Global Learning's newsletter, in rss form http://globallearning.com.au/news/ This inaugural newsletter is distributed to alumni of Global Learning programs, iMEET! workshops, and anyone interested in effective leadership and teamwork, strategic planning, sustainable futures, experiential and organisational learning, coaching and mentoring, and getting the best out of meetings, workshops and conferences. You'll find interesting and pithy articles, with best-practice tips and insights - and information about events and programs. Each issue will be archived online for future reference. http://globallearning.com.au/news/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#1 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) We've chosen to keep this newsletter as informative as possible, yet accessible. The delivery mechanism is lightweight (plain text e-mail), but flexible (available as an RSS feed, and via our website). We won't be clogging your mailbox with PDFs, JPEGs or attachments: we want the experience to be smooth and fast. And by keeping each article brief, you'll be able to digest it more quickly. Some issues will focus on a single issue, but in general, we'll keep it as varied and interesting as possible! http://globallearning.com.au/news/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#2 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Brainstorming generates ideas and creative solutions from the whole group, without making decisions or making an on-the-spot evaluation. Although researchers say that quality and quantity is not necessarily improved by brainstorming, it strongly engages people working as a team to strengthen their relatiohships. It has been used since the 1930s, and adpated to work in 'World Cafe' environments, and is increasingly captured by electronic tools such as iMEET! - making the process faster and more efficient. Some simple rules: don't censor, explain, or defend ideas, don't evaluate or criticise others, and save the discussion and evaluation for later. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#4 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) It is estimated that 171 billion e-mails are sent every day [two million e-mails every second!]. A survey of internal communication conducted by Watson Wyatt revealed that communication effectiveness is a leading indicator of financial performance. Companies that communicate effectively are four times more likely to report high levels of employee engagement; and are 20% more likely to report lower employee turnover rates. The question remains, however: is e-mail a contributor to effective communication? http://www.watsonwyatt.com/research/resrender.asp?id=w-868 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#5 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Whatever happens to all of the butchers paper, post-it notes and hand-written reminders wrapped up and taken back to the office after the conference/strategic planning meeting/workshop? Answer: not much, other than a lot of time, money and energy is spent trying to decipher it all. iMEET! - a platform designed specifically to support meetings, workshops and conferences - eliminates butchers paper, captures all ideas, discussions and decisions, and makes meetings more rapid, accurate and inclusive. Developed in Australia by Global Learning, iMEET! has streamlined hundreds of meetings and workshops. Call us for more information on 02 6249 1344. http://imeet.com.au Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#12 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) In 'Death by meeting: A leadership fable', Pat Lencioni writes about one of the most painful problems in business: meetings. His fictional narrative outlines the lessons that can be learned and how to make meetings work (since they are critical to business success), from identifying the types of meetings, to being sure that meetings aren't held just to gain consensus or give status. Try his online quiz, too, at http://www.tablegroup.com/team_assessment/meetings_quiz.php - there's a downloadable version for your whole team, too! http://www.tablegroup.com/books/dbm/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#13 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) What happens in a new leadership role during the first one hundred days? To Tim Green of the Boston Consulting Group, what makes a new leader effective is that they follow the same methods: they ask, 'What needs to be done?', and 'What is right for the enterprise?', they develop action plans, take responsibility for decisions, take responsibility for communicating, focus on opportunities rather than problems, run productive meetings, and think and say 'we' - not 'I'. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#14 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Let us know what you would like to read in future broadcasts. E-mail your feedback to us, and if you like globalNEWS, let your friends know and invite them to subscribe, too! Subscription details (and how to unsubscribe) are found here: http://globallearning.com.au/mailman/listinfo/globalnews Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#15 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) It's springtime and the flowers are blooming at the Floriade Festival, surrounding our head office here in Canberra. In this issue you'll find ways to make meetings and conferences more productive, tips about leading teams, and communicating more effectively. And you'll learn about some great events being held in the coming months. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#17 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) We invite you to attend our 14 November 2008 breakfast workshop in Canberra and explore how our exciting new collaborative technology enables participants to rapidly capture the collective knowledge of teams in high-stakes meetings, conferences and workshops. Using our iMEET! platform, you'll discover how to sort, filter and rank ideas, and observe how quickly it builds trust in groups by documenting - in real time - the collective process. Learn how iMEET! can benefit your business (and banish butcher's paper forever!). Bookings accepted now: please contact Global Learning via the link below. http://globallearning.com.au/news/imeet08.