Next.

Ethical independent media

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The enemy within

So…just got smacked in the third eye. It turns out, I’m a terrible hostage candidate; personal and professional – depending on your perspective, of course.

Right up front – many thanks to all my would-be oppressors who unwittingly provided an opportunity to practise, in my opinion; the single most practical communication skillset on the face of the Earth. That of the negotiator.

Had a totally Eureka moment, when I stumbled into sentient being Haydn Thomas’ Courageous Leadership Conversations workshop at the three-day Convergence Change Conference last week.

All I can think is, how did negotiation not make it as a communication degree unit…ethics is, and apparently, that’s gone out the window?

As a broadly practiced 21-year communication professional – just a thought: if you ever choose just one industry course, Haydn recommends the ENS International negotiator training. Given we only touched subject matter, I’m waiting for course details as we speak.

Unfortunately, the situation is this. Business actively works to cultivate hostages, all the while communicating opposing messaging of innovation, collaboration…pick a hot creative term and look up its antonym. That’s exactly where it’s at.

And I’m sorry to be the bearer of this pile of shit news. But the fact is: it will never behove the majority of established business to empower free-thinking that goes directly against hierarchy.

We are the medicated, homogenised mass who unbeknownst, play our parts to a T. And sometimes that’s OK, because let’s face it – everyone has responsibilities and when children are involved, then my hat goes off to the self-hostage. They are taking a massive hit for the team. I have felt and seen your trauma…you are my hero’s.

The problem is, you cannot be a hostage and not suffer the effects of ill health. And I have first-hand experience.

Until four months ago, it’s fair to say I was a dissident hostage with a diagnosed, medicated major depressive disorder.

So, what changed? I negated the situation to take a leadership role including that of negotiator…and as a result, I no longer take anti-depressants or suffer depression. Imagine my pure joy.

Another health strategy I employ, is effectively running away from a succubus. You know – the taker. They, in fact, are also holding you hostage.

Don’t get me wrong – we all take. That’s the game. But if you don’t give and take – in the words of Melbourne Cup winning jockey and all-round legend Michelle Payne…get stuffed.

They can also use tactics like eyeballing – I know this intimately and damn it’s fun for my type. The trick per Haydn, is no quarter – whoever break gaze first, loses. Game on, people.

But it was the status role play that had me stumped – I’m sure Haydn was watching me not getting it, simply because I’m a fighter; for me there are only two positions. Victim and non-victim. Wrong! There are four status positions: but it’s the Alpha at number one that left me feeling like a shower.

Imagine massive ego, overbearing, uses their body to intimidate – can be recognised by all-important ‘glide’.

So, second position will see someone clomping heavily and moving quickly, but if you want to pull rank in motion, slow that shit right down and draw yourself upwards to create personal power.

And I’m thinking, nuh, when is that working for someone who needs to connect – then it hit me.

I gave Dad a triple banger at Chrissie after a blue with folks. I got up and walked across living room towards Dad, headed for door; to which he said, don’t walk out.

It was a final call to arms so I deliberately slowed self, and eyeballed him with, ‘this isn’t walking – this is running’.

And that’s why Haydn’s course was so illuminating and achieved my conference objective: to access more compassion and help me negate my linguistic blunt force trauma.

I will always choose the carrot over the stick messaging or as Haydn says, pull or push influencing style – but I need the insight to access the love.

The fight with Mum appeared as fear about my start-up: but it’s an illusion. Mum’s actual fear is abandonment by me.

There’s a story about her packing a little bag aged 6 or 7 and running away from home. She was attempting to take her mother hostage to get love – and what did Mardi do…sent her 4-year-old brother to track Mum. Not come after her, like any well mother would do. And my heart broke for that little girl.

So now Dad and I have taken the role of negotiators; I’ve begun to feed him strategy and build Mum up – because the abandonment fear goes to inferiority. Even recently her older brother told her that she was stupid to her face, twice! Honestly, who are these people?

What it comes back to is this…are you listening to yourself? Is your gut screaming at you to create change and you’re actively ignoring your intuition?

I had depression because I wasn’t reacting and responding to my trauma. Sometimes you’re on a ledge, with a burning change platform and you’re frozen with fear. I was. Now I’m not.

If you’ve got a burning platform and it directly affects someone that you’re responsible for, like children, and you’ve got your fingers stuck-in-ears, going ‘la la la’ – then I’d suggest to do something, even small, to see what could be.

