Managing from the middle

Managing from the middle

Managing from the Middle: The Art of Influencing Up, Down, and Sideways

leadership development workshop

📆 16 August 2024

Managing from the middle: The art of influencing up, down and sideways

Welcome to “Managing in the middle: The art of influencing up, down, and sideways,” an immersive workshop that delves into the complexities and pressures of managing in the middle of organisations.

In today’s dynamic and fast-paced business environment, organisational life has become increasingly complex. Managers find themselves at the intersection of various roles, responsibilities, and expectations, creating complexity, and the pressure of constant challenges. Navigating the demands of overwhelmed executives, overburdened workers, dissatisfied customers, and fellow harried people managers can be overwhelming. This workshop is designed to help you deal with feeling stuck in the middle, learning how to influence up, down and across your organisation.

At the completion of this full-day workshop you will:

  • understand power dynamics and leadership challenges, enhancing collaboration skills for managing the middle
  • identify opportunities for influence from the perspective of managing the middle and navigating tensions between organisational layers
  • visualise and analyse power networks within and beyond the organisation, identifying potential collaborators and impact areas for managing more effectively
  • apply insights to address current management dilemmas, developing practical strategies for more influence in managing the middle.

What’s included in this one-day workshop?

Experiential learning in a ‘Uppers, middles and lowers’ exercise, based on the work of Barry Oshry (2007), gives you valuable insights into the practical and emotional experiences of roles in a hierarchy. By understanding the dynamics at play and how to influence, you are equipped to interact effectively and navigate the complexities with more confidence.

The workshop also incorporates a seminar on the dynamics of managing in the middle of organisations, as well as a ‘network mapping’ exercise, enabling you to visualise the networks of power and influence within and beyond your organisation. This exercise helps you locate yourself, grasp the interconnectedness of roles, identify opportunities for collaboration, and take a networked approach to managing effectively in and from the middle.

The combination of experiential learning and theoretical frameworks delivers practical insights, tools, and strategies to navigate the complexities of hierarchies, interact effectively, and take a networked approach to managing in and from the middle.

“I found the ‘Uppers, middles and lowers‘ exercise so powerful. It revealed the emotional nuances of each level, which gave me profound insights into my own and others’ experiences back in my workplace”

– Cameron Brooks, Leadership Consultant

“The ‘Uppers, Middles, Lowers‘ exercise transformed my perspective on collaboration and hierarchy – a game-changer!”

– Susan Campbell, Associate Executive Director

Who should attend this immersive workshop?

This workshop is designed for managers seeking to increase their influence and become effective agents of change in their organisations. This includes managers of people and operations. If you value practical frameworks and experiential learning with others to gain a deeper understanding of workplace, this workshop is for you. Expect to come away with actionable strategies for managing up, leading your teams, and building strong networks of peers in the middle.

Join us in ‘Managing from the middle: The art of influencing up, down, and sideways’ to unlock your potential, overcome the frustrations of middle management, and navigate the complexities of organisational life with skill and confidence. Embrace this opportunity to excel as a manager in the middle and make a lasting impact within your organisation.

The art of influencing up, down & sideways

Day(s)

:

Hour(s)

:

Minute(s)

:

Second(s)

📆  DATE

Friday 16 August

⏰ SESSION TIME

9.30 am – 4.30 pm

đŸ’·Â  For only

AUD $970

$850 per person limited-time offer until June 30!

Three or more participants from the same organisation for $825 $700 each (limited time offer until June 30!)

Email Helen to find out more about our 7 or more place packages, custom-designed to suit your organisation’s needs.

đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸ’»Â LOCATION

Melbourne CBD
Morning tea & lunch provided

All workshops are available for on-site delivery, and the potential for a hybrid format can be discussed.

Managing from the Middle: The Art of Influencing Up, Down, and Sideways

leadership development workshop with the following:

Ms Helen McKelvie

Helen McKelvie

Helen has had over 25 years of working in organisations to inform her approach to helping others gain insights into how they take up roles and how to achieve greater alignment with individual, team and organisational purpose. Her own roles as internal planning consultant, policy and project manager, and lawyer in workplaces in both the public and private sectors have provided her with first-hand experience of the complexity and challenges of organisational life.

Helen is an alumnus and now teaches in the Master’s program at the National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA). She also has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. In addition to her academic qualifications, Helen is an accredited practitioner of PRISM Brain Mapping, an online, neuroscience-based behaviour mapping instrument, and is a registered Analytic-Network Coach. Helen also has training and experience in workplace mediation and yoga teaching qualifications.

