Learning to Fly

In a special Learning to Fly episode we welcome Chris Maika, CEO of Māori eLearning and capability consultancy, Ruku ki te ako.

As a follow on from our most recent Inspire Connect events, Chris shares insights into embedding Te Ao Māori in organisations, emphasizing the importance of leadership engagement, understanding the organisation's why, and implementing a strategic direction. He highlights the need for a sustainable, long-term approach that involves both top-down and ground-up efforts.

The discussion also touches on the significance of Te Tiriti ō Waitangi, and the importance of meaningful embedding to avoid tokenism. Chris addresses concerns about disengagement, urging organisations to create a supportive environment where individuals feel safe to make mistakes and learn.

Links to resources discussed in the episode:

Time flies! Inspire Group is 20 years young! 

Aidan Stoate interviews Dan Tohill on all the challenges, changes and lessons learnt in the L&D industry over the last 20 years.

Inspire started with an idea, to bring to the market a new approach to organisational learning with the belief that – 'better learning is life changing'.

Over the last 20 years we have grown from our Wellington base to Auckland, Australia and Malaysia and now serve a global market with learning solutions, leadership development and talent solutions.

From a distance the growth curve looks like a smooth trajectory, but just like personal growth, there’s been plenty of ups and downs, steps forward and backwards and a few sideways moves.

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In this episode Dan Tohill talks to Fran Hoover who shares some of her experiences while working for many years in the public and community sectors and the importance of ensuring learning is culturally appropriate.

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Ulrika Brunner interviews Michaela Boye - Managing Director from Scania Group Taiwan, and they discuss how leadership is democratising globally and the importance of having open discussions to nurture your company culture through developing trust and ensuring employees align with core values early on in their induction process.

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Ulrika Brunner interviews James Hudson from Drive Development Solutions and L&D Mastermind and they discuss leadership and L&D challenges at this time and how to lead with genuine compassion and understanding to help people adapt to change and this new digital world of virtual working. They also discuss the three stages of leadership development:

1. Lead self
2. Lead others
3. Lead results

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Dan Tohill interviews Peter Keegan. At the time of recording Peter was the Capability Development Manager for the Department of Conservation. Peter shares some of the work he's done around personas for the learning and development of DOCs diverse workforce.

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In this episode Nat Gunn chats to Dan Tohill and provides practical tips on building your team culture online.

Nat, co-owner of Epic Learning, is a Learning and Development Specialist with a lot of experience both working and learning online. She leads a remote team, spread across Australasia. Epic has carved a great company culture online, continue to grow and develop their people and even get a chance to have some fun, even if they have never all physically been in the same location together at once.  Nat enjoys the challenges of leading a remote team, and this year her experience in the area has been put to good use, helping others adapt to the shift toward remote working. 

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Kimble Vowless shares his thoughts with Dan Tohill on the incredibly unique year that was 2020, how he managed working 80 hour weeks urgently training people in the health sector, his tips on virtual working and the 'remote learning revolution'.

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Aidan Stoate interviews Andrew Curtis, one of our trusted associates here at Inspire Group.

Listen to this episode to get tips and techniques on how to effectively lead and engage with people in a virtual working environment and how to facilitate great learning experiences and meetings online.

Some of our favourite quotes from Andrew in this episode:

"The only way to get trust is to give trust. If I'm the leader then I have to show trust first. I have to look for ways that I trust you."

"If I have trust I have everything."

"When it comes to creating that trust environment, I look for opportunities to share moments where I haven't understood, or where I have failed to meet an objective. And what I'm saying as a leader is that I want to create a high-trust environment here. So whereby I'm sharing an area that I had to learn, people pick up that this is a place where they can say they don't understand." 

"In a virtual meeting I find I need to be really directive and really clear on what I want and how I want people to respond."

"The principle of trust and open sharing is the foundation of really good conversations. In terms of how you really help someone, one of the most powerful things that I have discovered is if a person is safe to notice their own thinking about something, that is when change can become possible."

"As a leader I have to think how can I give trust first, how can I give safety first, how can I give as sense non-judgement first, and then I can build from there."

"Your energy will follow where your heart is, and you can't fake that long term."

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Aidan Stoate interviews Alyson Garrido, one of our trusted associates here at Inspire Group.

