Capacity Building Competence
This provides highlights demonstrating how I have developed my competence in individual and organisational capacity building. The information below demonstrates my contribution to individual and organisational capacity building over three decades on a local, national and global level.
My capacity building competence is demonstrated by the following contributions:
- Flexible Learning Capacity Building – Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector Queensland (2005-2006)
- Flexible Learning Capacity Building – VET Sector Nationally (2000-2004)
- Contribution to the Global Development of Action Learning and Action Research (1998 – present)
- Capacity Building for Leadership and Innovation: University of Queensland (1992 -1996)
- National Organisational Development/Cultural Change Program for Australian Taxation Office (1980’s)
- Change Management Capacity Building for Senior Managers in APS Departments in Queensland (1980’s)
- Capacity Building for Personnel Managers in APS Departments in Queensland (1980’s)
- Risk Management Capacity Building – Australian Taxation Office – National Accounting System Project (1970’s).
1. Flexible Learning Capacity Building – Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector Queensland (2005-2006)
I was engaged on a consultancy basis by the then Department of Education, Qld., to contribute to flexible learning capacity building for the VET Sector throughout the State. The project was titled , Partnering For Professionalism. The objective was to encourage collaboration amongst TAFE Institutes, Schools and Registered (Private) Training Organisations (RTO’s) in the area of online learning/flexible learning capacity building.
I conducted 9 workshops throughout the State from the Gold Coast to Cairns to facilitate this exchange between the education providers in the VET Sector.
My involvment continued on a paid basis through the provision of a Partnering For Professionalism Team Blog. The PfP Blog was designed to link the participants in the project to each other and the national exchange forums and provide up-to-date information about developments and resources in the flexible learning/online learning area. The PfP Blog, which places a strong focus on free resources and case studies, is located at:
2. Flexible Learning Capacity Building – VET Sector Nationally (2000-2004)
I was engaged initially by the Australian National Training Authority as the National Change Management Facilitator for the Australian Flexible Learning Leaders Program. This contract was awarded annually on a competitive basis and I won the contract each year for four years.
My primary role was to act as coach for the senior managers who were chosen each year as Flexible Learning Leaders/Change Managers. This involved working with senior managers in the VET sector from around Australia who were charged with the task of developing a Whole-of-Organisation Change Management Plan to build flexible learning/online learning capacity for their organisations.
The groups of managers operated as action learning groups and my facilitation involved one-on-one meetings, face-to-face workshops, online conferencing, teleconferences (using telebridges), telephone support and email discussions. Typically participants were from the TAFE Sector although industry participants joined in the latter stages.
Throughout the course of this program I worked as coach for senior managers from organisations such as Swinburne University, North Melbourne Institute of TAFE, WestOne (WA), Onkaparinga TAFE Institute (SA), Hunter Institute of TAFE (NSW), Online Learning Institute (Qld), Logal Government Association Qld, Queensland Emergency Services, South Brisbane Institute of TAFE and the Southern Qld. Institute of TAFE.
I also developed a stimulus paper and facilitated a scenario building session with 200 participants at a National Flexible Learning Conference. The output from this session became an input to Strategic Planning for the national VET Sector for the following ten years.
3. Contribution to the Global Development of Action Learning and Action Research (1998 – present)
This long-term capacity building activity is discussed under Action Learning/Action Research Competence.
4. Capacity Building for Leadership and Innovation: University of Queensland (1992 -1996)
I was engaged as an external consultant to work with members of the Tertiary Education Institute at the University of Queensland to design, conduct and evaluate an action learning program for senior managers. The program was designed to develop leadership and create innovation in line with the strategic goals of the University.
The award-winning program conducted over 9 years became the major source of innovation in the University of Queensland and was judged as best practice by the National Committee for Quality Assurance in Higher Education.
The project-based program was the subject of my PhD. As part of my action and research, I developed a model for sustainable capacity building in organisations.
Main features of the program were:
- competitive funding provided to project teams based on linkage to strategic goals, multi-disciplinarity and quality of project proposal
- program was designed to cover all campuses, disciplines and categories of staff (academic, administrative and technical)
- projects were strategically planned using a project planning workbook designed by my partner and I
- diffusion strategies were built into the program to facilitate diffusion of innovation throughout the University
- accountability for project outcomes was reinforced by teams having to present verbal reports to the University community and interested stakeholders, including industry and professional associations
- program covered 90 project teams and involved hundreds of managers and staff as direct participants
- program participants, in turn, became active change managers
- a parallel action learning program was conducted for project facilitators
The program team used the analogy of the “Wizard of Oz” story to describe participants’ learning journey. At the “wake” at the conclusion of the 9 year old program, I was awarded the “Wizard’s Hat” for my contribution to the design, conduct and evaluation of the program.
The Action Learning Program site, “A Collection of Action Learning Wisdom“, contains the history, resources and structure of the University’s Action Learning Program, and also includes project descriptions, outcomes, reflections and evaluations:
5. National Organisational Development/Cultural Change Program for Australian Taxation Office (1980’s)
As National Development Manager in the ATO, I project-managed a national organisation development/cultural change program for the Australian Taxation Office.
This involved creating a readiness-for-change state, restructuring the organisation, re-building manager competency profiles, building managerial capacity, developing a computerised managerial support system, and focusing on building a culture of managerial accountability.
The outcomes of the project, involving both national interventions and State-based pilots, was reported to Parliament in the Commissioner’s Annual Report.
6. Change Management Capacity Building for Senior Managers in APS Departments in Queensland(1980’s)
Project Manager for the development and conduct of the first inter-agency, action learning program for senior managers (SMDP) in the Australian Public Service in Queensland. The project-based program, co-designed and facilitated with Bob Dick and Joan Bulcock, focused on building the change management capacity of senior managers in 27 Government Departments.
7. Capacity Building for Personnel Managers in APS Departments in Queensland (1980’s)
Member of a collaborative, inter-agency learning team that designed and conducted an action-learning based, inter-agency exchange program for Personnel Managers in 27 APS Departments in Queensland.
The program was designed to build personal competence, self-confidence and flexibility by placing the participants in three different roles in different agencies over the course of a year. Participants were supported by mentors and joint coursework and review days.
I played a key role in establishing and maintaining the Inter-Departmental Steering Committee for the program which was composed of State Directors for key Departments.
8. Risk Management Capacity Building – Australian Taxation Office – National Accounting System Project (1970’s)
Developed a risk management strategy and documentation for the ATO’s newly developed integrated, online, accounting and information system.
This involved being a de-facto member of all six system design teams. As a systems analyst, I mapped all the assets of the system, identified all transactions that could impact these assets, conducted associated risk assessments and obtained agreement to incorporate the relevant controls into the system design as it proceeded.
I then created an audit manual that identified potential fraudulent activity and explained the prevention, deterrent and detection controls for each transaction incorporated in the system.