LEADing Finance Program

LEADing Finance UPDATE - ISSUE 9

LEADing Finance UPDATE

Issue 9

Sent to all Finance staff
15 July 2024

Dear Finance colleagues,

Our recent FINANCE TOWN HALL was truly an emotional roller coaster.

From the heartfelt stories shared by Samir and Ashley, demonstrating the power and humour of storytelling (I'm still holding onto a few strands of hair!), to the competitive spirit in our whisper game that fostered new connections, it was an event to remember.

We hope you met some new colleagues and enjoyed the activities as much as we did.

The event concluded with a touching moment of appreciation for our Finance team, highlighted by the inspiring wall of appreciation.

A special thanks to our fantastic MC, Vivian Wang from our FPAC Team, for guiding us through the event with such poise and energy.

I would like to extend a big THANK YOU to the LEADing Finance teams - Learning and Development, Social Engagement, Rewards and Recognitions,and LF Central Team - and FIN Comms and Engagement for making this town hall an incredible success. Your efforts are deeply appreciated.

2024 MENTORING PROGRAM LAUNCH

We were thrilled to witness the launch of our mentorship program last week, marking the beginning of 28 new mentor-mentee connections.

Mentorship has always been close to my heart—I've benefited immensely from my mentors' guidance and now, as a mentor myself, I cherish the opportunity to give back, sharing my experiences and being a guiding light for others.

One unexpected highlight of the event was painting Cameron Barnes at the Chau Chak Wing Museum.

While I've discovered that my artistic talents are best kept to myself, it was wonderful to see hidden artistic talents emerge from our colleagues Kenji, Sergio, Pallavi, and Eric, whose beautiful paintings truly stood out.

A big shout-out to the LEADing Finance Mentoring stream—Andrew Lee, Alan Shao, Joanna Wang, Tracie Sillers, and Frankie Sun — for their hard work and dedication in making this event a success.

And a special thanks to our resident artist, Steven Chung, for his inspiring contributions.

Book Club

This quarter's book for our book club is Atomic Habits, by James Clear.

One of the key insights from the book that really resonated with me is the concept of how we view our actions and habits.

Consider this example...

You might have one perspective where you focus on going to the gym at 5:30 AM, with the sole outcome being that you go to the gym.

However, another perspective is adopting an identity of being healthy. From this viewpoint, going to the gym and exercising is a process that aligns with your identity of being healthy, leading to the outcome of becoming more fit and healthy.

Embracing this identity-based approach provides deeper meaning and purpose to our actions, ultimately helping us achieve the outcomes we desire. It’s not just about the actions we take, but about who we become in the process.

LEADing Finance events calender

July/August - Book Club: Review of Book 2
July/August - Coffee Roulette: Next sponsored coffee

In this issue...

Toastmasters Speechcraft - send in your EOI!
Finance Town Hall wrap - check out Town Hall photos, Zoom recording and PP Town Hall pack,
X-Train Mid-Program highlights - great to see all participants enjoying the program and making remarkable progress in their X-Train journey,
Coffee Roulette – Bill and Samir share their photo of their recent coffee catch-up. How's your Coffee Roulette going?

Enhance Your Communication Skills with Toastmasters Speechcraft!

Are you looking to boost your public speaking and leadership skills? We have an exciting opportunity just for you!

Join us for the Toastmasters Speechcraft 6-week course, running from August 20 to September 24, every Tuesday evening from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

This engaging and interactive program is designed to help you become a confident communicator and leader.

Why join Speechcraft?

Learn by Doing: Practical sessions where you can practice speaking and receive immediate feedback,
Professional Guidance: Expert Toastmasters will mentor you throughout the course,
Boost Confidence: Overcome your fear of public speaking in a supportive environment,
Leadership Skills: Develop skills that are essential for your professional growth.

Did You Know?

According to World Stats, 59% of hiring managers are looking for candidates with strong public speaking and effective communication skills.

This course is your chance to gain a competitive edge in your career.

At our recent Finance Town Hall, most attendees raised their hands when asked if they wanted to build on the skills learned in the NIDA corporate training. Here's your opportunity to do just that!

Course Details

Dates: August 20 - September 24
Day: Every Tuesday
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Spaces Available

Only 12 spots are available - act fast to secure yours!

Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your skills and take your career to the next level!

EOI

Submit your expression of interest today and invest in your personal and professional development - Deadline COB Friday 26 July.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Your LF Learning & Development Team

Finance Town Hall wrap!

A few photos to give you a taste from last week's Finance Town Hall plus links to the Zoom recording and the Town Hall PP pack.

LF Praise & Shine Teams page

More Town Hall photos will be shared on the LEADing Finance Praise & Shine Teams page, particularly the SHINE Award winners and runners-up.

Coming soon!

Keep a lookout for the new Photo Galleries intranet page on the Finance local intranet, where we will share images of key activities and events such as the Finance Town Halls.

Resources - July 2024 Town Hall

X-Train Mid-Program Highlights

X-Train Stream Lead - Samir Mehta

The X-Train team held a mid-year program event on Wednesday 10th July. It was a virtual event to check the progress of staff participating in this year’s program.

It was an absolute pleasure to see all participants enjoying the program and making remarkable progress in their X-Train journey. The feedback is encouraging and very positive.

For example, one participant shared with us that she has gained a deeper understanding of her host team's tasks and explored ways to improve efficiency. She looks forward to presenting her ideas to a wider group.

The program has been filled with memorable moments, from overcoming challenges to enjoying fun team trivia nights and quirky traditions.

The X-Train program is an invaluable opportunity for growth, connection, and making lasting contributions to our organisation.

End of program celebration

The final end-of-program celebration event is scheduled for Wednesday 13 November, and we look forward to seeing great presentations from our Hosts and Participants.

We encourage everyone to consider participating next year!

Coffee Roulette

Bill Tsourdalakis, Project Manager, OATS Projects and Samir Mehta, Group Controller, FCT share their Coffee Roulette catch-up.

Bill: I have worked with Samir over a number of years, but it was a good opportunity to get to know Samir on a more personal level and I believe those connection can build a stronger working relationship.

Samir: Nice meeting you Bill and sharing stories of our daughters 😊.

Please share photos of your coffee catch-ups on the LEADing Finance - Praise & Shine | General | Microsoft Teams. Remember there are prizes for the posters!

Not too late to be part of the fun!

If you missed out on the Expression of Interest (EOI) for Coffee Roulette, please let your LEADing Finance Champion know if you’re interested in joining, and we’ll include you from August onwards.

Your LEADing Finance Champions include:

AI Hub – Franky Sun

Corporate Finance – Paul Lui

FABULAS – Jodie Tran

FCT & ICM – Stephen Kearney

FPAC – Carol Loy

FSEA – Rachel Sullivan

IMH – James Hughes

OATS – Charlotte Brinkworth

Procurement – Ruchika Thaper

Inspiration corner

Paul Lui, Program Lead
LEADing Finance Program

Keep in touch

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