Cathryn Lloyd | Creative Leadership Wellbeing Innovation Program Brisbane

Creativity is our greatest and most sustainable resource… are you using yours well?

Cathryn Lloyd — Sat, 11 Nov 2017 01:07:04 +0000

Dear Mavericks

In early 2003, while at a conference, I was introduced to an emerging area of work – a new field of practice to me – in which a number of delegates called themselves coaches.

Let me explain the provenance of my coaching.

It was the early 2000’s and I had moved to London. Given my new surrounds and life style I decided it was time to make a career shift. The perfect work opportunity presented itself and I took a position in the business unit at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of Arts London as the Professional Training Manager (PTM) and Study Abroad Coordinator. The PTM role was new and full of possibility. It presented an assortment of opportunities and challenges, including building networks, relationships and clients, along with the creation of a suite of training/learning programs by collaborating with our highly capable, creative and extensive network of lecturers and external tutors. I was in my element.

As part of my research and development into arts and business I attended an Arts & Business Conference at Castle Borl, Slovenia. This gathering was part of the IDRIART movement (Initiative for the Development of Intercultural and Interdisciplinary Relations through the Arts) an initiative of violinist and cultural ambassador for Slovenia Miha Pogacnik. It was a unique experience and cutting edge in so many ways; from the calibre of people, many of whom I continue to connect with, to the ideas being presented and workshopped.

While the coaches intrigued me it took me a little while to appreciate what they offered and in hindsight I am aware that I may have been a little dismissive. Why would anyone need a coach I kept asking myself, and asking them; even though I understood the benefit of a sports coach, as I had experienced aspects of that in my own life through swimming at school. That conference became a catalyst for me in many ways including undertaking my doctoral degree in Creative Industries, establishing Maverick Minds and eventually developing my coaching practice.

As Maverick Minds has evolved so too has my coaching practice. I have invested in developing my coaching skills through learning, training, coaching, mentoring and supervision. During this time I have coached leaders of organisations, managers, creative practitioners and more recently have become part of a university coaching panel.

The people I coach on a one to one basis have made a choice to engage with me in a coaching relationship. This is a great start as there is personal motivation, which provides a great foundation for getting results. Given my arts and creative industries background I have a particular interest in Coaching for Creativity.

Why is Coaching for Creativity important?

Because creativity lies at the heart of everything we do. When we seek to create change and bring something new and of value into the world we need imagination. Imagination is our springboard into the unknown. From there we need to harness a whole lot of personal capabilities as well as resources.

Sometimes it’s safer to stay doing what we’ve always done. Change requires creativity, courage and commitment. Our lives seem increasingly busy and distracted, we can lose touch with ourselves. Going it alone may not always be the optimum approach. I help my clients clear the cobwebs and get a fresh perspective.

In terms of a coaching conversation what this might sound or look like emerges in different ways. Each coaching conversation is unique. It may take the form of a creative practitioner trying to carve out time for their creative practice, as they hold down a full time job, and look for sustainable ways to do this.It may be an artist wanting to change artistic direction or feeling stuck. It may be a performer or entrepreneur experiencing a crisis in confidence. It may be a small business entrepreneur developing an aspect of their business and needs some external input to move to the next stage.

A manager experiences a challenging situation and decides to explore new ways and options to think about their current situation and how to manage and engage differently with their team. A leader is grappling with the complexity of their organisation and simply needs thinking time to get a different perspective.

A person finds their professional circumstances change they experience excitement and concern – a coaching conversation provides opportunity to reflect and consider their next step.

These are some of the coaching conversations I have had with people.

These moments are catalysts for change and growth and require creativity. While change can be exciting it can be challenging and demanding. Even when we are the ones who have decided it is time to do something new or different.

Coaching is not static – it is a dynamic collaboration between the coach and coachee. I refer to this as The Third Space, the unique space created between the coach and coachee, that becomes a place for learning, creativity and possibility. While there is no single definition for coaching I am taken with researcher and coach Dr Vikke G Brock’s broad definition and encompassing view that coaching is:

“a dynamic and contextual mutual-learning process that fosters self and behavioral awareness, personal growth, and conscious choice for the highest good”.

What does a creative coach do?

Coaches work in a variety of ways and being a unique individual they will have their style and approach. It’s important to find someone you feel a rapport with and can trust. From my perspective the coaching relationship is based on mutual understanding and appreciation that the client has the ability, qualities, and capability to create positive change and identify opportunities to enable that.

My intention is to hold the space for the person I am working with so they are able to explore what is important for them. Coaching is about working holistically and with the specific.

Through the coaching conversation I endeavour to listen deeply, asks curious open questions and clarify my understanding to help my clients focus their attention, identify what is emerging, and take action when needed.

