Hello and welcome to Episode 197 of the People Powered Business Podcast!Quick question - did you get into business for the love of HR compliance or to spend your December carefully watching the Government every move to see if they were about to throw some curve balls, or even bomb shells on businesses? No?Guess what – neither did I!The reality is we are in an environment of change right now – which isn’t always a bad thing, but really Industrial Relations legislation changes in December?This last raft of changes seems to have caused more angst, stress and response than any of the previous ones, but why? Are they really just closing loopholes is this cause for panic?In today’s episode we discuss what exactly happened on the last sitting day in Parliament, what has actually passed and is now law, and what is on the cards for the 2024 phase 2 discussions.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 196 of the People Powered Business Podcast!Today I am sharing with you what should be on your December 2024 Team To Do List.As we’ve spoken about on some recent episodes of the podcast, December is a key time to focus on engagement with your team, and despite feeling like we’d love to crawl under the desk, this is not the time to do that.But it’s about more than just engagement at this time of year, there are number of other things we should be doing before the year is out to set ourselves up for a better 2024.Some of the things that should be on our list for December include:Doing a compliance check for the year that’s gone, are your documents up to date?Do your clean slate exercise, so you have a resourcing plan for the year ahead;Map out your calendar for key team events in 2024;Close any open loops – have you done what you promised your people this year?Thank your people!Give them something to look forward to in 2024;Give yourself space to plan.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 195 of the People Powered Business Podcast! Today we are chatting about the critical pre Christmas period, and some of the biggest mistakes business owners make at this time of year when it comes to your team.We know, this is a tough time of year, we’re all exhausted, we’re stressed, we’re both overwhelmed and excited, and paying attention to our teams engagement level is often not top of our priority list.But that’s a mistake and in today’s episode I share why, the mistakes to avoid and what you can do instead.An Invitation:Would you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 194 of the People Powered Business Podcast! Today I am joined by the fabulous Juliet Robinson from Big Goals to discuss tackling fear as a leader in our business. This is a topic we certainly don’t talk enough about.Whether you are fearful of stepping into your first leadership role, or having a moment of feeling fear of tackling a tricky conversation, dealing with conflict or some other challenging situation, this discussion is for you.Juliet and Kristy-Lee share their experiences working with leaders who are in a state of fear, or who have fear holding them back, as well as their own experiences of when they have experienced the feeling of fear in their leadership journey.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

As we hurtle towards the end of 2023, how is your year-end going?It’s feeling tough for a lot of people, and engagement, motivation and interest is generally low right now.This is part of the reason this is such an important time to be looking at your 2024 people plan, how is your plan looking?If you haven’t yet started, I’m here to help, and today I am sharing 3 key elements every greatpeople plan should include.This is not an exhaustive or complete list, but these 3 elements are essential to any people plan.1)Your Resourcing Plan–every people plan needs a resourcing plan. This includes who you’re hiring, who you’re firing, what skills you need to add, who needs crosstraining, different hours etc.2) Your Protection Plan–is your business protected? Are you compliant with the legislation, are your employment contracts up to date, your IFA’s and AWA’s in place, policies up to date? There is a lot to include here!3)Your Retention Plan–how are you going to keep great people, motivate them, get the most out of them and develop them. You need to plan for that.Naturally, all 3 have multiple layers and areas of complexity within them, but these 3 core areas are essential elements of any people plan. How is your 2024 people plan looking?

Hello and welcome to Episode 193 of the People Powered Business Podcast!Today were unpacking a new study released by Gartner HR research which has some disturbing stats regarding engagement.At their Reimagined HR conference in the US in October they released the report which found  that only 31% of employees reported that they were engaged, enthusiastic and energized by their work!!  Keyia Burton, senior principal, advisory in the Gartner HR Practice said that “despite organizations making investments in engaging their employees, our research shows that almost 70% don’t feel as engaged as they should be and aren’t feeling a meaningful connection to their job.”Today is discussed how and whether this translates to us, we looked at defining what engagement is, whether this is just slump normal for this time of year and why we should be concerned about these findings.What about you? Are you seeing this trend, and what are you doing in your business to prevent this? I’d love you to join us in the Facebook Group and let me know.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

As you’re planning for 2024, one thing to ensure you include in your planning is some space for individual career planning with your team.This doesn’t necessarily have to be done pre-Christmas, but at least once every year you should be having really great discussions with your people about their future with you.This doesn’t have to be the performance review discussion, in fact, it may not be best for it (and I do love a quarterly review cycle anyway), but creating space for these discussions is essential. Having a plan, a pathway forward and being clear about is something your team fundamental want-they want to know where they are going and if you can’t articulate that, and a competitor can, you’re in big trouble.It doesn’t mean it needs to be ladder climbing or annual promotions, micro steps and milestones are a great way to lay out a plan.It helps people to feel like they are making progress, moving forward, achieving, improving, not staying stagnant–which is amazing for motivation and engagement.

