doug

The Power of Teamwork... and Self Awareness

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 04:49:56 GMT

The Power of Teamwork... and Self Awareness

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together"

The origins of this quote are unclear, with, it seems, many attributions abound. However, the strength of this statement resonates so strongly, that it's relevance will always be current, no matter where you are in your professional or personal life.

Whether it's the teamwork we encounter with our work colleagues, or the teamwork that is our family unit, or the teamwork of our friendship group, they all are part of our own personal life team.

Being able to share an idea or a problem or even just a conversation with someone in your team is invaluable. We all have a different thinking perspective and we all benefit from other people's input.

If you believe your way of thinking is the only way to go, with no input from others, then you you will usually end up in the proverbial crash and burn scenario. Arrogance in your belief, that you alone have all the answers, will not get you far and quite frankly, lead you on a path of ultimate failure and regret, both professionally and personally.

Listening to the input of those in your team will always give you a better balance of how to tackle any situation and will give you a much better chance of going far in the pursuit of your desired goal.

Thinking DNA can help you understand your thinking and mindset to build your self awareness, so you can use that knowledge to best advantage in your life teams to go far, not just faster.

Get in touch - ros@thinkingdna.com.au

'Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success'

#thinkingdna #mindset #selfawareness #teams #teamwork #success #far

When we are under pressure, we absolutely have a default way of thinking...

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:11:01 GMT

Life is filled with pressure situations. People are fond of saying as a joke, 'No Pressure', haha, when it is clearly a pressure situation.

We are under pressure every day. It might be relatively inconsequential pressure like having to choose what to have for lunch or it might be something that will impact in a much bigger way, such as the pressure of meeting a deadline.

It might be pressure that we put ourselves under or it might be a situation that we find ourselves in through the actions of others. Whatever it is, we have to make decisions under pressure.

When we are under pressure, we absolutely have a default way of thinking which we unconsciously manifest in the decision we make in that pressure situation. When we are forced to make a decision, as opposed to having time to think over a course of action, we have a different thinking perspective.

Think about a scenario where you are put under pressure to make a decision. You have to decide on one course of action. You may become flustered and unsure of yourself or you may become someone more focused on what is logical or what process should be followed or how will this affect others.

One of the tools that Thinking DNA uses is HBDI®. We can ascertain how you will respond to a situation when you are under pressure. It's such powerful knowledge for anyone to discover about themselves because we don't always make the best decisions when we are under pressure.

It means that you can be aware of your default mode that is your 'safe place' when you are under pressure and frame your thinking with that knowledge or at least understand why you make those pressure decisions.

Self awareness, knowing yourself, understanding your thinking and your mindset under pressure are all part of your self analysis that can unlock so much knowledge about YOU.

Let ThinkingDNA help you find the key.

'Human capital and innovation are the key to all long term economic success'

#thinkingdna #thinkingunderpressure #selfawareness #knowledge #mindset #people #HBDI ®

Knowing and understanding how you think is the key to unlocking a rewarding career path

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:08:23 GMT

You are unique!

One of a kind but do you really understand how you think or even why that matters?

It matters because knowing how you think will unlock your career path in the best and most positive way. It is the key to a rewarding and satisfying career pathway.

How many times do you hear 'follow your passion'? The trouble is, most people don't really know what their passion is when they are formulating their career trajectory and what that may look like.

A lot of us fall into the trap of embarking on a career in our late teens/early twenties, by doing something that we think will develop into a career that will sustain us financially through life and provide a trajectory whereby we can move up through the ranks.

However, a lot of us find that in time, the career we have pursued turns out to be just 'a job' and not a fulfilling calling. You may be very good at 'your job' but it's not really what you want to do with your life.

So how do you unlock your future fulfillment?

Crucially, know how you think, where your thinking comes from, and where your thinking goes when you are under pressure.

What you are good at may not be what really interests you. Knowing and understanding how you think is the key to unlocking a rewarding career pathway. An HBDI® assessment can help you understand your thinking perspective and highlight your thinking mindset.

I am a 1112 thinker. Get in touch with me at Thinking DNA to find your thinking profile.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success.

#thinkingdna #mindset #career #future #success #people #innovation

Your people are your Lifeblood

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:04:20 GMT

Your people are your lifeblood! Give them the best possible chance to be the best they can be.

We help you to enable your people by building better Teams.

Better Teams leads to better business and that leads to success and profitable outcomes for everyone involved in your business.

A collective of people and therefore ideas will lead to better outcomes for your people, the Teams they work in and with and therefore better business outcomes for everyone.

Thinking DNA utilises HBDI® to understand your people's thinking and the perspectives they bring to your business in a non judgemental way. No one style of thinking is correct or incorrect, just different and we all know that diversity in thinking produces better outcomes in all aspects of life.

Get in touch now - today even - to build better business outcomes in a cost effective way. Here is the link to our website. https://lnkd.in/gBNeRk8

The whole process can be online or face to face, whichever suits your requirements.

We can help you enable your people to help you build better Teams and therefore better business outcomes.

"Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success" thinkingdna.com.au

#business #people #diversity #success #betterteams #thinkingdna #HBDI

No one person has all the answers. A collective of ideas will always have a better chance of success

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:01:26 GMT

People and profits, hand in hand, is where a business needs to get to, if we are to have "caring capitalism".

Is your business in need of some serious rethinking and re-energising to display to your people that your business has real purpose and that you care about them and their journey whilst showcasing your business's real worth and value?

Are you and your people getting the best result for their and your efforts?

Maybe all that is needed is to have a real look at your people with a different perspective. Maybe they are not using their thinking to the best advantage because they are not being supported or given the chance to do so in their role. Maybe your thinking is blinkered and you can't see past your own confirmation biases.

We all approach our thinking with a different lens. We all approach a task in a different way. Drop a group of people onto a deserted island and watch how all of them approach the survival issues. Some will analyse the situation and rationally and logically try to resolve the issues at hand. Others will set out to organise and structure the processes that need to be achieved for survival. Others will engage with everyone so that the group dynamic is working and not fracturing, whilst others will be thinking of different ways and concepts to move forward, survive and even thrive in the environment. All together, with everyone's perspective and input, as a Whole Brain® (HBDI®), they will work out a plan that will keep them alive. If they go off on their own, chances are they will struggle.

No one person has all the answers. A collective of ideas will always have a better chance of success.

"Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success" thinkingdna.com.au

#business #people #success #innovation #work #environment #HBDI #thinkingdna

If 'caring capitalism' is to be a real goal, businesses need to focus as a priority, on their human capital

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 03:48:54 GMT

If we take a step back from the overall premise of the term 'caring capitalism', that Helen Trinca spoke of in the Weekend Australian 4/5 February, in her article about the Federal Treasurer's essay regarding the rebirth of Australian capitalism, and break it down into those 2 words, historically for the most part, they have been mutually exclusive and never the twain shall meet.

However, under the microscope of current generational ideals this doesn't measure up and that word 'caring' is no longer an idealistic vision that is spoken to but not really considered.

No more 'we need to be seen to be doing the right thing', but in reality nothing is done. How many reports and investigations have been commissioned where the final analysis has pages of recommendations suggested, but then nothing changes?

A shift in attitudes, that is already being driven by society's younger cohort, needs to become the norm, with some re thinking about the way business goes about their business and actually doing it.

If 'caring capitalism' is to be a real goal, businesses need to focus as a priority, on their human capital, their people, and display to them that your business has an authentic purpose, that is generated in a way that showcases real values and purpose. People and profits, hand in hand.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success - thinkingdna.com.au #business #people #profit #innovation #success #society #thinkingdna

Human Capital and Getting the Right Mix

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 22:50:06 GMT

Human Capital and the Getting the Right Mix

In his article in the Weekend Australian 28/29 January, Jim Chalmers spoke of his vision and plan for the 'Rebirth of Australian Capitalism'

His words of "Our goal is secure, well-paid jobs but also getting our human capital right more broadly - seeing productivity and participation as a function of investing in people, especially their capacity to adapt new technology" are the core of where we need to be as a nation of people striving to build something better for us all, now and into the future.

People, the right people, aka human capital, are the starting point for any venture. Get the mix of people right, with diversity of talent, thoughts and perspective and you are well on the way to securing something really special for their future and your own.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success - thinkingdna.com.au

#people #future #talent #diversity #perspective #thinkingdna

Diversity in Thinking is the Essential Ingredient in any Team; Boardroom, Management, Office, Sport, Family... All Teams Need Diversity to Thrive

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 02:57:30 GMT

Diversity is the buzzword in our lives at the moment. The media is full of stories about the need for gender diversity in the boardroom and the broader workplace as a whole. There is also a lot of fallout at a very high corporate level as a result of the Royal Commission into the Banking and Financial Sector. Many business and community sectors are looking at the make up of these large corporations, with a view that the culture within is far from where it should be.

Why has this happened? Now don't shoot me, but the issue isn't about gender or ethnicity or any other demographic as such. It's about having a diversity of thinking.

I am all for having women in high level roles. They are just as intelligent and capable as the next person, male or female. I am a woman after all and want women to succeed and live up to their potential in whatever field of endeavour they choose and not be overlooked because they are a woman.

The criteria however shouldn't be just about gender per se, but about the fact that women often approach an issue from a different perspective than a male counterpart would. Remember the ground breaking book by John Gray, "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus"? Men and women think differently, from a different perspective, and this is a good thing.

Now bring ethnicity into the frame and you will often get different thinking perspectives as well. But it's not cut and dried is it, because everyone is different as much as we are the same. We all have commonalities but we are all different.

The true test of diversity can only come from understanding the thinking perspective of the people involved. A team, whether members of a board, or an office of managers and staff, or a sports team need the input of different thinking perspectives to create a whole of brain outcome. No good having a board filled with people who are all creatives or one where everyone is all about the business process. There needs to be input from all aspects on equal footing. Otherwise, essential aspects will be overlooked and eventually create massive problems eg, banks at the moment and the apparent lack of customer care and duty of care in their business model.

