2016 comes to a close - Summing up the nonprofit sector and what we can look forward to from OPTIMUM NFP in 2017.

For all of you involved in the nonprofit sector, 2016 has been a very challenging year, and every indication is that 2017 will probably be more of the same.

Activity in the political and economic sphere has seen the sector coming to grips with what it all means for their own organisation. 

• The ongoing roll-out of the NDIS has seen a  myriad of responses, ranging from thoughts of risk and downside through to opportunity and expansion, whilst responding to the financial sustainability challenges associated with a previous supply-driven model moving to a generational-change demand-driven model;
• The ongoing children abuse Royal Commission has seen many organisations tighten their risk frameworks to ensure such obscene activities are not part of their culture, and for those caught up in the findings, an in-depth look into their own organisational mirrors in order to introduce fundamental change;
• The strengthening of the ACNC has seen a degree of confidence introduced into the sector with regards a range of  compliance issues;
• Changes to Australian Disability Employment frameworks has seen many in this aspect of the sector revise their current business models, in line with similar challenges in the disability services sector;
• Ongoing reforms to residential aged care has seen organisations in this sector review their own business models to address long-term sustainability challenges;
• An industry-wide focus on governance within the sector from wide-ranging sources that have resulted in many organisations in this sector carefully looking at what they currently do as compared to what they perhaps should be doing, especially with regards risk management, financial management, and board structure and development.

OPTIMUM NFP has been heavily involved in many of these nonprofit issues and over the 2016 period has further involved itself with many such organisations undertaking projects such as:

• Transitioning Incorporated Associations to Companies Limited by Guarantee;
• Organisation-wide strategic planning activities using a bottom-up approach to develop and launch strategic plans
• Mentoring executive team members;
• In-house board governance workshops;
• Change management planning;
• Structuring boards with new non-executive directors
• Conducting public Action Learning Question Programs
• Delivering 4 post-graduate units at the Australian Institute of Management MBA course, including 1 in Strategic Organisational Change and 3 in Managing Financial Resources

2017 will continue the challenges for the nonprofit sector, as well as bringing new ones, to which the sector will once again be challenged to consider innovative ways of moving forward. The confused nature of public policy will no doubt add to these challenges, in a very unhelpful fashion.

OPTIMUM NFP is looking to 2017 with a continued sense of anticipation and optimism, whilst also being realistic in recognising that many nonprofit organisations may face substantial risk if they fail to grasp and implement the governance and strategic planning frameworks that they must seriously consider.

During 2017, OPTIMUM NFP will be focused on the following activities:

• David will be completing his PhD studies at Macquarie University. This has been a long but personally rewarding journey (commenced in late 2010). Currently there are three papers that have been published in international peer reviewed journals, whilst a fourth paper is currently under review. My fifth and final paper is currently being prepared for submission. The papers, by title, have included:
• "Action Leanring Intervention as a Change Management Strategy in the Disability Services Sector - A Case Study", published in the Action Learning Action Research Journal
• "A Longitudinal Qualitative Case Study of Change in Nonprofits", published in the Journal of Management & Organization
• "Applying Grounded Theory to Investigating Change Management in the Nonprofit Sector", published in Sage Open
• "Planned Organisational Change Management - Forward to the Past? An explorative literature review", currently being considered for possible publication in the Journal of Organizational Change Management
• Applying the findings in the PhD research, OPTIMUM NFP will be launching a consulting service that seeks to ensure that nonprofit organisations can undertake an organisation specific change readiness analysis which will outline potential challenges within their organisation that can be addressed prior to changes being implemented, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful change outcomes. The service will be launched during the fist quarter of 2017 and is called the 'CARC' program - Culture Assessment for Readiness of Change, and uses the outcomes of the latest nonprofit specific research derived directly from David's PhD. Watch out for the launch announcement.
• During 2017, OPTIMUM NFP in conjunction with Action Learning International, will launch a further public Action Learning Question Program, which has been critically acclaimed and continues to be supported by the Australian Institute of Management Business School. This will be further expanded as purpose-designed in-house programs for larger nonprofit organisations. Keep an eye out for the program dates.
• In mid 2017, OPTIMUM NFP will leverage its success in executive team mentoring through the launch of its "Manager Development Groups" which utilise Action Learning as a key process in leadership development. Look out for the formal announcement of these.

OPTIMUM NFP will of course continue to focus on its strengths in delivering consulting input into Strategic Planning and Governance.

2016 has been a very busy year. 2017 is going to be an exciting year as OPTIMUM NFP continues to build on its skills and expertise in delivering new and innovative services that will continue to add value to nonprofit organisations, ensuring that the focus on organisational sustainability remains a key deliverable in all our consulting assingments.