With permission I offer insights or observations and when needed respectfully challenge and stretch my clients. I may offer alternative ways or suggestions for how my client may be able to engage or inquire into their situation. As a creative coach and coaching for creativity I also use innovative inquiry methods to support reflection, inspire insight and make progress. Clients are always in control and make decisions about what path or direction they wish to go.

What are the benefits gained from working with a creative coach?

Individuals, teams, organisations, leaders in large organisations, small business entrepreneurs, social innovators, creative practitioners and people/organisations in transition can all benefit from working with a creative coach. Our lives are increasingly busy, it’s easy to get distracted.

Coaching is especially effective when a person is ready to create change and most people find coaching helps keep them motivated and accountable.

Here’s just a few ways I help clients:

Discover what is important and focus on a desired future state
Reflect and develop self-awareness (help you know who you are)
Identify talent and strengths
Uncover what is possible
Keep dreams, aspirations and visions alive
Identify opportunities
Develop a creative mindset
Cultivate a creative workplace culture
Identify and work realistically with internal and external challenges
Design meaningful ways to take creative action
Gain greater confidence in creative abilities, problem solving and decision-making
Work through resistance, concerns and anxiety
Stay accountable
Focus time, attention and energy on the right things
Bring creative ways of being and doing to professional work
Shift thinking, find clarity, gain new perspectives and insights
Manifest and bring to life creative endeavours, business ventures, and projects
Explore dreams and aspirations openly, curiously, and spaciously
Maintain motivation and commitment

In 2016 I returned to Slovenia, and the stunning resort town of Lake Bled, to host a stream at the Art of Management and Organization conference. It felt like I had come full circle.

Again I was exposed to emergent ideas between the arts, business and organisational life. This time coaching was not at the forefront, it seemed embedded in conversations and how people may develop professional life. In 2018 I will be returning to the Art of Management and Organization conference in the UK where I will facilitate a pre-conference workshop and use one of my creative coaching processes Body Mapping as a tool for inquiry and reflection.

As we head into Christmas and the New Year it’s a perfect time to consider another yearly chapter and how you can invest in yourself and the people around you. I wonder what you are currently grappling with or what interesting projects you are working where coaching could add value and help you springboard to the next stage.

I offer Individual Coaching Packages via skype, zoom, or phone. You can find more information by clicking this link https://www.maverickminds.com.au/coaching/ or get in touch with me directly if you would like more information or to book a coaching package. I’m available to discuss how coaching can work for you and the people in your business.

Are you making the most of your MOST valuable resource?

Remember ‘if you want to go fast go alone; if you want to go far, go together’.

Yours creatively
Cathryn

Dr Cathryn Lloyd
Founder/Director
Maverick Minds
+61406007753

cathryn@maverickminds.com.au
www.maverickminds.com.au

A little more information if you are interested
Coaching has a Provenance

You may be interested to know that coaching has a history. While it’s not possible to delve deeply in this newsletter it is worth appreciating that coaching has it’s own history and developmental story. Dr Vikki G Brock a researcher and coach has written extensively about the global history of coaching. Coaching has a more nuanced and rich history than most people may know. Brock researches the roots, branches and emergence of coaching which is extensive. She highlights the impact the industrial revolution had on the way people worked, in particular removing people from their support networks, and how globalisation continues in its footsteps. Brock explains “four socioeconomic patterns emerged as directly linked to coaching: complexity of the postmodern society, global consciousness and spiritual paradigms, humanistic worldview of humankind, and the trend toward individualism”.

She reveals how coaching has been influenced by a number of fields such as philosophy, sports, and adult learning which makes it a multidisciplinary practice and as a result claims coaching needs to be inclusive. This way of thinking appeals to me – to think there is only one way to coach seems contrary to the intention and heart of coaching.

As coaching has evolved it has become a key player in terms of personal, professional and organisational learning and development and performance. The coaching world offers a range of courses, qualifications and professional associations. Coaching is employed in areas such as leadership, change, management, business, career development and health. Like anything it may feel a little daunting regarding making the ‘right’ choice in terms of developing your own coaching skills or if you wish to engage a coach. It’s worth making time to do this; from basic desktop research, allowing yourself to get a sense of what is out there, to speaking with someone who has had direct experience with a learning provider or a coach and may be able to refer someone.

The post Creativity is our greatest and most sustainable resource… are you using yours well? first appeared on Creative Leadership Wellbeing Innovation Program Brisbane.

will a robot take your job?

