SEASON 1

This conversation explores David’s international career journey and the lessons it provides to others in these uncertain times.

INSIGHT 1  Mentor relationships can be mutually beneficial, where each person is able to learn and grow from the other's experiences, perspective and insights. This is particularly the case where these relationships have been formed and nurtured organically, rather than being sought out.

INSIGHT 2  Your skills and experience should speak for themselves through a clear view of the value you offer, and how this can be brought to bear to solve the problems of your colleagues, clients, and customers.

INSIGHT 3  To be the best version of you, it's important to be true to yourself, understand the things that are important in your life to provide balance and direction.

This conversation was part of an online forum that took place on Wednesday 19th August 2020, with more than 100 registered attendees posing questions from all around the world.

08m00s An overview of David's international career

12m00s Advice for, and the mutual benefits of mentor relationships

14m15s The value of nurturing international relationships

16m15s The hands on nature and journey of discovery that crafts a career

26m00s Engaging your network with the value you offer

31m15s Using the Rule of Thirds to bring balance to your life

35m30s The changing ways of working from COVID that are likely to stick

49m15s Staying curious to learn and grow with your clients

This conversation explores the different types of sponsorship, how to identify them, and useful ways for working and engaging with them.

INSIGHT 1    Despite significant uplift in project practices over the past 30 years, there has been little change in sponsorship and executive governance.

INSIGHT 2    Asking a Sponsor what the project means to them will provide insight to their motivation and commitment to it, and provide valuable direction.

INSIGHT 3    Emerging from the evolution of project practices, some responsibilities traditionally held by Sponsors, are being assumed by other roles, such as the Product Owner.

This conversation was part of an online forum that took place on Wednesday 5th August 2020, with more than 100 registered attendees posing questions from all around the world.

06m45s    Inspiration to write the book

10m15s    Importance of Active Sponsorship

17m45s    The ‘Peacock’ Sponsor

19m30s    The ‘Magpie’ Sponsor

20m15s    The ‘Ostrich’ Sponsor

21m00s    The ‘Duck’ Sponsor

22m30s    The ‘Eagle’ Sponsor

24m15s    The ‘Owl’ Sponsor

35m15s    Gauging Your Sponsor

45m30s    Importance of Fun for Creativity

49m30s    Required Attributes of an Effective Sponsor

51m30s    Evolving Project Leadership

Use the button below to access a special discounted price, available to CWTLeader community members only, to purchase a signed copy of Annie's book.  A Kindle version of the book is also available from Amazon.

This conversation explores the life changing power of masterful Communication ability, and includes practical tips for how to uplift this critical skillset.

"... you've got access to this huge amount of talent that right now, they're invisible because of their inability to communicate. ..."

"... if you want to harmonise with them and build exceptional rapport ... you've got to adjust the way you communicate to their foundations ..."

"... so what magic teaches you is that not matter how impossible something looks, there is always a solution ..."

"... we've been given ... one of the most complex instruments ... and it came with no manual, no teacher, and no coach ..."

INSIGHT 1 Unless you master the skill of Communication, any Technical skill and the value you offer society, remains hidden and unrealised.  Communication skill can be developed through an understanding of Visual and Vocal Image and practiced via Record and Review techniques.

INSIGHT 2 Uplifting the ability to communicate offers companies immense opportunity to uncover a wealth of talent and value which otherwise remains dormant and hidden in their people.

INSIGHT 3 Adjusting the foundational levers of Visual and Vocal Image will enable you to harmonise Communication for different people and situations, which will lead to greater rapport and influence.

This conversation was part of an online forum that took place on Wednesday 22nd July 2020, with more than 110 attendees signed in and posing questions from all around the world.

11m59s The importance of Communication skill to realise Technical Skill and value

14m18s An overview of the foundations of Vocal Image

29m17s How 'Record & Review' provides a Vocal Mirror for self-improvement

34m10s The family backstory and how it has inspired Vinh's journey

37m03s How a pandemic and a garage have led to reframing what's really important

44m49s Learning to harmonise your communication to establish better rapport

48m58s The talent buried in companies that Communication ability can uncover

55m17s An overview of Vinh's online workshops, who they're for, and what to expect

"... you've got access to this huge amount of talent that right now, they're invisible because of their inability to communicate. ..."

“… if you want to harmonise with them and build exceptional rapport … you’ve got to adjust the way you communicate to their foundations …”

“… so what magic teaches you is that no matter how impossible something looks there is always a solution …”

“… we’ve been given … one of the most complex instruments … and it came with no manual, no teacher, no coach …”

This conversation explores the impacts of the pandemic on project delivery, governance and practices, and the role of values to unite and drive change.

INSIGHT 1 Values are what unite and transcend complex and disparate work environments, which makes a values assessment so important when considering a new job opportunity.

INSIGHT 2 Agile projects can't realise their full potential without broader organisational change, such as investment governance, to unshackle the constraints that traditional approaches typically impose.

INSIGHT 3 Quality communication and stakeholder engagement are key to overcoming the fear that is often the basis of resistance to change.