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#19 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Do you have a passionate commitment to sustainability in Canberra? We invite you to join us in a networking event - ENACT FOR THE FUTURE - to regenerate the long-term health and sustainability of our region. We are hosting this inaugural gathering from 6:00pm to 8:30pm on Tuesday, 11 November 2008 to support existing initiatives and to create ways of taking action in our community. Join us in the creation of a healthy, sustainable future for Canberra. Cost: $30 (includes drinks and canapes), but bookings essential. Book online, or call us for more details. http://globallearning.com.au/enact/ Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#18 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Welcome to the Autumn 2009 issue of globalNEWS. While the Global Financial Crunch continues, and the impact of Australia's budget is still being debated, here at Global Learning we are planning another workshop to demonstrate our iMEET! collaboration and meeting-support platform (one way to cut down on travel costs!). In this issue: news of recent activities and some interesting perspectives on leadership, change and coaching. Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#26 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Australia's largest environmental organisation, Greening Australia, brought together 50 of its board members in Toowoomba, Qld, for a national directors' forum to explore the future of the organisation, share ideas and resources, and focus directors on their governance accountabilities. Discussions were captured using Global Learning's iMEET! wireless-linked computer platform. What made the output of the two-day conference literally more memorable was that discussions, resolutions and attendees' photos were published in a glossy booklet, which was presented to all directors as they departed on the final day: an immediate record of the event. http://imeet.com.au Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#27 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) The Harvard Business Review article 'In praise of middle managers' warned about underestimating their role: far from being mediocre and resistant to change, middle managers are often a key force in organisational change. They have valuable ideas, can activate internal networks, are attuned to employees' moods, and can balance continuity and change. In tough times, middle managers carry even more of the load. Global Learning recently conducted team leadership workshops for more than 100 middle managers in a Federal agency. We were struck by the resilience, commitment and creativity that they bring to their work. Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#28 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Coaching is possibly the single fastest growing method of training and development. Private coaching ('life' or relationship coaching) is not far behind. Why? First, coachees and their organisations clearly find it provides value. Second, in tackling the accelerating demand for knowledge and skills, a coach and coachee form a team, with a greater capacity to learn and apply learning. Third, a coach challenges the habitual thinking that drives most of our behaviour, so a coachee becomes able to think (and do) what was previously unthinkable. This is why Global Learning embeds coaching principles in our change, innovation and leadership training. http://globallearning.com.au/services/ Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#29 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Appreciative Inquiry (AI) provides a stimulating, counter-intuitive approach to organisational planning, training and development. The conventional approach to planning is: "What's wrong and how do we fix it?" The AI approach is: "What's working well and how do we build on it?" David Cooperrider, of Case Western University, says that AI "turns problem-solving on its head, and shows that change is more powerful, energising, and effective when we inquire into the true, the good, the better and the possible". AI-based approaches are used by many organisations large and small, from mining companies to the United Nations. Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#30 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Global Learning recently hosted a second gathering of people who want to support existing initiatives and create new ways to drive social change in the ACT region and community. Our guest speaker, Emeritus Professor Valerie A Brown AO, who is a Visiting Fellow at ANU's Fenner School of Environment and Society, is an acknowledged wise elder - both internationally and locally - in engaging local communities in collective learning processes. New social-learning models were identified to create results-driven actions to develop a healthy sustainable future for the Canberra region. Information on the next event will find its way here: http://globallearning.com.au/enact/ Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#31 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) One of the most important lessons that leaders in any profession should learn is to apply Rule Number Six. If applied it in our own lives, imagine how much better the world would be. What *is* Rule Number Six? Read on... http://globallearning.com.au/news/rule-number-six.html Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#32 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) In spite of current slogans, the world doesn't change one person at a time. It changes as networks of relationships form among people who discover they share a common cause and vision. This is good news for those of us intent on changing the world and creating a positive future: rather than worry about critical