Episode 26: Fostering adaptability in teams with Deb Jenkins

What makes a team great? It may seem like a simple question, but the reality is that great teams don’t form and work well together by chance; there is a lot of investment required in making them high-performing. Deb Jenkins, Deputy Secretary of Corporate Enabling Services and Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, joins us in our latest episode to talk about fostering adaptability in teams.

Listen to episode twenty-six:

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This episode affirms that to create great teams, you have to work hard at it. Deb shares that the cornerstones of great teams are built on relationships, a clear and shared purpose, and a diverse makeup, and these factors will always be fundamental in leading high-performing teams now and in the future.

Deb also discusses the pivotal role that recruitment plays in ensuring you have the right fit for your team and how evolving your hiring approach to recruit talent can help you succeed in filling key skills gaps.  

The traditional picture of a ‘team’ looks different today than it did a few years ago. While you may not be able to look around and see your direct team sitting next to you, the importance of having a clear direction of where you’re headed together and building connections and relationships with each other is still paramount. Deb reflects on this in our discussion, noting that building personal connections cannot be achieved through a ‘Teams’ call with 20 people. That’s why she makes opportunities to have in-person moments and carefully thinks about how those moments can be fit for purpose.

Deb also shares that understanding how you and the people around you operate can make a significant difference in knowing the tips to succeed in communicating with each other, as well as the importance of giving things time and seeing things from another person’s perspective.

We also speak about innovation and embracing technology, and how it’s important to encourage teams to try new things, have safeguards around experimenting, make failing a learning opportunity, and, as a leader, check yourself to ensure you respond appropriately when things don’t go the way you had hoped they would.

Deb leaves us with an appreciation for how the All Blacks inspire her in their stewardship, putting service before others, and how they embody the principle that no one is bigger than the team. Wise words to build and lead teams by.

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Deborah Jenkins

Deputy Secretary, Corporate and Enabling Services

Chief Operating Officer

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Deborah is Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer at the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) in a broad ranging role supporting the enterprise covering everything from HR, legal, communications, parliamentary, data and finance through to IT and digital solutions.

Her career has spanned the public and private sector in Australia and overseas, including most recently senior APS leadership roles at the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission.  Prior to joining the APS, Deborah was a partner at KPMG where she held various domestic and international leadership positions with multinational experience in Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific and Europe. In Aotearoa/New Zealand she worked in both the public and private sectors, starting her career as a graduate with Inland Revenue before joining a law firm.

Deborah loves executing well designed client and staff experiences to achieve organisational outcomes.  Passionate about communicating and connecting with people, she enjoys developing strong relationships and collaborating with stakeholders.  She works hard to build inclusive teams that value diversity and takes being an active ally seriously. She inspires, leads and motivates those around her through her authentic and engaging leadership.

Her true passions outside of work (apart from her family) are rugby union, travelling and music. She particularly enjoys giving back to the community supporting grass roots rugby.

Tune in next week as we speak to a new trailblazer in another episode in our series on Thriving in Uncertainty.

Thriving in Uncertainty with Tim Bullard

In many of our conversations with public sector leaders on the podcast, we hear about the strength of having a common purpose, a shared vision that you work towards, and how that can give you energy and motivation to keep going even when you are dealing with highly complex circumstances and environments.

Teachers continue to face increasingly complex circumstances in education but remain motivated to work towards that light on the hill, a common purpose, in making a difference in children and young people's lives. Teachers who use their knowledge, skills, and capabilities to adapt successfully in a constantly changing environment are highly engaged and thrive to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Tim Bullard, Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), joins us in our latest episode to discuss adaptability. Tim knows too well how adaptability can directly influence your engagement at work, having managed the Department of Education and then the Department of Education, Children, and Young People in Tasmania through tremendous amounts of change, including COVID-19, a merger of two organisations, and other significant events.

In this episode, Tim reflects on these experiences, sharing that no off-the-shelf guidebook or download from the internet provided the way forward in these complex circumstances and how important it was to work with others around him to come up with innovative and creative solutions to solving the problems they faced.