So, whether your team is male, female, black, white or any other flavour, is not the criteria that should be singled out. Look at the thinking style of your people and you will identify the diversity you need for success. Every other diversity criteria becomes irrelevant because thinking diversity brings all these differences to the fore without even trying.

Thinking DNA can help you get the best diversity of thinking from your team. Open the possibilities to better thinking.

Ros O'Connor

ros@thinkingdna.com.au

0422 609 010

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

Rethinking Business Thinking

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 18 May 2018 02:14:03 GMT

Is your business in need of some serious rethinking and re-energising?

Are you and your people getting the best result for their efforts?

Maybe all you need is to really look at your people with a different perspective. Maybe they are not using their thinking to the best advantage because they are not being given the chance to do so in their role.

We all approach our thinking from a different perspective. We all approach a task in a different way. Drop a group of people onto a deserted island and watch how all of them approach the survival issues. Some will analyse the situation and rationally and logically try to resolve the issues at hand. Others will set out to organise and structure the processes that need to be achieved for survival. Others will engage with everyone so that the group dynamic is working and not fracturing, whilst others will be thinking of different ways and concepts to move forward, survive and even thrive in the environment. All together, as a Whole Brain, they will work out a plan that will keep them alive. If they go off on their own, chances are they will struggle.

Some of our biggest companies are going through turmoil in their boardrooms at the moment; aka AMP, CBA and so on. If they looked at the individual thinking perspectives of each board member, they may find that they don't have a diversity in their thinking, which has lead them down a path of an internal and external nightmare to say the least! Our mental defaults can lead to mental blind spots and as a result act as a roadblock to making the best balanced decision.

Get in touch with me to unlock the thinking diversity in your business. Better teams and better results are what I can achieve for your organisation. Learn to better use the talents within your team, for better staff engagement, with inevitable better business success.

Ros O'Connor

ros@thinkingdna.com.au

0422 609 010

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

"The Fears We Don't Face Become Our Limits"

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 11 May 2018 02:56:34 GMT

Fear is such a personal thing. What one person fears, someone else wouldn't give a second thought to. We do indeed set limits because of fear. If we fear something we don't want to do it or be put in a situation where it might happen. If that occurs, we panic. It can be paralysing. We become nervous, break out in a sweat and sometimes highly agitated. Depending on the type of fear, it can be quite debilitating and make life unbearable.

I live in an area now that has a lot of beautiful parklands and waterways and along with that an extensive bike pathway system. Great, my husband said. We'll get you a bike and we can go for some lovely bike rides on the weekend. The trouble with that is I have never had a bike, even as a kid and never really learnt to ride one, not well anyway. I also as a kid had a bad accident on a bike on one of the rare occasions that I actually rode one. Soooo, I avoided ever riding one again. I had a fear, irrational as it may sound, of getting on a bike and riding it. Now I know most of you are thinking Whatttt!!! Has a fear of riding a bike!! I know, but there it is.

Now, this however is the first step to overcoming this fear. Owning the fear. I have told the world here in this article what I fear and you know what? It sounds ridiculous. But fear is not rational. Our mind does things that we don't want it to but we can overcome them.

There are all sorts of things that people are fearful of. Flying, crowded places, driving, dogs .... I could go on and on. Often the fear can be traced back to a certain time and place but ultimately to get past the fear we need to face it head on but at a pace that we are comfortable with and with the help of an encouraging friend as an enabler if possible.

So tomorrow I am going to buy myself a bike (and a helmet) and get out there and start riding it. Familiarity is the thing that will get you past the fear and stop you being limited by that fear. Practice it. Do it over and over and over and over again. You will gradually get used to it. Some may take a short time, others much longer but eventually it will become something that you don't fear. And the sense of achievement will be something that will give you cause to pat yourself on the back. No one else will look twice but you will know and that's what matters.

Face your fears. It's good for your soul.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

The Business Process and Compliance Versus Innovation and Ideation. What Do You Value?

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 05:51:23 GMT

In a recent article in The Australian Financial Review, David Thodey talks about giving organisations permission to be innovative and having a willingness to question the status quo. However, giving space to new ideas is often overtaken with compliance issues and business processes.

Whilst every business has to have structure and validated processes to ensure the smooth passage of doing business, with any compliance issues fully understood and respected in that process, there needs to be more if the business wants to progress and stay relevant in the marketplace. The hierarchy of management needs to be prepared to listen and change things up. If new ideas are not encouraged and championed, there will soon be no business to manage.

It's all about taking different points of view and seeing the picture from all angles. Everyone has their own way of thinking and to get a robust and innovative culture instilled in any organisation, there needs to be a mindset that is open to new ideas and challenging the process. In other words, permission to be innovative!

Everything is up for re-thinking. What may have worked brilliantly for the last 5 years, may now be lacking. Don't be scared to question the status quo. Give people the opportunity to spread their creative ideas. Compliance can be re-worked if necessary but without a culture of forward thinking and encouraging new ideas, businesses will stagnate and be overtaken by others who are willing to give air to innovative practices and different methodologies.

One smart man, David Thodey. Who else can take up the innovation mantle?

I can help your business develop and promote an innovation culture.

Get in touch for a chat.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

How Do You Quantify Your Human Capital? What Is Their Value To You?

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 22:59:29 GMT

Could it be that the business world has finally come to the realisation that the human capital in their businesses is what drives their outcomes? Current research being undertaken by UBS is attempting to support the measure that "quality personnel create quality businesses".

Accountants and analysts commonly value a business purely on financial data but what does that data actually represent? The figures are a representation of the contribution of the people in the business. It is the human capital that drives the earnings and the companies that are investing in their people will undoubtedly come out ahead. The financials are a snapshot of the monetary outcomes that have been delivered by the efforts of the human capital. Without the people there would be no financials to analyse.

So, the question is why do so many businesses fail to invest in their people and make the effort to understand the talents and diversity of skills and ideas of their staff? It really is simple stuff. Maybe it's too simple. We have forgotten the basics or thought that there are other more trendy concepts and management speak that we need to adopt to take our business forward.

The basics are if you invest in your staff they will be more engaged and motivated and your business can only benefit.

Quantifying the 'value' of your staff is key to establishing an understanding of your human capital assets and building an environment that will deliver a competitive advantage for your company.

I can help your business quantify your human capital, to deliver the best outcomes for you and them.

Get in touch to have a chat.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Experience Shows That Most Things In Life Are Grey, Not Black And White

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 01:30:11 GMT

In the flush and exuberance of youth, our thinking often interprets our lives and what occurs around us as either right or wrong, positive or negative, black or white. There is a flash point of cognition and we instantly assign good or bad to the situation. Passion and outrage can drive our responses, without a lot of real thought about the situation, at least not in the short term. Long term thought processes may kick in after the initial catalyst has subsided but the initial rebellious outrage often wins through.

If life teaches us anything, it is that there is nearly always a grey area to any situation in which we may find ourselves. Circumstances need to be taken into consideration. A light needs to be shone on the perspective of others. Our thinking can be too quick to judge and often with hindsight we see the other viewpoint and realise that the conclusions that were formulated were a bit hasty.

Whilst the passion of our convictions is something that we, as a society, never want to lose, we do need to look at life from all angles and sometimes temper our outrage. The media is full of sensationalist headlines because that is what puts their business in the public eye. They feed the public with controversial headlines. Social media is a great communication tool but it can become a minefield when black and white thoughts are expressed without much consideration of the grey.

We all need to read the fine print so to speak, to really get the true picture and it is often not just a black or white argument. There is always a grey area that needs to be considered. How often have you wished that you could take back something you have said or written? If you had looked amongst the grey you may have reconsidered your actions. Sometimes, but not always, this will come with having lived on this planet long enough to know that there are always many points of view to any situation. Don't always run with the first one that sparks your outrage. Sit back and reflect awhile and think a bit deeper.

Maybe it's the old adage of 'you can't put an old head on young shoulders' or maybe the old head has never learnt the life lessons that come with so called maturity but as a society we need to be able to see all the different perspectives to an issue and see the grey in the world. Young or old or anything in between, we all need to see the grey.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

People! This is Really, Really Important. Are Many Degrees Useless? We Need to Refine Our Thinking Perspective.

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 02:03:12 GMT

Today's The Australian newspaper has an analysis piece by Adam Creighton about universities churning out graduates with 'useless' degrees following on from The Australian's headline article "Unis failing to deliver for business".

The general flavour of his analysis speaks about the generic results that are generated by mass tertiary education at a high cost to the public purse, with no real vocational use to the students, employers and business. He suggests that unless the study is of a specialised nature such as medicine or engineering, there is little value in many degrees in the real job market.

In fact, most businesses and even most graduates themselves with qualifications in management and commerce and society and culture felt that they were not relevant to their job.

Creighton states, "If these management, commerce and arts courses aren't providing useful vocational skills, and - forgive me for being cynical- if they aren't fostering a capacity for innovation in graduates that stands to benefit us all, then why are taxpayers subsidising them so lavishly?"

He retorts that there must be a better, more efficient and diligent way to signal to potential employers and the candidates themselves, the best candidate for their business, rather than being in possession of another generic degree.

There is! I can help with a profile of an individual's thinking preferences so that you and any potential employer can see at a glance if you are an analytical thinker or an innovative thinker or maybe have a more structured and problem solver approach or a more interpersonal and inclusive attitude. If you know the perspective your mind and thoughts come from, you are a step ahead of the game from the get go.

There is no right or wrong here, just different. We are not all hard wired to be innovative thinkers. Nor are we all hot shot analysts. But if we know how we approach life in our thinking style, then we can use this knowledge to our collective advantage.

University management, Business management, Students!!! Get in touch for a chat to learn more.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Do You Embrace Change? It All Depends...

