the Australian Public Service. It's brought to you in NAIDOC Week, and as we are being encouraged to stand up for change, rally around Indigenous communities and make a stand for institutional and structural reforms. We're joined by Professor Tom Calma AO FFA, Chancellor of the University of Canberra, Kate Thomann, General Manager of Business Development and Employment at the Aboriginal Hostels Limited, and Geoff Richardson PSM, First Nations Development Consultant. They share insights from decades of service in the APS, including:Push and pull factors for First Nations people in the APS.Benefits of public sector careers.Dealing with stigma within Indigenous communities of working in the APS.Addressing racism. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How might former university vice chancellor Glyn Davis steer and shape Australia's bureaucracy after the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed him to head the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet?

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Allan Behm - former public servant and advisor to Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong - joins Mark Kenny to discuss how Australia could gain greater relevance on the international stage.What impact does Australia's failure to reconcile with dark aspects of its past have on its position on the international stage? Despite having many structural advantages, why does the country fail to execute its role as a middle power? And how is the securitisation of politics in Australia undermining public policy-making? Allan Behm, Director of International Affairs and Security at the Australia Institute and author of No enemies No Friends: Restoring Australia's Global Relevance, joins Professor Mark Kenny on this episode of Democracy Sausage.Allan Behm is Head of the International and Security Affairs program at The Australia Institute. Allan spent 30 years in the Australian Public Service, as a member of the Australian diplomatic service, the Prime Minister's Department, the Department of Defence and the Attorney General's Department. He specialised in international relations, defence strategy, counter-terrorism and law enforcement policy.Mark Kenny is a Professor in the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the university after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Canberra Times.Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love to hear your feedback for this podcast series! Send in your questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes to podcast@policyforum.net. You can also Tweet us @APPSPolicyForum or join us on the Facebook group.This podcast is produced in partnership with The Australian National University. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The way we listen forms the way we understand the world. In this session of the Getting to Know You series, we explore different perspectives on The Art of Listening, and how it shapes our actions. This month's featured storytellers are: Dr. Tjanara Goreng Goreng is a Wakka Wakka Wulli Wulli Traditional Owner from Central Queensland who has had a diverse career as both an academic researcher, community development worker and senior policy Director in the Australian Public Service. Lanalle L Smith Dine' works with Indigenous Native communities to develop financial assets and create wealth through financial capabilities trainings. Lorenzo McDuffie is a spiritual, human centered, social activist, and entrepreneur who is looking forward to being a part of this conversation. Mario Fernández Rodríguez of Costa Rica is a musician, song-writer, soul surfer, sport activist and radio producer @PuntoSurf April Petillo is a professor, nonprofit consultant, outspoken advocate, academic activist, proud family member, sassy wife, committed dog mom, and devoted friend--all of which are inspired by community social justice and the idea of mutual aid. Mohsen Mahdawi is a Palestinian refugee with a story of love and peace after surviving fear and war. His passion for peacemaking and justice has led him to Columbia University where he is currently studying. Briony Greenhill is a folk-soul improvisational artist who teaches Collaborative Vocal Improvisation (CVI) internationally. She's co-creating a Center of Improvisation and Regenerative Village in the French Pyrenees. Dr. Jeen Rooks is chiropractor and integrative healer, and studies and guides the body's many forms of communication through engaging in conversations in care and healing. Kimberly Holloway is a Seattle based choreographer, dancer, and teaching artist. Her goal is to share beauty and authentic human experience while striving to create spaces where connection and community can thrive. Getting to Know You and the Beyond Listening Podcast are brought to you by We are Open Circle, a social impact organization that helps change-makers, community groups, and organizations evolve and thrive with integrity. Our Beyond Listening Program was designed to transform the way teams work with complexity, rapid change, and the wisdom of diversity, in a world that demands constant collective adaptation. Sign up for our newsletter for more Beyond Listening Podcasts, and view our upcoming trainings.

