A BUSINESS & LIFEST YLE MAGA ZINE FOR THE CHIFLE Y SQUARE PRECINCT.
ISSUE #08 — LE ADERSHIP
MAY 2015
TEDxSydney
PREPARE TO HAVE
YOUR MIND BLOWN
NIDA Corporate
Opinion
COMMUNICATE DAVID GONSKI
WITH CLARITY ON LEADERSHIP
H E L LO
Welcome to Ben&Co.
Ben&Co.’s pick of what to do,
see and experience this season.
5
Opinion
David Gonski on the
intricacies of leadership
open the event with a live discussion from leaders at UBS and The
University of Sydney, who will
explore the idea of leadership and
its importance in the business
world and the wider community.
12
Fashion & Lifestyle
We explore the styles behind
the substance
18
NIDA Corporate
How the theatre can up
your game in the boardroom
22
Conversations
Jane McNeill on how Hays
has embraced change
We’d love to hear from you.
If you have feedback or would
like to tell us your story, please get
in touch.
editor@benandco.com.au
22 May – 8 June
Various CBD locations, Sydney
Prepare for 18 dazzling days—the largest festival of light, music
and ideas in the Southern Hemisphere is back. Vivid Light
features outdoor art installations such as Trees of Light, which
transform nature into art in The Rocks and Light Origami—a
giant 3D kaleidoscope in Circular Quay. Vivid Music highlights
include Daniel Johns (of Silverchair) at the Opera House, and
don’t miss Vivid Ideas; a series of public talks with global
creative leaders such as Monocle founder and Financial Times
columnist Tyler Brûlé and Mad Men writer and creator Matthew
Weiner.
vividsydney.com
ARCHIE ROSE DISTILLING CO.
WHO’S BEN?
Ever wondered where the name Ben&Co. comes from? Joseph Benedict
‘Ben’ Chifley was the 16th Prime Minister of Australia who believed that
“If an idea is worth fighting for, no matter the penalty, fight for the right,
and truth and justice shall prevail.”
If post-war Australian politics
isn’t your strong suit, Ben
Chifley was Prime Minister
from 1945–1949. A young locomotive driver from Bathurst
NSW, he taught himself
industrial law and became an
active member of the Labor
party through his work for the
Locomotive Unions.
He is remembered for his significant public policy achieve-
M A N AG E D BY
C H I F L E Y. C O M . A U
ments such as The Snowy
in 1948. His government also
Mountains hydro-electric
expanded university educascheme generating power for
tion through The Education
ACT, NSW and Victoria—the
Act in 1945.
largest engineering project
undertaken in Australia. He
Chifley’s legacy lives on in the
was instrumental in estabpages of Ben&Co.—a chance
lishing Australian Citizenship, for us to tip our hat to the
launching the first Holden car character and strength of
in 1948 and laying the founthis extraordinary man.
dations for a national health
scheme by providing grants
to subsidise public hospitals
PHOTOGR APHY
ANT GEERNAERT
DESIGN & EDITORIAL
MAUD
I L L U S T R AT I O N
DAV I D S PA R S H OT T
THE PHOTOGRAPH
AND AUSTRALIA
21 March – 8 June
The Art Gallery of New
South Wales
Revealing how photography is
crucial to our understanding of
Australia as a place and a people,
the exhibition explores how our
view of the world, ourselves and
each other has been changed by
the advent of photography.
The show features Australia’s
leading photographers from
1840 to today sourced from
private and public collections
across Australia, New Zealand
and England. It weaves together
the multiple threads of Australia’s photographic history,
proposing a new way of thinking
about the connections between
photography, place and identity.
artgallery.nsw.gov.au
BUSINESS CHICKS LUNCH
WITH TARA MOSS
15 May
Doltone House,
Darling Island Wharf
Business Chicks has been
empowering women with
inspirational talks by the likes
of Sir Richard Branson, The
Hon. Julia Gillard and Sir Bob
Geldof. Next on the list is Tara
Moss; model, mother, feminist
and best-selling crime author.
Tara is also an ambassador for
UNICEF and Patron of the Full
Stop Foundation, an initiative by
Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia. From sexism to
motherhood, body image and the
portrayal of women in politics
and the media, Tara has a lot to
share. This is one you won’t want
to miss.
businesschicks.com.au
61 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery
Archie Rose is Sydney’s first independent distillery in more than
160 years. Newly opened, it adds a contemporary twist to the
tradition of distilling. Owners Will Edwards and Joe Dinsmoor
(Master Distiller, formerly of the famous Lark Distillery in
Tasmania) are producing gin, vodka and whisky using custommade Tasmanian equipment by Australia’s only copper still
manufacturer. You can buy spirits by the bottle at the distillery
door (and soon online) or enjoy cocktails and tastings on site at
the luxurious oak and copper bar.
archierose.com.au
WORLD BUSINESS FORUM
27–28 May
The Event Centre, The Star
In its 11th year, the WBF continues to be a source of inspiration
and transformation for leaders
looking to build better businesses. The line-up covers Management Strategy, Innovation,
Leadership and Marketing, and
includes world-class speakers
such as Apple Co-founder Steve
Wozniak and London Business
School Professor Lynda Gratton.