I would like to thank my clients for allowing me to be part of their solutions during 2016 and I look forward to being able to adding further value to their organisations in 2017.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Prosperous and Safe 2017.

Is a Questioning Culture in Your Organisation? - If not, you may be missing out

A fundamental element of Action Learning is the ability to ask insightful questions. You know the ones I am referring to. Not questions that merely have single dimensions to the answers, and not ones that offer little scope for discussion and analysis. Not ones that merely provide the questioner with the answers they were seeking or expecting. And certainly not the ones that fail to promote learning which can result in real change.

Asking the right questions in the right manner, at the right time, and in the right way, can provide some very substantial organisational benefits, which are both long-lasting and productive. The problem is that in a world where leadership is often mistaken for leaders having the solutions to all organisational challenges, leaders tend not to ask the questions throughout the organisation that will get people to really think and reflect before responding. Usually there is not the time to do so. The pace of change warrants an immediate response - or so people think. In fact, the best response could be the delayed one, especially when seeking solutions to complex challenges that should be the focus of such insightful questions.

Knowing how to ask the right question should be one of the many fundamental tools in a leaders' toolbox. Without these questions, are leaders really getting the right input and feedback that ensures the picture they have of the situation is the correct one, rather than a distorted view based on their own biases?

Sydney Finkelstein noted in his 2004 article entitled "Zombie business: How to learn from their mistakes", coined the term 'zombie companies' which he said such a company was a "...walking corpse that just doesn't know yet that it is dead - because this company has created an insulated culture that systematically excludes any information that could contradict its reigning picture of reality." In this sense, the challenge for leaders is not to avoid questions that result in deep and meaningful answers, but rather to see such questions as learning opportunities, opening an organisational culture that is constantly putting a mirror to itself and responding through informed change.

Ed Oakley and Doug Krug in their 1994 publication entitled "Enlightened Leadership" suggested that "... the better we as leaders become at asking effective questions and listening for those answers to those questions, the more consistently we and the people with whom we work can accomplish mutually satisfying objectives, be empowered, reduce resistance, and create a willingness to pursue innovative change."

So how do we best define and develop a questioning culture in our organisations? Michael Marquardt in his 2014 publication entitled "Leading with Questions - How leaders find the right solutions by knowing what to ask", suggests that a questioning culture is "... a culture in which responsibility is shared. And when responsibility is shared, problems are shared and ownership of results are shared. When an organisation develops a questioning culture, it also creates a culture of we, rather than a culture of you versus me, or management versus employee." 

Marquardt suggets 6 defining characteristics of a questioning organisational culture. These include:

1. People within it are willing to admit that they don't know the answer
2. People within it go beyond allowing questions, they encourage them
3. People throughout the organisation are helped to develop the skills needed to ask questions in a positive, rather than negative way
4. People throughout the organisation focus on questions that empower others, rather than disempowering them
5. People throughout the organisation are expected to focus on asking questions and searching for answers, rather than merely always finding the elusive 'right' answer, and
6. People throughout the organisation are recognised for taking calculated risks in pursuing the organisational goals and objectives.

How does your organisation stack up? Do you have a questioning culture? Are you asking the right questions and are your staff well versed in the power of questions?

OPTIMUM NFP in conjunction with Action Learning International launched the Action Learning Question Program in the Australian NFP sector in 2013. The Program runs both as public and in-house sessions and its success has been well documented by those that have participated. It is predicated on resolving organisational challenges and developing staff and leaders by asking the right questions.The Program has been formally accredited by the Australian Institute of Management Business School.

Contact David Rosenbaum at drosenbaum@optimumnfp.com.au or on 0411-744-911 to arrange a no-obligation meeting to discuss the Action Learning Question Program and how it can help your organisation take on the question culture that many recognise is needed in the modern organisation.

Change Management Podcast - David Rosenbaum and the Australian Institute of Management Business School

David Rosenbaum being interviewed by Professor Elizabeth More, National Academic Director, Australian Institute of Management Business School

1st AIM Business School Podcast series

  

Change management is one of those issues that resonates with just about every organisation, irrespective of industry sector, and irrespective of the organisation's positioning. It is one of those challenges that has been in existence for decades and the extent to which organisations continue to be challenged by it, is recognition of its complexity. In truth there is no simple answer, nor is there a prescriptive approach that guides successful organisational change.

In my own PhD research into change management in the Australian nonprofit sector, I have identified a number of factors which are considered ingredients in successful change, and findings from this research has now been published internationally.