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• Are you thinking about becoming an L&D Contractor and want tips on how to go freelance? 
• Are you looking for L&D talent and want insights on how to get the right person in this perceived ‘candidate rich’ market? 
• Want to know how recent events have impacted the L&D contracting market in NZ? 
• Want to know what key L&D skills organisations are looking for right now? 

Listen to our latest podcast episode where Aidan Stoate interviews Shaiza Wan – our National People Partner here at Inspire Group. Shaiza works with hundreds of companies across New Zealand to help them resource their teams with learning and development talent. In this episode Shaiza offers valuable insights into the trends she is seeing in the Learning and Development contracting scene. 

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Being the Chief People Officer of AXA Affin General Insurance Berhad, Syukri Sudari has, like many of us, needed to adapt in work and life in recent months. But that is only half the story. In a wide ranging and very open conversation with our Inspire Group Asia CEO James McCulloch, Syukri shares how his love of people, ability to see challenges as opportunities and his inspiring strength to grow and learn from life changing and tragic events has shaped him and continues to do so. As Syukri says, ‘we need to live fully, and focus on what we can change and what we can influence’. Wise words indeed!

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As the recent CEO of Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, Nurini Kassim has some great thoughts to share with our Inspire Group Asia CEO James McCulloch on leading in a changing world and industry- and how the blend of clear direction, empathy and also a higher calling of ‘service’ is key.

"You need to inspire people towards a greater good, not just because you are the boss!" - Nurini Kassim

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As the Senior General Manager for HR across the vast and diverse Malaysian conglomerate, Berjaya Corporation Berhad, Grace Chan has some great views to share on how HR can enhance its relevance at this time of great change. Grace also has a fantastic energy and a brilliant passion for caring for people and their wellbeing- which makes her the perfect leader for this conversation with our Inspire Group Asia CEO James McCulloch.

"If it is to be, it is up to me!” - Grace Chan

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Joining Touch n Go, one of the most prominent payment technology enterprises in Malaysia, in early 2020 as Head of Learning and Development has certainly been interesting timing for Dr Amina Kayani. Having met in KL in January, our Inspire Group Asia CEO James McCulloch catches up with Dr Amina to see how she has found 2020 so far, and what reflections on this drawing on both her wide academic background and also how workplaces and teams have been forced to adapt quickly during Covid restrictions.

"We can be just as inspired by failures too: its not all about success stories. There is learning from every situation" - Dr Amina Kayani

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Jennifer Young is a recovering-admitted-lawyer-turned-Workplace-Wellbeing-Consultant, Resilience Coach, Facilitator and Writer. She has worked in public sector leadership development, corporate instructional design, start-up growth and with youth/young adults, with a focus on emotional wellbeing, transformational human development, innovation and intergenerational collaboration.

In this episode, Inspire Group's Nic Veltman interviews Jennifer Young and covers:

• Conversations that we can no longer ignore, around vulnerability, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion
• Uncertainty and reintegration anxiety with people returning to a new normal at work
• How we treat ourselves ripples out to others 

"Be kind to yourself, be kind to others and be kind to the environment around you" - Jennifer Young from Intentional Generations

Given the events of 2020 so far, it's good to check in with someone who lives and breathes corporate communications, and has a great overview of one of the largest economic sectors in Malaysia. But Varian Ignatius also has an incredible curiosity, energy and a clarity that can help us focus on how we shape and evolve our leadership and communication in this truly disrupted 2020. Here, he shares those insights and a few tips for maintaining our own ‘operating systems’ with our Inspire Group Asia CEO, James McCulloch.

"Disruption is all around us. So, how are you going to disrupt yourself?" - Varian Ignatius

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If you follow Photobook Worldwide on LinkedIn (and we highly recommend you do) you will have seen some great posts and initiatives designed to enhance workplace culture and wellbeing during the Covid lockdown - and they worked! To find out more, our Inspire Group Asia CEO, James McCulloch caught up with Photobook Worldwide Talent and Culture Manager, Joachim Ooi.

“I have learnt that it's more about progression than perfection.” - Joachim Ooi.

