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Goal Indigenous Services is proud to be recognised as a Certified Supplier for the Supply Nation, Australia’s leading database of verified Indigenous businesses.

Supply Nation works to connect verified Indigenous businesses with corporate, government and not-for-profit members in every state and territory.  Supply Nation is highly regarded in growing the movement towards supplier diversity in Australia creating a more inclusive economy.

To become a Certified Supplier, a business must:

• Prove that it is at least 51% Indigenous owned, managed and controlled; decisions regarding the business’s finances, operations and personnel must rest with this person.
• Pass an internal verification process carried out by Supply Nation; and
• Be certified via the Supply Nation certification process.

Goal is an Indigenous-owned labour-hire and permanent recruitment provider across Australia and a vocational training and employment centre (VTEC) contract holder with the National Indigenous Australians Agency in Victoria and Tasmania.

Our ethos is to provide long-term career opportunities for our people and to provide support and mentorship along the journey.  We partner with many large organisations and major works projects across various industries, providing great employees and strong post-placement mentoring.

We are very proud to part of the Supply Nation network.

The thought of your resume might not exactly get your mouth watering, but picture this: a great resume is like a great burger.

The basis of a good resume is all the essential ingredients stacked with some tasty little details that make it a truly juicy concoction; this gives the recruiters exactly what they’re looking for.

How to build your resume like a burger:

Don’t want none unless you got buns, hon’!

First up, you need to frame your essentials. Whether it’s a stock standard sesame seed bun or an out-of-the-box baked brioche, the burger bun serves as a strong foundation. Just like a tasty burger, your resume needs a defined layout. A burger without a bun is just a messy pile of food you can’t easily pick up and eat with your hands. Likewise, a resume without a solid structure is difficult for a recruiter to read and it will be difficult for them to recognise your valuable skills and experience.

Something meaty to sink your teeth into

A juicy meat patty is the very essence of the burger; this gives the meal substance and fills you up. If you don’t fill up your resume with substantial content, like relevant information and key sections, recruiters are going to be left hungry. Chef’s tip: do not overcook, and do not go too wild with seasoning.

There’s such a thing as too much cheese

The best burgers are oozing with cheesy goodness. Cheese is the glue that can bring all the other ingredients together harmoniously, but go too overboard with the yellow stuff and it all falls apart. A resume with poor spelling and grammar is like a burger with too much cheese – it oozes for all the wrong reasons. You don’t want to portray sloppiness and poor attention to detail.

Slicing and dicing

Slices of tomato are a burst of freshness, and only the freshest ingredients should make it onto a fine burger. A great resume should also only be filled with juicy information – don’t take away from the best bits by bulking it out with old, out-dated information. Slice and dice out the irrelevant bits, and you’ll find yourself with a refreshingly simple resume.

A delicate and balancing act

The underrated staple of every good burger, lettuce is the fresh and crunchy quiet achiever that provides balance to the burger’s other rich and flavoursome elements. Like building the perfect burger, a resume is also a delicate balancing act. While you shouldn’t oversell yourself, be careful not to undersell yourself. You might not have absolutely all the essential ingredients the recipe (ahem, job ad) demands, but your alternative ingredients and exciting extra flavours could be the special of the day.

That special something

Your achievements and unique skills are the special sauce that sets you apart! From your stock standard tomato or BBQ sauce, to exotic spicy mayos, the sauce is one of the real heroes of a great burger and brings out the best of the other essential ingredients. Likewise, showcasing the things that make you unique will make your experience shine.

Flavour and quality guarantee

Some jobs have dietary requirements – they might require you to change up or substitute some of the ingredients of your resume to satisfy the hungry customer. Whatever you’re applying for, make sure your resume contains no added sugar. Let your achievements do the sweet-talking and keep your tone professional. And make sure the information is 100% natural ingredients – no matter what industry you’re in, your resume should not contain any nasty additives or artificial ingredients.

Whether you’re a recycling rookie or eco-warrior, Earth Day (22nd April 2018) is the perfect time to reflect on how to be better for the environment. In the face of such huge problems, trying to make a difference alone can feel overwhelming. We’ve got some tips on how you and your company can do your bit to keep the planet healthy.