In the first of AIM Business School's podcast series, Professor Elizabeth More, National Academic Director of the Australian Institute of Management Business School interviews me to discuss this very broad topic, both in my capacity as a consultant in change, a researcher and author on change, and as National Unit Coordinator for the Australian Institute of Management MBA Program in the Unit entitled Strategic Organisational Change.

You can access this podcast by clicking on the following URL link:

https://soundcloud.com/user-797298966/david-rosenbaum-change-management

Please feel free to contact David Rosenbaum of OPTIMUM NFP on 0411-744-911 or at drosenbaum@optimumnfp.com.au to discuss change management in your organisation or to obtain further information about the Strategic Organisational Change Unit at the Australian Institute of Management Business School.

Developing Your Leaders and Up-Skilling Your Staff

OPTIMUM NFP announces the launch of its 3rd highly acclaimed and accredited "Action Learning Question Cross-Organisational Cohort" program commencing in early July 2016.

Nonprofit organisations juggle many competing priorities, especially in the current market, with each having an impact on their future. One of these stands out for those organisations who see themselves having a long-term vision, and that being the effort and budget needed to develop leadership and generally up-skilling their staff.

In a leading article in the January 2014 edition of McKinsey Quarterly entitled "Why leadership-development programs fail", 4 reasons as to why such programs rarely achieve what they set out to achieve were identified. These were:

1. These programs overlooked organisational context. As was highlighted in the article, "Too many training initiatives we come across rest on the assumption that one size fits all and that the same group of skills or style of leadership is appropriate regardless of strategy, organisational culture, or CEO mandate." The article went further by suggesting that "Focusing on context means equipping leaders with a small number of competencies (two or three) that will make a significant difference to performance ... We have found that when a company cuts through the noise to identify a small number of leadership capabilities essential for success in its business - such as high quality decision making or stronger coaching skills - it achieves far better outcomes."
2. These programs failed to incorporate reflection as part of the real workplace. As was highlighted in the article, "The answer sounds straight forward: tie leadership development to real on-the-job projects that have a business impact and improve learning." The article went further by suggesting that "The ability to push training participants to reflect, while also giving them real work experiences to apply new approaches and hone their skills, is a valuable combination ..." 
3. These programs underestimated the need to change existing mind-sets. The article suggested that "Becoming a more effective leader often requires changing behaviour. But although most companies recognise that this also means adjusting underlying mindsets, too often these organisations are reluctant to address the root causes of why leaders act the way they do." It further suggested that"Identifying some of the deepest, below the surface thoughts, feelings, assumptions, and beliefs is usually a precondition of behavioural change - one too often shirked in development programs."
4. These programs often failed to measure real results. The article suggested that "We frequently find that companies pay lip service to the importance of developing leadership skills but have no evidence to quantify the value of their investment." The article suggests that evaluation should be focused at both the individual level as well as at the organisational outcomes, indicating that "...monitor the business impact, especially when training is tied to breakthrough projects." 

OPTIMUM NFP and Action Learning International's Action Learning Question Program ("ALQ") has been developed to specifically address the issue of cost-effective leadership and staff development for nonprofit organisations. Context has been identified through the use of organisation specific challenges which need to be addressed and resolved during the course of the program, supported by the introduction of skill and leadership attributes necessary for such resolution. Reflection has been included as a distinct and iterative activity through both formal and informal processes, supporting skills and leadership development. Mind-Sets are challenged through the co-consulting processes of the ALQ, and Results are identified and evaluated though the final reporting processes derived from the ALQ.

OPTIMUM NFP in conjunction with Action Learning International launched the Action Learning Question program ("ALQ") in the nonprofit sector in mid 2014. The ALQ program has been running successfully in the UK for over 15 years, across nonprofit, commercial and public sector organisations. In the latter alone, over 200 participants have successfully completed the program over the last 3+ years. In Australia, the ALQ is being delivered as both an in-house program as well as a public program. The latter are known as Cross-Oragnisational Cohorts ("COCH"). The ALQ program, in both formats, responds directly to the challenges and opportunities discussed above and fully supports a more evaluative framework for assessing the effectiveness of organisational learning and development.

The first COCH completed in November 2015, whilst the second program is currently underway and is due for completion in early June 2016. The program has been recognised by the Australian Institute of Management Business School who, after rigorous review of content, structure and delivery methods, has accredited the program as 1 Unit (elective) towards its highly acclaimed 12-Unit Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree.
The feedback from the first COCH was excellent and exceeded the expectations of those that attended. The second program is heading in the same direction with participants currently very enthusiastic about the process. A third program will be launched shortly for commencement in July 2016. Places for these programs are limited to ensure the best outcome for attendees.

