Issue 3, 2011
emergen
activating emerging leaders
What’s in this edition? Revolutionary lives, making a difference, leadership experiences and more THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF EMERGEN - WWW.EMERGEN.COM.AU
emergen emag IN THIS ISSUE 4
Alicia’s Update
5
Next Blogging for a Cause event
6
6 Ways to Start living a Revolutionary life
8
Minute of Noise
10 Progress Trumps all forms of Motivation 12 What they didn’t Teach you at School 14 Blokes doing their Bit 17 Meeting the Dalai Lama 18 Creative Sustainability 19 Book Review: Work Smarter, Live Better 20 My First Rotaract Conference 22 Have you heard of the AIIA? Issue 3 : 2
“ When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. ” Audre Lorde
EDITOR’S NOTE
alicia’s update Welcome
to the third issue of the Emergen e-‐mag. Emergen is a collaborative community, activating emerging leaders through providing connections, inspiration and promotion. Ok, so this edition is a little late -‐ sorry about that. I’ve had a pretty crazy couple of months. I travelled overseas and got married! Then when I got back to Perth it was work work work and I launched an awesome new blog at www.revolutionarylives.com. All my hard work is paying off though, I’ve received great feedback about the blog and received funding to run two Young Women’s Leadership Programs in 2012. Emergen has been busy as ever. Lots of blogs and activity. Lots more talk about how Emergen can support youth and community organisations to promote their activities and collaborate. Our last Blogging for a Cause Ebook on volunteering was picked up by the United Nations Volunteer program based in Germany and they are now distributing our Ebook. Well done to Janine Ripper, our Emergen Blogging Coordinator for collating and distributing the ebook. It’s a pretty good time to get involved in Emergen really!. Alicia Curtis
Alicia Curtis is one of Australia’s most experienced mentors of emerging leaders. She empowers young employees, entrepreneurs and social innovators through her engaging workshop programs. She also releases an annual report on the challenges and aspirations of young leaders in the workplace. Alicia founded Emergen as an online space to activate the leadership potential of young professionals.
PS -‐ Don’t forget to share it with your friends and colleagues!!
www.aliciacurtis.com www.revolutionarylives.com
Stay in touch with Alicia
Become a Member of Emergen
Issue 3 : 4
Email Alicia
Join the Emergen Facebook Page
Follow Alicia on Twitter
GET INVOLVED
Join the Emergen Global Entrepreneurship Week Blogging Carnival
Did you know that our last Blogging Carnival Ebook was acknowledged by the United Na;ons Volunteer program? Get ready to par;cipate in the global movement unleashing new ideas -‐ right here on Emergen!
Global Entrepreneurship Week Global Entrepreneurship Week -‐ November 14-20 -‐ is the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare. During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-‐starters and innovators. These activities, from large-‐scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings, connect participants to potential collaborators, mentors and even investors—introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities.
History The initiative kicked off in 2008, launched by former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Carl Schramm, the president and CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Since then, it has grown to 115 countries—with nearly 24,000 partner organizations planning more than 37,000 activities that directly engage more than 7 million people. With so many new jobs in entrepreneurial economies coming from _irms less than _ive years old, it is not surprising that leaders around the world
are looking to reinvigorate their economies by focusing on ways to stimulate new _irm formation. Global Entrepreneurship Week helps map the entrepreneurial ecosystem in those countries and enjoys the participation and support of presidents and prime ministers on every continent, including: President Barack Obama (US); Prime Minister David Cameron (UK); Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel); President Anibal Cavaco Silva (Portugal); Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Canada); President John Atta Mills (Ghana); and, numerous ministers focused on advancing economic growth.
Unleashing Ideas GEW is more than just an awareness campaign supported by world leaders and celebrity entrepreneurs. It is about unleashing ideas and doing what it takes to bring them to life—spotting opportunities, taking risks, solving problems, being creative, building connections and learning from both failure and success. It is about thinking big and making your mark on the world—doing good while doing well at the same time.
What is a Blogging Carnival? Just like the 'Blogging for a Cause' events held previously on Emergen, a Blogging Carnival is a way to encourage everyone to get involved, share ideas and have some fun by blogging on Emergen for the theme 'Global Entrepreneurship Week'. Simple! So join us between 14-‐20 November, by sharing your posts for GEW right here on Emergen! You may also get the chance to be in the next Emergen Ebook! For further informa;on, refer to the event details on Emergen, or contact Janine Ripper, Emergen Blogging Coordinator or Aaron Koo, Young Entrepreneur’s Coordinator or check out the GEW website.
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FEATURE
6 ways to START living a REVOLUTIONARY life
So you want to live your Revolu0onary life, but not sure where to start? Here are six key areas to start your journey.
1. What’s your revolu;onary ambi;ons? Most people’s goals suck. Why? Because what most people write down as their goals, is not what they truly want and won’t make them happy. It doesn’t make sense does it? Let me explain. Most of us have been so in_luenced by advertising, the media and popular culture to believe that being a certain size, rich and famous will make us happy. That’s what we want, right? Unfortunately that’s not what will make us happy. In fact, the research says that if we follow these extrinsic rewards, it will actually make us depressed and unhappy. Crazy, huh? So what should our life purpose and revolutionary ambitions include? Again, the research says, in particular Edward Deci who wrote the book Why We Do What We Do says, if we follow more intrinsic goals such as building better relationships, building mastery in our talents and having a purpose that is bigger than ourselves, our level of happiness increases. Easy...want to try it? Where is your life purpose at? What goals are you striving for?
2. Are you the master of your talents?
Gallup research, ‘each person has greater potential for success if you focus on who you are already -‐ your natural talents’ But even your strengths take hard work! Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers found that the difference between average and extraordinary is about 10,000 hours. Are you in it for the long haul? These days, we expect success so quickly and are not willing to take the long term view.