It all begins with the journey

Congestion, and the extra fuel it uses, emits CO2 and NO2. These gases add to the greenhouse effect, and have a significant negative impact on our health.

Public transport helps minimise the emissions, as does carpooling. If your company hasn’t got a carpool scheme, start one. Sharing a ride helps the environment, and could strengthen your internal network too.

If you want to improve your health and the planet’s, try cycling, running or walking to work. A marathon is 42km, so running 10km to work 4 days a week puts you on the road to fitness success!

Ditch the one-use plastics

Coffee cups cannot be recycled. Every one litre of bottled water needs one litre of oil to produce it. With so many attractive reusable coffee cups and water bottles – is there really any excuse?

Bring your own lunch

Ditch the packaged salads and sandwiches and start setting aside time to prep lunches. Or cook double portions at dinner for tomorrow’s lunch. This reduces plastic, and you’ll know everything in your food – no hidden nasties!

Bulk up

For some things – tea, coffee, biscuits – there’s always going to be some packaging. Buying in bulk not only saves money, it reduces total amount of packaging used. Liaise with other departments – are you ordering the same things, at different times? Show off your logistics flair and initiative whilst doing your part for Earth Day.

Turn it off

Lights on in empty meeting rooms, computers on standby overnight or aircon pumping room-temperature air: offices haemorrhage energy. Whenever you leave your desk, do a survey of the office for any switches to flick off.

Recycle, recycle, recycle

Hopefully in 2018, your company recycles waste. But what about old computers, or furniture? E-waste is a mounting issue, whilst precious metals to make new computers are scarce. With 15 billion trees lost each year, is throwing away slightly scuffed desks a good use of already-chopped wood? Earth Day is the perfect time to re-evaluate all your company’s waste – and to start looking into more ethical sourcing in future.

Be sure to check your company’s environment or CSR policies before you start your eco-crusade. There could be a framework in place that isn’t implemented. And if there isn’t anything, it’s your time to shine! Showing your initiative and taking the lead is not just good for the world, but for your career, too.

It’s another start to a long year and you find yourself saying is it February already! We can all get stuck going through the motions, getting to the end of the year and wondering where the year went. We also say things like ‘I wish I did this’, or the year has gone and ‘I haven’t achieved that’.

We often get bogged down in our work loads and deadlines, sometimes forgetting to enjoy the things we love away from our work. Our personal goals we set take a back seat and before we know it another year has gone by.

I have a challenge for you… I want you to set one simple goal for 2018.

I want you to set a personal goal – I believe this to be the most important kind of goal. I want your personal goal to be something you have always wants to do, something that is so out there that it takes you out of your comfort zone. It could be sky diving, learning to play the guitar, walk the Kokoda track, buy a house or even learn to swim.

Your job is to achieve this goal before the end of the year!

My ‘out there’ goal is living off grid for 2 weeks. How will I achieve this? I am not 100% sure yet, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. This means rely on solar only, camping on a beach somewhere with no mobile phone or communications. Getting back to the simple things in life! I am hoping this will recharge me, reset me, refocus me and prioritise the things I value in my life.

Why is setting a personal goal important? We all get caught up in the strains of work, family and friends, we are continually doing things for others we forget to take the time to do the things for ourselves. This isn’t at the expense of work productivity, in fact I believe your work productivity will increase because you’re motivated, driven and achieving personal goals –  transferring into your work. Coming to work happy is a great thing, but going home happy is even better.

I will check in at the end of 2018 and see how you all went!

Where did that document go…The one you need for a presentation later today? It was just under your novelty mug or was it behind that calendar….?

Having a clean and tidy desk not only prevents sticky situations like the one above, but can help you work better, faster and smarter. It can even make a positive impact on your mental health!

If you’re struggling to find things or just need some help spring cleaning your work desk, we’ve got you. Read on for our helpful tips on how to create the perfect work station, free of unnecessary clutter and mess.

Ergonomics

First things first! Get your desk set up correctly for your posture. If you need help with this, your HR officer will definitely have some information for you on correct desk and chair set up.

We spend so much time sitting down at our desks, it’s really important to ensure we are doing it the right way! The basics are; your screen should be elevated so it’s at eye level and you should be sitting with your feet planted flat on the floor, with a natural spine curve.