Whilst registration forms will be available shortly on the OPTIMUM NFP website, you can register your preliminary interest by contacting David Rosenbaum at drosenbaum@optimumnfp.com.au or you can contact David Rosenbaum on 0411-744-911 to discuss the program in more detail to determine its applicability to you and your organisation. The flexible design and format of the program enables interstate participants to involve themselves in Sydney-based cohorts.

Visit the OPTIMUM NFP website at www.optimumnfp.com.au and click on the "ALQ Workshops" tab to read the testimonials from the first program and to obtain information as to the structure and process of the COCH generally.

Aligning Learning and Development with Organisational Strategic Priorities

Much information exists in the public domain regarding the trends in learning that are impacting organisations of all sizes and in all sectors, not to mention the challenges that these bring to tertiary institutions as well, in terms of both course design and delivery. The massive explosion in technology, both from an application as well as from an enabler perspective are impacting the ways in which people engage within learning and education and respond to the varied opportunities that have now arisen. This represents challenges for organisations not engaged in the process and for those individuals who do not wish to take responsibility for their own learning. On the other hand, it represents opportunities for those organisations seeking a better return on their training investment dollars, and those individuals who recognise the benefit of active engagement with the training and development process.

The UK's Open University's Institute of Educational Technology has identified a number of trends and opportunities in the world of learning, which when considered in the context of measuring organisational outcomes for training and development, provide some potential opportunities for work-based learning programs. Two of the key ones that organisations across all sectors can consider are:

• Focusing on 'double-loop learning' where learners focus not just on what they are learning and exploring and working out how to solve the problem at hand but also, through a reflection process, they consider how they can become more effective in the process, enabling application of the current problem solving process to future problems. This has organisational implications insofar as such a learning process can be the foundations for knowledge-sharing across the broader organisation.
• First-hand experiences can be amongst the most powerful learning experiences and can be applied to both individual learning as well as organisation-wide learning. In the case of the former, processes and procedures need to be put in place to maximise the individual impact, and the ability, time and context for reflection to underpin this value. From an organisational perspective, story-led materials that are tailored to, and form the base of, organisational learning, ensure that work-based experiences are shared across a wider platform, placing story-telling as a key organisational tool that can deliver learning that fits the requirements of the organisation by maximising engagement.

Whilst learning and development opportunities have been identified through such sources as the UK's Open University's Institute of Educational Technology, recognition of the possible gaps in organisational learning and development were discussed in a recent edition of MITSloan Management Review, where the focus of recent research in a number of commercial organisations pointed to the need to develop corporate learning and development programs that link directly to the organisation's strategic priorities. Key outcomes of that research resulted from the research question of "How can corporate learning programs more effectively develop leadership talent?" The findings pointed to 3 key issues which were:

1. there was a need to align the learning agenda with the CEO's strategic agenda
2. there was a need to create governance mechanisms that linked learning to the rest of the business, and
3. there was a need to direct capability-building efforts too those that mattered most to the organisation.

Viewed in this manner, the research pointed to the importance of focussing less on how learning is delivered and more on linking content and structure with the organisation's strategic imperatives.

One thing is clear from the above discussion. Past methods of evaluating the effectiveness of learning and development expenditure within organisations can no longer rely on an outdated performance measure of staff attendances at 'off-the-shelf' or standardised 'training packages' delivered outside the organisational context, divorced from the organisational reality. Given the way people learn and the tools that exist to support learning, mean the lack of understanding of the true organisational and individual value-add of such training, can no longer be justified, especially in the non-profit sector where financial resources remain challenged.

OPTIMUM NFP in conjunction with Action Learning International launched the Action Learning Question program ("ALQ") in the nonprofit sector in mid 2014. The ALQ program has been running successfully in the UK for over 15 years, across nonprofit, commercial and public sector organisations. In the latter alone, over 200 participants have successfully completed the program over the last 3+ years. In Australia, the ALQ is being delivered as both an in-house program as well as a public program. The latter are known as Cross-Oragnisational Cohorts ("COCH"). The ALQ program, in both formats, responds directly to the challenges and opportunities discussed above and fully supports a more evaluative framework for assessing the effectiveness of organisational learning and development.

