Cassandra Hatton on LinkedIn: Last week I attended a Britain-Australia Society event at Australia House… | 10 comments (2024)

London HR Colleagues - there is just one week left to register to join our CIPD HR community for this webinar: "Culture by Design". We have over 300 people registered for this value packed webinar so far and we would love you to be there too. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or new to the game, this session will equip you with the tools you need to become a culture champion in your organisation. Oh, and it will be fun too! 😀 Here's the lowdown... Culture expert and best selling author, Shane Hatton will be sharing a practical and clear framework for creating a team culture by design. Backed by research of over 1,000 front line managers, Shane will share five practical conversations you can have to design your team’s culture and elevate your role in shaping the future of your organisation. We also have some HR Executives joining the conversation. I know the excellent Kira Blumer, Head of People and Culture for Grind Coffee and Lewis Coakley FRSA, Head of Culture and OD for the London Fire Brigade will add loads of value. Our CIPD Central London branch loves gathering and connecting with our HR community so come along - follow this link to register: https://lnkd.in/eHAy7fmv

4

Choose your pain: Bad vacancy vs bad hireHave you ever found yourself in the tough spot of needing to fill a vacant position quickly and rushed the decision resulting in a bad hire?I am guilty.🙋🏻♀️Now when I face this scenario, I ask myself: Would you rather endure the pain of a vacant position or the pain of a bad hire? The vacancy certainly brings its challenges - work isn't getting done, impacting team dynamics and productivity. Yet, rushing into a hire just to fill the gap can lead to far greater pains. A bad hire can mean poor performance, cultural misalignment, and significant time spent on performance management and correction… not to mention the impact on your current staff on culture seeing this unfold and perhaps ‘another’ turnover situation.My lesson has been that it is far better to endure the temporary pain of a vacancy than the long-term repercussions of a bad hire. Patience and thoroughness in the hiring process pay off in the end. Do you agree?

27

3 Comments

London HR Colleagues - you are invited!Our CIPD Central London branch is bringing our HR community a value packed webinar to help you learn how to build the culture you want in your team and organisation. We would love to connect with you online on Tuesday, 18th June at 4:30 pm. You will gain actionable insights, connect with your HR community, and invest 90 minutes in your professional development! More specifically, here's what we will cover:• The critical role of frontline leaders in shaping team culture.• The impact of culture on wellbeing, engagement and performance.• A clear, actionable framework for creating a strong team culture.• The key factors that contribute to or detract from a strong team culture.• The culture conversations to have to rebuild and strengthen trust, especially in a post-COVID context.• Gain practical tools for designing a team culture that aligns with organisational goals.Register here: https://lnkd.in/e_wRwTux #HRCommunity #ProfessionalDevelopment

24

12 Comments

Do you have a “Brilliant Jerk” on your team?After listening to a recent podcast with Adam Grant, I found myself reflecting on the idea of the "brilliant jerk" – those individuals often hailed as high performers despite their detrimental impact on team dynamics.One key takeaway that resonated deeply with me is Adam's assertion that our performance systems are flawed if they elevate individuals who sow discord and undermine their colleagues. “High performance” cannot be just about individual achievement; it's about the collective success and well-being of the team and organisation.In my experience, the mark of a genuine high performer isn't just their ability to meet targets or exceed expectations, but also their capacity to elevate those around them. Do they foster an environment of trust and collaboration? Do they empower their teammates to grow and thrive?In Adam's words: "You are not a high performer if you don't make other people better." Your impact on others matters. If you are a leader, challenge the idea of the brilliant jerk and redefine high performance in terms of not just what we achieve individually, but also how we go about it and how we contribute to the collective success of our teams.

23

3 Comments

"Your culture is leaking while you’re speaking."- Shane HattonAmong many takeaways, this phrase was one that stood out to me at the 'Let’s Talk Culture' Roundtable this week hosted by Shane for HR and Executive leaders from across London. If your conversations were the only indicator of your team and organisational culture, how would someone describe that culture? Encouraging or critical? Empowering or controlling? Honest or deceitful? Our culture is very much shaped by the everyday language and conversations we have as leaders. Every word, every dialogue, and every interaction contributes to the fabric of our workplace culture. Be extra mindful today and consider how your conversations reflect and reinforce the culture you are aiming to build. #LeadershipDevelopment #Culture #WinningatWork

