On The Ground

The Human Resources (HR) function has always been positioned as the champion of employees—a department that advocates for fairness, well-being, and development. Historically, HR's primary allegiance seemed to rest with the workforce, creating environments where trust flourished, and employees felt genuinely supported. But as businesses evolved into profit-centric entities, the role of HR has dramatically shifted, leaving many employees questioning where HR’s loyalty truly lie

Human Resources has the potential to be a transformative force, but too often, it’s relegated to administrative tasks and reactive decision-making. To reclaim its position as a driver of organisational success, HR must evolve into a proactive, strategic partner that buddies closely with the CEO and coaches and guides all executives. The Path to Success Align HR with Business Strategy HR leaders must understand the company’s long-term goals and tailor talent acquisition, reten

Human Resources (ie; People and Culture, Talent Management, Human Capital, People Resource Centre) is often touted as the lifeblood of an organisation, but in many cases, it’s a failing system that neither serves the employees nor the business effectively. Despite being tasked with building strong workplace cultures and driving employee engagement, HR has become a bureaucratic obstacle, more focused on compliance than transformation. RdL, Result Driven Leadership has been pas

In a world where agility and innovation are prized, businesses are collapsing at an alarming rate. While external factors like economic downturns and industry disruption are often scapegoated, the harsh truth lies within. Here are the top five reasons businesses fail—and why leaders must take the blame. 1. Poor Leadership A staggering 82% of businesses fail due to poor management , according to a CB Insights report. Weak leaders lack strategic foresight, fail to inspire their

Passive-aggressive behaviour in the workplace is characterised by indirect resistance, subtle defiance, or negative attitudes disguised as cooperation. Examples include procrastination, backhanded compliments, or intentionally withholding information. While it may seem minor, unchecked passive-aggressive behaviour can undermine teamwork, erode trust, and harm organisational culture. To address this behaviour effectively, leaders and colleagues need to act with awareness and t

The aging workforce presents a critical challenge for organisations worldwide as baby boomers retire in record numbers. This demographic shift is creating talent gaps, threatening business continuity, and risking the loss of invaluable institutional knowledge. Industries heavily reliant on experienced workers, such as aviation, engineering, mining, automotive, healthcare, and energy, are particularly vulnerable. To ensure sustained success and competitiveness, leaders within

Trust is the cornerstone of effective leadership, yet it is fragile and can take seconds to break. Rebuilding trust, however, is a journey that requires intentional actions, emotional intelligence, and unwavering commitment. For leaders, the process is challenging but crucial to fostering a cohesive, motivated, and high-performing team. Acknowledge and Take Responsibility The first step to rebuilding trust is acknowledging the breach and taking full responsibility for the act

Labour costs are among the highest expenses for any organisation, regardless of industry. In today’s competitive landscape, maximising the potential of your workforce is not just a goal—it’s a strategic necessity. High-performing teams drive innovation, productivity, and profitability, yet many businesses struggle to fully unlock their employees' potential. At the heart of high-performing teams is a culture that values autonomy,  accountability and is driven by an outstanding

In today’s fast-paced business environment, organisations must be nimble and responsive to stay competitive. Traditional strategic planning, which often relies on long-term predictions and rigid frameworks, can leave businesses vulnerable to disruption. An agile strategy provides the flexibility to pivot and respond to changes while keeping long-term objectives in sight. Key Principles of Agile Strategy Continuous Feedback and Iteration : Agile strategies thrive on real-time

When businesses undergo restructuring or downsizing, employers may offer redeployment as an alternative to redundancy. However, it’s critical that the redeployment offer is considered "reasonable" under Australian employment law, ensuring both the employee's and employer's interests are protected. A reasonable redeployment offer is generally defined by the Fair Work Act 2009 as one that aligns with the employee’s skills, experience, and current pay level. To be legally suppor

Australia's new ‘Right to Disconnect’ legislation, designed to give employees the ability to disengage from work outside of standard hours, has sparked debate but should be used as a basis for all organisations to learn from. While it promotes work-life balance, it has also led to pushback from organisations concerned about its impact on productivity, responsiveness, and company culture. To address this resistance, organisations must shift their mindset and approach the legis

Clear Vision : Communicate a compelling vision that aligns with the organisation’s strategic goals, ensuring all stakeholders understand the “why” behind the transformation. Lead by Example : Demonstrate adaptability, resilience, and openness to change. Leaders who embody the transformation inspire others to follow. Engage Early : Involve employees early in the process, seeking input and addressing concerns to reduce resistance and build commitment. Empower Teams : Give teams

In an era of rapid technological advancement and shifting market dynamics, organisational transformation has become a strategic imperative for companies aiming to remain competitive and resilient. However, research consistently shows that up to 70% of transformation efforts fail, often due to insufficient preparation and misalignment between the organisation’s vision and its capabilities. Preparing your organisation for transformation requires a thoughtful, structured approac

In today’s fast-paced business environment, fostering a culture of high performance is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity for long-term success. High-performance cultures are defined by their ability to align employees’ contributions with the organisation’s strategic goals, driving innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. At the core of a high-performance culture is the belief that excellence is a shared responsibility. It begins with leadership’

In any organisational change cycle, there will always be those who are quick to embrace new directions, those who lag behind, and a few who remain resistant. Successful change management hinges on focusing efforts where they will have the greatest impact. Investing in individuals who are already inclined to adapt, along with those who may need some guidance, is far more valuable than exhausting resources on those who will never engage. By prioritising early adopters and suppo

As HR functions broaden, aligning people strategies with business objectives is increasingly crucial. HR Business Partners (HRBPs) play a pivotal role in facilitating this alignment, connecting high-level vision with operational execution. Research shows that effective HRBPs can significantly influence business outcomes, with Gartner reporting up to a 22% boost in employee performance, a 24% increase in retention, and a 9% rise in profitability. These statistics underscore th

High-performance teams only exist when they’re built upon a foundation of trust, and they feel safe with their leader - psychological safety. The leaders set the tone in any organisation and organisations have a lot to gain when they embed trust at their core and build an environment where people feel safe sharing ideas, innovations, thoughts, and their mistakes without fear. If there is no trust within the organisation it can lead to severe, and long term damage to people,

Last week saw 61 of Air Niugini’s Emerging Leaders graduate from their leadership development journey facilitated by RdL. As they all learnt, the program was no walk in the park and there were times where I am sure many would have preferred to walk away, but they persevered and graduated with pride. The program, spanning 10 months included 18 days of classroom facilitation, many mini quizzes, a final assessment, strategic projects and culture change projects and 11, 1 on 1 ex

Inclusive leadership is a style of leadership that fosters an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and included. Inclusive leaders actively seek out and welcome diverse perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, and recognise the unique strengths and contributions that each of their people have to offer. 3 areas that can make a real difference have been highlighted below. Be champions for being the last to speak We all hear that we need to learn to listen,

Done well, networking can be more than just a chance to meet new people – it can open you and your organisation to a world of opportunity. Networking must be a key skill in your leadership toolkit and usually requires you to step outside of your comfort zone. We all know that feeling of being in an unconventional space – we don’t necessarily feel confident, and we start over-analysing everything we do and say, rather than actively listening to what others have to say. We shou