Not to be missed is filmmaker
Oliver Stone on ‘Creating high
impact stories’ and two-term
Chairman of the Federal Reserve
System Ben Bernanke on ‘The
Future of the Global Economy’.
wbfsydney.com
SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
3 – 14 June
Various locations across Sydney
Calling all film lovers. Celebrate
world cinema with 12 days of
films from world-famous festivals,
including Cannes, Sundance and
Toronto, as well as a selection of
Australia’s finest. The festival
has screenings of around 200
films from over 50 countries, all
telling rarely seen and hard-tofind stories. Must sees include
Sundance Grand Jury Prize
winner Slow West, Australian
independent film Strangerland,
starring Nicole Kidman, and
South Korean box office hit My
Love, Don’t Cross That River—the
portrait of a couple married for
76 years, locally known as the
“100-year-old lovebirds”.
sff.org.au
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM
10 – 11 June
Doltone House,
Darling Island Wharf
This symposium is the most
highly attended women’s leadership event in the country. Exploring leadership, life and career
development, women from all
sectors and industries are
exposed to state-of-the-art
strategy and advice from
Australia’s most inspirational
trainers, academics and business leaders. This year’s guest
speakers include broadcaster
and author Indira Nadoo, Jetstar
Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka,
human rights lawyer Rabia
Siddique and Superintendent
Karen McCarthy.
wla.com.au
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
In this special leadership-themed
edition, we speak to some prominent leaders in our community
to gain insight on the topic. For
David Gonski, diversity is key to
achieving better outcomes, while
for Jane McNeill of Hays, anticipating and adapting to change
leads a business forward. The
founder of TEDxSydney thinks
“humility, flexibility and knowing
when to let go” is the stuff of true
leadership.
We’ve partnered with TEDxSydney to bring the TED conference
to Chifley. To maximise the
opportunity to bring people
together and share ideas, we will
VIVID SYDNEY
6
TEDxSydney
Prepare to have your
mind blown
Great leaders never stop learning. We hope to see you there.
Thanks for reading and we hope
you enjoy our latest edition.
3
The Diary
ISSUE #08 — LEADERSHIP
What makes a great leader?
Are leading businesses investing
enough into developing the
future leaders of Australia? What
are we doing as individuals to
become better leaders, not only
in our organisations but in the
wider community? As the popular saying goes, “Management is
doing things right and leadership
is doing the right things.” So how
do we do the right things?
2
D I A RY
Neighbourhood
Cobbler to the Elite
Shoe Worx was one of
Chifley’s first retail tenants
when the building opened
over 22 years ago. A third
generation cobbler, Shoe
Worx owner Louie Shrour tells
Ben&Co. how he became the
cobbler to the luxury market.
A good pair of shoes should
suit their purpose but
they should also last you
a lifetime.
I’m lucky that my clients generally buy shoes
that are worth repairing.”
“My dad started in the business when he was
14, so I grew up helping out in his shop on Martin Place”, says Louie Shrour. Finally following
in his father’s footsteps after brief spells as a
dental technician and a police officer, Louie
opened Shoe Worx in 1992 and attributes his
success at Chifley to luck, hard work and his
father, “I’ve incorporated everything I learned
from Dad into my business”.
To celebrate the new store opening, receive
a $100 Menswear gift card with any footwear
purchase until 31 May 2015.*
Aquila, Shop 08, Upper Ground
*Terms and conditions apply, see in store for details.
His commitment to quality has also earned
him a reputation outside of Chifley with ninety
percent of his business coming from Sydney’s
major international fashion houses. Brands
such as Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo and
Hermès all regularly call on Louie for shoe and
leather repairs, and he has learned from years
of experience that luxury is something worth
investing in, “Real luxury sits outside of mainstream fashion and has built its own identity.
Ferragamo, for example, has moved with the
times and created its own style, sticking with
the old but also moving with the new.”
When he’s not behind the Shoe Worx counter,
Louie travels to the big fashion houses to study
their manufacturing techniques and production lines, “It’s a great insight into the way
something is made and it’s taught me a lot”, he
says. So who makes the best shoes? “For me,
the Italians make the best women’s shoes and
the English make the best men’s shoes. A good
pair of shoes should suit their purpose but
they should also last you a lifetime.”
A little-known fact about Chifley’s favourite
cobbler is that he can often be found at some
of the world’s highest stakes poker tables. As
a part time professional poker player, Louie
competes in tournaments across the world,
including the World Series.
Louie is offering a complimentary shoe polish
and treatment with every shoe repair until 31
May 2015.*
Chifley Shoe Worx, Shop 25, Level One
As Chairman of ANZ, can you tell us how you
lead effectively in a board member capacity?
You’ve been known to give a lot of your time
to mentoring others, what qualities should
people look for in a mentor and how do they
seek out the right person?
In corporations and even in not-for-profits,
the role of a chairman is to select the leader
of the group and then have a schizophrenic
relationship with that leader. First you have to
assist that leader, advise them and help them
to fly. The schizophrenic bit is that you have
to watch them as well. If they’re sinking, you
have to assist them to change or if that can’t
be done then change them. A good chairman
also makes sure that everybody has a say but
nobody unduly dominates. They focus the
team so they can do their job and focus on the
resolutions before them, making sure they get
sufficient information and at the same time
allow active and diligent questioning. On the
other hand, you have to be strong to lead your
team but it has to be a fair strength that recognises it’s a team and everybody must have
a say and most importantly feel that they do.
The most important thing in a mentor-mentee relationship is that you’re confident that
your mentor is thinking about you. For me,
the best mentors I’ve had in my life have been
people who genuinely care about me. They
don’t have conflict if they’re close to me in
business, they’re looking simply for the benefit of giving me unbiased and strong advice.
How can leading businesses invest in the
development of future leaders of Australia?
What is the key to a successful relationship
between a CEO and chairman?
Firstly, if you adhere and understand what
your role is as Chairman and the CEO understands what their role is, that’s probably the
best starting point for a good relationship.
A good chairman manages the role very
carefully, understands that the leader of the
organisation is the CEO but is also aware that
the Chairman also provides a vital leadership
role. A good CEO doesn’t believe they have
absolute power and relishes the relationship
with the Chairman, realising that they can
help them to work better.
It must be a privilege to be invited onto a
board of directors, what motivates you when
deciding if the role is right for you?
The first thing for me is to look to see who
are the others involved in the company.
That’s a three-fold test: first, who are the
directors? Second, who is the CEO and management team? Third, who are the owners?
The second thing after looking at the people
is to look at the industry. There are some
industries that I enjoy and feel I know something about, and then there are others that
I don’t and I would have to weigh up if it’s an
industry I’m interested in. The third aspect I
would look at is the strategy of the company
and if it has a strategy I could contribute to
and would like to be involved in.
