Inner Chief Podcast

In this episode we meet Rob Patterson Rob Patterson is a senior Executive with extensive experience in the leadership and significant growth of national professional service firms. Rob is the former COO of  HWL Ebsworth Rob where he played a key role overseeing the metamorphosis of a small Melbourne Based Legal Practice (40 employees, Turnover $3m) into a National Commercial Law firm of over 600 people and turnover in excess of $150M. Now Australia’s largest firm by partner numbers. Rob then joined Macpherson Kelley as COO and led a similar transformation there and is now the Managing Director of the Parkins Lane Consulting Group which focuses on creating and executing on strategy, growth and marketing for professional Services firms. Outside of work he is a keen surfer, grows Sangiovese vines, has an amazing partner Kim and is the proud father of Abbey who is just embarking on her own professional career.   In this episode we talk about: How he grew their business from $3M to $150M The importance of relat

For more info check out www.chiefmaker.com.au/106 Our High performance teams series has reached part 17 and today we look at part 2 of our pillar on Tools, namely Hardware and Collateral. Last week we spoke about Scoreboards and Metrics and how you need to measure what you want to manage if you want to understand what success looks like in your business, and keep pushing the dial on performance. But today, we explore the hardware and collateral that your people have at their disposal to do their jobs. This includes their phones, computers, tools, machinery, equipment, sales, brochures, sales decks, business cards, all this kind of equipment. In this episode, I outline: What goes wrong culturally when you have the wrong hardware and collateral; How to know how much to invest in this, given it is often a capital expense and requires a return; How Scoreboards and Metrics are intrinsically linked to Hardware and Collateral; How to use Hardware and Collateral to create a happy workplace. What goes wrong when you

In this episode we meet Laura Gasner Otting. Laura has empowered thousands through her speaking engagements and inspirational writing, including her newest book, Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life. Laura’s 25-year resume is defined by her entrepreneurial edge. She served as a Presidential Appointee in Bill Clinton’s White House, helping shape AmeriCorps; Was founder and President of the highly successful Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group, which placed nonprofit executives around the world. Through her own commitment to give back, Laura has helped build a local Montessori school, co-founded a women’s philanthropic initiative, advised a start-up national women’s PAC, grew a citizen-leadership development program, and completed three charity-inspired marathons—projects emblematic of her passions and values. Laura is both an experience CEO and Guru and her advice around success and reaching your limitless potential is practical and inspiring.   In this episode we

For more info check out www.chiefmaker.com.au/104 Our High performance teams series now enters part 16 and we enter the 5 key Tools that drive a high performance culture, the first of which is Scoreboard and Metrics. We’ve spoken about the Mission - all about the vision, your purpose and your why. And then we went into getting the right people on the bus, followed by building a high performance Culture. Now, for the next 5 episodes, we’re going to talk all about Tools; the equipment that let your people do their job well. But today, we explore how to gamify your team's performance and increase engagement and results through the regular use of metrics and scoreboards. In this episode, I outline: Why measuring performance is important and what happens when results are not measured correctly; Scoreboards and metrics in a business context and how they can be used to your advantage both internally and externally; How you can make numbers and data more interesting, meaningful and inspiring. What gets measured get

In this episode, our guest is Natalie Speers, the Founder & CEO of Social Ally, an agency in the digital marketing and social media space. It was a great chat, in which we talk about how being an early adopter has pushed her out of her comfort zones, particularly in the social media space in the last decade. Natalie also shares some incredible social media stats that prove that everyone needs to use social media, regardless of your industry. We then go through her list of common mistakes business owners and leaders make on social media and what they should be doing instead, and then we round up with her explaining what visual disruption - a term she coined - is and how to introduce it into your social posting strategy. You can connect with Natalie Speers on LinkedIn or by email: natalie@socialallyusa.com.   Key Quotes from Natalie Speers   Keeping up with the ever-changing social media landscape I visit various websites, such as Social Media Examiner and Social Media Today. I'll visit those three times a

For more info check out www.chiefmaker.com.au/102 Our High Performance Teams series now enters part 15, where we finalise the 5 key elements that drive a High Performance Culture, namely the rituals & traditions of the team. We cover how to overcome those periods in work or business life when it has become a bit soulless, a bit toxic and is all work, and no play. One of the best ways is to use rituals and traditions to create meaning and a sense of belonging to your team and get the trust back on track. In this episode, I outline: The history of rituals and traditions and why they are so important, no matter the context; When rituals and traditions take on a negative form and what good ones should look like; 6 topics that will guide you around rituals and traditions and some really great, specific examples; How it's important to remember that you are the chief story-teller and your team will look to you to create rituals and traditions that energise them and ultimately will drive high performance. Stay