mass, we simply foster critical connections. No need to convince large numbers of people to change - instead, connect with kindred spirits! Through these relationships, we develop new knowledge, practices, courage, and commitment that lead to broad-based change. http://www.margaretwheatley.com/articles/emergence.html Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#33 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) "Leaves butcher's paper for dead..." was one notable comment made at a recent session demonstrating Global Learning's iMEET! platform. Our online collaborative technology - used for face-to-face or online meetings and workshops - is simple, intuitive and easy to master. It captures ideas, decisions and voting, and everyone gets a chance to contribute. Ideas can be reviewed, discussed, filtered, sorted and ranked, then further developed. Participants can also review material after event, and build on what is already documented. Workshop details will be posted as soon as it is scheduled. Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#34 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Please feel free to talk back to us. Ask for more information or links. Comment on our news. E-mail your feedback to us, and if you like globalNEWS, let your friends know and invite them to subscribe, too! Subscription details (and how to unsubscribe) are found here: http://globallearning.com.au/mailman/listinfo/globalnews Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#35 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) 'If you want people to do things, tell them seven ways and seven times.' We often hear the complaint: 'But I told them once.' Once is not enough. Why? Reason 1: People forget. There is so much information to absorb today that we remember some things - but forget much more. Remind them. Reason 2: People have habits. Most of what we all do every day comes from our habitual ways of doing things. We need repetition. Reason 3: People respond to different messages, delivered in different ways. Cover all possibilities. (Adapted from Jeffrey and Laurie Ford's 'Great Managing E-zine') Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#22 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) The way to get strategy executed is not by telling people what to do: but by sharing the strategy in a way that everyone can understand and buy into. What is required of leaders? A recent leadership survey of 1600 leaders and managers of global companies asked this question in relation to strategy. Respondents said said communication is increasingly replacing the management role of planning people's work and telling them what to do. Leaders must also align people so that they execute the strategy - then measure and monitor how successfully the alignment and execution occurs. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#21 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) When people consider the tyranny of distance, it's not often on the scale that the Lake Eyre Basin Conference Steering Group encounter. Drawing upon representatives from a region that encompasses one sixth of the Australian land mass (the basin is one of the largest internal drainage systems on this planet), preparations for the 2008 Biennial Lake Eyre Basin Conference took on a life of its own, and brought together people from across the country - from all walks of life. Graziers mixed with miners, aboriginals with townsfolk, scientists with cattlemen. It was an incredibly diverse group, reflecting the diversity of the 1.14 square million kilometre basin... http://globallearning.com.au/news/leb2008.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#25 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) "Bill George and Andrew McLean, from the Harvard Business School, studied 125 leaders known for their success, effectiveness and integrity. What they learned surprised them immensely: leaders preferred to talk about their life stories, and who and what shaped them as leaders - and not their milestone successes. Almost all were characterised not by their successes, but by their ability to share a vision and to empower others. Each transformed from a focus on individual achievement to a personal journey of discovery and understanding of others, and learning to overcome their need to control everything: moving from 'I' to 'We'. http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/journal.aspx?ArticleID=103 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#16 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Let us know what you would like to read in future broadcasts. E-mail your feedback to us, and if you like globalNEWS, let your friends know and invite them to subscribe, too! Subscription details (and how to unsubscribe) are found here: http://globallearning.com.au/mailman/listinfo/globalnews Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#23 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) We're not yet certain that Spring has sprung here in Canberra: we've just experienced our coldest September day for more than 40 years. However, the grass is growing and we fully expect that all heating systems will be turned off after that horse race that's held in Melbourne in just over a month. This is the time when everyone gets busy, and it's no exception here at Global Learning. To help you along the way, we offer some juicy tips for effective communication, finding the right staff, learning how to listen, and more! Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#7 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) 'Inspirational'… 'I loved the way we were all listened to'… 'It has supported my confidence and ability to take on new challenges…' These were comments from some of the 600 staff members from UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families who attended a packed two-day conference in August 2009. The conference was the final event in an eight-month project to develop their three-year strategic plan. How can more than 600 people work together to define an aligned, powerful direction? A key element was iMEET!, Global Learning's conference support platform. Read on for more... http://globallearning.com.au/news/cypf2009.html Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#42 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) The challenge: find common ground among a highly diverse group of 90 farmers and associated experts who are tackling the urgent problem of restoring Australia's much-degraded land. All in one weekend. In a big tent. With the weather hot – and the wind high. Promoted and led by the former Governor-General, Michael Jeffery, 'The land restoration imperative: many pathways, one goal' was organised by the ANU's Centre for Dialogue and Global Learning. Delegates to the Kioloa conference left the September weekend optimistic, having indeed found much common ground. So what did they work out? Follow the link for more... http://globallearning.com.au/news/kioloa2009.html Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#44 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Research shows listening is the most important communication skill - but the one least taught. We are taught: Writing 40% Speaking 30% Reading 20% Listening 9% Mass Listen 1%. But what we need to use is different: Writing 14% Speaking 16% Reading 17% Listening 32% Mass Listen 21%. 'Listening consists of being mindful, hearing, selecting and organising information, interpreting communication, responding and remembering.' [Tom Hobbs, Chapman University] Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#9 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Meetings, whether they are large conferences, strategic planning events or learning workshops, can be made dramatically more effective and efficient through the combination of high touch (powerful leadership and communication) with high-tech (supporting technology). This accelerates the meeting process, establishes a high degree of accountability, legitimacy and transparency, and accelerates reaching alignment and making decisions. The use of effective meeting technology such as the iMEET! platform turns meetings from a necessary evil (as viewed by some) into an organisational process which satisfies participants, delivers tangible outcomes, and moves business processes forward - rapidly. http://globallearning.com.au/news/high-touch.html Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#20 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Prior to the meeting, confirm the overall procedure with the person setting the agenda. Also, seek coaching from a respected colleague or manager to ensure a better chance of approval and useful discussion. At the meeting, divide the time between a period of divergence and a period of decision-making for each agenda item. Divergence tests your proposal, and frames the issue. Encourage convergence to frame the decision-making and action, seeking consensus through inquiry, and presenting steps to implementation. If consensus is not possible, develop a process to retest the situation. Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#3 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Mahatma Gandhi understood the power of effective communication and used it to become one of the world's finest leaders. He conceived a theory of non-violent communication that advocated four key steps: speech and action, maintenance of relationships, openness, and flexibility. Gandhi's remarkable leadership legacy was in the power of conversing with people in person. Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#6 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) In its ten-year history, Google has grown into a dominant global organisation. Google attracts more than one million applicants a year. They hire 800 people per month, using an algorithm to evaluate candidates who would normally be screened out by typical assessment tools. The algorithm identifies candidates who resemble existing top performers. The interview process identifies people who are 'smart' for Google, and rarely follows conventional question/answer routines. Google advises potential applicants to 'just be themselves' when fronting for an interview, which is often described as 'intense'. Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#8 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Please feel free to talk back to us. Ask for more information or links. Comment on our news. E-mail your feedback to us, and if you like globalNEWS, let your friends know and invite them to subscribe, too! Subscription details (and how to unsubscribe) are found here: http://globallearning.com.au/mailman/listinfo/globalnews Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#43 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) With this bout of cold temperatures, people are either scurrying to the snowfields or heading north to seek sun and sand. One of the great joys of living in Australia is that everyone can be satisfied! In the last edition, we promised you news about upcoming events, and you can read about them here. And for more inspiration, we offer links to a range of stimulating sites. Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#10 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) The Workplace Ombudsman, a Federal Government agency, has taken an intensive approach to a three-part challenge – transition into a new agency (the Fair Work Ombudsman), expansion of staff responsibilities through changed legislation, and a merge with the Workplace Authority (doubling its size). Over a six-month period, Global Learning has delivered a team leadership development program to empower their highly-motivated middle managers in a combination of face-to-face and online activities. More than 95 per cent of graduates reported that what they learned during the program improved their management and leadership skills and will deliver significant productivity gains. http://globallearning.com.au/news/wo2009.html Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#39 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Once in