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 03:27:31 GMT

Has your workplace ever undertaken a change management initiative? Was it a success or did it turn into a nightmare and in the end create more problems than positive results?

If you want to change something in your business and make a success of it, you have to include everyone in the journey. If you tell everyone concerned the why, what, who, when and how of the change, then you have a much better chance of managing the change to a successful outcome.

Fear of change is born in the uncertainty and the unknown. It's all well and good to say embrace change, but for most people change is something that leaves them feeling unsettled and scared for their future. If you are initiating the change, you are excited because you feel empowered but unless you communicate all the aspects of the change to everyone involved, then you will not get the same engagement in the change process.

The change platform needs to be built with forging strong relationships to build trust. Share the journey, communicate the process and listen to your people. The chances of success will be far more likely.

Build an environment of trust and shared goals and change will be seen in a more positive light, with a greater chance of the desired outcomes.

What's your experience of change in the workplace?

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

What Does Your HR Department Look Like?

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 03:07:38 GMT

The HR Department in any business should be the one team that everyone is comfortable in approaching with any issue or problem that may be concerning them. That is what I always strive for. To be approachable, genuine and honest in my advice and feedback. People often just want to be heard. Someone in management that they can speak to without judgement and someone who they trust to respect their privacy and deal with the situation so that a resolution can be worked out that works for them and the business.

Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. To me, HR is there as a link between the staff and the business. They should have the best interests of the company in one hand and the best interests of the staff in the other hand and manage that relationship so that there is a culture of respect and trust on both sides.

My mantra is 'human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success.' But for me HUMAN CAPITAL is NUMBER 1. If your human capital is not nurtured and given an environment in which to thrive, then you have nothing.

Agree? Thoughts?

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

Power is a Dirty Word

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 03:03:12 GMT

I read an article in The Australian newspaper today by Adam Creighton which spoke of culture in the workplace, specifically in the banking system, and how everyone is looking at their culture and how to improve it.

"Are you systematically improving your culture? Everywhere you look people are committed to it"

He goes on to ask "So why is cultural reform so popular? Culture is a nice thing to be committed to changing because it involves doing precisely nothing. No one actually, really wants to change anything."

In some ways I tend to agree. If you are seen to be doing something to "fix" your company culture, then that will suffice.

Maybe it isn't the company culture as such that needs fixing. The problems can be boiled down to a few words; power, greed and ego, the abuse of that and the forms that takes.

That pretty much sums up the problems on the political scene around the world as well as in the business world and even in a domestic familial and societal sense. Power, greed and ego are what drive much of the bad behaviour in society. Good leadership and strong relationships come with high emotional intelligence, defined as "the capacity to be aware of, control and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically". Power, greed and ego are not what we should be aiming for as a measure of success or prosperity. Demonstrate respect, trust and honesty and we go a long way to fixing the problem.

How we "fix" that, is the solution to all the problems of the world, which is a somewhat utopian aspiration. However, we are at least bringing these issues out in the open and putting them under public scrutiny. The more we talk about them, the more chance we have of curbing their hold in our behavioural make up.

Maybe there is hope yet that mankind won't destroy themselves and the planet.

How do you see the future?

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Does the ASX top 10 need a shake-up?

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 09:28:18 GMT

Where is Australia's innovation? If you think I am being harsh just read on for some interesting facts and observations.

An article by Alan Kohler in the Weekend Australian talked about "Australia's lost decade: The world has moved on but our politicians are stuck in the past". Maybe our business environment is too!

If you look at the top 10 companies in Australia and the United States and compare what that looked like in 2007 to what that looks like now in 2017, the story is very different.

Australia's top 10 has not changed. There has been some change in ranking, but essentially our top 10 are still banks, retail, telecommunications, mining and health. The only exits were insurance companies that were replaced with yet another bank and a health related company. And all of these companies are many decades old.

However, the United States' top 10 has changed quite significantly. In 2007, 3 of their top 4 were banks. Now they are IT/tech companies with the likes of Apple, Google (Alphabet), Microsoft, Facebook and Amazon leading the list with most less than 30 years young.

Why is this? Is the U.S. the place to go if you're a young Aussie tech start-up to source capital (a la Atlassian). And is that the only reason? Or do they also support their human capital more? The truth is, it is as per my by-line - "human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success". And maybe, just maybe, U.S. businesses and politicians have recognised this long before we in Australia have done so?

Innovation! Investing in your people. Your human capital. How revolutionary!

Now, I am not advocating that the U.S. is the gold standard in how to do business, but they have provided the impetus and opportunity for people to grow their ideas and innovate. They have invested in their human capital. Maybe they realised that their people, the human capital, not just the shareholders, are stakeholders too.

Digital disruption came about because people invested in their own human capital and innovation happened. Australian business and government need to reload, rethink and re-evaluate their priorities and realise that human capital is the starting and finishing point and everything else in between. Without it, we all go nowhere. If we want to progress and contribute, we need to support our people so that they can create and innovate. We need to take our human capital on the journey. Oh, and let's think about investing in our planet while we're at it! After all our human capital needs a healthy planet on which to live. They go hand in hand. It's axiomatic!

Invest and build the human capital in the economy and the innovation will follow. If people are given the incentive and motivation to innovate, the economy will flourish and grow.

I can help. Give me a call Malcolm or Bill or anyone who wants a better path to business and economic success.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Being a Positive Person Costs Nothing: Be an Encourager, Not a Criticiser

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 04:57:39 GMT

I prefer to live my life as a positive person. It makes me happier. Being negative makes me feel down and unhappy so I choose to be positive and happy. And if I am positive and happy, it often rubs off on the people around me. Don't we all want to be happy? It sounds simplistic but really we all control how we look at life and I for one would rather focus on the positive rather than dwell on the negative. There is always a negative as well as a positive. I just don't give the negative any air time. I would rather find a positive and work with that. Encourage, don't criticise.

I think we would all agree that it is more beneficial to our psychological and physical well-being to be a purveyor of positivity rather than negativity. However it isn't always easy to stay in that positive mindset. People will argue that we are either born with a positive attitude to life or we are not. Even if that rings true, that doesn't mean that we have to be ruled by that. We can all live with a positive outlook and have a positive impact on our lives and the lives of others by shifting our thinking to come from a different perspective. We all have that power within us.

First up, be authentic. A bit of a buzz word but essentially it means that we need to be our own person, not a person that we think people want but a person that is true to themselves. If we are all showing our genuine self, we are thinking from the heart and giving our best. Have an opinion that resonates with your beliefs and ideals. It builds trust and respect which are both very positive traits. This then leads to exemplar. By being our true self we are setting an example that self belief is a worthy attribute. If we believe in ourselves we can believe in others. We need to love ourselves before we can love others otherwise we fall back into negativity and self doubt.

All of this needs to be encapsulated in humility. I recently saw a quote from an unknown source " There's a thin line between confidence and arrogance....it's called humility. Confidence smiles. arrogance smirks." Be humble in your knowledge and opinions. Confidence comes from your positivity, by being genuine and setting that example of self belief with a humility that people will respect and admire.

We can all be that positive person. Believe in yourself, love yourself, build your feelings of self worth, set that example for trust and respect but do it all with humility. It all starts with a shift in our thinking that we can be that person. The only person holding you back is you. Encouragement breeds positivity, criticism breeds negativity.

The world needs more happiness. Let's go there. No excuses.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

If We Measure Someone's Worth By Their Remuneration, Then We Have Got It All Wrong!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 04:55:47 GMT

I listened to an interview on the ABC yesterday about a teacher in a school in SE Qld. She had a class of 5 and 6 year olds, where 90% of the pupils were refugees making a new start in their young lives in Australia. She sounded like she loves what she does and she is certainly making a huge difference in these children's lives. Many of her students have come from war ravaged countries and have seen things that adults should never see, let alone children. She is helping them assimilate into a country where everything is new and giving them the tools to learn and grow. Not an easy job and one that I'm sure she takes with her even when she isn't 'at work'. And although a very challenging job at times, also a hugely rewarding one. In what sense though?

It made me think about what we value as a society and how is that rewarded. This teacher would not be making big money in any stretch of the imagination but her reward is something that money can't buy. She is making a huge difference to these children's lives but do we, as a society really value her contribution? What she is achieving is priceless but largely goes unnoticed and unrewarded.

There are many others doing similar work such as social workers and nurses as well as teachers like this woman. These people are obviously paid for their work but they make the world a richer place with what they do, not make themselves rich or their organisations.

Someone's worth is not about how much money they have or what sort of car they drive or where and how big their house is. It's about what they do to make people's lives better. It's about what they give back with their skills and knowledge to improve the chances and opportunities of others. Of course they are monetarily paid but not what they are really worth but at least they know in their hearts that they have really made a difference in the world. They are paid in reward of self worth.

Someone's worth is not about how much money they generate; it's about how much of a difference they generate for others to survive and thrive.

We should all be thankful that some people see the bulk of their reward in ways other than money. We are decidedly in their debt and we are lucky to have them.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

The Secret Sauce to a Great Company Culture : What Are the Essentials?

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 03:56:05 GMT

Current research featured in LinkedIn Learning shines a light on "How to build a killer company culture. The science of happiness". And if you really boil it all down that is the real measure. After all, we all want to be happy in our work environment, don't we? It sounds too simplistic but research has shown that happiness is the metric that really matters. Create a culture where your employees are happy and they will never want to leave.

So how do we do that? When you think about it there isn't a lot of difference between building and developing a great family culture and building a great company culture. While you want to give your family all the material comforts that you can, the essential ingredient to raising a family is to instil a set of values, ethics and beliefs into your family culture that you all live by. Be generous with your time and respect everyone's point of view but ensure their are behavioural boundaries that are recognised and upheld. Always be there when problems arise but celebrate and acknowledge the hard work and achievements. Of course families have a bond of love that also binds them but companies can also engender a sense of real loyalty and trust which is akin to the love in a family situation.

