# eurekaMINDSPACE > facilitating effective organisations > Generated by All in One SEO Pro v5.0.3, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. ## Posts ### [Articles](https://eurekamindspace.com/blog/) **Published:** June 19, 2023 **Author:** Melinda Deasey --- ### [Why every project deserves an independent assurance review](https://eurekamindspace.com/why-every-project-deserves-independent-assurance-review/) **Published:** August 24, 2026 **Author:** Ian Jones **Excerpt:** Most organisations only think about independent project review when something has already gone wrong, or when a funding body or government mandates one. Gateway Reviews exist because major projects fail in predictable, preventable ways. The same principles that protect billion-dollar infrastructure builds can protect your next system rollout, restructure, or funding-critical initiative. This post explains what program and project review and assurance actually involves, and why it belongs earlier in your project than you think. **Content:** ## Executive Summary Most organisations only think about independent project review when something has already gone wrong, when the project is a billion-dollar megaproject, or when a funding body or government mandates one. Assurance reviews exist because important projects fail in predictable, preventable ways. The same principles that protect large infrastructure projects can protect your next system rollout, transformation, or funding-critical initiative. This post explains what program and project assurance actually involves, and why it belongs earlier than you think. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [What a good review actually does](#What-a-good-review-actually-does) - [Right-sized for your project](#Right-sized-for-your-project) - [The real cost isn’t the review](#The-real-cost-isnt-the-review) - [Ready for an outside view on your next big project?](#Ready-for-an-outside-view-on-your-next-big-project) Every project sponsor has sat in a status meeting where the words “on track” didn’t quite match the mood in the room. Nobody was lying. They just hadn’t looked closely enough, recently enough, from far enough outside the project to see what was actually building up. **That’s the gap independent review and assurance is designed to close.** Governments and large capital-intensive companies have known this for decades. The OGC (Office of Government Commerce) Gateway process, used across every Australian state and territory and in New Zealand, puts major infrastructure and ICT projects (typically costing $100 million or more) in front of an independent review team at critical points in their lifecycle. Large multi-billion-dollar projects in the resources sector undergo independent or peer assurance reviews, often with a specific focus for each review. Assurance reviews and functional checks are used across the oil and gas industry to verify asset integrity, operational safety, and regulatory compliance. The logic doesn’t change: some projects are too important to be allowed to fail. A team with no stake in the project’s success, no history with its politics, and no attachment to the original plan will see risks the people inside it cannot. The uncomfortable research backs this up. ***McKinsey’s analysis*** of more than 5,400 large IT projects, run with the University of Oxford, found that large IT projects overrun their budgets by an average of 45 percent, run 7 percent over schedule, and deliver 56 percent less value than promised. None of those projects set out to fail. They failed the way most projects fail: gradually, through small unexamined assumptions that compounded until the gap between plan and reality was too wide to close quietly. You don’t need a multi-million-dollar project for that pattern to apply to you. A funding-critical system rollout, a merger integration, a major restructure, a capital campaign – all carry the same underlying risk: nobody with the authority to raise a concern actually asks the hard questions until it’s too late to act on the answers. ## What a good review actually does A proper program or project review isn’t an audit and it isn’t a performance appraisal. It doesn’t look for someone to blame. It looks at four main things: whether the strategic case still holds, whether governance and decision-making are working the way they’re meant to, whether the real risks are visible and owned, and whether the project is still going to deliver the benefits it was funded for. The review examines the documentation, interviews the people actually doing the work and the people they answer to, and produces a short, direct report with a rating and a set of recommendations for the project’s sponsor. The value isn’t in the paperwork, it’s in the conversations. Interviewees speak more freely with an outsider than they will in a steering committee meeting, and reviewers ask questions insiders have stopped asking because they’ve become used to the answer. Not every review needs the full six-gate treatment either. A health check can be run at any stage of a project and tailored to a specific worry, a slipping timeline, a governance concern, a benefits case that no longer adds up, without waiting for a formal gate to come around. A recommendation review, meanwhile, simply checks whether the actions from an earlier review actually happened. Matching the type of review to the actual question you’re trying to answer is half the value. Timing matters just as much as type. Reviews work best when they happen before a major decision point, not after a problem has already surfaced. Four to six weeks’ notice before a key stage gate, whether that’s a business case approval, a go-to-market decision, or a go-live date, gives you enough runway to act on what the review finds rather than just document it for the post-mortem. ## Right-sized for your project Small and medium organisations often assume assurance reviews are a government-scale exercise: three or four reviewers, five days, a formal delivery confidence rating. They can be. They can also be a single experienced reviewer spending a day and a half with your project documentation and your team, delivering a focused health check on the two or three risks that actually threaten delivery. The rigour scales to the project and the budget. What doesn’t change is the independence, because that’s where the value comes from. This is also where formal assurance experience earns its keep. The disciplines an experienced reviewer brings, critical thinking, structured interviews, a delivery confidence framework, and a habit of testing claims against evidence rather than optimism, translate directly to any project, in any sector, at any scale. A not-for-profit running a major systems change, a family business managing a generational transition project, or a growing company implementing a new operating model can all use the same rigour a government department applies to a large project, scaled to fit. ## The real cost isn’t the review Organisations that skip review and assurance aren’t saving money. They’re deferring the cost of finding out too late, when the fix is a lot more expensive than the check-up would have been. A short review that catches a governance gap or an unrealistic benefits case is cheap against a project that runs 45 percent over budget and still misses its target. Think of it as buying down risk while it’s still cheap to buy down, rather than paying full price for it later in a crisis. So before your next major project clears its next milestone, ask yourself who in the room would actually tell you if it wasn’t on track, and whether you’d believe them if they did. ###### Let’s talk ## Ready for an outside view on your next big project? If your project, program or restructure is approaching a major decision point and you want a candid, independent read on where it really stands, eurekaMINDSPACE now offers program and project reviews and assurance, informed by Gateway Review methodology. Contact us to discuss a review scoped to your project. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ian-J-sq.jpg) Ian Jones Director [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Leadership Circle Smartsheet Coaching Facilitation PRINCE2 [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategic-facilitator-portfolio-projects/) **Categories:** Project Assurance **Tags:** Gateway Review --- ### [Do You Know Your Personal Drivers When Choosing or Changing Careers?](https://eurekamindspace.com/do-you-know-what-your-personal-drivers-are-when-choosing-or-changing-careers/) **Published:** March 10, 2026 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary The idea that there is one perfect career waiting for you is as misleading as the idea that there is only one perfect partner. What most people need is not a specific job title, it’s a set of drivers that make work feel right. Get those drivers and many careers could suit you. Miss them and even a prestigious role will feel hollow. Here is how to figure out what yours are. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Careers are remarkably similar.](#Careers-are-remarkably-similar) - [What do we mean by career drivers?](#What-do-we-mean-by-career-drivers) - [How this plays out across different careers](#How-this-plays-out-across-different-careers) - [The questions worth asking about your current role](#The-questions-worth-asking-about-your-current-role) - [Not Sure What Your Career Drivers Are?](#Not-Sure-What-Your-Career-Drivers-Are) We have all heard the soul mate theory – that somewhere out there is one perfect person, and your job is to find them. It is a romantic idea. It is also, for most people, not how love actually works. Most of us fall in love more than once. We are drawn to different people at different stages of our lives, and while those people may look quite different on the surface, there are usually a handful of things we need in every relationship that hold constant. Trust. Communication. Shared values. A sense of partnership. Get those things, and a lot of people could be a good match for you. Without them, even someone who looks perfect on paper will not work. ## Careers are remarkably similar. The idea that there is one right career, one specific job title or industry that is your career ‘soulmate’, puts an enormous amount of pressure on a decision that is actually far more flexible than that. What most people need is not a particular job in a particular industry. Every person needs a particular set of drivers, or conditions, or elements, that make work feel right, enjoyable, and rewarding for them. Get those drivers right, and a surprising number of roles and industries could suit you well. ## What do we mean by career drivers? Career drivers are the conditions that need to be present for you to feel genuinely engaged, motivated, and like yourself at work. They are not the same as skills; they’re deeper than that. And they are not the same for everyone. Some people need variety. They thrive when no two days look alike, when there are new problems to solve and different people to work with. Put them in a highly routine role and they will be miserable within months if not weeks, regardless of the salary. Others need exactly the opposite. Predictability, clear processes, and the satisfaction of doing familiar work with consistent quality – that is what makes them feel secure and productive. Drop them into a role with constant change and ambiguity and they will find it stressful and exhausting rather than energising. Some people need to work closely with others – the energy of collaboration, the sense of contributing to something collective. Others do their best thinking alone and find constant interaction draining rather than motivating. Some people need their work to have direct, visible impact on other people’s lives. Others are motivated by excellence in craft, by technical complexity, by building systems that work. None of these is better than any other. They are just different, and knowing which ones apply to you changes everything about how you evaluate a career. ## How this plays out across different careers - Take someone who needs **challenge, variety, and direct human impact**. They might find that work well in nursing, social work, project management, or running their own small business. Very different roles, same underlying drivers met. - Take someone who needs **mastery, depth, and the satisfaction of precision**. Accounting, software development, research, trades work with high craft standards – again, very different on the surface, but all capable of meeting the same core needs. - Take someone who needs **autonomy, creativity, and the freedom to set their own direction**. They might find that in marketing, consulting, the arts, or entrepreneurship. The common thread is not the industry – it is what the work allows them to be. This is why two people can do the same job and have completely different experiences of it. It is not the job that determines satisfaction. It is whether the job meets the drivers that matter to that particular person. ## The questions worth asking about your current role - Does your current work challenge you at a level that feels engaging rather than overwhelming or underwhelming? - Do you have enough variety – or enough consistency – to feel comfortable and motivated day to day? - Does the environment allow you to work in a way that suits how you actually operate? - Does the work connect to something you find genuinely meaningful? If you answered no to most of those, it is worth asking not just whether you are in the wrong job, but whether you have ever clearly identified what your drivers actually are. That is harder than it sounds. Most of us have never been asked to articulate what we specifically need from work, we have just taken roles that seemed sensible or that we’re experienced in and hoped for the best. Tools like [**PRINT profiling**](https://eurekamindspace.com/print-profiling-perth/ "PRINT Profiling – The Why of You") and **[Values elicitation](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/values/ "Values Elicitation")** work can help make the invisible visible, surfacing the unconscious motivators and personal values that drive what energises or depletes you at work. Once you know what you are actually looking for, the question of which career fits becomes considerably easier to answer. ###### Let’s talk ## Not Sure What Your Career Drivers Are? Book a complimentary conversation with Melinda to start figuring out what you need from your work. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMTYiIGhlaWdodD0iMTYiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxNiAxNiIgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj4KPGcgY2xpcC1wYXRoPSJ1cmwoI2NsaXAwXzM0M185OTUpIj4KPHBhdGggZD0iTTE0LjgxNTYgMEgxLjE4MTI1QzAuNTI4MTI1IDAgMCAwLjUxNTYyNSAwIDEuMTUzMTNWMTQuODQzOEMwIDE1LjQ4MTMgMC41MjgxMjUgMTYgMS4xODEyNSAxNkgxNC44MTU2QzE1LjQ2ODggMTYgMTYgMTUuNDgxMyAxNiAxNC44NDY5VjEuMTUzMTNDMTYgMC41MTU2MjUgMTUuNDY4OCAwIDE0LjgxNTYgMFpNNC43NDY4NyAxMy42MzQ0SDIuMzcxODhWNS45OTY4N0g0Ljc0Njg3VjEzLjYzNDRaTTMuNTU5MzggNC45NTYyNUMyLjc5Njg4IDQuOTU2MjUgMi4xODEyNSA0LjM0MDYyIDIuMTgxMjUgMy41ODEyNUMyLjE4MTI1IDIuODIxODggMi43OTY4OCAyLjIwNjI1IDMuNTU5MzggMi4yMDYyNUM0LjMxODc1IDIuMjA2MjUgNC45MzQzNyAyLjgyMTg4IDQuOTM0MzcgMy41ODEyNUM0LjkzNDM3IDQuMzM3NSA0LjMxODc1IDQuOTU2MjUgMy41NTkzOCA0Ljk1NjI1Wk0xMy42MzQ0IDEzLjYzNDRIMTEuMjYyNVY5LjkyMTg4QzExLjI2MjUgOS4wMzc1IDExLjI0NjkgNy44OTY4NyAxMC4wMjgxIDcuODk2ODdDOC43OTM3NSA3Ljg5Njg3IDguNjA2MjUgOC44NjI1IDguNjA2MjUgOS44NTkzOFYxMy42MzQ0SDYuMjM3NVY1Ljk5Njg3SDguNTEyNVY3LjA0MDYzSDguNTQzNzVDOC44NTkzNyA2LjQ0MDYzIDkuNjM0MzggNS44MDYyNSAxMC43ODc1IDUuODA2MjVDMTMuMTkwNiA1LjgwNjI1IDEzLjYzNDQgNy4zODc1IDEzLjYzNDQgOS40NDM3NVYxMy42MzQ0VjEzLjYzNDRaIiBmaWxsPSIjNDM0OTYwIi8+CjwvZz4KPGRlZnM+CjxjbGlwUGF0aCBpZD0iY2xpcDBfMzQzXzk5NSI+CjxyZWN0IHdpZHRoPSIxNiIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxNiIgZmlsbD0id2hpdGUiLz4KPC9jbGlwUGF0aD4KPC9kZWZzPgo8L3N2Zz4K) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Coaching **Tags:** career coaching, Values --- ### [Why Knowing Your Values Matters - And Why It's Harder Than You Think](https://eurekamindspace.com/why-knowing-your-values-matters-and-why-its-harder-than-you-think/) **Published:** March 4, 2026 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Your values shape every significant decision you make, yet most people operate on assumed values rather than their actual core drivers. Understanding your true values transforms how you navigate career choices, relationships, and leadership challenges. This guide explores why values matter so profoundly and why discovering them requires more than a quick online quiz. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Why Values Matter More Than You Realise](#Why-Values-Matter-More-Than-You-Realise) - [The Values You Claim vs The Values You Live](#The-Values-You-Claim-vs-The-Values-You-Live) - [Values in Career Decisions](#Values-in-Career-Decisions) - [Values in Relationships](#Values-in-Relationships) - [Values in Leadership](#Values-in-Leadership) - [Why You Can’t Discover Your Values Alone](#Why-You-Cant-Discover-Your-Values-Alone) - [The Payoff of Values Clarity](#The-Payoff-of-Values-Clarity) - [Discover your real Values](#Discover-your-real-Values) Here’s an uncomfortable question: are you living according to your actual values, or the values you think you should have? Most people would confidently list their values if asked. Family. Integrity. Success. Growth. Achievement. But here’s what we’ve learned through hundreds of coaching conversations: the values people claim and the values actually driving their decisions are often completely different. And that gap creates profound consequences for career satisfaction, relationship quality, and leadership effectiveness. ## Why Values Matter More Than You Realise Your values are the unconscious drivers behind every significant choice you make. They determine which job offers you accept, which relationships you invest in, how you respond under pressure, and what kind of leader you become. When your decisions align with your actual values, you experience clarity and a sense of rightness even when choices are difficult. When they conflict, you feel chronic dissatisfaction you can’t quite name. Career success feels hollow. Leadership decisions create internal tension. Research shows that values alignment correlates strongly with job satisfaction, relationship stability, and wellbeing. But here’s the challenge: most people don’t actually know their real values. ## The Values You Claim vs The Values You Live Ask someone what they value and they’ll give you a socially acceptable list. Family tops most lists, along with integrity, honesty, and making a difference. But watch how they actually allocate their time, energy, and attention, and a different picture emerges: - The executive who claims family is their top value but consistently chooses work over family dinners and weekend commitments. Their actual value might be achievement, recognition, or financial security. - The professional who insists they value authenticity but contorts themselves to meet others’ expectations in every interaction. Their real value might be harmony, acceptance, or avoiding conflict. - The leader who champions innovation but punishes every failure and rewards only proven approaches. Their stated value is growth; their operating value is safety. None of these people are lying. They genuinely believe they hold the values they claim. But without deep self-examination, we default to aspirational values rather than actual ones. ## Values in Career Decisions Your values determine whether a career opportunity energises or depletes you, regardless of how impressive it looks on paper. Consider two professionals offered identical promotions to senior leadership. Both positions offer significant salary increases, expanded influence, and career advancement. One accepts enthusiastically; the other feels profound dread. The difference? **Values alignment**. If you genuinely value autonomy and strategic thinking, stepping into a role with greater authority aligns perfectly. If you actually value mastery and doing the work itself, moving into management means abandoning what fulfils you, regardless of external markers of success. Knowing your values doesn’t make career decisions easy. But it makes them clear. You can evaluate opportunities against what actually matters to you, not what sounds impressive or what others expect. ## Values in Relationships Relationships thrive or deteriorate based on values alignment, often in ways couples don’t recognise until conflict becomes chronic. - One partner values adventure and spontaneity; the other values security and predictability. Both value “the relationship,” but their core drivers create constant friction around how to spend time and money, where to live, and how to make decisions. - One person values directness and honest feedback; their partner values harmony and emotional safety. Every conversation about difficult topics becomes a minefield because they’re operating from incompatible values around communication. Understanding your own values and your partner’s values doesn’t eliminate differences. But it transforms unproductive conflict (“Why can’t you just be more spontaneous?”) into productive negotiation (“I need some predictability to feel secure; how can we create that while still leaving room for adventure?”). The same applies to professional relationships, friendships, and family dynamics. Values clarity creates the foundation for navigating difference constructively. ## Values in Leadership Your values as a leader directly shape your team’s culture, performance, and retention, whether you’ve articulated them or not. A leader who genuinely values innovation creates psychological safety for experimentation, treats failures as learning opportunities, and rewards creative risk-taking. Their team develops confidence to propose unconventional solutions. A leader who actually values efficiency and predictability (but hasn’t acknowledged this) sends contradictory messages. They talk about innovation but punish mistakes, encourage bold ideas but only implement proven approaches. Their team experiences the disconnect as whiplash. They learn not to trust stated priorities and instead watch what actually gets rewarded. Culture becomes cynical rather than innovative. The most effective leaders we work with have done the difficult work of identifying their actual values and consciously deciding which ones to emphasise in their leadership. They lead with clarity because they’re not trying to embody values they think they should hold. ## Why You Can’t Discover Your Values Alone If knowing your values matters this much, why doesn’t everyone invest time in discovering them? Because genuine values discovery is genuinely difficult. You can complete online values assessments. You can review lists of values and select the ones that resonate. These exercises have some utility, but they typically surface aspirational values rather than actual drivers. Your real values operate unconsciously. They’re revealed in what you choose under pressure, what you sacrifice for, what makes you feel fulfilled even when it’s difficult, and what creates that nagging dissatisfaction even when things look successful. Discovering them requires someone asking questions you won’t ask yourself. Pointing out patterns you can’t see because you’re inside them. Challenging the gap between what you claim and how you actually allocate your finite resources of time, energy, and attention. It requires creating space to explore uncomfortable truths. Like acknowledging that you value recognition more than you want to admit. Or that you value security significantly more than growth. Or that you value individual achievement more than collaborative success, even though that’s not the person you want to be. This work happens in coaching conversations, not in solo reflection or online quizzes. It requires both professional skill in asking the right questions and the psychological safety to explore answers honestly. ## The Payoff of Values Clarity When you genuinely know your values, decision-making transforms. You can evaluate opportunities quickly against what actually matters to you. You can articulate why certain options feel right or wrong. You can negotiate relationships from clarity rather than confusion. You can lead with authenticity because you’re not performing values you think you should hold. You’ll still face difficult choices. But you’ll face them with clarity about what you’re choosing and why, rather than chronic second-guessing and lingering dissatisfaction. That clarity alone makes the uncomfortable work of values discovery worth the investment. ###### Let’s talk ## Discover your real Values Contact us to explore how values coaching can bring clarity to your career, relationships, and leadership. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Coaching **Tags:** leadership, Relationships, team communication, Values --- ### [Coaching vs Counselling vs Mentoring: Which Professional Support Is Right for You?](https://eurekamindspace.com/coaching-vs-counselling-vs-mentoring-which-professional-support-is-right-for-you/) **Published:** December 4, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Understanding the differences between coaching, counselling, and mentoring helps you choose the right professional support for your situation. Coaching focuses on achieving specific goals through collaborative partnership where you discover your own solutions. Mentoring involves an experienced professional sharing wisdom based on their career journey. Counselling addresses emotional and mental health challenges. Each serves a distinct purpose: coaching for performance and goals, mentoring for career wisdom, counselling for emotional wellbeing. Knowing which one aligns with your current needs ensures you invest your time and resources wisely. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [TL;DR – most frequently asked questions about Coaching vs Counselling vs Mentoring](#TLDR-%E2%80%93-most-frequently-asked-questions-about-Coaching-vs-Counselling-vs-Mentoring) - [The Core Distinctions: Focus and Approach](#The-Core-Distinctions-Focus-and-Approach) - [Who Drives The Agenda?](#Who-Drives-The-Agenda) - [The Advice Question: A Critical Difference](#The-Advice-Question-A-Critical-Difference) - [What Challenges Does Each Address?](#What-Challenges-Does-Each-Address) - [Can They Work Together?](#Can-They-Work-Together) - [Making Your Choice](#Making-Your-Choice) - [Ready to Explore Professional Coaching?](#Ready-to-Explore-Professional-Coaching) ## TL;DR – most frequently asked questions about Coaching vs Counselling vs Mentoring **Question:** What’s the main difference between coaching, mentoring, and counselling? **Answer:** Coaching focuses on achieving specific goals through partnership. Mentoring involves an experienced professional sharing their wisdom. Counselling addresses emotional and mental health challenges. The right choice depends on what you need right now. **Question:** How do I know if I need a coach or a mentor? **Answer:** Choose coaching when you have specific goals and need accountability. Choose mentoring when you want guidance from someone who’s already traveled your path. Coaching is structured and goal-focused; mentoring is informal and relationship-based. **Question:** Can coaches give advice like mentors do? **Answer:** No. Professional coaches ask powerful questions to help you discover your own solutions. Mentors share their experience and advise based on what worked for them. This is a fundamental difference in approach. **Question:** Can I work with a coach, mentor, and counsellor at the same time? **Answer:** Absolutely! Many professionals benefit from all three simultaneously – for example, working with a counsellor for anxiety, a mentor for career guidance, and a coach for leadership goals. --- When you recognise you need professional support, the options can feel overwhelming. Should you find a coach? Seek a mentor? Talk to a counsellor? These terms get used interchangeably, but they represent fundamentally different types of support designed to address different needs. ## The Core Distinctions: Focus and Approach Coaching concentrates on achieving specific goals and improving performance. Coaches work with you as an equal partner in a collaborative relationship where you set the agenda. The coach asks powerful questions, challenges your thinking, and provides accountability, but doesn’t tell you what to do. Coaching is future-focused, action-oriented, and designed around measurable outcomes like leadership development, career advancement, or strategic planning. Mentoring involves an experienced professional sharing wisdom and guidance based on their own career journey. Mentors have “been there, done that” and offer insights into navigating your industry, avoiding pitfalls, and making strategic career decisions. Mentoring relationships are typically informal, longer-term, and include advice-giving, career guidance, and networking support. Counselling addresses emotional wellbeing, mental health challenges, and psychological difficulties. Counsellors help you process difficult experiences, understand patterns in your thoughts and feelings, develop coping strategies, and work through emotional challenges affecting your life or work. Counselling often explores the past to understand present challenges, focusing on healing rather than goal achievement. --- ## Who Drives The Agenda? #### Coaching - You set the agenda and goals - Equal partnership - Coach asks questions, you find answers - Structured, goal-focused sessions - Time-limited engagements common #### Counselling - Counsellor helps you explore what emerges - Professional-client therapeutic relationship - Counsellor helps you process and understand - Structured therapeutic sessions - Duration varies based on needs #### Mentoring - Mentor guides based on experience - Senior-junior advisory relationship - Mentor shares what worked for them - Informal relationship-based meetings - Ongoing, may last years --- ## The Advice Question: A Critical Difference Professional coaches don’t give advice. This is central to coaching philosophy. Coaches believe you have the answers within you, and their role is to ask powerful questions that help you access your own wisdom. When you discover your own solutions, you’re more committed to implementing them and they fit your unique situation better. Mentors do give advice. Sharing experience and offering guidance is central to mentoring’s value. A mentor might say, “When I faced that situation, here’s what worked for me.” The mentor’s willingness to share their playbook is precisely what makes mentoring valuable. Counsellors typically don’t give direct advice about life decisions, but they help you explore options, understand your feelings, and develop coping strategies. The focus is on emotional processing and wellbeing. Understanding this distinction helps set appropriate expectations. If you want someone to share their experience and guide you based on what worked for them, mentoring makes sense. If you want to develop your own answers with support from a skilled thinking partner, coaching is the right choice. ## What Challenges Does Each Address? #### Choose coaching when you want to: • Achieve specific professional or organisational goals with accountability • Develop leadership capabilities and executive presence • Improve team communication and performance • Navigate career transitions strategically • Create and implement strategic plans that actually get executed • Work through challenges by discovering your own solutions Coaching assumes you’re fundamentally capable and functioning well, but you want to achieve more or navigate challenges with greater effectiveness. #### Choose mentoring when you want: • Guidance from someone who’s successfully navigated your industry or role • Career advice based on real experience • Insights into unwritten rules and cultural norms • Help avoiding common pitfalls • Networking connections and introductions • Long-term relationship with someone invested in your success Mentoring works best when you’re developing within a specific industry and can benefit from someone else’s hard-won experience. #### Choose counselling when you’re experiencing: • Emotional difficulties or persistent sadness, worry, or anger • Mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, or trauma • Difficulty coping with life transitions or relationship challenges • Patterns of behaviour or thinking causing problems • Emotional challenges interfering with work or life functioning Counselling is appropriate when emotional or psychological challenges are affecting your wellbeing or ability to function effectively. ## Can They Work Together? Absolutely! The most successful professionals often benefit from all three types of support at different times or even simultaneously. You might work with a counsellor to manage work-related stress, a mentor who provides career guidance and networking connections, and a coach who helps you achieve specific leadership development goals. These aren’t competing services; they’re complementary approaches addressing different aspects of your development and wellbeing. ## Making Your Choice - Are you functioning well but want to achieve specific goals? *Consider coaching*. - Do you want guidance from someone who’s successfully navigated your specific industry or role? *Consider mentoring*. - Are emotional or psychological challenges affecting your wellbeing? *Seek counselling*. The right choice isn’t about which is “better.” It’s about honestly assessing what you need right now and choosing the professional support designed to provide it. ###### Let’s talk ## Ready to Explore Professional Coaching? If you’re ready to achieve more, develop stronger leadership capabilities, improve team performance, or create strategic clarity, coaching provides the partnership and accountability to make it happen. Contact us for a complimentary consultation where we can discuss your goals and explore whether coaching is the right fit for you. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Coaching **Tags:** counselling, how to choose a coach, mentoring, Team Development --- ### [Business Process Mapping vs Value Stream Mapping Explained](https://eurekamindspace.com/business-process-mapping-vs-value-stream-mapping-explained/) **Published:** September 5, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary If your organisation struggles with workflow bottlenecks, confused handovers, and frustrated staff, you’re experiencing processes that evolved organically rather than being designed strategically. Two proven methodologies can help: Business Process Mapping and Value Stream Mapping. While often used interchangeably, they serve distinct purposes and deliver different outcomes. This article explains when to use each approach, how they complement each other, and why understanding your current state is essential before implementing platforms like Smartsheet. Learn how to transform chaotic workflows into efficient, purposeful operations Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [What are the differences in Business Process and Value Stream Mapping?](#What-are-the-differences-in-Business-Process-and-Value-Stream-Mapping) - [Business Process Mapping: Detailed Workflow Documentation](#Business-Process-Mapping-Detailed-Workflow-Documentation) - [Value Chain Mapping: Customer-Focused Value Analysis](#Value-Chain-Mapping-Customer-Focused-Value-Analysis) - [Selecting the Right Methodology](#Selecting-the-Right-Methodology) - [The Smartsheet Implementation Factor](#The-Smartsheet-Implementation-Factor) - [Implementation Approach](#Implementation-Approach) - [The Bottom Line](#The-Bottom-Line) - [Turn Process Frustration into Flow](#Turn-Process-Frustration-into-Flow) If your organisation struggles with workflow bottlenecks, confused handovers, and frustrated staff, you’re experiencing the symptoms of processes that have evolved organically rather than being designed strategically. Fortunately, two proven mapping techniques can help you address these challenges: ***Business Process Mapping*** and ***Value Stream Mapping***. Value Stream is often also called **Value Chain**, and we’ll be using these terms interchangeably. While these methodologies are often used interchangeably, they serve distinct purposes and deliver different outcomes. Understanding when to apply each approach can significantly improve your organisational efficiency and reduce operational frustrations. ## What are the differences in Business Process and Value Stream Mapping? #### Business Process Mapping: - Internal focus – “How do we do our work?” - Operational perspective – documenting what happens step-by-step - Department/function-centric – often maps within organisational boundaries - Compliance and documentation driven #### Value Stream Mapping: - Customer value focus – “How do we create value for customers?” - End-to-end perspective – follows value creation across all boundaries - Waste elimination driven – specifically looks for non-value-added activities - Improvement and optimisation focused ## Business Process Mapping: Detailed Workflow Documentation Business Process Mapping creates comprehensive documentation of how work flows through your organisation. Generally BPM will focus on following *data*, *materials*, or *person* through the process. It captures every step, decision point, and handover in a specific process, providing a clear picture of current operations from start to finish. This methodology involves following a single item, such as a purchase request or customer inquiry, through your entire system and documenting each interaction. Who handles it at each stage? What decisions are required? Where do delays occur? What information is needed to proceed? The resulting map reveals exactly how work moves through your organisation, including inefficiencies and bottlenecks. This approach excels at identifying process gaps, understanding cycle times, and pinpointing where work gets delayed. It’s particularly valuable when implementing software platforms like Smartsheet, as you need a clear understanding of your current workflows before you can optimise them. Attempting to automate poorly designed processes simply creates faster dysfunction. ## Value Chain Mapping: Customer-Focused Value Analysis Value Stream Mapping takes a customer-centric approach, tracking how value flows from initial request to final delivery. This lean methodology, originally developed in manufacturing, maps the complete customer journey while distinguishing between value-added and non-value-added activities. The critical distinction is that Value Stream Mapping evaluates each step based on whether customers would consider it valuable enough to pay for. It focuses particularly on wait times, handovers, and activities that don’t directly contribute to meeting customer needs or requirements. When mapping customer inquiry resolution, for example, Value Stream Mapping would track the entire journey from initial contact to final resolution, measuring duration at each step and evaluating whether each activity genuinely contributes to solving the customer’s problem. ## Selecting the Right Methodology ***Business Process Mapping*** is most effective when you need to: - Document and understand current operational procedures - Develop training materials for new staff members - Prepare for software implementation or system upgrades - Identify compliance requirements and quality control points - Create standardised operating procedures ***Value Stream Mapping*** is the preferred approach when your objectives include: - Enhancing customer experience and satisfaction - Reducing overall delivery timeframes - Eliminating waste and redundant activities - Understanding where genuine value creation occurs - Prioritising improvement initiatives based on customer impact ## The Smartsheet Implementation Factor Business Process Mapping becomes essential when implementing work management platforms like **[Smartsheet](https://eurekamindspace.com/smartsheet/ "Smartsheet")**. Understanding your current operational state is a prerequisite for designing effective automated workflows, approval processes, and project templates. Many Smartsheet implementations encounter difficulties because organisations attempt to build solutions without first mapping their existing processes. This approach often results in digitising inefficient workflows rather than optimising them, essentially automating dysfunction rather than eliminating it. ## Implementation Approach Both mapping methodologies begin with the same fundamental step: engaging the people who actually perform the work to map what genuinely occurs, rather than what policies or procedures suggest should happen. This often reveals significant gaps between documented processes and operational reality. The investment in process mapping delivers measurable returns. Organisations typically report reduced operational friction, improved delivery times, and enhanced customer satisfaction once they can visualise and address genuine workflow bottlenecks. Whether you choose Business Process Mapping or Value Stream Mapping depends on your specific objectives, but both methodologies provide the clarity necessary to transform chaotic workflows into efficient, purposeful operations that serve both customers and staff effectively. ## The Bottom Line Think of it this way: ***Business Process Mapping =*** “Let’s document how we do our work so we can do it better” ***Value Stream Mapping =*** “Let’s trace how customer value flows through our organisation and eliminate everything that doesn’t add value” Both are valuable, but they answer different questions and lead to different types of improvements. Value stream mapping tends to find bigger, more strategic improvement opportunities, while business process mapping tends to find more detailed, operational improvements. The most effective organisations use value stream mapping to identify where to focus their improvement efforts, then use business process mapping to figure out how to improve those specific areas. ###### Let’s talk ## Turn Process Frustration into Flow We’ll help you choose the right mapping methodology and get your workflows working for you, not against you. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Workflows & Systems **Tags:** Process Mapping, Smartsheet, Value Chain, Value Stream, Workflows --- ### [Strategic Planning 101: The Basics Every Organisation Needs](https://eurekamindspace.com/strategic-planning-101-the-basics/) **Published:** August 8, 2024 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Strategic planning is the foundational framework that guides organisations from where they are to where they want to be. But what exactly is a strategic plan, and why does every organisation from startups to Fortune 500 companies need one? This beginner’s guide explains strategic planning fundamentals: what it is, why it matters, the key elements every strategic plan should include, and how to get started. Whether you’re creating your first strategic plan or refining an existing one, understanding these basics is essential for organisational success. Learn from real-world examples and discover how strategic planning transforms vision into measurable results. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [What is a Strategic Plan?](#What-is-a-Strategic-Plan) - [Why do Businesses and Organisations require Strategic Planning?](#Why-do-Businesses-and-Organisations-require-Strategic-Planning) - [Key Elements of a Strategic Plan](#Key-Elements-of-a-Strategic-Plan) - [Further Reading:](#Further-Reading) - [New to strategic planning?](#New-to-strategic-planning) For all organisations from the smallest to the largest, strategic planning emerges as the guiding compass for organisations navigating their way to success. It serves as the foundational framework that illuminates the path forward, aligning objectives with actions and ensuring resources are utilised efficiently. In this article, we take an overview of strategic planning, its indispensable role in driving organisational success, the key components that constitute an effective strategic plan, and real-life examples that demonstrate its effectiveness. ## What is a Strategic Plan? Strategic planning can be likened to a blueprint or a map for the future of an organisation. It involves setting objectives, assessing the internal and external environment, identifying challenges and opportunities, and crafting strategies to achieve long-term goals. It is not merely a static document but an ever-changing dynamic process that requires continuous evaluation, adaptation, and changeability. Strategic plans are living documents, designed to change and evolve over the life of the business. They identify the organisations priorities to achieve, opportunities for growth and development, and and also balance that out with identifying risks and threats that may require mitigation. ## Why do Businesses and Organisations require Strategic Planning? The significance of strategic planning in the realm of business cannot be overstated. It provides clarity of purpose, enabling organisations to prioritise tasks and allocate resources most effectively. By anticipating potential obstacles and devising contingency plans, strategic planning minimises risks and enhances resilience in the face of uncertainties. Moreover, it fosters alignment across all levels of the organisation, ensuring that everyone is working towards a common vision and objectives. ## Key Elements of a Strategic Plan A well-developed strategic plan encompasses several key elements, each playing a pivotal role in guiding organisational decision-making and execution. These include: 1. **Vision and Mission Statements:** Articulating the organisation’s purpose and aspirations, providing a sense of direction and identity. 2. **SWOT Analysis:** Evaluating Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to inform strategic priorities and initiatives. 3. **Goals and Objectives:** Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time- bound (SMART) targets to drive progress and performance. 4. **Strategies and Tactics:** Outlining the approaches and actions to achieve organisational goals, leveraging strengths and seizing opportunities while mitigating weaknesses and threats. 5. **Resource Allocation:** Allocating financial, human, and other resources effectively to support strategic initiatives and maximise returns on investment. 6. **Monitoring and Evaluation:** Establishing mechanisms to track progress, measure performance against objectives, and adapt strategies as needed. #### Apple Inc – the power of strategic planning A large organisation with a successful strategic plan is Apple Inc, which, under the leadership of Steve Jobs, orchestrated a series of strategic moves that transformed the company from a personal computer manufacturer into a global leader in technology and innovation. From the introduction of revolutionary products like the iPhone and iPad to the development and integration of hardware, software, and services, Apple’s strategic planning has been instrumental in shaping its trajectory and sustaining its competitive advantage. Strategic planning serves as the cornerstone and foundation of organisational success, providing a roadmap for navigating complexities, seizing opportunities, and achieving sustainable growth. As a foundational element for all businesses and organisations, eurekaMINDSPACE is here to facilitate your growth and support your organisation’s strategic planning and implementation. ## Further Reading: **[Why Your Organisation Needs a Strategic Plan, Not Just a Strategy](https://eurekamindspace.com/organisation-needs-strategic-plan/ "Why Your Organisation Needs a Strategic Plan, not just a strategy")** **[How Clarity and Alignment Close the Strategy-Execution Gap](https://eurekamindspace.com/how-clarity-and-alignment-close-the-strategy-execution-gap/ "How clarity and alignment close the strategy-execution gap")** ###### Let’s talk ## New to strategic planning? eurekaMINDSPACE facilitates strategic planning sessions that create clarity and direction. Contact us to get started. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMTYiIGhlaWdodD0iMTYiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxNiAxNiIgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj4KPGcgY2xpcC1wYXRoPSJ1cmwoI2NsaXAwXzM0M185OTUpIj4KPHBhdGggZD0iTTE0LjgxNTYgMEgxLjE4MTI1QzAuNTI4MTI1IDAgMCAwLjUxNTYyNSAwIDEuMTUzMTNWMTQuODQzOEMwIDE1LjQ4MTMgMC41MjgxMjUgMTYgMS4xODEyNSAxNkgxNC44MTU2QzE1LjQ2ODggMTYgMTYgMTUuNDgxMyAxNiAxNC44NDY5VjEuMTUzMTNDMTYgMC41MTU2MjUgMTUuNDY4OCAwIDE0LjgxNTYgMFpNNC43NDY4NyAxMy42MzQ0SDIuMzcxODhWNS45OTY4N0g0Ljc0Njg3VjEzLjYzNDRaTTMuNTU5MzggNC45NTYyNUMyLjc5Njg4IDQuOTU2MjUgMi4xODEyNSA0LjM0MDYyIDIuMTgxMjUgMy41ODEyNUMyLjE4MTI1IDIuODIxODggMi43OTY4OCAyLjIwNjI1IDMuNTU5MzggMi4yMDYyNUM0LjMxODc1IDIuMjA2MjUgNC45MzQzNyAyLjgyMTg4IDQuOTM0MzcgMy41ODEyNUM0LjkzNDM3IDQuMzM3NSA0LjMxODc1IDQuOTU2MjUgMy41NTkzOCA0Ljk1NjI1Wk0xMy42MzQ0IDEzLjYzNDRIMTEuMjYyNVY5LjkyMTg4QzExLjI2MjUgOS4wMzc1IDExLjI0NjkgNy44OTY4NyAxMC4wMjgxIDcuODk2ODdDOC43OTM3NSA3Ljg5Njg3IDguNjA2MjUgOC44NjI1IDguNjA2MjUgOS44NTkzOFYxMy42MzQ0SDYuMjM3NVY1Ljk5Njg3SDguNTEyNVY3LjA0MDYzSDguNTQzNzVDOC44NTkzNyA2LjQ0MDYzIDkuNjM0MzggNS44MDYyNSAxMC43ODc1IDUuODA2MjVDMTMuMTkwNiA1LjgwNjI1IDEzLjYzNDQgNy4zODc1IDEzLjYzNDQgOS40NDM3NVYxMy42MzQ0VjEzLjYzNDRaIiBmaWxsPSIjNDM0OTYwIi8+CjwvZz4KPGRlZnM+CjxjbGlwUGF0aCBpZD0iY2xpcDBfMzQzXzk5NSI+CjxyZWN0IHdpZHRoPSIxNiIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxNiIgZmlsbD0id2hpdGUiLz4KPC9jbGlwUGF0aD4KPC9kZWZzPgo8L3N2Zz4K) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Strategy **Tags:** organisational success, Strategic plan basics, Strategic Planning --- ### [Bright Shiny Object Syndrome: When Boards Get Distracted from Their Strategy](https://eurekamindspace.com/bright-shiny-object-syndrome-when-boards-get-distracted-from-their-strategy/) **Published:** February 10, 2026 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Strategic plans fail not because they’re poorly designed, but because leadership loses focus when execution becomes difficult. Bright Shiny Object Syndrome, the tendency to chase new trends instead of following through on existing strategy, affects organisations of all sizes. This guide explores why boards abandon solid plans, how to distinguish necessary strategic pivots from distractions, and practical approaches to maintain focus when the work gets hard or boring. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Why 67% of Strategic Plans Fail](#Why-67-of-Strategic-Plans-Fail) - [The Anatomy of Bright Shiny Object Syndrome](#The-Anatomy-of-Bright-Shiny-Object-Syndrome) - [When Strategic Change Is Actually Warranted](#When-Strategic-Change-Is-Actually-Warranted) - [Legitimate reasons to pivot your strategy include:](#Legitimate-reasons-to-pivot-your-strategy-include) - [Making Old Plans Exciting Again](#Making-Old-Plans-Exciting-Again) - [Hard Questions: Is It Strategy or Syndrome?](#Hard-Questions-Is-It-Strategy-or-Syndrome) - [The Evaluation Framework](#The-Evaluation-Framework) - [The Accountability Test](#The-Accountability-Test) - [The Discipline of Strategic Follow-Through](#The-Discipline-of-Strategic-Follow-Through) - [Chasing bright shiny objects?](#Chasing-bright-shiny-objects) We need to talk about something that happens in nearly every boardroom, leadership team, and strategy session: the slow, quiet abandonment of a perfectly good strategic plan. It starts well. There’s energy, alignment, maybe even genuine excitement about the direction you’ve set. The plan gets documented, communicated, and for the first few months, everyone’s on board. Then reality hits. The work becomes hard. Progress feels slow. The initial enthusiasm wanes. And precisely when sustained focus matters most, something new catches everyone’s attention, a competitor’s approach, an emerging technology, a trend that “everyone’s talking about.” Before you know it, your carefully crafted strategy is gathering dust whilst the leadership team chases the next bright shiny object. ## Why 67% of Strategic Plans Fail Here’s the uncomfortable truth: according to **[research published in Harvard Business Review](https://hbr.org/2017/11/executives-fail-to-execute-strategy-because-theyre-too-internally-focused)**, 67% of well-formulated strategies fail due to poor execution. Not because the strategy was wrong. Because nobody followed through. Even more damning: an **[MIT study](https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/no-one-knows-your-strategy-not-even-your-top-leaders/ "No One Knows Your Strategy - Not Even Your Top Leaders")** found that 72% of executives responsible for executing strategy cannot name their organisation’s top three strategic priorities. The people meant to implement your strategy don’t actually know what it is. This isn’t about having the wrong plan. It’s about having no discipline to stick with the right one. ## The Anatomy of Bright Shiny Object Syndrome Bright Shiny Object Syndrome shows up in predictable patterns: - **The Boredom Drift:** Six months in, the strategic work loses its novelty. Implementation requires sustained effort on unglamorous tasks—refining processes, building capability, measuring progress. Leadership starts looking for something more exciting. - **The Comparison Trap:** A competitor announces a new initiative. A industry conference highlights an emerging trend. Suddenly your strategy feels outdated, even if it’s working exactly as intended. - **The Tool Obsession:** New software, frameworks, or methodologies promise to solve everything. Rather than improving execution of existing strategy, leadership pivots to implement the new tool, methodology, or approach. - **The Meeting Fatigue:** Strategic review meetings feel repetitive. Progress updates aren’t dramatic. Instead of recognising this as normal implementation reality, leadership starts questioning whether the strategy itself is the problem. - **The Crisis Reaction:** An unexpected challenge emerges. Rather than adapting tactics whilst maintaining strategic direction, leadership treats every disruption as reason to fundamentally rethink strategy. The pattern is always the same: when strategy requires sustained focus on difficult work, leadership finds reasons to change direction. ## When Strategic Change Is Actually Warranted Let’s be clear: sometimes strategy does need to change. Blind adherence to a flawed plan is equally dangerous as constant distraction. ### Legitimate reasons to pivot your strategy include: - **Fundamental market shifts that render your strategy unviable.** Not quarterly fluctuations or competitor moves, but genuine transformation of the competitive landscape or customer needs. - **New information that invalidates core assumptions.** If your strategy was built on premises that prove incorrect, changing course makes sense. But “we haven’t seen results as quickly as hoped” isn’t new information—it’s implementation reality. - **Organisational capacity constraints that make the strategy genuinely unachievable.** If you lack essential capabilities and cannot acquire them, strategic adjustment may be necessary. But don’t confuse “this is hard” with “this is impossible.” - **Opportunities that fundamentally exceed your current strategic direction.** Occasionally something emerges that’s so significant it warrants strategic recalibration. These are rare. Most “opportunities” are distractions. The difference between genuine strategic pivot and Bright Shiny Object Syndrome lies in rigour. Real strategic change comes from systematic evaluation, not boardroom enthusiasm for something new. ## Making Old Plans Exciting Again Strategy execution isn’t meant to be consistently thrilling. The work of implementing strategic plans is often methodical, incremental, and frankly, a bit boring. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be engaging or that progress can’t energise your team. *Focus on outcomes, not activities.* Rather than reporting what you’ve done, showcase what’s changed. Measure impact, not effort. When people see genuine progress toward strategic objectives, momentum builds. *Celebrate small wins publicly.* Strategic transformation happens through accumulation of small victories. Make them visible. Recognise the teams making progress. Build narrative around forward movement. *Refresh how you communicate, not what you’re communicating.* Your strategy might be sound, but your storytelling might be stale. Find new ways to articulate why this direction matters and what success looks like. *Connect strategy to individual contribution.* Help people see how their work connects to strategic outcomes. When the connection is clear, engagement follows. *Create checkpoints for strategic review, not strategic abandonment.* Quarterly or annual strategy reviews should assess progress and refine tactics, not question fundamental direction unless evidence genuinely warrants it. The goal isn’t to make strategy sexy. It’s to make progress tangible and momentum visible. ## Hard Questions: Is It Strategy or Syndrome? When new initiatives, tools, or directions emerge, leadership teams need honest frameworks for evaluation. Here are the questions that separate genuine strategic opportunities from bright shiny objects: ### The Evaluation Framework - **Does this align with our existing strategic direction, or replace it?** If it replaces rather than enhances your strategy, the burden of proof should be extraordinary. What evidence suggests fundamental strategic change is warranted? - **Are we pursuing this because it’s genuinely better, or because it’s newer?** Novelty bias is real. New feels exciting. Established feels boring. But effectiveness isn’t correlated with excitement. - **Have we actually given our current strategy sufficient time and resources to succeed?** Most strategic plans need 18-36 months of sustained execution before results fully materialise. If you’re six months in, impatience isn’t insight. - **What specific problems with our current approach does this solve?** If you can’t articulate concrete problems with current strategy that the new direction solves, you’re probably chasing distraction. - **Are we running toward something better, or running away from something hard?** Be brutally honest. Is the appeal of the new initiative that it’s superior, or that it’s easier than continuing the difficult work already underway? - **What would we stop doing to pursue this?** Every new initiative competes for finite attention, resources, and energy. What gets shelved? If the answer is “our current strategic priorities,” you’re demonstrating the problem. - **If we don’t pursue this new direction, what’s the actual cost?** Sometimes the answer is “very little” beyond feeling like we’re missing out. That’s not strategic risk – it’s fear of missing out. ## The Accountability Test Before shifting strategic direction, answer these questions in writing and share with your full leadership team: 1. What evidence suggests our current strategy is failing or flawed? 2. What specific, measurable outcomes will the new direction achieve that current strategy cannot? 3. What is the cost—in time, money, momentum, and credibility—of changing direction now? 4. What would it look like to integrate this new approach within our existing strategic framework rather than replacing it? 5. If we stay the course with current strategy for another 12 months, what results should we expect? If you can’t answer these questions with specificity and evidence, you’re probably experiencing Bright Shiny Object Syndrome, not genuine strategic insight. ## The Discipline of Strategic Follow-Through Ultimately, strategic success isn’t about having the perfect plan. It’s about having sufficient discipline to execute a good plan thoroughly. This requires a leadership that values follow-through as much as innovation, that understands execution is where strategies succeed or fail, and that can distinguish between necessary adaptation and distracted abandonment. Your strategic plan doesn’t need to be exciting every day. It needs to be sound, well-executed, and given genuine opportunity to succeed before you decide it’s time for something new. The organisations that achieve their strategic objectives aren’t the ones with the most innovative plans. They’re the ones with the discipline to do the unglamorous work of implementation when it’s difficult, boring, or slow. *So before you chase the next bright shiny object, ask yourself:* have we really given our current strategy a fair chance to succeed? Or are we just bored? Because if it’s the latter, the problem isn’t your strategy. It’s your focus. ###### Let’s talk ## Chasing bright shiny objects? Not sure if your latest initiative is strategy or distraction? We help leadership teams and businesses build execution frameworks that maintain focus when the work gets hard. [contact us today](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Strategy **Tags:** Strategic plan basics, strategy-execution gap --- ### [Ways of Working: How High-Performing Teams Actually Get Things Done](https://eurekamindspace.com/ways-of-working-how-high-performing-teams-actually-get-things-done/) **Published:** December 16, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Ways of working shape how teams collaborate, decide, and deliver results. This guide explores what effective ways of working look like in practice, from agile methodologies to distributed decision-making. Learn how to assess your current approaches, co-design improvements with your team, and build sustainable processes that align with your strategic goals. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Understanding Ways of Working](#Understanding-Ways-of-Working) - [Ways of Working in Practice](#Ways-of-Working-in-Practice) - [Why Ways of Working Matter](#Why-Ways-of-Working-Matter) - [How to Improve Ways of Working](#How-to-Improve-Ways-of-Working) - [Moving Forward with Intent](#Moving-Forward-with-Intent) - [Ready to transform how your team works together?](#Ready-to-transform-how-your-team-works-together) In most organisations, how work gets done is at least as important as what gets done. Enter “ways of working”, a concept once relegated to management jargon, now increasingly recognised as central to performance, adaptability, and culture. But what exactly are ways of working? Why do they matter? And can they be improved, or merely endured? ## Understanding Ways of Working Ways of working refer to the values, agreed behaviours, processes, tools, and norms that govern how people collaborate, decide, and deliver. The term is expansive, encompassing both formal frameworks and the unwritten rules of organisational life. Ways of working reflect the “DNA” of the organisation and shape how teams function, from the day-to-day to the strategically significant. #### Key elements include: • **Team norms and behaviours:** How people communicate, resolve conflict, give feedback • **Decision-making structures:** Hierarchical, consensus-driven, or delegated • **Workflow processes:** Planning, reporting, meeting rhythms, and how collaboration actually plays out • **Tools and technology:** The digital infrastructure that supports work • **Cultural values and leadership style:** Including openness, autonomy, and psychological safety While ways of working often evolve informally, high-performing organisations take a more deliberate approach, engineering internal mechanics to match strategic intent. ## Ways of Working in Practice **Team of Teams:** Adapting Through Trust and Transparency General Stanley McChrystal’s “Team of Teams” model prioritises organisational agility over rigid control. Its pillars (shared consciousness, empowered execution, mutual trust, and decentralised adaptability) have influenced sectors from defence to corporate boardrooms. The model values fast, informed decisions made at the edge, not slow ones made at the centre. **Agile:** More Than a Tech Thing Born in software development but now far more widespread, Agile emphasises short cycles, daily stand-ups, and user feedback. It is as much mindset as methodology: learning trumps perfection, and delivery outranks deliberation. **Distributed Decision-Making** Firms such as Haier and Buurtzorg have embraced decentralised governance. Small, autonomous teams replace bureaucratic sprawl, supported by shared principles rather than top-down orders. **Smartsheet and Collaborative Clarity** When spreadsheets cease to serve, tools like Smartsheet provide a shared source of truth. They improve transparency, reduce duplication, and support cross-functional alignment. ## Why Ways of Working Matter ##### Strategy is Nothing Without Execution McKinsey noted long ago that transformations fail less due to bad ideas than bad follow-through. Execution is where good intentions go to die. ##### Clarity Reduces Friction Ambiguity is the enemy of productivity. When objectives, decision roles, and processes are clear, people move from guessing to doing. ##### Culture Exists Through Action Culture lives in behaviours, not posters. If collaboration or accountability are espoused but not enacted, the result is disillusionment and attrition. ##### Flexibility is No Longer Optional Post-pandemic, flexibility has moved from perk to expectation. Hybrid models, asynchronous work, and lighter meeting loads are conditions in the war for talent. ## How to Improve Ways of Working Improving ways of working isn’t about adopting the latest trend. It’s about aligning how people work with what your organisation is trying to achieve. #### Start with the Work - Are your rituals and routines actually helping? - Are meetings decision-oriented, or simply theatre? - Are tools used coherently, or competing in a digital turf war? - Is time spent delivering value, or navigating rework? #### Co-Design with Those Who Live It Top-down redesigns rarely land well. Teams know where the real frictions are. Try: - “Stop / Start / Continue” retrospectives - Cross-functional team charters - Mapping the “invisible work” that quietly consumes hours #### Make the Invisible Visible Unspoken rules drive more behaviour than handbooks. Document team norms to expose misalignments and help newcomers navigate. Create “how we work” guides, onboarding manuals with real-life norms, and visual workflows using tools like Miro or Lucidchart. #### Revisit Regularly Ways of working aren’t set-and-forget. What worked before may not work now. Schedule reflection points. Ask: “Is how we’re working still serving what we’re trying to do?” #### Lead by Doing Leadership casts a long shadow. If leaders talk trust but hoard decisions, or praise collaboration but reward lone heroes, credibility evaporates. Model desired behaviours, sponsor changes actively, and create safety to experiment and fail. ## Moving Forward with Intent Ways of working are not the preserve of HR, nor a footnote in change strategies. They’re the connective tissue between people, purpose, and performance. In an era of hybrid work, high turnover, and constant disruption, intentional ways of working are no longer a nice-to-have. They are a strategic differentiator. Whether launching a startup or recalibrating a conglomerate, *asking how work gets done* may be the smartest question you’re not yet asking. ###### Let’s talk ## Ready to transform how your team works together? Our team development workshops help organisations design and implement ways of working that actually work. We combine practical frameworks with real-world application to create sustainable change that sticks. Contact us to explore how we can help your organisation move from good intentions to great execution. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Workflows & Systems **Tags:** Business Process, Process Mapping, team communication, Workflows --- ### [DISC Psychometric Profiling: Understand what drives your people](https://eurekamindspace.com/disc-psychometric-profiling-understand-people/) **Published:** July 18, 2024 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Understanding why people behave the way they do is crucial for building high-performing teams. DISC Advanced® psychometric profiling goes beyond surface-level personality tests to reveal how people communicate, respond to challenges, and collaborate with others. This article explains the four DISC dimensions, why DISC Advanced® offers more nuanced insights than traditional models, and how organisations use it to improve communication, build balanced teams, support leadership growth, and resolve conflicts constructively. If you’ve ever wondered why some people thrive under pressure while others prefer steady pace, you’ll find your answers here Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Get to the Heart of Behaviour with DISC Psychometric Testing](#Get-to-the-Heart-of-Behaviour-with-DISC-Psychometric-Testing) - [What are the four DISC Behavioural Profiles?](#What-are-the-four-DISC-Behavioural-Profiles) - [The Four Dimensions of DISC Advanced® Psychometric profiles are:](#The-Four-Dimensions-of-DISC-Advanced%C2%AE-Psychometric-profiles-are) - [Why Use DISC Advanced®?](#Why-Use-DISC-Advanced%C2%AE) - [Ready to make people your greatest asset?](#Ready-to-make-people-your-greatest-asset) If you’ve ever wondered why some people thrive under pressure while others prefer a steady pace, you’re not alone. In today’s fast-moving and highly collaborative workplaces, understanding how people behave, and why, is crucial. That’s where DISC Advanced® psychometric testing comes in. ## Get to the Heart of Behaviour with DISC Psychometric Testing This isn’t your typical personality quiz. DISC Advanced® offers practical, real-world insights into how people communicate, respond to challenges, and work with others. It’s a smart, science-backed way to improve individual performance, team dynamics, and leadership impact. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DISC-ADVANCED®-Logo-1024x512.jpg) ## What are the four DISC Behavioural Profiles? **DISC** stands for **Directive** (or Dominance), **Influence**, **Steadiness**, and **Conscientiousness**, four core behavioural traits that shape how we approach tasks, interact with others, and make decisions. While many behavioural models put people in rigid boxes, DISC Advanced® takes a more realistic view. It maps behaviour along a continuum, giving a deeper and more flexible understanding of people’s tendencies, especially in the workplace. ### The Four Dimensions of DISC Advanced® Psychometric profiles are: - **Directive or Dominance (D)**: Direct, driven, and results-focused. These individuals love a challenge and prefer to take control. - **Influence (I)**: Outgoing, persuasive, and people-focused. They bring optimism and energy to team environments. - **Steadiness (S)**: Calm, dependable, and supportive. They work best in stable, cooperative settings. - **Conscientiousness (C)**: Analytical, precise, and organised. They value quality and are meticulous in their approach. ## Why Use DISC Advanced®? Here’s how this style of psychometric testing helps individuals and organisations alike: 1. *It focuses on behaviour, not personality.