a while websites benefit from a good makeover, and Global Learning's is no exception. The previous site was very 'corporate', and whilst it attracted business, it wasn't a true representation of who we are or what we do. The transition is almost complete, and we were careful to ensure that no whales were harmed in the process. We've sent our designer into orbit to take a decent photo of the planet that we share, and our imagebank [http://globallearning.com.au/imagebank.html] is replete with pithy quotes to stimulate the brain. Even our mysterious '404' error page is ... informative! http://globallearning.com.au/ Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#24 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) According to Benjamin Waber, a PhD student at MIT, you could be out of the loop. If you're not able to create environments of high trust and super-connectivity, you're not aware of who is really doing what. Waber has studied the way in which groups interact socially, and has mapped how information flows within an organisation. This exploration is known as 'reality mining', and Waber shows that we are often better at communication via the virtual world, and not the face-to-face environment. Read all about 'pulsing stars' patterns and learn how to predict future meetings! http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/16-08/st_thompson Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#38 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) "It was FANTASTIC, GREAT, SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICALEXPIALIODOCIOUS AWESOME!" Unusually unrestrained and enthusiastic feedback, perhaps - but it truly reflected the views of many who took part in the 'Bring It! 2008 Young Carers Forum' held at Parliament House, Canberra in November. Young carers had two days of vigorous discussion, met Ministers and Shadow Ministers - and had to be asked to be a little quieter by ushers from the nearby Senate! Carers Australia published their final report on 24 June, detailing the crisis faced by young carers around Australia. Read on to discover how Global Learning helped to make the program an outstanding success. http://globallearning.com.au/news/ca2009.html Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#41 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) MIT Sloan Management Review interviews Vijay Govindarajan, chief innovation officer at General Electric, about his 'three-box framework': improving the present, selectively forgetting the past, and inventing the future. Govindarajan opines that it is critical to focus on box two and three in spite of tough times. He argues that the best time to prepare for expansion is during a recession, and that assets and talent are cheap and readily available. He also suggests that whilst you cannot easily plan for the future, you can most certainly prepare for it. http://sloanreview.mit.edu/business-insight/articles/2009/2/ Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#40 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Everybody who is not awake spiritually is run by their thinking mind - the incessant voice in the head. In an unawakened state, you don't use thought - but thought uses you. You don't see anything as it is, but distorted and reduced by mental labels, concepts, judgments, opinions and reactive patterns. Your sense of identity - of self - is reduced to a story that you keep telling yourself in your head. And when your life is thus reduced, you can never be happy for long, because you are not yourself. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Now Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#11 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Translation: technology will work, but the people might not. It is the people side of the change equation that is difficult to get right. It requires a small but crucial investment in communications, training, and support. Participation, engagement, and buy-in is the stuff of successful change. It's not something that can be gained through a transaction, but requires generative dialogue. The approach is highly interactive. Rather than top-down, it is inside-out: as people generate new insights and understanding, their behavior changes. The real territory of change is inner space. http://fastcompany.com/blog/seth-kahan/leading-change/soft-stuff-hard-stuff Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#37 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Please feel free to talk back to us. Ask for more information or links. Comment on our news. E-mail your feedback to us, and if you like globalNEWS, let your friends know and invite them to subscribe, too! Subscription details (and how to unsubscribe) are found here: http://globallearning.com.au/mailman/listinfo/globalnews Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#36 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Welcome to the final edition of globalNEWS for 2009. For many of us, this is a time to sit back a little, reflect on the year, and anticipate Christmas with family and friends. It's a time for winding down, and smelling the roses. In the spirit of not over-burdening readers with material of great import, we've tuned this newsletter to go with the flow. But we shall be back with a vengeance early next year with more news and some exciting stories to tell (adventures beckon)! We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#45 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Drinkers' brains are tricked into thinking a glass of white wine is better and more expensive tasting when exposed to red or blue background lighting than those in rooms with green or white background lighting. German researchers gave drinkers the same bottle of Riesling in the differently-lit environments and asked for feedback. Drinkers in a red or blue room were on average prepared to fork out as much as one euro per bottle more for the same tipple. Dr Daniel Oberfeld-Twistel, of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, concluded that ambient lighting influences how wine tastes. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#46 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) In 2008, Americans consumed information for about 1.3 trillion hours, an average of almost 12 hours per day - so says Roger Bohn of the University of California. His blog details the consumption of 3.6 zettabytes and 10,845 trillion words, corresponding to 100,500 words and 34 gigabytes for an average person on an average day. These estimates are from an analysis of more than 20 different sources of information, from very old (newspapers and books) to very new (portable computer games, satellite radio, and Internet video). Before you nod sagely, information at work is not even included! http://art2science.org/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#47 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) We try to cram zillions of bits of information into our pre-frontal cortex (PFC), the conscious part of the brain. Coaching and neuroscience guru David Rock, in his 'Your brain at work' Sydney workshop this month, observed that the brain is 2% of our body weight, yet consumes 20% of the body's resources. And the PFC is microscopic - if it were one cubic metre, the rest of the brain would be the size of the Milky Way. It'd worth bearing that in mind over Christmas: turn down the internal noise levels and let the brain run in neutral. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#49 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) How does an organisation like Sun Microsystems create a workplace where employees love to come to work? Bill MacGowan, Chief Human Resource Officer for Sun Microsystems, opines that it is because they value and appreciate good, smart people who enjoy change, innovation, and other people. 'Leadership at Sun has been successful at creating a real meritocracy. We allow people to speak their minds, and not be afraid to learn from failure.' One of the key elements in creating workplaces where employees love to do their best work is to listen to their ideas and give them freedom to act. http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/simma-lieberman/life-balance/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#48 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) The current issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests that some aspects of a strangers personality can be judged by looking at photographs of subjects, and that self-esteem, ratings of aversion, religiosity and openness are all able to be judged from physical appearance. They found that photographs provided participants with accurate cues about personality, and that secondary spontaneous poses showed even more insight, including about the subject's various personality traits. 'As we predicted, physical appearance serves as a channel through which personality is manifested', write authors Laura Naumann, Simine Vazire, Peter Rentfrow and Samuel Gosling. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091210130000.htm Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#50 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) ...a tree or a river. Somebody invented it. Most inventions – from the candle to the compact disc – lose their usefulness. Management is for when you want people to work a certain way. For creative, complex, conceptual challenges - what most of us do for a living - self-direction works better. If we want engagement, we have to have autonomy over the key aspects of work - Task: what we do, Time: when we do it, Technique: how we do it, Team: whom we do it with. What we need is less management and more freedom: fewer individual automatons and more autonomous individuals. http://www.danpink.com/drive Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#51 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Getting things done is not the same as making things happen. You can: ...reply to e-mail ...pay the bills ...cross off to-do's ...fulfill your obligation ...repeat what you heard ...go with the flow ...anticipate roadblocks ...aim for 'good enough'. Or you can: ...organise a community ...take a risk ...set ambitious goals ...give more than you take ...change perceptions ...forge a new path ...create possibility ...demand excellence. Don't worry too much about getting things done. Make things happen. http://www.ginatrapani.org/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#52 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Please feel free to talk back to us. Ask for more information or links. Comment on our news. E-mail your feedback to us, and if you like globalNEWS, let your friends know and invite them to subscribe, too! Subscription details (and how to unsubscribe) are found here: http://globallearning.com.au/mailman/listinfo/globalnews Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +1100 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#53 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Welcome to the Autumn 2010 edition of globalNEWS. We've been quite busy over the last few months (so much so that it's hard to believe that we are almost half way through the year!), and our collaborative meeting process, iMEET!, has been in the spotlight more than once. At a recent strategic planning meeting in Sydney, one participant, Alex Gooding, was so enamoured with the process and the outcomes that he wanted to write about it. You can find Alex Gooding's blog here, where he describes it as 'a big step towards 21st Century conferencing': http://sociamind.