If your workplace has an option for adjustable stand up desks, enquire about getting one. They allow you to stand and sit throughout the day, limiting damage to the neck, shoulders and back.

Phone placement

Whether you use a work phone or a mobile, place it on your dominant side, this reduces stretching and straining and can also keep cords neat and tidy.

Blank space

Leave an empty space near your dominant hand – the same side you phone is on – that’s at least the size of an A4 piece of paper. This can be your writing space. Anytime you want to jot down notes in a pad or review paper documents, this will be the place to do it.

Personal touch

Some people like kitschy knic knacs, others like small succulents or a photo frame filled with a family happy snap – whatever you like to decorate your desk with, go for it! Bringing some personality to your desk can help you stay motivated or remain calm in times of stress.

The secret is, keep it limited. This may change depending on the size of your desk, but for most office desks, three items should be the maximum. Sticking to this rule, ensures your work station won’t get cramped – meaning more productivity and less of a possibility of accidents resulting in split coffee!

Stationery

We know it’s hard to resist the urge to horde a stapler, scissors, paper clips and highlighters – you might need them one day! We understand, but this is why stationery cupboards exist. Only keep the supplies you use daily on your desk. Use a cup or holder to keep them up off the desk.

Filing

Employ a filing system and regularly clean out unnecessary files. Stay away from the traditional in/out trays and invest in folders and stackers that use vertical space. This will keep the surface of your desk less cluttered.

We’ve all been there. It’s your first day at a new job and you’re taking in a lot of new information – including everyone’s names. Before you’ve gotten a handle of your teammates’ names, you’re already being introduced to other departments while attempting to remember the OH&S processes and how to use the office coffee machine.

It’s easy to get confused and names seem to be the first thing that gets forgotten.

So how can you avoid this? We’ve collected some handy tips for remembering names that can be used on your first day in a new role. Take a look below!  

Listen, no really listen

It’s hard to discipline your thoughts but once you get the hang of it, you can really focus in on one thing and tune out everything else. We know it sounds silly, but really listen when someone says their name. Focus all your attention to what they are saying and drown everything else out. Keep eye contact and if necessary, subtly look at their mouth as they say their name.

Repeat their name

Immediately use their name in conversation. Try using their name when you say “nice to meet you’’. Repetition is one of the ways our brains learn and names are no exception. Use their name throughout your conversation and again when you say goodbye

Association

Another tried and tested way to ensure you don’t forget names is by using visual cues and association tricks. Try associating the person’s name to something about their appearance. This is particularly successful if someone has a unique style of dress. You can use the visual association of their loud tie, for instance to trigger their name. You can also associate names to other people in your life or certain objects that may allude to their appearance or personality.

We hope these tips help you out on your first day and don’t forget, remembering someone’s name and using it while talking to them is a sign of respect. People feel appreciated when others remember and use their name. So, if you ace the introduction part of your first day, chances are your new colleagues will take a shine to you early on. Good luck!

Inclusivity and diversity are important words in 2018. Although, there are still horrible injustices happening in our world, it seems that at least most of our mindsets are changing. On the whole, people seem a little more attuned to pointing out discrimination and banding together against it.

More and more everyday people and yes, even big brands are recognising the world’s changing attitudes towards human rights, activism, feminism, sexism and racism. It makes sense that in the world of business and recruitment, things must also change and this is why we are seeing more significance placed on creating dynamic work environments with diverse teams.

Working hard to ensure your workplace is filled with people from diverse backgrounds; with a range of nationalities, faiths, genders, sexualities and abilities is of course, a step that helps make the world a better and more just place, and of course, it will keep your organisation relevant. But, what most people don’t see is that it can also have a huge impact on how your business performs.

Here’s five reasons why having a diverse workplace will positively affect your business and help make it more successful.

Employee morale

Creating a workplace that celebrates and promotes difference ensures that all staff feel welcome and safe. This is the type of environment where employees can be their authentic selves and are therefore, more confident and happy while at work. Staff who know they are valued for who they are, will then feel a sense of belonging and loyalty to their colleagues and management. This can lead to an improvement in productivity as they feel they are part of a team who sees their unique abilities.