In your opinion, are Australian companies
doing enough to ensure gender equality and
diversity in leadership roles? How can this be
improved?
From a very slow start, there has been an
improvement in an understanding that this is
important. It is important from two aspects:
to be able to choose the best person from
100% of the population must, by definition, be
a more satisfying and correct choice than just
A good chairman makes
sure that everybody has
a say but nobody unduly
dominates.
choosing from 49%. Secondly, it is proven to
me having been on boards with gender diversity that they are absolutely better boards.
The concept of being on a board of people
identical to myself doesn’t appeal to me.
There is a move to get more females on the
ASX 200, so there’s growth but it’s not good
enough yet. I applaud the AICD’s (Australian Institute of Company Directors) recent
announcement to get to 30% by 2016 and I
know that a lot of organisations, incl­uding
ANZ, are working very hard towards making
a larger contribution.
Who has been the most inspirational female
leader you have worked with, and what attributes does she possess that could empower
other women?
I’ve been lucky enough to be on boards with
many great women. If pushed to point out
one, I would say Gillian Broadbent, who I’m
lucky enough to share an office with here at
Chifley. Gillian continues to open my eyes to
many things I don’t see, she’s tip-top in her
thinking and I’ve learned a great deal from
her. I’m also currently working with Alison
Watkins, CEO at Coca Cola Amatil, who is
outstanding. She brings an incredible drive,
an excellent way of dealing with people, a
great love of new ideas and a focus on staff
and stakeholders. I should add, these women
stand in my opinion against all CEOs; I’m not
suggesting they have a separate category.
The biggest trick is to actually concentrate
on it. When I look back on my career, the
concept of succession wasn’t really looked at
until fairly recently. It’s very important. Not
just at the very top but right through the business. Recognising that succession is important, doing it often and early and in a clever
and sustainable way is the best way to ensure
that people know they can progress through
a business, and also to have the right people
ready to take over when change occurs.
Why are the arts and culture sectors important to you and to Australia?
I’ve been brought up in a family that’s had
enormous joy from the arts. I was taught to
think about and enjoy the arts since I was a
little boy. Walls without paintings are quite
boring, life without music is quite uninspiring. For me it’s a joy. For a country, the arts
are a part of innovation. Artists, whatever
they do, are creating something either from
nothing or from what limited things are given
to that person—there’s interpretation and
innovation and life is improved by innovation.
If you could have one hour with a leader
throughout history, who would it be and why?
Given my South African background, I would
choose Nelson Mandela. Having read his book
a couple of times, I’d really like to ask him
why he wasn’t angrier. I’ve been to Robben
Island and I’ve seen the cell he lived in for so
many years. I’d love to hear what a wonderful thinker he clearly was and how he could
actively forgive and work for the better. I think
he and what he achieved was extraordinary.
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
Aquila takes its fashion cues from European
style trends, producing men’s clothing and
handmade shoes that last. This season’s
highlights include the 1958 Collection—a
selection of the finest boots, Oxfords and
monk straps from Toscana, Italy’s premier
footwear region. The double monk strap
‘Stelleck’ (pictured) is a great alternative to
an Oxford lace-up, and in high shine leather
will smarten up any suit and see you through
to formal evening events.
5
Gonski Reports
As Chairman of ANZ and Coca Cola Amatil, David Gonski
is one of the most prominent business leaders in Australia.
With leadership roles in education, health, public policy
and the arts, Gonski shares his thoughts on the intricacies
of leadership in the boardroom and what he looks for
in new opportunities.
By using quality materials such as internationally sourced leathers and traditional
hand-craftsmanship, Shoe Worx offers a
service that is hard to match. Louie has built
a loyal following of Chifley customers, “With
our techniques you can notice the difference
straightaway. If our customers try other
places, they always come back dissatisfied,
so it makes me really happy knowing that
we do things differently.” At a time when the
mass-market production of leather goods
is impacting quality more than ever, Louie’s
business has remained focused on quality and
service, “Quality isn’t what it used to be and
people don’t tend to repair shoes at the lower
end of the market. That’s why I targeted the
top end of the market and opened at Chifley.
Aquila Walks the Walk
With the finest selection of
business and casual shoes
and menswear, Aquila opens
at Chifley.
4
Opinion
T E DXS Y D N E Y
T E DXS Y D N E Y
TEDXSYDNEY 2015
TED — Technology, Entertainment, Design — started with a few
hundred people in a single annual conference in California.
Today, it is a global phenomenon with $45 million in revenues.
Ben&Co. meets the man who brought TED to Sydney and
the team who help bring Australia’s “ideas worth
spreading” to the world.
PHOTOGRAPHS
COURTESY OF TEDXSYDNEY
7
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
12
MINUTES
TO
CHANGE
THE
WORLD
6
T E DXS Y D N E Y
The first TED conference in 1984 was a
disaster. Only 300 people came and founder
Richard Saul Wurman had to let half of
them in for free. By 1990, the convergence of
technology, entertainment and design was
gaining traction in California’s intellectual
circles and thanks to a $3,000 ticket price,
the conferences soon became a pre-Internet
word of mouth phenomenon. Early TED
conferences were responsible for the unveiling of the Apple Macintosh only a few weeks
after completion, and the first publicising of
Google and Adobe Photoshop.
British publisher and entrepreneur Chris
Anderson bought TED in 2001 for $12 million
with a stated goal of “ideas worth spreading”,
but the real breakthrough came in 2006
with the launch of ted.com. TED went from
conference to global media brand with TED
Talks online being viewed collectively more
than 1 billion times since 2006 and translated
into 95 languages.
In March 2009, TED conceived a franchise
version of itself called TEDx, which saw the
company grant licenses to international
curators to organise local mini-TED events.
