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Annoucement: Farewell to aCE talentNET, it’s been a fabulous ride…

theEmother — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 01:59:12 +0000

As announced in the latest aCE talentNET Professional Edge;

Well, the time has come to bid a fond farewell to all friends and colleagues of aCE.

From this day forward, Denise Hall (ie me!) will no longer be part of the aCE inner sanctum! After 15 years approx, it is time to move on and expand my horizons. Be safe in the knowledge though that Deirdre Gruiters is not going anywhere and aCE is operating business as usual. The only real difference is that I will no longer be behind the scenes.

It has been a pleasure and an honour being part of your working life over this time. Whether you’re new to the community, you’ve been there from the start or something in between, your contribution to the quality of aCE at large is in direct proportion to who you are and what you do. For that I thank you for helping us build aCE into what it is today.

A big thank you also to Karen, Rebecca and Chris, and to all the many aCE associates I have had the pleasure of working with.

A very big and special thank you goes to Deirdre Gruiters, through which much of what we’ve been able to achieve is attributable.

I invite you to stay “connected” through the various social media networks, just click on the one that tickles your fancy!

Buying and selling businesses is my new area of interest, so bear that in mind should it be what you want to do with your business, in time.

Good luck with your future endeavours
Cheers
Denise

read on…

Change? It’s Only Just Begun!

theEmother — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:36:23 +0000

You’re probably familiar with eBay and PayPal. They’re businesses that have transformed and challenged traditional retailing because they enable individuals to trade online, bypassing normal supply chains. We’re now on the edge of another wave of transformational change of how business and work are done.

Robert Gottliebsen at Business Spectator recently interviewed Matt Barrie from which connects workers with businesses on a global basis. Businesses post jobs that workers bid for. Payment occurs online when jobs are finished. It’s mainly small business people doing work for small business people. But it brings the power of ‘big’ to the little businessperson’s business. The interview is here:

At that link we last covered zaarly and uber which also empower self-employed people to do big things. I know of many other transformational business service models. It’s the replication of a trend we’re seeing in IT, for example, where contracting is rising. Forget about industrial relations, human resource management and jobs for life! This is about stock exchanges for jobs, fast moving, with people making their own choices.

Government isn’t coping. This is reflected in comments from Peter Strong of the Council of Small Business Australia. He referred to the recent budget as a ‘big business budget’ in a TV interview. This big business view is probably why the administration of paid parental leave, for example, is looking so complex for small business people and why a Commonwealth Bank survey found small business drowning in red tape.

Government will fail when it tries to force its administrative convenience onto this global business realignment. So watch out politicians! An analysis of voting trends amongst self-employed people showed a strong willingness to swing their votes.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/45026.html

Very, very interesting indeed… a sign of things to come… just wonder how the government will view it/legislate for or against it??? Time will tell.

From Ken Phillips (Exec. Dir.) and the team at Independent Contractors of Australia

Employers Worldwide Lack a Strategy for Developing Women Leaders, New Mercer Survey Shows…

theEmother — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 06:12:47 +0000

No surprise to read (from CLOmedia.com) a headline like that I’m sure. Here’s the rest of the sorry story…

New York — March 7

Despite efforts by organizations around the world to achieve a diverse workforce, the majority – 71 percent – do not have a clearly defined strategy or philosophy for developing women for leadership roles, according to the new Women’s Leadership Development Survey conducted by Mercer in conjunction with Talent Management and Diversity Executive magazines.

The survey, conducted in December 2010, includes responses from more than 1,800 human resource, talent management and diversity leaders at organizations throughout North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific. The survey included a broad cross-section of industries with for-profits, high-tech/telecommunications, financial/ banking and durable manufacturing organizations representing the largest segments. Responses, which addressed current commitment and support for women’s leadership, plans for the future and obstacles to success, were fairly consistent across regions.