Mr Thomas Mitchell

Thomas Mitchell

Over the last several years Thomas has enhanced his extensive professional experience by learning from, and working with, leaders across the executive coaching, group dynamics, and systems psychodynamics fields. A graduate of the NIODA Master of Leadership and Management – Organisation Dynamics, Thomas combines a deep understanding of working in large organisations with a passion for supporting others as they work toward achieving their goals and gaining a deeper awareness of their actions and drivers. Highly skilled in creating a safe environment to support participants explore their roles, Thomas manages the balance between empathy and candour allowing participants to feel secure whilst having their assumptions challenged.

 

 

 

.

About NIODA

The National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA) offers internationally renowned post-graduate education and research in organisation dynamics, and decades of experience consulting with Australian organisations. 

The study of organisation dynamics brings together socio-technical and psychoanalytic disciplines to explore the unconscious dynamics that exist in every group, team or organisation. Learning more about these theories, and reflecting on the experience of them, can support leaders and managers to unlock great potential in their organisations, tackling issues through a whole new light.

PO Box 287, Collins Street West,
Wurundjeri Melbourne  8007  Australia
+61 (0) 414 529 867
info@nioda.org.au

NIODA acknowledges the Kulin Nations, and respective Traditional Custodians of the lands we work on.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their enduring sovereignty which has, and continues to, care for Country.
NIODA welcomes the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s invitation to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a collective movement for a better future.

Emerging Leaders: Embrace your personal history for impactful leadership

Emerging Leaders: Embrace your personal history for impactful leadership

Emerging leaders: Embracing your personal history for impactful leadership

leadership development workshop

📆 24 May or 18 October 2024

Develop your leadership potential – lead with impact

Join us for a transformative one-day workshop designed exclusively for emerging leaders.

“Emerging leaders: embracing your personal history for impactful leadership” is an immersive experience that will uncover hidden gems of your personal leadership history. Explore your potential for creating meaningful change, enabling you to lead with purpose and authenticity.

Leadership is a dynamic journey that requires self-awareness, adaptability, and a deep understanding of one’s own history and identity. As an emerging leader, recognizing the importance of your personal leadership history can be a powerful tool for growth and development. Join us on a transformative journey as we explore the concept of emerging leadership and the significance of knowing your own leadership history and identity.

At the completion of this full-day workshop you will have:

  • increased self-awareness through Identifying and articulating key elements of your personal leadership history.
  • insight into leadership discourses from different eras and how they relate to your own approach and experience of leadership
  • clarity and direction to connect personal history, different leadership discourses, and effective strategies to address current leadership dilemmas.
  • a sense of purpose and direction through reflection and exploration of your leadership journey.

What’s included in this one-day workshop?

The workshop includes engaging exercises and thought-provoking discussions to identify and articulate the key elements that have shaped your emerging leadership journey, fostering increased self-awareness and a deeper understanding of your unique strengths and capabilities.

We introduce Dr Simon Western’s “four discourses of leadership,” illuminating leadership approaches from different eras including ‘eco-leadership’ as an emergent and growing leadership response to the digital age and the networked nature of society and organisations. You will gain valuable insights into how these discourses relate to your own approach and experience of leadership, enabling you to evaluate and take a situational approach to leading for greater impact.

We connect the dots between your personal history, the different leadership discourses, and effective strategies to address leadership dilemmas. Leveraging the insights gained from participants’ leadership histories we help you explore a current leadership challenge, leaving you with a roadmap to navigate the way forward.

By the end of this immersive workshop, you will emerge with heightened self-awareness, a stronger sense of purpose, and the tools and knowledge to lead with impact. Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock your emerging leadership potential and become an influential leader in your organisation. Secure your spot today for a day of exploration, insights and transformation.

Emerging leaders - embracing your personal history for impactful leadership

Day(s)

:

Hour(s)

:

Minute(s)

:

Second(s)

📆  DATE

24 May or 18 October 2024

⏰ SESSION TIME

9.30 am – 4.30 pm

đŸ’·Â  For only

AUD $970

$850 per person limited-time offer until June 30!

Three or more participants from the same organisation for $825 $700 each (limited time offer until June 30!)

Email Helen to find out more about our 7 or more place packages, custom-designed to suit your organisation’s needs.

đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸ’»Â LOCATION

Melbourne CBD
Morning tea & lunch provided

All workshops are available for on-site delivery, and the potential for a hybrid format can be discussed.

Emerging leaders – embracing your
personal history for impactful leadership

leadership development workshop with the following:

Ms Helen McKelvie

Helen McKelvie

Helen has had over 25 years of working in organisations to inform her approach to helping others gain insights into how they take up roles and how to achieve greater alignment with individual, team and organisational purpose. Her own roles as internal planning consultant, policy and project manager, and lawyer in workplaces in both the public and private sectors have provided her with first-hand experience of the complexity and challenges of organisational life.

