Results Consulting News

On the 6th June, fifteen Treasury staff members celebrated the completion of their Treasury Certificate in Business Services. Joined by Ian Robinson, General Manager, Corporate Services Division, colleagues and supervisors the group celebrated their achievements at a short awards ceremony held at the Treasury offices.

Results has been working with Treasury on the design and delivery of this unique program since 2003. The program aims to provide administrative and corporate support staff with learning and development opportunities aligned to the organisations’ capability framework that will assist them in building a fulfilling career in Treasury or the broader public service.

The Treasury Certificate in Business Services program consists of eight modules that aim to provide participants with a greater understanding of the context in which they work, the structure and objectives of their organisation and their own skills and potential. In order to achieve the Treasury Certificate in Business Services participants complete a minimum of four of the following modules:

2005 has kicked off with a flurry of activity in the Results office. Some exciting new client projects have commenced and our team has been joined by the energetic and savvy Ms Diana Lagana.

Diana’s more than 20 years experience as a HR professional is a significant boost to Results Consulting’s capacity to deliver organisational improvement and learning services to our growing client base.

Change management and organisational review consultancy with a national not-for-profit organisation. This project involves working closely with the organisation’s executive to achieve strategic objectives.

Design, development and pilot delivery of Executive Level and Senior Executive Level orientation sessions for application across the APS. This project has required the incorporation of the new APS Leadership Capability Framework into the program design and a close working relationship with the program sponsors.

Indigenous Entry Level Program for trainees across a range of Federal Agencies. Results is currently delivering the Certificate III in Government via monthly workshops and supporting a workplace-based task assessment process. This is a pilot year for the program and Results is working closely with stakeholders to deliver positive outcomes.

Performance Management coaching for EL1s and EL2s. These sessions provide a facilitated forum during which participants can share issues and ideas and aims to equip managers with a greater knowledge of the department’s Performance Management System. The focus is on problem solving and developing techniques to handle difficult issues.

Team Leader training for a large federal agency. The Leadership module has been developed by Results and our consultant will provide “train-the-trainer” sessions to the Department’s internal facilitators so as the program can be “cascaded” throughout the orgnasation’s team leaders.

The above is just a sample of the sort of work being carried out by our consulting team at present. Please contact our office if you would like any further information on our capability in these areas or if you would like for one of our team to meet with you and discuss your organisation’s potential development needs during 2005.

Treasury, in partnership with Results Consulting, has developed a unique learning and development program for its administrative and corporate staff. The Treasury Certificate in Business Services aims to enhance work and personal effectiveness skills identified against the work value matrix of Treasury’s performance management system. It assists staff develop a better understanding of their contribution to the delivery of Treasury’s business within a broader Australian Public Service environment.

What makes this program extraordinary is the target participant group. Administrative staff, including executive assistants and corporate specialist staff, within many organisations tend to be overlooked in the distribution of internal learning and development opportunities. Treasury has demonstrated leadership in this area and a firm commitment to developing and retaining key staff across their organisation.

The Treasury Certificate in Business Services program consists of eight modules which aim to provide participants with a greater understanding of the context in which they work, the structure and objectives of their organisation and their own skills and potential. In order to achieve the Treasury Certificate in Business Services participants complete a minimum of four of the following modules:

As part of Treasury’s performance appraisal process participants discuss development opportunities including selection of certificate modules with their managers. Participants and their managers select program modules taking account of their work group objectives, skill development requirements and career aspirations. In this way the Business Services program builds a strong connection between development of individual staff and organisational capability.

Currently in its third year, the program has generated many personal and organisational successes. Improved team cohesion, higher levels of participation in cross-divisional working groups and networks, and increased self confidence are all outcomes attributed to the Business Services program.

Written by Chris Morley, Principal Results Consulting
As published in HR Monthly, September 2004