Remo Giuffre is the man responsible for
creating TEDxSydney. A lawyer by training, brand strategist, thought-leader and
visionary, Giuffre is known for creating retail
history with the launch of Sydney’s first
concept shop, the General Thinking Store in
1988. Giuffre was invited to TED by Wurman
himself on the condition that he bring along
8
T E DXS Y D N E Y
800 copies of General Thinking’s highly-acclaimed mail order catalogue to Japan for the
fourth TED conference. This began a 22-year
association with the brand.
Giuffre was approached directly by Anderson
and TEDx founder Lara Stein, who Giuffre
had known for years from her days heading
up Microsoft in New York, “Frankly, it wasn’t
on my radar”, he says. “When TED asked me
to do it in 2009, I was doing my retail from a
hole in the wall in Bondi, so taking on a big
voluntary project like TEDx didn’t make a
whole lot of sense.” Giuffre sat on the idea for
a week before making a decision, “I was about
to turn 50, so it seemed like a good time to
go outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to
refocus myself away from things and more
towards ideas.”
9
→ Mesmerised audiences are a common
sight at TED.
↓ Video mission control, backstage of the
Concert Hall at TEDxSydney 2014.
↘ TEDxSydney moved from Carriageworks to
the iconic Sydney Opera House in 2014.
Thanks to a bulging book of contacts, Giuffre
put together a team of people at the top of
their game, including ABC journalist and
documentary filmmaker Edwina Throsby,
and TEDxSydney quickly picked up momentum. The first event at Carriageworks in
2010 sold out and immediately established
TEDxSydney as a leading platform for the
propagation of Australian ideas, innovation
and creativity to the rest of the world. “We’ve
narrowed our curatorial focus to become a
platform for Australian people with ideas
worth spreading. We don’t fly people in unless
they’re Australians abroad so we’re a talent
scout for this part of the world for the rest of
the ‘TED-iverse’”.
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
↑ TEDxSydney founder Remo Giuffre.
↓ The Concert Hall at the Sydney
Opera House.
↘ Head of Curatorial, Edwina Throsby
on stage during TEDxSydney 2014.
We constantly get feedback saying that TED
was the catalyst for people changing jobs
or doing something different
REMO & EDWINA
Top TED Talks
01—
SIR KEN ROBINSON
How schools kill creativity
“There’s a reason it’s the most viewed TED
talk of all time.”
02—
LAWRENCE LESSIG
The unstoppable walk to political reform
“A wonderful rhetorical look at the problems
with democracy in the U.S.”
03—
ANDREW SOLOMON
How the worst moments in our lives make
us who we are
“A stunning piece of oratory, wonderfully
constructed and performed.”
With more than 3,000 TEDx events globally
and up to five per day across 145 countries in
the world (including an event with six hundred people on a floating hotel in the middle
of the Amazon forest), the scale and production of TEDxSydney set it apart. According
to Giuffre, “Ours is the most ‘TED-like’ event,
along with perhaps Berlin and Amsterdam.”
The move to the Opera House in 2014 packs
some international punch for the event and
the team is inundated with people wanting
to speak on the TEDxSydney stage for the
Opera House experience. Despite TED’s
closely governed editorial process (volunteers who organise TEDx events receive a
hundred-and-thirty-six-page manual of regulations and requirements), Sydney still manages to add its own ingredients to the TED
recipe, “We’re innovating in a whole bunch
of ways beyond even where TED has been”,
says Giuffre. “Food, for example, is part of
the curatorial mix. We’ve sourced food from
the asylum seeker and refugee community
and crowd-farmed food from the audience of
the event. We also manifest the community
in a far more visible way than any other TEDx
event—we have almost 3,000 people profiled
on our website.”
When it comes to sourcing and selecting Australian speakers, Head of Curatorial Edwina
Throsby steps in. “I’m part of a brilliant team
of eight people and we start meeting a month
after each event and cast a net as wide as we
can, any Australian we can think of.” A long
list comes down to thirty or forty people and
that’s where the hard work starts, “We want a
diversity of speakers, talks, background and
styles to create a program that challenges
our diverse, curious and very smart audience.
We can’t put in an old idea because our audience is so ahead of the curve, so the selection
process becomes extremely challenging, fun
but challenging.” Australia presents an abundance of suitable speakers, but the magic
combination is hard to find. “We look for
people at the vanguard of what they’re doing,
who have the skill and charisma to present
complex ideas in a short space of time”, says
Throsby, “It’s a particular skill to take your
life’s work, current research project or a
wonderful personal journey and condense it
without dumbing it down. That’s where the
field narrows.”
By the time the speakers are on the stage, the
TEDx team has been working with them for
months. First drafts come in three months
T E DXS Y D N E Y
10
T E DXS Y D N E Y
11
I D E A S & I N S P I R AT I O N
Top Three Must-See Talks at TEDxSydney
Renowned for its diverse spectrum of speakers,
this year’s line up won’t disappoint. Ben&Co.
picks three talks to look out for on the day.
I would recommend every single
speaker to the Chifley audience. I say
settle in at the beginning of the day
and watch until the end!
01—
TOM UGLOW
Creative Director, Google Creative Lab
Chifley Session: Two
02—
HELEN DURHAM
Director, International Law and Co-operation,
International Community of the Red Cross
Chifley Session: Two
03­—
DR MUNJED AL MEDERIS
Orthopedic Surgeon & Writer
Chifley Session: Three
Sunday-coder and occasional knitter, Tom
founded Google Creative Lab after eight years
with the company. He works on experimental
projects that connect people that use Google,
YouTube and Android in creative ways, and his
team helps charities, agencies and cultural organisations explore new forms of creativity using
digital tools.
The first woman to head International Law and
Policy, Helen is one of only five directors at the
ICRC and describes herself as a “gentle irritant
to decision making”. As a law student, she was
instrumental in classifying rape a war crime and
has been known to take calls from The Hague
while out shopping with her kids.
Born in Iraq, Al Mederis fled to Australia as a
refugee and embarked on a journey to become
an Orthopedic Surgeon on his release from a
detention centre in 2000. Inspired by “The Terminator” movie, he has pursued a lifelong passion
to combine robotics and humans, becoming a
world leader in Osseointegration surgery. Munjed
has currently helped more than 108 amputees.
