Attracting the corporate dollar

Last week I attended a workshop the Australian Government organised for natural resources management agencies, government and non-government, to share their insights into how to attract the corporate dollar.  There were some excellent presentations from a range of small and large organisations about how they have built relationships and developed corporate partnerships.  My take home messages from the event were that chasing the corporate dollar requries skill, a clarity of purpose and a commitment to tailoring your product to meet their needs.  A summary of the conference outcomes can be found on our ‘New Information and Knowledge’ page.

Siwan

Billabong Boy – book review

I read Billabong Boy in two nights, not wanting to put it down as it was a pleasure to read.  Arron is honest about the opportunities and the challenges he has confronted in trying to keep a business going that focuses on ‘kids teaching kids’, in a natural resources management sector that is not ‘flush with cash’.  Like the ARRC, Arron’s work is about supporting people, and I am inspired to read about what he has achieved.  Arron has recieved a number of well-deserved rewards, but for me, what came through in the book was how much he valued the conversations with kids, and how much he acknowledges the importance of having friends and family to help  him realise his dreams.  I recommend this book as an inspiring read, and one that will lift your spirits and remind you about why you work in river restoration.  You can read more about Billabong Boy in the Stories part of our website.

You can order Billabong Boy directly from the New Holland website.

Siwan

Dave Snowden in Canberra

Siwan and I are taking a Dave Snowden course on 1 July 2010. I have done quite a few of Dave’s courses over the years, starting with a Storytelling Course back in the early 2000s. For Siwan this will be her first.

We have noticed that many of our research scientists are using Dave’s Cynefin framework in their work, Richard Stirzaker and Andrew Campbell being two of the most notable. This seminar will build on the Cynefin Framework, and provide a basic introduction to complexity theory in human systems by introducing participants to some core methods and approaches.  It is based on Dave’s award winning work in this area, and is relevant for executives in the public and private sectors who need to understand the theory and application of new complexity-based approaches to strategy.

For those who are interested in undertaking this course, Dave will give a 15% discount to friends of the Australian River Restoration Centre. You can register here.

Nerida

The power of storytelling

A storyteller, like a travel agent, can gather us up from wherever we are and put us down in another setting (John Leggett)

Using storytelling to share knowledge is increasingly being recognised by organisations of all types – private sector, government, non-government -  as a powerful way of influencing people and effecting change.  At the ARRC we use stories and story telling all the time, and to assist you in thinking about using stories, we have put together a new webpage on this topic for you to explore.

Siwan

Synthesising science

One of the most frequent complaints people working in natural resources management make, is that they are bombarded with too much information.  At the ARRC, we believe there is no such thing as too much information, rather, it is the way that information is organised and presented to people that is the key to making it understood and useful.  Nerida and I are about to start some work with the National Water Commission on synthesising research findings into products that make it easy to access and meaningful to people.  How will we do this?  We will firstly focus on what story is being told through the research and then link to the supporting evidence and information that underpins it.  If you want to find out more about synthesising science we run training and seminars on this topic, as well as recommending the Information and Knowledge Resource Kit that is packed full of advice and tools you can use in your communication activities.

Siwan