Succession planning and merit selection processes are often seen as processes that cannot co-exist. But can they?
Machinery of Government changes – is there another way?
Moments that matter
The value of sharing knowledge
At Spring Green Consulting, we are firm believers that knowledge must be shared. We do this naturally through our collaborative approach to work, by presenting at various community of practice functions, and through mentoring and supporting others.
Mentoring is about sharing knowledge, skills and life experience to support others in achieving their goals – it may be over a long period of time, or for a short period to help them achieve a specific outcome. It can occur formally through an agreed mentoring relationship, or informally through coffee conversations.
Recently we have been privileged to be able to offer mentoring support to participants of a change management practitioner accreditation program. This provided participants an opportunity to present their current change challenges, seek feedback on their planned approach, and benefit from our change management experience (the good and the bad!).
While this was hopefully a useful experience for the participants (well they said so in their feedback anyway…), it is also great for us, as it refreshes our enthusiasm for our work and is a reminder that we all need to continue learning to stay up to date and fresh.
If you are interested in hearing more of our change stories, get in touch, we are always happy to share.
Organisational (by) design
Resilience, Schmesilience
Not one to shy away from an argument, I wish to put on the record that I am tired of all the talk of resilience. (Perhaps I need to be more resilient?! Sigh.)
It is not that I disagree with the importance of resilience, it is simply that the discussion about resilience is very one sided. You need to be able to take feedback better. You need to bounce back from the 60 hour weeks. You need to be able to handle disappointment. You need show me more commitment. Follow these ten steps, quit sugar and start exercising and perhaps you will attain the magical level of resilience to survive the cut-throat nature of our business...
We also need to talk about those requesting our resilience. Those that request our resilience need to accept and acknowledge their responsibility and contribution to our individual and collective resilience seriously. It is a responsibility that we share with each other - to respect and take care of each other.
When my team has been challenged regarding their resilience two things spring to mind, the first is "What have I done to preserve our collective resilience?" and the second is that they have had their own resilience eroded and yet have survived until this point without more senior intervention, surely this is evidence of their resilience.
By all means, talk about ways to be more resilient and robust, just don't forget the responsibility from those requesting the resilience in the process...
Intoxicating Autonomy
April 2017
And so just 8 weeks into my self-styled employment adventure, I have described the experience as "intoxicating autonomy". The mix of absolute control and responsibility has been impossible to replicate in any of my prior work experiences.
This has unleashed a wave of excitement on how far I can take this new adventure, my limits are only time and effort and money - not permissions and performance agreements.
I am grateful for the schooling I have had in how to manage myself in this environment, my optimism has bounced back, my approach is positive and yearns for new solutions, not yesterday's answers.
It is exhilarating. May this feeling persist throughout the adventure!