The Resolution Room

My conversation with Steve Simpson, a veteran expert in workplace culture, challenged everything I thought I understood about organisational dynamics. Steve's concept of Unwritten Ground Rules (UGRs) cuts through the polished rhetoric of values statements and glossy brochures to reveal what actually happens within organisations.  UGRs capture the naturally occurring behaviours and perceptions...

Most leaders can sense when something's off in their organisation. Talented people stay silent in meetings, innovation stalls, stress becomes the unspoken norm. My conversation with Carolyn Grant illuminated two concepts reshaping how we think about workplace performance: psychological safety and psychosocial risk management.  Carolyn Grant is the founder and CEO of People Plus Science, where...

I’m talking today with my good friend, Chris Brady, a seasoned physiotherapist and co-owner of the Queensland Sports Medicine Centre. Our conversation revealed fascinating parallels between elite sports performance and organisational success.  Chris's extensive experience working with high-performance athletes provides unique insights into how teams function under pressure—lessons that transl...

My recent conversation with Alison Haly, a trailblazer in the Australian mediation landscape, offered a compelling look into what it means to forge a new path in legal practice. Alison’s transition from over two decades at a global law firm to establishing her own mediation practice was driven by a deep-seated passion for resolving conflict—a skill she traces back to her childhood.  As the fi...

My recent conversation with Tony Macvean, the former Managing Partner (CEO) of Hall and Wilcox, revealed a remarkable leadership journey spanning 17 years of transformational growth. Under his guidance, the firm achieved a tenfold revenue increase and expanded from a Melbourne base to seven offices nationally. What struck me most wasn't just the impressive metrics, but how Tony approached this exp...

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with my good friend and colleague, Kate Avery, a respected personal injury solicitor, to discuss the critical and often overlooked topic of legal ethics in negotiation. Drawing from her extensive experience in acting for both plaintiffs and defendants, Kate highlighted the nuanced ethical challenges practitioners face, particularly when their obligations...

There's a dangerous misconception lurking in our profession—that negotiation operates as an ethical free zone. While we've meticulously developed ethical frameworks for courtroom conduct, the obligations practitioners owe to opponents in negotiation and mediation remain frustratingly under-explored.  Too many assume that once we step outside the courtroom's formal boundaries, we enter a realm...

Kim Wiegand brings a rare perspective to professional services transformation. With over 22 years of global experience as a strategic growth and client experience advisor, she operates at the intersection of transformational leadership, operational capability, and sustainable revenue expansion. Her career spans leadership roles across major law and accounting firms, where she's built high-performi...

While many executives invest time in crafting the perfect vision statement to bolster their team, I find this process somewhat overrated. Steve Simpson’s concept of unwritten ground rules offers a more authentic reflection of workplace culture—focusing on the actual behaviours and practices that define how a team truly operates beyond what’s stated in organisational materials. Understanding these...

In our daily lives, negotiation plays an integral role, weaving itself into interactions ranging from persuading our children to eat their vegetables to reaching agreements in complex legal cases. As a lawyer deeply entrenched in both legal and leadership perspectives, I've come to realise that negotiation is an art that, when mastered, can be transformative in both the legal industry and the broa...

As I sat down recently for a deeply engaging conversation with my friend and esteemed colleague, Gabrielle Forbes , I couldn't help but reflect on a pervasive challenge I've observed spanning my years in the law and business: ego.  In the pressure-cooker environment of professional services, where intellect and competition dance a fine line, ego can either serve as a driving force or become a...

Leaving the comfort of a secure job is never an easy decision, especially when you're walking away from something often referred to as "the golden handcuffs." In the legal industry, these handcuffs are not only golden but intricately woven with the prestige and stability of being part of an established law firm. So why did I leave big law, a global business that I helped launch in the Australian m...

As someone who's always had a keen interest in the dynamics of leadership and the intricacies of mediation and negotiation, I found myself at a crossroads where I wanted to connect the dots between these passions and my professional journey. This is how "The Resolution Room" was born. A podcast designed to discuss topics around leadership, mediation, negotiation and team building. You might wonder...