Greatness Podcast

When was the last time you asked yourself "where could I be wrong in my assumptions?" During my PhD course in Scenario Planning with Dr. Thomas Chermack I gained tremendous respect for scenario planning as a tool to imagine possible futures. But that's only half the story. Developing scenarios is critical, but what happens next and how you utilize these scenarios to drive decision making is critical to provide value. Dr. Chermack joined the Greatness podcast to share insights from his most recent book on the topic, Using Scenarios.

Hey working moms (and dads) - what are your superpowers?! I wrote my book, 8 Steps to Being a Great Working Mom, because I realized that many moms think "I don't have it together" and that they are the only ones feeling this way. Gladys Simen joined the Greatness podcast to share her work with moms. Her passion is driven by her own experience of feeling this way. Gladys shares amazing tips on how to have the courage to take "bold steps" to recharge yourself and claim your superpowers.

Women represent less than 3% of the trade population in Australia - such an opportunity to leverage this talent pool, especially given the trade shortages we are experiencing in the construction industry. Jane Sydenham-Clarke, Chair of the Board of Tradeswomen Australia, joined the Greatness podcast to share some of the unique strategies they are supporting to attract and retain women in our industry.

Are you a person that focuses upon your strengths or your deficits? While identifying our areas for improvement is an important exercise, Rex Miller, author of The Genius Spark, joined the Greatness podcast to discuss a strengths based approach to leadership. Our need to conform as we develop drives out our genius, our natural strengths that if leveraged will help us live a life of fulfillment. Rex has wonderful advice for finding your genius.

What does brave leadership look like? Jim Ellis, VP Global Construction for Microsoft, joined the Greatness Podcast to discuss the organization's brave leadership related to sustainability in construction. What can we do, in our industry, to ensure the sustainability of our communities? It starts with passion, Jim described it as a "burning" passion. Jim's advice, "Get going, don't wait, move forward, make it work. Learn along the way, fail fast . . . ". We want to leave this world in a better place for our children and our grandchildren. 

In 1995, Dr. Paula Gerber, renowned international legal scholar at Monash University in both human rights and construction, founded the National Association of Women in Construction in Australia. She exemplifies what it takes to say "Hey, we have a challenge here. I'm going to do something about it." Paula joined the Greatness podcast to discuss how both women and men can help us achieve greater gender diversity in the construction industry, and also shared some important insights for women in the industry. 

Research demonstrates that Boards benefit from diversity, and it's been great to see the progress we've made in placing women on Boards. In Australia, a third of listed company Boards seats are held by women. Jo Lynne Whiting, Chair, and Barbara Bauer, Executive Director, of US-based Boardbound, joined the Greatness podcast to share more about their work to advance women on to Boards. Whether you are a woman hoping to join a Board, or a Board of Directors exploring how to expand Board diversity, Jo Lynne and Barbara have great tips for you.

Are you concerned that your organization might not be taking a strategic approach to ESG (environmental, social and governance)? You're not alone. This issue is critical from an investor perspective, an employee perspective, and a consumer perspective. And "greenwashing" doesn't work anymore. Melanie Brown with ERIAS Group visited the Greatness podcast with several strategic and tactical tips on how to ensure that your business strategy is effectively incorporating ESG. 

How does a construction project achieve 53% women on a project? This story, told by Andre Noonan, COO Australia & New Zealand for Acciona, is not just a story about diversity in construction. It's a story about having the courage as a leader to inspire your team to achieve the unthinkable. It's a story of how to think creatively about solutions when people say something can't be done. 

Michael Beer, Harvard, is one of the most prolific writers on how to successfully executive business strategy. Michael joined the Greatness podcast to share his insights on how leaders can ensure that honest conversations are happening at every level of the organization, including how to create a safe environment where employees can share the truth.