Because funnily enough, once you have change impetus it creates a chain reaction…and that’s when you know that you’re on the right path. Even if it’s just a courageous conversation with yourself. You’ll feel heaps better.

Addendum: my old man Sandy gives great eye…needless to say, he’s no hostage either. I guess you do learn from the best.

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Tashi, my man from Bhutan

I’m no micromanager, in that you employ specialists to bring it. But when I throw an idea at T, as former web architect and content producer, if he can’t employ – Tashi creates a workaround, like any good problem solver. He’s out here from Bhutan with his wife, who’s studying a Master of Education – but has travelled far and wide, getting the kind of education one can’t buy. So, if you need support, Tashi is highly professional, creative and communicative; and we look forward to our own business platform launch, shortly.

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Ring, ring...

Rowena: Hi, Amber – we have the national marketing information you seek regarding Australia number one women’s health agenda item. Isn’t that great!

Me: What happen to Liz…you know – the staff member who informed me this content does not exist by way of refusing two FOI requests to Health & TGA?

Rowena: yes, well – when you called not 48 hours ago to advise of obtaining the national distribution data– we thought, shit…best give you the associated marketing communication – so we don’t look like the gits, we are. 

Could you do me a solid & submit a third departmental FOI request…in fact, just make it identical to the previous two.

Me: well Rowena, I get a solid A+ for computational dexterity including cut & paste – so consider it done.

Meanwhile, campaign strategy & content are developing nicely…for all except a non-secular Federal Government & associated health department with a God-complex – sounds about right…

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The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Despite the fact that Ros looked and felt like a woman in extreme pain, her hair was perfectly parted and brushed – the attention to detail providing me with some necessary insight.

Earlier this week, I engaged the certified West Australian gem valuer to help me hock the family jewels for start-up funds – but on meeting her, my professional interest turned personal.

One of life’s shadow boxers, Ros keeps her family-of-four together – surviving day-to-day; caring for her son, who can experience up to 1000 daily seizures through traumatic brain injury. Hence the exhaustion: she sleeps with Shaye to keep him alive…a mother’s love.

Before I arrived, Ros sent specific instructions as to location and parking – giving me pause. Usually people who seek such order, invariably have a significant part of their lives completely spiralling out of control.

The trick for Earthlings, is to gather the facts so we don’t rush judgement – and we will always judge…it’s human nature. Anyone who tells you not too, is misguided.

So how does one generate compassion in the workplace – when your back’s to wall and it’s all you can do, not to tell people to fuck off and leave you alone when you’re under the pump too?

People teach you about people, including yourself – so for me, the only real question in life is ‘why’? Because to know where someone comes from is the key to understanding and acceptance – which leads directly to compassion.

I use a neuro-linguistic programming technique called perceptual positioning. NLP has become so popular that NASA use the science to design instrument panels.

And businesses like Oracle, IBM, American Express, Apple, Xerox, Mercedes, BMW, etcetera use the technique to improve communication, build teams and increase productivity.

In 2001, FBI’s Law Enforcement Bulletin August issue commented, ‘enhancing communication and, hence, building rapport represents the most applicable aspect of NLP to investigators.

‘The ability to communicate effectively stands as one of the major contributors to a police officer’s success in dealing with the public.’

The beauty of perceptual positioning is that it imbibes the adage – walk a mile in someone’s shoes, by tapping into your imagination.

The three positions are first, second and third – the first, being the easiest as ‘self’, whereby one sees, hears and feels from their perspective.

It’s a powerful position to know oneself, to have emotional granularity and act in accordance with personal beliefs – but there is danger in the untenable position of attempting to remain an island.

The second position relates to values and beliefs of another that cause them to act in cultural accordance. Again, a powerful position to visit – because the danger in remaining here, is to ignore the systems that drive you.

The final position is markedly different, in that, it’s completely rational: to be experienced with no emotion. The observer detaches, like a fly on the wall, to perceive the communication and behaviourism of both parties thus conducting a logical situational analysis.

And it works. Many years ago, I had a manager suffering obesity who sought control by micromanaging employees – an incredibly frustrating situation for all parties. I recognised him for exactly who he was and understood his pain – because I too, was once an overeater.

Everyone was oblivious to his trauma, so I actively worked against the negative press – because that’s the job. As human beings, we must generate our care-lens and the care-lens of counterparts, so that we grow the compassion required to accept and help each other. We are all that we have, in the end.

