Episode 25: Leading Through Shifts and Shocks with Steve Vamos

Our next Trailblazer has over forty years of experience in information technology and digital media in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Asia, leading companies such as IBM, Apple, Microsoft, ninemsn, and Xero, and as a result, has been on the frontline of every significant technological shift and economic shock since the 1980s. Steve Vamos, Global Executive, and former CEO, joins us in our latest episode to discuss this further as he reflects on his career and provides insights from his book, “Through Shifts and Shocks – Lessons from the Front Line of Technology and Change.”

Listen to episode twenty-five:

About this episode:

Steve’s experience on the frontline of uncertainty has provided him with a unique ability to get straight to the point of what leaders must do today: establish great teams, maximise the potential of individuals in their workforce, effectively achieve alignment of aspirations at every layer of the organisation, and approach challenges with the right mindset.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders today who face increasing uncertainty and volatility.

Having experienced every technology shift and every economic shock in the past five decades certainly has given Steve clarity across key areas, including leadership, culture, and creating great teams. As he explains in our discussion, each of these waves and issues he has experienced represents a change issue, and it’s only human to find change hard. Through his experience, Steve knows too well that meaningful change comes from great teamwork and collaboration. Still, many teams today aren’t working to their collective and even individual potential.

Steve also recognises that creating better teams needs to come from the top, the leadership team. To establish great teams, people leaders need to enable individuals within their teams to speak up and improve how they work together every day, as little changes each day can lead to the creation of a whole new environment.

Steve touches on many other critical parts of his book, “Through Shifts and Shocks – Lessons from the Front Line of Technology and Change,” including the three lenses that he feels from his experience and lessons learned as a global leader that leaders today need to have in approaching change, how essential alignment is in effective communication through every layer of an organisation, and how we need to shift how we manage our workforce going forward from beyond the task level to managing to their individual potential.

He leaves us with key advice for leaders on remaining relevant and for those who may fear change or extinction: keep learning from experiences, failures, and others and be a ‘learn-it-all,’ not a ‘know-it-all.’

Find out more about this Trailblazer:

Steve Vamos

Author, Global Executive,

and former CEO

Steve Vamos is a former CEO and Global Executive with more than 40 years’ experience in information technology and digital media.  Steve served as CEO of Xero from 2018 to 2023.

Steve has lived and worked in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Asia at the frontline of every significant technology shift and economic shock since the 1980s with companies such as IBM, Apple, Microsoft, and ninemsn.  

Steve has also been a non-executive director of ASX listed companies such as Telstra, Fletcher Building and David Jones and several start-ups and emerging businesses. 

Steve also founded and ran a not for profit called the Society for Knowledge Economics (SKE) from 2005 to 2014. The SKE was a cross industry collaboration aimed at improving the quality of workplace leadership in Australia.

In his newly released book, Through Shifts and Shocks: Lessons from the Front Line of Technology and Change, Steve shares eight Must-Do actions that represent the most important lessons he has learnt about how leaders need to think and act in the face of uncertainty and 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 with Marina Bowshall

For many leaders in the public sector, there are very few times in your career when you have the opportunity to develop a new agency for a state government entity. Our next Trailblazer, Marina Bowshall, had the chance to do just that as she took on the Chief Executive of Preventive Health SA role in September of 2023. Marina joins us in our latest episode to talk about her experience in leading through a machinery of government change.

Listen to episode twenty:

Also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify:

About this episode:

Taking on such an opportunity can be energy-giving and exciting as a leader, but Marina also knew that she had to approach this change with a lot of empathy for others. She understood that staff would have mixed responses to the change and that some would be asking many questions with different narratives.

Listen in as Marina shares how the biggest challenge in leading this MoG change was the cultural change and bringing people along with the change to see themselves in it, and the strategies she used to build an open door policy and establish rapport with teams, which involved meeting with every team, regardless of size, to understanding each teams priorities and passions, and how she used the fascinating insights she gleaned from these meetings to offer further support, increase collaboration and deepen engagement across the workforce.

Marina also discusses how she involved the broader stakeholder ecosystem in the MoG change through both formal and informal approaches and empowered her staff, regardless of their position, to engage with key people outside of the agency to grow their stakeholder base and build networks.