Hello and welcome to Episode 192 of the People Powered Business Podcast!First up - as mentioned in this episode, if you want to join me for the 2024 Team Planning Workshop just click here to register nowIn today’s episode I share with you that I am sensing a season of change with our teams. Some change we won’t love, but will be unavoidable. Some change will be change we choose to make, or need to make for the next stage of our business journey.And that’s what we focus on in today’s episode. The fact that the team that got you to where you are now, may not be the team to get you to where you want to go next.In this episode we spoke about the reasons for this, and how the resourcing needs in a business will always change.We also spoke about the Clean Slate Exercise to help you identify if in fact you do need to make some changes.You can listen to the full Clean Slate Exercise here:Once you have your ideal future team mapped out what next? What do you do with an employee who no longer fts in your structure, doesn’t have the skills you need moving forward, or are a surplus to your needs?We discuss all that and more in today’s episode of the podcast.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.

This is a question that I get asked this question all…..the….time! You’ve done your planning, you know what’s ahead, but how much should you share with your people?Some business owners share everything and then get disappointed when the team don’t seem to care as much as expected, they start to question things or worse still it prompts them to ask for a pay rise.Other business owners protect their own personal plans, energy, effort, investment and Intellectual Property and share nothing with their team. Then they wonder why they aren’t working towards achieving their goals.So what about you? How much of your plan do you share?I think there is a sweet spot forevery business. It comes down to sharing enough toget the team excited, engaged, on board. You absolutely should be sharing theplans that are directly relevant to them and that will impact their role. Youshould also share the plans that might help them see the bigger picture. But it’s your business, and yourplan, and they don’t need to know all the details.  

Hello and welcome to Episode 191 of the People Powered Business Podcast!In today’s episode we are discussing the 5 biggest staffing challenges (or you may want to view them as opportunities) that every small to medium sized business needs to be ready, and have a plan for in 2024.The reality is the staffing landscape is changing, both in Australia and abroad, and we are very much returning to a global workplace again. If we are not ready for these changes and challenges, we will be left behind.I firmly believe small to medium sized businesses have a huge opportunity right now, if we are ready and being ready means having a plan.Today we are discussing what is changing and why, the 5 biggest challenges I see coming and what we should do next.There is no doubt that the pandemic has moved the world of work forward 20 + years – a controversial opinion some might think, but something I have thought to be the case since early 2020 – I knew then we were always headed this way, and there would be no going back.In addition, many experts predicted that international travel would not return to pre pandemic levels until 2024, and I think a lot of people have the travel bug and 2024 will mean lots of leave and people taking extended breaks.Add in changes in expectation about where, when and how people work – we need to be ready for change.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Are you a planner? Or do you hate planning?I admit, I was never a lover of planning. There was certainly no business plan, the thought of writing one bored me to tears. I was more keen on action taking than planning.I know other business owners who love a plan! In fact they love planning, but they get so caught up in planning that they never take action, and it holds them back.So I guess whether you love or hate planning – you need to find the middle ground. You absolutely need to do it, but not at the cost of taking action.And don’t forget your team planning. Planning isn’t just about the numbers, the projects, the clients and the advertising – planning is absolutely all about the people you need to deliver all of that, and how you are going to get the most out of them.

Hello and welcome to Episode 190 of the People Powered Business Podcast!In today’s episode I’m sharing a little behind the scenes of how I plan for a successful year ahead with my team.I like to plan for a calendar year ahead, and for me timing is key – and November is the time I plan.Today I share the importance of timing and what may work for your business, the value of stepping away from the day to day work environment to plan more effectively, and when and what of your plan you should share with your team.How do you plan for your year ahead? I’d love to know. Join us in our Facebook Group and share your experiences.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

So often when I am thinking about what to chat to you about in our Power Play episodes I’m inspired by patterns or themes I am seeing in the work I do.Sometimes there are things that keep showing up and almost slapping me in the face – this power play topic is no different.Lately, there seems to be a lot of drama around in the teams I am working with which could have been avoided by simply having a conversation. Seriously that simple.Then last night, after a crazy couple of weeks, not interested in watching anything o TV really, I stumbled across Empire Records, and well there is nothing like a bit of 90’s nostalgia to lift the spirits – god I love that soundtrack! In fact some of you may have heard me reference another 90’s classic – Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms before, and the line ‘if you don’t expect too much from me you might not be let down’ Last night, watching Empire Records, yet another clanger ‘till I hear it from you’ was featured, also by the Gin Blossoms, and the line in it says ‘nothings wrong until I hear it from you’ And I think there is a lesson in that – we so often make decisions based on what others are saying – and we don’t just have a conversation with the person. In fact in the last few weeks I’ve seen this play out in a team I am working with. Where an issue became an absolute all consuming disaster, when all it would have taken to resolve it was a conversation with the person involved – that simple.So, my invitation to you today is the have the conversation, and hear it directly from them – because until you hear from your team member what their issue is, and what the resolution needs to look like, you will never know how to resolve it.