35

2 Comments

On a recent trip back to Australia, I was honoured to facilitate the strategic planning retreat for the Victoria International Container Terminal management team. A key takeaway from this experience was the immense value of alignment within a management team. When everyone is on the same page, working towards common goals, the results can be transformative.During our time together, I observed how diversity of voices and input played a pivotal role in shaping a robust strategy. Each team member was empowered to bring their unique perspectives and expertise to the table, which led to insightful discussions and more well-rounded decisions.The power of being off-site together cannot be overstated. By stepping away from the daily grind and immersing themselves in this process, they fostered deeper connections, creativity, and focus. From strategic planning sessions to segway adventures, shared meals, and even a bit of karaoke, every moment contributed to a collaborative and cohesive team dynamic.If you want to be successful, aligning as a management team isn't just a nice-to-have – it's an absolute necessity. Well done VICT team- I look forward to seeing your future success as you move forward with your new plan. This is work I love supporting organisations with. If you need any support with your strategic planning process, reach out. Also... it has to be said: working in locations like this guarantee better results 😉

45

5 Comments

I am excited… actually I am *extremely* excited to share that I am opening up another WINNING AT WORK cohort… only this time - it’s global! Having experienced the power and value of being part of global communities, I am so excited to be creating this opportunity for people in my network to connect with others and form part a global network of kick-ass emerging female leaders.The Winning at Work program is all about helping emerging female leaders make progress in their personal and professional development in order to take big steps forward ➡ in their career. In a mix of one to one and group sessions, we explore the winning at work framework to equip you to build your confidence, increase your visibility and seize the opportunities available to you. If you want to invest in yourself and get details about joining this cohort where the energy is high, content is killer and the cheering each other on is loud, comment below or message me. #winningatwork #leadershipdevelopment

73

17 Comments

FROM START UP TO GROWN UPDo you remember outgrowing your favourite t-shirt as a child? Just like needing a new size t-shirt after a growth spurt, organisations also experience transformative moments when they outgrow the "startup" label or their operating model and transition into a new phase of maturity. If you're in this crucial time of transition, don't worry – it's part of the process! Here are some things I've learned working as a consultant with some growing organisations in London:⚫ When things no longer fit, it's a sign of growth, not failure. Growingpains are normal, so talk to your team openly to normalise it and minimise thetension they may be feeling.⚫ Scaling systems and processes requires dedicated work effort – don’t tryto fit this in on top of your day-to-day operations as anafterthought.Plan for growth and build it into your people resources.And, don't let things stay in people's heads – document everything!⚫ People and Culture are a top priority. Investing in attracting toptalent and creating an amazing culture and employee experience that will keepthem is vital from the very beginning. Culture doesn’t happen automatically oraccidentally so take time to define your desired culture early on.⚫ Customer feedback is gold – Asking for feedback regularly is what keepsteams focussed on the central purpose for existing and sharpens their abilityto iterate and improve your products and services.Involve your customersin your growth process.⚫ Sustainability is the name of the game. You need a business model thatcan fluctuate and meet evolving demands. What works in the early stages may not be suitable as your grow so be ready to be flexible and pivot whennecessary. It is clear that this phase brings a delicate balance of excitement andchallenge. So, to all the brave, pioneering start-up teams, keep working tofind that perfect-fitting t-shirt. And if you need any support with any of theabove, reach out!

8

PEOPLE STRATEGY: What do we need to UN-learnWhen I focus on my personal and professional growth, I often focus on learning new skills and acquiring knowledge. But what about unlearning old habits and mindsets that might be holding us back? Just as learning demands time, patience and intentionality, so does unlearning. I heard this story years ago (from who I cannot recall - sorry I cannot credit it) - It is about a man's journey to learn to ride a bike backward. It took him three months, while his son mastered the same distance in just two weeks. Perhaps the son did not have to ‘unlearn’ as much as his father who had years of experience riding the bike forward. To me this story shows that sometimes to adapt to a new thing (new world, ways of working, etc), unlearning can be a crucial part of the process.I wonder what habits, mindsets, or ways of working might be worth unlearning individually and corporately? Here are some thought starters from me – I would love to know what you would add:🔵 Fear of failure - Unlearn the need for perfection and embrace a mindset of continuous improvement.🔵 Hierarchical thinking - Unlearn hierarchical thinking and foster a culture of collaboration and openness.🔵 Linear career paths – unlearn predetermined trajectories and embrace nonlinear, industry-diverse career paths.🔵 Fear of AI displacement – unlearn the mindset that AI will replace human jobs (this type of fear existed when the calculator and computer were introduced too!), and instead focus on the potential for AI to augment human capabilities.🔵Dependency on traditional work environments (quite possibly an unpopular opinion) – With the rise of remote work and distributed teams, unlearn the mindset that productive work can only happen within a traditional office setting and embrace digital collaboration and a-sync working.What else would you add to the ‘unlearn’ list?#Learning #Unlearning #PersonalDevelopment #GrowthMindset

14

4 Comments