How to manage your time for networking and building relationships

Talking to strangers as we go about our daily business doesn’t seem to be a problem for us, but when it comes to strangers at a networking function, we clam up? It is the same thing! Well, kind of. First of all, we’re not trying to impress that person that we’re talking to at the convenient store and we may be trying to impress that all important prospect at the networking function.

Although we’re not trying to sell in either case, when we’re at a business networking function, we’re trying to build the business relationship that could ultimately lead to a sale, a speaker or to a job offer. Business networking is the key to your business success whether you are the owner of a small boutique company or just starting out. Some people say it’s who you know that’s important but I beg to differ just a little. I believe it’s actually who knows you that is important. You want to make sure that plenty of people know who you are and what you provide.

Many professionals are perfectly aware of the importance of networking and the advantages it can bring, and yet will still probably admit to not engaging with it nearly as much as they should.

One reason is that networking isn’t something you can commit to half-heartedly. It requires a concerted effort, from simply finding new groups of people to network with, connecting in a meaningful personal or professional way – making that first contact, forging some sort of bond and then nurturing it regularly.

For others, it is the actual act itself – manoeuvring opportunities to meet people, striking up the conversation and trying to stay insightful when talking to people of greater seniority or importance. This process can cow introverts and extroverts alike.

Many people feel they simply do not have the time to do all of this on top of the demands of their job and their personal life.

Arguably, in order to build lasting business relationships, you need to change your perceptions of networking as a distinct activity but as a form of personal development. It is an opportunity to practice making valuable conversational contributions whilst at the same time staying true to your own personality. Technology has, of course, made us all networkers now anyway, with our personal and professional networks tallied up as proudly displayed numbers of followers, friends and connections.

Networking face-to-face certainly takes more effort than a couple of clicks, but if done effectively it actually allows you to generate new ideas and to generate your influence. Effective networking enables you to offer more and have more impact. 

The best part of my job as an Assistant General Manager – Production is to create and manage my own conferences from concept to delivery, identify future conference topics as well as giving me a chance to expand my business card collection. Having a bit of a sweet tooth, you will always find me having lollies on my desk or you will catch me browsing on fashion sites during lunch breaks.

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Why my life feels richer with Instagram

I have become obsessed with Instagram lately. Probably only because I deleted my Facebook account and now got more time on my hands to dedicate to another social media platform.

A part of me really hates social media, mostly because I don’t want to see how glorious everyone else’s lives seem to be, how many fancy juices they drink or how much they exercise. And because I just waste time doing nothing, following peoples’ lives when I should be living my own.

But something has changed. I just feel so weirdly enriched to be able to tune into the lives of others who might be on the other side of the world.

In the least creepy way possible (I think) I’ve started using Instagram as my new doco channel. It allows me an insight into the lives of people and cultures that I would probably never come across otherwise. And it’s all first hand.

I know there are blogs out there, but personally, I want it to be bite sized. I want to be able to tune in, just for a little bit, without giving away too much of my time.

Since I started dedicating more time to Instagram I have gained an insight of what it’s like growing up in a suburb in Russia. I have gained an insight into what it’s like being a young artist in Thailand and Canada. I have been able to see the amazing mothers and fathers who care for, support and unconditionally love, their children with disabilities, such as Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. I’ve followed how parents are watching over their pre-born babies, praying that they’ll grow a little bigger, develop a little further. I have gained an insight into what it means to be transsexual, and all the pains and joys that comes with it.

And I have become weirdly invested in these peoples’ lives. I feel their pains and joys, I’m part of their ups and downs, and they’ve helped me broaden my understanding and general knowledge

I don’t follow celebrities on Instagram, but I follow the ordinary person, whose life if so vastly different from mine, yet so similar. And what I consider that what I’ve experienced so far, is equal to any good doco, and it’s part of my ongoing education for life.

Mimmie grew up in Sweden and first came to Australia as a backpacker after high school. After travelling around the country for two years she returned to Europe and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism in London. But the longing for Australia and the sun became too strong. After having worked for some time in the media industry, Mimmie decided to make a change and swap the news for conferences. She now gets to do what she loves the most, meeting new people and keep learning about cultures and issues while producing conferences on current topics.

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Big Brother: How much can they see?

Australian security services have long been undertaking surveillance measures which have become progressively more thorough, owing to our rapid advancements in technology.

We haves reached the level of surveillance George Orwell forewarned; our actions outside the walls of our homes are considered to be performed in a public space and captured through a vast array of surveillance apparatus. However our actions made from the apparent safety of our homes are little more private.