My grandad had it in spades, when the Commanding Officer of 2/6 Cavalry Commando charged a minefield during the Battle of Bardia, Egypt between 3-5 January 1941 – flanking the enemy in the newly mechanised reconnaissance regiment, with a machine gun to protect his men.

And how they loved him for it – this solider’s solider. The original light horseman was awarded the Military Cross for his actions, and backed up his professional love again, to protect his Farida Force troops in Papua New Guinea – again awarded for courage under fire, the Distinguished Service Order.

But Lieutenant Colonel Eric Claude Hennessy was ahead of game. Although described by To the Green Fields Beyond author Shawn O’Leary as a ‘man who was made for war’ – Hennessy proved something all warriors know.

That it’s not about you or me – it’s about us. Love actually does make the world go round. So who can you reach out to, and help today? I’ll give you a hot tip: it’ll make the both of you feel good…like the humans that you are.

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A cheap risk strategy

Risk is the basis for life, given the advance of civilisation is entirely change-based. What if our species said, ‘nuh, sorry…I’m out – going back to the cave, folks.’

Because innovation is a change event, and humans are neurologically change-adverse – our primitive, instinctive reptilian brain function simply rails against it.

Business even constructed a communication framework to support people through workplace change, which manages organisational risk variables regarding adoption.

Otherwise, risk management is big business in its own right; as related to workplace safety and economic prosperity. However, with a world of scientific evidence in the information and technology ages, organisations continue absorb unnecessary risk.

Like Australian firm Denovo Consulting who, this week, ignored the evidential publication of their unethical business practices across three top social media platforms, with 48hrs and 24hrs respective notice to act.

This is good. It’s 2017: people know there’s a problem with unethical business. We don’t care which way business chooses to practice; we just want to know who is worthy of our trust and respect. Because smart professionals don’t align their brand with business that they aren’t proud to be associated with.

It might have escaped the attention of Australian business, but non-physical intangible assets such as brand equity, intellectual capital and goodwill are the dominate means by which they create value.

In fact, Harvard Business Review article, Risks and Reputation, put the American economy’s intangible market value at between 70–80%—and that was a decade ago.

Seven West Media chairperson Kerry Stokes and Beyond Blue CEO Jeff Kennett are great examples of brands willing to absorb reputational risk in their current crisis management mode; ie. risk management occurs well-prior to an adverse event.

Stokes backed his CEO, workplace lothario and sex scandal protagonist, Tim Worner who tabled a December media conference announcing a 91% company loss in six months.

‘Tim Worner, himself, continues to enjoy full confidence of the board as our CEO, where he is doing an outstanding job and he leads the best media team in Australia,’ Stokes told journalists.

‘There is no governance issue…the board will have no further inquiries. We were disappointed, we were forced to make such a serious investigation into such irrelevant allegations that have no substance at all.’

Apparently, Twitter-redacted SMS messages between Worner and Seven West combatant Amber Harrison, whereby Worner professed to being a chem-sex god, were inadmissible.

Stokes added he had received only four messages from concerned shareholders thus revealing his shareholder theory subscription; managers must maximise shareholder returns at all costs.

This is opposed to stakeholder theory, whereby a manager will balance shareholder and stakeholders’ interests; eg. employees, customers and the community, even if it reduces shareholder returns.

Again this month, Stokes further damaged his brand in refusing to release the audit report, clearing Worner of misconduct including corporate expenditure of $600k in three years.

As a result, former Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation Board chairperson and president and respected Gilbert + Tobin lawyer, Shelia McGregor immediately resigned the board citing ‘ethical issues’.

As for Kennett – the Seven West board member and Australia’s premier depression advocate is reimbursed $127k annually to represent an organisation that endorses well-documented female employee harassment.

So what would be the cost Seven West to mitigate the current reputational risk crisis? Apparently, only $245k owed to Harrison who contests the agreed separation fee was short.

That’s one arsey billionaire, I reckon – especially one indicting that they directly influence what future inquiries the board undertakes?

We know it would cost Kennett $127k to ensure his well-crafted benevolent image remains intact; but what would it cost for Denovo Consulting to protect their brand?

Nada…beside a direct hit to patriarchal pride. A couple of paragraphs, stating the bleeding obvious that could in fact win them business – sorry is still the hardest word to say.

And even professionals are getting it wrong, with advertising guru and fem-icon Jane Caro announcing on Monday breakfast television that two women featured in the now defunct Ultratune ad were ‘aliens’.

