The Company Road Podcast

Send us a text“Some people are really good at corralling people towards a decision and doing so in a way that makes everybody feel like they weren't bullied into making that decision.” - Lina PatelThis month’s themeIn this episode, we delve into a crucial aspect often overlooked by organisations: the importance of cultivating strong relationships within teams. Amidst the hustle of daily tasks and navigating organisational change, it's easy for us as leaders to prioritise the 'doing' over fostering meaningful connections and having open conversations. Specifically, we are focussing on actionable strategies that leaders can take on to initiate a positive transformation within their organisations and communities. Join us as we uncover the power in collaborative and constructive relationships and its impact on success.In this episode you’ll hear aboutMastering your first steps in facilitation: Tips to kickstart a career in the industryHow to identify different mentoring styles and the benefits of each approachWays to bring people together and inspire collaborationThe ways in which environmental factors can influence the success of a project of facilitation sessionThe importance of creating inclusive spaces that meet diverse needs Key linksLina’a Consulting Firm: https://www.revmaconsulting.com/Lina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linaxpatel/?originalSubdomain=au The Value Web: https://thevalueweb.org/ Polykala: https://www.linkedin.com/school/polykala/ Company Road https://companyroad.co/ Kind Enterprises: https://www.kindenterprises.co/Stage A Change: http://www.stageachange.org/The designer who created Lina's branded Mural templates is Zenaida Beatson https://www.zbeatson.design/ The training Lina mentioned : Working Creatively with Difference https://anzpop.org/training-programs/process-work-public-courses/working-creatively-with-difference/About our guestLina Patel is a Facilitator and Collaboration Designer. Her mission is to alleviate needless workplace suffering and bring more kindness into the world, one team at a time.With 25 years of experience in the public and private sector and in areas like finance, compliance, risk, and project management. She has been part of over 65 teams and facilitated more than 500 meetings onsite and online. She makes most sense in groups.As a facilitator, Lina takes care of the details whilst supporting groups to achieFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“Seniority doesn't win, experience does” - Kevin FinnThis month’s themeThis month we discuss the significance of identifying crossroads within our careers or organisations. In each episode, we explore the pivotal moments where decisions shape our professional trajectories, and strategies for navigating challenges and change as an employee or a leader. From career transitions and industry shifts to leadership changes and organisational restructuring, we unpack practical strategies, share success stories, and empower listeners to embrace challenges and change as a catalyst for growth and innovation.In this episode you’ll hear aboutWays to identify a crossroads in your career Reflecting on whether a company’s culture aligns with your valuesHow business leaders can create the conditions for successful transformation and change within their organisationHow to foster buy-in and collaboration from the wider team to drive organisational change forwardWays for employees to have constructive conversations with their leadership team during periods  of changeKey linksCompany Road NO/BSNick Berman’s Episode 31 Kevin’s latest venture: Crossroads Jim Antonopolous Berlin Liew’s Episode 44 About our guestKevin Finn is a brand expert, author, internationally recognised branding designer and TEDx speaker. His personal belief is: There is wisdom in learning.With 30 years experience, Kevin began his career in Dublin at the design studio that has created all of U2’s album covers. Following this, for seven years he was Joint-Creative Director of Saatchi Design, Sydney, part of the Saatchi & Saatchi global network. Between 2003 and 2018 he explored the intersection of design with social, cultural, political and economic issues through his independent self published design journal, Open Manifesto. His book ‘Brand Principles: How to be a 21st Century Brand’ was published in 2022. In 2007, he founded his independent design practice TheSumOf.https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-finn-3aa8a33/ About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/ For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"AI is a little bit like fine wine in that everybody knows the name. Everybody thinks it looks great, but most people still really don't understand it."Simon KrissThis month’s themeThis month we explore the latest trends reshaping various sectors in Australia, from technological innovations driving business growth to market disruptors demanding strategic adaptation for survival. Key topics include leveraging cutting-edge technologies to spur growth as well as formulating agile strategies to respond effectively to industry disruptions.In this episode you’ll hear aboutHow to educate CEOs and leaders about AI and its potential impact.How CEOs and C-suite leaders need to communicate their position on AI to alleviate fears and build a safe environment for experimentation.How to use AI to explore new boundaries and create new products.How to identify pain points in the organisation and prioritise AI use cases Where to start your AI journey today.Key linksSimon's website: https://simonkriss.aiSimon's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonkriss/ (Simon mentioned he will send a free PDF of his book to anyone who connects with him after listening to this podcast episode)Simon's book on Amazon: "The AI-Empowered Customer Experience" by Simon Kriss https://www.amazon.com.au/Empowered-Customer-Experience-practitioners-possibilities-ebook/dp/B0C9YCPT4JCSIRO's Data61: https://data61.csiro.au/Australian Government AI Ethics Principles: https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/building-australias-artificial-intelligence-capability/ai-ethics-framework/ai-ethics-principlesOpenAI: https://www.openai.com/Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/Hugging Face: https://huggingface.co/Canva: https://www.canva.com/Beautify: https://beautifycloud.com/Allmybraindecor: https://allmybrain.com/Katonic: https://katonic.ai/Brainfish: https://brainfish.ai/About our guestSimon Kriss, Chief AI Officer at simonkriss.ai is a sought-after keynote speaker and consultant. He is author of “The AI Empowered Customer Experience”, hosts podcasts on CX and AI, and was named in the 2024 CX Top 50 Global Influencers to follow. Based in Melbourne Australia, Simon is a CX and AI futurologist who presents to audiences around the world and works with company boards and C-suite executives to help them better understand where the AI opportunities lie for their businesses.