It’s a great episode for anyone who is leading change or experiencing change in their organisation. Through engagement and consultation, you can achieve strategic alignment, improve collaboration, encourage knowledge sharing, and bring a little more laughter into your organisation, too.

Find out more about this Trailblazer:

Marina Bowshall

Chief Executive

Preventive Health SA

Marina commenced as Chief Executive, Preventive Health SA in September 2023.

Marina led and collaborated on national and state health policy, strategy, and programs throughout her career. This has included leading legislative change; implementing state-wide and community-based programs; developing, implementing and evaluating whole of government strategies; partnering with agencies to implement evidence-based prevention approaches; and implementing business systems to support effective governance and the achievement of measurable outcomes.

Marina is the Co-Chair of the National Tobacco Officials Group, Presiding Member of South Australia’s Controlled Substances Advisory Council, a member of the Suicide Prevention Council, and works collaboratively across Australia with a range of research, policy, and service organisations.

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

Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Twelve with David Coltman

We often speak about the importance of everyone continuing to learn. After all, learning, in its essence, is about being alive. While some may approach learning with curiosity and be open to the possibilities it may provide for us, others may find it overwhelming to be able to decide in the direction to go. David Coltman, Chief Executive of TAFE SA, joins us to discuss this and much more in our latest podcast episode on change resilience.  

David shares his perspectives on the role of leaders going forward in helping people find pathways through what can feel like a dense forest at times. With an extensive career in education, David has witnessed the shift in education delivery, becoming more demand-driven, just-in-time, or just-enough training in focus, and how that is shaping education now and in the future.

He’s also no stranger to leading in challenging times, having come into TAFE SA at a time when the organisation needed to transform and be led in a new direction. David reflects on that time, having moved from Victoria to Adelaide for the role, and how he used that journey in becoming South Australian to humanise himself with his new workforce rather than it just being about becoming the new Chief Executive of TAFE SA.

He also talks about the importance of alleviating fear in the workforce through authentic communication that cuts through the jargon, giving people the opportunity to be heard, and how being physically present, where people can see him, provides an anchor for his workforce. David also shares how important it is to lead with kindness, but that, like good parenting, being human doesn’t mean just being Mr Nice Guy all the time; it’s also providing boundaries for people to work with and being consistent with them.

This episode isn’t just a masterclass in leading change, it’s also a great example of how to lead authentically and with kindness.

Listen to episode twelve:

Also available through Apple Podcasts and Spotify:

Find out more about this Trailblazer:

David Coltman

Chief Executive

TAFE SA

David Coltman is the Chief Executive of TAFE SA. Prior to joining TAFE SA in April 2019, David was Deputy Vice Chancellor at Swinburne University of Technology and Chair of the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA). 

David is a New Zealander who made Australia his home in 2014. 

David holds postgraduate qualifications in Adult Education and Public Administration. His early career work focused on the delivery of programs that sought to increase participation in higher education of underrepresented communities. 

More recently David’s work has focused on the use of digital technologies to improve access and participation in post-compulsory education.

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 two

Thanks for joining us for another episode in our new inspiring weekly podcast series, Thriving in Uncertainty, where we spotlight leaders who have gotten comfortable with ambiguity and hear their professional stories about overcoming challenges to navigate change successfully.

In today's episode, Jody Grima, Chief People Officer at the NSW Department of Customer Service, joins us for an open and compelling conversation as we talk about leading change and preparing workforces for the future.

Listen in as Jody shares how there is no 'rinse and repeat' process for approaching change and that the first step is to be on the ground, understand the environment in which you're working with, what the culture is, and sensing the appetite for change. She also talks about other critical success factors, such as transparency and communication, and how without these, you risk losing trust very early on in the change process.

Over just 30-mins, you'll hear Jody share her experience in gauging the success of change programs working for Service NSW in the early days when they were establishing the three channels for service delivery in the state, how mindset and EQ play pivotal roles in preparing the workforce for the future, the biases that organisations need to overcome to ensure our workplaces are inclusive and equal for all, and how leaders throughout her career have inspired her to become the leader she is today.

