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 …
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…
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 evolutio…
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 t…
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 swe…
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. Somet…
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 -…
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 confrontatio…
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 …
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…
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 Pub…
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 buil…