Hello and welcome to Episode 189 of the People Powered Business Podcast!In today’s episode of the podcast we are talking about employee wellbeing, specifically wellbeing programs, Employee Assistance Programs and whether they are relevant for small to medium sized businesses.Whilst wellbeing as a concept is about the entirety of someone’s life, and as such can’t be entirely our responsibility as an employer, we certainly have some responsibility for our employees wellbeing whilst at work, and can take proactive steps to help them improve their wellbeing, which has some great flow on effects to their performance, motivation and engagement at work.An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 188 of the People Powered Business Podcast!In today’s episode of the podcast we are chatting about becoming the boss, and the journey I have noticed every business owner goes through in building their business and their team to become a business that is truly people powered.You see this is a journey I notice our People Powered HR members take, it’s one I have taken and it’s one every small business owner makes. It’s not always a straight line, sometimes we bounce between the stages in the journey, but that’s how we learn and create a stronger business for the future.The stages we all go through are:Having an Idea Powered business, where we are a start up, full of enthusiasm and ideas;Being You Powered – where we are starting to build our team and outsource things, but we are in the drivers seat across everything, and involved at every level;Becoming Person Powered where we have a team of key people and roles, who we can rely on and who power our business day to day;Being Team Powered where we have groups of people to get things done, across all areas of the business, but we are still firmly the key leader;And finally we are People Powered – with a leadership team, succession planning and where we can truly step away knowing our business will thrive.If you’d like to share where you are in the journey, ask a question or start a discussion about this, I have an invitation for you. An InvitationWould you like to connect with other like-minded business owners, leaders and managers experiencing similar situations with their team? Join the discussion inside our free Facebook Group – HR Support for Australian -Businesses.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

This month inside PPHR we’re looking at EAP’s and Employee wellbeing initiatives and it got me thinking – is our employees wellbeing really our responsibility as business owners?I mean of course we want to create a great place for people to work, but can we really hold the load for being responsible for their wellbeing? I’m not sure, I think we need to create a place that supports wellbeing, but I think that’s very different to being responsible for it….In saying that, I don’t think we can turn a blind eye to it’s importance – so what is our role?Our role is to create an environment which is ‘psychological safe’ which is supportive, within which people feel comfortable to do their best work, and know that we are looking out for them.To create the environment within which they can thrive.That will look different for everyone ….But it’s about our leadership, and the support mechanisms we invest in to put around that. Our reactions and responses when someone isn’t doing so well, has personal issues maybe, do we punish them or support them?But it’s not our job to take on the mental load, to be the counsellor.       So what role do you take on when it comes to employees wellbeing? Too active? Too absent? Somewhere in between?

Hello and welcome to Episode 187 of the People Powered Business Podcast.In today’s episode of the podcast we are retuning to a more technical discussion about one of the more recent legislative updates – the introduction of positive duty laws to prevent sexual harassment and sex based discrimination in the workplace.These laws were passed in late 2022, but given the gravity of the changes being implemented, employers had a grace period to get their house in order. From December 2023 though, the Australian Human Right Commission will be able to commence legal proceedings against employers who are failing to meet their positive duty obligations, and no one, not even small businesses, are exempt.In todays’ episode we re cap what the positive duties laws are, what they mean for employers. and the AHRC guidelines for achieving compliance with these new requirements.As always, if you’d like to connect with other small business owners to chat all things HR and people management, I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 186 of the People Powered Business Podcast.In today's episode of the podcast we are taking a deeper dive into a topic we covered in a recent Power Play Mini Episode - do your people like or respect you?So often as business owners and leaders we are playing a popularity game, because we want our people to like us. But when we are doing that at the detriment to building respect from our team, it can be bad for them, the business and us.What's your experience when it comes to this? What game are you playing? I'd love to hear, join us in our Facebook Group to share your experiences:https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 185 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I am chatting about coaches and mentors for small business owners and why we should all have some!Coaches and mentors are incredibly powerful in supporting us as small business owners, yet I know many of us are reluctant to invest in ourselves by getting a coach or mentor for something we might be struggling with.Today we talk about the reasons for that, and why investing in ourselves is the best investment for our business.Do you engage coaches and mentors in your small business? I’d love to know. Let us know inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

In this weeks Power Play mini episode we're chatting about the fact that your team are always watching what you do as a leader, and that includes what we don't do.Last weeks I hosted a workshop on mastering difficult conversations, and one of the downsides of avoiding difficult conversations is that your team see that, and it erodes their respect in you as a leader.