Here are some of the ways you’re being watched:

Electronic monitoring

According to Independent Australia, “meta-data collection systems like PRISM and ECHELON are highly likely to be also operating within Australia due to the close relationship between the NSA and Australian intelligence community.”

Your favourite search engines and social media sites like Google, Yahoo and Facebook are using tracking cookies to collect your data. Have you noticed that the ads you are shown on Facebook correspond with your recent searches?

CCTV

Most shopping malls, banks and stadiums are fully equipped with security cameras for the purposes of onsite security, however they can be used to track and monitor specific individuals.

Mobile Phones

Your phone has built in GPS and it isn’t just for Google Maps. “Mobile phones can be used as a means to track people through inbuilt GPS on smartphones, triangulation, or through electronic data-collectors designed to identify individual mobile phones in public places,” says Independent Australia.

Shopping

Your credit, debit and loyalty card purchases are recorded in your purchase history and movements to contribute to your personal metadata. These individual pieces of information (like buying an iced Frappuccino from Gloria Jeans) are of little value, but when added to the mass amounts of data which exists for you, it can be invaluable.

With it now being legal to access this information without the consent of the individual or a warrant, our information is scarily accessible. 

Claire Dowler is a Conference Producer with Akolade. She recently graduated with a double degree: a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Media and Communications Studies majoring in International Communication. Claire minored in sarcasm and puns.

A ballroom-dancer who collects salt and pepper shakers and volunteers for animal rescue, you might say Claire has eclectic interests.

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Federal Government to unlock workforce innovation for NDIS participants and providers

Federal Government to unlock workforce innovation for NDIS participants and providers

The Turnbull Government announced the creation of a $5 million fund to identify innovative ways of building and managing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) workforce.

The newly developed Innovative Workforce Fund (IWF) will be run by the National Disability Services (NDS), with $1 million allocated towards researching and developing different workforce models which can be applied to the disability sector, with the remaining $4 million available for innovative workforce related projects over the next two years.

“The NDIS puts the power in the hands of the participants, who now have choice and control over the support they receive and how it is delivered,” Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Christian Porter said in a joint press release to announce the fund.

“That’s a significant shift for service providers, and it’s crucial we support the sector and the workforce through the change to this more competitive, individualised market.”

The IWF is a key component of the NDSI Sector Development Fund and is the next important step in supporting the disability sector during the transition to the full scheme.

“As providers organise and deploy their workers in new ways, this IWF will equip them with good practice and bright ideas that have been proven to work in other industries,” the Minister said. “With the disability support workforce expected to substantially increase by full scheme in 2020, supporting an efficient and innovative workforce that can meet the needs of NDIS participants will be the key to the scheme’s success.”

Assistant Minister for Disability Services, Jane Prentice said applications for funding would be sought from a broad range of industries to identify solutions that could be applied to the disability sector.

“Businesses will continue to do their own workforce recruitment and planning,” she said. “The fund will support them by showcasing new models and exchanging best practice methods across the broader service industry.”

“The NDS has a solid capacity for research that can be applied to the disability sector and the IWF will result in a more effective way of delivering disability services.”

As the disability sector continues to transform, adopting a more commercial business approach the need to learn for disability service providers to learn strategies such as brand-building, organisational growth and revenue generating strategies has never been more pressing.

Akolade’s NDIS Business Transformation Strategy Forum, being held at the Radisson Blu, Sydney on the 29^th November to 1^st December 2016 brings together leaders in the field to showcase successful and translatable strategies in a 2-day conference designed to provide disability service providers with the tools they need to succeed in a changing marketplace.

For further information about Akolade’s NDIS BusinessTransformation Forum, please visit our website.

And if you are interested in applying to the IWF, please send an email to innovativeworkforce@nds.org.au.

Mike Cullen has recently returned to Akolade after a period as the conference producer for one of Australia's leading economic think tanks. Mike began working in the conference industry in 2007 after looking for a career change from the high pressured world of inbound customer service. Mike has worked for some of the most well-known conference and media companies in the B2B space and in his spare time is working on his first novel in a planned Epic Fantasy trilogy.

Mike’s most recently published story, Seeds of Eden, is featured in the Sproutlings Anthology released in March 2016. Mike is also editing the Anthology – Community: Tales of the LGBTI scheduled for release in June 2017.

