My most recent piece of project work with Emma involved the gathering of 50 of our most senior lawyers within the organisation, who attended from their offices across Australia, and from Auckland & Hong Kong. Our priority in getting such a broad range of people together was to provide the opportunity to work together as a team, and to create new relationships, strengthen existing alliances, and to develop a sense of shared purpose in a continually changing environment.
Emma's approach in this context was welcoming and inclusive, and her personable style ensured that participants were immediately relaxed, and engaged. Her manner is such that individuals were comfortable to become actively involved in the various activities from the outset - notwithstanding the size of the group or the range of views and personalities within the team. Emma comes across with a strong sense of authenticity, and both a passion for the subject matter as well as a genuine interest in the input of those within the workshop. Emma uses her intellect to challenge and provoke where necessary, but is also able to guide a sense of common purpose and industrious activity in order to ensure significant momentum throughout. Emma's facilitation of the program was delivered with clarity and she was able to clearly articulate the purpose and direction throughout. The Appreciative Inquiry approach itself reaped valuable outcomes by way of initiatives that the team identified a wish to pursue. The positive momentum created by the philosophy behind Appreciative Inquiry was constructive and motivating for the team. It has proven to be a critical piece in our endeavours to establish depth within the team, and a shared sense of purpose. To give an indication of the change experienced within the legal team, one measure of that journey and ongoing momentum and impact of the work is throguh the chage in our Speak Up Step Up results, which have been as follows: Prior to the Leadership Initiative - Engagement - 69 Enablement - 70 Post the leadership Initiative - : Engagement - 80 Enablement - 81.