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
For the full TEDxSydney program, list of
speakers and session times at Chifley,
visit the website.
chifley.com.au
before the event for first round feedback,
“For example, we ask a lot of scientists to put
the science back in because there’s a sense
that for a generalist audience, scientific concepts are too complex and that’s not true.
We want the data, the research and the analysis.” Rehearsals start the following month,
some over Skype if speakers are overseas or
interstate, and a full rehearsal happens a few
days before the event, “It’s a bit like the process an author goes through with a good editor: the idea and content is all the author’s,
but the editor is there to give feedback and
support. Everyone works very hard to ensure
the talk is as good as it can be.”
lawyer, neurosurgeon and toilet supplier in
the line up, people can expect to be surprised
and challenged. “I would recommend every
single speaker to the Chifley audience,” says
Throsby, “I think it’s wonderful when people
listen to things outside of their professional
areas or interests. I say settle in at the beginning of the day and watch until the end!”
is coming to Chifley
Come together. Share ideas. Be inspired.
The spreading of ideas has led to significant
innovations and success for some speakers,
proving that twelve minutes on the TEDxSydney stage can be invaluable, “We constantly
get feedback saying that TED was the catalyst for people changing jobs or doing something different”, says Throsby, “It inspires
people to do and be better.” Last year, Tim
Sharp, an artist with autism and his mother
Judy received a book deal as a result of being
on the TED stage and have taken the last 12
months off to travel the world to speak at
international autism events. “This platform
will amplify speakers to the world through
our own media and TED.com, who picks up
our content” says Giuffre, “so it becomes a
life-changing thing for anybody taking part.”
Tickets to this year’s event sold out before the
speakers were even announced, which says
something about TEDxSydney’s reputation
for delivering the goods. With a death row
↖ Scholar and former soldier David Kilcullen
talks about the future of coastal, connected
cities at TEDxSydney 2014.
Thursday 21 May
UBS Auditorium
Visit chifley.com.au
for more information
Official satellite event partners
The full program is available on the
TEDxSydney website.
tedxsydney.com
FA S H I O N & L I F E S T Y L E
FA S H I O N & L I F E S T Y L E
12
13
Leadership
to Suit your Style
Ben&Co. explores the working wardrobes of
three well-known leadership styles and reveals how
these Autumn/Winter essentials can bring
out your inner leader.
Pacesetter
The Pacesetter leads by example.
They are competent leaders who set high standards for
themselves and others, expecting excellence and self-direction
and exemplifying it themselves.
Works best:
With a motivated team that better keep up!
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
PEN Cartier Roadster pen $875, WATCH Daniel Wellington watch $299 all Pen Ultimate,
MAGAZINE Fortune magazine $11 Chifley Newsagency, FRAGRANCE Assam Oudh Eau de Parfum
100ml $175, RAZOR $89, SHAVING BRUSH $149 all Crabtree & Evelyn, BELT $149 Farage,
GLASSES Lindberg optical glasses $729 Lifestyle Optical.
DRESS Bianca dress $349 Farage, SHOES Renzi shoes $795 Varese Shoes,
FLOWERS Medium seasonal flower arrangement $70 Lotus Botanica.
BAG $1635 Max Mara, FRAGRANCE Evelyn Rose Eau de Parfum 50ml $80 Crabtree & Evelyn,
SUNGLASSES Christian Dior sunglasses $580 Lifestyle Optical, MAGAZINE Australian Traveller
$9.95 Chifley Newsagency, PEN MontBlanc Ingrid pen $990, WATCH Daniel Wellington watch
$199 all Pen Ultimate, NAIL POLISH Natio Mystic nail polish $9.95 Chifley Pharmacy.
JACKET Saunders navy jacket $599, WAISTCOAT Defoe waistcoat $250, SHIRT Ethereal shirt
$99.95, TIE Dubois grey tie $129.95, POCKET SQUARE Augusten pocket square $49.95 all
M.J. Bale, SHOES Peyton shoes $249 Aquila.
FA S H I O N & L I F E S T Y L E
FA S H I O N & L I F E S T Y L E
14
15
Democratic
The Democratic leader values collaboration and involves
all individuals in the decision-making process. They delegate
authority, encourage participation and derive their power
from their team members’ respect.
Works best:
With an open team who relish being empowered.
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
BAG Baillie laptop bag $399 SABA, LEATHER POLISH KIT Moneysworth leather tube polish kit
(includes leather tube with applicator brush, shoe horn, black cream polish [pictured], polish cloth,
polish brush [pictured], and quick polish sponges) $49.95 Chifley Shoe Worx, SHAVE TONIC Baxter
of California shave tonic $29 The Chifley Barber, HAIR GEL Sebastian Liquid Steel $34
Pierre Haddad Hair Management, WATER BOTTLE Groove stainless steel filter bottle $52.95
CamelBak, BELT Messi belt $99.95 M.J. Bale.
JACKET Como deconstructed jacket $695, SHIRT check shirt $169 all Farage, SCARF
Hamel scarf $79.95 M.J. Bale, BOOTS Chestnut Craftsman boots $440 R.M.Williams,
HOURGLASS $139 Pen Ultimate.
COAT Carmen coat $830 Max&Co., BLOUSE Amico silk blouse $710 Max Mara,
SHOES Danni flats $159.95 Leona Edmiston.
BAG Agraria bag $395 Max&Co., HAND LOTION La Source hand therapy 100g $28
Crabtree & Evelyn, WALLET Angelina wallet $239, BELT $149 all Farage, NECKLACE Clairey necklace $139 Leona Edmiston, GLASSES Tiffany & Co. optical glasses $600 Lifestyle Optical.
FA S H I O N & L I F E S T Y L E
FA S H I O N & L I F E S T Y L E
16
17
Laissez-faire
The Laissez-faire leader allows followers complete
freedom to make decisions. They are comfortable with a
high degree of autonomy and self-rule, while remaining
open and available for guidance and feedback.
