It’s coming up to five years since I left the post as CEO of RedBalloon – not being involved with the detail allows me as a non-executive director to bring different ‘experiences’ or insights to the board table. However, my passion has in no way diminished – I remain committed to great workplaces – I have seen first hand the difference it makes to the success of many businesses when the team is aligned.  This week in particular is all about stepping away from the ‘office’ and writing – I have two new speaking topics I am exploring……and time spent on my “one thing” – Ready to Soar.

Monday was everything Redii and HR related at Royal Pines in the Gold Coast. I spent the day with members of the Redii team, and at the end of the day took the stage with Cathie Reid (Co-Founder, Epic Group); Tony Lowings (MD, KFC South Pacific) and Matthew Stewart (General Manager, Bankstown City Council). We debated how we should be positioning human resources to realise the potential of digital transformation toward a stronger, more agile organisation; how we needed to inspire, develop and recognise the right behaviors to sustain an environment of high performance and how to master the art of change to stay ahead. Then Cathie and I had a long discussion about how she uses her recognition tool with bringing her businesses together – and using it for insights in to performance – getting the Redii platform working to support the performance review process.

Tuesday I was back in Sydney for the RedBalloon Board Meeting – it is so fantastic watching the business in action with new ideas, innovation, different ways of thinking – and many opportunities. I also ended the evening at Digicit Dinner which was a really thought-provoking forum where tech founders gather for a meal once a quarter to discuss the state of the industry.

Wednesday I was back on a plane to Melbourne for the University of Melbourne’s Business and Economics Alumni Women’s Lunch, of which I am one. I was there to share the importance of discovering your passion, working with persistence and purpose and creating a culture of engaged and positive employees. We had plenty of laughs realising how long it is since I was at Uni…. I implored the group to be role models for others – and that putting our hands up is the way to get to balanced voice.

Thursday was Redii‘s monthly Board Meeting – and then I was off on a plane to spend the Easter break with my family. Which means no electronic devices. There was painting, reading, games, walks, yoga, cooking, sailing and plenty of sleep. Plenty of laughter, exploring, conversation, and discussions….

 

This Week:

More of this!…stay tuned… I am sure I will come back with boundless energy and an unbridled feeling of moving the game forward…