If one assumes that HR, as a function, exists to support the overall business and corporate direction of the organisation, then it follows that HR’s policy direction should flow from the organisation’s board and executive. (It could be argued that HR should be part of this team.) Unless HR is directly linked to the business direction and the organisational strategy, it is not doing its job properly. The HR area is then responsible for taking this strategic direction, developing specific people strategies to support it in line with the business goals, and then taking responsibility for implementing them.
This does not mean that HR cannot influence strategic direction of the organisation but rather that HR should be seen as a supporter of the business direction not an end in itself. Therefore the main ownership of the HR business direction has to be at the most senior organisational level.
Historically, HR has been seen as an add-on or an administrative function. If HR really wishes to gain a seat at the table it will need to not only ‘walk the business talk’ but also talk it. For example, can HR directly link its outputs to an increase in shareholder value? Can HR demonstrate ROI for any of the initiatives it proposes?
Unfortunately, a significant number of organisations do not currently have HR strategies or polices that come from (and are owned by) the senior executive and that are in line with the business strategy. Things are improving – more and more organisations are realising that they have to link their HR strategies to the business bottom line – but at this stage this approach is still inconsistent. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that only within the last couple of years has senior management begun to realise the value of HR and its centrality to the success of a business plan. Additionally, HR has at times been its own worst enemy in that it has been seen to be driving HR initiatives for its own sake, as opposed to harnessing HR to support the business and demonstrating how it can help the organisation in a business sense. This has led to a devaluing of HR by senior management.
HR will need to continue to be able to relate to the organisation’s executive in a way that develops ownership of people strategies at the most senior levels of the organisation. It needs to be able to create and foster the environment to allow this discussion to take place.

In the lead up to its centenary celebrations in 2005 the Australian Bureau of Statistics is making a concerted effort to focus on corporate sustainability. “Our HR development programs aim to ensure that our people have the leadership and management capability to continue to deliver ABS services into the future" says David Robertson, National Manager Leadership and Business Development.

“We have developed an integrated suite of programs to build on our existing management capability and grow it” says David.

One such program is the National Manager Development Program aimed at staff currently working at APS 5-EL1 level, the organisation’s next generation of leaders. Results Consulting has been working in close partnership with the ABS to design, develop and deliver this national program with approximately 180 participants taking part in the Program in its first year. The Program will run until December 2006.

The program integrates a number of innovative approaches to ensure that participants’ learning has an impact in the workplace and is directly linked to the ABS business. The first of these is the conduct of a Development Centre at the commencement of the Program. Using an organisational psychologist, the Centre assists participants in developing a deeper understanding of their current skills, knowledge and work preferences – and also assists each one of them to take responsibility for their own learning.

Development activities such as workplace assessment tasks and case study analysis are assigned to individuals and small groups as a means of further developing the leadership capability of individuals, teams and the organisation. The assessment tasks are “real job” applications of the learning and form the basis of a comprehensive evaluation conducted 6 and 12 months after the completion of the program.

Paulene Cahill, Senior Consultant with Results has been working very closely with the ABS Learning & Development team to ensure that Program objectives are met. “It has been a very rewarding experience working with the ABS team on such a significant organisation-wide program. There is real commitment from the ABS Executive to develop the future leaders within the Bureau, as demonstrated by Executive participation in the learning process.”

In July 2003, James Webb, Senior Consultant with Results Consulting successfully published his book Putting Management back into Performance with Allen and Unwin publishers.

Putting Management back into Performance is a practical guide for managers for implementing effective performance management systems in the workplace.

James is a highly regarded performance management consultant in the Canberra market and has been working with Results Consulting for over five years.

You can come and meet James and discuss your organisation’s performance management needs at the Results Consulting trade stand at the AHRI Week Education Day, 17th August at the National Museum of Australia. Results will also be giving away a copy of Putting Management back into Performance, courtesy of Allen & Unwin at the AHRI event. So make sure you leave your business card at the Results Consulting trade stand for your chance to win.

Through his book, James attempts to provide managers with the knowledge and tools to develop their abilities in managing the performance of staff, and consequently the performance of their business.

James discusses the processes of assigning work, performance planning, employee development, understanding and responding to performance data, and accounting for the "unmanageable" in an open system. These largely business approaches are then balanced by the skills in giving performance feedback, in coaching and in managing difficult performers.

Finally, given that performance management systems are a reality of life for many, James provides practical approaches to meeting the needs of existing organisation systems while using the process in a way that is positive for the business and for staff in a holistic way.

LtoR: Matthew Edwards, Trent Garrett, Louise Barty, Christine Kopp, Angelique Davis, Priscilla Seden, Ashliegh McCoy, Myra Chulung, Andrea Walley, Rebecca Suckling & Dane Walker.

Results Consulting has been working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services to deliver the 12 month Vocational Experience Traineeship (VET) program since May 2003. The VET Program aims to assist young, indigenous people increase their employment opportunities in their communities.