A Gangulu elder, Mick was Co-Commissioner of the high profile Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory. Mick's fierce advocacy for young people is due in part to a sliding doors moment in his teens(CW: Discussion of suicide.  And for ATSI listeners please be advised this conversation contains the names of people who have died.  Take care when listening.)

A Gangulu elder, Mick was Co-Commissioner of the high profile Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory. Mick's fierce advocacy for young people is due in part to a sliding doors moment in his teens (CW: Discussion of suicide.  And for ATSI listeners please be advised this conversation contains the names of people who have died.  Take care when listening.)

In episode Adam & Miriam speak with Dr. Tjanara Goreng Goreng about Sacred Leadership-colonialism, First Nation, and leading through collective trauma. Tjanara is a Wakka Wakka Wulli Wulli Traditional Owner from Central Queensland who was born in the outback at Longreach in central western Queensland. Tjanara has had a diverse career as both and academic researcher, community development worker and senior policy Director in the Australian Public Service in particular at the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet and in the Australian Foreign Service. She worked for many years in the Australian Public Service in a range of mainstream departments and rose to a Director in the Office of Indigenous Policy Co-ordination prior to leaving the government for full time academic work in the mid 2000's. Tjanara has also worked in corporate Australia as a transformational leadership senior consultation at Zaffyre International working with overseas and national Australian companies in the energy, insurance, finance and mining sectors. Tjanara has been a psychotherapist in private practice, has trained other therapists in Non Shaming Therapy and worked at the Los Angles Rosemead Hospital's John Bradshaw Centre for Addiction and Abuse Recovery in the mid 1990's. The Beyond Listening Podcast is brought to you by We are Open Circle, a social impact business that helps change-makers, organizations and community groups evolve and thrive with integrity. Our Beyond Listening Program was designed to transform the way organizations work with complexity, rapid change, and the wisdom of diversity, in a world that demands constant collective adaptation. Sign up for our newsletter for more Beyond Listening Podcasts, and view our upcoming trainings.

Yenn Purkis is a non-binary gender person with Asperger's syndrome. They are an author of 6 books, a TED X speaker, and a passionate advocate for autistic people and their families. From an early age, Yenn knew they weren't like other folks, and was bullied mercilessly for being different. Academically brilliant, they were dux of the school, but not fitting in and being ostracised for it led to several early adulthood years spent in self destruction. Yenn emerged from this determined to be successful and fulfil professional ambition. With a published book in hand, they applied to many jobs and was successful to land one. This is the origin story of a remarkable individual who overcame being singled out for difference to becoming a public champion for inclusion. In this interview, we explore what it means to be non binary gender, how to be aware of privilege as a generator of bias, how reading books is an excellent way to expand perspective and understanding of others, how becoming comfortable and aware of who we are drops anxiety about status, why diversity is a noun and inclusion is the verb or responsibility in leadership, how the intersection of elements of difference (like being non binary gender AND autistic) multiplies the challenge effect for inclusion, and how it is PRIVILEGE and not ‘norm' that measures distance from center and influence. Reason to listen: learn about life from a different lens.