Helen is an alumnus and now teaches in the Master’s program at the National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA). She also has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. In addition to her academic qualifications, Helen is an accredited practitioner of PRISM Brain Mapping, an online, neuroscience-based behaviour mapping instrument, and is a registered Analytic-Network Coach. Helen also has training and experience in workplace mediation and yoga teaching qualifications.

Mr Thomas Mitchell

Thomas Mitchell

Over the last several years Thomas has enhanced his extensive professional experience by learning from, and working with, leaders across the executive coaching, group dynamics, and systems psychodynamics fields. A graduate of the NIODA Master of Leadership and Management – Organisation Dynamics, Thomas combines a deep understanding of working in large organisations with a passion for supporting others as they work toward achieving their goals and gaining a deeper awareness of their actions and drivers. Highly skilled in creating a safe environment to support participants explore their roles, Thomas manages the balance between empathy and candour allowing participants to feel secure whilst having their assumptions challenged.

 

 

 

.

About NIODA

The National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA) offers internationally renowned post-graduate education and research in organisation dynamics, and decades of experience consulting with Australian organisations. 

The study of organisation dynamics brings together socio-technical and psychoanalytic disciplines to explore the unconscious dynamics that exist in every group, team or organisation. Learning more about these theories, and reflecting on the experience of them, can support leaders and managers to unlock great potential in their organisations, tackling issues through a whole new light.

PO Box 287, Collins Street West,
Wurundjeri Melbourne  8007  Australia
+61 (0) 414 529 867
info@nioda.org.au

NIODA acknowledges the Kulin Nations, and respective Traditional Custodians of the lands we work on.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their enduring sovereignty which has, and continues to, care for Country.
NIODA welcomes the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s invitation to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a collective movement for a better future.

Fostering Culturally Diverse Leadership in Organisations

Fostering Culturally Diverse Leadership in Organisations

Karen Loon Anxious nation symposium paper 2022

Fostering Culturally Diverse
Leadership in Organisations

Karen Loon

Fostering Cultural Diverse Leadership in Organisations

 

Since the #blacklivesmatter and #asianhatecrime incidents in the US, there has been an increasing push for greater ethnic diversity in organisations and their leadership globally. The importance of Asian representation has been put in the spotlight since Michelle Yeoh’s recent Oscars win.

How can organisations and their leaders foster greater cultural diversity? How do individual and collective anxieties and organisation dynamics help or hinder their journey? And how do family backgrounds shape how culturally diverse leaders take up roles in organisations?

Karen Loon will present the key highlights and recommendations for organisations and aspiring culturally diverse leaders from her book, Fostering Culturally Diverse Leadership in Organisations: Lessons from Those Who Smashed the Bamboo Ceiling, Routledge, 2023.

Fostering Cultural Diverse Leadership in Organisations

Fostering Culturally Diverse Leadership in Organisations: Lessons from Those Who Smashed the Bamboo Ceiling by Karen Loon

Wednesday 2 August 2023

6 – 8 pm  🇹🇰  Melbourne
4 – 6 am (eek!) đŸ‡ș🇾  New York
9 – 11 am 🇬🇧  London
4 – 6 pm 🇾🇬  Singapore

AUD $35

Live interactive online

Fostering Culturally Diverse Leadership in Organisations

Day(s)

:

Hour(s)

:

Minute(s)

:

Second(s)

Fostering Culturally Diverse Leadership in Organisations

seminar

Karen Loon

Karen Loon Anxious nation symposium paper 2022

Karen Loon

Karen Loon is a Non-Executive Director, and a former senior Big 4 partner. She has worked with the world’s leading banks and led diversity initiatives. She has qualifications in system psychodynamics and governance from INSEAD, and research interests in identity work and organisational change.

📆  Date

Wednesday 2 August 2023

⏰ Session Times

6 – 8 pm  🇹🇰  Melbourne
4 – 6 am (eek!) đŸ‡ș🇾  New York
9 – 11 am 🇬🇧  London
4 – 6 pm 🇾🇬  Singapore

đŸ’·Â  For only

AUD $35

đŸ‘©đŸ»â€đŸ’»Â Location

Live interactive online

About NIODA

The National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA) offers internationally renowned post-graduate education and research in organisation dynamics, and decades of experience consulting with Australian organisations. 

The study of organisation dynamics brings together socio-technical and psychoanalytic disciplines to explore the unconscious dynamics that exist in every group, team or organisation. Learning more about these theories, and reflecting on the experience of them, can support leaders and managers to unlock great potential in their organisations, tackling issues through a whole new light.