It's a great episode that will leave you with some great takeaways to reflect on, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Listen to episode two:

Also available through Apple Podcasts and Spotify:

Find out more about this Trailblazer:

Jody Grima

Chief People Officer

NSW Department of Customer Service

As Chief People Officer for the Department of Customer Service (DCS) Jody is focused on growing a diverse and inclusive workforce to build out the experiences we offer for both our people, and our 8million+ customers across NSW. With extensive experience in transformation, service delivery, governance, and people development, Jody is committed to driving initiatives that foster transparent ethical behaviours, enhance employee engagement, and equip teams with future-ready capabilities. 

Jody has a wealth of experience across the NSW public sector, where she has been instrumental in championing transformation, supporting workplace wellbeing, and promoting an inclusive, speak-up culture. Jody’s background is leading significant reform in service provision and running large multidisciplinary teams in complex environments, including in Family and Community Services, and Service NSW, and more recently as Chief Operating Officer of DCS. 

Jody oversees strategic people initiatives that align with the Department’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer service. In 2020, Jody was recognised with a NSW Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to the community. 

Please tune in next week as we speak to Dr Rachel Bacon, Deputy Commissioner, Integrity, Reform and Enabling Services at the Australian Public Service Commission, as she joins us in discussing a growth mindset approach to change.

Series three – Solving the Capability Gap – episode three

Over the past two episodes, we’ve discussed critical dimensions of capability building, including adopting continuous learning models and using skills-based approaches in your talent strategy. A resonating sentiment from both these episodes has been the concept of future readiness, equipping and preparing workforces to meet future challenges.

In today’s episode, we unpack this further, discussing the role that skills play in workforce agility and how leaders can be purposeful and holistic in their approach to achieving organisational agility.

So far in our series, we’ve spoken to two highly experienced trailblazers who have given their insights into critical success factors of creating high-performing teams. These have included the importance of becoming a learning organisation and the need to be comfortable in ambiguity.

Sandra Lerch, Executive Director of Strategic Workforce Futures at the Public Sector Commission for the Queensland Government, joins Andy in this latest episode to explain how organisations can create workforce agility. She shares her experiences and learned lessons from her direct involvement in the recently released Even Better Public Sector for Queensland Strategy for 2024-2028.  

Listen in to hear Sandra explain how organisational agility is a change process and how, by putting people at the centre, you can achieve the agility you need to be fit for the future. Sandra also shares the three important ingredients for being purposeful and holistic in your approach to developing and embedding workforce agility in the way you work.

Listen to episode three:

Also available through Apple Podcasts and Spotify:

Download the full transcript of episode three:

Find out more about this Trailblazer:

Sandra Lerch is the Executive Director, Strategic Workforce Futures at the Queensland Public Sector Commission.  In this role, she has responsibility for a suite of initiatives that help create a workforce that is agile, inclusive and fit for the future.

Sandra has worked in both the state and federal public sectors, in a wide variety of roles, spanning strategic policy, organisational performance, and service delivery. Much of her experience is in central agencies during periods of significant workforce change.

Sandra and her team played a major role in bringing the Even better public sector for Queensland strategy 2024-2028 to fruition. The strategy’s first two-year action plan sets out 18 actions that aim to inspire trust in government, build a workforce that is ready to meet any challenge, and create workplaces that support employees to serve their community.

Sandra holds a Masters degree in Public Policy and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  She has a long-standing interest in public sector reform, having contributed to a number of independent reviews in this area. Other areas of interest include employee engagement and how the Queensland public sector can position itself as an employer of choice.

Please tune in next week as we talk with James Christie, Director of Artificial Workflow, as he joins us to discuss developing AI skills in the public sector in our fourth episode in the Solving the Capability Gap series.

Missed an episode?

Embracing organisational change - episode 5

Thanks for listening to our second podcast series on embracing organisational change. We hope you’ve found the insights our trailblazers shared valuable.

In our fifth and final episode of this series, we are tackling a significant change that’s on the minds of most public sector leaders today: how to adopt new technologies responsibly.