So, in a company, while it's nice to have beautiful offices, and the added perks of office catering or regular massages, that isn't what keeps employees happy. Engagement in their work, alignment with a set of core values that ensures employees feel that their work has meaning, positivity in their outlook and work contribution that is recognised and acknowledged and opportunity to grow and progress are all key to building an awesome culture that will ensure employee happiness. It's the deeper aspects of 'human' interaction and ethics that need to be developed and championed, not the surface 'fluff and tokenism' that some may initially find attractive and compelling in a company culture. Without the deeper, more meaningful cultural code and ethics, the 'perks' soon lose their shine. Nothing erodes happiness more than a sense of disenchantment and broken trust.

I have experienced work environments where there has been an awesome company culture with strong staff engagement and others where the culture was, on the surface a fun and happy environment with a lot of trendy perks but when you scratched the surface there was a lot of discontent within the employee ranks and needless to say a lot of unhappy people.

The company culture can make or break an organisation. Happy employees equals engagement, meaningful contribution, recognition and success for the employee and employer.

What's your company culture like?

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

We Only Get What We Give

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 00:58:08 GMT

Remember this song? I always loved it. It always made me feel happy and uplifted. It is only recently though that I read the full lyrics and wow what a powerful message. It has made me love the song even more.

The New Radicals frontman Gregg Alexander wrote the song with a heavy undercurrent throughout the song of criticism for corporate America. For me however, when I really delve into the ethos of the song it is more about genuine versus fake.

"Frienemies, who when you're down ain't your friend" is a line that says a lot. I think we have all encountered those 'friends' that are there for the short term as it suits them but when you need them to step up as a real friend they are nowhere to be seen. Genuine versus fake.

The world is full of fakes. "The bad rich, God's flying in for your trial" The get rich quick schemes, the false hope being peddled by so many so called experts, the investment schemes that rip people off with promises of huge returns. Society wants what money can give us. Nothing wrong with that. We just need to look through the fakes and see the genuine. We also need to remember that owning things will never replace having people in your life that you care about and who care about you. "We only get what we give". "What's real, can't die".

Be genuine in everything you do. Fakes get caught out in the end. "You've got the music in you, This world is gonna pull through, Don't give up, You've got a reason to live, Can't forget, We only get what we give"

I thank and celebrate the amazing insight of the songwriters, poets and storytellers of the world, who scribe our inner thoughts and feelings by seeing the world from a place of observation and conscience, that strikes a chord for all of us to think a bit deeper about our lives and the world we live in.

We only get what we give.

Is this an anthem for life?

It sure is mine.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA - www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Change : How Do You Feel About It? All Depends on Your Perspective

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 06:34:44 GMT

When you initiate change, whether in your private life or in the work space, how does that make you feel? Excited, determined, empowered, enthusiastic! You feel pumped for new beginnings and a fresh outlook on your life.

However, on the flip side, when you have experienced change that has been imposed on you, do you have these same feelings? Highly unlikely. More accurately you probably feel a bit scared and worried, daunted, dread the thought, anxious and disillusioned.

There are a lot of conflicting emotions between these two scenarios. Why? Because one is in control and the other has no control. One knows where and what they want to achieve and are amped and upbeat about the whole thing. The other is in the dark and has no idea what to expect or what the end result will look like and are worried about the whole situation.

Organisational change is something that most of us have journeyed through at some point in our career. It is also something that has a very large failure rate and the main reason for that high percentage of failure is that organisations don't view the change process as a psychological journey for everyone involved. Change management needs to be well planned and well communicated. The change leaders need to remember that they are dealing with individuals who need to be engaged in the process. They are unsure about their future and have concerns about their job security as well as the fear that accompanies a disruption to their familiar routines and habits. Any change needs to be approached from a personal level, with engagement and a real connection with the people who will be impacted.

Change needs to have everyone on board for it to work, from the head honcho down through the management structure to all the employees. Everyone needs to be involved and actively energised in the process. Frequent communication in an open forum that fosters a sense of trust is a must. Even if there is to be redundancies, at least people will be kept informed and respect the process, even if they don't like the end result. It's when there is secrecy and an uncommunicative agenda from the leadership that fear and anger take over.

If people are well informed about the reasons for the change and kept in the loop throughout the whole process, there is a much higher chance that the change program will succeed.

What are your experiences with change in the workplace? Have they been well managed or were they a bit of a disaster? Let's hear about your experiences, good and bad.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Trust : A Rare Commodity Today? But One We All Crave

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 02:09:15 GMT

To quote Warren Buffet, "trust is like the air we breathe... when it's present, no one really notices; when it's absent, everybody notices'

Trust is one of those things in life that we all want. We want to trust. We want to be able to rely on people to do the right thing. We innately trust. In our personal lives trust is something that we want in our relationships. We trust our family to have our best interests at heart. We trust our friends to have our back and look out for us. We trust our life partner to be faithful and love us for who we are.

However, we all sadly have experienced situations when our trust in someone has been misguided and we have been hurt with someone's actions breaking that trust. And the problem is that our trust is broken not just once in our lives but multitudes of times. And when trust has been broken it can never be fully restored. It can never go back to the original state. We become wary of that person and their actions. We can't trust them anymore because they broke that trust.

Trust in the business world is also something we want but in many instances is sadly lacking. Profit often comes before trust in many instances but this is such a short sighted way to look at your business. If people trust you they will buy from you, again and again. If you rip them off or give them bad service, people will repay you with never dealing with your company again. The lifetime that it took to build that trust can be shattered with just one bad experience.

People today have trust issues with all major institutions such as banks, government, media to name a few. Do you trust our politicians or our banks to have our best interests at heart? They should have and on the surface they appear to espouse this but when we delve a bit deeper we often see cracks in the face that they portray. You only have to look at the continual banking enquiries and royal commissions in recent times to see that trust has been eroded or look at some of our politicians and their travel expenses that are funded by us, the taxpayers, to see that trust in their integrity is diminished.

We live in a world where we do much of our business remotely, ie online. We don't actually speak to anyone in a lot of cases. We are trusting people to do the right thing but internet fraud is big business and on the increase.

What is the answer? How do we keep trust alive? Because without trust we become cynical and life becomes sad.

Personally, I choose to trust and hope that the trust is returned in kind. If it isn't I move on from that person or business but I don't let it get to me or bring me down. Trust is the key to positive communication, in your personal and professional life. I build trust in all my relationships. Most people value trust. We have to believe that trust is still a valuable commodity that is alive and well in the world today. We all have a choice. Trust me.

Ros O'Connor

Thinkind DNA - thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

What do you think?

Is trust important to you or have you been burnt too often to trust anyone?

How do you deal with a broken trust?

Leverage Your Authenticity to Inspire Your Staff Into Action

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 04:51:21 GMT

Do you enjoy going to work every day? Chances are if that is a yes, you have a boss that you enjoy working with and for. So what makes one boss better than another?

Looking back on my career, I have had what I regard as great bosses and others who I don't regard at all and have also been the boss. What was it about the great ones that resonated with me and something that I strived to be as a boss? If I really think about it and had to put it into one word it would be that they were 'authentic'. This is a bit of a buzz word at the moment but it is just that for a reason. It does explain my feelings. By definition it means real, true, genuine which are all traits that I admire in anyone and definitely want in my manager and leader and what I endeavoured to emulate when I owned and operated my businesses.

Authentic people garner respect in the workplace because they show their true selves to their fellow workers and colleagues. Instead of putting a wall up and only revealing a work facade, they show their humanity and reveal something at least of their real makeup. They don't have to wear their heart on their sleeve and in fact that isn't something that would endear them to me as my boss. I probably don't need or want to know everything about the challenges in their life outside of work but I do want to see that they have a human side and that their actions are driven by an innate genuineness in themselves and regard for the people around them.

An authentic and genuine leader will inspire their people when it comes to a new project or new direction in the business by showing their emotional investment in the situation. They show their emotions with a genuine and real intensity that will likely result in a real and genuine response from their workers. If people can see the real you and be inspired to respond in kind, then a culture of respect is cultivated where great results will follow.

Another trait of authentic leaders is that they actively listen to their people and so take on board their ideas, giving credit to them and not themselves. They have a reserved confidence in their own ability and are not intimidated by the great ideas of others. They actually embrace the suggestions of others and happily foster the progression of other's innovations. They have the emotional intelligence to understand that everyone has worthwhile contributions to make and are not scared to promote these concepts.

This type of leadership builds trust and integrity, with the flow on effect of employees that are engaged and genuinely interested in their work. Isn't that what all businesses should be striving for? Isn't that the type of person you want to work for or be? I think most of us would agree with a resounding YES.

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Re-calibrate Your Internal Navigation System to be the Best Version of You that You Want to be

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 04:13:50 GMT

Everyone has times in their life when things are just not going their way. I know I have and it is hard not to think 'why me'. As humans we tend to look at other people and sometimes think that they have the perfect life, or so it seems. If only that was me, if only I had that opportunity.

Let me say right here and now that no one goes through life without challenges along the way. No one has a charmed existence. We all put on a public persona and only the select few will really know what is happening in our life. And that's ok. We all have a 'game face' that we show the world. We don't want or feel the need to share everything about our personal lives with all and sundry. However, because we, as humans, keep certain things private, other people can have a perception about you that may be way off course.

You might think, for instance, that because someone has a great career, a loving partner, a fantastic house and travels overseas regularly that they lead a charmed life. And that does sound pretty good but what you don't know is that they have a medical condition that in the short term, will severely impact on their quality of life, or that their only child has a rare disease that can only be treated overseas (hence the regular o/s trips). We all surmise about other's lives and think that the grass is greener over there. Not necessarily so.