Works best:
With trustworthy, experienced workers who
are accountable for their own actions.
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
GLASSES Prada optical glasses $550 Lifestyle Optical, PEN Caran d’Ache rollerball $695,
PEN CASE Caran d’Ache pen case $200, BOOK Caran d’Ache leather book $395, CARD CASE
Caran d’Ache card case $175 all Pen Ultimate, CREAM Natio Renew Day Cream $24.95,
CANDLE Be Enlightened Oriental Balies candle $39.95 all Chifley Pharmacy,
PANTS Diploma pants $230 Max&Co.
JACKET Sportmax Cereale jacket $1625 Max Mara, SHIRT Festival shirt $1250 Marina
Rinaldi, SHOES Alamaro shoes $340 Max&Co.
PLANT succulent terrarium $25 Lotus Botanica, MAGAZINE Monocle Magazine $13 Chifley
Newsagency, SUNGLASSES Tom Ford sunglasses $740 Lifestyle Optical, SOCKS Diego red socks
$19.95, Lorenzo stripe socks $19.95, BELT Parkes suede belt $89.95 all M.J. Bale.
TRENCH Vanderbilt trench $499, BOWTIE Percival bowtie $99.95 all M.J. Bale,
SHIRT Medium check shirt $150 SABA, SHOES Parkins shoes $219 Aquila.
N I DA C O R P O R AT E
The Power
of Performance
Performing with authority and authenticity is a skill used from
Broadway to the boardroom. At the National Institute of Dramatic Art in
Sydney, a special Corporate Program reveals how techniques used in the
performing arts can translate to a business environment. Actor and Senior
NIDA Corporate Trainer Antony Grgas gives Ben&Co. his top tips on how to
embrace your inner performer and communicate with clarity.
If you’re nervous, your body will give you
away. For inexperienced speakers, the physical act of being on stage can be the most difficult part of presenting, but a little coaching
can go a long way. The most comm­on mistake
is movement: people simply move around too
much, swaying from side to side, or shifting
their weight from one leg to the other. This
is distracting and makes the speaker seem
weak. These tips will help enhance your stage
presence:
04
STAGE FRIGHT
Breathing is usually the first thing to go
when you’re feeling nervous and the best advice is simply to breathe deeply. Remember
that nervous energy is good energy, simply
adrenalin waiting to be used. If channelled
correctly, it can improve your performance
as it keeps your mind sharp and gives your
performance added energy. These insights
might help:
People spend a lot of time thinking, “What am I going to say?” when
they should be thinking, “What will the audience absorb?” Facts and
figures are more easily absorbed when part of a story, so storytelling
is a great way to illustrate a point. The ‘three-act structure’ is used
in screenwriting to increase the effectiveness of a story, but can be
applied to presentations to help structure the narrative.
Rehearsing gives you a vocal and physical memory of what you need
to do. According to Grgas, on average only twenty percent of people
rehearse a presentation, but its importance can’t be underestimated.
It helps the words to become second nature and the more natural the
words, the more you can increase your ability to affect the audience.
When rehearsing, look out for these three elements:
Act 1: The Setup. Who are the audience, what is the problem and
how does it relate to the audience?
Act 2: The Confrontation. To resolve the problem, the speaker must
get colleagues on board in order to work collectively towards
a resolution.
Act 3: The Resolution. Time to listen to questions, address feedback and wrap up next steps.
Physical: Examine your body language, gesturing, eye contact and
look out for fidgeting.
Vocal: Listen out for pitch variation, pace, level of articulation and
filler words such as “um”, “like” and “so”. If you’re practiced, filler
words will disappear.
Content: Is there a logical progression? Does it sit within your
time frame?
05
THE LEADING ROLE
When it comes to communicating effectively, we’re all challenged in
our listening skills. In fast-paced business environments, it’s what
gets us into trouble most of the time. Both in our professional and
personal lives, interrupting when you think you’ve got the gist of the
conversation, or thinking about what you’re going to say next rather
than focusing on what’s being said are signs that you are not listening. It’s worth noting the following:
01: Adrenalin causes shallow breathing.
Take a few deep centered breaths to give
your brain the oxygen it needs. Slowing
your breath will slow the heart rate and trick
the body into thinking you are calmer.
02: Drink water. From a medical perspective, your voice works best when it’s
hydrated. Have a glass of water handy and
take sips occasionally, especially when you
want to emphasise a point.
03: To harness your adrenalin, allow
yourself the option to move around. If you
do move, make sure it’s with purpose as
wandering aimlessly is distracting.
01: Be present. Listen first and then formulate your response
02: There’s a scale between assertive and empathic—some people
respond well to assertive leaders, while some prefer a more empathic
approach as it makes them feel valued. Gauge what stimuli people
respond to and use it to your advantage as a leader.
03: Pay attention to the people in the room. Are they confused, interested, distracted? Base your next statement on their cues, not what
you’ve been waiting to say.
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
For inexperienced speakers, the physical
act of being on stage can be the most difficult part of
presenting, but a little coaching can go a long way.
02
REHEARSALS
19
03
STAGE PRESENCE
Eye contact: Find five friendly faces in the
audience and make eye contact with them
as you speak.
Stance: Stand with your feet hip width
apart, at your true height, long but not
stiff. Start with hands by your sides or with
one hand resting in the other, introducing
gestures when the moment requires.
Energy: Vary your energy levels. Our brains
love variety, so use gestures, change your
style and methods of self-expression, and
avoid a monotone voice.
01
THE ART OF STORYTELLING
18
N I DA C O R P O R AT E
T H E S O M M E L I E R S AYS
20
T H E S O M M E L I E R S AYS
Rocco Esposito is Director of Wine at
Vue de Monde and is one of Australia’s most
highly regarded sommeliers.
