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
Conference Director
Dr Cath McKinney
Associate Director Entering Sub-conference
Assoc Prof Matías Sanfuentes
Associate Director Furthering Sub-conference
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 Matías 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
Consultant
Ms Helen McKelvie
Consultant
Mr Seth Thomasson
Consultant
Ms Ellie Robinson
Assistant Administration
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
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
Associate Director Furthering Sub-conference
Dr Matías 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
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
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
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
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
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 🇺🇸
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,
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.
Hi, I am interested in attending the group relations conference in 2024. Do you have the dates?
Dear Sonali, Thank you for your interest. Our next Group Relations Conference will be held in 2025. If you would like to be added to our mailing list to stay up to date with future events, please email info@nioda.org.au . Warm regards, Ellie (NIODA Student Services and Marketing Lead)