Field Work Consulting

A little while ago I posted about an exciting project we had begun, to develop an Inclusive Leadership Training. We've been hard at work getting it ready to launch and I'm excited and proud to announce that registrations are now open for early 2025! Our program is for leaders of all levels experience and backgrounds and will help you build: ✅ Confidence - to foster diversity and lead inclusive team dynamics ✅ Connection - develop meaningful relationships that respect and value our unique diversity ✅ Wellbeing - from creating an environment that enables yourself and others to flourish ✅ Success - Better team performance and engagement You'll participate in an engaging and practical training paced over two modules, where you will learn to: ☑ Understand the mindsets, behaviours, and practices essential to building inclusive workplaces. ☑ Identify and mitigate personal biases, as well as biases embedded in organizational procedures and practices. ☑ Support and empower diverse team members through equitable and flexible working approaches. ☑ Improve inclusion by adopting team practices that enhance collaboration, engagement, and performance. ☑ Communicate, implement, and measure the impact of inclusive practices within your team. You can register now here: https://lnkd.in/gsExmDVC Find out more on the website: https://lnkd.in/gN_y6VVn I talk about the origins and development of the program over on my personal page. Check it out if you'd like to know the story. https://lnkd.in/gP-gwRh3

Pssst.. Christmas is just around the corner 🎄 😮 If we aren't in denial about how quickly the year has passed 🙈, we are probably beginning to plan the end of year events, finding the perfect way to recognise the team's work over the year and enjoy some social time together as the year winds up 🎉. Here are a few tips on how to plan an event that's inclusive and fun for everyone on your team. #inclusion #inclusiveevents #inclusiveleadership Have you got any examples of great approaches to inclusive end of year events? Share them in the comments!

I came across this model as a way of conceptualising the elements of inclusion and it's really stuck with me. I love a good simple model and this one can help leaders think about the belonging and uniqueness that they enable, and act to bring a balance of both to their teams to create inclusion. The Inclusion Matrix ✅ High Belonging, High Uniqueness fosters Inclusion When team members feel both a genuine sense of belonging and feel valued for their unique personalities and experiences you have inclusion. Individuals can fully express themselves, contribute their diverse ideas, and feel integral to the team's success. This leads to higher engagement, creativity, and productivity. There is a robust culture of trust, respect, and mutual appreciation. 🤐 High Belonging, Low Uniqueness indicates Assimilation When there is high belonging but low uniqueness, team members might feel like they are part of the team, but they don't fully contribute their individual strengths and perspectives. People are conforming to the dominant norms of the group. The team may seem cohesive on the surface, but it lacks the innovative edge that diverse thinking can bring. 💠 High Uniqueness, Low Belonging drives Differentiation (individualisation) In environments where uniqueness is valued but belonging is low, team members are seen more as individual contributors than as part of a cohesive unit. Here people might feel like their skills are recognized, but they do not have a strong connection to the team. Without a sense of belonging, these individuals may feel isolated and less motivated to collaborate. The result is a collection of talented individuals rather than a unified team. ❌ Low Belonging, Low Uniqueness delivers Exclusion The most detrimental quadrant is where both belonging and uniqueness are low. In such environments, team members feel like outsiders, disengaged, and unsafe. There is little to no value placed on their unique contributions, and they do not feel like they are part of the team. This exclusion leads to high turnover, low morale, and poor overall performance. I love this model because leaders can consider which quadrant each member of their team might be sitting in, and take positive actions to create higher belonging and/or a sense of uniqueness; or put measures in place to make sure they continue to experience inclusion. What do you think? Useful model? How would you plot yourself in your current team? What would you need in your workplace to make you feel more like you belong? That you are valued for all of your wonderful uniqueness? Where do you think your team is across the matrix?