PO Box 287, Collins Street West,
Wurundjeri Melbourne  8007  Australia
+61 (0) 414 529 867
info@nioda.org.au

NIODA acknowledges the Kulin Nations, and respective Traditional Custodians of the lands we work on.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their enduring sovereignty which has, and continues to, care for Country.
NIODA welcomes the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s invitation to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a collective movement for a better future.

Group Relations Conference 2023

Group Relations Conference 2023

Authority, Role, and Distributed Leadership in the Hybrid Workplace:
the challenge of transforming experience

NIODA Group Relations Working Conference

Live interactive onsite and online
30 October – 3 November 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s take the time to discover together what’s really going on in organisations today…

 

An Invitation to Explore

 

We all know the familiar refrain of increasing complexity and disruption in contemporary work life, but how are we to respond, collectively and individually? As awareness of our interdependence, diversity, and vulnerability grows, questions about how we exercise authority and leadership appropriately demand our attention.

The concept of distributed leadership emerged in management and leadership discourses around the early 2000s. It marked a shift away from a preoccupation with identifying the desirable ‘leadership’ attributes of individuals to the recognition that leadership is a distributed, co-created and collective process. In the achievement of any organisational task, leadership moves from one part of an interconnected system to another. It can occur anywhere in the chain of exchanges between people in the course of work and it can shift from one person to another and back again. So when we speak of organisations shifting to more distributed leadership, this is perhaps less about an aspiration on behalf of a Board, CEO, or Executive Group of a desirable ‘thing’ to be achieved and transitioned to and more about a change in perspective about the true nature of leadership. This Group Relations Conference (GRC) provides an opportunity to discover distributed leadership in action in yourself and in others as we work together on the conference task.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have shifted to online or hybrid working arrangements. For most of us, this occurred so fast, that there has barely been time to consider the impact on ourselves, on our roles, on leadership, and on our work relations. As a temporary learning organisation, this GRC, structured as a hybrid offering, lets us learn deeply from our experience of how it works.

About Group Relations Conferences

 

The conference is created as a temporary learning organisation. It offers members and staff a unique opportunity to enquire deeply, to learn from experience, and to transform habitual ways of making sense of group dynamics and organisational life. As one past member described it,

‘the GRC experience is like clearing several layers of cobwebs from in front of my eyes; to make visible so much that can seem obscure and mysterious in the experience of taking up a role, leading and following in organisations. I now have so many more insights and resources to draw upon in how I go forward as a leader’.

This GRC is designed in the Tavistock tradition and is essentially an invitation to examine your experiences of relatedness (both conscious and unconscious) in organisations: between yourself and your role; between you and your co-workers; as between groups within the organisation; within the organisation as a whole and between the organisation and the wider community and global context in which it exists and operates.

What is a Group Relations Conference (GRC) and why is it important?

What is the big deal
about Authority?

Why is the idea of 'Role' important?

Distributed leadership - are we up for it?

The Primary Task of the Conference

 

The Primary Task of an organisation was originally described by the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations as the work the organisation must do if it is to survive. It defines its nature and reason for existing. This GRC is created to enable learning from experience about conscious and unconscious dynamics that exist in the temporary organisation of the conference. The aim is to discover new insights and promote understanding of ‘back home’ work phenomena.

Participants will join with conference staff to work on the Primary Task: with a spirit of enquiry, to explore and study the exercise of authority and leadership in the taking up of roles through the interpersonal, intergroup and institutional relations that develop within the conference as an organisation in its wider context.

Who Is The Conference For?

 

The conference is for those who wish to grow their understanding and practice of working with, leading and following others. You may be a leader, manager, consultant, educator, researcher, clinician administrator, student, service provider, professional or technical worker who seeks to promote organisational creativity, health and productivity through thoughtful action and reflective learning.

Previous experience of an experiential conference is not a requirement for attendance. The conference design caters for all levels of experience.

*We advise applicants who are undergoing significant personal stress to postpone attendance, as Group Relations Conference can, at times, be an intensive emotional experience.

What can you expect to experience and learn about?

 

In this conference, you will experience a learning model that is different from any other kind of conference. There are no ‘conference presentations’ as such. You will be engaged in various organisational learning tasks in groups with different configurations. Learning happens within these scheduled events, and in the spaces between events in the interactions with others. The learning is participative, immediate and continues long after the conference is over.

You Will Experience And Learn About:

  • The roles you take up in various work groups and contexts.
  • How you exercise and respond to leadership and authority in exploring creative disruption and the dynamics as they emerge in the conference.
  • Conscious and unconscious dynamics in groups at work.
  • The systemic forces in play within an organisation.