Cathryn Lloyd — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 03:19:04 +0000

Dear Mavericks

It is interesting to note that when one’s attention turns to something it seems to appear everywhere. I’ve been contemplating work, the future of it, as well as the pleasure and anxiety it seems to bring. Lo and behold there seems to be quite a lot of discussion about the future of work and in particular the role of technology. The discussion tends to focus on whether robots and artificial intelligence (AI) will take our jobs which leads into the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0Industry 4.0 resides in intelligent manufacturing, factories based on cyber physical systems that are self optimizing with totally integrated automation. It includes environments where humans and robots work along side each other – a new augmented reality. A world where products and systems cooperate and communicate via the Internet of Things – a world of self-assembling, self-healing, and self-protecting smart systems.

On the one hand this is worth celebrating (hooray! I will be liberated from the oppression of work and free to pursue more creative and altruistic endeavours and have more time in my art studio). At the same time I notice the increased existential concern that emerges (what will I do, will I still be needed because actually I really like my work, can a robot do my work? And by the way how will I support myself?). From what I currently hear I don’t seem to be alone in having mixed feelings about our future state and what this technological transformation will really mean.

“No amount of sophistication is going to allay the fact that all your knowledge is about the past and all your decisions are about the future.” Ian Wilson

Change is inevitable we know that – we’ve been through previous industrial upheavals. So it’s fascinating to listen and read the range of views around this next wave of change. One book I have immersed myself in is, Why the future is Workless by Tim Dunlop.The book provides a historical context for how our relationship with work has changed, where work and labour has morphed into a moral imperative; that is to work is to be a good citizen, which is part of a greater discussion that can’t be fully explored in this brief communication. The book shines a light on the pros and cons of this brave new world and asks many questions, which is always a good thing. The book also raises the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) or basic guaranteed income. A basic guaranteed income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.

I’m convinced this idea will continue to gain traction over the coming years and it needs to as industries are disrupted, transition or cease to exist and new ones enter the market. Regardless, jobs will be lost and yes – new ones will be created.

One country that has led they way in a guaranteed basic income model is Alaska. The Alaska Permanent Fund and Dividend is the closest policy to a basic income in the world today. The fund is generated through the collection of revenue/royalties from resources such as oil and minerals and is invested in a range of assets. It has paid dividends to all Alaska residents since 1982. Key to the program’s support is that it is paid to everyone and fairness and equality is seen as a major aspect to the fund. Most Alaskans prefer the money goes to full time residents. While the dividend may not be so noticed by the wealthy it makes a significant difference to many who see it as an important source of income in their community.

Just think of the resources boom Australia has witnessed over the decades and the steady growth Australia has seen over the past 25 years. Imagine if Australia had initiated some sort of permanent fund which provided a guaranteed income for all Australians. The distribution of wealth will become an increasing issue in terms of rethinking work.

Another intriguing book is Daniel Franklin’s, Megatech: Technology in 2050. Franklinexplores the practical, ethical and philosophical questions raised by technological advances and dives into areas including military, health, cyber security and cyber warfare, manufacturing and creative industries to explore how our world will be shaped and transformed. There is no doubt that every industry will be effected in some way or another and as a result our personal and professional lives will experience the consequences of technological advancement.

Added to this literary feast was an invitation to a lunch, hosted by Working Mouse; a team of developers, designers, testers, and growth hackers located in Brisbane, Australia. Working Mouse is a software development startup specialising in cloud-based solutions for web and mobile. Their secret recipe is their Codebots platform (Platform-as-a-Service) for building and deploying awesome software.

Plus I had the privilege of spending a Friday afternoon with them and shared one of my secret recipes – CreativeShip – the world of creativity & leadership. Our lunch gathering provided the opportunity to meet new people, dine on great food and engage in an Industry 4.0 discussion. Of course there’s no such thing as a free lunch and we were asked to give a snap shot of our sectors and share our perception on how the technological revolution will influence and impact on our work. The discussion revolved around how technology will change and provide benefit in terms of finances, recruitment, analysing big data, and trends in social media. Jane Webster from Matrix Social has developed a platform called Code9 Parent to help parents ‘learn what your kids already know’.

We discussed education for the real world and the skills needed for the future, as well as Entegy’s software platforms for event communication and engagement. We also had a laugh when one of the group reminded us of a conversation she had with a manager who said this internet thing “won’t take off.” While we laugh now I am sure there may be similar thinking happening now.

I was asked whether I am excited or concerned? Call me a fence sitter, I find myself in the ‘it depends’ camp. I can and want to envisage the positives that will happen as a result of improved and radical technology – nanotechnology, quantum physics and genomics sound amazing. I am also convinced that in the process there will be winners and losers. I wonder in this technological revolution how will wealth be distributed?

My hope is that what and how we develop technology it will actually enable and help create a better life for everyone. How will we use and create technology where everyone can flourish and not just a few, that’s the question. I am excited by the idea of technology for social innovation. That Blockchain can be used for humanitarian purposes and improve people’s lives and that drones will be used for doing good not only for war.