Don’t put your talents to waste. What are you doing every day to strengthen your talents? 3. Movement every day! We are meant to move! But everything in our world is built to allow us to stay still -‐ remote controls, cars, escalators! We’ve so gotten used to the ‘I’m too busy’ excuse that we put movement and exercise on the bottom of our list. How would you feel though, if you did move every day! Yes, I said every single day! If you did, you would _ind out that our body and mind works better when you move -‐ we think better, we eat better and we feel better. It’s not just about exercise, it’s about _inding more ways to move everyday. Here are some simple ideas -‐ instead of having coffee with a friend, why not go for a walk, visit a new park every weekend, try new active hobbies like tennis, hiking or swimming. Find the movement that you enjoy and have fun with it.
We are led to believe there are ‘born geniuses’ or ‘overnight successes’. The reality is mastery takes time.
4. We are what we eat!
So if you are going to invest your time in building mastery, what are you going to focus on -‐ your strengths or your weaknesses? According to
I would like you to challenge what you eat! Brian Johnson, a modern day philosopher said “why is it ok to go out drink beer and eat chicken nuggets but weird to drink green juice and eat sprouts?”
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What you eat has been in_luenced by how you grew up, the media, what’s convenient and what gets stocked at the supermarket. But what if we made an effort to look beyond all of this. The latest food research such as Joel Fuhrman, MD who wrote the book Eat to Live and The China Study by Colin Thomas PhD and Thomas Campbell MD tells us to eat less of all the foods that are popular and convenient -‐ less re_ined foods, animal products and sugar and more water, whole foods and dark green leafy vegetables. Just start with small changes such as only drinking water during the day, having a veggie-‐packed salad for lunch or not buying sugar laden products. A lot of what we eat is de_ined by what we know. Try a new recipe every week! Go book yourself into a cooking course and expand your knowledge about cooking and nutrition.
5. Medita;on metamorphosis I have to admit took me a long time to get what meditation is about. Now it excites me! Just like you go to the gym to work on your muscles and endurance, meditation is exercise for your mind. It allows you to practice controlling your thoughts. You meditate not for the 15 -‐ 30 minutes of quietness, you meditate for how it makes you feel for the rest of the day and the strength it teaches you about controlling your mind.
The bene_its of meditation is extraordinary -‐ less anxiety, decreased chances of depression or anger, boost in your immune system, better focus and increased your wellbeing. And all this can be attained in just eight weeks of consistent meditating! It’s not easy though. It’s pretty hard to control your mind and your thoughts in the beginning. But like anything, with practice you get better!
6. Be a Revolu;onary Role Model We need people to make the world a better place. Think global, act local. What are you doing to become a better social citizen? Are you taking care of the animals and environment around you? Could you volunteer at your local homeless shelter? Perhaps you could help out at the local primary school? There are limitless ideas to help the world become a better place. I would ask yourself what are you passionate about? And how could you use and practice your strengths to help the community. Share your passions, talents and leadership with the world.
Alicia Curtis Emergen Founder www.revolutionarylives.com
Are you making some noise? Do you teach at a school, are you involved with a school or know someone who goes to a school? Or are you involved with a community organisa0on, company or have a major event coming up? Then we invite you to spread the word about The Global Good Foundation's Minute of Noise campaign, designed to let kids be kids and let them know it is ok to speak out about domestic violence.
The Global Good Foundation is a not- for-pro<it organisation that is setting up education centres beyond crisis care for those affected by domestic violence. We are setting a global standard on the rehabilitation methods that are used, and providing entrepreneurial opportunities through micro lending facilities and creating a self sustainable organisation. We assist those affected by domestic violence through empowerment, opportunity and education. Our new campaign involves schools, organisations and companies around the world to joining us in standing together against domestic violence, by making a minute of noise to show kids it is ok to
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speak out. The Minute of Noise events are targeted for the age group participating, and either a GGF team member can attend your event, or an introductory video can be provided to assist you in running it. Then you video your Minute of Noise, email it to GGF and we Youtube it to challenge others to do the same. The only cost involved is a gold coin donation from each participant to GGF to assist us with building or education centres to provide ongoing support for those affected by domestic violence. It's that easy! Check out some of the Minute of Noise events that have already been held by visiting our Youtube channel -‐ www.youtube.com/ theglobalgood or our Facebook page www.facebook.com/globalgood This campaign is also being supported by a number of celebrities including Vanessa Amorosi, Bobby Andonov and Bree DeRome. Help us let kids be kids and show them that it is ok to speak out -‐ a minute of noise for a lifetime of memories. Sign up your school, company or organisation or request more information by emailing tanya@ggf.org.au Tanya Dupagne www.ggf.org.au
emergen
activating emerging leaders
Are you on Emergen yet? Emergen is a collaborative community activating emerging leaders.
www.emergen.com.au Issue 3: 9
FEATURE
PROGRESS trumps all forms of motivation (and here’s 5 ways to hack it) It’s not your beliefs, goals, plans, visions or ideas that drive you to do the work required to make things happen – it’s progress. And games are all about progress. In 2010, some fascinating research was published in the Harvard Business Review, prompting a good rethink about the way we go about building and sustaining the elements that support motivation at work. Originally, researchers Amabile and Kramer surveyed over 600 managers from dozens of diverse companies, asking them to rank workplace factors commonly considered to be signi_icant to motivation. “Recognition of good work” was the clear winner. While this is still quite a good answer, it was far from the best. The most signi_icant motivating factor – identi_ied from a multi-‐year study of over 12,000 employee diary entries along with ratings of motivation and activity – was a sense of progress. And, ironically, this is what the 600+ managers ranked dead last. This has been known to science for some time, but as Dan Pink would say, “there’s a big gap between what science knows and what business does.” And so many businesses continue to unquestioningly subscribe to the conventional nonsense like: •
“Failing to plan is planning to fail” – which is, of course, rubbish. Google’s business strategy is to have no business strategy, and too often, planning gets in the way of action, or locks you into a redundant pathway.
•
“You can achieve anything, all you need to do is believe”– self-ef>icacy is important, but you’re kidding yourself if you believe you can achieve positive change simply by thinking about it.
•
“All it takes is one big idea” – wrong, on so many levels. I’ll talk about this in another post.