When Twitter-queried, Caro created a strawman as advocate against plastic surgery for ‘young girls’ standing by the vilification to her 17k+ audience, thus rendering a recent column professing to being a ‘woman’s woman’, as absolute crap.

Interestingly, risk is difficult to define – traditionally there’s little consensus: because how does one measure objective and subjective risk?

In 1921, Risk, Uncertainty and Profit author Frank Knight boils it down to this: risk is quantifiable uncertainty; eg. someone skydiving sans parachute suffers no uncertainty – they will die.

The engineering profession defines risk as the ‘product of the probability of an “undesirable” event occurring including expected harm assessment.’

But what about those life curveballs that impact psychology and ultimately, personal risk management frameworks? Like my old man – post Vietnam War.

Having survived a gunshot wound to heart and lungs, his brain injury reframed the definition of danger; ie. people are more dangerous than nature. So, Dad built a 38ft heavy weather boat and we sailed round-the-world for three years – in his words, he was ‘keeping us safe’.

Adventurers are natural risk-takers; but they prime for as many known-unknowns as possible. So he prepared – smelting 12.5 tonnes of lead for keel ballast…right though to lead-lining the massive diesel engine bay.

Noise minimisation is important on a yacht. Built for wind, sailors engage engine power during risky manoeuvrers – like navigating a rocky entrance in a rolling swell, or for example, locating someone overboard off Shark Bay, West Australia at 3am in 3–4 metre seas…when we lost Mum.

In short, we-three teamed up and reversed Honeychild under engine power to her plaintive cries, ‘over here, over here’. Coming up port side, Dad with superhuman strength, reached into the drink and lifted Mum out, wet clothes and all – thus rendering $200 worth of foam lead-lining as priceless.

Whatever we know about risk, this is true – that undertaking risk, properly conceived, is often rewarding. And that’s the paradox: the real risk, is in not taking a risk. Just don’t forget the bloody lead-lining!

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What the world needs now

I’m a natural evidence-based dissident. Why not. I’m a smart, strong woman in a man’s world. If I can see a hole in an argument, it would be erroneous to validate the assertion with silence?

Like when SMS colleague Ed thought to advise me one sunny day to ‘write everything down; if you’re anything like me, you forget what happened the day before.’

It’s a little-known fact, but one of my superpowers is memory – it’s fucking technicoloured since age 2. So the cognitive dissonance that occurs, when a fallacious male entity proffers unrequested advice that attempts to align me with their personal limitations, is quite sharp and shocking.

And for both parties I’d imagine, when I shortly disinclined the argument and left. However, when it comes to Dunning Kruger, it’s important to demonstrate relationship inequalities, lest continue in the same vein. Boundaries – no good, if not enforced.

Besides, there is nothing quite like a timeless, well-delivered slapback. My rewards centre is always lit in pursuing linguistic perfection, but especially when it comes to returning shade where certain characters are involved.

Plus, I’ve got that slapback memory, which amuses mates and I decades after the fact. Sure, it’s my small brain in action, I freely admit; but at least it’s cerebral and ultimately, highly practical.

I only throw shade when I get it, or someone is being bullied. Meaning, if your operations negatively impact me or you’re prick generally speaking, I’m happy outlining argument theory flaws. It’s a pleasure.

Everyone does it in their own way. Like Charles Sturt University public ethics Professor Clive Hamilton on Friday, when he nationally disgraced the Australian Government by resigning from the so-funded Climate Change Authority.

Hired to develop meaningful, fully-endorsed policy, Hamilton was horrified when the government’s snakes-and-ladders approach to a world crisis, opted for a Red-bellied Black backward-arse tilt. Perceptually positioning, most can appreciate the cog-disconnect for an ethics academic hired to do a job by piss-weak blockers pretending to manage a shitshow.

‘It is perverse to boost coal production when 2016 marked the hottest year on record,’ Hamilton said, referring to the new Australian report by Climate Council’s Dr Tim Flannery. He continued, ‘If the new coal-fired power plants are built, the government’s already-weak 2030 carbon-reduction target is unattainable.’

But Hamilton’s stand demonstrates not just a perverted government actively seeking to destroy an environment they do not own, when numerous solutions are available; it’s this…that largely, government ‘business’ operations are an unethical farce.

If an ethics professor cannot work ethically for a government, then that government by definition is unethical and therefore, a farce.

