50 Years of HR Wisdom: Reflections on a Life's Journey
Join me in reflecting on the most profound lessons from my five decades in HR. These personal insights illuminate the timeless truths and evolving challenges at the heart of people management. Each reflection invites you to ponder the deeper wisdom behind the day-to-day realities of our field.
Pivotal Moments and Timeless Lessons
Over five decades in HR, certain experiences stand out as defining moments – revelations that forever changed my perspective and approach. Join me in unpacking the life-changing insights gained from these pivotal instances and the timeless wisdom they hold for navigating the complexities of human dynamics in the workplace.
Navigating the Ever-Shifting Landscape of HR
HR is a field where the ground is always shifting beneath our feet. Each new challenge demands fresh thinking and innovative solutions. Explore how the strategies and approaches I’ve developed over decades of tackling complex people issues have evolved in response to the changing realities of work. Discover the core principles that have withstood the test of time and change.
Why These Reflections Matter
Hard-Won Wisdom from the Heart of HR
Over five decades in the trenches of HR, I’ve had a front-row seat to the triumphs and tribulations of human dynamics in the workplace. I’ve seen people at their best and their most challenged, organisations at their strongest and their most vulnerable.
These stories I’m about to share with you aren’t just entertaining anecdotes—they’re hard-won lessons etched into my heart and mind. Each one taught me something profound about navigating the intricate web of emotions, motivations, and behaviours that make our workplaces so fascinating and so challenging.
In these reflections, you’ll find practical strategies, thought-provoking questions, and a generous dose of compassion and humour. They offer a candid glimpse into the complex, messy, and deeply rewarding world of HR. My hope is that in reading them, you’ll gain not only useful tactics and fresh perspectives, but also a sense of solidarity and inspiration.
Because let’s face it—we’re all in this wild, wonderful, sometimes maddening adventure called people management together. And the more we can learn from and lean on each other, the better we’ll all be at supporting the humans at the heart of our organisations.
Pull Up a Chair: Golden Nuggets from My 50 Years in the Australian HR Trenches
Mastering Leadership: Surfacing Hidden Rules to Resolve Workplace Conflict
In workplaces, what appears as 'miscommunication' often arises from hidden rules—unspoken assumptions that shape interactions. By surfacing these deeper influences through patient inquiry and active listening, leaders transform conflict into productive dialogue. When everyone shares the same map of understanding, collaboration thrives, genuinely flourishes, guiding teams towards trust, respect, and long-term, deeply meaningful, sustainable outcomes.
Shaping Modern Australian Workplaces: A Detailed Journey Through Industrial Relations (1974-2024) Part 2
Industrial relations isn't just about legislation—it's about navigating human relationships through change. From managing Drayton's 1997 restructure to building Yancoal's workforce and creating CleanCo's unified culture, the key has been balancing technical excellence with human understanding. After fifty years, the lesson is clear: trust, respect, and genuine dialogue remain fundamental.
The Great Shift: 50 Years of Australian Industrial Relations (1974-2024) Part 1
From filing cabinets and typewriters in 1974 to today's digital workplaces, Australian industrial relations has undergone a remarkable transformation. Through roles at Education Queensland, MIM Holdings, CIG Gases, and into the coal industry, I've witnessed the evolution from rigid centralised systems to flexible enterprise arrangements. Yet one truth remains: successful industrial relations is always about people.
Reflections from an HR Veteran: My Journey Through Five Decades of Change
From a fresh graduate with a calculator in 1974 to mentoring tomorrow's leaders today - what a journey through HR's evolution! We've moved from shuffling papers to shaping futures, from typewriters to AI, from adversarial battles to collaborative partnerships. But one thing hasn't changed: at its heart, HR has always been about people and their potential.
The Future Through Experience: Lessons from a Career in HR
Data tells us everything... except when it doesn't. From boardrooms in Oman to mines in Australia, I've learned that future success needs both high tech and high touch. Modern HR isn't about choosing between data and human connection - it's about mastering both. The sweet spot? That's where the magic happens.
Building an Airline Mid-Flight: My CleanCo Adventure
Try building a plane while flying it - that's what creating CleanCo's HR function felt like. Starting from scratch in a high-risk, heavily unionised environment, we needed everything from basic policies to complex union agreements, all while keeping the lights on. Sometimes the best way forward is to build while flying!
The Evolution of Mine Life: From Company Towns to FIFO
Watch Australian mining evolve: from 8-hour shifts in company towns to 12-hour FIFO rosters in modern camps. We transformed not just how people worked, but how they lived. From local pubs being community hubs to air-conditioned control rooms running digital operations - it's still about people making a living from the earth, just with better technology.
Turning Crisis into Collaboration: A Coal Mine’s Transformation
Two phones sat on my desk - one for lawyers, one for building an employment centre. With coal prices halved overnight and 220 jobs at stake, I asked the unions, "Which call should I make?" While other mines faced 16-week strikes, we chose collaboration over confrontation. Sometimes your biggest crisis becomes your proudest achievement.
Paper to Digital: My Days at the Copper Refinery
Picture this: 1981, walking into Copper Refineries, a subsidiary of then MIM Holdings - Australia's largest company - to find HR still running on foolscap ledger cards. As the only degree-qualified HR person, my job was dragging us into modern times. These days, you're not a rock star without Workday, but back then, suggesting computerised records was revolutionary stuff!
From Microfiche to Mayhem: My Early Days at the Public Service Board
From recommending microfiche systems for the State Library to analysing processes in the Homicide Squad - talk about a career curve! With Tom Tolhurst's mentorship and a Governor's Warrant in my hand as a Public Service Inspector, I learned about power and influence. My rapid rise even led to changing Queensland's Public Service Act. Not bad for someone who started out researching office machines for the library!
The Power of a Handshake: How One Evening Changed My Career
One evening at Perry Park changed everything. A chance meeting, a few handshakes, and suddenly my career took an unexpected turn. From a quick chat with Roly Livingstone to meeting Ted Love, then Leo Pitt and Ken Shea - three months later, I'd left Education for the Public Service Board. Sometimes the best career moves happen at a AHRI event.
From Rebel to Reformer: My First Days in HR
Imagine the irony: a former school rebel who'd been twice asked to leave for questioning authority, now working in the most hierarchical place imaginable - the Education Department's Personnel Section. No computers, just old wooden desks and endless paperwork. That building's now the Treasury Casino in Brisbane, which perfectly captures how far we've come in HR.
Have Your Own HR Story?
Every professional has a unique journey in the world of human resources. If these reflections resonate with you, we invite you to share your experiences or connect with us for insightful discussions on HR practices and strategies.