Tim also provides his perspectives on how to develop adaptability within the workforce, the importance of having a growth mindset to always be learning and looking at how things can be done differently, how organisations need to inject some fun back into the workplace, how crucial it is to leverage the skills and talents of every generation in your workforce, and how essential it is to be responsible for your own wellbeing in taking time out for yourself which then, in turn, will make you more available for others.

This 30-minute episode is packed with practical, knowledgeable, and encouraging advice from an energetic leader in the education industry.

Listen to episode fourteen:

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Tim Bullard

Chief Executive Officer

Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership

(AITSL)

Tim graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1994 with an Arts/Law (Hons) degree. He initially worked as a lawyer in the Office of the Solicitor-General, before transitioning into policy whilst working in the United Kingdom.  

From 2004 to 2016, Tim held various policy roles for the Department of Premier and Cabinet and commenced as Deputy Secretary Policy in 2014. During this time, he played a key role in education initiatives, leading the development of Tasmania’s Child and Family Learning Centres, and negotiating the ‘Gonski’ schools funding agreement.

Tim joined the Department of Education in 2016 as Deputy Secretary Strategy and Performance and was appointed as Secretary in 2018.

In 2022 Tim was appointed as Secretary of the Department for Education, Children and Young People. In this role Tim oversaw the bringing together of child safety, youth justice, and education into a values-based organisation that provides all children and young people with a bright life and positive future, through being known safe, well and learning.

Tim has been appointed to the role of AITSL CEO for a 5-year period, commencing October 2024.

Tune in next week as we speak to a new trailblazer in another episode in our series on Thriving in Uncertainty.

Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Eleven with Tess Bishop

An open-minded approach to leadership and working with others is a highly desirable attribute that staff look for in a leader. After all, if you have a new idea or want to give feedback on a change or a project, knowing that you can approach these leaders, have a constructive dialogue, and work together to solve it is helpful.

Tess Bishop, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Enterprise, and Engagement at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF), is one of these leaders. She joins us in our latest episode to discuss a growth mindset approach to change.

You can’t help but feel the passion and energy that Tess brings to her team at DAFF as she shares her experiences leading a very large transformation agenda with multiple aspects in response to their capability review in 2024. Tess provides her perspectives on how success can only be achieved through an open-minded approach, engaging in open dialogue with others, and adapting and supporting staff along the way.

As a leader, she acknowledges that you are only as good as your team and the importance of learning every day and passing that learning on to others. Tess also shares how she is passionate about getting out to meet her team and how seeing how things work firsthand can really bring policy to life, enabling her to receive direct feedback firsthand.

Tess is a passionate and energetic leader with an open-minded approach to leading others. We hope that you will feel as uplifted as we did after listening to our conversation.

Listen to episode eleven:

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Tess Bishop

Chief Operating Officer

Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Enterprise, and Engagement

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Tess has over 20 years' experience across the public, private and not for profit sectors in Australia and the United Kingdom. Since January 2017, she has held Deputy Secretary roles at both the state and federal level, achieving major outcomes with lasting positive impact. This includes leading priority projects such as founding the Office for Rural and Regional Queensland, establishing the Priority and Delivery Unit for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and delivering the Transformation Action Plan for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Tess is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Secretary of the Strategy, Enterprise, and Engagement Group in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. It is a pivotal role overseeing the full suite of corporate and assurance services, as well as navigating high risk, complex and varied policy and enterprise strategy.

An experienced Non-Executive Director, Tess has recently been appointed to the Council of the Institute of Public Administration Australia ACT. She previously served on the Board of Screen Queensland, the Queensland Chapter of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, the Board of the Townsville Port Authority, and the Pathways to Resilience Trust.

Tess holds a Master of International Relations, a Graduate Certificate in Business Management and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Political Science and Public Policy.  She has also completed the Australia New Zealand School of Government Executive Fellows Program and is a graduate of the AICD Company Board of Directors program.