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I could go on. Regardless, the above elements are indeed each an important component of any good goal, strategy or game-‐plan. But even if you’ve got an idea, a goal, a vision, a plan and the belief to execute it, you’ve still got a heck of work to do. It’s easy to gloss over this fact, and make a disproportionate investment into your goals/ideas/plans/etc. Even if a “motivational” speaker parachutes in, gets your people hyped up, then jetpacks off into the sunset… you’ll still have a lot of work to do to make your ideas happen. But that’s _ine, because work can be awesome if you get the progress dynamics right. It’s why World of Warcraft still has millions of people paying money each month for the opportunity to engage in challenging, repetitive work. It’s why the Nike+ system for recording your running progress was a huge success. It’s also why we procrastinate by writing lists, making cups of coffee or cleaning the house – because these activities provide an easier way to see (and mark off) the progress we make.
We are most happy when we can see that our efforts directly contribute to something meaningful. So, here are the _ive critical design elements that are used sustain motivation and effort in good games – and they are totally available for you to adapt into your work projects:
1. Track it Of all online communities and social networks, LinkedIn has one of the highest levels of pro_ile completion. This is largely due to a nifty little (and quite simple) progress bar, which indicates your percentage of pro_ile completion. Coupled with this are suggestions on the direct actions you can take to progress the level of pro_ile completion.
2. Reduce feedback latency Motivation declines when there is a long delay between
FEATURE how short-‐term grati_ication (points, mini-‐rewards, hat-‐tips) can be used to reinforce your progress toward bigger grati_ication.
4. Celebrate wins Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up relentlessly focussing on the to-‐do list, without celebrating the wins in your “have-‐done” list. For managers, stretching targets and autocratically changing goals will eliminate the ability for your team to celebrate wins and achievements, which in turn will diminish the motivation to do work. effort and useful feedback – which makes sense, because if it is unclear whether our efforts are contributing to progress, we are more likely to conserve our energy (ie, do nothing) or invest it into an area where we can make progress (like checking emails). The quicker we have access to meaningful feedback, the sooner we can calibrate our efforts to make progress.
3. Balance grati<ication You’ve probably heard of the marshmallow study, which has cute videos associated with it. The basic premise is that delayed grati_ication leads to success – and while the evidence is only a weak correlation, at some level we can all see the reason in this. If we were simply run by short-‐term grati_ication, it’d be beer and skittles, all the time (which probably isn’t healthy). So, we’re told to instead word hard, save money, stick at it and delay grati_ication. But it doesn’t have to be like this – you can actually blend both forms of grati_ication. Games do this very well – as you are leveling up and progressing your characters, you’ll receive small acknowledgements and little token rewards. You’ll progress the narrative, and this will continue to fuel your motivation and effort. Tim Ferris – the author of The Four Hour Workweek – has given some people an idea about how they can build in mini-‐rewards into their life. Rather than living what he calls the “delayed life plan” – he advocates for frequent, mini-‐retirements instead. The key here is to not think in terms of either short-‐ term or long-‐term grati_ication, rather, to think about
Of course, when you’re playing a good video game, you’ll know what level you’re at, and it’s easy to mark out your previous wins, achievements and all the stages you’ve progressed through. But we can build this into our real world work too. Behance – a creative agency based in New York – has a wonderful “DONE! wall". It’s a physical wall where they post up all the completed action steps they’ve taken. As they describe it, they have literally surrounded themselves with progress.
5. Maintain agility The path to innovation rarely follows a straight line, and your ability to make progress will be dependant upon your ability to adapt to changes along the way. Many software developers are very used to this, and they employ agile project methods to keep their people making progress. For some, this includes 12-‐ minute stand up meetings each morning, where team members will report on yesterday's wins and today’s goals (which also creates an ecology of open accountability, and the ability for team members to work collaboratively and eliminate _ires early). Meaningful progress is the heart and core of all motivation (and the whole point for doing work). If you’re serious about building and sustaining the motivation to unlock massive productivity in your team, make work work by making it work more like a game.
Jason Fox www.drjasonfox.com
Issue 3 : 11
FEATURE
What they didn’t teach us at school At the start of last month, I was asked to present at a local High School around the life lessons I’ve learned from my journey of being an author, speaker and consultant. I was shocked to _ind that after sending my presentation through, I was asked to write out a new one…some of my suggestions and lessons were too ‘provocative’ for the student body, and something that they didn’t want their students exposed to. It was an interesting piece of feedback to hear, as I’ve never been censored in such a way before, so I thought, for this to not go to waste, I’d re-‐tell some points in the online world (where everything is allowed). Many have heard, or have heard of Bill Gates’ speech he gave at an American High School around his life lessons, and I must say, it was nothing different to it…apart from the fact that I don’t have any sort of billion dollar empire, I’d love to see the day that some of these life lessons are at least discussed at school – after all, isn’t this the institution that’s supposed to prepare youth for the ‘real world’? At the same time, I know of many schools that have Leadership Days where they invite speakers, and teach them some of the real life lessons…maybe this school was just a bit too sheltered for the truth, but here we go, my three points that I wanted to share with the school…judge for yourself how it may break students as the school thought…
1. You Need to Work Hard In our generation, somehow we get it into our heads that life is going to be easy. Who can blame us? Our parents are Generation X, or for some, even Baby Boomers and all their life they had to work really, really hard to get whatever they wanted in life. They obviously didn’t want their kids to go through some of the same struggles, so they tried to make an easier life
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for us – their kids. Back in the day, some of our parents were working at 13 or 14 years of age, whereas today, that’s illegal! Our parents had to work hard to get their _irst job, while we expect to have a steady job in our late teens, because we hear of how some of our parents had been promoted to manager positions in their late teens. What we forget, or what our parents forget to tell us is that they had to work up for years before then to get to that position. You are going to work hard to get to wherever you want to get to – whether it’s a promotion, or starting your own business, or anything else, you’re going to have to get out there and put in the hard yards. That’s what we don’t get to by parents or teachers…not because they’re lying to us, but because perhaps they forgot about their own journey and challenges. The best advice I was ever given is to choose what I love and put in all my passion, blood, sweat and tears into it. And I have. Have you? What do you want to do? Whether it’s a short term or long term goal, what do you really want from life? Find out, pin point it and get ready for some hard work – there are no shortcuts there!