In terms of how technology may impact my work I know that the learning space is becoming an increasingly online experience. That has benefits for sure and I am in the process of developing my first online course which I am excited about. However as I mentioned at the Working Mouse lunch I really enjoy being face to face with people.

It is this third space, where people come together, in person, that creativity, humanity and possibility resides. For example the coaching relationship is dynamic, a co-creative experience between people. I wonder how it would be to be coached by a robot? Would that be a satisfying and creative experience? How do I feel about that? One thing for certain the idea of life-long learning is not going away.

What interests me in this big conversation is how humans will navigate this brave new world. My interest and concern is that we need people to have the moral imagination and creative capacity to traverse the changes ahead.

To ask questions such as:

How will we be in the future?
How will we treat each other?
How will our identities change as the work we do changes?
What will our lives look like if we don’t work?
How will we support ourselves if we don’t have jobs?
How would we like our society to be?
What sort of values underpins all of this?
And, just because we can do something we also need to ask “is it the right thing to do?”

The technological shift that will happen invites us to ask questions about what it means to be human. What of our creativity? What of human expression? What of our relationship to the arts, each other and the natural world? If we are to find ourselves free from work, and given 1/3 of people in Britain believe their job is of no use, has little value or even worse does more harm than good, then this is indeed a much needed conversation.

Maybe this technological revolution will allow us to explore a better future – a more thoughtful way of being; maybe it can provide us with a new economic, social and political landscape that is more fair and equitable. Freed from the shackles of work and the scourge of busyness, with robots in service, we are able to turn our attention and ingenuity toward problems that desperately require invention and look for ways to create a better world for all.

As we go boldly into the future rather than ask ourselves will the robots take our jobs? We need to ask more profound questions:

What ought we to do with our precious time? and
What will you do with your precious life?

Remember what you do today will impact on what happens tomorrow.

Each of us sees things and makes connections in different ways. We all have a unique contribution to make. What we will need is courage, compassion, a sense of purpose, a vision for what is possible and creative intelligence. Let’s not squander this next wave of opportunity – our future wellbeing depends on it.

I am interested to know how you think technology will impact on your work. Are you optimistic and see great things ahead or are you concerned about what may happen?

How are you preparing yourself, your business, the people in your business for the future? I’d love to hear from you and discuss what is happening in your world and how I can be of service. You can phone on 0406 007 753 or email me here.

Until next time,
‘Beam me up….’

Yours creatively

Cathryn
Founder/Director
Maverick Minds
www.maverickminds.com.au

You may be interested to read more on the ideas above. Here are some useful articles:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond
https://theconversation.com/what-the-industrial-revolution-really-tells-us-about-the-future-of-automation-and-work-82051
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/07/05/mark-zuckerberg-praises-universal-basic-income-on-alaska-trip/103447704/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/15/the-guardian-view-on-universal-basic-income-tax-data-giants-to-pay-for-it
Working Mouse https://workingmouse.com.au
Code9 Parent http://www.code9parent.com.au/
Entegy https://entegy.com.au

The post will a robot take your job? first appeared on Creative Leadership Wellbeing Innovation Program Brisbane.

Notes from the World of Conferences

Cathryn Lloyd — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 05:29:29 +0000

Greetings Mavericks

In the past few weeks I’ve attended the Australian Institute of Training and Development conference in Sydney and the Australian Women and Leadership Symposium in Brisbane.
While there were different focuses there is also some common ground. For this newsletter I’ll distil a few of the key themes that emerged for me at both conferences and share some of my insights.

I hope you find them useful as you think about learning and leadership in your organisations.

2017 Australian Institute of Training of Training and Development

I’m at the airport waiting for my flight. I’m returning home from the AITD Learning Conference with my head and a note-book full of ideas and information. Behind me I hear a conversation that reflects a lot of what has been presented and discussed over the past couple of days.

A particular sentence catches my attention…

“Everything is changing so fast I have to be learning all the time”.

This could be the new mantra for all of us. Most of us are aware of how much information is available and how rapidly things can change.

How do we stay connected, learn well and find ways to effectively share information in a meaningful and worthwhile way?

Welcome to the 21^st Century world of work and learning.

The conference included key notes from Connie Malamed, The eLearning Coach and Sahana Chattopadhyay, Proteeti and other presenters Dr Denise Myerson, Arun Pradhan – DeakinCo, Matthew Mason – Reality Creators, Nicole Davidson – Growing Beyond and Cheryle Walker – Digital Learning Strategists to name a few.