According to Mercer’s survey, almost half (47 percent) of employers surveyed globally indicate that their organizations do not offer any activities or programs targeted to the development needs of women leaders. While 21 percent of organizations said they offer some activities or programs, another 6 percent of organizations said they are planning to add programs and activities in the future. Read on…

How Will I Expand My Business?

theEmother — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 02:46:02 +0000

Proudly brought to you by Ken Phillips (Exec. Dir.) and
the team at “>ICA UK friends, the Professional Contractors Group, conducted a National Freelancers Day. This huge national event celebrated the importance of self-employment, which is as large in the UK as it is in Australia. As with us in Australia, PCG are working on regulatory reform, particularly tax reform.

But with the National Freelancers Day, it was the contractors (freelancers) who were the stars. In a series of short video clips we can pick up really good practical tips from people ‘living’ the same business struggle as ourselves on topics such as:

* How will I grow my business next year?
* What is my long-term plan?
* How can I increase my perceived value?
* How can I adapt and thrive in a buyer’s market?

We’ve linked to these as well as the National Freelancers Day website. Go to: http://www.nationalfreelancersday.org.uk/cms/

Look, in particular, for the video clip series of superstar ‘big mouth’ Joe Bauer on his ‘your business cards are cr..p’ series! It’s strangely compelling.

aCE talentNET Professional Edge July10

theEmother — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:00:34 +0000

The latest informative edition of the Professional Edge from aCE talentNET, read on for the up-to-date thinking in Organisational Development…

From the desk of the Head Corporate Talent Agent, Deirdre Gruiters…

It’s probably boring to start my meanderings with yet another “well what a busy month it’s been” but alas when the cap fits….?!!! But the interesting fact is that the work that has and is keeping aCE talentNET busy over the past 6 months is quite different to the past. Yes, we continue to support our clients with one off needs for consulting and facilitation resources and deliver on our important long term contracts, but we are also being asked to assist in a more strategic way by working more closely with HR and L&D senior executive. These conversations include being part of Panel arrangements where we are working with Government Departments to source the best-fit HR and Learning resources to deliver on key initiatives as well as working with large Corporates to source a pre-approved stable of consulting resources to be ready to go at very short notice to resource priority Business Unit programs.

This later approach in particular allows a client to avoid the delays often experienced when selecting, recruiting and onboarding for contract resources. The upside means that a pre-approved pool of consultants is able to become familiar with the organisation culture, processes, procedures, policies and are able to hit the ground running when appointed to a project role. The client also avoids the time consuming advertising and selection process and the risk that goes with appointing an unknown and untested consultant. The downside is…. well I’m yet to find one! If these strategies are of interest to you and or your clients you know where to find us!

An observation based on the web poll question from last month… more than 50% of you said that last year’s turnover did not show a significant increase. To ensure this financial years turnover is a lot healthier I strongly recommend you avail of all that is offered in the AdvantEdge, in particular the Referral Program. Only today, we’ve received another from one of our consultants, and assuming all works out as planned, it will be very beneficial for all parties.

As always we have some interesting articles for you this month… so keep reading!

Deirdre

and to continue… click here

Gain your Own Professional Edge…

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:30:26 +0000

an extract from the latest aCE talentNET Professional Edge…

As I reflect back on the FY that was I am very proud of the stickability of the aCE talentNET business and our ability to handle a GFC that took most by surprise. Whilst Australia weathered this storm better than most, when in the business of HR and Learning & Development these are always areas of spend in a business that are the first to feel the pinch… many of our clients did indeed downsize or put projects on hold, but as I told many a consultant that phoned for a little reassurance during the leaner months, it’s not personal and our clients will be back with bigger and better projects, it just being a matter of time…. and so it was! So we say farewell to another financial year and sadly we’ve been too busy at aCE talentNET to have enjoyed many EOFYSs (end of financial year sales) !!!

We are extremely excited to announce to our Network that aCE talentNET has won another Government Tender… being appointed to the Panel of HR Service Providers for IP Australia. As soon as we finalise the contracting process, we are very much looking forward to working with our new client and appointed Consulting Team over the coming months. And yet more exciting news, was the opportunity for aCE and one of our Consultancy partners to be part of an emotional intelligence diagnostic tool trial with one of our MNC’s… so watch this space for one too! We are very positive about the start to the 2010-11 financial year and what this brings for the business of aCE talentNET, it’s clients and consulting network.