A classic example is when we go to a school reunion. It can be one of the most confronting and challenging functions you will ever attend. Everyone wants to appear to be successful in the eyes of their peers and everyone is checking everyone else out. No one wants to be seen as unsuccessful, that they haven't lived up to everyone's expectations. But, when you think about it, who's expectations are you really worried about? It's more your own self expectations that are the real issue. You don't feel that you have lived up to your own presumptions or ideals of success. By judging everyone else around you, there is always the thought that others are doing better in and at life than you are.

All we really need to do is try and be the person we want to be. Wake up every morning and recognise who we are and what we have achieved and what we want to achieve. Realise that we can be the person we want to be and re-align our thinking to get us where we want to be. Re-calibrate the way we navigate our lives. The only person we need to live up to is ourselves. If we get the best from ourselves then we can be satisfied with ourselves and be truly happy with our outcome and not be worried about what others may or may not have because chances are they have something entirely different anyway.

Everyone else has their own life to navigate. Get the best outcome for you by giving yourself the opportunity to be the best you want to be and everything else will just flow.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA www.thinkingdna.com.au

human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

The Rewards of Being the First Employer in a Teenager's Life - First Job - Shaping Futures

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 06:32:25 GMT

Owning retail surf shops was fun. Sure, there was the usual stresses and pressures associated with owning a business along with the inevitable ups and downs of being in retail, but as an industry to be a part of, it was fun. This was before the big end of town moved in. This was when the independent retailer was still strong, before the surf shop morphed into vertical stores of the big surf labels. But that's a story for another day!

In retrospect, one of the best parts of being part of the surf industry was that it was fun, vibrant and a cool place to work. In that respect we employed mostly young people and by young I mean younger than we were at the time! So, the full time staff were all in their twenties and had already had quite a few years retail experience. They were the cream of the crop as we only hired the best. (which helped us on our path to become multiple retail award winners !)

Now retail being as it is, there are peak times of trade where casual staff are needed to handle the busy times as well as work the hours to cover the full timers on their days off. Casual staff were usually teenagers and most often this was their first job. A big step in their lives. Earning their own money and starting their working life. A reality check that they are accountable to someone other than their parents and teachers. Someone who expects them to work so that they receive a wage.

Let me say that some were better than others but on the whole a great group of young adults. Some of them were so shy and unsure of themselves in their early days with us that they couldn't even talk to the customers. But with a lot of coaching and help and patience they became some of the best staff we had employed. Their confidence grew and they became self assured and secure in the knowledge that they could do the job well and in the process developed a great work ethic. I can honestly say that the absolute majority of the 'first jobbers' that we employed learnt a lot about themselves in their time in our employ. However, the main thing they came away with was that great work ethic and a belief in themselves that has carried them through to bigger and better things as they finished their schooling and moved onto their chosen career path.

In retrospect it is quite humbling as well as an honour to have been a positive influence in these young people's lives. I hope that they will always remember those days with fondness and a sense of pride in themselves, for being part of a great team and a real asset to our business as well as their future.

Employing people is rewarding for everyone. If the employer gives and nurtures the relationship, the employee will give back in spades and carry that mutual respect with them through their working life. It all comes down to working together in an environment where everyone feels that they have made a contribution and been part of something worthwhile.

Online Retailers are here to Stay BUT that Doesn't Mean the Death of the Hands on Shopping Experience

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 05:21:44 GMT

Retail has always been a tough gig. I know. In a past incarnation I was a successful clothing retailer but as with anything, it was not without its challenges. Nothing worthwhile is easy. In any retail business there are a myriad of challenges that need to be faced and overcome each and every day just to keep the doors open and the registers ringing. Those challenges did not extend to the online retail market of today, which was at that time in its infancy and so the impact was only minimal, but it was obvious that it was growing and would become a significant force in the market.

Many retail operations have not survived in the marketplace of today yet others have thrived. However, retail stores have always come and gone and survival today is really no different to years gone. Sure, the challenges may come in a different form but the solutions are essentially the same.

Retailers need to think from their customer's perspective. Why do you buy online in a virtual store on one hand and why do you shop in a real store on the other hand? Online shopping is easy, often cheap, (think women's disposable fashion), can be done at your leisure and the choice is seemingly endless. So why do you go to a shop at all?

For the experience. For the interaction. To touch and feel and try on and get someone's opinion. We love the theatre of retail. The store is a destination in itself. New products, new gadgets, new experiences. Retail therapy is really a thing! Shopping is an outing. We may go alone for a bit of me time or with a partner or a friend or family member to talk and connect and share the adventure. You will often also treat yourself to a coffee and cake or a bit of lunch or even a beer or wine to top off the day. It can serve as a de-stresser, hence the term 'retail therapy '. There is a real satisfaction in finding that certain something that makes you feel really good. It lifts your spirits and gives you a positive vibe. You enjoy the experience.

There is a real and positive psychological aspect of well-being and connectivity that can be derived from going shopping. If retailers are switched on and tap into the thinking perspective of their customers, hands on retail will never die. While online shopping is here to stay, so is the experience of real store shopping. Smart, savvy retailers can be successful in both environments. Give your customers a great in-store experience they remember and you will have them as customers again and again.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Positivity Focus: Authenticity: Exemplar: Humility: No Excuses - Let's Go There

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 07:21:51 GMT

Are you a glass half full type of person or a glass half empty? Optimistic or pessimistic? I think we would all agree that it is more beneficial to our psychological and physical well-being to be a purveyor of positivity rather than negativity. However it isn't always easy to stay in that positive mindset. People will argue that we are either born with a positive attitude to life or we are not. Even if that rings true, that doesn't mean that we have to be ruled by that. We can all live with a positive outlook and have a positive impact on our lives and the lives of others by shifting our thinking to come from a different perspective. We all have that power within us.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

The Toxicity of Takers in Your Business: Give Them the Heave Ho

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 02:14:54 GMT

Can you name four people whose careers you have fundamentally improved? Of course, if you are new to the workforce, this may not be something that you have had any influence over as yet but if you have had several years in the working world, then this is a question that can give you valuable insight into someone's working demeanour and values.

People that give freely of their time and ideas to their colleagues and staff are the gold standard in any organisation. These people are happy to share their knowledge and experience to the betterment of their fellow staff members and therefore to the betterment of the business. They are collaborative in their approach and will always help and guide fellow workers to get the best result for their organisation. They have a confidence in themselves that is communicated with a real and genuine attitude towards others without any hint of arrogance or superiority. Emotional intelligence is one of their strongest traits. They don't take credit for other people's initiatives but they will help them achieve their objectives with guidance and assistance when requested. They are trusted and respected by everyone and therefore often have a real and positive impact on people's careers. They willingly share their knowledge without fear of losing any so called intellectual property gained from their own experience and accumulated insights. They are the givers.

The takers on the other hand are in it for themselves. These people may be very talented and have a lot to offer but there contribution is always tainted with a real focus on their own self interests and how their actions will benefit their own cause. They are not very good team players. They often take credit for other colleagues work, especially if those colleagues report to them. They can be quite ruthless in their climb up the corporate ladder and know which people can better their ambitions and also those who they see as inconsequential in their personal quest for advancement.

Takers are self-serving in their work agenda and do little to advance the team's collaborative efforts. They are often very adept at twisting the blame and deflecting negative backlash onto someone else or feigning ignorance of the matter or just plain ignoring the issue by not even engaging. If you report to a taker don't expect to receive any recognition or praise or mentorship. They are not usually respected or trusted by their fellow workers and often as not they will leave an organisation when they realise that management (or the people who they see as the ones that can further their career) have come to the realisation that they are not contributing in a positive way to the betterment of the organisation. Unfortunately, they may have already done some damage within the business. Good people may have already left because of the taker's self-serving work ethic and the company culture may have suffered as a result of their attitude and influence.

So how do you spot whether someone is a giver or a taker before it is too late? A very difficult challenge in any business. Looking at your staff from the perspective of their thinking style is a great start. Get in touch with me Thinking DNA to give you a heads up. Givers are gold, takers are toxic.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Is Staff Turnover a Problem For Your Business? Take a Close Look at Your Managers. People Leave Managers, Not Businesses.

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 02:58:03 GMT

People leave managers, not companies. An oldie but a goodie and so true. Why is that? Because people want to be treated as people, not in a command and control type of environment but one where staff are valued, trusted and coached in a collaborative and consultative way.

Too often, staff are rewarded for a job well done by receiving a promotion to manager. However, more often than not, their people skills have not even been a consideration in the decision and additionally they are given no training in managing a team of staff that now report to them. It seems that 'management skills' are supposed to be something that is an innate quality that we can all draw on if put in the situation. Wrong!

A good manager is someone you never forget for all the right reasons. Think about that one teacher at school that really made a difference in your life. What was it about them that made them stand out from all the rest? Why were they so effective? They treated you as a human, as someone who had a contribution to make and that contribution was taken seriously. They didn't dismiss you. They treated you as an equal, as a fellow human. They never belittled you or made you feel insignificant. Your thoughts and ideas were always treated with respect and in turn you wanted to succeed, if not for yourself but for them! If you did something less than you should have, you felt like you had really let them down and that made you feel really bad.

A great manager evokes the same response. If your manager treats you as an equal, respects your ideas and manages the team in an inclusive, collaborative and coaching environment then 'buy in' will never be a problem. It is really all about realising that everyone has a different and preferred thinking style and that there is value in everyone's contribution. No command and control here which is sadly still very prevalent in many organisations.

If you really look at the bigger picture, it is all about valuing people and making them feel part of that bigger picture. Everyone wants to feel valued and good managers, through their inclusive style will always have that essential 'buy in' from their team. Staff don't want to leave if they have that and will give over and above to achieve the team's goals.

Thinking DNA can help identify and develop the thinking styles in your business to build better teams and better managers.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Kudos to Commonwealth Bank: Workplace Excellence Award in Coaching!Are you Applying Psychology to Your Workplace in an Innovative Way? If not,why not?