* DISC Advanced® is designed for the workplace. It’s about observable behaviours, how people communicate, lead, and respond to different environments, not just internal traits. 2. *It gives personalised, nuanced insights.* No one likes being pigeonholed. DISC Advanced® reflects the complexity of real people, offering tailored feedback you can actually use. 3. *It boosts communication and collaboration.* When people understand their own style—and the styles of those around them, they can communicate more clearly and work together more effectively. 4. *It builds stronger, more balanced teams.* Diversity of style leads to better outcomes. DISC Advanced® highlights each person’s strengths and helps teams value and leverage those differences. 5. *It supports leadership growth.* Great leaders know themselves and adapt to those around them. DISC profiling helps leaders connect, inspire, and drive performance. 6. *It helps resolve conflict constructively*. Many team tensions come down to misunderstandings. With DISC Advanced®, you can spot potential friction early and create healthier ways to work through it. In short, DISC Advanced® psychometric testing and behavioural profiling is a modern, people-focused tool that helps individuals and teams thrive. Whether you’re building a stronger team, growing as a leader, or looking to improve collaboration, this approach gives you the insight and clarity to make lasting changes. #### Why work with eurekaMINDSPACE? Our team comprises highly skilled facilitators with extensive training and diverse experience in workshop facilitation, team development, and leadership coaching. All eurekaMINDSPACE trainers are DISC-accredited professionals with proven expertise in applying this methodology to enhance team performance and organisational effectiveness. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Accreditation-Badge.jpg) ###### Let’s talk ## Ready to make people your greatest asset? Let’s talk DISC. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** DISC Profiles **Tags:** Communication, Team Development, Teambuilding, Workshops --- ### [Why Decisions Go Bad: 7 Common Failures That Kill Organisational Progress](https://eurekamindspace.com/why-decisions-go-bad-7-common-failures-that-kill-organisational-progress/) **Published:** December 4, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Even smart people make bad decisions when organisational processes fail them. This guide identifies seven common decision-making traps: unclear framing, false consensus, missing ownership, hidden bias, wrong timing, poor problem definition, and lack of learning. Each trap includes practical solutions to help your team make faster, better choices. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [The Seven Deadly Sins of Decision-Making](#The-Seven-Deadly-Sins-of-Decision-Making) - [Recognising the Warning Signs](#Recognising-the-Warning-Signs) - [Building Better Decision Habits](#Building-Better-Decision-Habits) - [Ready to strengthen your team’s decision-making processes?](#Ready-to-strengthen-your-teams-decision-making-processes) Most people don’t wake up and say, “Today I shall tank a project with poorly framed assumptions and an over-optimistic Gantt chart.” And yet, we see it happen time and time again. According to McKinsey & Company, only 20% of executives believe their organisations excel at decision-making, even though many spend over one-third of their working hours trying. Meanwhile, the Project Management Institute reports that poor decisions contribute to over one-third of project failures globally. If you lead a team with too many meetings and not enough movement, consider this your field guide to avoiding committee doom. ## The Seven Deadly Sins of Decision-Making #### 1. Lack of Clarity: No One is Quite Sure What We’re Deciding Before you can make a good decision, you need to know what you’re actually deciding. Vague goals and unspoken assumptions create a foggy decision space where everyone’s busy, but no one’s quite sure what they’re solving. Example: A regional NFP board approved a “digital capability uplift” project with enthusiasm. Months later, one team was building an intranet, another was pricing cloud subscriptions, and a third thought they’d been asked to improve cybersecurity. **What to do instead:** - Frame the decision upfront: “What exactly are we deciding today, and what does success look like?” - Ask contributors to explain the decision in their own words - Revisit framing regularly in longer projects #### 2. The Illusion of Alignment: Everyone Nods, But No One Agrees In meetings, people nod. They smile politely. No one dissents. Yet days later, three different teams implement three different interpretations of what was “agreed”. **What to do instead:** - At the end of every key meeting, ask: “What have we actually decided? Who owns what?” - Clarify both the what and the why - Watch for artificial harmony. If everyone’s agreeing too eagerly, ask: “What’s a sensible objection we haven’t considered?” #### 3. No Clear Owner = No Clear Outcome Gartner reports that 65% of decisions are revisited due to unclear ownership. When decisions are made “by consensus”, it often translates to “no one is quite sure who said yes.” **What to do instead:** - Assign a clear decision owner at the outset - Be explicit: who recommends, who provides input, who agrees, who decides? - Pair every decision with an action plan #### 4. Bias in Disguise: How Thinking Shortcuts Sabotage Quality We all use cognitive shortcuts that help us make sense of the world. Handy in everyday life, less so when navigating complex organisational decisions. Common culprits include confirmation bias (seeking evidence that proves we’re right), anchoring (clinging to the first idea), sunk cost fallacy (throwing good time after bad), and overconfidence. Daniel Kahneman showed that intuition often overrides logic, especially under pressure. That warm, confident glow in the meeting room? Possibly just your bias having a good day. **What to do instead:** - Encourage diverse views. Actively invite dissent - Use a premortem: “Imagine this decision fails. What went wrong?” - Build in reflection time #### 5. Framing Failure: Solving the Wrong Problem Sometimes the problem isn’t the decision. It’s the question you started with. Procter & Gamble famously reframed “How do we sell more detergent?” into “How do we help busy parents simplify laundry?” The result? Product innovations people actually wanted. **What to do instead:** - Begin with a problem framing discussion: What’s the real problem? Whose perspective are we missing? - Use Who, What, When, How, Why to unpack the issue before generating options - Ask whether you’re treating symptoms or addressing root causes #### 6. Moving Too Slowly or Too Fast Some teams suffer from analysis paralysis. Others move so quickly they forget to check if they’re deciding on the right thing. McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for both decision speed and quality are twice as likely to outperform their competitors. **What to do instead:** - Match decision pace to context: fast for low-risk decisions, slower for complex ones - Don’t over-engineer things that can be reversed - For high-stakes calls, aim for a good-enough decision to test, not a perfect one to delay #### 7. Not Reviewing or Learning from Decisions Many decisions are treated as finish lines. PMI reports that fewer than 30% of organisations systematically review their major decisions. The rest rely on “experience”, also known as making the same mistake twice with more enthusiasm. **What to do instead:** - Build in review checkpoints 60 to 90 days post-decision - Ask: What worked? What didn’t? What would we change next time? - Use simple tools like decision logs or short retrospectives ## Recognising the Warning Signs You don’t need a diagnostic app to know when decision-making is off the rails. Just look for: - “We’ve already decided that”, but no one’s quite sure what was decided - Decisions made but mysteriously unimplemented - Teams working at cross-purposes - Endless rehashing of the same issue with no new information These aren’t just annoyances. They’re signals that clarity, alignment, or ownership is missing. The good news? All three are fixable. ## Building Better Decision Habits Even great organisations make bad decisions. What separates the successful from the seriously exhausted is their ability to reflect, learn, and adjust. Spot the common traps and build simple habits that support ownership, clarity, and follow-through. You’ll waste less time, make better calls, and stop attending meetings about meetings. ###### Let’s talk ## Ready to strengthen your team’s decision-making processes? Our team development workshops help organisations identify decision-making bottlenecks and build practical frameworks for faster, better choices. Contact us to explore how we can help your team move from endless deliberation to effective action. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Leadership **Tags:** decision-making, leadership development, organisational decisions, Team Development --- ### [Automating Workflows: What to Automate First (And What to Leave Manual)](https://eurekamindspace.com/automating-workflows-what-to-automate-first-and-what-to-leave-manual/) **Published:** November 26, 2025 **Author:** Ian Jones **Content:** ## Executive Summary Not every process deserves automation. This guide helps you identify which workflows will deliver the highest return when automated and which processes benefit from maintaining a human touch. Learn how to evaluate your workflows systematically, avoid common automation pitfalls, and implement changes that actually improve productivity. “What processes should we automate?” and/or “How do I know what to automate?” are really common questions being asked every day. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [The Three-Question Test for Automation Readiness](#The-Three-Question-Test-for-Automation-Readiness) - [What to Automate First: The Quick Wins](#What-to-Automate-First-The-Quick-Wins) - [What to Keep Manual: The Human Touch Matters](#What-to-Keep-Manual-The-Human-Touch-Matters) - [The Middle Ground: Hybrid Approaches](#The-Middle-Ground-Hybrid-Approaches) - [Making Your Decision: A Practical Framework](#Making-Your-Decision-A-Practical-Framework) - [Common Automation Mistakes to Avoid](#Common-Automation-Mistakes-to-Avoid) - [The Path Forward](#The-Path-Forward) - [Turn Process Frustration into Flow](#Turn-Process-Frustration-into-Flow) The promise of workflow automation sounds brilliant: save time, reduce errors, free up your team for meaningful work. But here’s what nobody tells you in the glossy marketing materials: automating the wrong processes can actually make things worse. You end up with rigid systems that frustrate users, create new bottlenecks, and cost more to maintain than the manual process ever did. The question isn’t whether to automate. It’s what to automate first, and critically, what to leave alone. ## The Three-Question Test for Automation Readiness Before automating any workflow, ask yourself these fundamental questions: Is this process actually stable? If your process changes frequently or varies significantly depending on circumstances, automation will become a maintenance nightmare. You’ll spend more time updating the automated system than you ever spent doing the work manually. Fix and standardise the process first, then consider automation. Does this process require human judgement? Some decisions genuinely need a person’s assessment. If the process involves evaluating context, managing relationships, or making nuanced decisions based on experience, automation will likely create more problems than it solves. What’s the actual cost of getting it wrong? When an automated process fails, what happens? If mistakes could damage client relationships, create compliance issues, or cost significant money, you need either bulletproof automation or human oversight. ## What to Automate First: The Quick Wins The best automation candidates are repetitive, time-consuming, rule-based, and prone to human error when done manually. Here’s where most organisations should start: - **Data Transfer Between Systems** If your team is copying information from one system to another, that’s prime automation territory. Whether it’s updating your CRM from form submissions or syncing customer information across platforms, these tasks are tedious, error-prone, and add zero value when done manually. - **Approval Workflows** Leave requests, expense claims, purchase requisitions—these processes follow predictable paths. Automating the routing, notifications, and tracking saves everyone time and provides visibility into where things are in the approval chain. Nobody needs to chase people via email or wonder if their request has been forgotten. - **Scheduled Reporting** If you’re manually pulling the same reports every week or month, stop. Automated reports can be generated and distributed on schedule, giving stakeholders the information they need without anyone spending time compiling data. The consistency alone makes this worthwhile. - **Customer Onboarding** New customer onboarding often involves the same sequence of steps: welcome emails, account setup, information collection, initial training materials. Automating this workflow ensures nothing gets missed, provides a consistent experience, and frees your team to focus on personalised support that actually requires human attention. - **Invoice and Payment Processing** Payment reminders, invoice generation, receipt matching – these are perfect automation candidates. The processes are standardised, occur regularly, and benefit from consistency. Late payments decrease when automated reminders go out systematically rather than when someone remembers to send them. ## What to Keep Manual: The Human Touch Matters Some processes genuinely benefit from human involvement, even if they could technically be automated: - **Strategic Planning and Decision-Making** No automation tool can replace the collaborative thinking that happens when people work through strategic decisions together. The discussions, debates, and creative problem-solving generate insights that would be lost in an automated process. - **Complex Customer Negotiations** While you can automate follow-up emails and scheduling, actual negotiation conversations need human involvement. People read context, adjust approaches based on responses, and build relationships that automated systems simply cannot replicate. - **Performance Reviews and Career Development Conversations** The actual conversations about performance, development, and career progression require empathy, judgement, and relationship-building. Don’t sacrifice meaningful development conversations for the sake of efficiency. - **Exception Handling** Every business has situations that fall outside standard processes. These exceptions require assessment, creativity, and often involve balancing competing priorities. While you might automate the notification that an exception has occurred, the resolution typically needs human involvement. ## The Middle Ground: Hybrid Approaches Many processes benefit from a hybrid approach—automating routine elements while preserving human involvement where it adds value. This gives you efficiency gains without sacrificing quality or flexibility. For example, automate the scheduling and reminder process for client meetings, but keep the actual meetings and follow-up personal. Automate data collection and basic analysis, but have humans interpret results and make recommendations. ## Making Your Decision: A Practical Framework When evaluating whether to automate a specific workflow, work through this framework: 1. **Map the current process.** Document exactly what happens now, including who does what, how long it takes, and where errors typically occur. You need to understand the process before you can improve it. 2. **Identify pain points.** Where does the current process break down? What frustrates your team? These pain points tell you what automation needs to solve. 3. **Calculate the real ROI**. Consider both the cost of automation (software, implementation time, training, maintenance) and the benefits (time saved, errors reduced, improved consistency). Be realistic—most automation projects take longer than initially expected. 4. **Start small and test.** Don’t automate your entire workflow at once. Begin with one element, test it thoroughly, and refine based on real-world use before expanding. ## Common Automation Mistakes to Avoid **Automating broken processes**: If your manual process is inefficient or inconsistent, automating it just gives you inefficiency at scale. Fix the process first, then automate. **Over-engineering the solution:** Simple automation that handles 80% of cases often delivers better results than complex automation trying to handle every possible scenario. **Removing human oversight entirely:** For critical processes, maintain human oversight even when automating. The automation handles routine execution, but humans monitor for issues and handle exceptions. **Ignoring user experience:** If your automated workflow frustrates the people using it, they’ll find workarounds that defeat the purpose of automation. Design with actual users in mind. ## The Path Forward Start with processes that are clearly repetitive, rule-based, and time-consuming. Get some wins under your belt. Build confidence in automation within your team. Then gradually expand to more complex workflows as you learn what works in your specific context. Remember that the goal isn’t to automate everything possible. It’s to free your team from genuinely tedious work so they can focus on tasks where human intelligence, creativity, and judgement actually add value. The best automation strategies enhance human capability rather than trying to replace it. Done thoughtfully, workflow automation transforms how your organisation operates. Done poorly, it creates expensive frustration. The difference lies in being selective about what you automate and maintaining the human touch where it genuinely matters. ###### Let’s talk ## Turn Process Frustration into Flow We’ll help you choose the right workflows to automate and guide you along the way. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ian-J-sq.jpg) Ian Jones Director [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Leadership Circle Smartsheet Coaching Facilitation PRINCE2 [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMTYiIGhlaWdodD0iMTYiIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxNiAxNiIgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj4KPGcgY2xpcC1wYXRoPSJ1cmwoI2NsaXAwXzM0M185OTUpIj4KPHBhdGggZD0iTTE0LjgxNTYgMEgxLjE4MTI1QzAuNTI4MTI1IDAgMCAwLjUxNTYyNSAwIDEuMTUzMTNWMTQuODQzOEMwIDE1LjQ4MTMgMC41MjgxMjUgMTYgMS4xODEyNSAxNkgxNC44MTU2QzE1LjQ2ODggMTYgMTYgMTUuNDgxMyAxNiAxNC44NDY5VjEuMTUzMTNDMTYgMC41MTU2MjUgMTUuNDY4OCAwIDE0LjgxNTYgMFpNNC43NDY4NyAxMy42MzQ0SDIuMzcxODhWNS45OTY4N0g0Ljc0Njg3VjEzLjYzNDRaTTMuNTU5MzggNC45NTYyNUMyLjc5Njg4IDQuOTU2MjUgMi4xODEyNSA0LjM0MDYyIDIuMTgxMjUgMy41ODEyNUMyLjE4MTI1IDIuODIxODggMi43OTY4OCAyLjIwNjI1IDMuNTU5MzggMi4yMDYyNUM0LjMxODc1IDIuMjA2MjUgNC45MzQzNyAyLjgyMTg4IDQuOTM0MzcgMy41ODEyNUM0LjkzNDM3IDQuMzM3NSA0LjMxODc1IDQuOTU2MjUgMy41NTkzOCA0Ljk1NjI1Wk0xMy42MzQ0IDEzLjYzNDRIMTEuMjYyNVY5LjkyMTg4QzExLjI2MjUgOS4wMzc1IDExLjI0NjkgNy44OTY4NyAxMC4wMjgxIDcuODk2ODdDOC43OTM3NSA3Ljg5Njg3IDguNjA2MjUgOC44NjI1IDguNjA2MjUgOS44NTkzOFYxMy42MzQ0SDYuMjM3NVY1Ljk5Njg3SDguNTEyNVY3LjA0MDYzSDguNTQzNzVDOC44NTkzNyA2LjQ0MDYzIDkuNjM0MzggNS44MDYyNSAxMC43ODc1IDUuODA2MjVDMTMuMTkwNiA1LjgwNjI1IDEzLjYzNDQgNy4zODc1IDEzLjYzNDQgOS40NDM3NVYxMy42MzQ0VjEzLjYzNDRaIiBmaWxsPSIjNDM0OTYwIi8+CjwvZz4KPGRlZnM+CjxjbGlwUGF0aCBpZD0iY2xpcDBfMzQzXzk5NSI+CjxyZWN0IHdpZHRoPSIxNiIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxNiIgZmlsbD0id2hpdGUiLz4KPC9jbGlwUGF0aD4KPC9kZWZzPgo8L3N2Zz4K) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategic-facilitator-portfolio-projects/) **Categories:** Workflows & Systems **Tags:** automation, Business Process, manual process, Process Mapping --- ### [Strategic Plan Execution: Turn Your Strategy Into Results That Matter](https://eurekamindspace.com/strategic-plan-execution-turn-your-strategy-into-results-that-matter/) **Published:** November 4, 2025 **Author:** Ian Jones **Content:** ## Executive Summary Most strategic plans fail at execution, not planning. This practical guide outlines five essential frameworks for managing strategic implementation: governance and review, clear ownership, phased prioritisation, realistic resourcing, and collaborative visibility. Learn how to bridge the execution gap using proven structures to transform your strategic plan from a static document into a dynamic roadmap that drives real organisational progress. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Managing the Execution of Your Strategic Plan](#Managing-the-Execution-of-Your-Strategic-Plan) - [The Five Pillars of Strategic Execution](#The-Five-Pillars-of-Strategic-Execution) - [1. Keep It on Track (Governance and Review)](#1-Keep-It-on-Track-Governance-and-Review) - [2. Make Sure Someone Owns It (Ownership and Follow-Through)](#2-Make-Sure-Someone-Owns-It-Ownership-and-Follow-Through) - [3. Don’t Try to Do Everything at Once (Phasing and Focus)](#3-Dont-Try-to-Do-Everything-at-Once-Phasing-and-Focus) - [4. Set Your Team Up for Success (Realistic Planning and Adequate Resourcing)](#4-Set-Your-Team-Up-for-Success-Realistic-Planning-and-Adequate-Resourcing) - [5. Boost Collaboration and Visibility (Communication and Engagement)](#5-Boost-Collaboration-and-Visibility-Communication-and-Engagement) - [Your Plan to Progress](#Your-Plan-to-Progress) - [We help turn plans into progress](#We-help-turn-plans-into-progress) ## Managing the Execution of Your Strategic Plan Every organisation wants to believe that a well-crafted strategic plan will naturally lead to results. The reality? Most strategic plans fall into the execution gap, where great ideas fail to translate into meaningful action. Thomas Edison “*Strategy without execution is hallucination*“ ![picture of Thomas Edison holding a light globe, with his quote "Strategy without execution is hallucination"](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/thomas-edison-strategy-without-execution.jpg) A strategic plan is only as good as its execution, but when everyone is already stretched by day-to-day operations, how do you turn strategy into results without overburdening your team? The answer lies in execution management: putting the right structures, roles, and systems in place to support delivery, ensure progress, and prevent overload. This post outlines a practical framework for managing strategic plan implementation across five key themes ## The Five Pillars of Strategic Execution ### 1. Keep It on Track (Governance and Review) Governance keeps your strategic work visible, focused, and moving in the right direction. Importantly, governance doesn’t have to mean red tape. Done well, it builds confidence, supports better decisions, and helps surface risks early, without creating unnecessary complexity. #### What Good Governance Provides - **Accountability:** Clear roles for monitoring and supporting delivery - **Visibility:** Transparent updates that show progress and flag issues - **Guidance:** Connects leaders to challenges to provide direction - **Agility:** Allows the plan to be adjusted as new information emerges Fit-for-purpose governance gives your strategy execution assurance. Line-of-sight status information helps stakeholders feel confident the strategic plan is on track, under control, and backed by a process that supports success and catches problems early. #### Best Practice Elements - Establishing a strategy governance group (often a leadership sub-group) that meets regularly - Ensuring each initiative starts with a clear frame: objectives, scope, stakeholders, milestones, and success measures - Setting a regular cadence, such as monthly check-ins and quarterly deeper-dive reviews - Clarifying decision-making roles: who can approve funding, agree changes, redirect priorities, or escalate delays Without this kind of oversight, initiatives can drift, duplication goes unnoticed, and early warning signs may be missed. Regular check-ins support real-time monitoring and intervention, while scheduled deep-dive reviews help leaders and teams step back, take stock of the bigger picture, and adapt the plan as needed. ### 2. Make Sure Someone Owns It (Ownership and Follow-Through) Assigning ownership is one of the simplest and most effective ways to ensure strategy gets delivered. When each initiative has a clear owner, a single point of accountability, it creates confidence that the work is being driven, not drifting. #### Why Ownership Matters - Prevents ambiguity: No more “I thought someone else was handling it” - Links action to governance: Providing a clear line between doing and oversight - Encourages leadership: Empowering people to step up and make progress happen Importantly, owners are not necessarily the people doing all the work, but they are accountable for making sure it gets done to the required standard, in line with the intent of the strategy. #### What Initiative Owners Do - Engage stakeholders and keep people aligned - Monitor progress and deliverables - Lead resolution of blockers or issues - Forecast, track and resolve resource needs - Keep governance groups updated - Escalate decisions when needed #### What Owners Need to Succeed - **Authority:** To resolve issues and make trade-offs - **Support:** From sponsors, leadership, and their team - **Capacity:** Ownership isn’t a bolt-on; it requires time and focus Ownership is more than a name in a box. It’s a commitment to shepherd an initiative through complexity and ensure it delivers what the strategy promised. ### 3. Don’t Try to Do Everything at Once (Phasing and Focus) Strategic plans often stall when everything is treated as urgent and nothing is meaningfully prioritised. Without phasing, teams become overwhelmed, resources get stretched thin, and momentum is lost. Good execution management focuses on doing the right things at the right time. It separates the essential from the desirable and builds in the space to learn, adapt, and deliver well. #### Effective Implementation Approaches - Identifying a small number of priority initiatives for each time period (for example, quarterly) - Sequencing based on dependencies, risk, and impact, not just what’s most prominent - Highlighting and scheduling quick wins to build early confidence and energy This approach improves delivery quality, reduces burnout, and increases the organisation’s ability to learn from experience as it goes. ### 4. Set Your Team Up for Success (Realistic Planning and Adequate Resourcing) Assigning ownership is important, but it’s not enough on its own. One of the most common reasons strategic plans stall is because teams are already at capacity. Strategic initiatives often become “extra work” layered on top of people’s day jobs, without the time, support, or tools to deliver them well. This leads to delays, burnout, descoping, or superficial execution that misses the intent of the strategy. To avoid this, organisations need to plan realistically and resource initiatives explicitly. #### Key Steps for Success - **Identify resourcing gaps:** Whether in skills, roles, time, or capacity - **Assign capable people:** With the right skill sets and availability, not just goodwill - **Align KPIs and rewards:** Ensure performance systems support strategic execution - **Balance strategic and BAU work:** Don’t rely on people already at 100% to lead key initiatives Without capacity mapping or phasing, even the best ideas can be undermined by overcommitment. Teams may start strong, but execution will eventually slow or become reactive if resourcing isn’t addressed upfront. Supporting your team isn’t just good for delivery. It builds belief that the strategy is achievable. ### 5. Boost Collaboration and Visibility (Communication and Engagement) When teams can see how strategic work is progressing and how their efforts contribute to it, they’re more engaged, aligned, and confident in the direction. Visibility is not just about reporting; it’s about creating a shared understanding of progress and keeping everyone connected to the plan. Strategic initiatives often become invisible when updates aren’t shared, blockers go unnoticed, or leaders aren’t aware of what’s stalling momentum. Visibility ensures issues surface early and gives people a sense of ownership and clarity. At the same time, collaboration keeps execution dynamic. When stakeholders have line-of-sight to shared priorities, they’re more likely to support each other, adjust quickly, and avoid duplication. #### What Helps Drive Collaboration - Simple, shared tracking of actions, owners, and status (for example, using Smartsheet or similar tools) - Dashboards or visuals that connect the dots between strategic themes and initiative-level progress - Regular communication rhythms that celebrate wins, spotlight progress, and flag challenges - Engagement from senior leaders, not just oversight, but visible involvement When progress is visible, it becomes easier to maintain momentum, identify where help is needed, and keep the strategy alive in day-to-day work. A tool like [Smartsheet](https://eurekamindspace.com/smartsheet/ "Smartsheet") helps make the strategic plan a *living* asset, not a static spreadsheet, improving confidence that the execution gap has been managed. #### Keep People at the Centre Execution isn’t just about systems; it’s about people. Progress becomes powerful when it’s visible and meaningful to those delivering it. Keep your team engaged by: - Celebrating milestones and completed actions - Reinforcing how their work supports the bigger picture - Sharing regular updates via dashboards, team meetings, or town halls - Creating feedback loops (lessons learned) to learn, adapt, and improve When people can see their impact and the path ahead, they stay more motivated, aligned, and confident in where the organisation is going. ## Your Plan to Progress A strategic plan won’t deliver itself. But it also doesn’t need to become an added burden. By putting in place: - Lean but effective governance - Clear ownership structures - Thoughtful prioritisation and capacity mapping - Collaborative, visual execution tools You give your team the clarity and support to deliver real progress without being overwhelmed. Execution is not about heroic effort. It’s about thoughtful design, deliberate pacing, and systems that keep people engaged and focused. And that’s the final piece: keep people at the centre. Strategy comes to life through the choices, energy, and commitment of your team. When people can see the path ahead, understand their role, and feel the impact of their work, they don’t just stay on track, they help move the organisation forward. **That’s what it means to plan to progress.** ###### Let’s talk ## We help turn plans into progress Contact us to see how we can transform your strategic plan from a static document into a living roadmap for success. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ian-J-sq.jpg) Ian Jones Director [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Leadership Circle Smartsheet Coaching Facilitation PRINCE2 [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategic-facilitator-portfolio-projects/) **Categories:** Strategy **Tags:** execution gap, Smartsheet, strategic execution, Strategic plan basics, strategy-execution gap, Workflows --- ### [What is Smartsheet and What Does It Do?](https://eurekamindspace.com/introduction-to-smartsheet/) **Published:** August 8, 2024 **Author:** Ian Jones **Content:** ## Quick Summary Smartsheet is more than just “Excel on steroids” – it’s a complete cloud-based work management platform that transforms how teams collaborate, execute projects, and drive business success. Combining the familiar spreadsheet interface with powerful project management, automation, and reporting capabilities, Smartsheet helps organisations eliminate workflow bottlenecks, reduce manual work, and improve team productivity. This guide explains what Smartsheet does, who uses it, and why it’s become essential for organisations from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. If you’re drowning in disconnected tools and manual processes, discover how Smartsheet provides the integrated solution your team needs. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Quick Summary](#Quick-Summary) - [What Smartsheet Does:](#What-Smartsheet-Does) - [Who Uses Smartsheet:](#Who-Uses-Smartsheet) - [Use Cases:](#Use-Cases) - [Key Benefits of Smartsheet:](#Key-Benefits-of-Smartsheet) - [In Simple Terms:](#In-Simple-Terms) - [Turn Process Frustration into Flow](#Turn-Process-Frustration-into-Flow) ## What Smartsheet Does: #### Project Management - Track tasks, deadlines, and project progress in real-time - Create Gantt charts and project timelines - Manage resources and workload allocation - Set up automated workflows and approval processes #### Team Collaboration - Enable multiple users to work on projects simultaneously - Share files, comments, and updates in real-time - Integrate communication tools to reduce email chains - Provide visibility into who’s working on what #### Business Process Automation - Automate repetitive tasks like status updates and notifications - Create custom workflows for approvals and reviews - Set up automated alerts and reminders - Generate reports and dashboards automatically #### Data Management & Reporting - Store and organise business data in a structured format - Create interactive dashboards with real-time metrics - Generate custom reports and analytics - Auditable changes tracking - Track key performance indicators (KPIs) ## Who Uses Smartsheet: **Industries:** Construction, healthcare, marketing, IT, government, education, professional services **Team Sizes:** From small businesses to large enterprises (Fortune 500 companies) ### Use Cases: - Project management and tracking - Campaign management - Resource planning - Event planning - Budget management - Compliance tracking - Customer relationship management (CRM) - Sales pipeline management ### Key Benefits of Smartsheet: - **Easy to Learn** – Looks like Excel but does much more - **Scalable** – Grows with your business needs - **Collaborative** – Multiple users can work together seamlessly - **Automated** – Reduces manual work and human error - **Secure** – Enterprise-grade security with Australian data hosting - **Integrated** – Connects with 100+ popular business applications ## In Simple Terms: Think of Smartsheet as *“Excel on steroids”* ; it gives you the spreadsheet interface you’re comfortable with, but adds powerful project management features, real-time collaboration, automated workflows, and professional reporting capabilities. It’s designed to replace multiple tools (spreadsheets, project management software, communication tools) with one integrated platform that keeps your entire team organised and productive. --- eurekaMINDSPACE are Smartsheet Silver Partners for licenses and implementation. See our full range of **[Smartsheet services here](https://eurekamindspace.com/smartsheet-services/ "Smartsheet")**, or **[contact us](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/ "Contact Us")** to discuss how Smartsheet can transform your team’s productivity and project outcomes. ![Smartsheet Silver Partner Logo](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/smartsheet-silver-partner-300x125.png) ###### Let’s talk ## Turn Process Frustration into Flow We’ll help you choose the right mapping methodology and get your workflows working for you, not against you. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ian-J-sq.jpg) Ian Jones Director [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Leadership Circle Smartsheet Coaching Facilitation PRINCE2 [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategic-facilitator-portfolio-projects/) **Categories:** Smartsheet **Tags:** Process Mapping, Processes, Smartsheet Partner, Value Stream, Workflows --- ### [Cultivating Curiosity: A Leadership Perspective](https://eurekamindspace.com/cultivating-curiosity-leadership/) **Published:** May 2, 2025 **Author:** Ian Jones **Content:** ## Executive Summary In a world that rewards quick answers and decisive action, curiosity can seem inefficient. Yet it’s curiosity, the willingness to ask questions, stay open, and explore unfamiliar territory, that fuels innovation, deepens relationships, and strengthens adaptability. This article explores what curiosity actually is, why it declines from childhood to adulthood, and how leaders can intentionally cultivate it to drive better decision-making, build trust, and navigate complexity. Learn practical frameworks for developing curiosity as a core leadership capability, moving from certainty to genuine enquiry Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [What happens when you lead with questions, not just answers?](#What-happens-when-you-lead-with-questions-not-just-answers) - [What is curiosity, exactly?](#What-is-curiosity-exactly) - [Measurable decline in Curiosity](#Measurable-decline-in-Curiosity) - [The link to growth and mindset](#The-link-to-growth-and-mindset) - [Beginner’s mind: seeing with fresh eyes](#Beginners-mind-seeing-with-fresh-eyes) - [Curiosity fuels creativity and innovation](#Curiosity-fuels-creativity-and-innovation) - [Curiosity fuels decision-making and problem solving](#Curiosity-fuels-decision-making-and-problem-solving) - [Curiosity builds empathy and deepens connections](#Curiosity-builds-empathy-and-deepens-connections) - [Curiosity transforms how we listen.](#Curiosity-transforms-how-we-listen) - [Curiosity underpins trust](#Curiosity-underpins-trust) - [Curiosity builds adaptability and resilience](#Curiosity-builds-adaptability-and-resilience) - [Barriers to curiosity](#Barriers-to-curiosity) - [Cultivating your curiosity](#Cultivating-your-curiosity) - [Mindset](#Mindset) - [Practice](#Practice) - [Embody](#Embody) - [Leading with curiosity](#Leading-with-curiosity) - [Frequently Asked Questions About Cultivating Curiosity](#Frequently-Asked-Questions-About-Cultivating-Curiosity) - [What is curiosity in leadership/](#What-is-curiosity-in-leadership) - [Why does curiosity decline from childhood to adulthood?](#Why-does-curiosity-decline-from-childhood-to-adulthood) - [How does curiosity improve decision-making?](#How-does-curiosity-improve-decision-making) - [What is beginner’s mind and how does it relate to curiosity?](#What-is-beginners-mind-and-how-does-it-relate-to-curiosity) - [How can leaders cultivate curiosity?](#How-can-leaders-cultivate-curiosity) - [What are the barriers to curiosity in the workplace?](#What-are-the-barriers-to-curiosity-in-the-workplace) - [How does curiosity build trust in leadership?](#How-does-curiosity-build-trust-in-leadership) ## What happens when you lead with questions, not just answers? In a world that often rewards quick answers, decisiveness, and certainty, curiosity can seem optional, even inefficient. But it’s curiosity, the willingness to stay open, ask questions, and explore unfamiliar territory, that fuels growth. It expands knowledge and creativity, deepens our connections with others, strengthens adaptability, and leads to better decision-making. ## What is curiosity, exactly? Curiosity is the desire to know something. It drives us to explore, understand, and connect. For those who are naturally curious, it’s like holding a prism to the sun and revealing new angles, insights, and opportunities with every shift. No wonder curiosity has often been viewed with a kind of reverence. The 18th-century English writer Samuel Johnson once described curiosity as *“the thirst of the soul.”* Curiosity is like exploring a cave with a torch. You enter with only a dim light and no clear map, just the desire to discover what lies ahead. Some paths lead nowhere, others double back. Progress is slow and uncertain, but each step is guided by a question: *what might be around the next corner?* Occasionally, your torch reveals something extraordinary, a hidden chamber, a glint of colour, a new perspective. Curiosity leads us through unfamiliar terrain, not with answers, but with attention, revealing insights we’d never find by sticking to the well-lit track. There’s something quietly profound in witnessing a child’s wonder, the way their eyes light up with curiosity, marvelling at a world still new and full of magic. The impulse to seek new information, explore possibilities, and follow questions is a basic human trait. As every parent knows, *“why?*” is the constant refrain of young children who have an insatiable need to understand the world around them. Children aren’t afraid to ask questions or appear unsure, not yet burdened by the need to appear competent. Over the years of our growing up, self-consciousness creeps in. The desire to look like we know what we’re doing begins to outweigh the drive to ask. And by adulthood, many of us have learned to suppress our curiosity. ## Measurable decline in Curiosity This decline isn’t just anecdotal, it’s measurable. In **[Breakpoint and Beyond (1993)](https://amzn.to/40Ileb5)**, George Land and Beth Jarman conducted a longitudinal study with 1,600 children. Using a creativity test that is also used by NASA, they found that 98% of 3- to 5-year-olds scored at a “highly creative” level. By age 10, this dropped to 30%. By age 15, just 12%, and in adulthood, only 2% reached the same level. ![graph showing how curiosity is at 100% for a 5yo, and then declines to almost 0% by adulthood](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/aging-loss-of-creativity-1024x626.png) These findings show more than just a loss of creativity; they reflect how we gradually unlearn curiosity. We’re taught to converge and comply instead of imagining and inventing. To memorise instead of innovating. ## The link to growth and mindset Being curious reflects a growth mindset, one that embraces challenges, thinks critically, and pursues continual learning. Curiosity isn’t just about absorbing information; it’s about engaging with it deeply. Curious people ask questions and seek understanding, from the big picture to the finer details. This mindset helps them uncover solutions where others may only see problems. Uncertainty, the awareness of not knowing, often fuels curiosity. When something is unclear, a curious mind doesn’t turn away. It leans in. It explores. A recent study at Duke University found that curious people often choose to delay resolution **[(Abigail Hsiung et al)](https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/x5hgc_v1)**. They prefer to stay in the moment, allowing answers to unfold gradually. This not only enhances satisfaction and enjoyment, but also improves memory. Curiosity, it turns out, isn’t just about solving, it’s about savouring. ## Beginner’s mind: seeing with fresh eyes Curiosity is closely linked to the concept of *beginner’s mind*, one of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s nine attitudes of mindfulness. He describes it as approaching each experience with fresh eyes, as if encountering it for the first time. While simple in theory, this mindset is surprisingly difficult to maintain. Why? Because our brains are wired for efficiency. We instinctively interpret new situations through the lens of past experience. While this mental shortcut can be helpful, it often narrows our perspective and limits our openness to new possibilities. In **[Full Catastrophe Living (2013)](https://amzn.to/4eXRjl6)**, Kabat-Zinn writes: “*Too often we let our thinking and our beliefs about what we ‘know’ prevent us from seeing things as they really are. We tend to take the ordinary for granted and fail to grasp the extraordinariness of the ordinary.*” ## Curiosity fuels creativity and innovation Curiosity fuels our drive to question, seek out new information, and explore new possibilities. In doing so, it fosters divergent thinking, the ability to generate a range of ideas. Sparked by curiosity, divergent thinking becomes a powerful enabler of creativity. It’s what drives artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs to imagine beyond the known and venture into new territory. Without curiosity, many of the world’s most important discoveries and inventions, from using flints to start a fire, to the invention of the light bulb, might never have happened. Einstein stated that it was his curious nature, not any unique talent, as the driving force behind his achievements when he said *“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”* In 1928, **[Alexander Fleming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Fleming)** returned from holiday to find mould growing on one of his Petri dishes. Instead of discarding it, his curiosity took over, he noticed the mould had killed nearby bacteria. Rather than seeing a failed experiment, he asked why and how. That question led to the discovery of penicillin, the world’s first true antibiotic, which went on to revolutionise medicine and save millions of lives. Without curiosity, Fleming might have missed one of history’s greatest breakthroughs, just as early humans might have ignored the spark from striking flint. ## Curiosity fuels decision-making and problem solving In the workplace, curiosity is increasingly recognised as a strategic advantage, a catalyst for job satisfaction, motivation, problem solving, innovation, and high performance. Curious employees bring fresh ideas, challenge assumptions, and seek diverse input. While they may seem to have wandering minds, curious people see opportunity in complexity. They absorb, connect, and synthesise as they explore problems, learning something new with each challenge they face. Curiosity also encourages open-minded engagement with information, including views that may challenge our assumptions. This makes us less prone to confirmation bias and more likely to think deeply and rationally. The result? Better decisions and more creative solutions. ## Curiosity builds empathy and deepens connections Curiosity is the starting point for meaningful human connection. It helps us learn how to meet others where they are, rather than where we assume them to be. When we approach engagement with an attitude of enquiry, asking thoughtful questions and showing genuine interest, people tend to like us more, view us as more competent, and are more likely to trust us. That trust lays the foundation for stronger, more authentic relationships. #### “*Listen with curiosity, speak to understand*“ ## Curiosity transforms how we listen. Instead of simply waiting to speak, we listen to understand. In teams and group settings, this encourages people to put themselves in each other’s shoes, take interest in different perspectives, and work together more effectively. It reduces conflict and builds cohesion. Intentional, curious listening helps us tune into not just what is being said, but what is meant, both verbally and non-verbally. It reveals gaps in our understanding and prompts further enquiry. Over time, this kind of listening improves how we respond to different ideas, personalities, and situations, and [strengthens team dynamics and performance](https://eurekamindspace.com/team-dynamics-understanding-tuckmans-model/ "Team Dynamics: Understanding Tuckman’s Model"). Curious employees also tend to build stronger networks. They ask more questions, form deeper ties, and more easily find the support they need to navigate challenges and grow in their careers. ## Curiosity underpins trust Curiosity plays a powerful role in building trust, particularly in leadership. Leaders who model curiosity, by asking questions, genuinely listening, and withholding judgement, create a climate of psychological safety. When staff feel heard and understood, trust grows, collaboration strengthens, and respect follows. [**Greg Dyke**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Dyke) demonstrated this elegantly when he was appointed Director General of the BBC. In 2000, before officially stepping into the role, he visited teams across the organisation and asked two simple questions: - “What’s one thing I should do to make things better for you?” - “What should I do to make things better for our viewers and listeners?” Rather than leading with a vision or issuing directives, he led with curiosity. That willingness to listen, not just speak, earned the respect of his staff and surfaced the insights he needed to lead change effectively. Trust isn’t built by having all the answers. It’s built when leaders show they’re open to learning from others. ## Curiosity builds adaptability and resilience Curiosity helps shift our mindset from fear to exploration. In times of uncertainty, curious individuals are more likely to ask, “What can I learn from this?” Rather than resist change, they lean into it. During the rapid shift to remote work during the Covid years, those who explored new tools and ways of working were able to adapt faster and support others in doing the same. Teams that approach change with curiosity remain more engaged, open, and resilient. For leaders, curiosity is a key to creating psychological safety. It signals openness to questions, feedback, and experimentation. This encourages teams to explore alternatives, surface risks early, and adapt more confidently. Curious teams tend to stay engaged, seek diverse perspectives, and view challenges as opportunities to grow. Rather than clinging to what was, they’re better prepared to adapt to *what could be*. ## Barriers to curiosity As we’ve seen, natural curiosity faces an uphill battle from the start, and many of the obstacles are built into the systems around us. In schools, we’re rewarded for correct answers over original thinking. Social norms push us to conform. And in many workplaces, we’re trained to follow procedures, align with policies, and prioritise efficiency over exploration. Imagination, experimentation, and innovation are often quietly discouraged. Even when leaders say they value inquisitive thinking, many still fear that curiosity will slow things down or increase risk. A study by Francesca Gino, involving over 3,000 employees across industries, found that only 24% felt curious at work on a regular basis, and nearly 70% reported facing barriers to asking more questions (**[The Business Case for Curiosity](https://hbr.org/2018/09/the-business-case-for-curiosity "The Business Case for Curiosity")**). As workloads increase and expectations harden, curiosity is often the first thing to go. **Organisational culture** matters too. In some workplaces, curiosity is subtly punished: certainty is rewarded, creativity is seen as inefficient, and challenging the status quo is viewed as disruptive. Ironically, experience and seniority can also become barriers. The more we feel we’re expected to have answers, the less willing we are to ask questions. **Personal factors** also play a role. Often we hold back from asking questions out of fear of seeming incompetent, indecisive, or unprepared. Internal pressures such as negative self-talk “I should already know this” combine with external pressures such as time limits and urgency, leaving little room for reflective exploration. To reclaim curiosity, we need to recognise what’s stifling it, and choose intentionally to create space for it again. ## Cultivating your curiosity A growth mindset fosters resilience, continuous improvement, and curiosity — a capacity we can intentionally strengthen over time. While not everyone feels naturally curious, it’s a quality we can nurture and grow. A useful starting point is recognising the personal value of curiosity. When we understand how curiosity benefits us, we’re more motivated to develop it actively. **[Research by Rachit Dubey](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rachit-Dubey/publication/338514226_If_it%27s_important_then_I_am_curious_A_value_intervention_to_induce_curiosity/links/5e188cf4299bf10bc3a112ee/If-its-important-then-I-am-curious-A-value-intervention-to-induce-curiosity.pdf?__cf_chl_tk=2Rqy7a_csBIa2fAt3uH1hnPz7EOBpXPxtkv7OvvCOl4-1746167762-1.0.1.1-UaPyvgtl6OeShWz8IrffPnhTRoL9y8y3xT9wQGSNdU8)**, a cognitive scientist at Princeton University, has shown that simply reminding ourselves of how useful new knowledge can be can reignite curiosity when it begins to wane. The following model breaks down the key elements involved in cultivating curiosity, showing how mindset, practice, and embodied actions work together to help you bring curiosity to life. ![picture of a triangle with Mindset at the base, Practice in the middle, and Embody at the top. Around the triangle are arrows showing the circularity of the curiosity process continually moving from point to point of the triangle. The points are titled Curiosity, then Divergent Thinking, then Connecting, then back around to Curiosity](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/curiosity-model-1024x811.png) ### Mindset *How we think and what we believe about curiosity* - Embrace not knowing (leadership requires comfort with ambiguity) - Avoid rigid thinking (stay open to unexpected ideas and emerging insights) - Stay humble and open-minded (growth thrives on the willingness to learn) - Be willing to be vulnerable (curiosity often begins with uncertainty ### Practice *Intentional behaviours that strengthen curiosity day to day* - Emphasise listening over speaking - Practice reflective listening (to deepen understanding) - Stretch the enquiry phase (risk rushing to assumptions and conclusions) - Ask open-ended questions (invite insight and new perspectives) - Focus on better questions (shift from “what” and “why” to “what if…” and “how might we…”) - Name the unspoken (surface ideas others hesitate to voice) ### Embody *Lived actions that bring curiosity to life* - Explore without a fixed goal (allow for discovery) - Try something novel or unfamiliar (step outside your norm) - Expand your network (connect with people outside your usual circles) ## Leading with curiosity When you lead with curiosity you don’t just unlock answers, you open the door to growth, connection, and innovation. Curiosity isn’t a luxury or a personality trait. It’s a core leadership capacity, a leadership mindset that fosters adaptability, empathy, better decision making, and deeper engagement with the world around you. In a time when certainty is often prized, curiosity invites us to stay open, to ask, to listen, to explore. It helps us build trust, navigate complexity, and uncover new possibilities where others see only obstacles. Cultivating curiosity is not about having all the right questions or needing immediate answers. It’s about creating the space to be surprised, to learn, and to keep growing, both individually and together. #### Where is your curiosity inviting you to explore next? ## Frequently Asked Questions About Cultivating Curiosity ### What is curiosity in leadership/ Curiosity in leadership is the willingness to stay open, ask questions, and explore unfamiliar territory. It’s the desire to understand not just what people do, but why they do it. Curious leaders expand knowledge and creativity, deepen connections with others, strengthen adaptability, and make better decisions by seeking diverse perspectives ### Why does curiosity decline from childhood to adulthood? Research shows that 98% of young children score as highly creative, but this drops to just 2% in adults. This decline occurs because we’re taught to converge and comply rather than imagine and innovate, self-consciousness replaces wonder, and we learn to suppress curiosity to appear competent. Social norms, educational systems, and workplace cultures often inadvertently discourage questioning. ### How does curiosity improve decision-making? Curiosity encourages open-minded engagement with information, including views that challenge assumptions. This makes leaders less prone to confirmation bias and more likely to think deeply and rationally. Curious leaders absorb, connect, and synthesise information as they explore problems, seeing opportunities in complexity and making better-informed decisions. ### What is beginner’s mind and how does it relate to curiosity? Beginner’s mind, one of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s mindfulness attitudes, means approaching each experience with fresh eyes, as if encountering it for the first time. It’s closely linked to curiosity because it requires setting aside assumptions and staying open to new possibilities, preventing our past experience from narrowing our perspective. ### How can leaders cultivate curiosity? Leaders can cultivate curiosity through three levels: Mindset (embrace not knowing, avoid rigid thinking, stay humble and vulnerable), Practice (emphasise listening, ask open-ended questions, stretch the enquiry phase, focus on better questions), and Embodiment (explore without fixed goals, try novel experiences, expand networks beyond usual circles). ### What are the barriers to curiosity in the workplace? Workplace barriers include cultures that reward certainty over questioning, fear of appearing incompetent, time pressure and urgency, negative self-talk, organisational emphasis on efficiency over exploration, and leadership expectations that discourage questioning. Research shows only 24% of employees feel curious at work regularly, with 70% facing barriers to asking questions. ### How does curiosity build trust in leadership? Leaders who model curiosity by asking questions, genuinely listening, and withholding judgement create psychological safety. When staff feel heard and understood, trust grows, collaboration strengthens, and respect follows. Trust isn’t built by having all the answers but by showing openness to learning from others. ###### Let’s talk #### Want to develop curiosity as a core leadership capability? eurekaMINDSPACE offers executive coaching and leadership development programs that cultivate the mindsets and practices that drive innovation and performance. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ian-J-sq.jpg) Ian Jones Director [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Leadership Circle Smartsheet Coaching Facilitation PRINCE2 [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategic-facilitator-portfolio-projects/) **Categories:** Leadership **Tags:** Curiosity, Curiosity decline, Lead with Curiosity, Leadership Curiosiry --- ### [Case Study - B4HWA - Strategic Update session](https://eurekamindspace.com/b4hwa-strategic-update-session-2025/) **Published:** June 11, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary eurekaMINDSPACE co-facilitated a 3 ½ hour strategic planning update workshop for Bicycles for Humanity Western Australia, a volunteer-run non-profit alleviating poverty through sustainable transport. Working with 16 volunteers, directors, and committee members, we helped B4HWA refine their vision, mission and values, establish success metrics through 2026, complete an updated SWOT analysis, and confirm strategic priorities to guide their work toward their 2030 vision. The session successfully built upon their 2023 strategic foundation, providing clear direction for the organisation’s continued growth and community impact. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Workshop](#Workshop) - [Format](#Format) - [Duration](#Duration) - [Participants](#Participants) - [Client Requirements](#Client-Requirements) - [Objectives](#Objectives) - [Results](#Results) - [Participant Feedback](#Participant-Feedback) - [Frequently Asked Questions About Strategic Planning](#Frequently-Asked-Questions-About-Strategic-Planning) - [What is strategic planning facilitation?](#What-is-strategic-planning-facilitation) - [How long does a strategic planning workshop take?](#How-long-does-a-strategic-planning-workshop-take) - [Can strategic planning work for non-profit organisations?](#Can-strategic-planning-work-for-non-profit-organisations) - [What’s the difference between a strategic planning workshop and a strategic planning update?](#Whats-the-difference-between-a-strategic-planning-workshop-and-a-strategic-planning-update) - [Do we need an external facilitator for strategic planning?](#Do-we-need-an-external-facilitator-for-strategic-planning) - [What makes a strategic planning session successful?](#What-makes-a-strategic-planning-session-successful) - [Does your strategy need an update?](#Does-your-strategy-need-an-update) ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/B4HWA-logo-2.png) **[Bicycles for Humanity Western Australia (B4HWA)](https://b4hwa.com/)** is part of a global volunteer-run, non-profit organisation that uses donated bikes to help alleviate poverty through sustainable transport. The Strategic Update session was led by Susanna from [Facilita Consulting](https://facilita.com.au/), with Melinda from eurekaMINDSPACE as co-facilitator. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_1905-300x225.jpg) | ### Workshop Strategic Planning Update | ### Format In-person | |---|---| | ### Duration 3.5 hours | ### Participants 16 Western Australian volunteers, Directors, and Management Sub-Committee members | ## Client Requirements B4HWA approached us for a comprehensive strategic planning update to build upon their foundational work from 2023. The organisation needed to: - Revisit and refine their organisational vision, mission and values in light of their recent growth and experience - Validate key assumptions and organisational principles underlying their strategic direction - Establish clear success metrics and definitions for achievement through 2030 - Conduct an updated analysis of their internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats - Confirm strategic priorities and focus areas to guide their work over the coming years ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Bicycles-for-Humanity-Strategy-Day-Team-photo-June-2025.png) ## Objectives The primary objective was to conduct a thorough review and update of Bicycles for Humanity WA’s strategic plan through to 2030. This included ensuring their foundational elements – vision, mission, and values – remained aligned with their current reality and future aspirations while establishing clear strategic themes to drive their impact. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/group-strategy-planning-1024x504.jpg) ## Results Working collaboratively with the dedicated volunteers, board members, and management sub-committee, we achieved comprehensive outcomes: #### Foundation Strengthening: The organisation’s core vision, mission and values were thoughtfully reviewed and updated to reflect their evolved understanding of their role and impact in the community. #### Success Definition: Clear organisational success indicators were established with measurable targets extending to 2026, providing concrete benchmarks for progress evaluation. #### Comprehensive Leadership Development: The program extended beyond DISC profiling to include two additional leadership modules: #### Strategic Analysis: A thorough SWOT analysis was completed, updating their understanding of internal capabilities and external environment factors that influence their effectiveness. #### Strategic Alignment: Key strategic themes and objectives were validated and confirmed by all stakeholder groups, ensuring unified direction and shared commitment to the path forward. The session successfully built upon the solid foundation established in their 2023 strategic work, refining and strengthening their approach while maintaining momentum toward their 2030 vision. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/melinda-strategy-facilitation-1024x428.jpg) ## Participant Feedback > I write to thank you for your time and assistance in the facilitation of our recent strategy session. I can assure you that all members appreciated your contribution to making the day a success. We are very grateful for your input and efforts. Once again I thank you sincerely for the assistance to and support of our charity. **Chair of th B4HWA Board** ## Frequently Asked Questions About Strategic Planning ### What is strategic planning facilitation? Strategic planning facilitation involves guiding organisations through a structured process to define or update their vision, mission, values, and strategic priorities. A professional facilitator helps teams have productive conversations, complete analyses like SWOT assessments, and establish clear goals and success metrics for their future direction. The facilitator creates a safe environment for honest dialogue, ensures all voices are heard, and keeps the group focused on outcomes rather than getting stuck in unproductive discussions. ### How long does a strategic planning workshop take? Strategic planning workshops typically range from 3-8 hours depending on the organisation’s needs and complexity. Update sessions like this B4HWA workshop can be completed in around four hours when building upon existing strategic work. Comprehensive strategic planning for organisations starting from scratch may require full-day or multi-day sessions. The duration depends on factors such as organisation size, complexity of issues being addressed, and whether you’re creating a new [strategic plan](https://eurekamindspace.com/strategic-planning-in-organisations-and-business/) or updating an existing one. ### Can strategic planning work for non-profit organisations? Absolutely. Strategic planning is essential for non-profit organisations to clarify their mission, allocate limited resources effectively, engage stakeholders, and measure their impact. This B4HWA case study demonstrates how strategic planning helps volunteer-run organisations establish clear direction and success metrics. Non-profits benefit from strategic planning by gaining clarity about their purpose, ensuring board and volunteer alignment, improving funding applications through clear goals, and demonstrating accountability to donors and community members. ### What’s the difference between a strategic planning workshop and a strategic planning update? A full [strategic planning](https://eurekamindspace.com/strategic-planning-in-organisations-and-business/) workshop typically starts from the ground up, establishing or completely overhauling an organisation’s vision, mission, values, and strategic direction. A strategic planning update, like the B4HWA session, builds upon existing strategic work by reviewing and refining elements that may have evolved, validating assumptions, updating environmental analyses, and confirming or adjusting strategic priorities. Update sessions are shorter and focus on refinement rather than creation, making them ideal for organisations with solid foundations who need to ensure their strategy remains relevant and aligned with current realities. ### Do we need an external facilitator for strategic planning? While some organisations attempt to facilitate their own strategic planning, an external facilitator offers significant advantages. External facilitators bring objectivity without organisational politics or biases, allowing leadership to participate fully rather than managing the process, and contributing expertise in strategic planning methodologies and group facilitation techniques. An experienced facilitator can navigate difficult conversations, ensure all voices are heard, and keep discussions productive and focused on outcomes. For important strategic work, the investment in professional facilitation typically delivers significantly better results than self-facilitated sessions. ### What makes a strategic planning session successful? Successful strategic planning sessions require several key elements: clear objectives established beforehand, the right participants in the room (decision-makers and key stakeholders), adequate time allocated for meaningful discussion, skilled facilitation to guide the process, honest and open dialogue among participants, and concrete outcomes with assigned responsibilities. The B4HWA session succeeded because participants came prepared to engage authentically, the facilitators created a safe environment for discussion, and the organisation committed to implementing outcomes rather than letting the strategic plan gather dust on a shelf. ###### Let’s talk ## Does your strategy need an update? Let’s chat about how we can support you in building a strategic plan, or updating and achieving what you’ve already got. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Case Studies, Strategy **Tags:** facilitation, NFP, Perth, Strategic Planning, SWOT analysis, vision mission values, volunteer organisations --- ### [Rethinking Leadership: Why Collective Leadership Matters](https://eurekamindspace.com/collective-leadership-matters/) **Published:** June 19, 2025 **Author:** Ian Jones **Content:** ## Executive Summary In today’s complex organisational landscape, the traditional single-leader model is becoming obsolete. This article explores collective leadership—a distributed, relational approach where responsibility and decision-making are shared across teams rather than centralised. Learn what collective leadership looks like in practice, why it matters now more than ever, and practical steps to implement it in your organisation. Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or aspiring change-maker, discover how shifting from hero to host can unlock your organisation’s full potential. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [The Power of Collective Leadership](#The-Power-of-Collective-Leadership) - [What Is Collective Leadership?](#What-Is-Collective-Leadership) - [How to Recognise Collective Leadership in Action](#How-to-Recognise-Collective-Leadership-in-Action) - [Why Collective Leadership Matters Now](#Why-Collective-Leadership-Matters-Now) - [How to Shift to Collective Leadership in Your Organisation](#How-to-Shift-to-Collective-Leadership-in-Your-Organisation) - [Final Thought: Collective Doesn’t Mean Leaderless](#Final-Thought-Collective-Doesnt-Mean-Leaderless) - [Questions to Consider:](#Questions-to-Consider) - [Ready to develop collective leadership in your organisation?](#Ready-to-develop-collective-leadership-in-your-organisation) This post was originally titled “**From Hero to Host – the power of Collective Leadership**”. It was inspired by Nonprofit Quarterly’s winter 2017 edition, “[Advancing Critical Conversations: How to Get There from Here.](https://nonprofitquarterly.org/five-elements-collective-leadership/)” This 2025 version has been updated by including additional information, deeper analysis, and action steps to introduce collective leadership into your organisation. --- ## The Power of Collective Leadership The concept of collective leadership is gaining momentum in contemporary organisational thinking. It’s an idea whose time has come, driven by growing complexity, the rise of knowledge work, increasing individualism, and a global shift toward postmaterialist values. In parallel, Hofstede’s power distance index is declining in many cultures, signalling a broader acceptance of shared responsibility, flattened hierarchies, and more inclusive decision making. Traditional leadership models still linger, often placing the weight of vision, strategy, and execution on the shoulders of a single leader. But today’s dynamic, ambiguous and fast- moving environments demand more. The truth is: no one person has all the answers. ## What Is Collective Leadership? Collective leadership is a relational and distributed approach to leading, where responsibility, decision making, and accountability are shared across a group rather than centralised in a single individual. It acknowledges that leadership can, and should, emerge from anywhere in the system, not just from the top. This leadership model values the diversity of perspectives, skills, and experiences within a team. When collective leadership is present, people are intrinsically motivated and genuinely collaborative. They work towards a shared purpose using their unique strengths, without waiting for direction from the top. Rather than “*power over*”, collective leadership is based on “*power with*”, a term made famous by **[Mary Parker Follett](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Parker_Follett)**, often regarded as the mother of collective leadership. In her words, power should be co-created, not imposed. ## How to Recognise Collective Leadership in Action Collective leadership may look different from organisation to organisation, but it consistently features the following characteristics: - **Shared vision and ownership:** The team defines success together and works collectively to pursue it. Vision-setting is a participatory process, not a top-down directive. - **Distributed decision making:** Teams are trusted to make decisions relevant to their work. Authority is based on expertise, context, or the problem at hand, not position on an org chart. - **Authentic engagement:** People are fully present, contributing their best thinking and energy because they believe in the work and feel their voice matters. - **Mutual accountability:** Responsibility is shared, not siloed. Individuals and teams hold themselves, and each other, to agreed standards and outcomes. - **Psychological safety and trust:** Team members feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of blame or punishment. - **Transparent communication:** Information is shared openly and honestly. There are clear, accessible channels for dialogue and feedback. - **Learning and adaptability:** Mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. Reflection is built into routines. Teams evolve their approaches based on what they’re learning. --- “The wicked leader is he whom the people despise. The good leader is he whom the people revere. The great leader is he of whom the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’” ***Lao Tzu*** --- ## Why Collective Leadership Matters Now The challenges many leaders face today, climate change, digital disruption, social equity, geopolitical instability, are what researchers call complex problems or “wicked problems”. These are not problems with clear solutions or linear pathways. They require cross- boundary thinking, collective intelligence, and ongoing adaptation. **[Margaret Wheatley](https://margaretwheatley.com/)** and **[Deborah Frieze](https://deborahfrieze.com/writing/)** put it well in “**[Leadership in the Age of Complexity”](https://www.margaretwheatley.com/articles/Leadership-in-Age-of-Complexity.pdf)**, it’s time to shift from the idea of the leader as hero to the leader as host. The “Hero” leader is expected to fix everything; the “Host” leader creates the space for others to contribute meaningfully. ## How to Shift to Collective Leadership in Your Organisation Shifting to collective leadership is not a matter of simply renaming roles or holding more team meetings. It requires deliberate cultural change and attention to the systems and behaviours that shape how people lead and work together. #### Here’s how to start: 1. **Model the mindset** Leaders at all levels must model collaborative behaviours, listening more than telling, asking questions rather than providing answers, and showing vulnerability by not needing to be the smartest person in the room. 2. **Redesign leadership development** Stop designing leadership programs only for top tiers. Instead, offer opportunities across the organisation to build capabilities in systems thinking, group facilitation, decision making, reflective practice, and peer learning. 3. **Build structures for participation** Make it easier for people to contribute ideas, make decisions, and collaborate across silos. This could include cross-functional working groups, rotating facilitation roles, or open strategy sessions. 4. **Clarify and distribute decision rights** Collective leadership doesn’t mean decision-making chaos. Be clear about who decides what, when, and how, and ensure those closest to the issue have a voice. 5. **Nurture a culture of feedback and reflection** Build in regular team retrospectives, learning reviews, and mechanisms for upward feedback. Learning must be part of the rhythm of work, not an afterthought. 6. **Redefine accountability** Move away from individual KPIs as the only metric of success. Recognise and reward team contributions, shared goals, and collaborative problem-solving. ## Final Thought: Collective Doesn’t Mean Leaderless Collective leadership is not the absence of leadership. It’s a redefinition. It’s leadership that is distributed, relational, inclusive, and deeply adaptive. It still requires individuals to lead, but with a posture of humility, invitation, and trust. For current and aspiring leaders, this is both an opportunity and a challenge. It requires unlearning old habits, letting go of control, and stepping into a new kind of influence, one that is shared, supported, and sustained by the group. In doing so, we don’t diminish leadership, we multiply it. --- ### Questions to Consider: 1. How could your organisation redesign meetings, roles, or metrics to support more shared leadership? 2. Where in your current team or organisation do you already see glimpses of collective leadership? 3. What might you need to let go of, as a leader, to make space for others to lead? ###### Let’s talk ## Ready to develop collective leadership in your organisation? Contact eurekaMINDSPACE for facilitated leadership development workshops. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ian-J-sq.jpg) Ian Jones Director [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Leadership Circle Smartsheet Coaching Facilitation PRINCE2 [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategic-facilitator-portfolio-projects/) **Categories:** Leadership **Tags:** Decision Making, Efficiency, Leadership Curiosiry, leadership development, Team Development --- ### [How clarity and alignment close the strategy-execution gap](https://eurekamindspace.com/how-clarity-and-alignment-close-the-strategy-execution-gap/) **Published:** August 13, 2025 **Author:** Ian Jones **Content:** ## Executive Summary Most organisations don’t fail for lack of vision – they fail in execution. This article examines the “strategy-execution gap,” that frustrating space between brilliant plans and actual results. Learn why strategies stall despite executive buy-in, how clarity and alignment transform good intentions into measurable outcomes, and practical frameworks for bridging the gap between Monday morning reality and strategic priorities. If your [strategic plan](https://eurekamindspace.com/strategic-planning-in-organisations-and-business/) is gathering dust while everyone’s too busy firefighting, this is your roadmap to change. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Why the execution gap persists](#Why-the-execution-gap-persists) - [Clarity: from fog to focus](#Clarity-from-fog-to-focus) - [Strategic clarity brings:](#Strategic-clarity-brings) - [Clarity comes down to three questions:](#Clarity-comes-down-to-three-questions) - [Organisations that succeed tend to:](#Organisations-that-succeed-tend-to) - [Alignment: making strategy everyone’s business](#Alignment-making-strategy-everyones-business) - [From principles to practice](#From-principles-to-practice) - [Start small, then scale](#Start-small-then-scale) - [Does your organisation have a strategy-execution gap?](#Does-your-organisation-have-a-strategy-execution-gap) Most organisations don’t fail for lack of vision. They fail, far more quietly and expensively, in the execution. Strategies are drawn up, powerpoints are polished, and town halls are held. Then, like a well-meant new year’s resolution, the plan is filed neatly, and largely ignored. This so-called *“execution gap”* isn’t caused by poor strategy. It’s caused by the yawning space between good intentions and daily behaviour. As Peter Bregman wrote in Harvard Business Review , “the problem isn’t the strategy, it’s the execution. And execution is a people problem, not a strategy problem.” Translation: if people don’t know what to do, or why it matters, they won’t do it. Or worse, they’ll do something else entirely. This post explores how to close the execution gap, not with corporate theatrics, but with two boringly effective fundamentals: **clarity** and **alignment**. ## Why the execution gap persists Strategic plans tend to be ambitious. They are sometimes allergic to reality. Once the razzmatazz of the planning retreat has settled, daily operations resume. The reasons strategies go nowhere fast are depressingly consistent: - Lack of clarity: No one knows what the strategy means on Monday morning; - Lack of alignment: Teams pull in different directions, each convinced they’re towing the main rope; and - Cultural inertia: The organisation continues to reward yesterday’s behaviours while quietly hoping for tomorrow’s results. As Joseph Grenny and his co-authors of **[Crucial Influence](https://amzn.to/41Hb3Um)**, put it, *“If you want someone to act differently, you have to make sure they understand not just what to do, but why it matters.”* Execution is not an upload-and-forget process. It is repetition, reinforcement, and reinforcement again. And it must be designed into the plan itself, not tacked on like a Post-it note. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/lack-of-clarity-and-alignment-300x300.png) ## Clarity: from fog to focus Clarity is knowing where the organisation is going, what matters, and how one’s work contributes. It means defining what we are and what we’re not. It is the opposite of jargon-laden ambiguity. ### Strategic clarity brings: - Alignment: Teams stop trying to do everything and start doing the right things. - Reduced confusion: Ambiguity is expensive. So is rework. - Better decisions: Priorities are easier to set when you know what you’re aiming for. - Engagement: People like knowing whether they’re winning, and what game they’re playing. The job of leadership is to clear the fog. Help your people see the mountain, not just the terrain. And make sure they understand why climbing it matters. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/clarity-showing-through-fog-300x300.png) ### Clarity comes down to three questions: 1. What is the strategy? (Plain English only, no acronyms.) 2. Why does it matter? (To the mission, the market, and the humans doing the work.) 3. What does it look like in practice? (If the strategy were a film, what would the scenes show?) Crucially, clarity also means restraint. Trying to be everything to everyone is a reliable route to mediocrity. ### Organisations that succeed tend to: - Focus on 3–5 strategic themes (more and it becomes a to-do list). - Give tangible examples of contribution. - Repeat themselves more than they think they need to. ## Alignment: making strategy everyone’s business If clarity is knowing the destination, alignment is ensuring everyone heads in that direction, and doesn’t get distracted by shiny side quests. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/alignment-in-strategy-1024x299.png) Alignment means that that decisions, behaviours, and systems reinforce rather than resist the strategy. It ensures: - Teams prioritise the right work. - Processes, systems and metrics reflect actual strategic goals. - Leaders model the behaviour they claim to value. *“When there is alignment, energy isn’t wasted, it’s amplified.”* **Stephen Covey** ## From principles to practice Alignment is built through both the head and the heart – to both systems and culture. At the **system** level, look for: - KPIs linked directly to strategic themes. - Shared decision-making frameworks across departments. - Portfolios of projects that map back to strategy (and ones that don’t are quietly retired). At the **cultural** level, alignment shows up in: - Storytelling that reinforces purpose. - Behaviours that walk the talk. - Celebration of strategic wins, not just quarterly sales targets. Execution is behavioural. It is what people actually do, not what the plan says. Strategies fail not because they are unwise, but because no one changes their Monday morning routines. As Bregman writes, *“strategy fails when leaders don’t align the organisation’s day-to-day behaviours with its most important strategic priorities.”* If your strategy needs agility, but your culture penalises risk, expect a mismatch. If your strategy values collaboration, but bonuses reward internal competition, you’re sunk before you start. To align behaviour with strategy: - Identify the handful of behaviours that matter most. - Reinforce them with visibility, recognition, and leadership consistency. - Dismantle systems that contradict the strategy. Grenny’s research on **[Crucial Influence](https://amzn.to/3J6Y5Jp)** notes that informal influencers, the people that others watch and follow, can accelerate alignment. Enlist them early. They’ll carry the culture further than a new logo ever could. ## Start small, then scale Resist the urge to change everything, everywhere, all at once. Pilot clarity and alignment in one team or function. Look for: - Engaged leaders. - Measurable outcomes. - Willingness to experiment. **Then:** - Coach leaders on new behaviours. - Tackle barriers early. - Share wins loudly and often. Success breeds success. A visible team that executes well can become a reference point for others. Strategy does not fail in it’s planning documents. It fails in the thousand daily choices and behaviours that drift off course. If your [strategic plan](https://eurekamindspace.com/strategic-planning-in-organisations-and-business/) is stalling, ask: - Do people understand what matters and why? (Clarity.) - Are systems, incentives, and people pulling in the same direction? (Alignment.) Fix these, and the gap between strategy and action starts to close. ***“You don’t shift outcomes. You shift behaviours. And behaviours shift outcomes.”*** ###### Let’s talk ## Does your organisation have a strategy-execution gap? Let’s chat about how we can work together to close that gap. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Ian-J-sq.jpg) Ian Jones Director [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Leadership Circle Smartsheet Coaching Facilitation PRINCE2 [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/strategic-facilitator-portfolio-projects/) **Categories:** Strategy **Tags:** execution gap, leadership, Strategic Planning, strategy-execution gap --- ### [Why Your Organisation Needs a Strategic Plan, not just a strategy](https://eurekamindspace.com/organisation-needs-strategic-plan/) **Published:** May 27, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary Having a vision is inspiring. Having a strategy is essential. But without a strategic plan, even the most brilliant strategy remains just good intentions. This article unpacks the critical distinction between strategy (why it matters) and a strategic plan (what to do), explaining why organisations need both to succeed. Learn how to translate high-level strategy into actionable plans, separate strategic initiatives from business-as-usual, and create the clarity and alignment that turn vision into results. If your strategic plan is gathering dust while everyone fights fires, this is your wake-up call. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [What is strategy and why does it matter?](#What-is-strategy-and-why-does-it-matter) - [Strategy versus a Strategic Plan](#Strategy-versus-a-Strategic-Plan) - [The clarity imperative: seeing the mountain](#The-clarity-imperative-seeing-the-mountain) - [A strategic plan brings action](#A-strategic-plan-brings-action) - [Strategic planning helps by:](#Strategic-planning-helps-by) - [Distinguishing strategic activities from business-as-usual (BAU)](#Distinguishing-strategic-activities-from-business-as-usual-BAU) - [What to include in your Strategic Plan?](#What-to-include-in-your-Strategic-Plan) - [Conclusion: Don’t think strategically, PLAN strategically](#Conclusion-Dont-think-strategically-PLAN-strategically) - [Turn Process Frustration into Flow](#Turn-Process-Frustration-into-Flow) ## What is strategy and why does it matter? Any discussion about a strategic plan needs to begin with an understanding of what strategy is and why it matters. Every organisation wants to feel confident it’s heading somewhere meaningful. That’s why the word “strategy” appears frequently in leadership meetings, annual reports, and off-site planning sessions. The term is used across diverse contexts, from marketing and sport to personal development, but at its core, strategy is simply the chosen approach to improve your chances of success. Despite its varied uses, strategy serves a single purpose: to help you achieve what matters most. It guides decisions, aligns efforts, and increases the likelihood of reaching your goals. However, there’s a critical distinction between *having* a strategy and *executing* a strategic plan: - A strategy tells you ***why it matters***. - A strategic plan tells you ***what to do***. You need both an overall strategy and a strategic plan. Without the distinction, and the bridge that links them, organisations risk failure in execution, no matter how visionary their strategy may be. In this post, we’ll explore the difference between strategy and a strategic plan, why organisations need both, and how to separate strategic effort from business-as-usual (BAU) to drive sustainable growth. ## Strategy versus a Strategic Plan The terms “strategy” and “strategic plan” are related but distinct. Both support clarity and alignment, which are essential for effective organisations. > “Strategy is about making choices” > Michael Porter, Harvard Business School A strategy articulates the high-level choices an organisation makes to realise its vision, its aspirational long-term future. Grounded in purpose and guided by strategic thinking, a strategy outlines the overarching approach for achieving strategic objectives. It is directional and conceptual, focused on what matters most and why. > “Without strategy, execution is aimless. Without execution, strategy is useless” > Morris Chang, Founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company If strategy captures your intent, the strategic plan provides your roadmap. It operationalises the strategy through specific goals, initiatives, timeframes, responsibilities, and behaviours. It is the bridge to execution, which author Larry Bossidy describes as “the ability to mesh strategy with reality, align people with goals, and achieve the promised results.” A good strategic plan answers: “What actions will we take? When? And who will be responsible?” It typically includes milestones and resource allocation, and turns intent into implementation. ## The clarity imperative: seeing the mountain Imagine your team standing in thick fog. Somewhere ahead is a mountain, your organisation’s vision. But without clarity, your people can’t see the peak, let alone start climbing. This is the danger of a missing, vague or poorly communicated strategy. A powerful, well conveyed strategy lifts the fog and reveals the mountain. It provides clarity of purpose and a shared direction. ![drawing of a group of people in thick fog, looking for the path up the mountain. This is demonstrating the need for clarity from a Strategic Plan to show people how to reach the organisation's goals](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/clarity-768x768.png) ## A strategic plan brings action A strategic plan takes it a step further; it’s like the fog evaporating further to reveal each turn of the path and each choice we make on the way to achieving the vision and strategy. It clarifies the roadmap and aligns teams to the pathway forward. ### Strategic planning helps by: - Clarifying priorities amid competing demands - Aligning limited resources with what matters most - Preventing drift by anchoring decisions to agreed goals; and Engaging staff by connecting their work to the bigger picture An effective strategic plan helps teams shift from high-level strategic alignment to practical coordination. While strategy aligns the organisation around purpose, the plan outlines how each part of the organisation contributes to achieving that purpose. > “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” > Benjamin Franklin ## Distinguishing strategic activities from business-as-usual (BAU) Without a strategic plan, organisations tend to react to what’s urgent rather than focus on what’s important. This is especially true for small to medium-sized organisations, where limited resources and stretched teams make it easy for long-term priorities to be overshadowed by daily demands. > As [Greg McKeown writes in Essentialism](https://amzn.to/40o94nz): > “If you don’t prioritise your life, someone else will.” A strategic plan isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. It provides the structure to protect transformational work from being buried by business-as-usual. BAU activities keep the organisation running, servicing customers, managing staff, maintaining systems. They’re necessary but don’t usually drive growth. Strategic initiatives move the organisation forward, whether by launching new services, building internal capability, entering new markets, or reshaping culture. A clear, actively managed strategy helps teams prioritise and deliver meaningful progress, without losing momentum to the noise of day-to-day operations. ## What to include in your Strategic Plan? - Clear objectives in plain, unambiguous language; - Actionable initiatives with defined success measures; and - Consistent communication that reinforces the plan’s importance. When teams have line-of-sight to strategic goals their motivation improves. Staff engagement increases when people know why something matters, not just what they need to do. > “People lose their way when they lose their why.” > *[Michael Hyatt, Free to Focus](https://amzn.to/4lxKn0e)* The strategic plan is the roadmap that links your vision and strategic intent to the real- world actions that deliver results. A strong strategic plan should include: - Vision and mission alignment (why we exist and where we’re going) Strategic goals (what we want to achieve at a high level) - Key initiatives (how we will achieve them) Milestones and timeframes - Ownership and responsibility - Resource requirements (people, funding, systems) Measures of success (what progress looks like) - **Pro tip:** Use time-phased planning (e.g., quarterly strategic goals) to align focus and maintain momentum while ensuring business continuity. Put simply: what we’ll do, when, by whom, with what, and how we’ll know it’s working. Equally important is identifying what won’t be done. A focused plan sets boundaries to avoid overcommitment and enable effective prioritisation. In managing the execution of your strategic plan, we discuss how regular progress check- ins support ongoing monitoring and timely intervention when support is needed. Scheduled deeper-dive reviews allow leaders to step back, assess the broader picture, and consider whether the plan needs adjustment based on what’s changed. ## Conclusion: Don’t think strategically, PLAN strategically Without a roadmap, even the best strategy is unlikely to gain traction. And without separating strategic work from BAU, your team will keep reacting to the urgent rather than building momentum toward long-term goals. A strategic plan provides the bridge between ideas and action. It ensures your time, talent, and resources are deployed where they’ll have the most impact. A good plan doesn’t limit your flexibility. It ensures every choice you make is deliberate, aligned, and strategic. ###### Let’s talk ## Turn Process Frustration into Flow We’ll help you choose the right methodology and get your workflows working for you, not against you. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Strategy **Tags:** Business Process, Efficiency, Strategic Planning, strategy-execution gap --- ### [Why High-Performing Teams Don't Skip the Conflict Stage: Tuckman's Model Explained](https://eurekamindspace.com/high-performing-teams-dont-skip-conflict-tuckmans-model/) **Published:** May 5, 2024 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tuckmans-forming-storming-norming-model-1-1024x1006.png) ## Executive Summary – What you’ll learn Every team moves through predictable stages of development, from initial politeness through conflict and into high performance. Understanding Bruce Tuckman’s five-stage model (forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning) helps leaders anticipate challenges, navigate team conflicts constructively, and accelerate their team’s journey to peak productivity. While developed for workplace teams, this framework applies equally to personal relationships, friendships, and family dynamics. Whether you’re building a new team, strengthening your marriage, or revitalising an existing group, this model provides practical insights for managing relationship dynamics and fostering deeper connections at every stage. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary – What you’ll learn](#Executive-Summary-%E2%80%93-What-youll-learn) - [Why Teams Get Stuck (And How to Recognise It)](#Why-Teams-Get-Stuck-And-How-to-Recognise-It) - [What is Tuckman’s Model?](#What-is-Tuckmans-Model) - [Forming](#Forming) - [What leaders should do in the forming stage:](#What-leaders-should-do-in-the-forming-stage) - [Storming](#Storming) - [What leaders should do in the storming stage:](#What-leaders-should-do-in-the-storming-stage) - [Norming](#Norming) - [What leaders should do in the norming stage:](#What-leaders-should-do-in-the-norming-stage) - [Performing](#Performing) - [What leaders should do in the performing stage:](#What-leaders-should-do-in-the-performing-stage) - [And one more: Adjourning](#And-one-more-Adjourning) - [What leaders should do in the adjourning stage:](#What-leaders-should-do-in-the-adjourning-stage) - [Tuckman’s Model Beyond the Workplace: Understanding Personal Relationships](#Tuckmans-Model-Beyond-the-Workplace-Understanding-Personal-Relationships) - [The game-changer for personal relationships:](#The-game-changer-for-personal-relationships) - [Common Mistakes Leaders Make with Tuckman’s Model](#Common-Mistakes-Leaders-Make-with-Tuckmans-Model) - [Applying Tuckman’s Model in Your Organisation](#Applying-Tuckmans-Model-in-Your-Organisation) - [Ready to accelerate your team’s journey from forming to performing?](#Ready-to-accelerate-your-teams-journey-from-forming-to-performing) In the realm of teamwork and collaboration, understanding the dynamics of group development is crucial. One of the most renowned frameworks for comprehending these dynamics is Bruce Tuckman’s stages of group development model. Tuckman’s model provides invaluable insights into how teams evolve over time, offering a roadmap for leaders and members alike to navigate through the challenges and opportunities inherent in any group endeavor. ## Why Teams Get Stuck (And How to Recognise It) Most teams never reach the performing stage. They get trapped in storming (constant conflict with no resolution) or plateau in norming (comfortable but not pushing boundaries). Recognising which stage your team is in allows you to provide the right leadership interventions at the right time, rather than applying generic “team building” activities that may not address your actual challenges. ## What is Tuckman’s Model? Tuckman’s model consists of four primary stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing. Each stage represents a distinct phase in the journey of a team, characterized by unique characteristics and challenges. ## Forming The first stage, **forming**, is marked by initial introductions and polite interactions. Team members are often polite and tentative, seeking to establish their roles and understand the objectives of the group. This stage is crucial for building rapport and setting the foundation for future collaboration. ### What leaders should do in the forming stage: Focus on clarity. Team members need to understand their roles, the team’s purpose, and what success looks like. Facilitate introductions that go beyond names and titles. Ask team members to share their working styles, communication preferences, and what they need from others to do their best work. Avoid rushing into task execution before relationships are established. **Red flags:** If your team stays in forming too long (excessive politeness, no one willing to challenge ideas, superficial interactions), you may need to deliberately create opportunities for honest dialogue. ## Storming However, as the team progresses, they inevitably enter the **storming** stage. Here, conflicts and disagreements may arise as individuals assert their ideas and preferences. It’s a phase marked by tension and uncertainty as the group grapples with differing perspectives and approaches. While storming can be challenging, it’s also an opportunity for growth, as teams learn to communicate openly and address conflicts constructively. ### What leaders should do in the storming stage: Don’t avoid or suppress conflict. Instead, establish ground rules for respectful disagreement and create safe spaces for open dialogue. This is where tools like DISC profiling or communication frameworks become invaluable, helping team members understand different working styles and conflict approaches. The goal isn’t to eliminate conflict but to make it productive. **Red flags:** Teams stuck in perpetual storming show patterns of personal attacks rather than idea debates, unresolved tensions that resurface repeatedly, or members starting to disengage entirely. If you’re seeing these signs, you may need external facilitation to break destructive patterns. ## Norming Once the storm has subsided, the team enters the **norming** stage. Here, cohesion begins to emerge as members develop trust and mutual respect. Clear norms and expectations are established, facilitating smoother collaboration and decision-making. This stage is characterized by a sense of unity and collective purpose as the team aligns towards common goals. ### What leaders should do in the norming stage: Reinforce the positive dynamics emerging while ensuring norms support high performance, not just harmony. Some teams establish norms that prioritise comfort over challenge. Encourage constructive dissent and ensure psychological safety means people can speak up about problems, not just agreement. **Red flags:** Watch for “groupthink” where everyone agrees too readily, or complacency where the team is comfortable but not innovating. Norming should lead to performing, not stagnation. ## Performing Finally, in the **performing** stage, the team reaches its peak productivity. With roles clarified, relationships strengthened, and processes streamlined, the group operates cohesively towards achieving its objectives. Creativity flourishes, and members leverage each other’s strengths to overcome challenges and drive success. It’s a stage characterized by high levels of synergy and accomplishment. ### What leaders should do in the performing stage: Your role shifts from directing to supporting. Remove obstacles, secure resources, and protect the team from unnecessary distractions. Celebrate achievements and ensure individual contributions are recognised. This is also when you can introduce stretch goals, knowing the team has the cohesion to tackle ambitious challenges. **Red flags:** Even high-performing teams can regress when new members join, leadership changes, or major setbacks occur. Any significant team change can push you back to earlier stages, requiring renewed attention to dynamics. ## And one more: Adjourning However, Tuckman’s model doesn’t end here. In some interpretations, a fifth stage, **adjourning**, is added, representing the conclusion of the team’s journey as they disband or transition to new projects. This stage acknowledges the emotional aspect of group dynamics, recognizing the significance of closure and reflection on shared experiences. Tuckman originally proposed a four-stage model in 1965 (forming, storming, norming, and performing), based on his research into group dynamics. However, in 1977, Tuckman and Mary Ann Jensen added the fifth stage, ‘adjourning,’ after recognising that the model didn’t account for what happens when teams complete their work and disband. The adjourning stage acknowledges that most teams are temporary rather than permanent, and that the conclusion of a team’s journey is a significant phase worthy of attention. This addition reflected the reality that project teams, task forces, and even long-term teams eventually conclude, and how that ending is managed affects both individual wellbeing and organisational learning. The fifth stage completed the lifecycle by recognising that endings matter as much as beginnings. ### What leaders should do in the adjourning stage: Create space for reflection and acknowledgment. Hold a retrospective to capture lessons learned, celebrate achievements, and provide closure. Team members often underestimate the emotional impact of team dissolution, especially after intense collaboration. Proper adjourning honours the work accomplished and helps individuals transition to their next endeavours. ## Tuckman’s Model Beyond the Workplace: Understanding Personal Relationships While Tuckman developed his model for workplace teams, the same dynamics apply to virtually every relationship in your life. Marriages, friendships, family relationships, and even parenting all move through these predictable stages. **Forming** in personal relationships is the “honeymoon phase” where everything feels easy and exciting. You’re both on your best behaviour, discovering commonalities, and building initial connection. In new friendships, this is the period of enthusiastic coffee dates and lengthy conversations. In romantic relationships, it’s when you can’t get enough of each other. **Storming** arrives when reality sets in. This is when you discover your partner loads the dishwasher “wrong,” when your friend’s communication style clashes with yours, or when your adult child’s life choices challenge your expectations. Many relationships end during storming because people interpret conflict as incompatibility rather than a natural developmental stage. The truth is, storming is where real intimacy begins. It’s when you stop performing and start showing up authentically, quirks and all. **Norming** in personal relationships is when you develop your unique patterns and unspoken understandings. You know how your partner needs space after a stressful day. You’ve established traditions with your friends. You’ve found a rhythm that works for your relationship. This is comfortable, secure, and deeply satisfying. But like workplace teams, personal relationships can stagnate here if you’re not careful. **Performing** relationships are characterised by deep mutual support, where both people bring out the best in each other. You’ve moved beyond just coexisting comfortably to actively championing each other’s growth. These are the friendships where you challenge each other to be better, the marriages where both partners evolve together, the family relationships where everyone feels genuinely seen and valued. **Adjourning** happens in personal relationships too. Friendships end, relationships conclude, adult children move away, or loved ones pass away. Understanding adjourning as a natural stage helps you navigate these transitions with grace rather than viewing every ending as a failure. ### The game-changer for personal relationships: Recognising that conflict isn’t a sign you’re with the wrong person or in a broken relationship. Storming is necessary for depth. The couples, friendships, and family relationships that last aren’t the ones without conflict, they’re the ones that navigate conflict constructively and emerge stronger. When you understand these stages, you can stop wondering “Is this relationship worth it?” during storming, and instead ask “How do we move through this together?” This is why understanding Tuckman’s model matters beyond your professional life. Whether you’re navigating a new romantic relationship, rebuilding trust with a family member, or strengthening a long-term friendship, these stages provide a roadmap for what’s normal, what’s challenging, and what’s possible when you commit to working through each phase together. ## Common Mistakes Leaders Make with Tuckman’s Model ***Mistake 1: Trying to skip the storming stage.