As any associated employee, contractor and/or consultant will tell you, at any point in their career, government hires us and then actively prevents us from doing that job.

Hamilton has publically demonstrated the actual perversion of Australian Government; its operations are a converse error. That is, a government-funded agency is created to provide advice that the government takes because they fund it. Wrong. The latest ‘fuck you, Pachamama’, which Hamilton evidences, shows government is logical fallacy.

And the kicker? What was the government’s response to a public relations crisis of global proportion – what communication would Federal Government ‘choose’ when referencing the fact, the boy’s club are set to continue negatively affecting climate change, which will be an extinction event?

Wannabe-chief Australian environmental protector and second-in-command, Mr. Josh Frydenberg commented, we are ‘unapologetic as we transition’. Yep. Instead of manning-up to look like a ‘dick speaking the truth’, he went with looking like a ‘dick with a strong arm’. Good choice – always a great public relations move.

So what was the truth? That the Australian Government is scared shitless about last week’s Adelaide electricity debacle, when a 40% renewable-energy state leader suffered massive outages when wind farms were ‘becalmed’. That’s right – Adelaide hit the doldrums, and the government pissed its pants.

In any case, when it comes to dissidence – the meaning, like anything, is in the action. And Australia’s call-to-arms regarding our failing duty-of-care, tantamount to torture and murder, is on 22 April for Canberra locals.

So start saving your cardboard boxes, because not only are we marching for ‘that waterhole we spent hours’ duck-diving each summer with Mum yelling at us to get out, or the world’s totally-fearful soon-to-be displaced island peoples who have no voice’, but his Holiness Sir David Attenborough is visiting.

The world’s preferred grandad-adoptee is gracing Aussies with his presence, as his science peers kindly name a local slug in Dave’s honour. And he is honoured like only Dave could be – with gorgeous child-like wonder at the natural world, even if it’s slimy.

Apparently, the snail’s healing properties are a metaphor for his special brand of environmental balm. But will his message stick before we reach the scientific tipping point, and will anyone care if not?

For more information about the Aussie efforts regarding the global March for Science, go to marchforsciencecanberra.org and follow @ScienceMarchCBR.

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To the mattresses: part 1, basic training

‘Manners maketh man’ is sizable social construct by a patriarchal religious institution in a patriarchal society, which largely, a patriarchy eschews practising? Well – when one considers 98% of incarcerated persons are male. At what point do women need to become downright fucking rude to advance their human rights?

Over the weekend, women in STEM hijacked an existing industry campaign to give US President Donald Trump a big-ole social media finger. And it was as pretty as it sounds.

The ‘actual living scientist’ tag ‘to improve industry access to professionals’ was leveraged in an emerging gender issue as threatened by the new White House administration.

Worldwide; tough, intelligent, tenacious STEM women segued existing discussion to comment professionally on Trump’s new ‘dress like a woman’ workplace policy, and tweet pics.

Like Karen Romano Young, who assert for her female colleagues in science and snow – ‘here’s what we wear in the Arctic when we’re studying the effects of climate change’.

Or, Ivelisse Viruet who tweet Trump commenting: ‘while you were granted five draft deferments, I served 22 years in the military – I #dresslikeawoman, and you need to #actlikeapresident’; and, Amy Tan MD, who says ‘I can’t #dresslikeawoman without my scrubs.’

But it’s Herding Movement who best demonstrates a continuing workplace problem: ‘I’ve had engineers ask me to get them a coffee because I #dresslikeawoman (and) then realise that I’m the #actuallivingsciventist running the damn project.’

Pound for pound, these women, and women globally, are doing it better than men in their arena. Period.

It’s easy to qualify that statement; simply, those women did it without the resources men have thrown at them, and yet, they continue to throw-in for the potentially criminal shitshow that they are often victim too.

Like my 1990s Defence colleague, ADFA naval officer Fiona, who was physically tortured by her officer-in-charge – made to march while carrying a vacuum cleaner over her head because he knew she had a bad back.

Or my mate Summers, a naval investigator at Garden Island whose well-qualified Christmas Day search request was blocked by lazy male officers.

In the end, she went around them; ran the investigation herself and uncovered a hoist of illegal weapons. One sailor had nine guns. Job done.

Or the time I was sexually harassed working for Immigration in 2010. Again, yawn. I was chatting with female colleagues about the green wedding dress Cate had worn, when ACT change pretender Troy lurched over.