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 02:02:45 GMT

It's not often in the current economic climate that bank's are praised for anything. I know that the banks, especially our Big 4, have a lot on their plate with investigative inquiries into banking practices. With every increasing profit announcement, their business models are put even further under the spotlight, and rightly so, as most Australians struggle to keep their business afloat in these very challenging economic times.

So it was very gratifying to see that the Commonwealth Bank recently won an award that saw them initiate a coaching program with 3000 of their staff. Putting organisational psychology to work.

Do you really understand what organisational psychology, or industrial psychology is all about?

In other words, it's all about the human capital in your business and getting the best possible outcome for them and the business. Utilising their thinking preferences and therefore strengths for the betterment of them and the organisation they work for. All organisations are made up of humans. It seems like simple stuff but so many businesses cite that 'staff' are the biggest challenge in their business. If you champion your staff, they will in turn be more effective in their roles and they and the business will thrive. The business will build better teams that capitalise on the strengths of the individuals to create teams that have a better understanding of everyone's ideas and input. You will have that elusive 'buy in' that is the hallmark of all successful organisations. Engaged staff are happy and productive and loyal and trusted. If your organisation isn't looking at their business from the perspective of their human capital, then there will always be 'staff' problems.

If the Commonwealth Bank can apply some organisational psychology innovations and practices for the betterment of their staff and ultimately their clients, then so can all businesses. Doesn't matter what the size of your business is, everyone will benefit from applying some psychological principles to the workplace because all workplaces are human.

This is what I am all about. Thinking DNA is all about building better teams. Organisational psychology is all about your staff and your teams and achieving a win-win for everyone. Get in touch with me to learn more.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Anyone Succeeding in Life Shares a Common Variable : A Great Team

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 01:48:36 GMT

No matter who you are or what you do in this life, anyone who has experienced some degree of success has not done it on their own.

We all rely on our team or teams to get the best result possible. Whether in business or our personal life there is no substitute for the positives that being part of a great team can deliver.

The moment we are born we become part of a team. Our family, whatever the composition or structure is our team. We grow and become part of other teams. It might be a playgroup, then kindergarten, then school, then sporting teams or debating teams or a choir or an orchestra. We progress to tertiary education or the workforce and again we are part of a team.

Any successful athlete has a team behind them. No one performs with any level of success entirely on their own. They will be part of a high functioning team that may include a coach, a manager, a doctor, a physiotherapist, a psychologist, a nutritionist and so on. They all bring certain skills to the group that when combined provide Whole Brain® Thinking. There may also be teams within teams or there may be two teams such as the work team and the family team.

The family team is one that as such we don't choose, with the exception of our life partner. So, while our family team is probably the most important team we will ever be a part of, there are a lot of other dynamics involved here such as love and kinship that are not part of this discussion today. The work team is however another matter entirely.

Whoever you are, whatever you do, we all rely on teams to help get us where we want to be. But, how do we become aligned with a team that will work for our particular situation? How do we get the best diversity of thinking from our team? Whole Brain® Thinking is all about using the preferred thinking preferences of your team to get the best possible outcome for you and them.

If you want to succeed, you need a great team. Plain and simple. Thinking DNA can show you how to cultivate that great team. Rethink your business thinking.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

The Measure of Staff Performance : What Really Works

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 04:16:10 GMT

How do you measure the performance of your staff? Does this measurement lead to better employee performance and hence better business performance? The answer is often not really. A recent article by Stacey Barr (Weekend Australian, 10-11 June 2017) has lead me to explore this further.

Typically, key performance indicators (KPI's) are used in many businesses as a measure of employee performance. They are seen as a tangible indicator of measuring an employee's ongoing work execution and achievement. This is the view from the employer's side of the table, so to speak. However, employees see KPI's as something totally different. As long as they meet their KPI's they are 'safe'. As Stacey discusses, 'the focus is not on doing the best job they can do but on self preservation'. Meeting those targets at the end of the month are the priority. Many times, figures and data are manipulated so that the KPI's are met, ensuring ongoing employment and in many cases end of month bonuses, but is this the best way forward for the business? Dina Gray states in Measurement Madness, "people focus on the measure at the expense of the real objectives of the organisation".

If you want your staff to focus on collaboration, creativity and innovation as key objectives and drivers of the business, then the measures of accountability need to redefined. There needs to be a rethink of the relationship between the employees and the measures utilised and what their accountability looks like. Staff need to measured in such a way that it drives the business directives to improve business performance rather than having staff hiding problems to avoid a blaming culture where the only motivation is one of self preservation.

Accountability needs to focus on the results of the overall performance of the staff within a framework of monitoring, interpreting and improving the results. This drives a mindset of problem solving rather than blame and judgement. Collaboration is key. By giving the team ownership, a culture of working together will drive better initiatives and ongoing improvements in their performance. There will be no need to 'hide' problems when the team are working together and self monitoring their progress. If there is a problem then it is up to them to work through it and come up with a solution. They will have the drive to do well and strive for improvements without keeping their eye on the KPI 'target' as a demotivator.

It might mean that managers need to rethink their management practices to adjust their mindset when it comes to making their teams 'accountable'. Rather than promoting a culture of self preservation, a culture of ownership and collaboration will improve performance, and transparency rather than concealment will be the accountability filter.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Use the Benefits of the Thinking Group, But Not the Dysfunction of Groupthink

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 04:12:25 GMT

Groupthink: the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group, resulting typically in unchallenged, poor quality decision making.

As a business practice, groupthink can be disastrous. However, out there in the real world it happens all too frequently. Every business wants to have unity and cohesiveness where everyone gets along. There is less friction. Everyone is on the same wavelength. No one challenges the status quo and so things plod along and everyone is happy. Right?

NO, because groupthink stifles thinking and without individual thinking, there will be soon be no business or at best it plods along and eventually stalls. Individual thinking needs to occur first, then the individuals come together as a group to have a thinking group. How can the ideas of essentially one person who then ostensibly bullies everyone else to agree with their thinking come up with the right thinking every time? Obviously they cannot. There are however plenty of organisations even in our supposed enlightened business world of today, where 'yes' men and women still 'tow the company line' in fear of ostracism. It is easier not to be a dissenter. Don't rock the boat and you will be safe. Safe, however doesn't challenge and without challenging thinking in this economic climate, you may as well shut up shop and go home. Whilst it may seem easier and be less work to agree and be part of groupthink, it will not be easier in the long term when you have no job because the business has ceased to exist.

Whole Brain® Thinking gives you the tools with the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) to assess the thinking preferences of everyone in the group. That knowledge gives the group the power to access everyone's diverse thinking style so that groupthink will never be a concern. As the tenets of HBDI®showcase, everyone has a different way of thinking so how one person approaches a situation will not be the same as the next person. We all have a unique thinking style which is played out in our lives every day. The Whole Brain® Thinking of HBDI® is the science of thinking preferences. Your thinking style influences your relationship with colleagues and clients in decision making, harnessing opportunities, problem solving, communications and just about everything else in your professional and personal life.

Better teams are all about better thinking. Rethink your business thinking.

HBDI® is the preferred assessment tool of Thinking DNA.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Are You the Smartest Person in the Room? Think Again!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 02:57:36 GMT

We have all come across this person at some time in our lives. The smartest person in the room or so they believe. They know it all, don't they? They have an opinion on everything and it is always the right opinion, or it is better to do it this way. I know.

The smartest person in the room is not someone that is easily swayed in a discussion or debate. They will have a better solution than anything others can contribute. They can be quite annoying to deal with as there seems to be an arrogance associated with their 'knowledge' that no one else could possibly have a better idea about 'whatever it is' than them. Is it a control mentality that needs to be fed or maybe an insecurity about themselves where they need constant validation of their importance and brilliance? It can foster a toxic environment where collaboration is not promoted because all attempts are railroaded with the sometimes tunnel vision of one person. This can lead to distrust and frustration because attempts to progress and grow are thwarted.

It is a real issue for many people in their professional and private lives. Whole Brain® Thinking shows us that the sum of knowledge of everyone in the room far outweighs the sum of knowledge of just one person in the room. How can one person possibly know everything about everything? We all have different thinking preferences and we all have unique strengths in our thinking that contribute to an overall Whole Brain®. By utilising these individual strengths we not only make better use of our collective human capital but we also help to fulfil a real human need for inclusiveness and self actualisation. We all want to contribute in a meaningful way and Whole Brain® Thinking through the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) is my assessment tool of choice. No one knows it all. We all have something to bring to the table. Rethink your business thinking.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

The Banks Just Don't Get It!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Sun, 28 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

A recent article in the Weekend Australian by Richard Gluyas talks about "Banks 'drowning' under rising tide of inquiries". It talks about the fact that there have been 39 industry probes launched since the financial crisis in 2009. The banks are worried about the commercial fallout that has already occurred and the potential "higher systemic risk" from the "outside world" of a Labor Party call for a royal commission. If our banking system is so good why does Australia keep having all these banking investigations?

There is no doubt that we need a strong banking sector for a strong, resilient economy but the banking fraternity have to ask themselves WHY do our governments keep launching reviews into the banking system; because the Australian public see inequities in the system, where the banks are making enormous profits yet the benefits to the Australian people who fund those profits is negligible.

How many businesses during the Global Financial Crisis had an implicit government guarantee behind them in case of failure? That's the public purse guaranteeing their future. And when official interest rates were falling, how many full basis points were passed on to their customers? Now I know that no one would have wanted our banks to fail and it would have been catastrophic for all Australians, but there doesn't seem to be any quid pro quo does there!

The banking industry in Australia is amongst the most successful in the world especially as far as the shareholders and senior executives are concerned, but therein lies the rub. Unless you are a shareholder you are likely not very impressed with the treatment you receive from your bank, especially if it is one of the larger institutions. Maybe it's that word 'institution' that says it all. How does an 'institution' connect with it's customers? Have the staff been too institutionalised? How do they foster a relationship that respects and benefits all parties? Are they just too big and too powerful to see the real and genuine daily struggles that an SME faces for example? Do they have any idea what it is like to put everything you have on the line when you sign that personal guarantee? Then, when things get a bit tough they change the goalposts of compliance so that the bars that need to be hurdled are ever increasing in height and difficulty.