Conference Design

 

The conference is offered in the tradition of a Tavistock-style Group Relations Conference where members are invited to work in a range of system structures to study group dynamic

Sub-Conferences
Entry sub-conference: for members for whom this is a first experience of a group relations conference.
Furthering sub-conference: for members who have previously attended a group relations conference and who wish to further their learning and understanding of group relations.

Conference Events
The conference is structured as a series of events where all members participate and learn from their experiences. Each event aims to build awareness of conscious and unconscious dynamics in role and authority relations through experiencing oneself as a member of groups of different sizes within the learning organisation as it is co-created.
The events include: discussion plenaries, ‘here-and-now’ events for studying small, large, inter-group and whole-of-organisation dynamics, and spaces to reflect and review one’s experiences and to apply one’s learning to ‘back home’ work roles.

 

Conference Staff

 

Dr Brigid Nossal

Dr Brigid Nossal

Conference Director

Dr Cath McKinney

Dr Cath McKinney

Associate Director Entering Sub-conference

Assoc Prof MatĂ­as Sanfuentes

Assoc Prof MatĂ­as Sanfuentes

Associate Director Furthering Sub-conference

Ms Sally Mussared

Ms Sally Mussared

Associate Director Administration

Dr Brigid Nossal (PhD) is a co-founder and Leadership Advisor at NIODA. Brigid combines academic teaching and research with consulting in applied systems psychodynamics. Brigid has been working on staff of Group Relations Conferences since 2005. She directed the 2017 GRC for NIODA. She has worked on conferences in Australia, the UK, India and China.

Cath McKinney is the director of the Professional Supervision program at the University of Divinity and works with a delightful team of dedicated wonderers.

Cath graduated with her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Divinity in 2019. Her thesis, entitled Leading Saturday Lives  is centred around the experience of disappointment as central to an authentic understanding of a life as it is … from Mary as bereaved mother to the presence of the absence of the Divine in the disappointment of Holy Saturday. Her research is inspired by her work as a prison chaplain and as a minister in an inner-city community church for many years. A motivating enquiry for Cath is: what gets in the way of people being good to and with one another?

Cath specialises in teaching Professional Supervision, Feminist Theology, Leadership and Group Relations.

Cath and Mike have two sons who have flown the nest and a daughter still at home in Daylesford with many animals as beloved companions and dahlias – many many dahlias.

Dr MatĂ­as Sanfuentes (PhD) in psychoanalytic studies, University of Essex, UK. He is an Associate Professor and academic director of the Diploma in Coaching and Organizational Change at the School of Business, University of Chile. He is a psychodynamic psychotherapist and organizational consultant. His research interests include leadership, organizational change, gender studies, organizational culture and identity, and the psychoanalytic study of organizations. He is an Associate Researcher Centre for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies (COES) and Organisational & Social Dynamics journal Co-editor. He has 20 years of experience as a consultant and Director of group relations conferences in South America, UK, and Australia.

Sally Mussared is the CEO and Administration Lead at NIODA. Sally’s small business development background includes ecological agriculture, handmade silk wedding gown design and NFP board member. She has completed the NIODA Master of Leadership and Management (Organisation Dynamics) degree and has worked as Administration and Technical Director in onsite and online group relations conferences.

Mr Thomas Mitchell

Mr Thomas Mitchell

Consultant

Ms Helen McKelvie

Ms Helen McKelvie

Consultant

Mr Seth Thomasson

Mr Seth Thomasson

Consultant

Ms Ellie Robinson

Ms Ellie Robinson

Assistant Administration

Professor Susan Long

Professor Susan Long

External Small Study Group Consultant

Thomas Mitchell is personally driven by a primary philosophy of strengthening the humanity of organisations and teams by building their capacities to work together. He identifies his dedication to working with organisations, teams, and individuals to think about, explore, and enhance organisation dynamics by, in part, connecting with, and striving to make sense of reality, and think about next steps. Thomas has a Master of Leadership and Management (Organisational Dynamics) from NIODA, a Master of History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Melbourne and is a current PhD candidate at NIODA. Thomas holds a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice, a Diploma of Leadership Coaching and Mentoring, and is an accredited Analytic Network Coach. He is a member of the ISPSO, OPUS, and Group Relations Australia.

Helen McKelvie is an alumni of the NIODA Master’s program and is now a member of the academic staff and holds the role of Director, Leadership Development and Consulting. She has previously worked in organisations as an internal planning consultant, policy and project manager, and lawyer in workplaces in both the public and private sectors. Helen has been a staff member on the 2018 group relations conference hosted by Group Relations Australia and is excited to be staff on the 2023 conference learning about Authority, Role, and Distributed Leadership in the Hybrid Workplace.