There was a strong focus on digital learning, which highlighted that there is a gap between business and the use of technology in terms of how learning is provided. Organisations are behind the curve, which presents as an intriguing paradox and challenge given the increasing realisation that digital technology, robotics, AI (automation and augmentation) will be major disruptors for individuals and businesses.

The 2015 CEDA (Committee for Economic Development in Australia) Australia’s Future Workforce report claims that around 40 per cent of the workforce faces the high probability of being replaced by computers/AI in the next 10 to 15 years.

Whether we buy into an optimistic or more pessimistic view or the good or evil of technology – one thing for sure we will all be impacted in some way and it’s probably best if we adopt a learning and flexible mindset to navigate our professional lives in the 21^st Century.

A 2017 Global trend report from Deloitte ‘Rewriting the Rules for the Digital Age’ states that Australian organisations are under prepared for the pace of the digital age.

The reports outlines that the issue is not simply “reskilling” or planning new and better careers. Instead, organisations must look at leadership, structures, diversity, technology, and the overall employee experience in new ways.

Deloitte proposes that organisations are being pressed to rewrite the rules for how they organise, recruit, develop, lead, manage, and engage the 21st-century workforce. It requires a shift in mind-set and behaviour.

While this might seem daunting, there are great opportunities to be had by organisations that understand the changing nature of business, are prepared to be creative, and take positive action.

Rather than be overwhelmed we can take on board what Sahana Chattopadhyay suggests and start with micro changes that over time can create a powerful shift.
Remember a lot of organisations that currently exist will not be around in the next 15 years so now is the time to have a good look at what is going on in your business.
While its comforting to know that things maybe OK for now it is about what might be needed in the future. It’s easy to let today’s busyness cloud clear thinking for the future.

Regardless of what view we hold for a digital, automated/augmented world there is no doubt that technology is changing the nature of work, how we work, where we work and with whom we work. Some of the emergent themes that seem significant and worth exploring include the following:

The why of what we do is crucial to success. Our sense of purpose as an individual and as an organisation is essential. It helps us to create meaning and value for our clients.
Personal/Professional Networks hold knowledge – develop and understand who is in your network and whose network you are part of. Who can you help and who can help you?
Recognise that the nature of most work is interdependent. People need to understand where, how, when and why sharing and collaboration is needed. People also want autonomy – both are possible.
Understand what skills and capabilities are transferrable. Allow people to shine in the workplace by supporting them to explore and share their experiences and what they have to offer.
Organisations and government institutions and policies are slower to respond to change than individuals. Individuals can and will learn and respond to change positively when they understand the why of change.
Provide flexibility at all levels and areas of business in the workplace – everyone will benefit. Learning needs to be flexible, mobile, relevant and timely. Learning needs to align with the business and the individual.
Help people to share knowledge and information through communities of practice, face-to-face interactions, beyond silos and look for ways people can engage easily through digital platforms. The curation of information is an exciting development and worth exploring.
While digital and data fluency is necessary we also need to be human.
Learn and unlearn – the cycle of learning – don’t get stuck.
Technology can be a facilitator and is part of the solution it’s not everything. We need to become the Masters of Technology, not Technology the Master of Us.
Work and learning are ultimately the same thing – the two worlds need to merge – how does learning impact on work and how is it integrated into work. This raised the question around the word ‘Learner’ and whether it is the most appropriate word to use as people may not see that as their primary focus. If not learning then what else? An interesting question to ponder and what that might mean in your organisation.
Have bold goals, be clear with your purpose, and more importantly create tangible micro changes that enable people to move toward those goals. Remember a lot of organisations that are around now will not be around in the next 15 years.

I have a confession. I love the person-to-person world. My bias is to get together with people and see what emerges when people interact. It can be unpredictable and that is where creativity and opportunities converge – the intersection of people coming together to explore what might be possible and then to figure out what action needs to be taken.

I enjoy meeting people. It’s my preference for learning as well as educating and facilitating groups. However I am aware there are other approaches and digital learning has a place in the learning space. Ultimately how I embrace this brave new world will be negotiated through the interactions I have with my clients and understanding their needs.

Women & Leadership Australia Leadership Symposium

As a WLA Alumni I had the good fortune to attend the Australian Women’s Leadership Symposium as part of the Advanced Leadership program I recently participated in. It provided a chance to reconnect with WLA and the wonderful alumni cohort I am part of.

My WLA cohort is a diverse group with a good cross section of people from industries such as health, defence, education, mining, agriculture and business holding senior management roles.

What is striking about the group is its diversity which happens to be its strength. We respect and value the different experiences and insights each of us bring to the group. There is a real sense of sharing and interest in each other. The group is committed to finding ways we can get together even though we live in various locations across Australia.

Leadership was the main conference theme and we heard different stories from women of various professional areas share their experiences and views on leadership. An underlying message that came through strongly is the need for diversity.