Hello and welcome to Episode 184 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I am sharing with you, warts and all, the details of a conversations I had with a staff member, more than 13 years ago, that to this day still makes me cringe.It was one of the most difficult conversations I have ever had to have with a team member, and I learnt a lot from it.Today I share with you the mistakes I made, and the lessons I learned so that you never have to go through this sort of experience with one of your team.

Are you a difficult conversations avoider? No one loves having them, but some of us actively avoid them, and I want to encourage you to stop doing that – it’s bad for your team, your business and you.Whilst these conversations can be tough, they are an essential part of our leadership toolkit – in fact, the ability to have these conversations effectively is the #1 skill every business owner needs to develop in order to lead their team effectively.So I have 3 questions to ask yourself today if you find yourself avoiding difficult conversations with someone on your team:1)     Why are you actually avoiding it? Really, what are the real reasons?2)     What is the worst thing that could actually happen? (not the unlikely things you are making up!)3)     Does the reason outweigh the potential benefit of having the conversation?outcome?

Hello and welcome to Episode 183 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today we’re talking about difficult conversations, and the 10 types every business owner will need to have with one of their team, at some stage.Despite our misconception, difficult conversations aren’t just about performance dramas. They can be about anything from salary negotiations to delegating a task, so what happens when we don’t give the other types of conversations the same time and attention?In today’s episode we unpack the risks of not giving these other types of conversations you attention, and I uncover the 10 types of difficult conversations that every business owner will need to have, which span from the recruitment to the termination process.If difficult conversations are something you struggle with, I’d love you to join me for the Mastering Difficult Conversations Workshop which kicks off 18th September, just click this link to find out more:https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/powerweek

Silence can be bliss can’t it? But when in a meeting with a staff member, especially one that involves a difficult conversation, silence can feel like torture.It’s uncomfortable for us as the leader, and we worry (probably more than we should), that’s it’s also uncomfortable for the team member.The truth is, silence is essential to facilitating an effective discussion, and when we don’t allowspace for it, we are almost certainly sabotaging the success of the conversation.When we become uncomfortable with silence, we tend to do a few things.We over-explain, that was definitely me, I would just keep finding different ways to unpack the situation, justify why I needed to speak to them about this, and come at the issue from all different angles. I thought that if I explained it more, and more, and more, surely the message would be clearer.Or we create a compliment sandwich – we think that if we start the meeting on a positive note things will be easier. Then we get to the real issue, but then we get uncomfortable with the silence so throw in another compliment really quickly, hoping that the meat in the sandwich was memorable enough.Or we divert onto an entirely new tangent. When the silent moment hits, we take a turn in the conversations and start moving it in a different direction to avoid the discomfort and then there can seem no way back to the initial issue.In all of these situations we are missing the opportunity that silence creates.Silence allows time for our team member to actually absorb and process what we just said. It gives them the space to think about it, and respond.It allows time for them to seek clarification and ask questions.It allows space for them to share how they received the message, and perhaps provide context from their experience that has led to the situation we are discussing.Most importantly silence allows the message to really sink in. For the gravity of the situation, the importance of the issue, the need for change to really, really land.If allowing space for silence is challenging and uncomfortable that’s completely normal, but think of it this way – would you rather sit in a moment of uncomfortable silence, or sit through the discomfort of needing to have this discussion again next week?

Hello and welcome to Episode 182 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today we’re talking ‘team meetings’. We all know we need to have them right? Yet so often they feel like a waste of time, or like many members of People Powered HR recently said, they are sick of hearing their own voice in team meetings and wished their teams would participate and engage.So how can we hold meetings that matter, that have impact, that people participate and engage in, and that aren’t all about us just talking?To help find the answers I thought I’d get an expert in to chat to us.I’m thrilled to be joined by Cat Matson of Impactful Presenters. Cat is the CEO and Lead Facilitator of Impactful Presenters, empowering business owners and community leaders to speak with confidence, authority, authenticity and impact. A popular and accomplished Speaker, MC and Moderator, Cat is known for her straight-talking, 'realness' and extracting 'the juice' from her clients.As mentioned, Cat also has a free workshop running in September 2023, called Speaking with Impact – I highly recommend checking it out, here is the link to register:And link to the workshop is - https://www.impactfulpresenters.com/live-webinar/speaking-with-impact-workshopseptember-2023/register

I get asked regularly about communicating challenges that seem to centre around different generations on our team.They aren't listening because they are a Gen Z, they don't understand because they are a 'boomer'.The truth is, as a leader in our business it's our role to understand our teams communication preferences, and tailor our message and style accordingly.In this power play I share some of the reasons for the ways different generations communicate, and give you a few hacks to help you communicate more effectively with different generations on your team.