Diversifies talent & skill pool

Ensuring your team is made up of diverse people who come from a range of financial backgrounds, cultures, faiths, walks of life, sexualities and at different ages will result in a whole spectrum of views, skills and experiences. Businesses able to draw on these vast pools of difference are better equipped to adapt to our changing world. Different skills, personalities, talents and viewpoints will safeguard an organisation from becoming stagnant, instead making it more agile than it was before.

Attracts ethical & compassionate employees

It makes sense that a company devoted to promoting equality will draw diverse candidates but what it will also do is bring in candidates that have ‘social responsibility’ high on their employer checklist. Young people looking for roles not only want a good job, they want to work for a good company too; a place they would be proud to be associated with from an ethical standpoint. The best and brightest candidates with the most up-to-date skills are most likely going to be these very same, young people. So, if you can show these candidates a diverse workplace, you are more likely to attract them to your business, snagging them before your competitors can offer them a position.

Cultural diversity helps global business

Businesses who operate internationally or those who are looking to in the future, will often have a few road blocks in the beginning. Etiquette – within business and/or social interactions – can differ vastly from culture to culture. Organisations who already have, say for instance, multilingual employees will have a leg up in establishing themselves in overseas markets or creating partnerships with international companies. While the other employees, used to cultural diversity, will generally be more understanding and patient with their overseas partners.

Diversity promotes a culture of compassion

Establishing, growing and maintaining a diverse workplace takes time, effort and education. Through these practices, you will be developing your staff to become more compassionate and understanding employees and – hopefully people. This not only benefits those that are learning, it impacts the organisation too. When you give staff education and tools for their development you show you care. You are illustrating that you are invested in their development as people. This can lead to positive employee relations and better conflict resolution skills among staff, resulting in a more stable workplace. It can also be used as a draw for prospective new employees looking for an employer who takes an interest in their self-development. 

Tips on how to have social media accounts that won’t get you in trouble at work

Social media and work, sometimes they just don’t mix. But let’s face it, today, most people have a social media account of some kind – including your boss! And so, we think learning how they can co-exist peacefully is pretty important. In this post we wanted to give you some tips on how to ensure your social media doesn’t ruffle feathers in the workplace.

Generally speaking, most people have several different social media accounts that they post different types of content to. Sometimes these platforms are separate but more and more we are noticing that they are linked to one another.

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube…the list goes on. You might have one of these or all of them.

All the above examples are focused on different types of content and interaction; a person might use Facebook for keeping up with family and friends, Instagram for sharing cool photos and perhaps, they use Twitter to keep up with their favourite celebrities.

How ever you use your social media accounts, you’ll realise the one thing they have in common; the way they reflect your identity. Often, social media accounts include your name and personal information. And, this means your employer can search for you and see how you behave online.

Below are a few tips on how to ‘work-proof’ your social media – just in case your employer or workmates decide they want to do a little cyber investigation. Following these guidelines will make sure your social media accounts always reflect the most positive (and appropriate) version of you. Happy posting!

Research

Understand how your accounts are linked to you and your personal information. Read up on your privacy settings and the privacy policies of each social media you use. This will ensure you are well-aware of how your posts are displayed and who can see them.

Settings

Take advantage of the ‘Settings’ section of your accounts. Most social media websites allow users to set different levels of privacy, often you can change them for each individual post. This allows you to post only to a particular group of your ‘followers’ or ‘friends’.

Requests

You don’t have to accept everyone. Sometimes, it’s better to deny a friend request than adding all your workmates. Figuring out some boundaries on what work contacts you will accept and which ones you won’t will help you in the long run. It’s not mean, it’s just #business!

Invite Only

A lot of social media websites give you the ability to create an invite-only group, this is a great way to communicate personal information to your close friends. There’s always the private messaging option as well.

Think Before You Post

Yep, your mum was right! The saying ‘think before you speak’ can be applied to posting online. A helpful question to ask before you post something is “would I be happy for all my LinkedIn contacts to see this post?”.

The lack of motivation, urgency and focus leading into and over the Christmas break can be frustrating for management and leaders in business.