2. Take the Opportunity to be Curious When I came to New Zealand, I was the most outgoing child you could ever imagine. Even now, I can’t contain my excitement when telling a friend some good news that I end up telling the whole street rather than the person I’m talking to. But what happened for a little bit when I came to New Zealand, all of a sudden people were speaking a funny language, and I didn’t understand a thing. So I became really introvert and started to really take in what other people were doing. I guess my observation skills have stuck with me since that time, but now that I _inally know what language everyone is speaking, I can add my extrovert-‐ness into any conversation.
FEATURE Get mentors, contact whoever can help you – even if they’re at the very top of their game – they always have time for you! Take some time to be curious about the world around you – whether it’s contacting someone you think is out of reach, or doing some extra research about some topic, job, or person – just do it! What’s the worst that could happen?
3. Learn to be Brave So you work hard and you’re curious about the opportunities out there…with all of this, you need to learn to be brave.
What I’ve learned over the last 4 years of being in business, being an author and speaker, is that people think that celebrities and opportunities are out of their reach. If only people knew the truth. I’ve learned to be brave, which is what I’ll touch on in the next point, but the biggest thing I learned is the importance of being curious. I wrote my _irst book when I was 17, and luckily, I was invited onto a live radio interview with some of the other top parenting authors of the country. After the interview, I e-‐mailed all of them – even the ones that I disagreed with on the radio, and expressed my gratitude and honour for the opportunity to be heard alongside them on national radio. One replied. But you know, that one was, and still is THE biggest, most respected parenting author in the country. The busiest people are the ones that have enough time for everyone and I now know this and am not afraid to e-‐ mail or even call some of my most admired heroes. This parenting author is now one of my dearest mentors and friends, and always makes time for when I’m in her city and vice versa. The lessons she’s taught me and all the information she’s helped me out with has been priceless.
Many self esteem books will tell you to be yourself, but the beauty of life is taking risks. I used to hate public speaking. I mean I used to love being the centre of attention, but as I became more and more introvert when I came to New Zealand, I bought into the whole ‘public speaking is worse than death’ belief. I had to get out of it, because very early on, I realized that in order to get the message – my precious message of how people can build better relationships with each other, across to many people, I was going to need to get out of my limiting belief. The fear used to really get to me, but I knew it was for the best. I knew I was going to have to swallow my pride and fear and get out there and do it for the people – without sounding like some sort of revolutionary, I knew my message was going to really help people. Sometimes when following your dreams, you need to be brave. Do you think Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t scared – getting up and speaking about something that he truly believed in? All those people watching him, but his passion and vision drove him. He could have hid in his room and stuck with the life he was given, but his belief that his vision was for the greater good of people, drove him to get out there. Your fear may not be public speaking – it might be getting out there and contacting J.K. Rowling – who knows! But if you really believe in what you’re doing, get out there – be brave, and just do it! What other advice would you give to youth today? What do you wish you knew when you were 13, 16, or 19? Eva Maria Salikhova www.eva-maria.co.nz
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INTERVIEW
Blokes doing their bit for the community
Meet David, Chris and Matthew Let me introduce you to three community driven and passionate men from the Top Blokes Founda0on, David McKenna, Chris Gibbs and MaPhew Dawson. So, what do these guys do? What are their goals and aspira0ons? How do they contribute to the community? You will be inspired! Please check out how David, Chris and MaPhew, through their different journeys and perspec0ves have been able to contribute tremendously to the community, as well as the words of wisdom the wish to share.
Meet David McKenna Tell me about yourself A well organised, people oriented administrator with extensive experience in the government and not for pro_it sectors; with additional experience in policy development, administration and research, consultation and engagement, human resource and project co-‐ordination from the community service focus. A self motivated student, in the _inal stages of completing a Bachelor of Business majoring in Human Resource Management. I have a passion and desire to work in the community service and government sectors, because I believe that this is where I can make a real difference in the community.
I am currently the Wollongong Citizen of the Year, which I was awarded on Australia Day 2011, in recognition of approximately 4000 hours of volunteer service that I completed over the 2008-2010 period. Issue 3 : 14
This service was with the Australian Navy Cadets, where I was the Training Of_icer; Junior Chamber International Illawarra where I am a general member; Justices Association of New South Wales Wollongong Branch where I am the Secretary, and a Candidate for the State Board; Lions Club of Wollongong, where I am the Vice President and Program Director; and Wollongong Council where I am the Neighbourhood Forum Convener for the Unanderra area. When I have some spare time, I also help out some great friends of mine on their fantastic programs, Top Blokes Foundation and MindBlank.
What are your special hobbies and interests? Other than my community work, my hobbies and interests generally relate to going to the shops to help support local businesses, or spending time on the phone to friends, chatting with them online, and of course, getting all engrossed in peoples facebook status’.
What are your aspirations over the next 1-5 years? And how will you get there? Over the next few years, I hope to _inish my Bachelors of Business in HRM, and then complete some post graduate study in politics and public policy. I hope to then transition from a role in human resource policy into community development and government policy. I guess I will get there like everyone else, 90% hard work and effort and 10% luck.
What one piece of advice would you give to other emergen members and why? Don’t take things for granted, your destiny is in your hands.
INTERVIEW
Meet Chris Gibbs Tell me about yourself I’m a 23 year old guy who has last year _inished a Commerce degree in Marketing and International Business and now work at BlueScope Steel. I love skiing and snowboarding, photography, cycling, motorbikes and having a beer with mates. Pretty regular guy I guess, I enjoy working hard and I get a lot out of seeing other people achieve their goals and dreams.
