This year has been transformative. It’s truly been a time of positive change in finalizing my PhD study on nonprofit innovation, sharing the study’s findings at seminars and conferences across the globe, having two more studies published, and gaining new practitioner roles where I’ve been able to directly apply my research insights. In addition to my ongoing position as Charley’s Chocolate Advisory Board Member, in early 2024, I became a Queensland University of Technology (Q

As Plato put it “Our need will be the real creator” (c. 375 B.C.E.). This aphorism reflects enduring themes of today’s society, challenging us to bring together critical ideas of innovation, growth, and social progress; and, certainly, such notions have been interrogated in their interconnectedness in for-profits. Yet despite the nonprofit sector’s recognized significance and particular hurdles, these concepts remain largely understudied in an integrated way in the nonprofit

Milton Friedman famously opined that the firm’s social responsibility is to maximize its profits (while engaging in open, free, and fair competition). The role and conduct of organizations in society has fascinated me for decades. For example, I have referenced competition theory throughout my corporate and nonprofit executive and board roles. In 2020, early in my doctoral program at The University of Queensland, Australia, I refreshed my knowledge of this influential concept

Recently appointed to Charley’s Chocolate Advisory Board, my third food tech start up board, and after an immersion tour in their sunny far north Queensland operations, I began thinking about some common themes of my SME consultancy and my for purpose board roles: innovation and why some organisations do well and others not so well in this space. First of all, far north Queensland is such a delightful mix of scenery, agriculture, tourism … My ‘tour’ started with a drop by ac

Earlier this year, thanks to a Harvard Social Enterprise Scholarship and Sport Australia Women Leaders Grant, I had the pleasure of completing the Harvard Kennedy School of Government/Harvard Business School Performance Management in Non-Profits program. Similar to the AICD Company Directors Course a decade prior, I relished the opportunity to undertake some serious relevant study and to network with inspiring leaders. Similar to the AICD Course, the pre-reading materials we

As part of my board appointment to Australian University Sport I recently attended a two day university sport sector conference. I knew I would learn a lot about the sports education environment, gain valuable perspective on the organisation’s challenges and opportunities, meet some interesting folk across the sector and get to know my board colleagues. I didn’t anticipate, though, how stimulating, refreshing, strategic and more broadly relevant (to my other board roles and f

Not-for-profits are realising the need to put the customer at the heart of their service, in response to the recent health, disability and aged care reforms. Tied to this customer centricity is a new language with terms floating around including person centred care or consumer directed care. Focusing on the customer is something corporates have learnt early in their organisation’s life. More than just marketing theory, they have experienced firsthand the results of being ou

In recent years I’ve noticed an emphasis on operational excellence. Maybe it’s just my exposure to the not-for-profit sector or a decade working with small to medium sized businesses? Or maybe it’s a newish focus across organisations. Whatever the case, I’m not convinced it’s the right focus. As much as I believe operational processes must be seamless and efficient, I’ve found time and again that the most successful organisations are those that embrace strategy – and I’m talk

I’ve realised the value of information since early in my career. In a gap year before uni as the Office Assistant in a small owner run wholesaling business, stock not being correctly counted, shelved and invoiced meant accounting or customer problems down the track. The importance of information was not limited to stock numbers; fully calculating costs and correctly setting prices were also essential. I came to similar conclusions about the value of information at British Pet

Last week the ABC announced cost cutting measures across its business units, mirroring earlier measures by global media counterparts. In recent times well trained journalists have moved into other fields in order to keep employed – public relations, copywriting, marketing. As cuts continue to be made in journalism worldwide, does content really matter in today’s business world? Last month I wrote about engagement. Engagement comes from inspiring an emotional connection – of

Engagement is the new black in 2014. Organisations talk about engaging with their audiences. Some create a position of Community Engagement Manager. Others discuss the importance of big data and understanding what's really going on with customers’ interactions (read purchasing, donating, membership, volunteering, following ...). It's part of the seismic move from mass marketing to one to one relationships and the transition from organisation based power to customer centric or