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As Executive VP for Human Resouces for TDCX, one of the biggest business process outsource partners in Asia, Lim Chee Gay is a busy man in ‘normal’ times, let alone this turbulent, challenging 2020. But he is also someone who, through careful discipline and time management, makes time for balance, reflection, learning and fun too. How? What drives him? And what has he learnt from his leadership journey spanning AIA, T Systems and Samsung as well as TDCX. Having starred together in a charity fashion show in late 2019 (don’t ask!), our Inspire Group Asia CEO, James McCulloch caught up with Lim Chee Gay in a Zoom call to reflect on the past few months and the changing nature of HR leadership.

‘Leadership is about making impact and enhancing motivation, and we never stop learning’ - Lim Chee Gay

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Liza Bennett has worked in the FMCG arena for her entire career. She has used the last 25 years to learn the ins and outs of the supply industry and now she has courageously (with her husband Tony) bought her first Four Square store in Riverview, Wanganui. With an extensive background and career, as well as being the daughter of a Mitre10 Mega owner, Liza has always wanted to own her own store, and what better time to take over a going concern than to open on Day 5 of level 4 lockdown! Liza is joining us on our podcast series today to let us know a little about how the last two months has been, the leadership tricks she has used and her advice for those managing teams, especially when as an essential worker, now more than ever, your community needs you!

Some of our favourite quotes from this conversation below:

• I'm a strong believer in lead by example. I wouldn't be the boss that would say go and do that if I wouldn't do it myself.
• I believe in treating everyone equally, I don't buy into the hierarchy. 
• My biggest lesson would have to be 'letting go' and delegating more. I was heading for burnout so something needed to change.
• Pursue your dream. Some people say 'oh I'd really like to' and I say well why don't you? I always believe that if you keep striving for the top that you will get there.

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Wan Zainal is a busy guy: MD of edotco Group Malaysia and CRO for SE Asia, plus Chair of Onsite Utility Services.

But equally dedicated to creating the discipline and routines to ensure he has also time and energy to make music, create a recording space and knock off a few extreme sport challenges too. Wan Z has met our Inspire Group Asia CEO James McCulloch a few times, but in this extremely socially distanced chat (8,835km!) they reflect on the discipline and motivation required to lead yourself as well as others.

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As the HR Director for Samsung Malaysia, and proudly wearing his Samsung #dowhatyoucant t shirt, you’d expect Fong Tuan Chen to have a few views on 2020 so far, where things are heading, and what this means for HR leaders. And he certainly did! In a wide ranging chat with our Inspire Group Asia CEO, James McCulloch, FT reinforces how the workplace, roles and leadership itself is all evolving- but how the fundamentals of great leadership are now more important than ever.

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How does a company like IPG Mediabrands Malaysia adapt in just 24 hours to the immediate requirements of a lockdown, whilst still enhancing team and client working- and all with kindness, empathy and compassion. IPG Mediabrands Malaysia CEO Bala Pomaleh shares a few insights and reflections from the past few weeks with our Inspire Group Asia CEO James McCulloch

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Our Inspire Group Asia CEO James McCulloch catches up with PTHR Chief People Officer Broch Cleminson. Broch, having recently returned to Australia from working in the UK as part of the global cultural advisory work at PTHR, had some great things to share on how we can best look after our teams, our clients and ourselves in this challenging and changing time.

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In this episode Dr David Keane shares with us valuable insights on success and leadership behaviours based on his cumulative years of experience and his book The Art of Deliberate Success: The 10 Behaviours of Successful People.

He also shares his definition of success and provides some really useful and practical tips that everyone can apply to achieving success in these challenging times.

Dr David Keane is the Founder and CEO of The 10 Behaviours of Successful People.

Assessment and Evaluation

Stu and Dan share their perspectives on learning design around assessment and evaluation. 

"It's the one and done, it's the tick-box style of learning that is a missed opportunity. We really need to move an organisation along to becoming a learning organisation as opposed to being an organisation that does learning."

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Stu Neighbour and Dan Tohill riff on what they've been learning in lockdown, and in particular what makes 'good learning'. They discuss some exemplar role models of teaching in their lives and how they've applied these ideas to their guitar practice and pursuit of continuous learning and improvement.

"With all good learning you need to answer: Why should I care about this? Why does it matter? With every topic it needs to be up front in neon lights. This why you should care about this, this is why it should matter to you. And if you're struggling to answer this, then maybe it shouldn't be the thing you're focusing on." Stu Neighbour

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