Seth Thomasson has been working for 20 years across all aspects of Human Resources in the public and private sector including: HRIS implementation, learning and competency system design and industrial relations.

Seth has been affiliated with NIODA throughout its existence as volunteer Board Member and now academic staff member/subject coordinator as part of the master’s course.

Ellie Robinson is the Marketing and Student Services Lead at NIODA, she is responsible for supporting students through their study journey and delivering NIODA’s key marketing strategies. Ellie was on staff for NIODA’s 2021 GRC as the Director of Administration.
With a background in service and NFP marketing, Ellie is passionate about small to medium enterprises and bringing their message to a wider audience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Australia, where she grew up before commencing a life of travel.

Ellie has a special interest in building connections with unique people as she drives around Australia in her campervan.

Currently, Susan supervises research students and conducts organisational research. Susan also teaches and supervises doctoral candidates at NIODA and other universities and teaches in the INSEAD Master of Coaching and Consulting program in Singapore.

As an organisational consultant in private practice Susan works with organisational change, executive coaching, board development, role analysis, team development and management training. She originally trained as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist.

Conference Staff

 

Dr Brigid Nossal

Dr Brigid Nossal

Conference Director

Dr Brigid Nossal (PhD) is a co-founder and Leadership Advisor at NIODA. Brigid combines academic teaching and research with consulting in applied systems psychodynamics. Brigid has been working on staff of Group Relations Conferences since 2005. She directed the 2017 GRC for NIODA. She has worked on conferences in Australia, the UK, India and China.

Dr Cath McKinney

Associate Director Entering Sub-conference

Cath McKinney is the director of the Professional Supervision program at the University of Divinity and works with a delightful team of dedicated wonderers.

Cath graduated with her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Divinity in 2019. Her thesis, entitled Leading Saturday Lives  is centred around the experience of disappointment as central to an authentic understanding of a life as it is … from Mary as bereaved mother to the presence of the absence of the Divine in the disappointment of Holy Saturday. Her research is inspired by her work as a prison chaplain and as a minister in an inner-city community church for many years. A motivating enquiry for Cath is: what gets in the way of people being good to and with one another?

Cath specialises in teaching Professional Supervision, Feminist Theology, Leadership and Group Relations.

Cath and Mike have two sons who have flown the nest and a daughter still at home in Daylesford with many animals as beloved companions and dahlias – many many dahlias.

Assoc Prof Matias Sanfuentes

Assoc Prof Matias Sanfuentes

Associate Director Furthering Sub-conference

Dr MatĂ­as Sanfuentes (PhD) in psychoanalytic studies, University of Essex, UK. He is an Associate Professor and academic director of the Diploma in Coaching and Organizational Change at the School of Business, University of Chile. He is a psychodynamic psychotherapist and organizational consultant. His research interests include leadership, organizational change, gender studies, organizational culture and identity, and the psychoanalytic study of organizations. He is an Associate Researcher Centre for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies (COES) and Organisational & Social Dynamics journal Co-editor. He has 20 years of experience as a consultant and Director of group relations conferences in South America, UK, and Australia.

Ms Sally Mussared

Ms Sally Mussared

Associate Director Administration

Sally Mussared is the CEO and Administration Lead at NIODA. Sally’s small business development background includes ecological agriculture, handmade silk wedding gown design and NFP board member. She has completed the NIODA Master of Leadership and Management (Organisation Dynamics) degree and has worked as Administration and Technical Director in onsite and online group relations conferences.

Mr Thomas Mitchell

Mr Thomas Mitchell

Consultant

Thomas Mitchell is personally driven by a primary philosophy of strengthening the humanity of organisations and teams by building their capacities to work together. He identifies his dedication to working with organisations, teams, and individuals to think about, explore, and enhance organisation dynamics by, in part, connecting with, and striving to make sense of reality, and think about next steps. Thomas has a Master of Leadership and Management (Organisational Dynamics) from NIODA, a Master of History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Melbourne and is a current PhD candidate at NIODA. Thomas holds a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice, a Diploma of Leadership Coaching and Mentoring, and is an accredited Analytic Network Coach. He is a member of the ISPSO, OPUS, and Group Relations Australia.

Professor Peliwe Mnguni

Professor Peliwe Mnguni

Consultant

Peliwe Mnguni is an Associate Professor at the UNISA Graduate School of Business
Leadership in South Africa. She holds a PhD in Leadership and Organisation Dynamics from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. Peliwe is a psychodynamically oriented educator, researcher and organisation consultant and works with public, private and not-for-profit sector organisations. Her previous work experience includes roles in social and organisational research, organisational consulting and human resources management. She is a member of the International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organisations (ISPSO), past board member of ISPSO and current board member of MOTUS associazione.