According to a recent McKinsey report, more than half of global survey respondents on AI said that they had adopted AI in at least one of their business units, and nearly two-thirds expected that their company’s investments in AI would increase over the next few years. Yet according to Boston Consulting Group, Australia lags globally, with around 70% of Australian organisations yet to succeed in delivering digital transformation, a critical first step to succeed in AI.

Pia Andrews, a global expert in open government and digital government transformation and former public servant, joins us to navigate this important change and provides her unique global and local perspectives on how public institutions can approach the responsible adoption of AI. In this episode, Pia shares her six fundamental questions that the public sector must answer when designing for trust, which are part of The Trust Framework for Government Use of AI and Automated Decision Making whitepaper she developed and her top tips on getting started.

Listen to episode five:

Also available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts:

Download the full transcript of episode five:

Find out more about this Trailblazer:

Pia is a prolific global expert in open and digital government, and a former public servant. Pia has spent the last 20 years trying to make the world a better place, working within and around the public sector to transform public services, policies, and culture through greater transparency, democratic engagement, citizen-centric design, open data, emerging technologies, and real, pragmatic actual innovation in the public sector beyond.

Pia was one of the global top 20 most influential in digital government in 2018 and 2019, and now works as a strategic advisor to the public sector at AWS as well as a member of Apolitical’s Advisory on 21st Century Government. 

That now concludes our second series on embracing organisational change. Thank you to our trailblazers and all our listeners for tuning in!

Missed an episode?

Series two - Embracing organisational change – episode one

Thanks for joining us, and welcome back to our exciting second series of Trailblazing with CorbettPrice!

Our new series spans five stimulating and thought-provoking episodes, discussing key transformational changes that leaders must embrace to succeed now and into the future.

Listen to episode one:

Also available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts:

Steve Brady, Managing Director of TAFE NSW, joins Andy in this episode to discuss the important change of shifting mindsets and leading to empower employees. Listen in as Steve shares his invaluable insights and perspectives on how TAFE NSW continues to embrace change and adapt to their customer's evolving needs and how Steve maintains a positive mindset and stays adaptable in the face of change. 

Download the full transcript of episode one:

Find out more about this Trailblazer:

Steve has more than 20 years of experience in executive leadership in private and public sectors and across a diverse range of NSW government agencies, including NSW Treasury, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Revenue NSW, and NSW Department of Customer Service. 

Steve is focussed on driving public sector innovation through a focus on customer and community, working with industry to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, enhancing the economic contribution of agencies, and delivering strong financial stewardship. 

In his current role, Steve is responsible for ensuring TAFE NSW is the leading provider of vocational training supporting the evolving needs of industry and learners in a rapidly changing economy. 

Tune in next week as we talk with Dan Bowes, Executive Director of Taxes and Grants Products, Revenue NSW for our second episode in this series on optimising service delivery for customers. 

Check out our full listing of episodes and trailblazers:

Trailblazing with CorbettPrice Podcast - Episode 1

Welcome to our inaugural series of Trailblazing with CorbettPrice. Over the next seven action packed weeks, we'll be introducing you to an amazing line-up of trailblazers who will share their insights on the fascinating topic of organisational health.

Listen to episode one:

In our first episode, Andy Corbett leads us through an overview of organisational health and the seven wellness dimensions that this series will explore. As a trailblazer in operating model design and implementation, Andy will switch hats to be interviewed by Associate Director and Head of Training of CorbettPrice, Lauren Chowdry.

Together, they discuss the first dimension of organisational health: the physical operating environment, which encompasses how leaders connect their organisation’s purpose with its operations, creating an effective operating model that includes people, culture, processes, technology, and more. If you have ever wanted a clear explanation of what an operating model is and how this can transform your organisation, this is a must-listen!

Download the full transcript of episode one:

Tune in next week as we talk with Scott Johnston from Revenue NSW on our second dimension of organisational health – Mental – Organisational Agility and Resilience.

Operating Models Whitepaper

For further information on Operating Models, download our free whitepaper which explains the drivers for reinvention with the WHY, WHAT, and HOW an operating model helps you to achieve it. We also provide case studies on how we have helped organisations scale and respond, improve their customer experience, and engage their workforce.

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