On the 17th June 2004, eleven very happy VET trainees celebrated the completion of the one year program and the achievement of their Certificate II in Government. Each trainee has successfully completed the assessment requirements for the seven competency units of the Certificate II, in addition to meeting the Program’s work standards.

The eleven trainees came from all over Australia including Bourke, Kununurra, Darwin, Townsville and Katherine gathering every 3 months in Canberra for 5-day recalls involving intensive workshop and training sessions. After each recall trainees would return to their workplace with a range of tasks and projects to complete.

Trainee supervisors in ATSIS and other agencies’ regional offices played an important role in supporting the VET participants, providing encouragement and guidance. At the graduation event Mr Garry Fisk, Director Corporate Relations & Support with the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations (ORAC) and supervisor for trainee Trent Garrett, had nothing but praise for the VET Program and its positive impact on trainees and their colleagues. “The VET Program greatly increased Trent’s confidence in himself. He now has a terrific can-do attitude and he will be a great asset to any future employer.“ said Mr Fisk at the graduation ceremony.

The VET Graduation event was held at the Rydges Lakeside Hotel with Ms Caroline Joske, Branch Manager of Commission Support ATSIC and Ms Clare Page, Branch Manager of People & Development ATSIS on hand to congratulate participants and Program coordinators, and present the well earned certificates. As reported in The Canberra Times, Saturday 19 June, presentation speeches on the night were tinted with great sadness as it was noted that this year’s VET Program will be the last in light of changes to ATSIC and ATSIS.

The trainees themselves have high hopes for the future and expressed great appreciation to Program organisers for the opportunity to learn and grow. Angelique Davis, trainee representative, closed the evening’s ceremony with this comment: “I urge VETs to continue with education and use what we have learned so far as a starting point for us to help our communities and ourselves.” she said.

Angelique Davis, trainee representative thanks organisers at the graduation ceremony

Results Consulting is very proud to have worked with ATSIS in delivering the 2003/04 VET Program and to have contributed in a small way to the growth and development of the 2003/04 VET trainees.

Results Consulting is responding to a surge in demand for leadership development training and consultancy services. The company’s register of current client projects shows strong growth in the area of leadership development and a number of recent tender wins have been for major leadership programs “Leadership is a hot topic at the moment and we don’t see any indication of falling demand for consultancy services in this area in the near future” says Chris Morley, Principal of Results Consulting.

Results Consulting is quickly developing a reputation for excellence in the field of leadership development in the public sector. In an industry where reputation is everything, Results is a high achiever and its success is well deserved. Results consultants work closely with clients to deliver outcomes that meet program objectives. It is not so much a quality product as a high quality process that delivers success for Results clients.

Results clients such as the Department of Defence, Family Court, Health Insurance Commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are all implementing programs to build the leadership capabilities of their staff and organisations. Each of the programs Results is delivering for these organisations is quite different in structure and method. However, they have all required considerable consultation in the design phase to ensure alignment with organisational goals and are framed around the capabilities identified in the APSC Leadership Capability Framework and APS Values.

Results welcomes new team members

The Results team has recently expanded to include two new team members, Gillian Harris-Mayes(left) and Monica Lindemann (right).

Gillian joins Results as a Senior Consultant and brings a wealth of knowledge and a touch of humour to the consulting team. Gillian has extensive experience as a senior human resources practitioner in the public and private sectors. Her career in Human Resource Management and Development has included two years in HR policy design and implementation with one of the UK’s largest polytechnics, ten years as Human Resources Manager with the CSIRO, two years as Human Resource Manager in the IT industry and two years as a consultant with the Australian Public Service. As a senior human resources practitioner she has worked extensively with senior managers on workforce planning and its impact on staff including redeployment and redundancy programs, communication and training strategies. She has also specialised in performance management and review and analysis of policies and procedures.

Gillian has hit the ground running and is currently working with ATSIS and the Australian Communications Authority, two highly valued Results clients, to deliver training and consultancy services.

Monica joins the Results business support team as Client Relationship Manager. Monica will work with Results consultants and clients to manage major development, training and consultancy projects. She will also work with Peter Engel, Business Development Manager, to promote Results Consulting’s service capability and brand.

Prior to taking up her role with Results, Monica was the Marketing Manager, IELTS with IDP Education Australia and a Client Relationship Manager with DeakinPrime (Deakin University). She was attracted to Results by the company’s strong reputation for high quality service and progressive, flexible employment conditions. “The clients are happy and so are my colleagues. It’s a great place to work” she said.