Presenters included Professor Jan Thomas Vice Chancellor at Massey University; Sadhana Smiles, CEO Harcourts Group Victoria; Catherine Fox Journalist, Commissioner Katarina Carroll, Qld Fire and Emergency Services; Abbie Wright Diversity and Inclusion, Aurecon; Cath Brokenborough, Executive Lead Indigenous Engagement and Reconciliation Action Plan, Lend Lease; Dr Terrance Fitzsimmons UQ Business School and co-convenor of the Australian Gender Equity Council; and Annabel Crabb political writer, Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Here are a few of my favourite things that emerged from the 2017 Women’s Leadership Symposium.

Leadership is complex. The whole person makes the leader. It’s worth getting to know yourself well. What inspires you as a leader? Why do you do what you do?
Surround yourself with people who are different to you. It’s easy to be seduced by people who think and act the same. The underlying message is to make sure you get a range of views and opinions that differ from your own. Be prepared to be challenged. Don’t surround yourself with yes people.
Listen, Listen and listen again
Diversity and inclusion requires the whole deck of cards
Stories have power – share stories of yourself and stories of success of failure.
Look in the mirror – as a leader what did you do and what did you not do?
We need to help people to become good leaders. It doesn’t necessarily just happen. A quote that sums this up well comes from one of the speakers Belinda Brosnan…”just because you have thousands of frequent flyer points doesn’t mean you can fly the plane”. Leadership is a continuous cycle of learning and leaders need to have a learning mindset. Who can you help and who can help you?
Be OK with discomfort. Being an effective leader is not always comfortable.
The type of leadership at the top permeates to the bottom. What is permeating in your organisation?
One of the leadership stereotypes is the idea that women ‘get things done’ rather than ‘women are strategic’. Let’s dispel that right now – women can and are both.
Be conscious of your biases and then do something about it.
Being vulnerable as a leader may be scary and it’s worth exploring. Gently, gently and see what happens.
Be aware of the language you use as a leader and then do something about. What are you saying or not saying?
The paradox of leadership – a leader needs to build consensus and at times may not necessarily lead by consensus. Leadership is also about making decisions.
Make it easy for people to do the right thing. Make it easy for people to learn.
Link diversity and inclusion to KPI’s.
Diversity in senior/executive management is crucial to long-term sustainable business success.
Lack of diversity is not simply unfair it does not make good business – it’s not clever business. GDP increases by 11% with gender balance.
Leaders enable others to call and question behaviour.
Help people understand why change is needed – help them understand the purpose of change.

With all of that (and there is more) the big question is what legacy will you create and leave as a leader. What will people say about you now and in the future?

On another note if you didn’t get the chance to see the Global Leadership Effectiveness Summit that I was recently part of here is the link to that interview – click here.

I am interested to know what is happening in your organisation in relation to these ideas.
How is your organisation traveling?
What are you doing or not doing?
How can I help you?

If you would like to discuss any of this or ways that Maverick Minds can help your organisation and your greatest asset – your people – I am available.

If you would like to call or meet in person do get in touch. You can phone or email me on 0406 007 753 or email me here.

You can also visit www.maverickminds.com.au and see what else Maverick Minds has to offer.

Until next time

Yours creatively

Cathryn

Dr Cathryn Lloyd
Founder/Director
Maverick Minds

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Global Influencer Leadership Summit

Cathryn Lloyd — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 06:41:44 +0000

Hello Mavericks

Welcome to Maverick Minds first newsletter for 2017. While the Christmas holiday season may feel like a distant memory we can remind ourselves throughout the demands of the year to slow down, take a breath, recharge and ensure your wellbeing and those around you remains part of the big picture.

I’d love to share with you a few ideas and opportunities for the Year of the Rooster. The start of a new year can bring a sense of hope and new possibilities. You may have some new years resolutions or you may have decided not to make any.

Whatever your approach for entering a new year it is worth considering where you will focus your energy, time and resources. Just as the end of the year is one for reflection, the start of the year is a good time to intentionally imagine, plan and consider what you would like to create.

We know that life presents all sorts of challenges and opportunities. So how can we set ourselves up well to capitalise on what is already available or the unforeseen opportunities? What are some of the strategies you have in place to cultivate new connections, follow up existing commitments and be prepared for anything in between?

Ah… welcome to the VUCA world in which we live.

Working with a group at the start of the year it was one of the questions I posed. Given everyone had just returned from holidays, sand, sea, snow, and sleep were still at the forefront for people as they began to shift gears for the year ahead. It was a provocative question to get them to think about what qualities, from their recent break, they could or would bring with them into the year ahead.

So Mavericks I ask you the same question – what were the things you did over the break that nourished your sense of wellbeing. And while the response might be ‘not working’ I’m not convinced that really is the major issue.