Hello and welcome to Episode 181 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today we’re talking about a Code of Conduct and why they are so valuable to have in your business.A code of conduct is a formal document that outlines the guiding principles, standards, and behavioural expectations for individuals within a business.It serves as a set of rules and guidelines that govern the conduct and interactions of employees, management, and other stakeholders associated with the business.A well-structured code of conduct is designed to promote ethical behaviour, create a positive work environment, and ensure consistency in decision-making across the organisation.For me it’s super valuable in articulating ‘this is how we do things around here’.I’d love to hear about whether you have a Code of Conduct in place, and whether you’re finding it to be a valuable resource, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Ok, I’m going to be honest here, I didn’t love being the boss in my own business for a long time.I had held leadership positions in other businesses and loved it, but when it came to my business, especially as my team grew, I really started to not love it. Some days I would want to (and probably did), just shut my office door!!!What I know now is that I’d hit a growing pains point, I was juggling too much, and was burnt out. But I see lots of business owners who don’t hit this point yet really don’t love being ‘a boss’. They are uncomfortable with it, it’s not their natural thing. The thought of conflict terrifies them, so they avoid it.They adopt the ‘laissez-fare’ leadership style which means ‘let it be’ it’s a hands off approach to leadership. Problem is – if you’re not leading in your business who is? I call this the ‘non boss mindset’It’s characterized by avoiding any kind of traditional leadership or management activities and actions, with the hope that things will just happen.It’s often from a place of fear and uncertainty.  But the issue is the team lack clarity, certainty and direction, they don’t know what to do.The team want strong leadership, it’s what builds trust and respect. Worst case – you end up with someone negative or toxic running things – it can go from your ship being adrift without a captain to pirates have taken over very quickly.

Hello and welcome to Episode 180 of the People Powered Business Podcast.In today’s episode I am sharing a previous conversation Juliet Robinson and I had on the Grow Your Influence Podcast.Recently I have had a lot of business owners ask about leading different generations at work, and how to understand and motivate each generation.This discussion is one Juliet and I had some time ago, probably a little over a year, but it’s still really relevant and valuable.Stay tuned as we will have some new episodes on generational differences at work really soon.I’d love to hear about your experiences with managing and leading different generations at work. I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Are you guilty of micromanagement sometimes? Or too often As entrepreneurs and business owners it’s easy to fall into, why?Are you a control freak, do you lack trust in your people, are you a perfectionist, maybe you don't know how to delegate effectively.        So why is it bad for your people?o  Stifles creativityo  Teaches them not to make decisionso Stalls their growtho  Teaches them to rely on youWhy is it bad for you?o  You will always be the bottle neck’o  You can’t get out of the weedso  You will never build trust – and if the team don’t trust you it’s all bado  You have no freedom from your businessWhy is it bad for your business?o  A business that is totally reliant on you can never growo  There will be no innovation, o  You’ll have high turnover o  You won’t be able to attract and retain great people So stop micromanaging!

Hello and welcome to Episode 179 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I have an update on my intern experiment.Back in Episode 173 I shared that I have decided to experiment with having interns in my business, and promised to share my journey with you here on the podcast.Here’s the thing though, things haven’t exactly gone to plan, as I discuss today, these people are a little more ninja like than I expected.In today’s episode I share what’s happened so far, why I don’t actually have an intern (yet!) and what I plan to do from here.I’d love to hear about whether you have engaged interns before, or are considering it in the future, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

When you got into business I bet you didn’t put too much thought to the fact you’d need to hire and lead people one day soon.Most business owners I know certainly didn’t get into business for the love of learning about HR compliance, employment rules, payroll and all the technical stuff – but you figure it out right?Like everything else in business, you fumble your way through, do a course here and there, research, learn, get help and you get through it.But is that technical stuff really the hardest part about being a ‘boss’ and having a team?Truth is – it’s the mental game of being the boss that’s hardest.The sleepless nights, the worry, the uncertainty, the second guessing ourselves, the self doubt, the confidence crushing interactions . It can leave you feeling alone, unsure of yourself, frustrated, feeling like you’re hitting your head against a wall, sometimes resentful and angry – and ultimately that it’d just be easier to do it all yourself.Here’s the thing though – you can’t have a successful business that delivers you success + freedom without people – and without great people, the right team and guess what – that team need a leader, and if it’s your business – that’s ultimately always YOU!So mastering this mental game of being the boss is essential to this – it’s essential to the success of your business, and your sanity.But I get it, it’s hard, it's why I started the Power BOSS Coaching Program. Where we work on things like creating your ideal team, boundary setting, tacking tricky conversations, behavior, you get a sounding board.Mastering the mental game of being the boss is hard because no one tells you that you’ll need to learn it, there is no magical handbook, humans – they change – and people don’t tell you nearly enough that it’s ok to help with this (you get help with other things right)?Do spend time mastering this, it’ll be amazing for your business.