*** Leaders who value harmony may inadvertently suppress healthy conflict, preventing teams from establishing genuine trust and clear norms. ***Mistake 2: Assuming the stages are linear***. Teams can cycle back to earlier stages when circumstances change. Adding new members, changing goals, or experiencing setbacks can return a performing team to forming or storming. ***Mistake 3: Treating all conflicts as “storming.”*** Not all conflict indicates team development. Ongoing interpersonal issues, role ambiguity, or misaligned goals require different interventions than normal storming-stage dynamics. ***Mistake 4: Neglecting to actively lead through stages.*** Team development doesn’t happen automatically. Each stage requires specific leadership actions to help the team progress rather than getting stuck. ## Applying Tuckman’s Model in Your Organisation Tuckman’s model provides more than theoretical understanding. It offers a diagnostic tool for assessing where your team currently sits and what interventions will be most effective. A team stuck in forming needs clarity and structure. A team struggling through storming needs conflict resolution frameworks and communication tools. A team in norming needs stretch goals to push toward performing. The most successful leaders use Tuckman’s framework proactively, anticipating the natural evolution of team dynamics rather than reacting to problems as they arise. Whether you’re launching a new team, integrating new members into an existing group, or wondering why your team isn’t reaching its potential, understanding these stages empowers you to provide the right support at the right time. ###### Let’s talk ## Ready to accelerate your team’s journey from forming to performing? Our team development workshops use frameworks like Tuckman’s model alongside practical tools such as Print surveys and DISC profiling to help your team navigate each stage effectively. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Team Building **Tags:** conflict management, leadership development, team communication, Team Development, Tuckman's Model --- ### [Case Study - AHMRC NSW - DISC Profiles and Leadership Development Workshop](https://eurekamindspace.com/disc-leadership-ahmrc-nsw/) **Published:** March 20, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Executive Summary eurekaMINDSPACE delivered a comprehensive DISC profiling and leadership development program for the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW (AHMRC), a Registered Training Organisation serving Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. Over a full-day in-person workshop (with an additional 3-hour online session), 23 AHMRC staff members gained critical insights into their behavioural styles, developed skills for navigating difficult conversations through the ZOUD model, and expanded their leadership awareness using the Johari Window framework. All content was adapted to be culturally safe and relevant, with exceptional participant engagement and completion of individual action plans for ongoing leadership development. Table of Contents [Toggle](#) - [Executive Summary](#Executive-Summary) - [Workshop](#Workshop) - [Format](#Format) - [Duration](#Duration) - [Participants](#Participants) - [Client Requirements](#Client-Requirements) - [Objectives](#Objectives) - [Results](#Results) - [Participant Feedback](#Participant-Feedback) - [Frequently Asked Questions – DISC Profiles and Leadership](#Frequently-Asked-Questions-%E2%80%93-DISC-Profiles-and-Leadership) - [How long does it take to complete a DISC assessment?](#How-long-does-it-take-to-complete-a-DISC-assessment) - [What’s included in a DISC leadership development workshop?](#Whats-included-in-a-DISC-leadership-development-workshop) - [Can DISC profiling be adapted for Indigenous organisations?](#Can-DISC-profiling-be-adapted-for-Indigenous-organisations) - [What is the ZOUD model for difficult conversations?](#What-is-the-ZOUD-model-for-difficult-conversations) - [What is the Johari Window model in leadership development?](#What-is-the-Johari-Window-model-in-leadership-development) - [What outcomes can we expect from a DISC workshop?](#What-outcomes-can-we-expect-from-a-DISC-workshop) - [Is follow-up coaching necessary after a DISC workshop?](#Is-follow-up-coaching-necessary-after-a-DISC-workshop) - [Would this benefit your organisation?](#Would-this-benefit-your-organisation) [![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AHMRC-Logo-01-image-transparent-1024x377.png)](https://www.ahmrc.org.au/education-and-training/) [**Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW** **(AHMRC)**](https://www.ahmrc.org.au/education-and-training/) is a Registered Training Organisation providing high-quality, customised training programs to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) members, equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their roles and contribute to the betterment of Aboriginal healthcare. | ### Workshop DISC Behavioural Profiles and Leadership Development Modules | ### Format In-person, and an online workshop a few weeks after | |---|---| | ### Duration The in-person workshop was a full day, and the online workshop was three hours | ### Participants In-person workshop had a total of 19 participants, and 4 participants for the online workshop | ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Tower-group-300x214.jpg) ### Client Requirements AHMRC sought to pilot a comprehensive team and leadership development program for their RTO staff across the Pitt Street Sydney and Little Bay offices. The organisation required a training experience that was both relevant and impactful, with specific focus on: - Building self-awareness to improve individual, team and leadership behaviours among staff members - Developing enhanced communication and interpersonal skills within teams and across the broader organisation - Evaluating the potential for offering similar DISC-based team and leadership development workshops to their member organisations in the future As an Indigenous organisation, it was essential that all workshop content and delivery methods were culturally safe and appropriate, with applications that could be meaningfully connected to cultural contexts and practices. ### Objectives The primary objective was to deliver a pilot DISC Advanced® based team and leadership development workshop that would provide AHMRC with insights into the tool’s effectiveness for their organisation and member services. Specific goals included increasing self-awareness, improving team communication through understanding different behavioural styles, and fostering a more harmonious work environment by recognising and appreciating diverse personalities and working styles within their teams. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/tower-300x222.jpg) ### Results The workshop proved to be exceptionally successful, with outstanding engagement from all participants. Key outcomes included: #### Cultural Integration: Successfully adapted all DISC profiling content and activities to be culturally safe and relevant, incorporating Indigenous perspectives and applications throughout the learning experience. The presence of a local Elder and significant participation from First Nations staff members enriched the discussions and learning for all participants. #### High Engagement: Achieved 100% participant engagement with active participation, meaningful questions, and genuine enthusiasm for learning throughout the full day. The team demonstrated exceptional commitment to both learning and contributing to the group experience. #### Comprehensive Leadership Development: The program extended beyond DISC profiling to include two additional leadership modules: - **Navigating Tough Talks:** Participants learned the ZOUD (Zone of Uncomfortable Dialogue) model, developing skills to handle difficult conversations with confidence and purpose. The training focused on creating safe spaces for dialogue, encouraging honest communication, and driving conversations toward meaningful resolution rather than avoiding workplace challenges. - **Developing Leadership Awareness:** Using the Johari Window model, participants expanded their self-awareness and understanding of how they are perceived by others. This module helped identify blind spots, encouraged strategic self-disclosure, and provided tools for continuous leadership growth through feedback and self-reflection. #### Follow-up Coaching Follow-up coaching sessions were made available for all participants, to support their continued growth and application of learning. During the workshop the participants completed individual action plans which can be used for ongoing leadership skill development. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/mel-presenting-1024x567.jpg) ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ian-presenting-1024x529.jpg) ### Participant Feedback > Very informative session, thoroughly enjoyed it. This session has given me a lot to think about as I have never thought about myself in the context of leadership. Excellent training. I thought this workshop was very beneficial for professional development. Thank you for a wonderful experience. > Really enjoyed learning more about myself through the DISC lens. Appreciate the two coaching sessions to go through all this knowledge, reflect, and awareness. > Informative – Involving – very effective – good use of breakout sessions & involving people in different teams > Good about (the) brain, expanding on mind-set, and growth. Great for team-building. Both Presenters were well prepared, allowed participants to have a voice. Loved the ZOUD and Johari models, I want more training in these. ## Frequently Asked Questions – DISC Profiles and Leadership ### How long does it take to complete a DISC assessment? The DISC assessment itself takes approximately 15 minutes to complete online. However, the real value comes from the comprehensive debrief and workshop that follows. In this AHMRC program, participants completed their assessments beforehand, then engaged in a full-day workshop to understand their results, explore team dynamics, and develop practical strategies for applying insights. The combination of individual profile review, team workshop, and ongoing support ensures participants can translate their DISC insights into meaningful workplace improvements. ### What’s included in a DISC leadership development workshop? A comprehensive DISC leadership development workshop includes several components. Participants complete the DISC assessment beforehand and receive detailed individual profile reports explaining their unique behavioural style, strengths, potential blind spots, and strategies for working with different styles. The workshop itself includes facilitated group sessions exploring team dynamics and communication patterns, practical activities applying DISC insights to real workplace situations, and development of individual action plans for ongoing growth. This AHMRC program went beyond basic DISC profiling to include additional leadership modules (ZOUD and Johari Window), optional follow-up coaching sessions, and resources for continued application of learning. ### Can DISC profiling be adapted for Indigenous organisations? Yes, DISC profiling can be successfully adapted to be culturally safe and appropriate for Indigenous organisations. This AHMRC case study demonstrates how DISC content and delivery methods can incorporate Indigenous perspectives and applications while respecting cultural protocols. Key adaptations include working with Elders and cultural advisors, connecting DISC concepts to cultural contexts and practices, using culturally relevant examples and scenarios, allowing time for cultural reflection and discussion, and ensuring facilitators understand and respect cultural protocols. The DISC framework itself is culturally neutral, measuring behavioural preferences rather than cultural values, which makes it adaptable across diverse cultural contexts when delivered respectfully. ### What is the ZOUD model for difficult conversations? The ZOUD (Zone of Uncomfortable Dialogue) model is a leadership framework that helps professionals navigate difficult workplace conversations with confidence and purpose. It recognises that many important workplace issues fall into an “uncomfortable zone” that people often avoid, leading to festering problems and missed opportunities for resolution. The ZOUD model teaches participants to create safe spaces for honest dialogue, encourage open communication about challenging topics, and drive conversations toward meaningful resolution rather than avoidance. This approach transforms difficult conversations from anxiety-inducing events into opportunities for growth and problem-solving. ### What is the Johari Window model in leadership development? The Johari Window is a self-awareness framework that divides personal awareness into four quadrants: what you know about yourself and others know (open area), what you know but others don’t (hidden area), what others know but you don’t (blind spots), and what neither you nor others know (unknown area). In leadership development, this model helps leaders understand how they perceive themselves versus how others perceive them, identify blind spots that may be limiting their effectiveness, encourage strategic self-disclosure to build trust, and develop strategies for continuous leadership growth through feedback and self-reflection. By expanding their “open area,” leaders become more authentic and effective. ### What outcomes can we expect from a DISC workshop? Organisations implementing DISC workshops typically see improved team communication and reduced misunderstandings, faster conflict resolution through better understanding of different perspectives, more effective task delegation based on behavioural strengths, enhanced leadership capability through self-awareness, and stronger team cohesion and mutual respect. In this AHMRC workshop, we achieved 100% participant engagement, participants developed individual action plans for applying their learning, team members gained practical strategies for working with different behavioural styles, and the organisation gained insights into collective team dynamics. The key to sustaining these outcomes is ongoing application and reinforcement of DISC principles in daily work. ### Is follow-up coaching necessary after a DISC workshop? While not strictly necessary, follow-up coaching significantly enhances the impact and sustainability of DISC learning. Initial workshops provide foundational knowledge and awareness, but follow-up coaching helps participants apply insights to specific workplace challenges, address blind spots or difficult team dynamics, develop personalised strategies for leadership growth, and maintain accountability for behavioural changes. In the AHMRC program, we offered optional follow-up coaching sessions, which many participants utilised to deepen their learning and address individual development goals. Organisations investing in follow-up support typically see better long-term outcomes and sustained behavioural change. ###### Let’s talk ## Would this benefit your organisation? Get in touch and we can discuss how our workshops can benefit your staff and organisation [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![author avatar](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mel-D-sq.jpg) Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant [See Full Bio](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/#meet-our-team) DISC Behavioural Profiles Print Surveys Smartsheet Coaching NLP Facilitation PRINCE2 Lean Six Sigma [ ![social network icon](http://image/svg+xml;base64,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) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindadeasey/) **Categories:** Case Studies, Leadership **Tags:** culturally safe training, DISC Profiling, Indigenous organisations, Johari Window, leadership development, Sydney, workshop facilitation, ZOUD model --- ## Pages ### [eurekaMINDSPACE - facilitating effective organisations](https://eurekamindspace.com/) **Published:** June 19, 2023 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### facilitating effective organisations # Transform Your Organisation’s Potential into Performance --- Every organisation has untapped potential. The difference between thriving and merely surviving lies in three critical areas: clear strategy that gets implemented, teams that communicate effectively, and workflows that enhance productivity. eurekaMINDSPACE integrates all three – because when your strategy, teams, and workflows align, that’s when potential becomes performance. #### Professional Coaching for Leaders and Teams --- Professional coaches trained to ICF standards, supporting leaders and teams to unlock their potential through evidence-based assessments, targeted development, and practical implementation support. #### Strategic Planning and Facilitation --- Expert facilitation to move your organisation forward in strategic growth, project management, and team alignment. #### Smartsheet Solutions, implementation, and training --- Smartsheet Silver Partners, providing licensing, solution building and implementation, and training services ###### effective strategy \* effective teamwork \* effective workflows ## Turn Organisational Potential into Measurable Performance --- Great organisations excel in three key areas: they have strategies that actually get implemented, teams that tackle challenges together, and workflows that amplify rather than frustrate their people. We help you strengthen whichever areas need attention through coaching, facilitation, and workflow optimisation. **Effective Strategy:** Move from vision to action through executive coaching, strategic planning facilitation, and project management support that delivers results. **Effective Teamwork:** Develop high-performing leaders and teams through professional coaching, psychometric profiling (Leadership Circle, PRINT, DISC), and facilitated workshops that address real workplace challenges. **Effective Workflows:** Streamline your processes and systems through workflow coaching and Smartsheet implementation so your people can focus on what matters most. ###### Explore --- ## Services at a Glance --- ![picture of a business man and business woman having coaching for leadership development](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/leadership-development-coaching.jpg) ### Executive & Career Coaching Professional coaching for leaders navigating change, developing their leadership capability, or planning their next career move. Evidence-based and results-focused. [Learn more](https://eurekamindspace.com/executive-leadership-coaching-perth/) ![picture of a group of people facilitating a workshop](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/workshop-facilitation.jpg) ### Leadership & Team Development Build high-performing teams through psychometric profiling, targeted development workshops, and coaching that addresses real workplace challenges. [Learn more](https://eurekamindspace.com/services/) [![picture of a group of people in a board room doing strategic planning on a whiteboard](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/strategic-planning.jpg) ### Strategy Planning & Facilitation Transform your vision into action with strategic planning that actually gets implemented and project management that delivers results.](https://eurekamindspace.com/smartsheet/) [Learn more](https://eurekamindspace.com/services) ###### previous clients ## See who we’ve worked with previously - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/western-power-logo.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Wesfarmers-1024x491.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/wa-health-logo.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/sheffield-resources.png) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/plant-health-australia.jpeg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/origin-logo.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IPART-logo-full-1024x378.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/inpex-logo-1024x179.png) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/gijima-ast.jpeg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Engineers-Australia.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/dpird-logo.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DPC-logo.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DFES-logo.png) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Housing-NZ-logo.png) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/covalent-logo.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Compassion-Australia.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CHH.jpeg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chevron-logo.png) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Blue-circle-industries-1.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Blue_Star-1.png) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/AWB-logo-1.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ANU-1.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/allied-bakeries-logo-1.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/alcoa-AWA.jpg) - ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/AHMRC-Logo-01-image-1-1024x377.jpg) --- ### [Services](https://eurekamindspace.com/services/) **Published:** October 5, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### our services # Explore our services ![eurekaMINDSPACE services model](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/eMS-Genius-Model-full-Infographic-final-transparent-300x287.png) Every organisation has untapped potential. The difference between thriving and merely surviving lies in three critical areas: having a clear strategy that actually gets implemented, building organisations and teams that communicate effectively and tackle challenges head-on, and creating processes, systems and workflows that enhance rather than hinder productivity. Our proven approach focuses on these three interconnected elements – because when your strategy, teams, and workflows align, that’s when potential becomes performance. [get in touch](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ## eurekaMINDSPACE 2026 Capability Statement Click here to download a copy of **[eurekaMINDSPACE’ 2026 Capability Statement](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-eMS-Capability-Statement.pdf "2026 eMS Capability Statement")** ###### Where vision meets action --- ## Effective Strategy --- The difference between thriving and merely surviving starts with having a clear strategy that actually gets implemented, not another document gathering dust on a shelf. ![signpost with signs for Vision, Mission, and Values](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/vision-mission-values-ems.jpg) ### Vision, Mission, Values Facilitation Your vision, mission and values shouldn’t be marketing speak—they should be the genuine foundation that guides every decision your organisation makes. We help leadership teams articulate what you truly stand for and where you’re headed, creating statements that resonate with your people and actually inform how you operate day-to-day. ***Ideal for:** New organisations, businesses redefining their direction, teams experiencing values misalignment* ![picture of a Board at a strategic planning facilitation meeting](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ems-strategic-planning.jpg) ### Strategic Planning Facilitation We facilitate the tough conversations that create genuine clarity around your organisation’s direction, priorities, and goals. Working alongside your leadership team, we help you develop strategic plans that your people will actually use—complete with clear actions, accountability, and realistic timeframes. Whether you’re a business planning your next growth phase or an NFP aligning limited resources with maximum community impact, we’ll help you turn abstract aspirations into concrete action. ***Ideal for:** Leadership teams, Boards, organisations facing significant change or growth* ![diagram showing the circular nature of vision-strategy-execute-success](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ems-strategic-achievement.jpg) ### Strategic Enablement A brilliant strategy means nothing if it doesn’t get implemented. We support organisations to turn strategic plans into operational reality through implementation planning, progress monitoring, and accountability frameworks. From setting up governance structures to developing action plans that work with your existing workflows, we help bridge the gap between planning and doing. ***Ideal for:** Organisations with existing strategic plans, teams struggling with implementation, leadership groups needing ongoing support* [get in touch](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ###### where potential meets performance --- ## Effective Teamwork --- Your team’s success isn’t just about having the right people – it’s about those people understanding themselves, each other, and how to work together effectively. ![picture of a form titled psychometric assessment](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ems-psychometric-profile-assessment.jpg) ### Psychometric Profiling Understanding how people think, communicate, and work is the foundation of high-performing teams. We offer a range of profiling tools tailored to your needs: PRINT surveys reveal the unconscious motivators driving behaviour, DISC profiling improves communication by identifying different behavioural styles, Belbin Teams optimises role allocation based on natural strengths, and Click Colors enhances team dynamics through personality insights. Each assessment comes with professional interpretation and practical application workshops. \[Full details on PRINT profiling →\] \[Full details on DISC profiling →\] ***Ideal for:** Teams experiencing conflict, new teams forming, leadership groups, organisations with communication breakdowns* ![picture of a group of people facilitating a workshop](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/workshop-facilitation.jpg) ### Teambuilding Workshops We design and deliver workshops that create real change. From high-performance team development and leadership communication to navigating conversations, our workshops combine proven frameworks with practical application. Every session is customised to your context, team size, and specific challenges. ***Ideal for:** Teams needing specific skill development, organisations rolling out new initiatives, leadership development programs* ![picture of a business man and business woman having coaching for leadership development](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/leadership-development-coaching.jpg) ### Professional Coaching Often the best development happens one-on-one. Our coaching services support executives, managers, and ambitious professionals to unlock their potential and accelerate their growth. We offer Leadership Circle 360 assessments for senior leaders seeking transformational development, executive coaching for strategic leadership challenges, career coaching for professionals navigating transitions or advancement, and workplace coaching to build capability and confidence. Both Ian and Melinda are professional certified coaches committed to your sustainable success. \[Full details on coaching services →\] \[Full details on Leadership Circle →\] ***Ideal for:** New managers, experienced executives, high-potential employees, professionals seeking career clarity* [get in touch](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ###### Where efficiency meets impact --- ## Effective Workflows --- The best teams in the world still struggle if their workflows are broken. We help organisations identify bottlenecks, eliminate inefficiencies, and create systems that support great work. ![picture of a business process map for procurement, using swimlanes](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ems-business-process-map-swimlane-tra-scaled.png) ### Business Process and Workflow Mapping You can’t fix what you can’t see. We work with your team to map how work actually flows through your organisation, not what the policy manual says should happen, but what genuinely occurs day-to-day. By documenting processes step-by-step, we help you identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and gaps causing delays or frustration. This clarity is essential whether you’re improving current operations, preparing for software implementation, or simply trying to understand why things take longer than they should. ***Ideal for:** Organisations implementing new systems, teams experiencing workflow confusion, businesses preparing for growth or change.* ![picture of various Smartsheet elements](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/lodestar-what-is-smartsheet-cluster-1.png) ### Smartsheet We help Australian and New Zealand organisations transform how they manage projects, track progress, and collaborate. From initial setup and process automation to comprehensive training programs, we ensure your team gets maximum value from this powerful platform. We handle everything from licensing and implementation to ongoing support, and because we always start with [business process mapping,](https://eurekamindspace.com/business-process-mapping-vs-value-stream-mapping-explained/) we implement systems that actually improve how you work, not just digitise existing chaos. ***Ideal for:** Organisations outgrowing spreadsheets, teams needing better project visibility, businesses wanting to automate manual processes* ###### how can we help transform your team and organisation today? ## Speak to us about your organisation’s needs today [get in touch](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do you provide any discounts or pro-bono facilitation/workshops/coaching?** We offer a discount for registered Not-For-Profit (NFP) organisations, please contact us to discuss this. APOD members can also access a discount on all our services via the APOD app. We occasionally offer pro-bono services, primarily for NFP organisations who genuinely can’t afford professional facilitation but would benefit significantly from our support. We also consider discounted rates on a case-by-case basis. We’re always happy to discuss your organisation’s specific requirements and budget constraints to explore how we might be able to help make our services accessible to you. **How long do your workshops typically run?** Workshop duration varies considerably depending on the content and your objectives. We might run a focused 2-hour session on communication styles, whilst strategic planning workshops typically require a full day or even multiple days. We tailor our delivery timeframe to match each client’s specific requirements, schedule constraints, and desired outcomes rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. **Can you work with remote/hybrid teams?** Yes, we facilitate sessions for fully remote teams using video conferencing platforms. However, we don’t run hybrid sessions where some participants are in-person whilst others join remotely, as this creates an uneven experience and compromises the effectiveness of group activities. We’ll work with you to determine whether a fully virtual or fully in-person approach will work best for your team. Our preference will always be for in-person workshops as experience has shown that participants interact, absorb, and learn better in person. However, we acknowledge this isn’t always practical or possible. **Do you organise the workshop room and facilities or is it up to the client?** We’re flexible on this front. Many clients prefer to use their own facilities, but we’re happy to organise appropriate workshop spaces and facilities if that’s more convenient for you. We’ll discuss venue requirements during our planning conversations to ensure the space supports the activities we’ll be running. **Do you offer package deals for multiple services?** Yes, we do offer package arrangements when clients are engaging us for multiple services or extended programs. Rather than applying a standard discount percentage, we consider each client’s unique combination of requirements and create pricing that reflects the scope and value of the overall engagement. This approach often provides better value than purchasing services individually. **Do you provide Certificates to participants for PD hours?