What is the project you are most passionate about right at the moment? I am on the board of the Top Bloke Foundation (check it out at www.topblokes.org.au), which is enabling me to draw more young guys into doing volunteer and community work. I’m truly passionate about communicating and demonstrating the bene_its volunteer and community work can have, not only on the organisation or community receiving the work, but the individual doing the work to. It raises self-‐ esteem, develops skills like communication, tolerance and acceptance and gives an amazing sense of purpose. In the region where I live, the Illawarra, under 10% of 18-‐24 year old males volunteer their time, which is a huge potential that the Top Bloke Foundation (led by our amazing Managing Director, Melissa Abu-‐Gazaleh) it trying to make a realisation. I also love the volunteer work I do, which is a funny sentence to say. It doesn’t feel like I’m volunteering or giving away my time as I get so much out of it. I
hang out with a young guy with a disability from the House With No Steps once a week, and we go have a beer and some food and heaps of laughs, he’s got such a great sense of humour. I also hang out with a 9 year old boy from Barnardo’s once a week as part of their mentoring program, where we go rock climbing, bowling, to the zoo and everything else the inner kid in me loves. It is amazing to be involved with these organisations, and to help make a difference in someone’s life.
What's your favourite book and why? I’d have to say that the book ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle has been the book that has had the most impact on my life, so that’s probably my favourite. Its well worth a read, gives amazing perspective and teaches you things about yourself you didn’t know. I have always tried to be a busy person, I know I work much better when I’m _lat out, but after reading the book, I was much more peaceful, even in the most hectic of times.
What one piece of advice would you give to other emergen members and why? All I would say is _ind your passion, and do things that feed it. Passion is not something that everyone _inds after leaving school, or at uni, or in an epiphany, but everyone is passionate about something. If you’re passionate about making coffee, make coffee! I’m not a big coffee drinker but I think everyone can agree that if the barrister loves making coffee, you’ll get a great tasting cup of joe.
So, let your passions >ind you, then feed it by eating up all the opportunities that satisfy it. Also, don’t forget to give back, whether it be time, money or skills. If you are lucky enough to be able to discover and chase your passion, chances are there’s someone who isn’t, and it might just be you that can help them. Issue 3 : 15
The Boys are Back in Town (cont)
Men Making a Difference Meet Matthew Dawson Tell me about yourself My name is Matt Dawson, in 24 and born and bred in Wollongong, NSW. I am _ive and a half years through my six year combined Engineering and Commerce degree and love sport, music and undertaking new adventures.
What is the project you are most passionate about right at the moment? At the moment I am in between ‘projects’ so to speak. Over the past three years I have been the President of the UOW Civil Engineering society which has involved a lot of student mentoring as well as the development of affordable community housing options. I have also been involved with the Top Blokes Foundation who showcases the work of young men volunteering in the Illawarra community. We are currently exploring a number of expansion options which seems to be my next big project area.
What's your favourite book and why? My favourite book is Losing My Virginity – The Richard Branson autobiography. I have been a fan of the Virgin boss for a long time now but after reading his book I found there is a lot more to him
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than meets the eye. He started off with a Student newspaper and then developed a non-‐ for-‐pro_it community counselling service. The rest is history. Such a great example of how you can make a healthy living and provide a lot of positive change in the process.
What are your special hobbies and interests? I am very passionate about independent music and the local music scene. I have travelled a lot of the country with independent acts volunteering to help deliver quality products and give them the best chance to get ahead. Sport is also three quarters of my life!
What are your aspirations over the next 1-5 years? And how will you get there? I graduate in uni in six months time so I _irst plan to secure a solid graduate position in the Engineering _ield. Ideally I would then like to take this to either South East Asia or South America to develop affordable housing and infrastructure for third world countries…do this while I’m still young.
What one piece of advice would you give to other emergen members and why? A well rounded life! Academic, sporting, social, philanthropic and professional. I think a lot of young ‘do-gooders’ often forget some of those and hence burn out. Remember you have to pay the bills somehow….
Linde Le Emergen Featured Members Editor www.genyadvantage.com.au
SHORT FEATURE
Meeting the Dalai Lama On Sunday I was blessed to have the opportunity to listen to the Dalai Lama XIV speak in Perth regarding ‘Spirituality in the Modern World’. The Dalai Lama shared his wisdom with the 14,500 strong audience, speaking of the bene_its of living a compassionate and holistic life – and holistic in the sense of the world, not just within ourselves or our own countries.
“From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.” As I write this I re_lect on his words. At times I feel that my heart could break, thinking of those who have, or are suffering and struggling in the world. This is so much more poignant given the airing of a 3 part series on Australian TV called ‘Go Back To Where You Came From’. In my lifetime, I do not believe that I have ever seen a TV show that has stimulated so much open discourse on such a powerful subject. For those not in the know – or in another country perhaps – ‘Go Back to Where You Came From’ is a series whereby ‘six ordinary Australians agree to challenge their preconceived notions about refugees and asylum seekers by embarking on a confronting 25-‐day journey. Tracing in reverse the journeys that refugees have taken to reach Australia, they travel to some of the most dangerous and desperate corners of the world, with no idea what is in store for them along the way. Deprived of their wallets, phones and passports, they board a leaky refugee boat, are rescued mid-‐ ocean, experience immigration raids in Malaysia, live in a Kenyan refugee camp and visit slums in Jordan before ultimately making it to the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Iraq, protected by UN Peacekeepers and the US military. For some of them it’s their _irst time abroad. For all of them, it’s an epic journey and the most challenging experience of their lives’.
Reality TV – yes. Produced with intent – yes. Powerful statement – of course. Within Australia, and many countries I have travelled to, there is always one common thread that stimulates ‘passionate’ discussion between people, and that is immigration. Over the last few years, this has been increasingly prominent within Australia, especially with the rise in people seeking asylum and the apparent increasing amount of boats approaching Australian shores carrying ‘illegal immigrants’ (or so the media would lead us to believe) trying to ‘skip the queue’. I have very strong views on this subject. I have friends who are refugees, or have come to Australia for a better life. I am actually from a family who came to Australia for a better life – although we did not have to _lee from mistreatment and injustice. I am not one to lecture (or am I?). All I can say is that I am thankful for this TV series, as it is challenging the atypical view that the mass media seems to perpetuate almost daily. I do have hope that it will succeed in opening up discussion and some people’s eyes. I hope that it strikes at the hearts of people – and that, as the Dalai Lama stated so eloquently, helps with the ‘development of love and compassion’ and in turn tranquility for all.