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Social media in the public sector: Don’t lose sight of the “why”

What do you do, as a marketer or communicator, if you’re told your brief is “to reach everyone in Australia”?

It’s a daunting task, but according to Flip Prior, Social Media Strategist at the ABC, the first thing you do is ask “why?”

“You always have to ask, ‘what is your purpose for doing things’?” Flip said.

In the world of social media, it can be tempting to jump on every new trend and try every new platform. However, as Flip says, knowing why you’re using a particular platform and whether it is right for your audience is crucial. Otherwise, you’re really just following fads.

“If the content isn’t right it’s pointless,” said Flip. Having said that, Flip says trying new things and experimenting with new platforms are important steps to take in engaging with new audiences.

Recently, Flip and ABC’s social media team experimented with Snapchat as a way of reaching the 18 – 35-year-old market. As Flip points out, these people might never use traditional media, opting for social as a first point of contact with brands. How did they respond to being contacted by the ABC, a notoriously old-fashioned media source, via Snapchat?

“The feedback was very positive,” Flip said. “There was no criticism of the content.”

Flip admits some people saw it as a “dumbing down” to engage with younger audience but all in all it was a valuable exercise.

Flip also says trying new approaches on Facebook is important, particularly as Facebook increasingly prioritises paid content from brands.

“Facebook is moving towards prioritising what people share amongst themselves,” Flip said. “That’s chilling for brands.”

To maintain momentum and engagement on Facebook, Flip and the team are experimenting with Facebook live video. Using top ABC talent and personalities, live streaming via Facebook has generated “fantastic” engagement, Flip says.

So what’s next on the list of the ABC’s social media experiments? Flip says they will continue to trial chat bots to reach people directly on platforms such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

“It’s tricky because they’re not made for broadcast,” Flip said. Ultimately, though, it’s another way of engaging with the brand’s most important asset: people.

“The best thing brands can do is find the human element,” Flip said.

Want to hear more of Flip’s social media engagement stories? Register today for Akolade’s 7^th Social Media for Gov Forum, 23-25 November 2016. This is a not to be missed opportunity to hear from some of the Australian public sector’s leading social media practitioners.

Visit Akolade's 7th Social Media for Gov website today, for more information and to register.

Christian Berechree joined Akolade’s production team in May 2016. He has a Bachelor of Media and Music and a Masters in Journalism.

Christian is a musical theatre geek and a new dad, and he’ll happily spend hours telling you about either or both of those things.

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Why your mental health issue is your employer’s issue

Most of us will at some point experience a mental illness. It might happen when you least expect it, at a time when you thought you were on top of the world, invulnerable, invincible.  And then… BAM! You’re knocked down.

Or perhaps it slowly creeps up on you, chasing you, breathing down your neck. And no matter how desperately you try to escape it, a little depression monster has managed to suck out all your energy.

Perhaps mental illnesses run in your family, perhaps you are more vulnerable to any triggers. Or perhaps you have been exposed to a particular event, something that

Whatever the reason is, regardless of when it happens, or where it happens; the only thing that matter is that you’ve got support. That someone is there to pick you up from the floor.

As statistics show that one in two will experience a mental illness at some point in their life, employers need to be prepared to deal with their staffs’ mental health issues.  

When employees suffer from mental health problems, regardless whether it’s because of something going on in their private life or it is work-related, it is the employer’s obligation to support the employer. But it should also be in the best interest of the employer to do so from a financial perspective.

Often an employee will appear to have a performance issue, when in fact there’s a mental health issue that causes the employee to underperform. This ends up costing Australian employers $6.1 billion per year. Though if they understood the mental causes, they would be able to support and help the employee through their problems, while gaining improved productivity and save money.

It’s also estimated that Australian employers spend $4.7 billion on employees’ absenteeism, and more than $10 billion on work cover claims.

By looking after employees’ mental health, employers don’t only save money, but also gain better outcomes from their company because of improved productivity.

Mimmie grew up in Sweden and first came to Australia as a backpacker after high school. After travelling around the country for two years she returned to Europe and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism in London. But the longing for Australia and the sun became too strong. After having worked for some time in the media industry, Mimmie decided to make a change and swap the news for conferences. She now gets to do what she loves the most, meeting new people and keep learning about cultures and issues while producing conferences on current topics.

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At-risk learners turn to Vocational Education

A new study has found at-risk youth are being enrolled by Vocational Education providers to undertake their skills training.

Whilst VET providers have taken over a larger share of the training market from TAFEs, the subsequent increase of high-needs students enrolling with institutions which are ill-equipped to deal with their needs.