Hello and welcome to Episode 178 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I have a quick compliance update for you on the recent changed to the Paid Parental Leave Scheme.This is the Government funded payment that employees can access when they are caring for a newborn or newly adopted child. From 1 July 2023 there have been a raft of changes to this scheme, including the merging of the old 18 week parental leave payment and 2 week dad and partner pay into one 100 day or 20 week allocation, which can now be shared much more flexibly between parents.If you’d like to connect with other business owners and leaders who are also facing the challenge of managing leave I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Does your team like you or respect you?What's your response when you hear that question? Aren't the two the same?Of course we want our team to like is. Human nature dictates that we want to be liked, so it makes sense that we want our team to like us -but do we put as much thought into ensuring they respect us?So what’s the difference between being like and respected? The difference lies in how they react and respond to us as a leader – it’s in the perception they hold.Being liked = being popular with our people. Being liked is fleeting, sure you can maintain it for a time, but it’s all contingent on the next decision you make, and giving your team everything they want, you need to make every decision to win a popularity contest, which isn’t always in the best interests of the business.       Being liked also means you’re far less likely to be able to do the tough things we need to do as leaders, keep people accountable, have tough conversations etc.Being respected is far deeper and long lasting. If your people respect you, you can make unpopular decisions that are in the best interested of the business, because the team sees beyond this one decision.How do you build respect? Competence, congruence with values, do what you say you’ll do, be authentic, be fair and be accountable. While being liked might lead to short-term popularity, being respected creates a lasting impact on the team and the organization. Respected leaders inspire loyalty and commitment, as team members are more likely to go the extra mile when they respect their leader.So which game are you playing?

Hello and welcome to Episode 177 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Recently I asked for some feedback on a question and I was really surprised by a common theme that kept popping up – that business owners feel trapped in a cycle of icromanaging their people, and aren’t sure how else to get their team to perform.We have chatted about The Curse of Micromanagement previously in Episode 162, where we unpacked why micromanagement is bad for business, you can listen to that episode here:https://www.peoplepoweredbusiness.com.au/blog/micromanagingBut what became clear to me reading the feedback was that these business owners knew how bad micromanagement was for them, their team, and their businesses, but they weren’t sure how to get out of the cycle.So today we’re looking at what are the alternatives? If micromanagement is just one way to manage, one leadership styles, what are the other styles and which ones could we ‘try on’ instead.Then we unpacked why people are feeling like they need to micromanage, and being so trapped in the cycle, and finally I share 5 effective strategies to help you break free from micromanagement.I’d love to hear about whether you struggle with micromanagement, and how you went trying out these strategies to break free, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Hello and welcome to Episode 176 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I’m bring you part 2 of my conversation with my special guest, who is here to chat to us about avoiding hiring disasters!Deb Houston of Phlox Consulting is a Hiring Strategist and Mentor, she has been helping job-seekers and hiring managers nail their interviews and land their dream jobs and employees for more than seventeen years. She takes a supportive and consultative approach to recruitment, personalising the process for each and every client, whilst always making sure it’s fun along the way. For Deb, finding the right job or candidate is a lot like dating – you just have to find a match you want to commit to!Today is the second part of my discussion Deb and I had on this topic, and today we’re discussing essential strategies to help you avoid a hiring disaster.Want to share your hiring strategies? Join the discussion in our Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

If I had a dollar for every time a business owner said they wanted to hire someone ‘just like them’ I’d be rich!It always reminds me of the line from the Gin Blossoms song, Hey Jealousy which says “if you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down".Expecting our team to be just like us is expecting too much. And when our expectations are inflated, we feel frustrated and resentful, and we blame our team, but is it really their fault, or is it our misguided expectations that are to blame?In todays' Power Play I'm unpacking why we shouldn't expect our team to be just like us, and why it's critical that they aren't!

Hello and welcome to Episode 175 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I’m excited to be joined by a special guest, who is here to chat to us about avoiding hiring disasters!Deb Houston of Phlox Consulting is a Hiring Strategist and Mentor, she has been helping job-seekers and hiring managers nail their interviews and land their dream jobs and employees for more than seventeen years. She takes a supportive and consultative approach to recruitment, personalising the process for each and every client, whilst always making sure it’s fun along the way. For Deb, finding the right job or candidate is a lot like dating – you just have to find a match you want to commit to!Today is Part 1 of a 2 part discussion Deb and I had on this topic, and today we’re sharing the 3 (or more) biggest hiring mistakes we see businesses make and why you should avoid them.Join me again next week for part 2, where we share proactive hiring strategies everyone should be using.

Welcome to this weeks Power Play Mini Episode of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I'm sharing why nothing else you do matters - when an employee is unhappy in their job. Until you take steps to fix the cause of their issues, and really listen to what's important to them, nothing else you do matters - and in fact it can sometimes make the situation worse because the employee feels like you aren't listening to them.