This week’s episode takes a totally different format as it’s a discussion rather than an interview.   I recorded this episode with our spiritual guru, Damien Price, for another podcast called The Universal Man, a Not-For-Profit organisation dedicated to helping men operating at their best in the modern world.   You can connect with Damien on LinkedIn.   He’s also been on the podcast before; check out episode 31. Key Quotes from discussion with Damien Price   What is balance? When we are out of balance, there's a sense that you're just going around, you're spinning, you're on a treadmill. You feel a sense that you've got no particular power, and you’re just rushing, rushing, rushing, go, go, go. You’re out of balance.   Aligning balance to your life vision and life chapters We've got to look at the particular context of where we are in life; it's our vision, it's where we are at this point in time. What chapter of our lives we’re in. There is a famous story where a university professor gets out a large ja

For more info check out www.chiefmaker.com.au/100   We’ve made it to Episode 100!!! What a cracking topic we have in store for you today.   Our High Performance Teams series now enters part 14, and we’re into the penultimate element of what drives a high performance Culture, where today we look at the power of high standards and how this drives feedback, accountability and unity across a team.   In this episode, we cover the one topic that my clients ask me about more than anything. And that is how to increase accountability in their teams and how to get people to take ownership of their work, and stop them becoming victims.   “Feedback is the breakfast of champions”. This is more than just a brilliant quote by Ken Blanchard; this is instrumental and at the core of high-performing, accountable teams. But it’s easy to get wrong when giving it out, especially if you have no leadership currency, and it can become a really draining process.   In this episode, I outline: Why living and breathing your organisation

In this episode, we have a great chat with Marty Vids, an entrepreneur, mentor and podcast host, about building rapport, empowering customers and owning your job.   Marty has had quite the eclectic career and life, having started out in his parent’s milk bar as a kid, and then moving into the comedy scene as an MC. He has a few great stories from that past life, that’s for sure!   A career change beckoned and he landed up at Westpac as a mortgage broker, before leaving that to co-found Mortgage First, which he sold in his mid-30s. But the itch to build another business didn’t go away, and he started Mortgage 500, a company he eventually sold in 2016.   These days, Marty is also a mentor, life coach, MC, and hosts his own podcast, The Marty Vids Show.   You can connect with Marty Vids on LinkedIn.   Key Quotes from Marty   On his Formative Years... My early days really were a place of work. I would go in with my dad even on a Sunday and help him collect the newspapers and I'd be serving clients probably from

For more info check out www.chiefmaker.com.au/98 Our High performance teams series now enters part 13, and we’re right into the High Performance Culture pillar, where today we look at how to get your team focussed on winning, and collaborating intensively.   In this episode, we cover how to get your team members to come along on the journey in pursuing excellence, but also how to simultaneously avoid becoming too internally focussed and operational.   One of the ways true chiefs get the best out of their troops is to compete externally, that is, changing the game of the industry, giving the team the energy and the tools to be the best. Sometimes the converse is true, where a bunch of individuals end up competing against one another; the result being low energy, a team that’s defensively-minded and you as the leader can’t drive your own track record and career momentum.   So how does one set up and lead a high-performing, industry-leading, best-of-the-best team that hunts and isn’t the hunted?   In this episod

In this episode we meet Ted Prodromou, America’s #1 LinkedIn Coach, and talk about perception, connecting properly with purpose, and standing out online.   As you will pick up from this episode, Ted has bounced back from many setbacks, and offers up a number of immediately actionable tips for super-charging both your LinkedIn profile, but also your online presence and online etiquette in general. So get that pen and paper handy, log into your LinkedIn profile and be prepared to put your best foot forward!   A special thanks to Alex Mandossian for recommending Ted.   You can connect with Ted Prodromou on LinkedIn.   You can find Ted's books on Amazon.   Key Quotes from Ted   On the LinkedIn platform as a whole: The last three to six months, LinkedIn has been rolling out updates like crazy. And they really are pushing it as a content management platform, content distribution. So you post a video on there now, and it goes out to first, second and third-level networks. First-level is people who have accepted in

For more info check out www.chiefmaker.com.au/96 Our High performance teams series now enters part 12, and the second episode of the Culture pillar, where I talk you through how to tighten the bonds between the people in the team, and in you and the team. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER BUILDING TRUST WITHIN THE TEAM MEMBERS AND HOW THIS CREATES NOT ONLY A SENSE OF BELONGING, BUT RESULTS IN HIGH PERFORMANCE.   There is a lot of research now that shows that the best high performance teams know each other really well. Not just the quality of skill and the individuals’ abilities, but they all say they know each other really well away from the office.   To form a team that’s really going to make an enormous difference in the world, you’ve got to have people you can trust, and so you’ve got to tighten the bonds and get to know them deeply.   In this episode, I outline: – How a personality modelling activity will help you understand others and communicate better with them; – Other fun games to find out more about colleagu