** Yes, we provide professional development certificates for all workshop participants as standard practice. PDF certificates are emailed to all attendees within one week of completing the workshop, detailing the specific training content covered and the number of professional development hours earned. This service is included in all our workshop packages at no additional cost. **Do you require a minimum number of participants for workshops?** Yes, we require a minimum of three participants. Below this number, the group dynamics that make workshops effective simply don’t develop properly, and you’d likely get better value from individual coaching or consulting sessions instead. **What materials or preparation do we need before a session?** Preparation requirements vary significantly depending on the type of workshop and your specific objectives. We’ll detail all necessary materials, pre-work, and preparation steps in your engagement contract. This might include anything from completing assessment profiles beforehand to gathering specific organisational documents or simply ensuring participants come ready to engage openly in discussions. **Do you provide follow-up support after workshops?** Yes, when requested by clients. Follow-up support might include check-in sessions to review progress, additional coaching for key participants, or help implementing action plans developed during the workshop. We find that follow-up significantly increases the long-term impact of workshop outcomes, so we’re always happy to discuss ongoing support options. **Do you travel outside Perth and what are the additional costs?** We’re happy to travel for engagements. Within an hour’s drive of Perth, there are no additional travel charges. For locations beyond this, we charge actual travel costs including fares, accommodation, meals, and local transport, plus either an hourly or daily fee for travel time depending on the distance involved. We’ll provide a detailed breakdown of any travel costs when discussing your engagement. --- ### [Workflows and Business Process Mapping](https://eurekamindspace.com/business-process-mapping-perth/) **Published:** December 8, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### Turn operational bottlenecks into streamlined systems that work # Workflows and Business Process Mapping Inefficient workflows and unclear processes don’t just slow your team down – they create frustration, errors, and missed opportunities for growth. We help Perth organisations identify bottlenecks, eliminate unnecessary complexity, and design streamlined workflows that let your people focus on what actually matters instead of fighting broken systems. #### Hidden inefficiencies are costing you time, money, and customers Our workflow analysis and business process mapping services reveal exactly where your operations are breaking down and why. Through systematic examination of how work actually flows through your organisation, we identify redundancies, bottlenecks, and gaps that are hindering productivity. You’ll gain clear visibility into your processes, practical recommendations for improvement, and documented workflows that become the foundation for better systems, easier training, and continuous operational improvement. [Contact Us today](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![picture of a business process map with swimlanes](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ems-business-process-map-1024x683.jpg) ## Process Discovery and Mapping Before you can improve workflows, you need to understand them as they actually exist – not as you think they should be. We work with your team to document current processes, identifying who does what, when, and why. This mapping exercise often reveals surprising disconnects between intended processes and daily reality. The visual documentation we create becomes an invaluable tool for training, identifying improvement opportunities, and ensuring everyone understands how work should flow through your organisation. ## Bottleneck Identification Every organisation has processes that worked fine at smaller scale but now create frustration and delays. We analyse your workflows to pinpoint where work gets stuck, where unnecessary approvals slow progress, and where manual processes could be automated or eliminated. This systematic analysis helps you prioritise improvements based on actual impact rather than assumptions. The result is targeted recommendations that deliver measurable efficiency gains without requiring complete system overhauls. ## Workflow Optimisation Once we understand your current state and identify improvement opportunities, we work with you to design optimised workflows that balance efficiency with quality. This includes eliminating redundant steps, clarifying decision-making authority, establishing clear handoff points between team members, and identifying where technology solutions like Smartsheet can support better workflow management. The goal isn’t perfection – it’s creating processes that are efficient enough to support growth whilst practical enough for your team to actually follow. ## Our Workflow Analysis Approach Effective workflow improvement starts with understanding your organisation’s actual operations, not imposing generic best practices. We begin by working with your team to map current processes, capturing the reality of how work moves through your organisation including the workarounds and informal systems people have developed. This collaborative approach ensures we understand context and constraints that matter. We then analyse these workflows to identify specific bottlenecks, redundancies, and opportunities for improvement, prioritising recommendations based on potential impact and implementation feasibility. Throughout the process, we involve the people who actually do the work – they often have the best insights into what’s broken and what would help. The outcome is documented, optimised workflows that your team understands and can implement, along with clear recommendations for supporting technology solutions where appropriate. We can also provide implementation support and training to ensure new workflows are adopted effectively and deliver the efficiency gains you’re seeking. ###### Let’s talk ## Turn Process Frustration into Flow We’ll help you choose the right mapping methodology and get your workflows working for you, not against you. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) --- ### [360 Leadership Circle Assessments and Coaching](https://eurekamindspace.com/360-leadership-circle-profile-perth/) **Published:** December 8, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### Leadership assessment for leaders serious about transformational development # 360 LEADERSHIP CIRCLE PROFILES AND COACHING PAGE When your organisation needs to develop leaders who can navigate complexity, drive transformation, and deliver exceptional results, you need assessment that goes beyond surface-level behaviours. The Leadership Circle Profile is the most comprehensive, scientifically validated 360-degree psychometric assessment available – designed specifically for executives and senior leaders who are ready to unleash their full leadership potential. #### Traditional leadership development addresses symptoms – you need to address root causes Our Leadership Circle psychometric profiling services provide Perth executives with unprecedented insight into both leadership competencies and the underlying beliefs that drive behaviour. Research consistently shows strong correlations between Leadership Circle Profile scores and key business indicators including revenue growth, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement. [Contact Us today](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![leadership circle logo](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/LCP-Logo_Color-1024x1024.png) ## Creative Competencies The Leadership Circle measures five Creative Competencies that lead to high achievement and high fulfilment: Relating (bringing out the best in others), Self-Awareness (learning and authentic presence), Authenticity (leading with integrity and courage), Systems Awareness (seeing and influencing the bigger picture), and Achieving (creating sustainable results). These upper-circle competencies represent the leadership behaviours and internal assumptions that correlate directly with business performance. Understanding and strengthening these competencies enables you to lead with greater effectiveness and impact. ## Reactive Tendencies The psychometric profile also reveals Reactive Tendencies – the self-limiting patterns that may have served you in the past but now constrain your effectiveness. These include Controlling (over-managing others), Protecting (playing it safe and avoiding necessary risks), and Complying (over-accommodating at the expense of results). The Leadership Circle Profile doesn’t just show what you do, but why you do it – uncovering the internal operating system that drives your leadership effectiveness and identifying exactly where development focus will deliver maximum impact. ## Transformational Coaching Leadership Circle profiling isn’t a standalone assessment – it’s the foundation for transformational executive coaching. Working with certified Leadership Circle practitioners, you’ll explore your creative competencies and reactive patterns in depth, developing specific strategies based on your unique profile and business context. Our coaching support ensures sustainable behavioural change through regular sessions, accountability, and practical application to real leadership challenges. This combination of deep psychometric insight and professional coaching delivers lasting leadership transformation. ## The Leadership Circle Assessment Process The Leadership Circle Profile represents a significant investment in leadership development, in both time and commitment. The comprehensive 360-degree data collection involves a minimum of 10 evaluators across all organisational levels completing a 124-question assessment covering 29 leadership dimensions. Anonymous feedback (with manager identity revealed for development purposes) is compared against a global executive database of high-performing leaders, providing context for your results. Individual interpretation sessions with certified Leadership Circle practitioners explore your creative competencies and reactive patterns in depth, leading to specific development planning based on your unique psychometric profile and business objectives. For executive teams, we can create team profiles that reveal collective dynamics and organisational leadership strengths. This premium psychometric assessment is built on over 30 years of research and validated through more than 4 million assessments globally, the gold standard for executive leadership development that correlates directly with business performance. ###### Ready for executive-level leadership development? ## Unlock your top leader’s potential If you’re committed to leadership excellence and ready to invest in the most comprehensive psychometric assessment available, the Leadership Circle Profile provides the roadmap for your transformation. This isn’t about incremental improvement, it’s about fundamental transformation that enables you to lead with greater authenticity, effectiveness, and sustainable impact. Contact us to discuss how the Leadership Circle Profile and coaching can support your leadership development objectives and drive measurable business results. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) --- ### [DISC Behavioural Profiles](https://eurekamindspace.com/disc-behavioural-profiles-perth/) **Published:** December 7, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### Turn personality differences into competitive advantages for your team # DISC Behavioural Profiling When team members don’t understand each other’s communication styles and working preferences, the result is often miscommunication, conflict, and missed opportunities. DISC profiling provides the common language your team needs to work together more effectively, transforming workplace dynamics through deeper understanding of behavioural preferences. #### Different personalities shouldn’t mean difficult relationships Our DISC psychometric profiling services help Perth teams understand the “why” behind workplace behaviours, creating the foundation for better communication, reduced conflict, and improved collaboration. You’ll gain practical insights into how different team members prefer to work, communicate, and make decisions, along with strategies for adapting your approach to work more effectively with different styles. The result is stronger working relationships built on understanding rather than frustration. [Contact Us today](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![picture of a DISC psychometric graph showing how to read the graph](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/disc-behaviour-transp.webp) ## Enhanced Communication DISC profiling reveals how different personality types prefer to communicate and receive information. High-D individuals appreciate direct, concise communication focused on results, whilst high-S personalities prefer a slower, more detailed approach that builds trust. Understanding these preferences eliminates guesswork from team interactions and significantly reduces miscommunication. Your team develops the ability to flex their communication style to connect more effectively with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. ## Improved Team Dynamics By understanding the diversity of behavioural styles within your team, you can assign tasks and roles that align with each person’s natural strengths. Dominant team members excel in leadership roles requiring quick decisions, whilst conscientious team members thrive in analytical tasks demanding attention to detail. This psychometric insight helps you build more balanced, effective teams where everyone contributes from their strengths rather than constantly working against their natural preferences. ## Effective Conflict Resolution DISC assessments provide insights into the underlying behavioural styles that often drive workplace misunderstandings and disagreements. When team members understand each other’s motivations and communication preferences, they can approach conflicts with greater empathy and find solutions faster. Instead of taking differences personally, your team learns to recognise them as natural variations in working style, creating a foundation for healthier, more productive workplace relationships. ## Our DISC Profiling Process We deliver DISC psychometric testing as a comprehensive team development experience, not just an assessment exercise. Team members complete the scientifically validated DISC assessment online, taking approximately 15 minutes to measure behavioural tendencies across all four dimensions. Each participant receives a detailed, personalised psychometric profile explaining their unique DISC style, including strengths, potential blind spots, and strategies for working effectively with others. We then facilitate an engaging team workshop where members share insights from their profiles, discuss communication preferences, and learn practical strategies for adapting their approach to different styles. The workshop creates immediate value as team members develop action plans for applying DISC insights to real workplace situations, including communication protocols, meeting structures, and conflict resolution approaches. Teams receive ongoing resources and tools to continue leveraging DISC insights in their daily work, ensuring the learning becomes embedded in team culture rather than just a one-off event. ###### Ready to transform your team dynamics? ## Let’s help your team understand and leverage their behavioural differences DISC profiling isn’t about putting people in boxes – it’s about giving your team the tools to communicate more effectively, collaborate more successfully, and achieve better results together. If you’re ready to reduce workplace friction and build stronger team relationships through better understanding, we’d love to help. Contact us for a complimentary consultation to discuss how DISC profiling can benefit your team. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) --- ### [PRINT Profiling - The Why of You](https://eurekamindspace.com/print-profiling-perth/) **Published:** December 7, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### Uncover the unconscious motivators that drive performance and behaviour # PRINT Profiling – The Why of You While most assessments tell you what you do or how you behave, PRINT psychometric profiling reveals why you do what you do. Developed by The Paul Hertz Group, PRINT goes beyond observable behaviours to uncover the unconscious motivators that drive your actions, reactions, and decisions – the key to sustainable performance improvement and personal growth. #### Understanding behaviour isn’t enough – you need to understand what drives it Our PRINT psychometric testing services help Perth organisations address the root causes of persistent workplace issues rather than just managing symptoms. You’ll discover what truly motivates and fulfils you, recognise your unique triggers, and develop strategies to stay in your Best Self under pressure. The result is sustainable behaviour change, stronger relationships, and teams that bring out the best in each other rather than inadvertently triggering stress responses. [Contact Us today](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![Picture of The Why of You, powered by PRINT logo](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PRINT-blue-background.jpg) ## Best Self Performance PRINT reveals your authentic, productive behaviours when your unconscious motivators are satisfied – this is when you perform at your highest potential. Studies show a positive correlation between Best Self time and performance outcomes. Understanding what keeps you in Best Self allows you to create work conditions and relationships that naturally support peak performance. For teams, this insight enables members to actively support each other’s motivational needs, creating an environment where everyone thrives. ## Trigger Recognition When your unconscious motivators are threatened or unmet, automatic Shadow behaviours emerge – often counterproductive patterns that damage relationships and hinder performance. PRINT psychometric profiles help you recognise these stress responses before they derail important situations. By understanding your Shadow triggers, you develop early warning systems and strategies to manage these responses effectively. This self-awareness is transformational for both individual development and team dynamics. ## Sustainable Change Unlike assessments that focus on correlation, PRINT addresses causation – revealing why persistent patterns exist and what needs to change for sustainable improvement. This deeper understanding enables lasting behavioural shifts rather than temporary adjustments. Whether you’re making career choices, developing leadership capabilities, or building stronger team relationships, knowing your unconscious motivators provides the foundation for decisions that align with your authentic needs and lead to genuine fulfilment. ## The PRINT Profiling Experience PRINT psychometric testing offers a level of self-awareness that goes far beyond traditional personality assessments. The process begins with a 10-15 minute statistically validated online assessment that adapts questions based on your responses, ensuring accuracy and personalisation. You’ll receive a comprehensive psychometric profile detailing your Major and Minor unconscious motivators, Best Self behaviours, Shadow tendencies, and specific triggers that shift you from productive to reactive patterns. Working with a certified PRINT practitioner, you’ll explore what these insights mean for your specific context – whether that’s leadership effectiveness, team dynamics, career decisions, or personal relationships. We help you develop practical strategies for leveraging these insights in your daily work and life. For teams, PRINT creates deeper understanding between members, improves communication by addressing motivational needs, reduces conflict by recognising and avoiding individual triggers, and builds accountability for bringing out each other’s Best Self. ###### Ready to discover your “why”? ## Discover the unconscious motivators that shape your team’s performance PRINT profiling provides insights that can be truly transformational for individuals, teams, and relationships. Whether you’re looking to enhance your leadership effectiveness, improve team dynamics, or make career decisions that align with what genuinely fulfils you, understanding your unconscious motivators provides the foundation for sustainable positive change. Contact us for a complimentary consultation to learn how PRINT can reveal “The Why of You”. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) --- ### [Smartsheet](https://eurekamindspace.com/smartsheet-implementation-perth/) **Published:** July 14, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### Smartsheet services and implementation # Transform Your Business with Smartsheet: Australia’s Leading Work Management Platform In today’s competitive business landscape, Australian organisations need more than basic project management; they need a complete enterprise-grade work management solution that scales with their growth, eliminates operational bottlenecks, and drives measurable results from day one. [![Smartsheet Silver Partner logo](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/smartsheet-silver-partner-1.png)](https://www.smartsheet.com/try-it?p=1299379) ###### Try Smartsheet for free # 30 Day free trial Take Smartsheet for a spin with our 30-day free trial. Set up your first project, explore the automation features, and see how it transforms your team’s collaboration – all without spending a cent. No strings attached, and we’re here to help if you get stuck. [click here for your free trial](https://www.smartsheet.com/try-it?p=1299379) #### Scattered workflows, missed deadlines, and communication chaos are holding your team back Traditional project management approaches leave teams struggling with disconnected tools, manual processes, and limited visibility into project progress, resulting in delayed deliveries, frustrated stakeholders, and missed opportunities for growth. ![picture shows multiple views of Smartsheet dashboards, sheets, and forms](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/lodestar-device-cluster-multiple-views-plus-form-v2-1024x425.png) ### Smartsheet Licensing, Implementation, and Training eurekaMINDSPACE are Smartsheet Silver Partners based in Perth. We understand the unique challenges facing Western Australian businesses. Our local expertise combined with Smartsheet’s global platform delivers the perfect solution for your organisation. Certified expertise you can trust Local support when you need it Expert Implementation In-person or online training Ongoing support [contact us](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ###### Ready for results? --- ### Smartsheet Enterprise-Grade Work Management Platform --- Smartsheet is a cloud-based work management platform that combines the familiar look and feel of spreadsheets with powerful project management, collaboration, and automation capabilities. Used by 90% of Fortune 500 companies and thousands of Australian organisations across all key industries, Smartsheet transforms how teams collaborate, execute projects, and drive business success. #### Reduce Project Delivery Time by 40% Automated workflows and real-time tracking eliminate bottlenecks and keep projects moving forward without constant manual intervention. #### Increase Team Productivity by 35% Streamlined collaboration tools and intuitive interfaces enable your team to focus on high-value work rather than administrative overhead. #### Eliminate Communication Breakdowns Centralised communication, automated alerts, and shared dashboards ensure everyone stays informed and aligned throughout the project lifecycle. #### Ensure 100% Compliance Built-in governance features and Australian data hosting meet strict regulatory requirements for government and regulated industries. #### Scale Without Complexity Flexible platform architecture grows with your business, from small teams to enterprise-wide deployments without losing functionality. #### Make Data-Driven Decisions Real-time dashboards and automated reporting provide actionable insights that enable faster, more informed strategic decisions. The platform serves as a centralised hub for all your business processes, from project management and resource allocation to sales pipeline tracking and compliance management. With its intuitive interface, teams can achieve productivity gains immediately while benefiting from enterprise-grade security, automation, and reporting capabilities. [contact us](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![picture of a training workshop concept](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/training-workshop-300x200.jpg) ### Comprehensive Smartsheet Training Programs Getting the most from Smartsheet requires more than just access to the platform—your team needs the skills and confidence to leverage its full potential. We provide comprehensive Smartsheet training programs designed to get your organisation up and running quickly and efficiently. Our training options include small group online sessions for teams across multiple locations, or in-person workshops tailored to your specific business processes and use cases. Whether you’re rolling out Smartsheet to a small team or across your entire organisation, our certified trainers ensure everyone understands not just how to use the platform, but how to optimise it for your unique workflows and requirements. ###### how can smartsheet transform your organisation today? ![Smartsheet Silver Partner logo](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/silver-partner-logo.png) ## Speak to us about Smartsheet [get in touch](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) --- ### [Coaching Discovery Call booking page](https://eurekamindspace.com/coach-discovery-call-booking-page/) **Published:** August 19, 2026 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ## Coaching Discovery Call booking Form to book a Coaching Discovery call X/TwitterThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Name(Required) First Last Email(Required) Phone(Required) Country Phone Number Coaching Goals or Outcomes(Required)What are you hoping to achieve through coaching? What aspects of life, leadership, career, etc are you interested in developing? Submit --- ### [Professional Coaching Services](https://eurekamindspace.com/executive-leadership-coaching-perth/) **Published:** November 17, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** # Professional Coaching Services At eurekaMINDSPACE, we offer comprehensive **[professional coaching services](#coaching-specialisations)** designed to unlock leadership potential and accelerate career success. Our coaching encompasses executive coaching for senior leaders navigating complex challenges, career coaching for professionals planning their next move, workplace coaching to enhance team effectiveness, and Leadership Circle 360 profiling for transformational leadership development. Both Ian and Melinda are ICF coaches with extensive experience across diverse sectors, and we also collaborate with a trusted team of associate coaches to ensure we can match each client with the expertise that best fits their specific needs and goals. As members and Accredited ICF coaches, we comply with the **[ICF Code of Ethics](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icf-ethics-code-of-ethics-2025.pdf "ICF Code of Ethics")**. --- ## eurekaMINDSPACE Coaches ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ian-coach-pic2-150x150.png "ian-coach-pic2 - eurekaMINDSPACE") ### Ian Jones ###### He/Him ##### Specialisations: - Executive coaching - Ontological coaching - Leadership Circle 360 coaching Ian helps leaders and teams expand their impact with clarity, confidence and purpose. With over thirteen years of coaching experience across resources, manufacturing, not-for-profit, financial services and government sectors, he creates space for honest reflection, courageous growth and lasting change. Drawing on his engineering background and executive leadership experience, Ian blends commercial acumen with deep human insight, partnering with clients to navigate complexity, strengthen relationships and align who they are with how they lead. An ICF credentialed ACC and Certified Human Potential Coach, Ian is also accredited in Leadership Circle, DISC Advanced® and other evidence-based frameworks that support sustainable behavioural change. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/mel-coach-pic2-150x150.png "mel-coach-pic2 - eurekaMINDSPACE") ### Melinda Deasey ###### She/her ##### [Specialisations](Specialisations:): - Professional Development coaching - Career coaching - Workplace coaching Strong, direct and compassionately honest, Melinda helps clients cut through complexity to get to the truth that creates lasting change. With twenty years of coaching experience spanning business, career, workplace and life coaching, she combines strength with deep emotional intelligence to bring clarity and dig deep to the heart of what’s really holding her clients back. A member of the ICF and former President of the ACT Branch, Melinda is certified in DISC Advanced, PRINT profiling, NLP and Timeline Therapy – a distinctive toolkit that enables her to work at both the strategic and subconscious levels. Her approach gets results because she doesn’t stay on the surface; she partners with clients to uncover the real issues, challenge limiting patterns, and create genuine breakthroughs that stick. --- ## Coaching Specialisations ### Personal & Professional Development Coaching ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/professional-coaching-services-sq-300x300.jpg "professional-coaching-services-sq - eurekaMINDSPACE") Personal and professional development coaching is for anyone committed to becoming more effective, confident, and fulfilled, regardless of where you sit in the organisational hierarchy. This coaching supports emerging professionals, individual contributors, and anyone navigating the complexities of modern work life who wants practical support to achieve their goals. Whether you’re developing new capabilities, managing workplace stress, improving how you communicate and collaborate, preparing for greater responsibility, or simply wanting to feel more confident and capable in your role, coaching provides a confidential space to work through challenges, develop strategies that fit your reality, and build the skills and mindset that create sustainable success. --- ### Executive Coaching Executive coaching provides senior leaders with confidential, personalised support to navigate the unique challenges of executive responsibility. This one-on-one coaching is designed for CEOs, executives, and senior managers who are leading through significant organisational change, preparing for increased responsibility, or facing complex strategic challenges that require both clarity and courage. Through regular coaching sessions, executives develop enhanced decision-making capabilities, authentic leadership presence, and the strategic thinking required to drive organisational performance whilst maintaining personal effectiveness and wellbeing. ![picture of a business man and business woman having coaching for leadership development](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/leadership-development-coaching-300x200.jpg "- eurekaMINDSPACE") --- ### Career Coaching ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/career-coaching-services-sq-300x300.jpg "career-coaching-services-sq - eurekaMINDSPACE") Career coaching supports professionals at all levels to clarify their career direction, build the confidence needed for advancement, and successfully navigate transitions. Whether you’re feeling stuck in your current role, considering a career change, preparing for promotion, or managing the complexities of workplace relationships and politics, career coaching provides the strategic clarity and practical tools you need to take control of your professional trajectory. Our coaching goes beyond resume writing to address the complete spectrum of career development, from self-discovery and skills assessment to strategic planning and developing the presence that opens doors. --- ### Workplace Coaching Workplace coaching addresses the challenges teams and organisations face in creating high-performing, collaborative cultures. This coaching approach focuses on improving team dynamics, enhancing communication across different working styles, resolving conflicts productively, and developing the leadership capabilities of managers at all levels. Workplace coaching can be delivered to individuals within their organisational context, to intact teams working to improve their effectiveness together, or to managers developing their capability to lead and coach their own teams. The goal is always to build organisational strength through developing people’s capacity to work together more effectively. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/workplace-coaching-services-sq-300x300.jpg "workplace-coaching-services-sq - eurekaMINDSPACE") --- ### Leadership Circle 360 Profile ![leadership circle logo](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/LCP-Logo_Color-300x300.png "LCP Logo_Color - eurekaMINDSPACE") The Leadership Circle Profile represents the gold standard in 360-degree leadership assessment, designed specifically for senior executives committed to transformational development. This comprehensive assessment measures both leadership competencies and the underlying assumptions that drive behaviour, revealing the distinction between Creative leadership (high achievement with high fulfilment) and Reactive tendencies (self-limiting patterns that constrain effectiveness). The Leadership Circle process includes extensive 360-degree data collection, individual interpretation with a certified practitioner, and ongoing coaching support to ensure sustainable behavioural change. This premium assessment is ideal for C-suite executives, high-potential leaders being prepared for increased responsibility, and leadership teams seeking to optimise their collective effectiveness. --- ### Ontological Coaching Ontological coaching addresses the fundamental ways you see yourself, others, and the world, the underlying perspectives that shape your actions, reactions, and results. Rather than focusing solely on what you do or how you do it, ontological coaching explores who you’re being in any given situation and how your interpretations, emotions, and patterns of thinking create the outcomes you experience. This approach is particularly powerful for leaders and professionals who find themselves repeatedly encountering the same challenges despite trying different strategies, or who recognise that lasting change requires more than new techniques, it requires shifting the lens through which they view their circumstances. Through ontological coaching, clients develop greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the capacity to generate new possibilities where they previously saw only limitations. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/ontological-coaching-sq-300x300.jpg "ontological-coaching-sq - eurekaMINDSPACE") ###### Let’s talk ## Discover how coaching can help you. Get in touch for a complimentary coaching discovery session. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) --- ### [Disclaimer](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/disclaimer/) **Published:** July 14, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** Please note that any and all information provided by eurekaMINDSPACE is not intended to take the place of business, personal or medical advice from that which you would otherwise receive from other professionals.​ Business and personal matters vary from organisation to organisation and person to person. Any action whatsoever which is taken based on the contents of this website or any of its related sites, materials, products or information is to be used solely at your own discretion, risk and liability. ### Affiliate Disclaimer Some of the links on this website are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This comes at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products, services, or resources that we believe are genuinely useful and relevant. Any affiliate relationship does not influence our editorial content or recommendations. However, we make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, quality, or suitability of third-party content, and we are not responsible for the terms, privacy practices, or content of any linked websites. We disclose this in the interest of full transparency and compliance with relevant Australian consumer and advertising guidelines. While eurekaMINDSPACE has used all reasonable endeavours to ensure the information provided on this website is accurate, eurekaMINDSPACE gives no warranty or guarantee that the material, information or publication made accessible is accurate, complete, current, or fit for any use whatsoever, and assumes no liability for the use or misuse of any information.​ ## Amendments We may, at any time and at our discretion, vary this Privacy Policy by publishing the amended Privacy Policy on our Site. We recommend you check our Site regularly to ensure you are aware of our current Privacy Policy. For any questions or notices, please [**CONTACT US**](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/ "Contact") Last update: 14 July 2026 View Other Policies: [Privacy Policy](https://eurekamindspace.com/privacy-policy/ "Privacy Policy") --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/privacy-policy/) **Published:** June 19, 2023 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** This Privacy Policy sets out our commitment to protecting the privacy of personal information provided to us, or otherwise collected by us, offline or online, including through our website and mobile application (Site). In this Privacy Policy ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’ means eurekaMINDSPACE. ## Personal information The types of personal information we may collect about you include: - your name; - images of you; - your contact details, including email address, mailing address, street address and/or telephone number; - your credit card details; - information you provide to us through customer surveys; - details of products and services we have provided to you and/or that you have enquired about, and our response to you; - your browser session and geo-location data, device and network information, statistics on page views and sessions, acquisition sources, search queries and/or browsing behaviour; - information about your access and use of our Site, including through the use of Internet cookies, your communications with our Site, the type of browser you are using, the type of operating system you are using and the domain name of your Internet service provider; - additional personal information that you provide to us, directly or indirectly, through your use of our Site, associated applications, associated social media platforms and/or accounts from which you permit us to collect information; and - any other personal information requested by us and/or provided by you or a third party. We may collect these types of personal information directly from you or from third parties. ## Collection and use of personal information We may collect, hold, use and disclose personal information for the following purposes: - to enable you to access and use our Site, associated applications and associated social media platforms; - to contact and communicate with you; - for internal record keeping and administrative purposes; - for analytics, market research and business development, including to operate and improve our Site, associated applications and associated social media platforms; - to run competitions and/or offer additional benefits to you; - for advertising and marketing, including to send you promotional information about our products and services and information about third parties that we consider may be of interest to you; - to comply with our legal obligations and resolve any disputes that we may have; and - to consider your employment application. ## Disclosure of personal information to third parties We may disclose personal information to: - third party service providers for the purpose of enabling them to provide their services, including (without limitation) IT service providers, data storage, web-hosting and server providers, debt collectors, maintenance or problem-solving providers, marketing or advertising providers, professional advisors and payment systems operators; - our employees, contractors and/or related entities; - our existing or potential agents or business partners; - sponsors or promoters of any competition we run; - anyone to whom our business or assets (or any part of them) are, or may (in good faith) be, transferred; - courts, tribunals and regulatory authorities, in the event you fail to pay for goods or services we have provided to you; - courts, tribunals, regulatory authorities and law enforcement officers, as required by law, in connection with any actual or prospective legal proceedings, or in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights; \[and\] - third parties, including agents or sub-contractors, who assist us in providing information, products, services or direct marketing to you. This may include parties located, or that store data, outside of Australia. - third parties to collect and process data, such as \[Google Analytics or other relevant businesses\]. This may include parties that store data outside of Australia. We may store personal information overseas. Where we disclose your personal information to the third parties listed above, these third parties may also store, transfer or access personal information outside of Australia. Unless we seek and receive your consent to an overseas disclosure of your personal information, we will only disclose your personal information to countries with laws which protect your personal information in a way which is substantially similar to the Australian Privacy Principles and/or we will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to require that overseas recipients protect your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. ## How we treat personal information that is also sensitive information Sensitive information is a subset of personal information that is given a higher level of protection under the Australian Privacy Principles. Sensitive information means information relating to your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional associations or memberships, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation or practices, criminal records, health information or biometric information. We only collect, hold, use and disclose sensitive information for the following purposes: - any purposes you consent to; - the primary purpose for which it is collected; - secondary purposes that are directly related to the primary purpose for which it was collected, including disclosure to the above listed third parties as reasonably necessary to provide our services to you; - to contact emergency services, or to speak with your family, partner or support person where we reasonably believe there is a serious risk to the life, health or safety of you or another person and it is impracticable for us to obtain your consent; and - if otherwise required or authorised by law. ## Your rights and controlling your personal information **Choice and consent:** Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By providing personal information to us, you understand we will collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You do not have to provide personal information to us, however, if you do not, it may affect your use of this Site or the products and/or services offered on or through it. **Information from third parties:** If we receive personal information about you from a third party, we will protect it as set out in this Privacy Policy. If you are a third party providing personal information about somebody else, you represent and warrant that you have such a person’s consent to provide the personal information to us. Restrict: You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information. If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by contacting us using the details below. **Access:** You may request details of the personal information that we hold about you. An administrative fee may be payable for the provision of such information. In certain circumstances, as set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), we may refuse to provide you with personal information that we hold about you. **Correction:** If you believe that any information we hold about you is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, please contact us using the details below. We will take reasonable steps to correct any information found to be inaccurate, incomplete, misleading or out of date. **Complaints:** If you believe that we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles and wish to make a complaint, please contact us using the details below and provide us with full details of the alleged breach. We will promptly investigate your complaint and respond to you, in writing, setting out the outcome of our investigation and the steps we will take to deal with your complaint. **Unsubscribe:** To unsubscribe from our e-mail database or opt-out of communications (including marketing communications), please contact us using the details below or opt-out using the opt-out facilities provided in the communication. ## Storage and security We are committed to ensuring that the personal information we collect is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the personal information and protect it from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. We cannot guarantee the security of any information that is transmitted to or by us over the Internet. The transmission and exchange of information is carried out at your own risk. Although we take measures to safeguard against unauthorised disclosures of information, we cannot assure you that the personal information we collect will not be disclosed in a manner that is inconsistent with this Privacy Policy. ## Cookies and web beacons We may use cookies on our Site from time to time. Cookies are text files placed in your computer’s browser to store your preferences. Cookies, by themselves, do not tell us your email address or other personally identifiable information. However, they do allow third parties, such as Google and Facebook, to cause our advertisements to appear on your social media and online media feeds as part of our retargeting campaigns. If and when you choose to provide our Site with personal information, this information may be linked to the data stored in the cookie. We may use web beacons on our Site from time to time. Web beacons (also known as Clear GIFs) are small pieces of code placed on a web page to monitor the visitor’s behaviour and collect data about the visitor’s viewing of a web page. For example, web beacons can be used to count the users who visit a web page or to deliver a cookie to the browser of a visitor viewing that page. ## Links to other websites Our Site may contain links to other websites. We do not have any control over those websites and we are not responsible for the protection and privacy of any personal information which you provide whilst visiting those websites. Those websites are not governed by this Privacy Policy. ## Amendments We may, at any time and at our discretion, vary this Privacy Policy by publishing the amended Privacy Policy on our Site. We recommend you check our Site regularly to ensure you are aware of our current Privacy Policy. For any questions or notices, please [**CONTACT US**](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/ "Contact") Last update: 14 July 2026 View Other Policies: [Disclaimer](https://eurekamindspace.com/disclaimer/ "Disclaimer") --- ### [About](https://eurekamindspace.com/about/) **Published:** July 21, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ![eurekaMINDSPACE logo](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cropped-eureka-logo-long-trans-dark-LoRes-scaled-2-1024x218.png "- eurekaMINDSPACE") eurekaMINDSPACE is a Perth-based professional development and organisational excellence consultancy founded on the belief that every person matters, and every organisation has untapped potential waiting to be unlocked. Led by experienced facilitators Melinda and Ian, both ICF coaches with deep expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and strategic planning, we partner with businesses, NFPs, and government organisations to transform potential into performance. Our strength lies in working genuinely alongside our clients to create solutions that are sustainable and owned by the people who need them most. Whether we’re facilitating strategic planning sessions, developing high-performance teams, or coaching leaders through complex challenges, we’re committed to leaving every person we support, every organisation we partner with, and every community we touch stronger, more capable, and more hopeful than when we started. Because when your strategy, teams, and workflows align, that’s when potential becomes performance. ## Our Values ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/everyone-matters-values-sq-300x300.jpg "Caregiver holding hands Asian elderly woman patient help and care in hospital - eurekaMINDSPACE")**Every person matters** We see the unique worth in every individual we encounter. Whether client, colleague, or community member, everyone deserves to be heard, respected, and valued for who they are, not just what they bring to the table. **We leave things better than we found them** Our work isn’t finished until we’ve made a meaningful difference. Every person we support, every organisation we partner with, every community we touch should be stronger, more capable, and more hopeful because we showed up. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/better-world-values-sq-1024x1024.jpg "Heart Shaped Earth - eurekaMINDSPACE") ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/partnership-values-sq-1024x1024.jpg "Business people working with a digital tablet in a meeting - eurekaMINDSPACE")**Partnership and Collaboration** We don’t have all the answers, and that’s our strength. By working genuinely alongside our clients, stakeholders, and colleagues, we create solutions that are real, sustainable, and owned by the people who need them most. The trust our clients place in us matters deeply, and we respect it by working with you, not just for you. **Truth, fairness, openness – always** We say what we mean and mean what we say. When we make mistakes, we own them. When we don’t know something, we say so. When we make commitments, we keep them. Because real change only happens when people can trust both our intentions and our actions. ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/integrity-values-sq-1024x1024.jpg "Golden Compass Concept - eurekaMINDSPACE") ***We’re inspired by working with clients, colleagues, and communities who share our values – it’s where we find our people and do our most meaningful work*** ## Meet the eurekaMINDSPACE team ## Ian Jones Director ![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29-247x300.jpg "29 - eurekaMINDSPACE") ###### He/Him Ian is an experienced facilitator, management consultant and Certified Human Potential Coach and ICF ACC Coach. He has a masters degree in management and is a Project Management Professional (PMP). Ian’s background includes a career in business, programs and projects, , strategy, analysis, risk, systems thinking, supply chain planning,and organisation development. He is an experiential leadership and team facilitator and supports people in their personal growth. Ian has worked across the resources, government, not-for-profit, utilities and supply chain sectors, and is passionate about working with businesses, teams and individuals to unearth their potential. ## Melinda Deasey Principal Consultant ![Melinda Deasey - Principal Consultant at eurekaMINDSPACE](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9-247x300.jpg "- eurekaMINDSPACE") ###### sHe/Her Melinda brings extensive experience across government and private sector roles, with particular expertise in strategic planning and facilitation for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations. As a PRINT and DISC accredited specialist and certified speaking coach, she combines professional development tools with practical workshop facilitation skills. Her skills includes career and executive coaching, helping professionals and organisations identify and pursue growth opportunities. Melinda’s cross-sector experience and facilitation expertise make her a valuable resource for organisations looking to enhance their strategic direction and team effectiveness. ## Buena Kortum ![Portrait of a smiling woman with short black hair, wearing a navy T-shirt and gold jewelry, sitting against a gray background with hands on her lap.](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Buena-profile-photo-2-222x300.png "Buena profile photo 2 - eurekaMINDSPACE") ###### SHe/Her eurekaMINDSPACE is pleased to partner with Buena Kortum of [**Tama Consulting**](https://www.tamaconsulting.com.au/). Buena brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across private enterprise, State and Local Government, and the not‑for‑profit sector. She works with executives, senior leaders, and multi‑disciplinary teams in Australia and overseas. She is a Certified Management Consultant and an experienced Board Director. Her expertise spans strategy development and business planning, driving business solutions, delivering improvement initiatives, establishing organisational service delivery models, leading stakeholder engagement, and implementing technology to enable transformation and organisation‑wide adoption. ## eurekaMINDSPACE Capability Statement Click here to download a copy of eurekaMINDSPACE’s **[2026 Capability Statement](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-eMS-Capability-Statement.pdf "2026 eMS Capability Statement")** ## Why eureka? Also known as the Aha! moment refers to the common experience of suddenly understanding a previously unclear problem or concept. In our experience, it’s the facilitation of this same “eureka” moment, together with the implementation of customised solutions, that leads to profound value and transformation for our clients. True success is co-created, and as trusted partners, we work with you to uncover the real issues, unpack your current circumstances, align across all dimensions and plot a clear path to achieve your goals. --- ### [Strategic Planning & Facilitation](https://eurekamindspace.com/strategic-planning-facilitation-perth/) **Published:** December 6, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### Where vision meets action and strategic plans get implemented # Strategic Planning & Facilitation Every organisation needs a clear strategic direction, but too many strategic plans end up gathering dust on shelves instead of driving real change. We facilitate the tough conversations that create clarity around your organisation’s direction, priorities, and values, then help you turn abstract goals into concrete action plans your team can follow. #### Your strategic plan shouldn’t be a document in a drawer, it should be a roadmap your team uses regularly We facilitate strategic planning sessions for Perth organisations that move beyond generic goal-setting to create actionable strategies you can implement and achieve. [Contact Us today](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) ![picture of a Board at a strategic planning facilitation meeting](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ems-strategic-planning-1024x683.jpg) ## Vision, Mission, Values. Strong organisational values and a clear mission aren’t just nice-to-have statements – they’re the foundation for strategic decision-making and cultural alignment. We facilitate conversations that help your leadership team articulate what you stand for, where you’re headed, and why it matters. These foundational elements become the lens through which you evaluate opportunities, make tough choices, and maintain focus when competing priorities emerge. ## Strategic Planning and Facilitation Strategic planning requires more than a workshop and a flip chart. We guide your team through structured processes that identify your genuine priorities, acknowledge real constraints, and create plans that balance ambition with practicality. Our facilitation ensures every voice is heard, difficult conversations happen productively, and your team leaves with clear direction and shared ownership of the outcomes. ## Strategic Enablement The gap between planning and execution is where most strategies fail. We work with you to translate strategic goals into operational reality, identifying the key initiatives, resources, and milestones needed to turn plans into progress. Whether it’s establishing accountability frameworks, aligning departmental goals, or creating implementation roadmaps, we help ensure your strategy drives organisational change rather than becoming another forgotten document. ## Our Strategic Planning and Facilitation Approach Strategic planning works best when it addresses your organisation’s reality rather than following a generic template. We tailor our facilitation to your specific context, challenges, and aspirations. Our process typically includes pre-session stakeholder interviews to understand your current state and desired outcomes, facilitated strategic planning sessions where we guide tough conversations and help your team reach genuine consensus, documentation of decisions and action plans that everyone can reference and follow, and implementation support to maintain momentum and adjust plans as circumstances evolve. We focus on creating strategies that are ambitious enough to drive growth whilst realistic enough to actually achieve. The result is a strategic plan your team understands, believes in, and can execute effectively. ###### Ready to create strategy that works? ## Let’s turn your vision into actionable plans your team will follow Strategic planning shouldn’t feel like a tick-box exercise. If you’re ready for facilitation that creates genuine clarity, builds team alignment, and produces plans that drive real organisational change, we’d love to help. Contact us for a complimentary consultation where we’ll discuss your strategic challenges and explore how our approach can help you achieve the outcomes you’re seeking. [contact us toay](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) --- ### [Contact Us](https://eurekamindspace.com/contact/) **Published:** July 14, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** --- # Contact Us --- ###### Please complete the form below to request more information or to discuss our workshop and facilitation services Fields marked with \* are required CompanyThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Name(Required) First Last Email(Required) Phone(Required) How can we help?(Required)Please let us know what's on your mind. Have a question for us? Ask away. Submit --- ### [Useful Resources](https://eurekamindspace.com/resources/) **Published:** July 14, 2025 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** ###### useful resources # Resource Links and Recommendations All the below resources are either on our website and produced by eurekaMINDSPACE, or used by us personally. While we do occasionally receive a referral commission or affiliate fee we only recommend course, books, or other resources that we have used and that we believe will deliver great value. ## Articles ## Books ## Smartsheet *Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase through these links we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.* ###### Our most read blog articles by topic --- ## Blog Articles --- [![picture of a group of people in a board room doing strategic planning on a whiteboard](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/strategic-planning.jpg) ### Strategic Planning](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/strategy/) [![picture of a business man and business woman having coaching for leadership development](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/leadership-development-coaching.jpg) ### Leadership Development](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/leadership/) [![picture of a group of people facilitating a workshop](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/workshop-facilitation.jpg) ### Team Building](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/team-building/) [![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/case-study.jpg) ### Case Studies](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/cases-studies/) ###### books we use and highly recommend --- ## Recommended Books --- [![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Crucial-Influence-200x300.jpg)](https://amzn.to/4lM97SP) ### Crucial Influence Master the art of changing minds and behaviours when it matters most. buy now [![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Measure-What-Matters-196x300.jpg)](https://amzn.to/4fd4peo) ### Measure What Matters The proven OKR (Objectives & Key Results) system that drives breakthrough results at Google and beyond. [buy now](https://amzn.to/4fd4peo) [![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/good-strategy-bad-strategy-196x300.jpg)](https://amzn.to/3UuhQg9) ### Good Strategy Bad Strategy Learn to distinguish real strategy from wishful thinking and build winning plans. [buy now](https://amzn.to/3UuhQg9) [![](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Five-Dysfunctions-of-a-Team-203x300.jpg)](https://amzn.to/3Uzg4dC) ### Five Dysfunctions of a Team The essential guide to building high-performing teams that actually work together. [buy now](https://amzn.to/3Uzg4dC) ###### check out --- ## Smartsheet --- ### 30-Day Free Trial --- Sign up for a free 30 day trial of Smartsheet. [![picture of a smartsheet logo on a background of project sheets](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/smartsheet-graphic-2.png)](https://www.smartsheet.com/try-it?p=1299379)[smartsheet free trial](https://www.smartsheet.com/try-it?p=1299379) ### Getting Started --- Jump start your Smartsheet journey with free onboarding webinars to learn the basics. [![picture of various smartsheet elements](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lodestar-screens-new-experienc-video-1024x577.jpg)](https://help.smartsheet.com/learning-track/onboarding-webinars/getting-started-smartsheet)[onboarding webinars](https://help.smartsheet.com/learning-track/onboarding-webinars/getting-started-smartsheet) ### Knowledge Centre --- Browse our knowledge articles about Smartsheet [![picture of various Smartsheet elements](https://eurekamindspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/lodestar-what-is-smartsheet-cluster-1-1024x576.png)](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/smartsheet/)[knowledge centre](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/smartsheet/) --- ### [Thank You](https://eurekamindspace.com/thank-you/) **Published:** June 19, 2023 **Author:** Melinda Deasey **Content:** --- # Thank you! --- ## We’ll respond to your request as soon as possible --- We aim to reply to all emails on the same or following workday. ###### Ways to work together ## In the meantime… Here’s some resources on our site you might like to browse through: ### Strategic Planning [Strategic Planning](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/strategy/) ### Smartsheet [Smartsheet](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/smartsheet/) ### Leadership Development [Leadership Development](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/leadership/) ###### We can’t wait to help you! --- ## Categories ### [Case Studies](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/cases-studies/) --- ### [Leadership](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/leadership/) --- ### [Smartsheet](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/smartsheet/) --- ### [Strategy](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/strategy/) --- ### [Team Building](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/team-building/) --- ### [Workflows & Systems](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/workflows-systems/) --- ### [DISC Profiles](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/disc-profiles/) --- ### [Coaching](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/coaching/) --- ### [Project Assurance](https://eurekamindspace.com/category/project-assurance/) --- ## Tags ### [DISC Profiling](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/disc-profile/) --- ### [Communication](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/communication/) --- ### [Decision Making](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/decision-making/) --- ### [Workshops](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/workshops/) --- ### [Strategic Planning](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/strategic-planning/) --- ### [NFP](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/nfp/) --- ### [Smartsheet](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/smartsheet/) --- ### [Process Mapping](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/process-mapping/) --- ### [Workflows](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/workflows/) --- ### [volunteer organisations](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/volunteer-organisations/) --- ### [Perth](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/perth/) --- ### [SWOT analysis](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/swot-analysis/) --- ### [vision mission values](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/vision-mission-values/) --- ### [facilitation](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/facilitation/) --- ### [Indigenous organisations](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/indigenous-organisations/) --- ### [leadership development](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/leadership-development/) --- ### [ZOUD model](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/zoud-model/) --- ### [Johari Window](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/johari-window/) --- ### [Sydney](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/sydney/) --- ### [culturally safe training](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/culturally-safe-training/) --- ### [workshop facilitation](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/workshop-facilitation/) --- ### [leadership](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/leadership/) --- ### [strategy-execution gap](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/strategy-execution-gap/) --- ### [execution gap](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/execution-gap/) --- ### [Value Stream](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/value-stream/) --- ### [Value Chain](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/value-chain/) --- ### [Curiosity](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/curiosity/) --- ### [Lead with Curiosity](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/lead-with-curiosity/) --- ### [Curiosity decline](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/curiosity-decline/) --- ### [Leadership Curiosiry](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/leadership-curiosiry/) --- ### [Teambuilding](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/teambuilding/) --- ### [Team Development](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/team-development/) --- ### [Efficiency](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/efficiency/) --- ### [Strategic plan basics](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/strategic-plan-basics/) --- ### [organisational success](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/organisational-success/) --- ### [Tuckman's Model](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/tuckmans-model/) --- ### [conflict management](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/conflict-management/) --- ### [team communication](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/team-communication/) --- ### [Processes](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/processes/) --- ### [Smartsheet Partner](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/smartsheet-partner/) --- ### [Business Process](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/business-process/) --- ### [strategic execution](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/strategic-execution/) --- ### [counselling](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/counselling/) --- ### [automation](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/automation/) --- ### [manual process](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/manual-process/) --- ### [decision-making](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/decision-making-2/) --- ### [organisational decisions](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/organisational-decisions/) --- ### [mentoring](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/mentoring/) --- ### [how to choose a coach](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/how-to-choose-a-coach/) --- ### [Values](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/values/) --- ### [Relationships](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/relationships/) --- ### [career coaching](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/career-coaching/) --- ### [Gateway Review](https://eurekamindspace.com/tag/gateway-review/) ---