Hello and welcome to Episode 174 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I’m sharing how I’m really feeling right now – guilty! Guilty for the long to do list I can’t seem to get on top of, guilty for feeling exhausted after a 10 hour day and needing a break, and guilty because there is always more to do.I’ve also been reminded, via a client this week, that our team have a knack of also making us feel incredibly guilty from time to time.So today we’re talking ‘boss guilt’. I’m unpacking what it is, the two types I’ve seen play out recently, how to identify if you’re heading down a boss guilt spiral and some strategies for breaking free from boss guilt.I’d love to hear about whether you have suffered from boss guilt before, and what strategies you use to navigate it when you feel it popping up, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

As business owners and leaders we all stress out when someone leaves our business – we think we've failed, we ask what could we have done differently and how can we keep them?The reality is sometimes turnover is a good thing, a healthy thing and actually good for business.Perhaps the person has outgrown the role – and staying would hold them back and they’d become stale and resentful. Maybe it’s just time – they are no longer keen to be here and that’s ok.Our team also go through phases and stages of life – what worked then won’t work now and they may need to move on for this reason.Or it could be because they don’t want to learn, grow or develop and are resistant to change, this can be incredibly difficult to manage.I often question whether too much stability sometimes a bad thing?Having to refill a role and bringing someone new in allows for fresh perspectives and ideas, it builds new skills and knowledge. Finally it gifts us a great opportunity to reassess and realise you need something new in the role now.

Hello and welcome to Episode 173 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today we’re talking about Interns, it’s actually a topic we really haven’t spoken about here on the podcast before.However, I have decided to experiment with having interns in my business, so I thought I’d share that journey with you over the next 6 months by recording a couple of episodes on the process, and share the pro’s con’s and my learnings. In this episode we’re looking at when an intern might be the right addition to your team.I unpack the different types of interns, address the question of pay, chat about why I’ve decided to experiment with this for my team, and share the opportunities that exist with interns.I’d love to hear about whether you have engaged interns before, or are considering it in the future, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Do you find yourself sometimes soooo busy with all of the other aspects of running a business, that you don't have time to be a 'leader' in any real way?The reality is Small to medium-sized business owners often find themselves immersed in day-to-day operational tasks, leaving little time for strategic thinking and leadership. The never-ending to-do list can consume their focus, hindering their ability to lead their teams effectively.When leaders are constantly caught up in the busyness of running the business, they may inadvertently create a leadership vacuum – where no real leadership exists in their business. Without strong leadership, teams may lack direction, engagement, and a clear vision for success.It's crucial for business owners to recognize that effective leadership is not a luxury but a necessity for long-term success. It requires a shift in mindset from being solely focused on operational tasks to prioritizing leadership as a critical aspect of business growth and sustainability.     Carving out dedicated time for leadership activities is essential. This might involve delegating operational tasks, restructuring workflows, or reevaluating priorities to free up time for strategic thinking, team development, and communication.Strategies to Lead Effectively amidst Busyness:Empower and Delegate: Identify areas of your business where you can delegate responsibilities to capable team members. Empower them with trust and autonomy, allowing you to focus on higher-level leadership tasks. Systemise and Streamline where possible. Automation, outsourcing, or implementing effective systems can help optimize your business operations, freeing up time for leadership.At the core of leadership you need to:Communicate the Vision: Clearly articulate the vision, values, and goals of your business to your team. Effective communication ensures everyone is aligned and working towards a common purpose, reducing the need for constant micromanagement. Nurture a Supportive Culture: Foster a culture of open communication, collaboration, and trust within your team. Encourage feedback, provide regular updates, and create opportunities for team members to contribute their ideas and insights.Communicate - effectively – always.

Hello and welcome to Episode 172 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today we’re talking trust, and why it’s so important to your teams success. Specifically in today’s episode we’re looking at why:Your team need to trust you;You need to trust your team;your team need to trust each other.When your team don’t trust you as the leader the results will be increased turnover, under-performance, gossip and toxicity, morale and motivation will be low, they don’t work together and essentially nothing is good.Getting your people to trust you isn’t that difficult, it’s doing the simple things consistently. Follow through on your promises, take action when you should, being honest, communicating and treat people fairly.Secondly, you need to trust your team. If you don’t trust your team, you’ll be constantly deciding to do things yourself and / or micromanage, which will hold your business back. If you’re feeling like you don’t trust your team, you may need to consider whether the issue is actually you – are you being unrealistic or a control freak for example?Finally, but critically, tour team need to trust each other. If your team don’t trust each other, you’ll find yourself constantly dealing with conflict, dealing with whinging, and the place will just ‘feel’ flat. As Simon Sinek says, a team  isn’t a group of people who work together, it’s a group of people who trust each other. So without trust do you even really have a team?I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to build trust in your team, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Culture is a tricky thing, it’s hard to articulate and even harder to describe.Often, when working with businesses, I see team cultures that are not in line with what the business owner wants – but they don’t seem to know how to change it, or how it’s been created in the first place.So today I wanted to share a simple framework from Simon Sinek which is this: Values + Behaviours = Culture.If you’re not clear on your values, and you’re not actively running your business through the lens of them, then what’s left? Behaviours If you’re then tolerating, encouraging or putting up with behaviours that aren’t in line with your values, or are at odds with ‘this is how we do things around here’ that’s when your team become in charge of the culture not you.So get clear on your values, and the behaviours that support them and those that don’t.Then communicate, set expectations, boundaries and be prepared to uphold and protect them - that's the foundations for how to create the culture you want in your business.

