Sometimes, an outside point of view from a management consulting firm can be helpful to your Perth business. Over the years, we have found that many companies have their leadership development under control, but that their workshops and meetings can become bogged down, due to conflict and confusion concerning roles.

Sometimes, all it takes is for someone from the outside to take charge of the meeting or workshop as an objective facilitator. An effective facilitator can help employees and management become more open to new information or techniques, work through conflicts or issues, and turn nebulous concepts into fixed objectives.

An objective facilitator can be useful for such goals as process improvement, strategic planning, cultural change, scenario planning, problem solving, the generation of new ideas, and planning for sustainability.

The Integral Facilitation Model

The Integral Facilitation Model is a framework consisting of four quadrants. These quadrants are implemented and delivered via the following:

● A well-defined macrocosm, planning that pays close attention to detail, leading to the desired outcomes ● Managing emotions, encouraging participation, and intervention if needed ● Fostering team development and commitment on the part of leaders ● The most effective facilitation methods, combining structure, correct timing, and the right combination of materials.

Benefits ● Deliver outcomes with maximum time efficiency ● Prevent divergent views from causing conflict ● Foster an environment where all ideas are welcome ● Empower maximum participation by maintaining an emotionally safe environment

Professional Facilitation Tools

● LENS Technique ● SAID Method ● … Continue reading →

We have conducted extensive leadership development training for numerous Australian businesses over the last 20 years, and our clients all seem to agree on one concept: it is better to develop leaders from within than it is to hire them from outside on a regular basis.

An integral organisation should be a place where everyone who is hired feels that he or she has an opportunity for career advancement if they display enough dedication and hard work. Employees tend to work harder if they feel that their efforts will be rewarded with promotions as they progress through the company.

Integral Leadership Coaching enables a business to identify and develop leaders, from the earliest stages of their careers, to those who are in position to replace a retiring CEO. We customise our coaching programs to the individual, and help you develop protocols in which present and future leaders can attain the next level. We focus on solutions,results, and self-directed learning, leading to increased performance, and both personal and professional growth for the individual.

How Your Organisation Benefits

Successful integral organisations are built one person at a time. If each individual is developed to the fullest, they are able to maximise their contributions to the team. Integral Leadership Coaching benefits the organisation in many ways:

● Identifies areas in which key employees can grow ● Increases employee retention and motivation by providing a customised plan for upward mobility

● Fosters an environment of teamwork and achievement ● Makes the organisation stronger by … Continue reading →

One of the most common themes we hear when providing management consulting to Perth businesses is how difficult it is to adjust to cultural differences, both inside and outside the workplace. Most businesses are diverse within the workplace, and many executives meet with other executives from foreign countries on a regular basis.

Whatever the situation, it is important to acknowledge and honour cultural differences when conducting any kind of business. Not knowing how to deliver your message in the “language” of the intended target may result in miscommunication, and even an accidental insult or slight. Here are a few things to remember about cultural differences.

Communication

Things such as tone and volume of voice, hand-shaking, and even eye contact are different from culture to culture. For example, an American will look you directly in the eye, while someone from China will prefer indirect eye contact. Many cultures practise loud, direct speech, while others prefer a softer tone, and may talk indirectly.

Time

Some cultures are punctual, while others see specific appointment times as guidelines or suggestions, as opposed to being etched in stone.

Customs

A bow or a handshake can be seen as courteous or offensive, depending upon the country of origin. Body language is very specific to the country of origin, and can sometimes differ within a country by region.

Political considerations

Politics differ greatly from one person to the next, even within one country. When many countries are added into the mix, the likelihood of someone taking offence … Continue reading →

In our leadership development programs, the subject of employee engagement is discussed on a regular basis. The higher ratio a company has of engaged employees to disengaged employees, the happier and more productive the workplace will be.

Last year, the Society for Human Resource Management conducted the 2012 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey. The survey included participants from around the world. On a scale of 1 to 5, the average employee scored 3.6. A rating of 3.0 was equivalent to “moderately engaged,” while 5.0 was equivalent to “highly engaged.” A 2011 survey in which the only options were “engaged” to “disengaged” indicated that 31% of employees worldwide felt “engaged.”

 Whether or not these numbers constitute a crisis is a subject of some debate within the management community, but it is safe to say that a larger number of engaged employees more than likely results in increased production and performance. Here are a few helpful techniques that can help increase employee engagement.

 · Show employees that you care about them. Like respect, a modern employee sees caring as a two-way street; if they think you don’t care, then they won’t care, either.

· Career advancement. Employees always feel better about themselves if they feel that they can advance their careers within their current workplace.

· Communicate a clear vision. What is your company mission? What do you require from your employees to fulfil that mission?

· Clear job descriptions. Let employees know … Continue reading →

In 2007, James M Kouzes and Barry Z Posner created a deceptively simple leadership development system. They called it the “Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership,” and it was part of what was called “The Leadership Challenge.” While it obviously wasn’t a full leadership development course, it provided a nice set of general principles which could be used to develop one.

The first practice is to “model the way.” The second is to “inspire a shared vision.” The third is to “challenge the process.” The fourth is to “enable others to act,” and the fifth is to “encourage the heart.” Together, they comprise what Posner and Kouzes called an “evidence-based leadership model.”

When they polled executives who had enacted the five practises in their workplaces, the executives reported improvements in their workplaces. The practises were reported to have increased team spirit, motivation, productivity, pride in the workplace, trust in the management team, and clarity regarding job descriptions and responsibilities.

While the survey was anecdotal, it was concluded that applying the five practises had a positive effect on financial indicators such as return on investment, net income growth, and stock price growth of the companies who would adhered to them.

We teach a much more comprehensive system, but we find that much of what we teach can be connected to these principles. For example, the first practise, “model the way,” refers to leadership by example, which is essential in this day and age. The second practise, … Continue reading →