And I’ll tell you why.

Recently I’ve had a couple of conversations with people who had taken time off from work – a sabbatical of sorts either deliberately chosen or through their redundancy. For various reasons both parties decided after a year or two it was time to return to work. There were comparisons in their stories.

This included having structure in their day, connections with others, and work providing some aspect of meaning or purpose. Many of us have a complex relationship with work. I love you! I hate you!

This is not unusual or such a bad thing. What it does offer is an opening to understand the aspects of work we find enjoyable and meaningful, and to consider the parts that create frustration and disappointment. That professional reflection, questioning and inquiry may provide insight into discovering avenues that provide opportunities to do more of what we find meaningful. Dissatisfaction can be a great catalyst to try something new. It provides food for thought in deepening our understanding of what work does mean to us. Aspects of this are explored by writer and philosopher Alain De Botton’s in his book ‘The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work‘.

As we proceed into 2017 it’s easy to get swept up in the demands and busyness of work. It’s easy to fall into the habit of complaining about work. It’s easy to forget the joy, creativity, meaning, mastery of skills and sense of accomplishment that work can bring.

So before you let 2017 run away and fall into the scourge of ‘busyness’ and unhelpful habits why not allow yourself the time you deserve to consider the following. This is something you can do on your own, for your own personal and professional inquiry and with others in your organisation.

1.    Purpose/Multiple Purposes: think about your sense of purpose or purposes. You might have multiple purposes. What are they? Purpose is the big picture. Why do you do what you? Why do you do the work you do? Do you have clarity around this? Why does your business do what it does? Do the people you work with hold similar views?

2.    Intention: starting the day with intentions that support your purpose is useful. Intention focuses on the things you do in relation to your purpose/s. It focuses on what helps rather than hinders. Setting intentions helps guide thoughts, attitude and action. Teams can set intentions.

3.    Values and Meaning: Do your values connect with your purpose? Is there synergy here or is there a mismatch? For instance if doing creative work is something you value does your big picture purpose align with this? Does your big picture purposes provide opportunity for this to happen? Are their shared values across your organsiation? Is meaning something you have the courage to talk about in your organisation?

Connection across these areas can lead to great satisfaction and outcomes. Disconnect provides creative tension for innovation and transformation. Think of a pearl – it is through an irritant getting into the oyster that a pearl is formed. Look at the exquisite beauty formed from an annoying disturbance or disruption.

It is the same for innovation.

The areas that cause tension, disturbances and disruption are ripe for picking in terms of innovation. Innovation is not necessarily about quantity or scale – both are important. Think about where opportunity for innovation lies in your business or your personal life. Does the purpose of your idea help improve things, create value, and benefit people. If so then the innovation is significant and worth acknowledging. If not what can you do to work towards this what changes can you make to add value.

Recently I designed and delivered innovation workshops for an engineering organisation. A discussion unfolded about everyday innovation. This is something we need to be mindful about. It’s too easy to sweep or step over the daily innovations that go on in organisations. It’s too easy to dismiss the significant daily changes and commitments with make in our personal lives. We need to do both. Have the big picture purpose, explore innovations and support that with everyday intentions and values to help guide us. There are multiple ways organsiations can shift from being average to being great.

These are just a few things to inspire change and innovation:

Imagination and Storytelling inspires us to dream and explore alternative ways of doing things and sharing that with others.

Play and Experimentation allows us to put ideas together in novel ways.

Courage and Action enables us to take those ideas, commit and go forth.

From this we –

Gain a sense of what works, what works well, what is less successful,

Make adjustments,

Imagine again,

And so we continue – sometimes these changes and innovations might be big, exciting and disruptive sometimes they are small and elegant but no less significant.

The Global Influencer Effectiveness Summit

I’d like to share some exciting news with you.

I’ve been invited to discuss my ‘Artful Inquiry for Creative Leadership’ at “The Global Influencer Effectiveness Summit” – a global master-class series that features over 20 thought provoking world leaders who will share unconventional approaches to ignite change in others.

The best part is that I get to share all the speakers’ information with you!

You’ll hear from influencers (myself included) from Australia, Canada, Israel, Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, England, Costa Rica and of course the United States about which the ground-breaking modalities that work for them and how you can benefit from their best practices.

This is a unique opportunity to absorb all the latest, cutting edge knowledge and the event is 100% free.

The summit begins on March 6th, and will continue for 14 days, with 1 – 2 interviews released daily.