For any of you with specialist skills in Emergency Response Training make sure you respond to the iFindConsultants current tender opportunity.

So onwards and upwards… and remember we are now on the downward slide to summer warmth!

read on…

The Professional Edge is aCE talentNET’s means of communicating with the community on a regular basis. It provides an update of activities, informative reading and professional development opportunities to enable you to expand your Consulting horizons.

aCE talentNET Professional Edge May2010

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:42:01 +0000

The latest Organisational Development Thinking, from the desk of aCE talentNET…

Well another busy month comes to an end. This month aCE talentNET has invested in two Government tender submissions, prepared a Proposal for a Victorian Government Coaching Panel; submitted a Proposal for an exciting leadership development initiative with a multi-national; and is awaiting responses from clients on OD and HR consulting resource requirements (to name but a few).

This is not to say that the HR, OD and L&D market is awash with funds OR that this signals a return to the buoyant days of old, but rather we see clients priorities as a careful and considered investment in key people management and development platforms, namely human resource management, learning infrastructure, leadership development; coaching etc. As this is aCE talentNET’s niche… we are well placed to assist clients meet these needs!

I was also able to enjoy a short mini-break in NZ recently and was reminded of the importance of staying connected to our roots. It was with this in mind that I re-read aCE talentNET Consultant, Karen Curnow’s heart wrenching article having survived the Victorian bushfires, and her subsequent reflections on how her experience changed her view on how organisations should approach change management. A thought provoking article that I would encourage you to read.

Wishing you all a great month as we speed all too quickly towards the financial year end!
Deirdre
continue…

aCE talentNET AdvantEdge May2010

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 09:20:04 +0000

The latest aCE talentNET AdvantEdge is available…

How many projects have you been
exposed to since the start of the year?

Which ones could you have passed on to the aCE talentNET Referral Program? And be well on the way to making yourself passive income… isn’t that what we’re talking about!

Connect aCE talentNET with Client projects you may not have the time or resources or expertise to provide, and earn referral fees through the aCE talentNET Referral Program. Click here for details.

Read on…

aCE talentNET Professional Edge Feb2010

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:25:32 +0000

The latest from the aCE talentNET Professional Edge…
Enjoy!

Congratulations to those of you that have successfully completed Feb Fast… and for those of you a bit more like me (i.e. totally committed to abstaining from alcohol and bad food during the week but with waning resolve during the weekend) well done for giving it a go!!! Fortunately it was a short month, made even shorter by promising pipeline activity. It seems that my predictions made at the beginning of the year are indeed holding true, with much evidence of a general upturn in recruitment activity for HR and L&D teams. Whilst a lot of activity is in Sydney, in my experience there is only a short time lag before the same activity hits the Melbourne…. so be ready!

There is also increasing evidence that more budget is being directed to leadership development. So with this in mind, it is timely to direct you to a recent article headed ‘Dirty Words’ by Jay Cross in the Chief Learning Magazine. Needless to say the article title caught my eye. But so too did it’s content. It is always a good heads up to us professionals to be reminded about how our lingo and jargon can be construed by weary executive teams. Jay considers that typical words and phrases used ad nauseum can have a negative impact on those very people we need to support these important initiatives. Read this article to find out why we should stay away from using such words as learning, learner, social learning, knowledge management, informal learning, ROI and more. You may not entirely agree but the overall sentiment of the article is indeed food for thought.

All the best for March-Madness!
Deirdre
continue…

How to Succeed As a Freelancer

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:20:19 +0000

Learn the secrets of thriving as a freelancer from experts who have been there, done that. This free teleconference is co-sponsored by the Asian American Journalists Association-DC chapter and CurrentMom.com.

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, 2-3:30 pm ET
To utilise the time converter, click here