TEC Live - Business and Leadership Insights

Simon Hunter, writer, director, and producer with over 30 years of experience in the film industry discusses the intersection of storytelling and leadership in business. Simon explains how the Hero's Journey, a narrative structure found in mythology and films, can be applied to personal and professional development. He emphasises the importance of authenticity and self-awareness in leadership and encourages individuals to reflect on their own stories and motivations. He also highlights the power of storytelling in business, as it allows leaders to connect with their clients on a personal level and create a meaningful impact.

Warren Hogan brings an Insightful Economic Analysis and makes the complex simple. As a prominent figure in the Australian business community, his insights directly impact businesses of all sizes, providing practical implications for navigating economic challenges and opportunities. He delves into the implications of government policies, offers credible forecasting and provides a long-term perspective on demographic and technological shifts. Whether you're a business owner, investor, or simply interested in understanding the economic landscape, this episode gives listeners a unique opportunity to gain valuable economic insights, stay informed about relevant policy developments, and enhance their understanding of the broader economic landscape's implications for business and society.

Join Stephanie Christopher and special guest Ashton Bishop in a deep dive into the world of marketing budgets and strategies. In this episode, we uncover the critical balance between short-term performance marketing and long-term brand building. Hear why allocating 60% of your marketing budget to brand and 40% to short-term efforts is crucial for sustainable growth. From the importance of differentiation versus distinctiveness to the role of market segmentation in targeting the right audience, this podcast provides actionable strategies for mid-size businesses aiming for exponential growth. Find out how to measure the effectiveness of your brand efforts and strike the perfect balance between short-term gains and long-term success. Whether you're a startup looking to establish your presence or a mid-size business seeking to scale, this episode offers invaluable advice on crafting a winning marketing strategy. Tune in and gain the confidence to invest in your brand's future while driving short-term results.

In this episode, Ingrid Maynard and Stephanie Christopher discuss the challenges in sales, from overcoming stereotypes to addressing the talent shortage. Ingrid delves into the skills deficit within sales teams, the significance of observable behaviours and the untapped potential of sales functions as incubators for broader organisational strategies. Business leaders will gain insights into the motivations of salespeople and practical strategies for transforming sales mindsets and fostering a positive sales culture.  

Sophie Pank is an authentic marketing professional with a knack for simplifying the complexities of marketing. This episode focuses on two key areas for business leaders wanting to ramp up their marketing efforts.  It may be just the right time to review marketing strategies and ensure you have alignment and collaboration across your business. Two top takeaways are: The critical need for alignment between sales and marketing teams. Sophie emphasises the importance of shared goals, open communication, and collaboration between these two functions The fundamentals of effective lead generation, emphasising the significance of understanding the ideal customer profile. She encourages businesses to actively engage with their audience, seek feedback, and adapt their marketing strategies based on real-world insights.

Debbie Haski Leventhal is an accomplished Professor of Business Management and the MBA Director at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. She is well-published with over 60 academic articles, five books, and a TED Talk, dedicated to creating impact and enabling others to find meaning and purpose. In this fascinating podcast, Debbie Haski Leventhal's talks about her childhood and upbringing in the Kabbalah Centre, a cult-like environment, highlighting the challenges, control mechanisms and the twisted rituals that were practiced, her escape and the difficulties faced by those trying to leave such organizations. This experience informed her views about the importance of critical thinking which led to her academic and professional pursuits, and the significance of corporate social responsibility in making a positive impact. Her work as a professor, focuses on corporate social responsibility and the positive impact that companies can make beyond their regular business activities. She cites examples of social enterprises and companies that can make a real difference in the world.

  The podcast features a conversation with David Jenyns, who became a systems devotee after systemising his own business successfully in 2016. He founded systemHUB and SYSTEMology with a mission to free business owners from the daily operations of their businesses. The discussion covers various aspects of systemising a business, the importance of repeatability, the impact on scalability, and how to get started with creating and implementing systems and processes. David emphasises the value of falling in love with the idea of owning a systemised business and building up your systems muscle over time to achieve business growth and success. 8 tips to improved efficiency, scalability, and overall success in business. Systemise Your Business: Systemising your business can free you from daily operational tasks, allowing you to focus on more strategic aspects of your company. Identify Critical Systems: Start by identifying the critical few systems that have the biggest impact on your business's success. These are the systems you should focus on first. Delegate and Repeat: Delegate tasks to lower-skilled team members, making them repeatable and standardized. This helps free up higher-skilled team members to work on more valuable tasks. Keep It Simple: Don't overcomplicate your systems. Focus on creating systems that are simple, clear, and easy for your team to follow. Cultural Change: Changing the culture inside your organisation is a crucial part of systemisation. Teach your team the value of systems and processes and how they can lead to personal and professional growth. Fall in Love with Systemisation: Understand the importance of systemisation and commit to the process, even if you don't particularly enjoy creating documentation. Focus on the benefits it brings to your business. Start Small and Build: Begin by identifying and systemizing just one or a few key processes. Building your "systems muscle" gradually will lead to long-term success. Celebrate System Wins: Recognise and celebrate small wins in systemisation during your weekly meetings. This reinforces the importance of systems within your company.