Janine Ripper Emergen Blogging Coordinator www.reflectionsfromaredhead.com
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SHORT FEATURE
Creative Sustainability As a "predominantly right side of the brain thinker, from the heart, living in the past, reasonably self-‐actualized, caffeine-‐inspired, passionate day-‐to-‐day dreamer" how can I maintain my crea0vity in work and play AND give all the aspects of my life the same amount of crea0ve aPen0on? This is something I struggle with daily. At work, often I feel untouchable. I hit a zone of creative thought, ideas come easily and I know precisely what needs to be done without too much thought..it just happens most of the time. As a graphic designer/publisher and business owner, I always have a lot going on at once, so I am used to _litting between numerous projects and ideas, constantly switching between different layouts, mixing problem-‐solving, administration and aesthetically-‐pleasing page design... BUT...at the end of the working day, I come home and I struggle to come up with a single costume idea for my 7 year-‐old daughter's book-‐week parade... "it seems that I have used up all of my supply..." Perhaps I need more of the left side of the brain activity to help me deal with the 'organisation' of my creativity, _ile it in a logical manner (Or safe storage facility), so that I can access small amounts when required… Right about now, I am sounding like a drug addict looking for my next _ix... the analogy seems _itting as I write however… To sustain a healthy "Creative Life", after asking a few friends, family and colleagues I am _inding quite a few personal sacri_ices need to made. Here is a small list I have accumulated from suggestions so far; 1) Get at least 7 Hours of sleep at least each night. (Preferably without eating the last meal past 8.00pm) 2) Plenty of water throughout the day. (Preferably without vodka in it) 3) Turn off all Social Media devices and programs for at least half the day. (This could be a struggle for me..I mean, some contact with certain
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people draw some unexpected inspiration when least expected) 4) Write daily task lists and cross them off. 5) Set yourself achievable mini- tasks in creativity DAILY to convince yourself that you are on track... (Does this mean I have to write this on my task list as well, what if I don't get to this mini-‐task, do they bank up? 6) Commit to one random personal act of spontaneity each day. 7) Anything that catches my eye, COPY & PASTE IMMEDIATELY! 8) Blog my 'frustrations and celebrations' weekly. 9) Drink "Buddha Tears" herbal tea. (Recommended by closest friend, do love the name but I can't help thinking of a perfect marketable logo for the tea company...oh yes, I could probably drink more tea and less coffee) 10) Change jobs. (hmmmmm...) As you can see, quite a varied list of suggestions. I think I will actually make a conscientious effort to document my top 100. If you have any suggestions..please let me know. Perhaps, I will make up one of those Calendar, daily page _lip thingo's, with a creative tip each day of the year??? I will look into this… Creative Sustainability...maybe it is something that is developed over time..maybe it something that needs to be worked on, much like getting _it or building muscle mass in the gym... All I know is, I need to harness even levels I have to ALL aspects of my life DAILY...(And hopefully at the end of the day when work and play is complete...I have a little bit left for my dreams when my head hits the pillow!)
Cam Allen www.scribemagazine.com.au
SHORT FEATURE
Work Smarter: Live Better Book Review Work Smarter: Live Better by Cyril Peupion is more than just a guide to information and time management. It’s about taking your long term strategic goals or KPI’s and translating them into your weekly schedule.
desk, reduce your emails, plan your week with time to breathe and understand why saying 'No' sometimes is so important.
Use some of the tools and tricks to become more ef_icient and effective at work (and home) so you have more time to be creative or strategic rather than getting bogged down in daily tasks.
I raved about the book so much that we are paying Cyril to come to Perth to share his knowledge and experience in person! If you are available on Thursday 8 September 2011 I would highly recommend taking just 3 hours out of your day to pick up some tips from Cyril in person on becoming more ef_icient and effective. It's not just about your work, it's about your life.
Spend less time in crisis mode by becoming more proactive and less reactive. Learn how to clear your
Amy Bouckley www.wa.ipaa.org.au
My colleagues can see the difference it makes for me to put the tips into practice. I still remember their faces in the staff meeting though when I told them that I was going to schedule in only two or three times a day to read my emails!
Gen Y, Ambitious or Impatient? Who here is guilty of skipping their lunch breaks to get ahead of their diary, leaving work when the sun goes down or waking up in a cold panic because you just remembered a task that was not completed?! I have been guilty of all of the above! But is this a condition of poor time management or a Gen Y trend? The stigma attached to Gen Y's of being lazy, unfocused 'job hoppers' could contribute to this behaviour and heightened work ethic. The opinions of young professionals I know is that they have to 'prove' themselves in their position due to their age or limited work experience. However, our generation is no longer expected to choose just one career and stay with it, our options are limitless therefore being ambitious can be construed as impatient. We want to get to the top sooner, because we don't have to spend 20-‐30 years climbing the same corporate ladder, we can climb a few (even at the same time). With an ageing population, Australians still work some of the highest hours for a developed country (Sydney
Morning Herald) and according to the West Australian (31st June) we are spending less time eating; with an average of 10 minutes eating lunch and 18 minutes eating dinner. New technology has enabled the blurring of lines between work and home time. No longer do you need to be chained to a desk from 9-‐5pm, but can 'plug in' at home, on holiday or on the train. So what does this mean for our future? Will Gen Y's live longer and work harder, or will new technology continue to change the rules of a career and we never have to step foot outside of our home? Kylie MacQueen www.wix.com/kylie_macqueen/jeddaphotography#!
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FEATURE
My first Rotaract Conference... This weekend past, (24-‐25 September 2011) I had the privilege of aPending my first Na0onal Rotaract Conference, and mee0ng a number of young and enthusias0c Rotaractors from all over the country. It was held in the beau0ful City of Melbourne, at the Jasper Hotel. One of the highlights of this trip for me, was listening to Hugh Evans. Co-‐founder and CEO of the Global Poverty Project and campaign; Hugh is a leader in a class of his own, and someone whose humility and simplicity left me both in awe, and completely inspired. Enough cannot be said about the amount of good work his ideas and actions have accomplished. Hugh went to a third world country when he was very only 12, and experienced something that was both simple and profound. While sleeping with others in a hut, and seeing the conditions in which they lived -‐ he came back determined to do something about it.