Professional memberships include the Institute of Public Administration Australia and IAP2 Australasia.

Tune in next week as we speak to a new trailblazer in another episode in our series on Thriving in Uncertainty.

Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Nine with Gina Dolan

What draws people leaders to managing, well, people? Is it curiosity about the world and the people in it? Is it the ability to problem-solve and be innovative? Is it grit? No one answer fits all, but certainly, these attributes play a significant part. This week, we dive into growth mindsets, failures, and flex workforces with people leader Gina Dolan.

Gina is the General Manager of People and Culture at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and she joins us in this episode to share her experiences of grit and the ability to persist and lead others through uncertainty. Together, we break down the stigma attached to making mistakes and how courageous leaders can pause and reflect when the emotions are running high and admit to their workforce that they don’t always have all the answers.

Gina also shares her perspectives on managing a hybrid and geographically dispersed workforce, including how working together has changed the importance of how contact with people remotely has to be more deliberate than in the office and how creating rituals and ways of working can encompass individual needs and embrace the needs of a diverse workforce.

Gina’s motto of “no surprises,” creating a safe space where there is nothing you can’t talk to her about as there is no judgement, is refreshing. Her crucial advice on investing in yourself, being a decent human being, and paying it forward to others around you embraces what authentic and adaptive leadership is about all.

We hope you enjoy this excellent episode with a great people leader.

Listen to episode nine:

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Gina Dolan

General Manager

People and Culture

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Gina is the General Manager of People and Culture at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or ACCC. Gina is an accomplished HR professional with extensive global transformation experience in the private and public sectors. With a keen understanding of workplace culture and leadership, she excels in leading teams to achieve operational excellence and streamline processes, with the ability to simplify complex HR challenges and provide practical solutions.

Tune in next week as we speak to a new trailblazer in another episode in our series on Thriving in Uncertainty.

Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Four, Part Two

Welcome back to part two of our special podcast episode with Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Commissioner of Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, where we discuss a growth mindset approach to change. In part one, Rachel shared insights on what makes up a growth mindset and integrity within the APS.

In part two, we continue our conversation with Rachel, discussing the APS Reform, which she has been heavily involved with, and how she keeps herself and others motivated on long-term projects that are hugely significant, have many initiatives attached to them, and require enormous patience and perseverance.  

Listen in as Rachel shares the details of the design approach for the APS Reform Agenda, including how they determined the six guiding implementation principles using extensive research they conducted into global best practices on similar-scale projects. She also provides an introspective look at how she remains resilient and perseveres on long-term change projects .

This episode is a fantastic conclusion to our discussion on a growth mindset approach to change, and we hope you’ll take away as much from it as we did!

Listen to part two:

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Dr Rachel Bacon

Deputy Commissioner

Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services

Australian Public Service Commission

Dr Rachel Bacon is currently the Deputy Commissioner Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission. Rachel has also been appointed to the IPAA ACT Council where she works to promote excellence in public administration.

Prior to this Rachel worked at the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet (PM&C), as Deputy Secretary Public Sector Reform, helping to shape and deliver a suite of reform initiatives to make people’s interactions with government simpler, easier – and make life inside the public service understood and valued.

Over the previous four years, Rachel has worked for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts as Deputy Secretary of the Regional, Cities and Territories Group, delivering place based policy and services for communities around Australia. Rachel has also spent time in the Department of Environment and Energy, running the Policy Analysis and Implementation Division, and as Deputy Chief Executive Officer with the Northern Territory Government’s Department of the Chief Minister.

Rachel has led a number of taskforces (many based in PM&C) to deliver whole of government priorities in areas such as environment regulation reform and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and has worked in teams to improve implementation capability, deliver strategic policy projects, and support government in areas such as counter terrorism, native title and refugee law. 

Rachel’s PhD focused on administrative law and organisation change.

Tune in next week as we speak to a new trailblazer in another episode in our series on Thriving in Uncertainty.

Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Four, Part One

Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Commissioner of Integrity, Reform, and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, joins us for a special two-part episode to discuss a growth mindset approach to change.

In this engaging conversation, Rachel shares unique insights and perspectives, blending evidence-based and consultancy viewpoints with her personal experiences.

In part one, we delve into the components of a growth mindset and integrity within the APS with Rachel. She explains how the literature on high-potential leaders has evolved over the past decade: once focused on high IQ as the primary predictor of leadership potential, the emphasis has shifted toward the importance of a growth mindset. Rachel discusses how a growth mindset is closely tied to learning agility, which involves curiosity, openness, and a willingness to continuously learn. This openness to new experiences transcends culture, age, and gender.

We also delve into integrity, exploring how making mistakes at an institutional level doesn’t necessarily undermine trust and confidence—but how those mistakes are handled certainly can. Rachel discusses the importance of vulnerability in leadership, emphasising how fear of showing it can stifle innovation and compromise psychological safety within an organisation.

Join us next week as we wrap up our conversation with Dr Rachel Bacon, who shares insights into the design approach for the APS Reform Agenda, including the six guiding principles for implementation. She also offers a thoughtful perspective on maintaining resilience and perseverance in long-term change projects.

Listen to part one:

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Dr Rachel Bacon

Deputy Commissioner

Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services

Australian Public Service Commission

Dr Rachel Bacon is currently the Deputy Commissioner Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission. Rachel has also been appointed to the IPAA ACT Council where she works to promote excellence in public administration.

Prior to this Rachel worked at the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet (PM&C), as Deputy Secretary Public Sector Reform, helping to shape and deliver a suite of reform initiatives to make people’s interactions with government simpler, easier – and make life inside the public service understood and valued.

Over the previous four years, Rachel has worked for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts as Deputy Secretary of the Regional, Cities and Territories Group, delivering place based policy and services for communities around Australia. Rachel has also spent time in the Department of Environment and Energy, running the Policy Analysis and Implementation Division, and as Deputy Chief Executive Officer with the Northern Territory Government’s Department of the Chief Minister.

Rachel has led a number of taskforces (many based in PM&C) to deliver whole of government priorities in areas such as environment regulation reform and Australia’s engagement with Asia, and has worked in teams to improve implementation capability, deliver strategic policy projects, and support government in areas such as counter terrorism, native title and refugee law. 

Rachel’s PhD focused on administrative law and organisation change.

Please tune in next week for part two of our episode with Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Commissioner, Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission.

Thriving in Uncertainty – episode one

Thanks for joining us as we kick off our new weekly series of Trailblazing with CorbettPrice!

Each week, we will spotlight senior, inspirational leaders from across the public sector who have gotten comfortable in ambiguity as they share personal experiences throughout their careers around the importance of adaptability for growth, developing the next generation of leaders, taking the path less travelled and learning from failure to achieve success. They also reflect on the key leaders who inspire them and have helped them become the leaders they are today.

In today’s episode, Janet Schorer, a senior public sector leader and Chief Delivery Officer at TAFE NSW, joins us to discuss growth and adaptability.

In this uplifting chat, Janet shares her experiences from her early career, how other leaders helped her grow and develop, and how she leans on these experiences to help others grow and develop today. She also explains how important it is for leaders to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, acknowledging that the world is now different from what it was, that workplaces themselves are different too, and that it’s through a connection with purpose that you can keep yourself, and your team, motivated through times of continuous change and uncertainty.

Listen to episode one:

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Janet Schorer

Chief Delivery Officer

TAFE NSW

With 20 years of senior public sector experience, Janet has led educational and community transformation programs, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme, workforce strategy, and the Families NSW strategy for the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. Janet has a passion for children and young people, with a background in nursing and child and adolescent psychology, previously serving as the NSW Children’s Guardian and receiving a Public Service Medal for outstanding service, particularly through the protection of children. She is a National Fellow of IPAA and the Vice President of IPAA NSW.