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“If it's a bigger organisation, you find out who's doing the financial you'll probably notice it will be coming around reports from someone, you can build a relationship with that person”Chris Mitchell This month…We're pushing into the theme of innovation and trends and drivers of growth, both for organisations and intrapreneurs as leaders on a more personal level. In this episode you’ll hear about…How Canstar steered its transformation from a small B2B research business into a huge digital marketplace as one of Australia's biggest financial comparison sites, turning it into a brand that over 10 million Australians use every year.Revolutionising digital business: Driving scale and growth by empowering consumers to save time and moneyMatching Consumers desires into seamless Digital SolutionsMaximising finance potential amidst commercial leadership constraintsAligning personal passion with your business goals   The need to adapt to trends: navigating the process within your teamFostering innovation by facilitating collaboration within your organisation Key linksCanstar Chris Mitchell on Linkedin Canstar on LinkedinJD PowerAbout our guestChris Mitchell is the CFO of Canstar, Australia’s biggest financial comparison site. Chris has been with Canstar since 2007 and has co-piloted its transformation from a small B2B research business into a B2B2C digital marketplace.Canstar is Australia’s biggest financial comparison site, comparing over 300 brands in banking, insurance and superannuation. We’ve grown the business from a specialist research company into a mainstream Australian brand used by over 10m Australians each year. Canstar Blue was launched in 2010 to compare telco, energy and other consumer products. Deloitte Fast 50. AFR Fast 100. Great place to work 5th in Australia 2021.Prior to Canstar, Chris held senior financial and commercial roles in advertising in London and hospitality in Canada. With over 25 years’ experience, Chris started his career in audit in NorthQueensland, having grown up in the bush and completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree at James Cook University in Townsville. Chris has been a CA since 2000 and has completed the AICD company directors course (2013).About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“Young people will do things or do behaviours that perhaps, you know, aren't in line with their core values and their belief systems. But it's because what they see other people doing that they think they need to do those things in order to fit in.”Joel Hines In this episode you’ll hear aboutHow the world of work needs to change to enable more gender diversity, safety, and positive environmentsHow role models play a crucial role in shaping behaviour, particularly in the teenage yearsAuthenticity and self-discovery and their importance in the workplaceHow to create a safe and open environment for conversations about emotions and personal experiencesHow taking time for reflection and considering alternative perspectives can lead to more creative and effective solutionsHow personal criticism should be approached with curiosity and a willingness to understand one's own reactionsKey linksBeing Human: https://www.beinghuman.net.au/about  Joel’s book ‘Holding Space’: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CM9LQBKL?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860 Joel’s TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/-QpGJNtuYZo?si=rHYdEqgxD3Izg5l5 Rites of Passage Institute:  https://ritesofpassageinstitute.org/Man Cave Global: https://themancave.life/KAOSPILOT: https://www.kaospilot.dk/  About our guestThroughout a career spanning over 25 years working in Mental Health, IT, Training, Educational Leadership and Group Facilitation, there has been a common theme of guiding others to explore the shared experience of being human.With his finely honed skills of empathy and compassion, Joel is at his absolute best when he is holding space for others. He naturally adapts to the situation at hand and exercises deep listening and presence with a calm and considered energy.Exemplifying integrity and authenticity, Joel motivates and enables leaders to cultivate engagement, foster collaboration and empower others.Joel's natural gift for storytelling, combined with his calm and approachable demeanour, fuels his passion for enriching workplace connections and fostering the growth offacilitation skills and confidence.Simultaneously, he diligently addresses the essential human needs of belonging and purpose. He firmly subscribes to the notion that collaboration, agency and empowerment stand as pivotal factors in allowing individuals to not only survive but truly thrive.https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-hines-22a1121b/About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find meaning, impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne inFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"I love the advancements of technology, but when it comes to connection, I'm very conflicted about it."In this episode you’ll hear about:Balancing radical candor and ruinous empathyConnections, networks and the role they play in your successFeedback and how to use it for professional growthObservation and listening to identify areas