This conversation was part of an online forum that took place on Thursday 9th July 2020, with more than 110 attendees signed in and posing questions from all around the world.

09m10s Impacts of the pandemic on the project  pipeline, governance & practices
13m22s How senior executives are adapting to the new ways of working
25m30s Leadership in change resistant organisations
29m09s The role of values in uniting organisations and driving change
34m54s The mission of key initiatives of Vic ICT for Women
42m36s Advice for up and coming project professionals
51m22s Adapting financial governance to enable organisational agility
54m47s How to overcome fear as the greatest cause of change   resistance

This conversation explores the new trade deal between Australia and the UK, the progress of Brexit, and the impact on both that the pandemic may have.

"... what the pandemic has taught us as well as that we need to make sure we are not putting all our eggs in one basket ..."

INSIGHT 1 The combined size of the Australian and UK economies should not be underestimated and is comparable, and competitive, with other large global economies.

INSIGHT 2 Despite the pandemic taking headlines over recent months, there has still been good progress in the background with Brexit as it moves toward full implementation.

INSIGHT 3 Making it easier to move and do business between Australia and the UK will underpin the benefits that can be drawn from the free trade agreement.

This conversation was part of an online forum that took place on Wednesday 24th June 2020, with more than 60 attendees signed in and posing questions from all around the world.

"... what the pandemic has taught us as well is that we need to make sure we are not putting all our eggs in one basket ..."

This conversation explores how the Unlearn approach can help organisations and individuals to navigate and thrive in these uncertain times.

"... COVID is not a disruption, it is actually an accelerant ..."

"... the way to succeed is to act and learn your way through uncertainty ..."

INSIGHT 1 Organisations need to look at the pandemic differently, not a disruption, but as an accelerant of change and business improvement.  This is something that digitally enabled companies are best equipped to exploit and can now been seen to be responding to the new challenges and opportunities that the pandemic presents far more rapidly than their digitally inept competitors.

INSIGHT 2 The Unlearn process is the conscious approach of letting go of outdated information, and digesting new information to better inform decision making moving forward.  It is predicated on a think big, start small, and learn fast mantra.

INSIGHT 3 In the face of uncertainty, the natural reaction is to freeze and stop, to assess the situation.  This will only result in falling behind.  The way to navigate uncertainty is to learn your way through it, taking small steps, accepting that there will be small failures and successes, and using these constructively as a means to learn, and continually adjust the course.

This interview was part of an online forum that took place on Wednesday 10th June 2020, with more than 90 attendees signed in and posing questions from all around the world.

"... COVID is not a disruption, it is actually an accelerant ..."

"... the way to succeed is to act and learn your way through uncertainty ..."

At a time when project delivery is prominent in the world's response to a global pandemic, this in depth interview covers the following key topics:

INSIGHT 1 The interruption of COVID provides opportunity for corporates to reflect on their core business and fundamental purpose.  This helps them to identify what’s critical, what’s not, and to provide the required focus and direction to drive their organisations into the new world;

INSIGHT 2 In addition to potentially reducing their office space footprint, organisations are also seeing productivity gains for some roles and functions as further impetus to continue at least some of the new ways of working, particular telecommuting, beyond the current social distancing restrictions; and

INSIGHT 3 The core skills that project professionals have always needed to survive and thrive have not changed on account of COVID.  Now more than ever, skills such as effective communication and forward planning are critical to the success or failure of projects as the new normal begins to take root.

This interview was part of an online forum that took place on Tuesday 26th May 2020, with more than 70 attendees signed in and posing questions from all around Australia.

At a time when there world is going through such rapid change and exponential growth in the dependence on digital ways of working and living, this in depth interview covers the following key topics:

INSIGHT 1 Amazon really live their corporate Leadership Principles, some of which are seemingly diametrical, but in so being, bring balance to everything they do; 

INSIGHT 2 COVID-19 has accelerated digitalisation globally, placing AWS at the forefront as both an enabler and adopter, of new ways of working, and new ways of living; and

INSIGHT 3 The rapid evolution of technology is causing a shift in the skills and capabilities required to transcend an equally rapidly changing job landscape.  

This interview was part of an online forum that took place on Tuesday 11th May 2020, with more than 70 attendees signed in and posing questions from all around Australia.

Quietly Powerful builds on various work on introversion and quiet leadership by authors such as Susan Cain's Quiet, Laurie Helgoe's Introvert Power and David Rock's Quiet Leadership, Megumi's own research into Quietly Powerful Leadership, as well as theories on self-efficacy, power and rank, personality traits, developmental models from process oriented psychology. 

"... you know that they're there for the purpose and not for themselves ..."

This conversation was recorded as part of an online webinar held on Wednesday 6th May 2020, and attended by people from all around the world.  

"... you know that they're there for the purpose and not for themselves ..."

At a time when most of the world is in lockdown at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Colin shares his insights on the impacts this has had on corporate culture, the current outlook, and his tips for leading people through these uncertain times.

"... this is a perfect time to nurture creativity ..."

This conversation was recorded as part of an online forum held on Wednesday 29th April 2020, and attended by over 100 participants from all around the world.

"... this is a perfect time to nurture creativity ..."