Mr Seth Thomasson

Mr Seth Thomasson

Consultant

Seth Thomasson has been working for 20 years across all aspects of Human Resources in the public and private sector including: HRIS implementation, learning and competency system design and industrial relations.

Seth has been affiliated with NIODA throughout its existence as volunteer Board Member and now academic staff member/subject coordinator as part of the master’s course.

Ms Ellie Robinson

Ms Ellie Robinson

Assistant Administration

Ellie Robinson is the Marketing and Student Services Lead at NIODA, she is responsible for supporting students through their study journey and delivering NIODA’s key marketing strategies. Ellie was on staff for NIODA’s 2021 GRC as the Director of Administration.
With a background in service and NFP marketing, Ellie is passionate about small to medium enterprises and bringing their message to a wider audience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Australia, where she grew up before commencing a life of travel.

Ellie has a special interest in building connections with unique people as she drives around Australia in her campervan.

Dates

Hybrid: onsite in Melbourne and live interactive online via Zoom 
Monday 30 October – Friday 3 November

9.30 am – 5.45 pm Melbourne 🇹🇰
10.30 pm – 6.45 am London 🇬🇧
6.30 am –  2.45 pm Singapore 🇾🇬
6.30 pm –  2.45 am New York đŸ‡ș🇾
4:00 am – 12:15 pm New Delhi 🇼🇳

Fees – onsite

Full fee AU$2,535

NIODA Alumni/AODA Members and
Group Relations Australia Members AU$2,335

Two or more participants from the same organisation AU$2,335

Location: Parkville, Melbourne

A Victorian mansion and gardens located in the beautiful surrounds of Melbourne’s Royal Park.

Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea is provided each day in addition to one evening meal.

Fees – online

Full fee AU$2,120

NIODA Alumni/AODA Members and
Group Relations Australia Members AU$1,965

Two or more participants from the same organisation AU$1,965

Location: Live interactive via Zoom.

The online and onsite will be intertwined together as one hybrid conference.
We will be utilising premium 360-degree camera, microphone, and speaker technology to connect between the two realms.

Bursaries

Please contact Ellie Robinson, Administration Assistant for
information about partial bursaries for those unable to meet the full amount.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations before 28 August 2023 receive a 100% refund (less the $100 booking fee). Cancellations before 25 September 2023 receive a 50% refund. There is no refund available after 25 September 2023.

Contact

Contact conference administration at grc@nioda.org.au

About NIODA

The National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA) offers internationally renowned post-graduate education and research in organisation dynamics, and decades of experience consulting with Australian organisations. 

The study of organisation dynamics brings together socio-technical and psychoanalytic disciplines to explore the unconscious dynamics that exist in every group, team or organisation. Learning more about these theories, and reflecting on the experience of them, can support leaders and managers to unlock great potential in their organisations, tackling issues through a whole new light.

PO Box 287, Collins Street West,
Wurundjeri Melbourne  8007  Australia
+61 (0) 414 529 867
info@nioda.org.au

NIODA acknowledges the Kulin Nations, and respective Traditional Custodians of the lands we work on.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their enduring sovereignty which has, and continues to, care for Country.
NIODA welcomes the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s invitation to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a collective movement for a better future.

Leadership Skills for the Hybrid Workplace: Optimising the new normal

Leadership Skills for the Hybrid Workplace: Optimising the new normal

Optimising the new normal:

Leadership skills for the hybrid workplace

An immersive workshop series for people managers

The pandemic has fundamentally changed the nature of work, particularly for managers and leaders who are adapting to working with co-located and dispersed teams with some or all employees having the flexibility to choose where and when they work. Going back to pre-pandemic management is not an option. The ‘new normal’ hybrid workplace has disrupted established assumptions about the nature of work and what motivates workers, and it has highlighted the challenge of finding the right leadership skills for the hybrid workplace – a balance between hierarchical and lateral authority.

Leaders and managers need to adapt their thinking about the hybrid workplace,
and learn new skills to help them take up their staff management role and responsibilities.

Research has identified the need to build cohesion among staff working together from disparate locations, to fend off burnout, promote wellness, and strengthen shared culture. Leaders need support to create a human-centric way of working that puts people at the centre of their hybrid work strategy (Work 3.0 Reimagining Leadership in a Hybrid World, 2022).

NIODA’s ‘Optimising the new normal: Leadership Skills for the Hybrid Workplace’ immersive workshop series develops the capacity to manage the hybrid workplace boundaries around flexibility, authority and identity to support staff well-being and safety, as well as productivity.