In this episode Trudy MacDonald and Stephanie Christopher tackle this rich and relevant topic, uncovering the evolving landscape of work and leadership challenges - a must listen podcast for all business leaders. Over the past few years, there has been a shift from "The Great Resignation" to "The Great Renegotiation" and ultimately "The Great Exhaustion." Leaders are facing burnout in an environment where they are under more pressure than ever before. Trudy highlights four key reasons contributing to burnout: Ways of Working: Hybrid and remote work models are here to stay, impacting relationships and connections within teams. Role Clarity: Leaders have taken on too many responsibilities, leading to role compression and overwhelming workloads. Changing Demands of Leadership: Leadership now requires a more humanistic approach, balancing empathy and accountability, which can be challenging. Culture: Creating a culture of psychological safety where toxic behaviours are not tolerated is crucial, especially in remote or hybrid work environments. Trudy emphasizes that this shift in leadership requires leaders to be visible, accessible, and empathetic. By building trust and a sense of belonging within teams, leaders can create a culture where accountability and support go hand in hand. Starting with the leadership team and modelling the desired behaviours is essential for implementing these changes effectively. Hear how leaders can help themselves and their teams to mitigate burnout and become a high performance team.

Melo Calarco, the author of Beating Burnout, Finding Balance. He's a mindfulness and high performance expert, a keynote speaker and corporate programs facilitator. Melo teaches others how to stay energized, perform at their best, and conquer burnout. Melo's lessons draw on his three decades of professional experience and on his life of cycling and trekking more than 30,000 kilometers across five continents, of course. His work has been described as truly transformational.  In this podcast you'll hear insights about: self-awareness, self-regulation, thinking about yourself as a person and as a leader, and then thinking about your teams as well. As a leader, teaching people about preventing burnout and being more mindful in their work, will also lead to greater productivity 

In 2017 DJ and Harriet McCready embarked on transforming a dilapidated historic building in the NSW Blue Mountains of NSW into the first brewpub in the Blue Mountains.  Harriet tells a great entrepreneurial story. Hear the ups and downs of building a business from scratch, with incredible strokes of luck and about the people that helped them along with way. Their controversial business plan, resilience and belief in their vision and purpose helped them stand out from an already crowded marketplace.  This episode highlights the power of luck, seizing opportunities, and the importance of strong leadership and culture within a business that paved the way for rapid growth and more to come. I highly recommend listening to this podcast episode, it offers a unique perspective on building a successful business, overcoming obstacles, and embracing the journey of growth. 

This episode is thought-provoking and explores the exciting possibilities that generative AI offers. By understanding this emerging technology and its implications, you can position your organisation to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven world. Tim sheds light on the historical journey of AI, from its origins in the post-World War II era to the present day. He touches on the concept of machines thinking like humans and the intermittent phases of progress and setbacks that have marked the development of AI over the years. He points out that it’s essential to understand the nuances of AI Chatbots and shares tips on unlocking their full potential. ‘Generative AI is not meant to replicate human thinking or replace human intelligence but serve as a powerful tool to augment human capabilities and streamline work processes. It enables us to offload repetitive tasks, accelerate information retrieval, and empower us to focus on higher-level strategic thinking and creativity’ says Tim. To gain insights into the implications of generative AI for your organisation this is a must listen to episode.

In this podcast, Warren Hogan provides an in-depth analysis of Australia's economic landscape and the rationale behind his views on interest rates and inflation. Warren emphasizes the need for Australia's cash rate to surpass 4% in order to achieve a zero real interest rate. He argues that negative real interest rates historically do not help control inflation and can even contribute to its rise. By maintaining a zero real interest rate, Hogan believes the country can achieve a soft landing and effectively manage inflation. Despite concerns about a potential economic downturn, the Australian economy has shown resilience Warren says and he also mentions interactions with mid-sized companies and their positive outlook, indicating that business activity remains strong. Adding recent employment data and member feedback showing that businesses are still hiring due to labor shortages. Warrens shared his view that the cash rate could reach 4.35% or possibly 4.6% by the end of September. However, suggesting that once this target is achieved, there should be a genuine pause of four to six months to observe the effects of previous rate hikes. This pause period would allow the economy to stabilize and inform future monetary policy decisions. This podcast is highly recommend listening, giving a comprehensive providing valuable perspectives and insights into Australia's economic outlook and the role of interest rates and other economic levers in managing inflation.