He simply questioned that moment - Why did someone have to live through conditions that were so bad, when it was only by chance that they happened to be born on the other side of the world? With only a strong will to do something about a circumstance he cared about so passionately, he managed to gather a group of like minded individuals and turn his idea into one of the worlds biggest and most well known campaigns. 'Make Poverty History' is a campaign that has not only been now attached to popular culture but has provided the larger picture to people who would never have known otherwise. It has become the largest anti-‐poverty campaign this world has seen
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and what started as an idea in the mind of a young boy has now grown into a massive and ever-‐growing campaign with volunteers all over the world and a repertoire that demands attention. For his work, Hugh was recognised as Australian of the year in 2004 and since then has done so much more for the cause, including previously setting up the OAKTREE foundation and much more. During the course of this presentation, Hugh asked us key questions. Some of them were -‐ how can we change the current situation? Why do these people live like they do? How and why does poverty exist? We discussed with him and between ourselves at times, the issues of dealing with a standard of living so low, that some conditions are actually hard to even imagine for us living in these beautiful surroundings. Can we realistically DO something about it?
FEATURE people who are willing and able to change what we might conceive as inevitable state of reality. Whilst he spoke to us, I had a real sense that every word was straight from the heart, and that this cause was not just not something he was rallying for the the people -‐ but something that came from himself -‐ totally self motivated with a genuine intention to make a change.
Indeed, the world is a better place because of such persons who choose to look beyond themselves and consider the other human being. I cannot help wondering what it would be like without them, the ones who believe in a better tomorrow for the rest of the world.
These questions triggered in me that sense of looking beyond oneself - something he has done so well by asking and confronting the key question of - why do human beings on the other side of our world have to grapple with things that we, on this side take for granted? Why must innocent children die? Why must the leaders who are supposed to take care and lead the nation give in to corruption and consequently create an aggravated state of dismay for their people? Hugh is testimony that for the ones who misuse their power, we also have a massive number of
In my mind, they are the keepers of the sacredness of the human spirit, the ones that believe that a human life is precious and needs to be protected, nurtured, not trashed as though it is nothing. Why do they care? Simple because they choose to. Within themselves, they choose to see the unfairness and the injustice that exists in society and they then consequently choose to address the issues, ask the hard questions and then being the best leaders go into that space where few of us dare to venture. What a blessing, to have them imagine our world into a better tomorrow, What a blessing, that they live their lives in search of and actively pursue that 'better tomorrow'. To be that kind of person -‐ maybe the main call of
our day and age? We can only strive to be. Fay D’Souza Emergen Video Interviews Coordinator
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FEATURE
How to
Get out of bed ninja style
It’s 6:30am. Your alarm goes off. You know it’s time to get up but your brain and body tell you ‘NOOooo’. The rational part of your mind says “I should really get up now” whilst the other says “But I’m so warm and cosy! Just 5 more minutes in bed can’t hurt”. So the battle between these thoughts begins. Before you know it 5 minutes in bed turns into 30 minutes. Most of us are familiar with this scenario. But what if getting out of bed early on a cold morning wasn’t such a struggle? Below are some ideas on how you can develop the art of getting out of bed ninja style so you get the most out of your day and feel more in control. 1. Aim for a smooth transition out of bed It’s the airst minute or so when we get out of bed that we fear the most and is arguably the most painful. The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way. Minutes of painful cold air can be reduced to mere seconds with the right equipment and tools nearby. I personally recommend the following: - Slippers/socks next to the bed: A wise woman once gave a friend a pair of socks as a present. As he unwrapped the Issue 3 : 22
gift she said “If your feet feel good, the rest of your body feels good”. She went on to argue the beneaits of good cotton socks. I was sold. Avoid cold feet at all costs. Invest in a pair of good quality warm socks and/or slippers. It will be money well spent. -‐ A robe: A warm, soft robe will also help to soften the blow of the cold air as you prepare yourself for the day. -‐ A wheat pack: For a bit of luxury and to help you warm up in the morning try a wheat pack. These are easy and cheap to make (check out How to make a microwave heat bag). They also work a treat if placed on your lap when working at your desk or eating breakfast. My dad (a very resourceful man) recently made a wheat pack out of a pair of old non stretch denim jeans and 1.5kg of wheat. I call dad’s creation “The Eternal Wheat Pack”. You heat it in the microwave for 4 minutes and no joke, it provides hours of warmth! If you go for early morning walks and can’t stand cold aingers, try making some mini wheat packs -‐ microwavable mitten warmers. Must ask dad to make me some of these! 2. Have something in your environment that pulls you out of bed Would the smell of fresh coffee get you out of bed? Or perhaps an irritating alarm clock that you can’t quite reach? Set up things in your environment that will propel (or force) you out of bed. 3. Practice saying positive af<irmations When we airst wake up most of us automatically
FEATURE think “I don’t want to get out of bed!” but you can train yourself to override these thoughts with positive afairmations. Positive afairmations are statements that become ailters for us and if repeated enough times can guide our behaviour. At Runaddicts.net blogger Johnny Palmer suggests that early morning runners say to themselves afairmations such as “I love knowing that while I am up and about exercising early in the morning, I am beating 99% of the world to the best possible start to the day” and “Being an early riser and sweating my butt off before I even start my day is how I roll”. You may want to just say “I enjoy getting up early and making the most of my day”. It works best when we phrase our afairmations in the airst person, present tense and as if already done. It also helps to repeat them airst thing in the morning when we are a bit sleepy and before we go to bed so they become part of our thoughts and beliefs at the unconscious level. 4. Get excited about something When I’m really excited about my work I leap out of bed. I can even aind myself waking up at 3am thinking, “Is it still that early? Hurry up and get to a suitable hour so I can get into the day!” The fact it’s cold and dark outside doesn’t even enter my mind. But when I hate the work I’m doing, it’s a different story. Instead of being like a ninja getting out of bed, I’m more like a sumo wrestler. Slow and heavy.