A Question of
Taste
04—
Foster & Rocco,
Sangiovese Nuovo 2011
$40—$50
Castagna wines are amongst Australia’s best,
with a unique quality that takes you to the
land of origin—Beechworth, Victoria. First
taste of this hand-crushed wine releases a
white tea tip florality above soft fruits—
persimmon, kumquat, pear and jasmine tea,
as well as a sherry nuttiness, with spice and
vanilla. Second tasting reveals laurel, wattle
and kumquat skin, vermouth herb, brass and
earth on the nose.
Known as the region of Shiraz, Sangiovese is
growing in popularity in Victoria’s Heathcote
region. On the palate, this impressive wine is
deep and searching but not forceful with fine
soft tannins; though the sweet and sour fruit
is so intense and lingering that they come
through almost as an afterthought. Light and
fragrant, if you want a red to drink slightly
chilled, this is the one.
Why this wine? An alternative to the norm with
some great talking points.
Pair it with: This demands texture: prosciutto,
tartare, terrine...
Occasion: Lunch with someone opinionated;
open this bottle and start arguing.
Why this wine? Easy to drink, cheerful and fun.
Pair it with: On its own or with a nicely done
Carpaccio of beef.
Occasion: Any warm day, when you need
something cold and it doesn’t have to be white.
This wine is great for lunch with someone opinionated;
open this bottle and start arguing.
01—
Tar & Roses,
Pinot Grigio 2014
$30—$40
02—
Athletes of Wine, Vinero
Romsey Chardonnay 2013
$50—$60
05—
Bindi Wines,
Original Vineyard
Pinot Noir 2013
$90—$100
06—
Pizzini,
Coronamento
Nebbiolo 2005
$130—$140
Tar & Roses is one of Victoria’s most innovative small producers, focusing on common
varieties with a twist. Sourced from fruit
in the up-and-coming wine region of the
Strathbogie Ranges, it is packed with finesse
and elegance, preserving the faint coppery
highlights that are a Pinot’s hallmark. This
wine is aromatically inviting with ripe pear
and red apple scents, followed by a hint of
honeysuckle and spice.
The Athletes of Wine, Liam O’Brien & Matt
Brooke, are two passionate Melbourne sommeliers. This Chardonnay from the Macedon Ranges is floral, mineral and delicately
fine-boned. The wine takes weight very easily
from the vineyard and vintage, but also from
the winemaking approach, and before you
know it you have a complex chewy gobstopper of a white rather than something simply
reflective of the site itself.
The Macedon Ranges is a must stop place
for Pinot Noir lovers and is where winemaker
Michael Dillon is producing one of Australia’s
best. This wine is tightly wound and deeply
elegant perfumed with brambly black fruit,
notes of moss and earth, fragrances of peonies, spice and balsam. They meld seamlessly
into a supple, focused and balanced full body
that offers terrific minerality, fine-grained
tannins and a lingering finish.
The King Valley is a picturesque Victorian
wine region with magnificent vine-growing
hills. Lovely, lively, darting and fruit-scented—
the aromatic power of this wine is impressive.
On the palate, it is flavour-saturated, weighty
and dense, packed with dancing blackberry
and blackcurrant and freshened by a hint of
raspberry. The tannins are graceful, the fruit
engine is poised and perfumed, and it has a
sleek, concentrated core.
Why this wine? Because sometimes less
is more.
Pair it with: Best on its own, or with a mildly
spiced charcuterie.
Occasion: At the end of a deal-making day.
Why this wine? It’s not reinventing the wheel,
but you’ll want to go back for more.
Pair it with: Scampi with brown butter and
pangrattato.
Occasion: Any. Remember ‘ABC’—Always Buy
Chardonnay.
Why this wine? I can’t get enough of its extraordinary complexity.
Pair it with: Duck (of course), grilled kangaroo,
cured wallaby or pheasant.
Occasion: Decision-making dinners with clients,
or for clients with good wine knowledge.
Why this wine? It’s a great example of a worldclass variety.
Pair it with: Tagliatelle with truffles, spinach
pesto and a polenta crumbed soft centered duck
egg…heaven!
Occasion: Impress clients after the Pinot has
done its job.
To try the Tar & Roses Pinot Grigio or the Foster & Rocco Sangiovese
Nuovo, head down to the Janus Sydney Wine Bar at Chifley.
RRP based on Cellar Door or Boutique Wine Store prices.
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
In 2009, Rocco was the recipient of The Age Good Food Guide Wine Service Award
and rated in the Top 100 Most Influential People by The Age Magazine. He also owns and runs
Project 49 in Beechworth, where he makes his own wine alongside consulting and education.
Rocco shares six of the best Australian wines to help build your collection.
03—
Castagna Harlequin,
Roussanne Sauvignon
Blanc Semillon & Viognier
blend 2013
$35—$45
21
C O N V E R S AT I O N S
22
C O N V E R S AT I O N S
23
For Goodness Sake
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Vinnies CEO Sleepout is
aiming to raise $10 million to support people experiencing
homelessness. Ben&Co. goes to the heart of an initiative that
sees Australia’s prominent business leaders sleeping rough.
“It’s a shocking reality that over 105,000
people are experiencing homelessness in
Australia and more than 28,000 are children
under twelve”, says Michael Perusco, CEO of
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW.
The Vinnies CEO Sleepout, which sees some
of the country’s highest paid bosses sleeping
rough for one night, was the brainchild of
Sydney businessman Bernard Fehon and
began as a local community event in Paramatta in 2006. The idea is simple: walk a mile
in someone’s shoes and you’ll get a better
understanding of that person. In 2010, the
event went national and attracted over 700
CEOs in seven cities, raising $2.9 million. Over
the last nine years, the Sleepout has raised a
total of $24 million.
Adapt or Get Left Behind
Probably time management. It’s a big region
with a 2-3 hour time difference and a four
hour flight between the two states. It’s a case
of constantly reprioritising—I could work 24hours a day and still feel there was more
to do so juggling priorities is key.
How did you get to where you are today?
I joined Hays in London as a trainee recruitment consultant and 28 years later, here I am.
I spent 12 years in our UK business before
moving out to Western Australia in 2001.