Troy thought to demonstrate his kinky workplace VPL fashion concerns, which seemed strange for a Hawaiian-shirt loving Neanderthal? ‘You wouldn’t have worn panties on your wedding day, would you Amber,’ Troy grunted.

I tend to feel sorry for these professional deviants or workplace terrorists; well, look at them? What’s someone like that actually got going for them? Hot tip. It will never worry me when a 2017 male mode ‘chooses’ socially, politically and economically regressive personal policy, which as studies show, negatively affects ‘their’ mental health.

As women, we need to focus on circumstances within our control. These oft-silent terror attacks are and continue-to-be managed by professional women on a case-by-case basis. Think Turnbull and Trump for next four years, ala ANZUS Gate last week. Besides, warfare is a training grounds.

The real problem for women is not the odd workplace dust-up. It’s this. Despite the Dunning-Kruger effect, professional females who are ‘actively’ aware of their talent, are ‘actively’ underselling themselves because it’s ‘unladylike’.

And Australian female professionals have a further cultural barrier; more colonial hangover with the Tall Poppy Syndrome. Women are taught in so many ways – not to acknowledge professional strengths that aren’t sexually-based, and sell themselves in a capacity which is not physical-based. Think about that, people?

On the other hand, men are biologically-programmed and well socially-advised to double-down on risky behaviour that backs numero uno. Studies show, men are more likely to talk themselves up, and all the while, women are talking themselves down. Christ, I don’t need a study. I am the study.

Like Airservices colleague, German national Sven, who introduced self as an ‘ANU scholarship awardee’? Sure, it’s impressive – but it smacks of hubris, and is ultimately unAustralian. One does not walk around dispensing tickets to their own show, PT Barnum-like. ‘Step right up, folks!’ People want people to go about achieving quietly, and this is especially true of women.

Why? Over 150 years of studies show the incredible conscious and subconscious bias that both genders have towards women. Neurobiology well demonstrates the hurdle. For example, researchers recently discovered that while both genders objectify undistorted images of each other – when the images were both distorted, both genders continued to objectify women…and not men.

Clearly, human beings have no real response control to ‘the feminine’ as a society – and I doubt we can ever know the full depth and breadth of an issue that will make or break us, I’m sure.

One thing is clear – male self-promotion is effective. This means professional women must adopt a new personal public relations strategy, and enforce new boundaries.

Because no one is here for anyone – if you don’t believe in you, with necessary self-talk required to develop a positive attitude and enact supporting behaviours, nobody is going too.

So, try it out. It’s won’t be easy for most – people will laugh at you, depending on the size of your social experiment. Like Canberra Business Chamber representative Kate, when I test to partially determine her usefulness to me?

Although, it’s worth noting, the failure finally occurred some 14 days later, in which time, Kate had managed to sign-me-up electronically for a $180 in-house workshop, all the while not distributing to me, the start-up information freely proffered.

Apparently, a smart professional woman who self-brands as ‘talent’, will continue to be confronting. Of course, there is the other thought? That it’s just so hard to find talent these days.

Ghandi said it best: when you go to ‘change the world’, people will ignore you at first. Then they laugh and resist you, before finally, accepting the change. The beauty is, also according to Ghandi, all you need to do is, ‘be the change’.

Yep, there it is. The man-made world already largely ‘works’ for men. So – it’s actually time for women to beat their change drum, which will benefit our species. Yep, time to double-down, ladies.

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My childhood haunt, an hour NW of Canberra…a little-blink-n-miss regional locale called Wee J. This was my 2000 acre property ‘Coodravale’ at the end of the Snowy Mountain ranges 1986-2009; well, with folks holding down fort with incredibly hard work, while I hit the road. Banjo Paterson once owned Coodravale aka white man’s resting place in Aboriginal; he was said to ride, walk & writing poetry in the hills.

