I learned a lot of my meagre organisational design and development skills through the mentorship of a great friend, Tim Dalmau. Tim has taught many of the world’s great company leaders about how cultures really work. He teaches that cultures lie deep within all organisations. They are immensely hard to alter. This is because […]
Bob and Alison have been friends of ours for years. Recently Bob decided to retire and they put on a BBQ to mark the event. While Bob tended the steak in his inimitable fashion, I asked Alison about their plans for the next chapter in their lives. Without hesitation she reeled off a list […]
Uncertainty around complexity is more manageable when you think differently about the problems and the people involved and you have a proven process to follow. To us different thinking means that we need to be ADEPT : Appreciative that people, at their best, bring experience, knowledge and wisdom to decision-making. Accepting that Diverse perspectives, knowledge and values […]
Organisations go to a great deal of trouble to attract the most suitable people. It makes sense then to follow up the investment in new recruits by taking care to retain employees. There is no shortage of information about retention strategies – Google scholar lists 16000 articles for 2015 alone. Strategies to retain employees […]
For the most part we work with people trying to deal with social problems – homelessness, drug and alcohol issues, displaced people, domestic violence, literacy, education participation etc. For many these can be highly challenging and, at times, demoralising assignments. Ones that are not made easier by a media that sensationalize and overemphasises our perceived […]
Recently I attended a breakfast hosted by Deloitte, titled “Vision, Budget, Sector Reforms”. The guest speaker was the Minister for Social Services, Scott Morrison. Unlike his colleagues Tony Abbot and Joe Hockey, the Minister was able to get his message across to the audience of about 70 leaders from the NFP sector in a […]
Working in the not for profit sector can be mighty rewarding, but it can also be frustrating at times. Don’t know about you but for me a time of major frustration is after toiling away to promote your Cause you find that others, groups or communities just don’t seemed to be as engaged as you […]
Today the UN has proclaimed to be International Day of the World’s Indigenous People – an occasion to celebrate the stories, cultures and unique identities of indigenous Peoples around the world. In following a few links about the Day, I came across an interesting project that I would like to make more people aware of […]
When people hear that I consult to not for profits on communications, sooner or later, they ask me, “Dennis, is it really worth it? Can I raise funds for my organisation on social media?” I’m sorry, people, but those are two different questions. Question 1: Are Social Media Worth It for Your Organisation? First, […]
The converted. Let’s define them those who have helped to improve some feature of their work area, and who are now trying to make sure the improvements are sustained. Against the sometimes ambiguous results of change programs the converted may be an endangered species – certainly rare. If they are not nurtured, supported and encouraged […]
B-Cause 