Images: “Here’s me learning to both blacksmith and build my own furnace from a gas bottle. A course I did with my son a couple of years ago.”
Elizabeth Taylor admits that she is drawn to complex, interesting and sometimes challenging change and leadership opportunities. She has spent a lifetime honing her experience and skills in strategic change management, both in Australia and abroad, with a strong focus on adapting business products, services and processes to an ever changing world. In this Q&A session she shares her first impressions of UNE and some of her thoughts on change.
While it’s been slightly longer than a month – you joined UNE in late July – what are your impressions of the University so far?
It has obviously been a very busy first few weeks. I literally joined as the “Time for Change” announcements were becoming breaking news. I think I’m still processing everything I’m learning about UNE but my very first impression was driven by our COVID times. My first impression was …Where are all the students?! Oh that’s right – online!
As a University we seem to have pivoted to ‘new ways of working’ successfully and while I have no doubts we have wrinkles to iron out I think the whole of UNE – staff and students – are to be congratulated for adapting quickly and making things work in these very different times. Don’t under estimate this success. I suspect you have all worked together across silos and implemented new ideas, faster than ever before. Institutionally you have used muscles to deliver change which we will need to use, again and again, before the end of this year. The good news is you have pulled off a shining example of what can be achieved despite difficult circumstances and when we all push together.
You mentioned a “Time for Change” – how do you feel about our case for change?
It could not be clearer. Driving change from a ‘must do’ platform creates an imperative for action. The trick is to ensure there is a vision for the future and we are crafting that through 2021+. Bringing together a reshaped institution which meets our financial challenges and marrying this with an exciting way forward means we have purpose in our target outcomes. As I talk to stakeholders around Armidale and across the University I have been told, time and time again “this is long overdue” and “we should be doing this”. I am sensing a desire and momentum for a new way in the majority of our stakeholders.
Can you give me a bit of an idea on how you approach change?
To answer properly would take me days! This is the question the Deans and others in the SET team asked me when I was interviewed for the role. The short answer is ‘very carefully’. We have to reduce our workforce. We have to do this quickly to meet very immediate financial challenges. We are not going to implement major process or system change before Christmas. So we will have to focus on changing how we operate and either dial up self-service or ‘stop’ some services or functions that right now we just can’t afford to do.
If we pull ‘like’ functions together we will find efficiencies in sharing the workload. When we get to the stage of deciding which options to pursue, we have to make those decisions having considered very carefully the risks we are exposing ourselves to. We are attempting to cut our cloth to what we can afford in a safe manner – not unlike many households across the world. UNE cannot grind to a halt or fail to deliver.
I understand you have implemented or changed ‘integrated service’ teams in the past, what do you think it takes to make these operating models work well.
What you need is a unifying strategy which drives prioritisation and focus on the right things. A clear understanding of the services to be delivered collaboratively. A workforce willing to consider the ‘whole of institution’ view whilst also delivering to specialist requirements – neither is mutually exclusive. A culture which supports agile, team-based delivery of growth, strategically aligned change and management of risk. And staff willing to learn and embrace new ‘ways of working’ – new technologies, new skills and new approaches to delivering on a mission.
Every year I find I am adding new skills to my kit bag. My very first job, in my teens, was in an out-bound call centre where I picked up a telephone, held a receiver to my ear and dialled the number whilst I juggled a pencil and wrote on a piece of paper – I kid you not. And no I’m not THAT old. More recently I have been reimagining ‘customer journeys’ in omni channels using AI, apps, bots and chats. I love that our world is evolving and changing – I am super glad I am no longer getting blisters on my ears from a wieldy telephone receiver! It’s not always easy embracing new technology but I’m always as pleased as punch when I slip a new skill into my kit bag. Particularly if I adapt to using new technology before my husband or my twenty year old son.
It is not unknown for staff morale to suffer during organisational redesign. Can you share with us some thoughts on to mitigate this.
Again – I have many ideas I could mention. One approach I very successfully used, with a team I inherited who were bruised from one restructure and about to go through another; was to run series of workshops on ‘personal brand and personal purpose’. At times of change in your life – its important to reflect on what drives you as an individual. What contribution do you bring to the table?
A clear personal brand tells people what to expect if they work with you. The process of personal branding involves finding your uniqueness, building a reputation on the things you want to be known for, and then allowing yourself to be known for them. Spending time working through your own brand makes you reflect on your purpose and what gets you out of bed every day. This in turn can help with personal decision making around restructures or other major changes in your work life.
On a lighter note – have you had opportunity to explore Armidale and the beautiful New England high country?
Well I’m living and breathing UNE life as I am in digs down at Wright College so I have enjoyed walks around the university with my binoculars in hand. We have quite a selection of parrots about the place. Hubby was up from Sydney this weekend so we went to explore some of the spectacular gorges nearby – I took lots of photos so I can paint some landscapes whilst I’m here. Hubby likes craft beer so we could be found in both Welders Dog and Great Hops this weekend – both great venues.