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@TurnbullMalcolm annual G2P @PressClubAust address. Clip highlights potential for US economic sufferance under authoritarian regime cultivating genuine fear via highly strategic international campaigning. Incredible on many levels, not least of which fact @realDonaldTrump has filed for bankruptcy four times rendering him fiscally unfit. #us #uspolitics #auspol #economics #freetrade #globalist #malcolmturnbull #TrumpBan #TrumpProtest #trump #australia #oppression #authoritarian #regime #whitesupremacy #altright #xenophobia #australianews #nationalpressclub #followme (at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory)

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‘I was careful to make sure I never revealed a single secret. This, I believe quite strongly, is the role of free press in our society. This is why the first amendment is “first”. The media is charged with what we should know, when and how. They should contest the government’s monopoly on controlling information, particularly in classified space.’ @Snowden Dec 2016 to journalist Katie Couric #journalism #government #workplace #whistleblower (at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory)

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#dreamtime #aboriginalart #indigenous #australia #australia aboriginal #auspol # human rights #religion #sbsdoc (at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory)

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Programming bastards effing with me now: yesterday, female subjugation through poor word choice (see image Elite Women’s [sic] Race), today full linguistic roll-out for fellas.

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This is very much a der-brain viewer moment; whereby TV crew opt to abbreviate the Deakin Elite Womens Road Race as Elite Womens Race.

What wrong with this picture? Besides their poor grammar, that is. We, the viewer, know they are elite. They’re on TV for Christsakes! Perhaps instead a descriptor like, oh I don’t know - Road!

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A corporate rose by any other name?

‘We don’t have job titles around here’, a more recent manager Matt droned. FFS. I took a sneaky look around…for leprechauns.

Managers who tell employees this, are A. affecting power play, or B. away with magical dancing green Irish pixies.

When a male manager tells a female employee that job titles are not an organisational imperative for her; his passive-aggressive word choice states this:

‘I tell you what to do because the only job title around here that matters is the one with “manager” in it – are you tacitly seeing the point of difference?’

Bullshit aside, studies show one’s job title can affect anything from stress levels to identity.

In 2014, a Pearl Meyer ‘job titling practices’ study learned 80% of companies use ‘job titles to reflect hierarchy’ and over 92% use titles to define roles.

According to WinterWyman recruitment consultant Doug Schade, and as reported by Forbes Magazine, titles are valuable because employees get job envy aspiring to their colleagues’ positions.

‘Sometimes, job titles can mean more than a salary increase or other monetary gain, and indicate the level of responsibility from the top down,’ Doug said.

For us professionals, the role we choose including title and duties, is extremely important. For me, on personal and professional levels – having ‘my job’ in writing, creates boundaries.

Also, it’s one of the few labels I’m willing to accept from anyone; which begs the question – what labels do you assign yourself?

For me, I’m a journalist. Always was, always will be. And this is despite a myriad of industry roles. As a professional communicator over two decades, I’ve skillsets in various sub-categories like change, PR, journalism, audio-visual multimedia – I mean, the overriding premise is, ‘to communicate’.

Short story: once worked with a colleague-in-change Tim who constantly insisted that communication was a category of change management. When old matie would not shut up, I assert impracticalities of argument.

If one can gain change certification in 2 days, as contrasted by 3-year commitment to communication qualification, then argument null and void.

Did that shut him up? No. He was NPD, albeit vulnerable – they don’t know how to lose.

In any case, the words you use to describe your profession are revealing. For example, I’ve been titled a specialist and consultant by my employer. But it would defeat my purpose, to tell this to strangers. I want people to relate to me. Not roll their eyes.

Telling people that you are a consultant or an expert is a power play opportunity. If they aren’t onto you, the polite person is forced to ask ‘what you consult in’, at which point, you get to tell them ‘just how great you are in your field’.

The purpose I have in telling folks that I’m a journalist is, ‘I’m a storyteller so I like to collect stories – could you please share your story with me?’

And that point, it’s true – I am interested in you. Because, unfortunately, I can only continue if the relationship is equal; ie. you prove interesting.

Why? Interesting people are genuinely interested people. You cannot be interesting, if you are not interested in people.

And people know. Sure, smart is smart – but it doesn’t take high entity to know when someone is not listening.

I find it goes directly to active listening. Is the person responding to you with probing questions? Because anyone can ask a 'lite' question before moving on to meet their own psychological needs. And sometimes that’s ok, because I actually do care to help you if you’re not NPD.

But, if the disinterested party is toxic, I clock off mentally. I’ve been known to actually cut people off so I can hit-the-road literally. Why wouldn’t I? I’m being used.

Of course, sometimes you’re stuck having to deal with these invariably weak and insipid types. Like another recent colleague, Ed who ‘appointed himself’ my manager, and subsequently, went about attempting workplace subjugation through power play.

It started early on-the-job, but the following after-hours text exchange from day 2 highlights problems that preceded and ensued.