Here is the link to sign up to the free online summit. I encourage you to grab this opportunity and hear from over 20 global practitioners: http://globalinfluencermasterclass.online/calo

This is what you will discover at this transformational event:

Cutting edge computer programs that facilitate transformation

Unconventional thought concepts and modalities (including visual sense-making, fiber-nature-art based inquiry, expressive performance) that help with clarity and discovery

New European programs in the field of life-long-learning, that are getting great results

And much, much more!

The link again is:  http://globalinfluencermasterclass.online/calo

The start of this year has shown a commitment from individual and organisational clients to invest and make time for people development. From my perspective there is nothing more important than investing in oneself and your team.

I have been working with teams from 5 – 25 people focusing mainly around building stronger relationships with their colleagues, developing more effective communication strategies and approaching their work more creatively and strategically. My 1-on-1 and small group coaching focuses on helping clients explore and identify the key issues and opportunities for where to put their energy, creativity, time and resources. All of these things are crucial when dealing in very complex environments.

To discuss my range of creative professional development opportunities for yourself, your managers and your organisation then contact me to discuss where you are currently and where you would like to be.

Talk soon,

Yours creatively

Cathryn Lloyd

The post Global Influencer Leadership Summit first appeared on Creative Leadership Wellbeing Innovation Program Brisbane.

Merry Christmas and 2016 in review

Cathryn Lloyd — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 00:29:34 +0000

Hello Mavericks

In my last newsletter I wrote about getting the most from conferences. 2016 really was a major conference year for Maverick Minds. It provided the opportunity to attend and present at the Art of Management and Organization conference in Slovenia, the Queensland Rural Regional and Remote Women’s Network in Roma, The Arts and Health Conference in Sydney and the Story Conference in Melbourne.

From my perspective The Story Conference: influencing cultural change one story at a time goes to the heart of what makes a conference worthwhile. Ultimately it is about connecting and sharing knowledge with our peers, professions and industries. When this is done through creative and powerful storytelling it is a great thing. It is also about the stories told and shared throughout the conference, in the breaks, at lunch, via workshops. I think that’s why I enjoyed the Story Conference as much as I did. There were workshops, longer breaks, open space – both outdoors and within the program, as well as some creative community building activities which encouraged deeper connection.

And while we know stories can be used to connect, influence, move, and create positive change, the flip side is that people and organisations can get stuck in unhelpful stories; so it pays to be mindful and aware of the stories that we tell ourselves and the people around us.

Life certainly brings challenges. Being human means we will be on the receiving end of any number of good and not so good stories. As my colleague Geoff Mead from the Narrative Leadership Associates says – “we are swimming in a sea of stories”. Indeed we do – stories of joy, sorrow, conflict, paradox, uncertainty, complexity, love, greed, compassion, anxiety, fear and hope.

Being human means we need to find ways to navigate and support ourselves, and at times the people around us, within the complexity and uncertainty that life holds. One of the ways we do that is through stories. Stories often have a starring role in how we endeavour to make sense of ourselves and the world we inhabit.

2016 has provided me with some great opportunities. Working with people can be complex, exciting, creative and at times challenging. It certainly keeps me on my toes. I have enjoyed longer-term engagement with my clients. This has allowed for a more satisfying and deeper way to engage with others and for positive change to emerge. Time is often a major factor in what can be achieved or not. Change, innovation, relationships, creative leadership and a cultivating a sense of wellbeing and flourishing can provoke feelings of uncertainty, and yet if we want change and different results we need to sit with that and work with it.

I’m also excited by the opportunity to co-edit the special edition of the International Journal of Professional Management with my colleague Dr Geoff Hill and will be released in 2017. This special edition is based on the storytelling workshop presentations from the 2016 Art of Management and Organization conference strand we co-curated and facilitated. I’ll let you know when this becomes available.

Finally, it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge that at Christmas many of us become part of a very powerful narrative in some way or another. Underneath that narrative is a mix of competing stories – of faith, beliefs, values, assumptions, and conflicting views. Whatever Christmas conjures up for you it can provoke certain demands and a range of feelings. It can also be a time to take stock and reflect on what has been and what is yet to arrive.

Christmas often means catching up with family and friends and if you are fortunate it provides some ‘chillax’ time. So while you down tools for a while, catch up on some reading and napping, I hope your heart and soul are also filled with nourishing stories by loved ones and strangers.

I’ve recently shared some great stories with strangers and have learned a whole lot of stuff I didn’t know – from a person doing multi faith peace work around the world to being shown software on an iPad which pilots use when flying air-crafts. Very interesting!

I wish you well for the Christmas season and hope that 2017 is a positive year full of stories that will move and inspire you.

And I hope we have the chance to connect in person and share some of those stories.

In the meantime

Stay safe, well and always creative

Yours creatively
Cathryn Lloyd

The post Merry Christmas and 2016 in review first appeared on Creative Leadership Wellbeing Innovation Program Brisbane.