I was there for 11 years, in which time it grew
from 15 to 250 staff, and then came to NSW
to look after both states.
What do you love about the business?
We’re a professional consulting business,
so we’re finding the right jobs for candidates
and the right people for organisations. I love
getting the results and providing solutions for
clients. I also love our fast-paced sales culture;
we set ourselves goals and achieve them.
With the growth of social media and networking sites such as LinkedIn, how does Hays
stay competitive?
Social media will never completely replace
the professional recruitment consultant, but
1969
Founded in
London
8,748
Staff
globally
it can add massive benefits. We try to stay
at the forefront of the digital evolution; we’ve
partnered with Google, installing a Google
search engine into our database and we are
one of a few companies who have a legitimate
integration with LinkedIn, which allows
us to search our database for candidates
with part­icular attributes while searching
LinkedIn simultaneously and in real time.
With perm­ission, we can then add LinkedIn
members to our database with one click.
This means our entire talent pool is updated,
current and completely searchable using our
in-house Google technology. We are now the
most followed recruitment firm on LinkedIn.
It’s a case of embracing social media and not
being averse to change.
What is the current state of employment in
Australia? What are the key challenges facing
the employment market in the future?
Unemployment statistics have dropped in
the last month and we’ve seen a marked
improvement in the recruitment market in
the last 12 months, particularly in NSW. Skill
shortages are always going to be a challenge
and with a population the size of Australia,
they are going to exist wherever there are
buoyant markets. The key growth industries
are construction and engineering thanks to
Australia’s infrastructure projects, financial
services, and digital and I.T. There are jobs in
the digital sector that didn’t exist two years
ago, so that’s a continually evolving space.
61%
Female
employees
While the initiative knows that going without
a bed for one night doesn’t provide an understanding of what homeless people face every
day, it gives insight into what is a frightening
reality for some Australians, “I think what
it really brought home to me”, says MP Kelly
O’Dwyer “was just how isolating it is to be out
in the open on a cold winter’s night.”
Regardless of industry, what qualities do you
think employers most commonly look for in
an employee?
Media personality Deborah Hutton sleeps out.
The event isn’t just about a night on the street;
it’s an opportunity to shatter stereotypes
and learn the truths behind homelessness
in Australia. Jeremy Carter, CEO of Fusion
Wealth Advisory Strategy, is on his fourth
Sleepout, “Homelessness isn’t just the man
sleeping on the street corner, it’s an issue that
we often don’t see. It can happen to anyone,
from any demographic.” The event is a chance
for business leaders to brainstorm ideas on
how to make a difference. “This should be a
challenge for all of us, not just the Government
and community organisations”, says MP Kevin
The money raised goes directly towards helping people experiencing homelessness, “Last
year alone, we provided 822,509 meals and
257,287 beds”, says Perusco. Donations also
go towards other key initiatives such as educational and vocational courses, counselling,
drug and alcohol rehabilitation and health
clinic services, which aim to give crucial
assistance and tackle the causes, in the hope
of permanently breaking the cycle.
This year, the charity is aiming higher than
ever—to raise $10 million. “This is not an
insurmountable issue”, says Perusco, “if we
support people, they can get back on their
feet.”
Chifley is calling all CEOs to sign up and raise
money and awareness for homelessness
in Australia. To take part in this year’s CEO
Sleepout on 18 June, visit ceosleepout.org.au
Contact Us to Win
For your chance to win one of two
Daniel Wellington Classic watches from
Pen Ultimate, let us know who in Chifley you
would like to see featured in the next
issue of Ben&Co. and why.
Most employers are looking for someone who
can hit the ground running, so the right training and the relevant skills are usually the
priorities. On top of that, interpersonal and
communication skills, flexibility, willing­ness
to learn and a good work ethic are all crucial,
the perfect employee is the whole package.
editor@benandco.com.au
As someone in a leadership position, what
skills are needed to be a great leader today?
Hard work, you won’t get respect unless
you’re willing to roll your sleeves up. Having
the right people, understanding them,
putting them in the right roles and building
a culture around them is also crucial. Having
the right culture in place should be the
number one strategy in any business, with
zero tolerance for people who don’t adhere
to your values. It’s about having the vision,
getting the engagement, setting clear goals
and inspiring people to achieve these goals.
I also find that the best leaders listen rather
than talk and are continually getting feedback and working on it. Lastly, being decisive
helps and so too does embracing change,
because if you’re not ready to change, you
just get left behind.
Hays
Level 11, Chifley
3
Female board members
out of 8 (AUS/NZ)
244
Offices in
33 countries
*Terms and conditions apply, visit chifley.com.au
Chifley Q&A
If you could spend one hour with a great historical
leader, who would it be and why?
Hannah Faithfull
Stephen Bajraszewski
Morgan Stanley
La Trobe Financial
Agricultural Bank of China
Coco Chanel. She’s not only a
fashion icon; she opened doors
and broke through ceilings for
women everywhere.
Gough Whitlam. His visionary
approach to social engineering
showed decisiveness in taking
action, which we can all
learn from.
Giovanni Medici. He started
the first bank in 1397. I’d like to
see where banking started and
how it has shaped the way we
bank today.
Aung San Suu Kyi. I’d like to
find out where she gets her
inner strength.
Hays
Kristie Sharp
Cepheus Yap
ISSUE #08­ — LEADERSHIP
As Director of NSW and WA at Hays, Jane McNeill tells Ben&Co.
why embracing the digital evolution has enabled Hays to become the
most globally followed recruitment firm on LinkedIn.
As Director of NSW and WA at Hays Australia,
you are responsible for 400 staff in two states.
What is the biggest challenge of the role?
Rudd, “When you add the business sector to
the equation, you get a far better delivery of
these services.”
SPECIAL OPENING OFFER
To celebrate the opening of the new
Aquila store at Chifley, receive a
$100 Menswear gift card with any
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Shop 08, Upper Ground Floor
Terms and conditions apply. See in store for details. Valid only at
Chifley until 31 May 2015.chifley.com.au