However it is such a vital time for everyone in the workplace to switch off, recover and re-charge.

Many senior AFL teams have just come back after a 6 or 7 week break after a long 2016/2017 season. This has much to do with resetting the mind, as it does the body. In high performance teams – both business and sport – you can’t afford the risk of burn out in the team.

Wear and tear on the mind may be invisible to others, however it’s becoming very apparent in the world of professional sport. Clubs and teams are investing resources in wellness, mindfulness and meditation.  The realization of the brain being fit and healthy as well as the body, has uncovered a winning combination.

It’s important as a manager or leader to give your staff the time and space to escape the office, just as it is for the employee to stay away from the lure of emails and advancing with tasks that realistically can wait.  

If it’s absolutely necessary in your nature of work to stay online, set aside a specific time each day, maybe an hour or two in the morning to get the tasks achieved. Let others know this time in your out of office reply. You must set this time away from your friends and family. Having a mother, brother, friend or guest sat on their phone during the Christmas break is uncomfortable and unwelcome.

Being able to step off the hamster wheel of work and completely switch off – even for a couple of days, has been proven to re-inspire, motivate and improve confidence upon returning to the work place. 

After the Christmas break you should set some ‘Business’ New Year’s resolutions together as a team, giving your workplace ownership on setting goals. You will both see and feel the positive effect within the team, which will flow on through this renewed drive to succeed together.

I find myself using this saying a lot in coaching. Often in sport it’s easy for an individual or team to get sidetracked from their specific purpose, talent or role that they play, due to external constraints. Much like a manager or other member of staff can be when the responsibility of recruiting new staff members arises.

The bakers bake the buns – let the professionals do what they do best.

I wouldn’t distract a defender by making them learn all of the forwards drills, so, why is it that often organisations recruit in-house instead of letting experts in their field help to find the right candidate? Employers don’t need to go it alone when it comes to hiring.

The benefits of using a reputable recruitment agency or consultant are boundless. Often companies are concerned about the costs involved, often being more expensive than the in-house option. However, when you weigh up the accelerated time scales – cutting out the short-listing, interviews and time spent assessing candidates, the cost can become negligible when compared the cost worn of distracting your staff from their usual role. Time is not on the side of an actively recruiting member of your own staff.

A quick snapshot of the benefits:

Matchmaking – Agencies work with both employers who are searching for talent, and professionals who are on the hunt for career opportunities. 

Knowledge –  How to avoid hiring a bad candidate, who is looking for work currently, what are the salary expectations in your industry- they hold the market knowledge. 

Pools of talent – Consultants have great networks and a clear idea of where to find individuals. Some candidates might not be actively looking for a new job, but a trusted consultant could just tempt them into a new role.

Manageability –  Instead of having 100 CVs sat on your desk, you will only receive the cream of the crop – the shortlisted, vetted applicants for consideration.

Negotiation –  Agencies can negotiate salaries early on in the piece knowing the wants and needs of both parties. This step often comes last with in-house recruitment and can often end in disappointment for either party’s expectations.

Xavier Clarke

Goal Indigenous Services and Lendlease Building continue to work together providing a scope of works across many different skill sets throughout the Northern Territory.

Four Wardaman people (Katherine region) were chosen to complete a program aligned to meet the following unit of competency: AHCFAU301A Respond to wildlife emergencies.

With over 25 venomous snakes in the Northern Territory and among them are the Western Brown and King Brown snakes, the ‘Spotter Catcher’ course was held at the beginning of the year and ran over three days; covering both theory and practical components. The group worked with snakes and other wild life including wombats and possums at the Shoalhaven Zoo on the south coast of New South Wales. This training has prepared them for the dry season when the group will be employed as snake catchers at Delamere.

This is another example of Goal Indigenous Services working with companies such as Lendlease, to not only to provide work but to assist in the training and education that leads to employment outcomes.

As long as it’s not me having to catch snakes I’m happy!

For information on Goal Indigenous Services head to www.goalis.com.au

Wolpers Grahl is a locally owned Darwin company with over 20 years civil contracting and commercial construction experience, and has been successful in numerous NT Government construction projects.

