“We need leaders that set the direction not the destination” – Mark Rigotti (Future Work Summit 2020)

• A very timely Future Work Summit 2020. Very fitting to be virtual having forecast this would be our new reality in past conferences in 2018 and 2019.
• Missed the face to face networking of course but loved the collective wisdom shared over 3 days.

Day One

The first day had us focus on “The New Reality”

• Always great to hear from emerging trends from AlphaBeta and Curious Thing

Some takeaways

• If the expectation is that we “not have to” but “get to” engage in 3 hours of new learning each week what will that entail and who will help support that.

The tone was set early on from day 1 of the Summit that we are very much focused on mindsets.

• Critical Mindsets to include Customer, Growth and Remote Mindsets
• Work from anywhere is a double edge sword
• Whilst it provides employees with greater flexibility it also opens the door for employers to recruit from anywhere which could include overseas.
• We often talk about skills shortage rather than considering we have skills surplus. Maybe we have a shortage of opportunities. We should think more about how we unlock unrecognized talent.
• We will certainly be placing importance on diversity and inclusion

Day Two

Day 2 was on “Future Disrupted – Your Way Forward”

• Unfortunately, I had a clash and missed this session. I did catch the Q&A and look forward to watching the recording.
• I did take away a great quote from Isabel Wu though
• “Future is not fact”
• This is picked on in Day 3 by Dr Alicia Fortinberry who said 70% of our assumptions are based incorrect research.
• In my opinion whilst we must make decisions that arise from evidence based research we should be open to what we don’t yet know.
• The problem with experts is they too often are more focused on what was rather than what is. (again my opinion)

Day Three

Then after the opening address from the Hon. Jaala Pulford MP

We heard Michael Priddis, Faethm, Professor Robert Wood, Futures Academy and Deanne Stewart from First State Super.

• This panel provided some incredibly helpful insights…

Mike Priddis provided some really helpful data that supports the notion that everyones’ needs will be different when thinking about how and where we will work from.

• Our economic prosperity and reliance on mining has not set us up well for a post covid world.
• Our Leaders really need to focus on investing in Education, New Technologies that will set us up well into the future.
• This was a great segway  into Deanne’s talk about where First State Super believe we should be investing our resources.

But first Robert Wood….

• Robert brought us back to thinking about mindsets – The Personal Adaptive Quotient
• We’re going to need to be less hierarchical and lean on expertise.
• We need to combine ethical and technical thinking
• Many of us are focused on loss and some grieving is very real.
• We will eventually need to frame this in such way where we see opportunities.
• This next slide from Deanne Stewart was particularly helpful…

• We all know we value what we spend our money on
• This is where our Super Companies worth over 3 trillion dollars are investing their money.
• How important it will be for our leaders to support investment in the above
• What a great start to the 3^rd day!

Over the break we heard from Therese Joyce at CogNative Solutions

• I loved the idea of “Coffee Roulette” to kickoff a Zoom meeting – Random parirings for 5 minutes to chat about non work related business
• Also to encourage thinking about having meetings that go for 25 minutes or 50 minutes to provide participants with space before the next meeting.

The next session was on Enable Your Future – Foundational Change

• Here we got to hear from Chris Anderson, Cisco and Jo Palmer, Pointer Remote Roles
• This session really focused on the changing nature of our workplaces
• Our workplaces need to be safe and secure
• They need to be places that foster Trust
• Rethinking workspace might include:
• Contactless Collaboration that utilized voice activation automation and Augmented intelligence.
• Jo Palmer was able to share how many people living in Rural communities can make a significant contribution in ways previously not facilitated through remote working. This just reinforces the opportunities that can be explored through a work anywhere model.
• Leadership & Funding Models  – Funding the Future?

Another very insightful panel included Dr Alicia Fortinberry, Fortinberry Murray, Mark Rigotti, Herbert Smith Freehills and Warrick Cramer, Vodaphone

Dr Alicia Fortinberry

• highlighted the importance of belonging
• Social Isolation and lack of connection are killers
• A reminder that we make decisions based on relationships and emotions. This explains why we 70% of decisions are based on incorrect assumptions
• Trust is deteriorating
• We need certainty and a sense of autonomy
• Some of this will need to be face to face
• We need access to online learning and nature

Mark Rigotti

• We need leaders that se the direction not the destination
• We need to build awareness and capability
• Where is the voice of the customer
• We have a dilemma that must address managing automation whilst valuing people
• We’re moving to a culture of hiring those who are not know it alls but to those who value ongoing learning
• Reinforces the importance of embracing new mindsets

Warrick Cramer

• Tasked with building Vodafone’s Tomorrow Street
• Valuing diversity of thought
• Importance of building a functional ecosystem
• Looking at the world with no borders
• FTI – Failure to Implement
• Focus on hotspots to invest and innovate
• Commit the right amount of resources
• Deliver what you say you’re going to do

Panel discussion

• Australia can move fast on implementation
• We need to be focused
• Australians and Russians used to be more willing to try new things
• Maybe this is blunter and we need to adapt more
• People look to leaders for security
• We need leaders that can engage people to make decisions together
• Unlock talent
• Minimum rules to increase enagagement
• Build capability first, then work on a solution
• Fear kills innovation
• Determine what are the blockers
• What undermines courage
• We fear isolation

Over lunch we heard from Gabriel Edwards from CogNative Solutions

• Wellbeing refers to our wholeself
• Focus on
• What
• So What
• Now What
• Stop, Observe and Reflect
• So important that our leaders particularly are more self aware

Owning your own Future, Owning your Career

Loved this session hearing from Dawn O’Neil AM, CogNative Solutions, Amy Smith, Aligned Tribe and Rob Baker, Tailored Thinking

• Dawn O’Neil we are all susceptible to Mental Fatigue
• The first stage is burn out
• It is an Occupational phenomenon
• How chronic is the stress?
• How we manage it?
• We are experiencing higher levels of anxiety
• We must take burn out seriously
• Prevention?
• Leadership?

Mental Fatigue

• Write it down
• Ask someone to hold you to account
• Take a day off to get space
• Start with a sleep in
• Do something you love doing
• Productivity goes us when we work 6 days or 5 days not 7 days
• Take time out to rest

Next phase Isolation and Irritability

• Maybe take a week off and seek help
• Practise regular exercise
• Be brave
• Ask for help to get serious rest

Reduced Professional Capability

• Put practices in place
• Allow leaders to see themselves through a data driven diagnosis

Amy Smith – Owning your own career

Responses

• Avoidance
• Blaming
• Take ownership

“Whether you think you can or you can’t – you’re right” – Henry Ford

The way we work has changed forever

Taking Charge

• Optimize Linkedin
• Then reached out to CEO’s
• How can you stand out
• Got the job because she was different

Future Proofing your career

• Eg Connect with 5 new people per day
• You can’t sell a secret
• Have to adapt
• No excuses not to be upskilling

Rob Baker – Tailored Thinking

• The power of job crafting
• Why we should personalize work – because it increases connection and engagement

Job crafting enables and encourages people to bring their diverse, whole and best selves to work each day

• Think about careers adventures
• Not necessarily a 35 to 40 hour week
• Not always great experiences
• What can we learn along the way

The final keynote was from Holly Ransom from Emergent

“Human Potential and the Future of Work”

• We need to start before we are ready!
• Bring a multi-perspective to the table
• Embrace diversity

Great way to end!