It seems that there is a lack of understanding of their customers real needs. Does that suggest a lack of empathy, a lack of emotional intelligence on behalf of the banks? Maybe. Is there an element of we are more important than our customers and a condescending attitude that the public are the uninformed masses? Maybe. As discussed in Gluyas's article, an ex bank chief executive talks about the need for the banks to stand up for themselves and educate the uninformed. The more I examine the demeanour of the banks the more I see a sense of entitlement.

The banking industry in Australia will continue to be under the scrutiny of governments and industry bodies until such time as they can really work with their customers to benefit their business outcomes with a real and genuine attempt to see the relationship from the other side. The so-called 'uninformed masses' elect governments which is something that the banks need to remember. Put aside the ego and the sense of entitlement and really provide a service that resonates with your customers.

Rethink your business thinking.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Ros O'Connor

Innovation, Disruption, Amazon.......!!!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The buzz words of the marketplace: Innovation, Disruption and Amazon. Are you a mid-tier company concerned about these words? Take control and implement a focus and a strategy - a strategy that rolls itself around my byline - "Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success".

We have all heard them way too much in recent times and we're all looking at ways to do something about it! Company's such as Amazon don't have exclusivity in this domain. Anyone in business can be an innovator and disrupt the business norms. It's just that many businesses don't know how to step out of 'Safe Mode' and explore new thoughts and ideas. Sure, there can be an element of risk (although there doesn't have to be) but it is all relative to the risk of NOT developing and re-inventing and thus becoming irrelevant and obsolete (think Kodak and Nokia).

Innovate by identifying the skills and thinking of the people within your business, the human capital. Overlay innovation with logic and processes. Recognise the strengths your people possess and use these strengths to their and your advantage.

Firstly, identify the thinking skills in your team. Everyone has an area (and there are 4 possibilities here) from where their thinking originates. Rational, practical, relational and experimental. Any business needs input from all four areas to have Whole Brain Thinking. If you want to innovate and you have someone with an experimental or innovative thinking style in your team, listen to their ideas. Then encompass the thinking from the other areas such as logic/rational and detail/practical. Relational/humanistic thinking will automatically resonate because everyone wants to feel that they have contributed to the success of the organisation. This will do that. Everyone will feel part of a bigger picture and what better way is there to promote staff engagement and a killer corporate culture than have a team that is Wholly invested in the business moving forward.

Time and time again I have seen employees try to put their ideas forward to upper management, only to have their thoughts fall on deaf ears. Management can often suffer from the smartest person in the room syndrome where no one else could possibly have a great idea because they didn't think of it themselves. If this is the case, they need to get over themselves, use some emotional intelligence and maybe they might hear something from a team member that is the seed of a brilliant idea that may create their own disruption. Use your organisation's human capital. Actively listen to the collective perspectives of all the team and tap into everyone's thinking.

As an added bonus, instead of losing great talent within your business because the staff do not feel included or appreciated in the organisation, staff morale and retention will increase and you will become an employer of choice with an inclusive, innovative company culture.

Tomorrow's thought leaders have the emotional intelligence to tap into the human capital resources within their organisation and use all that available thinking. They know that alone they don't have all the answers but collectively with Whole Brain Thinking they can strategise to be ahead of the rest and be a differentiator in their field.

Identify the thinking strengths of your staff and give them the platform to combine all this talent to bring together ideas for future growth. Whole Brain Thinking can be achieved with HBDI, the assessment tool I use to identify the diversity of thinking styles in any organisation.

Ros O'Connor

Thinking DNA

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

TTTK and the 24 Hour Rule

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Thu, 18 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Any cricket enthusiasts will now what 'Through to the Keeper' (TTTK) is all about. The bowler has sent down a delivery that is better left untouched. So let it go through to the keeper, rather than attempt a shot and risk losing your wicket.

TTTK is also a great analogy for life.

We all have situations in our personal and professional lives that annoy the hell out of us and we fire up and let our emotions get the better of us and we lash out. Sometimes we brood on the situation and let it annoy us to the point that we just can't get past it, whatever it is. You may have been wronged or feel that you have been slighted. Maybe you have had your feelings hurt or maybe you spent a lot of time on a client presentation but in the end missed out on the sale to a competitor.

Sometimes the wrong needs to be followed up and investigated to set the record straight in a moral or legal instance. However, many things that happen in our lives are not worth getting upset about or expending your energy on. Things happen and we need to move on.

Don't let inconsequential mishaps or perceived slights become bigger than they really are. Don't give them air.

TTTK. Just let it go! It's not worth the energy and worry. Just move on and get on with what really matters in your life.

Another strategy is the 24 hour rule. Before you thump out a reply to that email you just received that has really made your blood boil, WAIT. The 24 hour rule is pretty self explanatory. Wait 24 hours before you reply. How many times do we act in the heat of the moment and regret it later. Better to wait 24 hours. Sleep on it. Think about it. Calm down. Then write a reply if you need to. At least you will have a better perspective after a bit more careful thought and not reply with something that you may live to regret.

TTTK and the 24 Hour Rule are just a couple of strategies that can make life less stressful with less self recriminations. Give yourself the chance to deal with life with a better thinking mindset. A bit of mindful thinking can create better outcomes for the things that really matter.

If you employ TTTK and the 24 Hour Rule, then 'In Hindsight' doesn't need to be part of your vocabulary.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

ATTENTION : A Must Read For All Business Owners!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 12 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Unless you have owned and operated your own business you will never truly understand the pressures and stress that go with that 'privilege'.

You start out with a vision and follow that dream to bring your business to a reality. The road to that reality is not, as you find out, a smooth journey. There are so many hurdles that need to be overcome that by the time you actually open the doors on your venture you will already feel like you have gone through a minefield of obstacles.

Banks loans, property leases, trade credit applications, business registrations, an array of insurances, equipment, fitouts......the list is seemingly endless. Then all you have to do is employ the right staff, manage and train those staff, manage inventory, do the accounts, pay the staff (and ensure there is enough money to pay the staff), do the ATO work and pay them (think PAYG tax and BAS/GST) just for starters.

It's no wonder many business owners feel that everyone wants a piece of them and have stress levels through the roof. Effectively, it's YOU against the world. It is up to YOU. It is essential that you know how your brain really processes a situation and what happens to your mindset when you are in a pressure situation. Everyone has a different way of thinking and you as one person have a certain unique perspective on your business environment.

To start, view your brain as having four areas of expertise; analytical and logical, structural and detailed, humanistic and emotional, innovative and conceptual. We all have a preferred area of thinking and all our thinking perspectives come from that viewpoint. There is no right or wrong BUT as a business owner it is ESSENTIAL you know where you sit in your thinking preferences, not only so that you capitalise on that knowledge but also so that you know where you have limitations and thus when you would need to utilise others expertise and different thinking preferences.

The other ESSENTIAL is to know how your thinking is affected when you are in a pressure situation. I call it your default mode. We all have one. When you are in a stressful situation you will revert to a 'safe, tried and true' method of handling the situation. Your default mode. Knowing this about yourself and where you default to is extraordinarily powerful. If you understand your default mode, you can manage your business decisions with a better understanding in those high pressure situations.

If a business can look at the internal and external human capital they have available and optimise the thinking perspectives within that framework, they will be able to better align their strengths and weaknesses so that they have that knowledge BEFORE it becomes a future problem. Optimise the thinking styles within your business to get maximum benefits so that any possible problems are negated before they become problems and your business will have a much better chance of success and longevity.

Thinking DNA can help YOU to understand your thinking style and where you default to under pressure. Let me help YOU and your business to realise its potential by unlocking and optimising your human capital. Get in touch with me to assess your thinking profile.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Thinking about an MBA or any tertiary studies?

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Tue, 09 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Know your thinking style before embarking on expensive further education

The job market is more competitive than ever before. It seems that an undergraduate degree doesn't cut it any more. That a masters qualification is the minimum requirement. Or so it seems.

Universities are big business these days. There is enormous competition in the marketplace for student enrolments. There are so many options today for tertiary education and the marketing departments of these institutions are presenting their offerings as the best option for you to start or further your career.

Before you embark on any tertiary education, whether it is undergraduate or post graduate and build or add to your already sizeable HECS/HELP debt, give some consideration about what drives your thinking and how that can give you insights into what, how and why you think as you do. With the upcoming Budget talk of university fees rising, your thinking mentality needs to be at the forefront of any decision that you make in your tertiary education decision.

How many students leave high school and enter into some form of tertiary education and decide after a short time that this isn't what they want to do? Sometimes they switch courses several times before they find the right fit for them. Sometimes they come back to study at a later date and sometimes never.

How many people finish their degree, never to actually work in that particular field? All education is worthwhile but isn't it better to know where your mental preferences are taking you before you embark on years of study?

As a pre-curser to any tertiary study, a profile of your thinking perspectives should be a mandatory requisite. It will help you identify your own style and give you insights into the ways your thinking preferences unconsciously shape your decisions in everything you do. If you know your mental preferences you can align your mentality to a vocation and career that will ultimately give you job satisfaction and success in your chosen field.

If you love what you do, you will never work another day in your life.

Get in touch with me @ Thinking DNA to discover your life passion before you head down the path of further education. It might just lead you to a life of fulfillment in your chosen career which is no small thing in anyone's life journey.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Laughter in the Workplace Benefits Everyone!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 05 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

What do you love about your workplace or conversely what don't you like about it?

We all want the dream job that challenges and fulfills us in a way that we don't really feel like it is work at all. We want to love our job! If you are one of these people then congratulations on a well chosen path to happiness at work.