In 2014 the NT Government introduced the Indigenous Participation on Construction Project Policy. This policy requires contractors completing work on government-funded projects to ensure a provisional sum is directly used to provide Indigenous employment opportunities.

In 2016 Wolpers Grahl partnered with CGH Group and Goal Indigenous Services to assist them in meeting their Indigenous engagement targets. Indigenous candidates were successfully placed into construction work and trade roles through Goal Indigenous Services and the CGH Group.

Goal Indigenous Services is now the major supplier for labour hire services to Wolpers Grahl. Indigenous employees are currently engaged on a number of projects including the Darwin Hospital upgrade.

When it comes to Indigenous engagement and employment Wolpers Grahl are leading the way; having a positive impact in our community.

Sydney Swans have arguably been one of the most successful teams in the past 10 years. Paul Roos took the Swans to the 2004 AFL grand final, winning by one point against the West Coast Eagles. At the end of 2010, John Longmire joined the Swans as head coach and in 2012 coached the Swans to a 10-point victory against Hawthorn in the AFL grand final.

How does a club or organisation stay at the top of their game over a long period of time? Is it just talent alone?

A Sebastian Hassett article explores the culture of Sydney Swans lead by John Longmire. The article covers off on the Swans’ 5 culture components:

1. It starts at the top, but everyone owns it.
2. Never stop looking for a winning edge.
3. A strong collective culture improves almost any individual.
4. Improve. Every year.
5. Be resilient.

As I explore what makes a successful business, sporting club or any other kind of organisation for that matter, success always stems from culture and the passion to improve, build and grow in new and old relationships.

Now, is business always going to be smooth sailing, pleasing everyone along the way? The short answer is no. When George W Bush served his term as US president, his philosophy was to have people around you that will challenge your thinking. You don’t want ‘yes’ men. This is important, not to pick fights or to always disagree, but to see things from a different point of view. Does this change the overall outcome? Not necessarily, but potentially changes the process.

Enjoy the read.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/culture-sydney-swans-john-longmire-sebast…

Goal Indigenous Services has entered into a 36-month contract with Darwin Port Operations to deliver provision of ground maintenance services across Darwin Port Facilities.

Goal Indigenous Services has entered into a 36-month contract with Darwin Port Operations to deliver provision of ground maintenance services across Darwin Port Facilities. These locations are to be mowed, edged, trimmed, pruned and fertilised at a specified frequency or when required by the Darwin Port.

As part of this contract Goal Indigenous Services will:

· Employ indigenous people where possible to deliver the services – to date Goal Indigenous Services has employed five indigenous employees to this project.

· Utilise local suppliers for any consumables such as mulch, fertiliser, and fuel.

· Purchase equipment such as lawn mowers and line trimmers from local distributors – Goal has purchased all of its equipment from a local supplier in Darwin.

· Provide employees access to a traineeship program where available.

Growing any business gives us the opportunity to provide more employment for indigenous men and women. Here at Goal we are committed to providing long term, sustainable jobs.

With five clients around Darwin ranging from civil construction, building and ground maintenance, Goal has placed more than twenty people into jobs over the past twelve months.

We thank all of our clients for partnering with Goal to help close the gap in indigenous employment. Collectively we can make a difference.

Recently I took part in a two week coaching developing tour of the US, spending time with professional sporting teams, college teams, Navy SEALs as well as having conversations with ex NFL coach and now commentator Eric Mangini.

Recently I took part in a two week coaching developing tour of the US, spending time with professional sporting teams, college teams, Navy SEALs as well as having conversations with ex NFL coach and now commentator Eric Mangini.

The tour was designed to have open conversations around coaching, leadership, player development and player welfare.

Day one started in San Diego at Chula Vista USA Olympic training base where we spoke with coaches from sports such as hockey, beach volley ball, water polo, indoor volley ball and archery to name a few. These around the table conversations were an interesting one coming off an Olympic Games, which wasn’t a successful one for the USA.

Day two was spent with the Navy SEALs, an experience that blew me away! 63 weeks it takes from induction to graduation as a Navy SEAL and the selection process in brutal. Anyone can walk off the street and apply to be a SEAL, and out of 300 potentials 80% will make it through the initial screening and only half of them will make it through the following ‘hell week’. At the end of 63 weeks about 20 of the 300 will become a Navy SEAL. Selecting ‘character and competence’ is what Commander Jay Hennessey drives.