Sandra Poon is a strategy advisor, certified Advisory Board Chair and business coach - Sandra’s secret super-power is her ability to understand an organisation’s landscape quickly and identify ways to make it better.  Sandra and Stephanie delve deeper into the topic - DEIB and discuss the importance of fostering an inclusive culture, where everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. They also explore the positive impact that diverse teams have on decision-making, problem-solving, and overall organisational performance. By the end of this episode, you'll gain a deeper understanding of why diversity matters and the simple steps leaders can take to create a culture that not only embraces DEI+B but outperforms those that don't.  

In this episode of 'Empowering Leadership', we dive into the critical moments that CEOs face on their journey. Join Danielle Jorgensen and Stephanie Christopher as they explore strategies to navigate disruption, make impactful decisions, and develop emotional agility. Hear how to empower your team, tap into the expertise across your organisation, and become a transformational leader. Danielle explains why it's important for CEOs and business leaders to preserving their energy and make conscious choices about where to invest their time. Gain insights on fostering creativity, gaining perspective outside of your business, and recognizing that the CEO role extends beyond individual responsibility. It's time to conquer critical moments and empower yourself as a leader.

Colin Fraser, Co founder and Partner at Nevis Capital and Stephanie explore the opportunities and challenges caused by generative AI technology, particularly in fields traditionally considered outside the realm of automation, such as creative professions and consulting.  The conversation touches on the potential resistance to adopting AI tools in conservative professions like finance, insurance, and banking due to concerns about bias and regulation. Importantly the intentional management of biases in AI systems and the potential for AI to help make better decisions by removing bias and promoting better thinking.The future of work is discussed in the context of social and cultural norms, technological advancements, and the environment. These three core components play a significant role in shaping the future of work.They address the challenges faced by leaders of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in determining work arrangements, productivity, and performance in the office and remote settings. They emphasize the importance of teamwork, common goals, and avoiding a perception of privilege or punishment based on work location.The conversation highlights the need for individualized approaches to work arrangements, recognizing that different individuals thrive in different environments. It's important to consider the unique circumstances and find ways to get the best out of each person.

Paul is an award-winning founder of Future Directors Institute and is described as a ‘boardroom futurist’. He's one of the leading thinkers on the where next for corporate governance and speaks regularly around the world on the themes of board diversity, inclusive decision-making and the concept of the ‘Future Director’. In this podcast Paul explores the true purpose of a board and the change in mindset required to create or shape a board for effective stewardship, good decision-making and be your number one competitive advantage!      

Dr Neryl East shares her experience of working with leaders across different types of organisations and highlights the importance of effective communication. She says, ‘Communication is not just about pushing out information but rather making sure that the other person has received, understood, believed, and acted on the message. Particularly in times of stress and uncertainty, trust in leaders and organisations is crucial, and effective communication plays a vital role in building that trust'. Dr East and Stephanie Christopher deep dive into how leaders need to strike a balance between competence and character, that is, between demonstrating their knowledge and expertise and showing their humanness and ability to connect with people. In partnership with TEC, Dr Neryl East shares her ground-breaking research. This research uncovers the keys for leaders to navigate the challenges of our post-pandemic world and rebuild trust with fragmented teams. Read about the 6 Lenses of Credible Leadership required in 2023 and beyond. Download the whitepaper here: https://tec.com.au/a/thankyou-whitepaper-download/

Elias Kanaris is an author, professional keynote speaker, executive coach, leadership trainer, and entrepreneur. Elias shares an insider's view about what happened on 9/11 when the plane he was a passenger in was diverted, alongside another 37 planes, to Gander International Airport due to the terrorist acts in the US (New York City, the Pentagon and DC). What the passengers expected was going to be a short layover, turned into five days as they were hosted by the Salvation Army in Newfoundland, Canada.

Jens Goennemann, Managing Director of Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre sits down with Stephanie Christopher and shares his insights about the misconceptions of Australian Manufacturing and the untapped Opportunities for the future if we’re smart. Manufacturing is the most promising capability to transform Australia from a lucky country to a smart country, says Jens. He advocates that Industry needs to take charge and be more responsible for transforming the economy for the better and our education system also has an important role to play in this. Jens is passionate that a country’s ability to make complex things is its' most important capability. Australia needs to add complexity to our commodities and value-add on shore - Creating more jobs and significantly impacting our GDP Just the beginning of an important conversation … PS Here's the video link about Jen's skydiving record mentioned: http://bit.ly/3XRDn1D

In this high energy and super informative podcast Dr Robert Dew, Senior Partner at CapFeather Global and customer strategy & innovation expert, shares research insights about how different companies grow.  Robert and Stephanie jump into The Three Horizons of Growth framework, originally developed by McKinsey and Company, and discuss the findings of CapFeathers research that discovered which Horizon was the most profitable innovation pathway for high performing companies and the five essential elements of creating long lasting growth. There's so much here you'll listen to this multiple times! Related article: https://www.capfeather.global/the-best-next-move-strategy