Catherine Plano is here today with Joanne Verikios. Joanne Verikios is an accomplished author, trusted health and lifestyle consultant, experienced horse breeder and trainer, award-winning athlete, speaker and successful real estate investor. Having received her first pony at the age of nine, Joanne's earliest ambition in life was to be a bareback horse rider in a circus. Although she never ran off to join the circus, after working her way through the Pony Club ranks, she earned the qualification of Pony Club instructor at the age of sixteen. One of the many highlights of her early riding career was being a member of the Downs Pony Club team that won the Duke of Edinburgh Pony Club Games Championship in 1972. While working at the Australian Public Service, Joanne qualified for an Australian Owner Trainer Permit to train and race Thoroughbreds. She also pursued her love of horses by founding the Highborn Warmblood Stud, where she was Stud Manager for sixteen years. The horses Joanne bred went on to win both under saddle and in breed classes, including Royal Show Championships. They included the stallion, Highborn Powerlifter, who passed Colt Selection and Performance Testing with flying colours. In addition to serving on several horse sport committees and officiating at many shows and events, Joanne is a past Federal President and Federal Registrar of the Australian Warmblood Horse Association, which she continues to serve as a Classifier and Classifier Trainer, Judge and Judge Trainer and National Assessment Tour Australian representative. In recognition of her outstanding contribution and commitment to the Association for over 30 years, Joanne was granted Honorary Life membership in 2015. Joanne was also an Australian Powerlifting Champion, holding State, National, and Commonwealth records. Twice, Joanne represented Australia at the Women's World Powerlifting Championships and was ranked seventh in the world both times. In peak condition, Joanne was able to deadlift more than triple her bodyweight. Her feats of strength are recorded in the 1989 and 1991 Guinness Book of Records with Australian Supplement. Joanne has published articles in many equine publications including Hoofbeats, Horsezone, Horses & People, The Horse Magazine, Australian Horse and Rider Yearbook, and Hoofs & Horns. She has also published articles in several recreational and sports magazines, including Bellydance Oasis, SPORTZlife, and The Pump. Find Out More About Joanne Verikios Joanne's Website Winning Horsemanship on Facebook Joanne Verikios on Facebook Joanne on Twitter @lifestyletolove Joanne Verikios on Instagram @winninghorsemanship Joanne on LinkedIn Joanne at USANA Are you ready to be inspired? Tune in to this powerful conversation! Interviewed by: Catherine Plano Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | RSS

Catherine Plano is here today with Joanne Verikios. Joanne Verikios is an accomplished author, trusted health and lifestyle consultant, experienced horse breeder and trainer, award-winning athlete, speaker and successful real estate investor. Having received her first pony at the age of nine, Joanne's earliest ambition in life was to be a bareback horse rider in a circus. Although she never ran off to join the circus, after working her way through the Pony Club ranks, she earned the qualification of Pony Club instructor at the age of sixteen. One of the many highlights of her early riding career was being a member of the Downs Pony Club team that won the Duke of Edinburgh Pony Club Games Championship in 1972. While working at the Australian Public Service, Joanne qualified for an Australian Owner Trainer Permit to train and race Thoroughbreds. She also pursued her love of horses by founding the Highborn Warmblood Stud, where she was Stud Manager for sixteen years. The horses Joanne bred went on to win both under saddle and in breed classes, including Royal Show Championships. They included the stallion, Highborn Powerlifter, who passed Colt Selection and Performance Testing with flying colours. In addition to serving on several horse sport committees and officiating at many shows and events, Joanne is a past Federal President and Federal Registrar of the Australian Warmblood Horse Association, which she continues to serve as a Classifier and Classifier Trainer, Judge and Judge Trainer and National Assessment Tour Australian representative. In recognition of her outstanding contribution and commitment to the Association for over 30 years, Joanne was granted Honorary Life membership in 2015. Joanne was also an Australian Powerlifting Champion, holding State, National, and Commonwealth records. Twice, Joanne represented Australia at the Women's World Powerlifting Championships and was ranked seventh in the world both times. In peak condition, Joanne was able to deadlift more than triple her bodyweight. Her feats of strength are recorded in the 1989 and 1991 Guinness Book of Records with Australian Supplement. Joanne has published articles in many equine publications including Hoofbeats, Horsezone, Horses & People, The Horse Magazine, Australian Horse and Rider Yearbook, and Hoofs & Horns. She has also published articles in several recreational and sports magazines, including Bellydance Oasis, SPORTZlife, and The Pump. Find Out More About Joanne Verikios Joanne's Website Winning Horsemanship on Facebook Joanne Verikios on Facebook Joanne on Twitter @lifestyletolove Joanne Verikios on Instagram @winninghorsemanship Joanne on LinkedIn Joanne at USANA Are you ready to be inspired? Tune in to this powerful conversation! Interviewed by: Catherine Plano Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | RSS