It’s hard to comprehend what these guys are training for, as at the end of the day it’s to basically survive with the reality being either life or death.

Day three was up to San Francisco were we visited the prestigious Stanford University; spending time with coaches from their football, swimming, hockey, volley ball, golf and water polo programs. When taking about high standards, Stanford expects nothing but elite and with 16,000 students it’s considered one of the smaller universities in the US.

As the tour went on I started to notice a common theme: bigger, stronger, faster, which means expectations on results. Now this isn’t a bad thing but it also has its traps. When people set the expectation levels so high for others and the individuals don’t reach them, results become mixed. Then we start to see the ‘individual’ as the problem but never really question the ‘system’.

This is worth exploring if your workplace or sporting club have high turnover or are falling short of result/expectations. Who /what are you questioning? The individual or the system?

If you have followed my blogs you will start to see a theme: workplace culture, valuing individuals, seeing the strengths in your employees and not focusing on the downfalls, celebrating the small wins and building an enjoyable work place which will aid to see the results that you want to achieve.

High expectations are good, but at what cost?

Xavier Clarke.

As the Goal business starts to grow, I continually look at methods on how I would like to see the business take shape as we progress and grow.

My coaching philosophies have always been based around people and culture. I feel these two elements are the most important ingredients when building an enjoyable and productive environment, whether that’s in the work place or in the sporting world.

On a recent coaching tour of the USA, my horizons were broadened with all of the new information and experiences I encountered. However, the one thing that stood out the most for me was spending the day with US Navy SEALs Commander Jay Hennessey. He spoke about productivity and how everyone plays an important role in the successes of any organisation; even more so for a Navy SEALs teams when your life is dependant on one another. He went on to talk about everyone being on the same page, working together, encouraging new ideas and social connection in the work place.

A model Commander Jay Hennessey referred to was the ‘Super Chicken’, a TED talk by Margaret Heffernan. Without giving too much away, I encourage you to watch the link below and challenge yourself on what type of leader you are. Does your business or workplace have super chickens, if so what culture do you want to shape in your organisation?

Enjoy. 

I have been blessed in my life to have been involved in a professional football club for over ten years as an athlete, coach my own team (NT Thunder) for three years, and now work in the coaching team at an AFL club in Melbourne. Along with all of this a  new chapter in my life is being exposed to the business world through the CGH group and now Goal Indigenous Services.

If you dig deeper into the roles that individuals play in both business and in sport, you will discover that both have a lot more in common than you may have first thought.

As the business world is relatively new to me, the similarities between the two entities has become very apparent, for instance ‘building a winning culture’. Every business much like sporting teams strive to be successful and to have consistent results over a long period of time, with everyone playing an important part in contributing to this success.

The most successful sporting teams I have witnessed are the ones where everyone is clear on their roles, they want to succeed and do their best, knowing that they contribute to the team’s efforts. The one thing I always say to my players is “Never underestimate your ability to make a difference, regardless of how small your role is”.

Now, if you had 22 players every game day turning up with this attitude, who’s going to beat you? What’s the difference in the business world? Very little.

Change is good

One obvious similarity is recognising change. Be adaptable and accept that the way you have always done things isn’t always the best way! If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always gotten!

In AFL the game is continuously changing, the way the game is played, new talent, new teams, new training techniques, players are getting stronger, faster and more skilful. If you as a player or a club don’t improve each year by at least 5% you will be left well  behind the rest of the pack. 

Much the same as business: new technologies, advanced training, recruitment strategies, dynamic marketing, the digital age, recovering from failure and setbacks–these are all challenges faceedin both worlds.

Change is inevitable; those who adapt and embrace change to stay ahead of the game, are the successful ones.

In conclusion there’s a couple of vital components to build on all of this, and that’s celebrating the small wins and rewarding those who have played their role. This creates both a fun and rewarding environment, resulting in a good team culture.

A pat on the back, a monetary reward, or a promotion are characteristics shown in both worlds reflecting a  good team culture.

This is something that is present in my team. Is it something that’s present in yours?