Most people however are not as blessed. That's not to say that they hate what they do to earn a dollar but at the end of the day there are other drivers that fulfill them in their workplace. We can't all have the dream job but we can have the dream culture which in many senses can make up for the shortcomings of the role you are employed to perform.

When people laugh together, a sense of rapport and engagement is immediately established. It creates an atmosphere of openness and genuineness where barriers are disabled and a feel good vibe immediately lifts the mood. As AC Grayling says in his book Thinking of Answers, "Laughter cuts through most tangles, it punctures pomposity"

So, to create a workplace culture where people are engaged and truly feel part of something worthwhile then leaders need to show their real self and lose any sense of self importance. Laughter is a great leveller and shows others your more genuine and vulnerable self, breaking down barriers that lead to better communication and team bonding. Laughter is something that everyone understands.

If leaders can tilt their thinking to a place where laughter and a healthy sense of humour are embedded in the company culture and ethos, they will be rewarded with staff that are engaged and committed to their jobs. Even if it isn't their dream job, they have the dream culture which is the next best thing.

Thinking that embraces a perspective of an enjoyable work environment is a win-win for everyone.

Remember, Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success.

Experience Should be Celebrated

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Why Businesses Need that Older Head and to Stop Falling Prey to Ageism

The majority of our senior politicians and C-suite executives seem to be of an age that is considered on the mature side. These people have experience in spades on which to draw in their professional roles and on the whole perform these professional responsibilities with great success.

Why then are older candidates in the rest of the workforce subjected to what I would call an almost unstated discrimination because they are experienced? An article in SmartCompany today was headed "Age discrimination in the workplace happening to people as young as 45".

Why??!!

It all comes down to how we think and how we perceive others.

Take for example your average adolescent, transitioning into adulthood. All of a sudden they are viewing themselves as young adults and transforming their thinking from a child's view of the world where Mum, Dad and their school teachers are their sounding board for everything to a more exploratory and independent mode of thinking. Suddenly Mum and Dad and to a lesser degree their teachers, know nothing and their suggestions and encouragements are often discounted as not worthy of any recognition or given any credence.

Of course, as these adolescents mature into adulthood they usually realise that Mum, Dad and teachers did have some valid ideas and points to consider in the arena of life and mutual respect is restored.

However, as a spin-off from this, is there a certain amount of truth to the idea that this thinking persists and that a persons knowledge and wisdom is somehow diminished because they have been there before and innately know the answer to whatever the question is because of that past experience?

Our thinking in our personal life and our work life needs to be tempered with the fact that we all have a contribution to make and that contribution is not something that is diminished because a person is experienced, but rather enhanced.

If your thinking is only coming from a narrow perspective, then you are not getting the most out of the possibilities that are presented to you. Look at all the opportunities that come your way. Different perspectives of thinking need to be championed with a non-judgemental attitude, especially in a business scenario, so that a breadth of thinking is available as a cornerstone of your human capital to face the inevitable challenges all organisations face.

Utilise all the available age thinking perspectives to your strategic advantage and benefit from the cognitive diversity that it will bring to your business.

Human capital and innovation are the key to all long term economic success

"Disagree and Commit" as Jeff Bezos from Amazon says

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Commitment and disagreement can work together

How much time is taken up in business with trying to convince the relevant stakeholders that a certain business initiative is the right way to go? Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon seems to have nailed it with his "disagree and commit" ethos.

In this fast paced, technologically driven business environment of today, responsiveness is something that needs to be championed. Too much time and human resources are wasted while waiting for all the ducks to be in a row; before making a decision and committing to the project. If errors are made with a quick and responsive decision, things can be re-worked. If no decision is made, there is nothing to be re-worked because there is no forward movement to re-work.

If the team has a great idea and there isn't 100% buy-in by from everyone, what is the cost of not going with their gut feel? After all, they were hired for their expertise and sometimes that needs to be trusted. I have spoken about trust before. If the team has been put together to maximise everyone's strengths, then sometimes that needs to be rewarded with the realisation that they just might know a good idea when they collectively think.

It's all about listening to everyone's thinking and acting responsively so that brilliant ideas are realised before the some other bright spark in the business world thinks of it and dives right on in.

As I always say "Human Capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success".

How to use tension in your business for good rather than no good!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone in your workplace all 'clicked' and worked together to bring great outcomes for the success of the business. As a result everyone loved their job and felt that they all played an important part in that success. Staff turnover was negligible because people felt valued in a meaningful way as a result of their contribution. The company culture was positive with an energetic vibe that meant management and staff were all fantastic brand ambassadors to all they met without even realising it.

Isn't that what every business should be striving for? Of course it is but how do you attain that? How do you get everyone to at least understand the perspective of their fellow colleagues and not be bogged down with internal infighting, miscommunication and time wasted on nonessential items that is perpetuated by endless meetings with no resolution? This only creates tension for No Good.

The first step to using tension for good in your business is to understand the thinking style of every individual in your business. If you know everyone's thinking style, teams can become a pool of dynamic, diverse thinking with a more balanced focus to consider more options and make better business decisions. The key is that everyone has something to offer as we all have different strengths in our thinking style. No one style is better than the other, just different.The team becomes a Whole Brain team.

It becomes apparent that everyone has real expertise to offer but that expertise is very diverse. Respect for each other's ideas if often triggered by an 'ah ha' moment in the realisation of knowing why you yourself tackle tasks the way you do and in turn getting an understanding of how your colleagues approach tasks from a totally different perspective. The tension in the team is somewhat quelled just by that first step of understanding the team dynamics emanating from diverse thinking styles.

If you want to learn to use the tension in your workplace For Good and get an analysis of your team's collective thinking get in touch with me; ros@thinkingdna.com.au

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

It's all about Trust!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Bridge the gap between big business and small business

When was the last time you said "Wow. My banker/my landlord/my wholesaler always really understands my situation and knows how to deliver the best outcomes in our business relationship. I really trust them to do the right thing by me".

What's that you say? Hey, this is a public forum. I can't repeat that!

Safe to say I would guess that the answer is hardly ever coming from a positive experience. This resonates in all aspects of our lives but for SMEs it has become a way of life. No wonder their trust levels are at a point where they are sceptical of any interaction with the bigger end of town. There are always exceptions but it seems that they are rare in the bureaucracies of today's service industries.

Small and medium size business owners are so wary that their mantra in today's business environment is one of "everyone wants a piece of me". What's left for me! No wonder they are sceptical and cynical.

With a background as an award winning retailer/franchisee, a money market dealer, a professional in behavioural psychology and an accredited HBDI practitioner, I have experienced the struggles of an SME operator from both sides of the fence. I know what it's like to sign a lease for business premises. I know what it's like to sign trade credit applications and mortgage documents that put your house on the line if things turn pear shaped. All of our business dealings are underpinned by a raft of personal guarantees. Most people in the corporate world have no idea what that feels like and the pressures that go with that.

If this resonates with you, whether you are the CEO of a large corporate or an SME struggling to keep your head above water and you would like to bridge that gap between big business and small business and you would like to learn more about how Thinking DNA can help you, get in touch through a message on LinkedIn, email me, ros@thinkingdna.com.au or call me 0422 609 010. If we can re-build trust in business and break through with better business thinking from all sides of the story, then everyone will have a better business and therefore better life outcomes.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Rethink Your Business Thinking

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

With many years in retail, owning and operating award winning retail enterprises, I have had the good fortune to have many great staff contribute to the business' success. A lot of the time it was through trial and error to get the optimum staff mix and use the talents of all the staff effectively. HBDI can eliminate that trial and error by highlighting your staff's talents and effectively building your teams for better business outcomes. Thinking DNA can show you how to maximise the talents of your staff. Get in touch NOW for better business thinking.

Human capital and innovation are the source of all long term economic success

Every Business Runs on Thinking!

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Discover Whole Brain Thinking with me at Thinking DNA

If you have read my story behind Thinking DNA you will see me talk about HBDI and you might think what is that all about and how can it help me in my business. Well, HBDI is all about brainpower and utilising Whole Brain Thinking.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation in your business where you are struggling to come up with some new ideas, finding it a real challenge dealing with those difficult team members or customers or just frustrated by technology roadblocks. These issues often have a common fundamental cause. THINKING. Every business runs on thinking.

Whole Brain Thinking helps you understand the implications of different thinking preferences of not only yourself but others. This gives you the means to leverage the best thinking available around you so that you utilise the brain trust within your business. It will open your eyes and give you the skills to tap in and expand your own thinking abilities as well as your team to maximise the potential within your business to be more creative, more efficient and more successful.

Get in touch with me to explore the possibilities for your business.

Thinking DNA, Rethinking Business Thinking

The Workplace Experience and How to Get the Best Result for Everyone

ros@thinkingdna.com.au (Ros O'Connor) — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We all have a functioning brain that works pretty much the same as the next person. Right? Then why when given a job to do we all have a different approach and come up with numerous results? Because we all have different thinking styles. Pretty obvious I know but let's take that a step further. How can we better identify and utilise these differences in the workplace to maximise the benefit for everyone?

Let's be honest here. Not everyone is comfortable taking a leap of faith with a new idea or for that matter even think of the idea in the first place! Then again, not everyone gets a feeling of satisfaction when the books are balanced at the end of the month. Or logically analyses a problem and comes up with a workable solution. Or helps and guides the human journey through all these scenarios. The upshot is that we need all these to get the best result we can possibly get for a positive workplace experience for everyone involved.

Businesses that maximise the effectiveness of the human capital they have in their teams by cross pollinating everyone's diversity of strengths are the ones that come out on top. Knowing the thinking styles of your staff and also knowing where those thinking styles default to when those staff are under pressure, is a valuable tool that can give any business a real heads up as well as make for a workplace experience that benefits all concerned.

Get in touch with me here or email ros@thinkingdna.com.au to profile your teams thinking styles and work towards a better end game.