Hello and welcome to Episode 171 of the People Powered Business Podcast.Today I’m excited to bring you a conversation I had with Nick Mills.Nick is an expert facilitator, trainer, coach with a strong focus on leadership, management, and inclusion in the workplace.To list all of his qualifications would take a long time but safe to say he has a variety of qualifications in leadership, management, adult educations at masters level.Currently, Nick is also completed his PHD at the University of Tasmania focusing in inclusion for LGBTQI + leaders in the finance and professional services sectors.His paper which will be released late this year called “How Australian companies can be truly inclusive and welcoming spaces.” Was in part motivated by Nicks’ passion to help leaders have more meaningful interactions and effective and sensitive conversations with all team members across their organisations.In our conversation we discuss what led him to his current studies, what challenges he sees organisations facing and what we can be doing better.If you’d love to connect with Nick here are the best ways to do so:LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-mills-4371544/Nick’s website:https://eurekatraining.com.au/In the mean time, I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to create a more inclusive workplace in your business, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Recently I was watching a TV show and there was a seen where the wife was standing in a very lush kitchen in a very fancy house. Her very busy (and important it would seem) husband walks into the kitchen in a suit, on the phone, talking loudly. He takes things out of the fridge and leaves things on the bench, and then leaves the house without acknowledging his wife.A family friend or relative staying with the family then walks in, also on the phone. He takes something out of the fridge, then puts it away. He uses a cup, and the puts it in the dishwasher. He stops his phone call to say goodbye politely.And the look on the woman's face said it all - it's the little things that matter most - and it's exactly the same with our team.It's the recognition, the thank you, the acknowledgement and the interest in their lives out of work that matter more than the bonuses and gifts.

Hello and welcome to Episode 170 of the People Powered Business Podcast. Well we have hit the time of year where motivation tends to be low – so today we’re talking about giving your team a mid year motivation boost!Firstly we’ll unpack why motivation wanes at this time of year. From the high energy and enthusiastic start to the year, post Easter we always see a decline in motivation. Coupled with that it’s cold and miserable, we’re tired and on any given day every second person is sick!And that’s why it’s so important to give your team a motivation boost right now. You can rest assured if you’re feeling blah – your team are too! Focusing on motivating the team right now will certainly set you up for a better second half of the year and let’s face it, we all need something to focus on and look forward to.We wrap up this episode with my sharing some of my favourite mid year motivation boosting strategies and tactics.But I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to motivate your team mid year, so I’d love you to join us inside our free Facebook Group, HR Support for Australian Businesses, so I can learn more about what’s working for you and any challenges you might be having.Join Here.https://www.facebook.com/groups/hrsupportaustralia

Despite what we might think, as a leader or business owner, you don't have to have all the answers. Embracing the power of not knowing allows for growth, collaboration, and a stronger team dynamic. By fostering a learning culture, empowering others, and building trust through authenticity, you can create an environment where innovative solutions emerge and your team flourishes.The Myth of Knowing It All:It's about Unrealistic Expectations: In the fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, it's impossible for any individual to have all the answers. Yet, leaders often feel the weight of unrealistic expectations to be all-knowing and infallible.Fear of Vulnerability: The fear of being perceived as incompetent or weak can drive leaders to avoid admitting they don't have all the answers. This fear can hinder open communication, collaboration, and trust within the team. The Benefits of Embracing Not Knowing: Fostering a Learning Culture: Acknowledging that you don't have all the answers creates an opportunity to foster a culture of continuous learning. It encourages curiosity, exploration, and a mindset of seeking knowledge and improvement.Empowering Others: Embracing the power of not knowing allows you to empower your team members. When you admit that you don't have all the answers, it opens the door for others to contribute their expertise, ideas, and insights. This promotes a sense of ownership and engagement among team members.Building Trust and Authenticity: Being vulnerable and transparent about not having all the answers can actually enhance trust and authenticity within the team. It humanizes the leadership role, creating a safe space for open dialogue, collaboration, and problem-solving.