As promised, here's the full interview with Guest Blogger Deanne Earle of Unlike Before. Don't forget to check out as well the Xtranormal video clip showing the preview interview between Management Sushi and Unlike Before! See the earlier blog post to find out more!
Deanne talks about Ignite - her new eBook on behavioural change with handy tips on how to make key changes for yourself. The eBook comes complete with a useful workbook format so you can jot down your thoughts as you read the Change Tips! Check it out! Deanne also gives us the lowdown on herself, her background and even some top Italian wine & food tips. Deanne is a proud Kiwi now living and working in Italy!
Q: So what's Unlike Before and your transformation concept all about?
Unlike Before is about things being different to what they were before. Just like a Monarch butterfly transforms from caterpillar to butterfly, businesses, people and projects have to change to cope with different or new situations. At Unlike Before we believe change doesn't have to be difficult and when we change our behaviour we can and do create powerful and different outcomes.
Q: Where did you gain your professional grounding?
New Zealand, then in various countries once I moved to the UK. I'm a proud Kiwi and have been lucky to work for some great food manufacturing companies and software service providers in New Zealand. Working on both sides of the fence has made a big difference to how I view organisations, their challenges and triumphs, what drives them and what makes them tick or not as the case may be. My background is manufacturing and supply chain and ERP information systems all with a business background rather than technical. It was exciting when I got head hunted and joined a big ERP provider as that's where the business consulting and project management came into play. Lots of different projects with lots of different customers in different industries and countries. It's all been rounded out with various leadership roles in operational and service delivery management.
Q: As a virtual citizen, operating globally from the heart of Italy, what's your view on the kind of opportunities and trends this kind of highly contemporary working lifestyle represents?
All businesses want to reduce costs. What with so much focus on climate change and carbon footprints it's important to make full use of technology and alternative ways of working. I'm not just talking outsourcing or off-shoring here, though they continue as significant opportunities for reducing ongoing cost. What I'm talking about are projects running across multiple time zones, cultures, languages and balancing the needs of the project with the desire to meet cost cutting and ‘green' targets. It's impractical to have everyone together in one place all the time when operations are spread across the globe. There may still be a head office but it doesn't really fit with today's projects. The need for teams to meet and work virtually will only trend upwards. If your expertise adds value and you can adjust your hours to accommodate meetings in different timezones, it no longer matters where you live - I might live in Italy but I work across the globe and often without leaving my office.
Q: Your new e-Book Igniting the Possibility - give me a brief heads up on what that's all about!
Ignite is about creating the change you want. We all moan and mutter about ‘he's this' and ‘she's that' but how many of us are prepared to change our own behaviour to makes things different? Ignite challenges 5 common behaviours experienced every day though focuses on them in a business situation. It's a How-To - how to recognise the affects, how to look in at ourselves then out at others to acknowledge how we are and the impact we have on those around us, how to carry forward that new understanding with a different behaviour. Ignite doesn't say ‘hey, everything's just fine and dandy', no, it says ‘yeah things are good but is it enough?' It pushes your comfort zone and it supports you.
Q: Which academic author or book has inspired you most in the area of change and transformation consulting
Right now it's William Tate and his recent book The Search for Leadership, An Organisational Perspective. Other's are Charles Handy, Ram Charan, and Patrick Lencioni. They're all leadership gurus having seen what works and what doesn't and write about how leadership can transform or stifle organisations.
Q: What are the three key things you need to remember for successful 'ignition' of change possibilities?
- Change is not difficult. See things for what they are and get out of your own way
- An open mind means nothing much will surprise you
- Change happens - nothing will ever stay the same; get over it and get on with it
Q: And finally .... ! What's your top Italian wine recommendation and favourite Italian dish?!
Now that's probably the most difficult question of all! Living in The Langhe, there are loads of wines and dishes to choose from so I'm going to be a little greedy if that's OK - I've chosen 2 wines and 3 dishes - food that's made me an honorary local.
My absolute favourite local white wine is Arneis and in particular Arneis from Vietti Wines. It's a fabulous quaffing wine for long hot summer days, is perfect as an aperitif or with light summer meals. It's made by my husband's cousin but it was my favourite before I even knew that!
For a red well ummm... that's tough because Piemonte is famous of course for Barolo, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Barbaresco and Barbera. I guess I would have to go with Dolcetto as an everyday wine. Smooth, easy to drink and great with casual meals like pizza and pasta. Can I just say though that Barolo is great AFTER a meal and goes particularly well with dark chocolate.
Food... I love tiny ravioli with sage and butter - fabulous anytime of the year; bagna cauda - a winter dish made with masses of anchovies, garlic, and olive oil that you treat a bit like a dip and scoop up with raw veg (make sure that you don't have any important meetings scheduled for the next day because of the garlic); and then there's bagnetto verde, which is a gorgeous salsa made mainly with parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, salt & pepper and olive oil all whizzed up together. Delish on top of more anchovies or oven roasted capsicum, or fresh tomatoes in the summer. Ok so I have a thing about anchovies, garlic and capers...
Click here to access the link to Deanne Earle's change behaviour eBook Ignite the Possibilities. Sounds like it would go down well to work through the eBook accompanied by a glass of Deanne's local white wine Arneis! Hot stuff!
Deanne Earle is Director of Unlike Before. Unlike Before are Business Consultants and Program/Project managers specialising in organisational change and IT-led projects that are complex in nature or in a state of crisis. Deanne and her team are renowned for action; able to show businesses and their people how to make change happen fast visibly, reducing the effects and costs of lost productivity. Check out all the latest from Unlike Before at http://www.unlikebefore.com/.