I've been working on a blog and reflecting on some of the messages in the Australian media recently about men holding each other accountable for demonstrating respectful behaviour toward women. I absolutely agree that it's an important and necessary step forward which will create change. I also know that 'calling it out' isn't as straightforward as it sounds. If it was, we'd all be doing it and demeaning and disciminatory behaviour toward marginalised or vulnerable groups would cease to exist. There are some great resources available which suggest tactics for interrupting bias and discrimination (check out Lean In's 50 Ways to fight Bias). Building the confidence to use them is supported by better understanding why we don't speak up, and how to overcome it so that we can. Below I've provided some insight into what gets in the way and some tips on how to get started. I also offer a free mini coaching session for anyone who is trying to figure out how to 'call it out' - in any context - and would like some support. Message me or visit my website to get in touch.

The third pillar of inclusive leadership are the interpersonal skills that you use to connect and relate with team members on common ground AND across differences. Of course, there are more than these listed, but these are my top picks for best impact when applied intentionally to build inclusion. In coaching, we get really specific about why these ones are important and how to apply them to create inclusion, so that you leverage the potential of the diversity in your team to deliver great outcomes. Inclusive leadership delivers better performance and employee engagement. Working across self awareness, interpersonal skills and practices is a holistic systems approach and coaching enables a leader to work with their specific context and personal skills to rapidly apply learning and achieve results. Ready to start? Want to know more? Book a discovery call today!

Self awareness, interpersonal skills and practices are the pillars of building inclusive leadership. Recently, I posted about reflexivity, which is part of developing a leader's self awareness in terms of how they see and position themselves in the world, and what this means for their leadership. Sometimes it's easier for leaders to start with a more tangible assessment, so we'll observe and assess practices to see where unconscious patterns of leadership emerge as outcomes that limit or promote inclusion in the team. This helps to build self awareness, and is great for action planning. Below are my top practices that I use to help generate insight. I'd love to hear from you. Do these ring true? Are there others that you think are as important?

We're super excited to announce that we are ready to work with you and your organisation to build your inclusive leadership capability. Inclusive leadership coaching will help you unlock great performance, achieve new levels of team engagement and secure your investment in diversity. Read below to find out how. Visit our website to schedule a discovery call. We're looking forward to working with you!

I’ve been working on a project to develop an inclusive leadership training program. I’m starting with a reflexivity practice and it’s got me reflecting on how powerful it is for uncovering where and how we can be more inclusive. Reflexivity is the practice of deepening our awareness of our own diversity and how that influences what we see and experience in the world around us. It expands our awareness of differences and how we relate to others and helps to uncover assumptions and biases that may be limiting our view and exchanges. In my project, reflexivity is showing me my ‘default’ approach (and the big gaps in it 😮) and helping me to identify collaborators who are different to me and who I’d like to work with to create an experience that models inclusion for participants. In coaching, we use a reflexivity activity to build appreciation of the breadth of diversity we all have, and to provide a frame for leaders to consider how they are engaging with difference in their teams. Curious about you can use reflexivity to build inclusion? Try it below ⬇

I'm so excited, I'm like a kid that's got the BEST candy ever, and I just want to share it! Our Inclusive leadership coaching program is ready and full of great content, questions and support to help you build a more inclusive team. So... it's time to road test! I'm offering a complimentary full coaching package to 2 followers of my page who would like to be my pilot clients. Over 6 sessions you'll deepen your self awareness, identify opportunities to improve behaviours and practices in your team and apply your learning. Message me to register your interest and I'll be in touch to take you through the details. I'm looking forward to sharing what we've created with you!

It's been abit quiet over here on the Field Work socials... we've been in chrysallis mode! About 6 months ago I had an epiphany. The kind where once you've had it, there's no ignoring it and continuing in the direction you were going just doesn't make sense anymore (shout out to Renee Shea for her amazing coaching which was the catalyst for said epiphany). There is nothing as energising as connecting with purpose, and Field Work now has a very clear purpose: to help leaders, teams and organisations bring in and lift up diverse voices by putting inclusion first. It's been there all along as part of my HR and Organisation Development work but now it feels like there is nothing more important than this for our organisations and the communities they operate in. More to come, but for now: Call me to discuss how I can support your Inclusion and Diversity program, from strategy to targeted support for initiatives Explore our offering on the website @fieldworkconsulting.com.au And stay tuned for more information on our Inclusive leadership coaching program coming very soon!