Before you go to sleep, try to think of something that you’re looking forward to doing the next day. You may want to write this down. If nothing comes to mind, it may be time to shake things up a bit, step out of your comfort zone and introduce something new into your life. Whenever I start to lose my excitement and enthusiasm for life, I sign myself up to a course (dance, cooking, meditation, etc) or set myself some kind of challenge (to cook a new healthy meal each night, write my next book by the end of the month, etc). New experiences can provide you with insights and introduce you to mind expanding ideas and people. 5. Jump out of bed We can spend a lot of time in bed thinking “Do I get up now…or give myself another 5 minutes….I really should get up…” and on and on this goes. Stop doing this (it’s pointless). Jump out of bed instead. As Software developer David Cheong suggests “One trick I’ve found to be very effective in being an early riser and to stop myself from rationalising is to simply jump out of bed instantly. Once I am outside the comforts of the warm and cosy bed, I’m more likely to actually wake up and stay up.” In Summary The more you practice getting up ninja style the easier it will get. Why? Because it has positively reinforcing effects. When you get up earlier than you usually would, you’re more likely to take action on the areas that are important to you. Subsequently, it doesn’t take long before you start to see results and feel great about yourself and your life. Jane Genovese www.learningfundamentals.com.au Issue 3 : 23
ORGANISATION PROLIFE
Have you heard of the AIIA? There are some amazing people and organisa0ons in Australia doing some brilliant things. I’ve had the recent pleasure of gecng to know Anne-‐Marie Balbi, who has shared with me her experiences as a member of the AIIA -‐ The Australian Ins0tute of Interna0onal Affairs.
About Anne-‐Marie Balbi Anne-‐Marie is originally from Sweden, having come to Australia in January 2008 (after meeting her Australian husband in Stockholm) to do her Masters of International Relations at Curtin University.
‘If someone had told me 6 years ago I'd meet an Australian and move to Perth I would've never believed it - but here I am!’ She describes herself as ‘a young, energetic girl (probably closer to a woman)’ who is at the start of her professional career. Anne-‐Marie is passionate about anything regarding political science and international affairs, and it was during her time at Curtin that she became to be involved with the AIIA. She is now the Young Professionals Network (YPN) Convenor for the WA Branch.
The Australian Ins;tute of Interna;onal Affairs The Australian Institute of International
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Affairs (AIIA) is an independent, non-‐pro_it organisation promoting the understanding of International Affairs. AIIA spans nationwide, with seven branches and a National Of_ice in Canberra, and provides a forum for discussion and debate by arranging over 150 lectures and seminars annually. AIIA pursues its mission of promoting interest and understanding in International Affairs in four ways: 1. 2. 3.
Providing forums for debate; The dissemination of ideas; Providing education on International issues; and Collaboration.
4. Anne-‐Marie became involved with the AIIA in 2009, after being told about the organisation by one of her university lecturers.
'I have truly enjoyed my membership ever since then and had the pleasure of being appointed the role of the YPN Convenor in May 2010, which includes being part of the AIIA WA Branch Committee'.
The AIIA YPN itself is an initiative that was established by the WA branch to promote the interests of it’s younger members, and came to fruition thanks to President Dr Sue Boyd, who was the driving force behind ensuring the AIIA focussed on its younger members, as well as its more established members. As the YPN Convenor, Anne-‐Marie looks after the younger members of the AIIA. Her role is to inform their younger members (both student and young professionals) about upcoming events via AIIA and other networks; to organise events targeted to their younger members such as "Careers without Borders" and the new "AIIA Developing International Scholars Workshop"; and to coordinate any volunteer work requested for YPN/AIIA. In a nutshell, the role entails creating awareness and promoting the interest in international affairs among students and young professionals.
AIIA Key Achievements One of AIIA YPN's key achievements has been 'Careers without Borders', which provides young students and professionals the opportunity to meet other young professionals who have pursued a career or internship abroad.
'I think the reason this event has turned out to be such a success is that people often Zind that there are
not an abundance of career opportunities for International Affairs oriented jobs in Perth and the event has offered some guidance of useful avenues to be approached for those interested in an international career. I love the fact how this event has brought together the fantastic networks available in Perth such as UNIFEM, Emergen, etc'. 2011 is a big year for the AIIA WA branch. Two major events are planned, both to be held in Perth: The AIIA National President's Forum in late August, which will bring together AIIA members in a discussion of this years theme -‐ India-‐Australia relations. The other is CHOGM in October. In terms of the YPN, the AIIA Developing International Scholars Workshop (ADISW)' will be held for the _irst time on the 18th August 2011, and the next 'Careers without Borders' event is scheduled for April 2012.
Ge]ng involved The AIIA is a great association for anyone interested in International Affairs to meet like-‐minded people and keep abreast of the latest in IR. WA branch members include former DFAT employees, prominent academics as well as business people who have invaluable experiences to share. The WA AIIA holds monthly branch meetings on the last Tuesday evening of every month at St Catherine's College, where guest speakers are invited to discuss current topics in International Affairs. To Wind out more, or to become a member, visit the AIIA website: http://www.aiia.asn.au/wa-membership. Janine Ripper Emergen Blogging Coordinator www.reflec;onsfromaredhead.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
Emergen Contributors Alicia Curtis Emergen Founder and E-Mag Editor www.aliciacurtis.com
Jane Genovese www.learningfundamentals.com.au
Kylie MacQueen www.wix.com/kylie_macqueen/ jeddaphotography#!
Cam Allen www.scribemagazine.com.au
Jason Fox www.drjasonfox.com
Amy Bouckley www.wa.ipaa.org.au
Linda Le www.genyadvantage.com.au
Eva Maria Salikhova www.eva-maria.co.nz
Janine Ripper www.reflectionsfromaredhead.com
Tanya Dupagne www.ggf.org.au
Fay D’Souza Website coming soon!
Want to join the Contributors List? This e-mag is a collection of some of the blog posts written by Emergen members. If you would like to be a contributor to this emag, the first step is to blog more on Emergen. This publication is free to distribute, in fact we would encourage you to share it with your friends and colleagues. Don’t forget you can join Emergen for free by going to emergen.com.au
www.emergen.com.au