Through these workshops, people managers will be able to:

  1. Recognise the complexity of hybrid workplace dynamics
  2. Apply frameworks to address the challenges facing your team
  3. Develop leadership and management skills to manage effectively in the hybrid workplace
  4. Reflect on your ongoing skill development needs to support your management practice.

Workshops:

Workshop One – What’s happening in our workplaces? Identifying the dynamics of the hybrid team.
Workshop Two – Locating the new boundaries of the hybrid workplace: working with authority, task, identity and political boundaries.
Workshop Three – Understanding your team as a social network for greater connection and cohesion
Workshop Four – The Containing Leader: leadership and management skills for a hybrid workplace

When and where people managers can
develop leadership skills for the hybrid workplace

Four x 2.5-hour workshops over 8 weeks with 6 to 8 participants

This workshop series format supports working with participants’ current workplace challenges to make changes and improvements during the 8-week period.

The sessions are fully interactive and can be onsite in Melbourne CBD, or online via zoom. Each two-and-a-half-hour workshop includes a short seminar, experiential learning activity, group discussion and reflection for integrating learning and planning action back in the workplace.

An ‘Optimising the new normal: Leadership Skills for the Hybrid Workplace’ workbook is provided for note-taking, capturing planned action, drawing and reflecting on the application between workshops. It also contains a summary of the theory for easy reference, current research on the hybrid workplace, and key articles for further reading. 

Optimising the new normal:
Leadership skills for the hybrid workplace

An immersive workshop series for people managers

NIODA’s highly experienced staff are leading this new hybrid workplace training program. Facilitators include:

    Ms Helen McKelvie

    Helen McKelvie

    Helen has had over 25 years of working in organisations to inform her approach to helping others gain insights into how they take up roles and how to achieve greater alignment with individual, team and organisational purpose. Her own roles as internal planning consultant, policy and project manager, and lawyer in workplaces in both the public and private sectors have provided her with first-hand experience of the complexity and challenges of organisational life.

    Helen is an alumnus and now teaches in the Master’s program at the National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA). She also has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. In addition to her academic qualifications, Helen is an accredited practitioner of PRISM Brain Mapping, an online, neuroscience-based behaviour mapping instrument, and is a registered Analytic-Network Coach. Helen also has training and experience in workplace mediation and yoga teaching qualifications.

    Ms Jennifer Burrows

    Jennifer Burrows

    Jennifer brings systems thinking and a socio analytic lens to help organisations and individuals thrive in complex environments. As a consultant and coach, she works collaboratively, holding the tension between leaving space for emergence and achieving the desired outcomes, using the unique situation and presenting needs as the starting point. The co-created results are relevant, immediately applicable and owned by the participants.

    Jennifer has extensive experience working in the education sector leading change innovations, as well as with Boards of not-for-profit companies. She holds a Master in Philosophy of Social Innovation (Organisational Analysis & Leadership) through the Grubb School of Organisational Analysis, as well as a Master of Business (Training & Change Management) and other qualifications in education. She is a Board member of a not-for-profit age and disability support organisation, and a Director of Group Relations Australia.

    Mr Thomas Mitchell

    Thomas Mitchell

    Over the last several years Thomas has enhanced his extensive professional experience by learning from, and working with, leaders across the executive coaching, group dynamics, and systems psychodynamics fields. A graduate of the NIODA Master of Leadership and Management – Organisation Dynamics, Thomas combines a deep understanding of working in large organisations with a passion for supporting others as they work toward achieving their goals and gaining a deeper awareness of their actions and drivers. Highly skilled in creating a safe environment to support participants explore their roles, Thomas manages the balance between empathy and candour allowing participants to feel secure whilst having their assumptions challenged.

    About NIODA

    The National Institute of Organisation Dynamics Australia (NIODA) offers internationally renowned post-graduate education and research in organisation dynamics, and decades of experience consulting with Australian organisations. 

    The study of organisation dynamics brings together socio-technical and psychoanalytic disciplines to explore the unconscious dynamics that exist in every group, team or organisation. Learning more about these theories, and reflecting on the experience of them, can support leaders and managers to unlock great potential in their organisations, tackling issues through a whole new light.

    PO Box 287, Collins Street West,
    Wurundjeri Melbourne  8007  Australia
    +61 (0) 414 529 867
    info@nioda.org.au

    NIODA acknowledges the Kulin Nations, and respective Traditional Custodians of the lands we work on.
    We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise their enduring sovereignty which has, and continues to, care for Country.
    NIODA welcomes the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s invitation to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a collective movement for a better future.