Ed: You left your USB stick in your computer, so I put it away, so that you wouldn’t be fined by office security

Me: Goodo (ie. I’m annoyed that you’re seeking A. an apology and B. a thank you by way of misdirection – so in fact, not good at all)

Early the next day, as we passed in the corridor, Ed leveraged jungle law as office furniture and pressed for superb dead-end power play.

Ed: Did you get that USB?

Me: Yes

Ed: Next time, just think (takes index finger to temple, and taps it against the side of head a few times)

However, Ed’s implicational converse theory is a formal fallacy; that is, ‘I am dumb, and he is smart with evidence’, and it demonstrates the overriding fact.

That a job description, including title and duties that wannabe-managers don’t think we need, is a professional policy of personal paramount.

In actuality, the document allows us, the workplace marginalised, to establish boundaries with the encroaching likes of-the-Matts and the-Eds of-the-workplace-world.

So. Now I’m reverting to type including ‘journalist’ – I’ll be needing a faux title for enemy missions. What, ‘consultant’ you reckon?

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It’s been a rough week with Trump installation. Watching true story of Steve Biko ‘Cry Freedom’: so moved by his humanitarian fight. I’m still so devastated #JusticeForJulieka who was dragged to her feet by the hair and dragged to the WA police van by her little sick body, as she was dying alone at age 22 for unpaided fines. Who does that in any capacity, @WAPoliceTraffic …pls let your boss know the email request to uppercut himself to head a few times, short actually sacking murderers in his employ, still stands. (at Australia)

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Woolworths newest defo for 'fresh' food peeps

I silently commiserated. She sounded so sad. I would have been too, in managing an employee that Woolworths refused to fire, despite no role-required skillset.

Because, believing ‘women should not be managers’ and that your ‘DHS-employed son is going to get unmarried Australian mothers on benefits’ rorting system is one thing.

It’s another entirely to ‘pointedly’ share the hate with colleagues and customers. Problem number 1.

However, let’s ignore the ‘ignorant’ and instead, outline some basic problems for Australia’s second largest company with $59 billion revenue, 2016.

Problem number 2: English language

When a customer complains to head office, and is advised their ‘inquiry’ is being processed; the worry for said national grocery conglomerate who sees 29 million weekly customers, is point of difference between an ‘enquiry’ and a complaint.

At this point, all the customer can do is hope that business holds an ‘inquiry’ about the complaint.

Problem number 3: Roles and responsibilities

A business that expects customers to ‘stay in touch’ regarding their debacle – has simply lost the plot.

A customer is never responsible to follow-up a business risk, as crazily, it is not-on-them to manage the business risk.

This is especially true, if the customer is a journalist who has advised business that they are ‘working up copy for publication and need a quote from an authority figure’.

Problem number 4: Resource allocation

Welcome to 2017. Customers only get traction from business with poor practice, by using public over private channels – therefore, dollars towards dedicated Customer Complaints Centre are wasted.

Again – this is especially true, if the complaints centre does not ‘manage customers with complaints’.

Problem number 5: Business process improvement

Since 1924, Woolworths Limited employs 205,000 employees in 3000 stores; for efficacy over 92 years, business must refine process.

At risk of sounding like shit vinyl – again, true of a multinational company that operates with centralised and decentralised function. Woolworths Limited head office develops strategy, and stores implement and operate; in Australia anyway.

Business areas that do not regularly intercommunicate, fail business practices 101; eg. end-to-end customer complaint management.

Problem number 6: Business tools

In conjunction with a publically published Risk Management Policy, a General Manager Risk & Assurance is well-served by implementing a supporting business tool: AKA, a risk register.

Why? Please refer to problem 3, paragraph 3 regarding investigative journalism.

Where to, folks?

The purpose of communication is not to ‘inspire’ change desire in Woolworths. That would be fruitless; again, as evidenced.

Their response will relate to a common denominator for all blind capitalist ventures – fiscal failure of $1.25 billion last year.

In fact, we’re talking because I worry my compatriots are accepting poor service at a high cost. Something I flat out refuse.

As usual, I assign my personal and professional value. And if business does not make the cut and I don’t enforce the boundaries – then I have no business complaining.

So, rest assured, I’ll be back through old matie’s checkout – like yesterday, when I found him dressing-down a gorgeous old Greek mumma from Melbourne about a purchase request.

I bet that resolution ‘request’ for $5000 womens refuge donation looks pretty sweet right about now, hey Woolies.