for improvementTiming of feedback to ensure it is well-receivedTaking a genuine interest in people's lives to form deeper connectionsKey linksDesign OutlookXeroWeb Directions SummitLadies that UX MelbourneNABBelongKim Scott’s TED Talk on Radical Candour Shasta NelsonThe Year of Living DanishlyTim Duggan - Work BackwardsGallop Clifton Strengths testAbout our guestBerlin Liew is an aspiring design leader, who is deeply passionate and driven to activate ideas, create meaningful relationships, and question how we do things to see if there’s a better way (spoiler alert: there always is).After graduating with a degree in linguistics and spending 6 years working in media, she career-changed into the world of design and dived headfirst into large product organisations, such as NAB, Belong, and Xero. She’s currently a Senior Product Designer, and despite the job title, she believes you don’t have to wait to be ‘at the top’ in order to drive change and impact for your customers, the business, and for those who work with you.Outside of work, Berlin is an active contributor to her local design community, having emceed Design Outlook 2023, co-curated Web Directions Summit 2023, led Ladies that UX Melbourne, and spoken at various design meetups. About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping bFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text‘’Over the years I've built toolkits, ways of processing…sure I still get nervous like anybody else when something unexpected gets thrown at me,  but I've come to realise that it'll be okay. I've always managed to come out the other side with either success or just a small handful of bruises.’’ - Amir AnsariIn this episode you’ll hear about:The unpredictable moments in Amir’s career, his path and the twists and turns along the way. ‘’life's full of ambiguity and I need to be comfortable with it’’How to cope with decisions made out of your control and how to regain control of the situation.The positive impact of being able to manage change as leaders in organisation: Being a conduit, remaining unified and connected in the face of change.Asking questions to build mental models: assessing the situation and the circumstance to understand the outcome needing to be fulfilled.Building situations out by looking at as much core information as possible: assessing who you can go to for advice and mentoring for stories, questions and historical insights.Navigating strategic trends in business: going back to first principles, patience and prioritisation.  Letting go of your pride and reputation: accepting that in certain situations, you might not know all the answers and will need to search for guidance and mentorship.Key links Amir Ansari Academy XiEdward de Bono's Six Thinking HatsAbout our guestAmir is the Chief Experience Officer and Head of Applied AI at Academy Xi - an Australian-owned education company with a mission to transform the world through education. He has been in the field of product design and user experience for over 25 years as a practitioner and leader, building and scaling design capability and teams with companies and agencies, and delivering award-winning digital products. With a passion for human-centred design, he is well-versed in building functions, processes, and operations to fast-track and grow design maturity for companies of all sizes and operating models. He is passionate about inclusion and digital accessibility and democratising the craft of design - doing it with a smile and a hug.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of Company Road, helping businesses and leaders find impact and positivity.Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text‘’What matters to me is helping businesses realise their full potential to be a force for good in the world. Because I truly believe that this is the untapped potential of business.’’-    Carolyn Butler-MaddenIn this episode you’ll hear about:-   Carolyn's career journey: Carolyn delves into the roots of her beliefs and lets us into the key experiences that inspired her to champion purpose driven approaches in business. -   The missing role of love in business: An opportunity for untapped potential, to connect things you love and enjoy into your world of work. -   Transitioning from marketing to purpose-driven strategy: Recognising the power that businesses and brands have to solve society's biggest challenges and in turn attract people that want to support them. -   How to start these bigger conversations: Turning passion and strategy into action by taking the first step.-   Connecting to the why: Identifying your unique identity, looking beyond short-term marketing strategies into building a long-term authentic purpose strategy.  Key links;   Carolyn’s book, For Love and Money https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-Money-profit-purpose-business-ebook/dp/B09JK9JM52 South by Southwest https://www.sxsw.com/Danielle Owen Whitford https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-owen-whitford/?originalSubdomain=auPioneera https://pioneera.com/Melanie Greblo https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniegreblo/?originalSubdomain=auScriibed https://scriibed.com/Dr. Kyle Turner https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-turner1111/?originalSubdomain=auPearlii https://www.pearlii.com/aboutBea Boccalandro on Job Purposing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqzkhdmkod0Carolyn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynbm/?originalSubdomain=au) believes in a world where business is a force for good and brands drive profit through purpose. An inspiring speaker, award-winning author, podcast host, and a contributor to media publications including Forbes Australia, CEO Magazine, CEO World Magazine, CMO, Marketing, B&T, Smart Company, Women’s Agenda, Retail World and Inside FMCG; Carolyn’s mission is to make meaningful purpose vital in business. Her second book “For Love & Money” was awarded best Social Responsibility book in the 2022 Australian Business Book of the Year Awards. Her first book, Amazon bestseller, Path-To-Purpose, was Australia’s first on Cause Marketing.Carolyn