In this episode we meet Cliff Gale former Managing Director of Lite n’ Easy for over 20 years and talk about passion, respect for your people and keeping the soul alive in your business.   Cliff bought into Lite n’ Easy after he saw a two line ad in a paper in its very early days. He then led the business for over two decades and grew it into one of the most successful businesses of its type.   Key Points from Cliff: Know your business inside out Treat your people and customer with respect and recognise their efforts Keep the business emotive and build its soul Focus on the things that count and profit will come The difference between givers and takers   A special thanks to Sarah Chamberlain from The Real Estate Stylist for recommending Cliff. Key Quotes and Points from Cliff:   "You know, because we don't see it all the time, it's great when also when we see you like that, it makes you feel like you care. You care about the business, and you care about us." I said, "Well, I'm glad you said that because I

For more info check out www.chiefmaker.com.au/94 So , IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER THE POWER OF HIGH PERFORMANCE LIFECYCLES AND HOW TO USE THEM TO AUTOMATE THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE.   The pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of all great performers. It means mastering your craft and continually working to improve yourself. It also means leading your team to work collectively to improve itself. The long term benefits have an incredible compound effect on your ability to get results and rise above the pack.   Executive Performance Lifecycle: (P2R2) Prepare, Perform, Recover, Review   I outline: – the Prepare, Perform, Recover, Review (P2R2) Lifecycle and how to use it as an executive performance tool – How to lock this into as a system that drives performance – How to optimise each step – Some tricks to stay focused and embed the system in the real world   Stay epic

In this episode we hear from Geoff Lloyd, CEO and MD of Perpetual Limited. ABOUT GEOFF Geoff joined Perpetual in August 2010 as Group Executive of Perpetual Private and led the development and implementation of the growth strategy for this business. He took on the additional responsibility of Head of Retail Distribution in September 2011 and was appointed Managing Director and CEO in February 2012. Geoff was previously General Manager of Advice and Private Banking at BT Financial Group following the Westpac Group merger with St.George Bank. Before the merger, he led St.George’s wealth management portfolio. He held many senior positions at BT Financial Group, including Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Customer and Business Services Division. Geoff is the Chairman of the Financial Services Council, an Advisory board member of The Big Issue and the Patron of the Financial Industry Community Aid Program.   He is a Patron of Emerge Foundation and is also Chairman of the University of Technology Sydney Law Advis

Most of us at one time or another have had a boss who seems totally disinterested in our work. They’re the opposite of micro-managers, leaving us completely to our own devices and at times in more senior regional roles can go missing for weeks at a time. Here is what you can do.

In this episode I catch up with Nicky Sparshott, Global Chief Executive of T2 Tea - a global luxury retailer offering the broadest and most imaginative range of teas and teawares from around the world. Nicky also serves as Vice President on the Global Leadership Team for Unilever's Refreshment Category, playing a lead role in M&A & E-Commerce. She also has experience on the agency side as a Partner at Y&R George Patterson (WPP Group). www.t2tea.com Key Points: “Be brave, because I think the world is changing quickly. What got us here won't get us there, and the best advice I would give to people is go after the dream, but perhaps also be prepared to take the path less trodden to get there, because I think it will hold you in good stead.” Nicky’s top messages include: On what Nicky learnt from a major setback from a failed product launch: A couple of really small choices that we thought were small choices, had not been clever and we did not deep dive. These proved to be those chinks in the armour

Why leaders micromanage and how you can adjust your approach to improve the working relationship so that it is a. more effective and b. less soul destroying.   Before you dive in and start trash talking your overbearing boss - it is wise to seek some understanding as to why they might be micromanaging you. Take a few minutes to think deeply and through their eyes about what might be causing them to dip down.

In this episode you’ll hear from Daniel Herbert, CEO of SSKB. We are going to be covering some powerful strategies that he learnt through 67 tests for the Wallabies. He was apart of the glory era of Australian Rugby, won the RWC in 1999, the Bledisloe Cup and beat the British and Irish Lions in 2001. He Captained the QLD Reds and was world player of the year in 1999. Critically he has now gone to a successful corporate career with the commercial side of the QLD Reds and is now CEO of SSKB. We cover what executives can learn from elite sport (and what doesn’t translate), about what made him stand out from the pack and how to be indispensible to an organisation. The lessons here are vital. Subscribe on iTunes here: https://itun.es/au/87Pqkb.c Subscribe on Android: http://tunein.com/radio/The-Inner-Chief-p1004701/ http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=141429   Key Points: “My only message to the next generation is, you have to impress. You have to still do the work, you have to still stand out from the crowd because the

In this episode I talk about why you should run across a desert (and love it). Huh? What I really mean is why you should do something epic. In 2007/8 I conducted a personal growth experiment by tackling the Gobi March a 250km ultra marathon across the toughest terrain in the world. This is a bit of that story and what I discovered on…and didn’t expect.