The research, released by NCVER, showed that there are remedial literacy and numeracy programs available at the majority of providers, yet the approach across the sector is inconsistent. The low levels of literacy and numeracy skills places increasing demand on VET institutions and their teachers.

ABC described VET providers as “ill-equipped to tackle complex personal and social barriers to learning. Support provided was often limited to study spaces, computers with internet access and some academic skills support.”

Broadly, collaboration across the sectors is being suggested. By working in partnership governments, other educational providers and youth referral agencies can re-engage youth with a disrupted educational history.

Individually, it’s recommended that VET institutions utilise smaller groups as well as explore technologies to support learners with difficulties.

Rapid development in technology has created a multitude of options for re-engaging students with new material, platforms to communicate ideas and participate in interactive educational experiences.

Akolade’s 2^nd Annual Digital Engagement in VET explores the newest and most successful innovations in technology to acquire, engage and retain students.

Being held in Melbourne from November 22-24, the forum features esteemed speakers with track records of success in the industry.

Brad Seaman, the Chief Executive Officer of Ikon Institute, has lead IKON through significant change- taking the institution from 32 students to 550.

Marc Ratcliffe, the Chief Executive Officer of MRWED Training and Assessment,  has received many prestigious awards including being named as one of the top 10 young trainers in the world by US Training Magazine. Most recently, Marc was named as a finalist in the Category of “HR Champion” (CEO) at the Australian HR Awards (2014) and was presented with the “Outstanding Leadership Award - Learning and Development” (2015) by the HRD World Congress in Mumbai.

Don’t miss this must-attend for VETs, TAFEs and RTOs- secure your seat now.

 Claire Dowler is a Conference Producer with Akolade. She recently graduated with a double degree: a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Media and Communications Studies majoring in International Communication. Claire minored in sarcasm and puns.

A ballroom-dancer who collects salt and pepper shakers and volunteers for animal rescue, you might say Claire has eclectic interests.

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2016's best social media trends

Just like any other form of technology, it is a constant battle to keep up to date with the latest trends. Marketers need to ensure they are aware of the latest trends to have the best chance at getting in front and engaging with their community.

Let’s have a look at some of the emerging social media trends:

Mobile Devices

By 2016, it is expected that 2 billion consumers will own a mobile device. In 2015, mobile devices have taken over desktops as the most preferred device used to browse the internet. It is very important that company websites are now optimised for mobile devices in order to get their message across clearly and effectively. Google has also updated their algorithm to have websites that are mobile device optimised to be placed higher.

Real time engagement

In this day and age when communication is at the tips of your fingers where 80% of internet users use smartphone as their preferred digital device, consumers are increasingly expecting quicker responses from the brands they reach out to. According to Search Engine Watch, when users reach out to brands via Twitter, 53% expect a response within 1 hour.

Live Streaming

We heard last year that video will be the next big thing, this trend has already started to go one step further through live-streaming. One of Facebook’s biggest changes this year was including Facebook Live, allowing users to live stream real-time activity. They were not the first ones to lead the bandwagon though, as Periscope and Meerkat both created app for the sole purpose of engaging people via real-time video. Not only does live streaming show what is happening real-time, it also displays a side of authenticity through the unedited and unfiltered side of the company.

Personalisation

Just like online ads, not every post is relevant for everyone. As we see more online ads every day, it is the ones which are personalised that will capture the attention and engage with your audience. Have you seen the posts on Facebook where it says Friend A and Friend B are celebrating X number of years of friendship on Facebook? Has that compelled you to share that moment at least once?

To learn more about emerging social media trends, Akolade’s 7^th Social Media for Gov conference, that will be held on 22-24 November in Melbourne, brings together speakers from Facebook, Twitter, The Greens, Network Ten, Visit Victoria and many more to discuss the next steps in social media and how to implement it into your strategy. 

Being brought up in a typical Chinese family in Australia, Vivian takes pride as an ABC (Australia-born Chinese) where she happily embraces both the Chinese and Australian cultures. 

In high school, Vivian wanted to become a fashion designer, however she has developed a passion for running events after working backstage for multiple live shows. Prior to starting at Akolade, Vivian worked 4 years in the wine industry and she misses the wine tasting sessions and openly drinking on the job. As the Marketing Coordinator, Vivian enjoys using her creativity to design unique and fun campaigns for each event. In her spare time, Vivian loves to spend time with her two adorable pets; a cat and a dog. 

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