walks the talk. Through her B Corp Certified Consultancy, “The Cause Effect”, she helps businesses of all types and sizes navigate their path to purpose and unlock the full potential of their people, organisation and brand.Our host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text"Follow the process, follow the methods, and then you're not going to fail in your project. You're going to fail throughout your project. Small constant failure is part of what it is.”Fabio OliveiraIn this episode you’ll hear about:Defining innovation in 2024: Breaking down the definition of innovation and its associated expectations and misconceptions and understanding how innovation fits differently into the contexts of large and small organisationsManaging innovation and idea generation: Methods for accelerating employee engagement, investment and idea generation while maintaining order and process in receiving and processing innovation ideasConducting research in innovation: How to gather the necessary information for innovation, keep focus on relevant subject matter and shape project briefs effectively to ensure targeted research effortsPhysical and digital integration: Exploring innovative experimentation blending physical and digital elements and what we can expect from the future of in-store/retail technology Maintaining a wholesight organisation view: The importance of staying connected to your organisation's strategic direction and challenges through innovation and keeping perspective within your role to ensure effective and meaningful work that aligns to business goals and addresses relevant problemsKey linksKmart Australia https://www.kmart.com.au/Amazon Walkout Tech https://aws.amazon.com/just-walk-out/RFID https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/rfid.htmDr Tim Baker framework https://www.mindtools.com/a7em9zg/the-five-conversations-frameworkBasecamp’s Shape Up Methodology https://basecamp.com/shapeupDesignful Company by Marty Neumeier https://www.martyneumeier.com/the-designful-companyAbout our guestFabio Oliveira (https://au.linkedin.com/in/fabiosoliveira) is an innovation leader specialising in establishing innovation practices within large companies. Known for his ability to build multidisciplinary teams from the ground up, he has successfully cemented innovation strategies at prominent Australian brands – notably Kmart and WorkSafe Victoria – delivering significant outcomes.Currently the Head of Innovation and Service Design at Kmart, Fabio is leading several initiatives that are building the future of store operations and customer experience.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, Mercedes-Benz, Accenture (Fjord) and Dulux, to name a small few. He continues to teach with University of Melbourne in Innovation, and Academy Xi in CX, Product Management, Design Thinking and Service Design and mentors many business leaders internationally. For weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/

Send us a text“We are all young wounded children in adult bodies, walking around, bumping into each other and then blaming each other when our wounds get touched on or when our traumas get activated.”Lael StoneIn this episode you’ll hear about:Parenting and leader parallels: Drawing parallels between effective leadership and conscious parenting, highlighting the similarities in communication strategies and nurturing supportive environments in how we lead as parents and in businessUnderstanding human behaviour in the workplace: Exploring the deeper motivations behind people's actions and behaviours, emphasising the importance of curiosity and empathy in engaging with co-workersHow your childhood affects your working style: The way in which unresolved childhood traumas, emotional wounds and even just the parenting styles in our childhood homes can influence adult behaviours and interactions in the workplace.Fostering authenticity and vulnerability: Recognizing the value of being authentic and vulnerable in expressing needs and concerns and how to cultivate a work culture that enables such expressionThe role of conscious leadership: How to grow in conscious leadership and see transformation in fostering work environments where individuals feel valued, empowered, and able to thrive personally and professionallyKey linksLael’s TedX Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/lael_stone_how_to_raise_emotionally_intelligent_childrenLael Stone https://laelstone.com.au/Woodline Primary School https://woodlineprimary.com.au/The Resilience Project https://theresilienceproject.com.au/Raising Resilient and Compassion Children https://www.amazon.com.au/Raising-Resilient-Compassionate-Children-Understanding/dp/0645551562/About our guestLael Stone (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laelstone) is an educator, TEDx speaker, author, mother, and parenting counsellor who has worked with families for over 20 years. Her work as a birth educator, postnatal trauma counsellor, and parenting educator has seen her work with thousands of families consulting about newborns all the way to the teen years. She spent over 5 yrs in secondary schools working with teens around sexuality, well-being, and relationships and her great aim is to empower parents to create connections and stronger relationships with their children.She is the co-creator of Woodline Primary School, an innovative new school based on emotional well-being and connection. Lael was the co-host of The Aware Parenting Podcast and a sought-after public speaker who talks candidly about her experiences and her great passion for creating wellness in adults through connection and communication.About our hostOur host, Chris Hudson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hudson-7464254/), is a Teacher, Experience Designer and Founder of business transformation coaching & consultancy Company Road (www.companyroad.co).Chris considers himself incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most ambitious and successful companies, including Google, MercedFor weekly updates and to hear about the latest episodes, please subscribe to The Company Road Podcast at https://companyroad.co/podcast/