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/ Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#55 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Here's a refreshing statement made by a top-500 company executive: "...People are our most important asset in the world by far. It's people who deliver innovation. We are the most focused company that I know of or have read of or have any knowledge of. We say no to good ideas every day. We say no to great ideas in order to keep the amount of things we focus on very small in number so that we can put enormous energy behind the ones we do choose." - Tim Cook, Apple's Chief Operating Officer, in Business Insider (USA). http://www.businessinsider.com/ Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#56 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Conversations are the lifeblood of our world. The concept of conversation covers all the ways that we listen, speak and communicate meaning to each other. Any improvement in the quality of the conversations that matter will benefit all of us, and create a better future. Hosting and harvesting conversations that matter is a skill that all of us can and need to learn. The ANU Centre for Dialogue and Global Learning is offering a 3-day residential workshop at Murramarang Eco Resort (28-31 July 2010) to explore these issues through teachings, discussion and practical experience. More information: http://law.anu.edu.au/coast/events/artof/conversation.htm Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#57 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) An interesting warning from Clive Thompson in WIRED magazine about the difficulties experienced online in large groups: conversations (and socialisation) simply don't scale. There's a point at which large groups can only communicate via broadcasting, not sharing. As Thompson suggests: "When the conversation gets big enough, it shuts down. Not only do audiences feel estranged, the participants also start self-censoring. People who suddenly find themselves with really huge audiences often start writing more cautiously, like politicians." It's an insightful perspective, as are the comments that follow the February 2010 editorial. The accompanying image is worth a thousand words alone! http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/st_thompson_obscurity/ Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#58 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Communications coach Carmine Gallo has identified five elements in successful presentations: a headline, a villain, a simple slide, a demo, and a 'holy smokes' moment. Author of '10 simple secrets of the world's greatest business communicators' and 'Fire them up!: 7 simple secrets to inspire colleagues, customers and clients', Gallo shows how to be insanely great in front of any audience. The presentation skills are similar to the basic skills needed in essay writing: present a clear topic, outline what you're going to talk about, provide readers/audiences with clear transitions, make statistics relevant to your topic and audience. http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/oct2009/sb2009106_706829.htm Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#59 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Stefan Stern, columnist in The Financial Times, investigates how leaders can be decisive in times of crisis, reflecting on how we must safeguard against the dangers of 'pattern recognition' and 'attachments' - both of which lead us down familiar paths of risk management with events that are vaguely predictable. He suggests that wise decisions can only be made if the right sort of management philosophy is embedded, and in having the right attitude in the face of calamity. [Link requires free registration] http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/35b3cb08-515c-11df-bed9-00144feab49a.html Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#60 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) One of the advantages of a virtual or remote team is that you have access to the best and smartest people, no matter where they are. One disadvantage is that 'where they are' could be along way from you. How do you get the best ideas and input from these people when you're not in the same room? Running a good online brainstorming session is a critical tool for managers and project leaders. Here's some advice from Wayne Turmel at BNET Australia on how to work online (hopefully with iMEET!, of course!): http://blogs.bnet.com/management/?p=1338 Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#61 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Here are twenty of the best tips, tricks and rules of thumb for younger women aspiring to climb the career ladder. Lisa Orrell spoke with several senior female executives in large corporations, and compiled a list of the tips from the conversations that ensued. Whilst they are offered from a female perspective, they apply to both sexes equally, and are practical ways in which you can improve your leadership skills and become a respected member of your team. Number one: Power, influence and integrity are three inter-connected circles that create the foundation for being an effective leader. http://blog.generationrelations.com/?p=275 Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#62 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Simma Lieberman, Fast Company blogger: 'There are five key components to creating the workplace where people love to do their best work. These components are: Inclusion, Implementation, Individual convenience perks, Immersion, and Integration. If your workplace culture is inclusive, it means that employees are engaged and everyone has an opportunity to succeed. People at all levels can have a career path strategy if they want. Inclusion also means that employees bring their whole selves to work. If they leave part of who they are at home, then part of their focus and creativity will be left at home.' http://www.fastcompany.com/user/simma-lieberman Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#63 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle) Please feel free to talk back to us. Ask for more information or links. Comment on our news. E-mail your feedback to us, and if you like globalNEWS, let your friends know and invite them to subscribe, too! Subscription details (and how to unsubscribe) are found here: http://globallearning.com.au/mailman/listinfo/globalnews Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 +1000 http://globallearning.com.au/news/200905.html#64 ivan@globallearning.com.au (Ivan Trundle)