The first COCH completed in November 2015, whilst the second program is currently underway and is due for completion in early June 2016. The program has been recognised by the Australian Institute of Management Business School who, after rigorous review of content, structure and delivery methods, has accredited the program as 1 Unit (elective) towards its highly acclaimed 12-Unit Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree.
The feedback from the first COCH was excellent and exceeded the expectations of those that attended. The second program is heading in the same direction with participants currently very enthusiastic about the process. A third program will be launched shortly for commencement in July 2016. Places for these programs are limited to ensure the best outcome for attendees.

Whilst registration forms will be available shortly on the OPTIMUM NFP website, you can register your preliminary interest by contacting David Rosenbaum at drosenbaum@optimumnfp.com.au or you can contact David Rosenbaum on 0411-744-911 to discuss the program in more detail to determine its applicability to you and your organisation.

Visit the OPTIMUM NFP website at www.optimumnfp.com.au and click on the "ALQ Workshops" tab to read the testimonials from the first program and to obtain information as to the structure and process of the COCH generally.

What's in Store for 2016 at OPTIMUM NFP?

Welcome to 2016. Wishing all readers of The OPTIMUM Newsletter a Happy, Healthy, Safe, and Prosperous year ahead.

2015 was a very special year for OPTIMUM NFP as it saw the successful implementation of the Action Learning Question Public Program (marketed as the Cross-Organisational Cohort) following its formal launch in mid 2014. The success of that launch and that initial Program, has resulted in a second public program commencing in mid February 2016, with interest levels such that places for this second program are filling fast. My website contains feedback from the first public program (click on the Tab entitled "ALQ Workshops"). In-house Action Leaning Question Programs are also being discussed with numerous organisations, and these are expected to come to fruition during 2016.

In addition, I was offered the opportunity to join the Australian Institute of Management as a Facilitator in their fast developing Graduate School as part of their highly accredited MBA Program, where I am currently involved in the delivery of two units, namely Managing Financial Resources and Strategic Organisational Change. The former further supports my keen interest in developing financial expertise amongst non-finance professionals, whilst the latter further extends my interest in change management as a result of my current PhD research.

And finally, 2015 saw me obtain preliminary confirmation of the publication in an international peer-reviewed academic journal of one of my key papers related to my PhD research. This paper presents the actual findings of the research and is hopefully the first of a series of 4 such papers that, depending on the peer review process, could see all published during 2016. As these papers are published, I will be keen to share them with interested readers of this newsletter, as they have direct impacts on the nonprofit sector with regards the management of successful organisational change.

These achievements and activities all feed into the quality of consulting input that OPTIMUM NFP continues to provide its clients.

In 2016, OPTIMUM NFP will launch the "CEO Roundtable", designed exclusively for CEOs of nonprofit organisations. It will be a professional learning forum that supports ongoing development of CEOs through facilitated discussion and peer support. Details including registration forms will be available shortly and interested CEOs can pre-register their interest by contacting David Rosenbaum direct. The CEO Roundtable will be launched in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

During 2016, The OPTIMUM Newsletter will seek to cover many relevant topics for this sector, so keep a watchful eye out for those that may be of specific interest to you. It is currently anticipated that topics will include, but will not be limited to the following areas:

• organisational learning
• role of strategy in organisational learning
• innovation and how to find it and encourage it
• assessment tools for reviewing board performance
• culture assessments for change readiness
• mission/market tension in nonprofits

There will also be ongoing updates as to progress with the Action Learning Question Program including attendee feedback.

2016 will continue to be a year of challenge for all of us, economically, politically, and socially. I look forward to The OPTIMUM Newsletter being a source of relevant information that can assist, in a small way, your organisations, and your personal path through these challenges.

Contact David Rosenbaum on 0411 744 911 or at drosenbaum@optimumnfp.com.au to enquire how OPTIMUM NFP could assist you and your organisation in achieving stated goals and objectives.

Developing Leadership and Measuring It: The Action Learning Question Program Could Be A Way Forward

Recognition as to the effectiveness of Action Learning as applied to the development of leadership skills, has been highlighted by two well known and internationally accredited academics and leadership practitioners, Michael Marquardt (Professor of Human Resources and International Affairs at the US based Elliott School of International Affairs and Program Director of Overseas Programs at George Washington University) and H.Skipton Leonard (Faculty member at the Carey School of Business at John Hopkins University). In a 2010 publication entitled "The Evidence for the Effectiveness of Action Learning", as published in the Action Leaning: Research and Practice Journal, they identified four reasons to support their conclusion regarding the impact of Action Learning in this field, being:

1.    Action Learning encourages people to take responsibility and action to achieve a desirable result or goal;

2.    Action Learning provides a disciplined process for reflecting and learning;

3.    Action Learning allows people to work on the specific skills necessary to get things done through people, and

4.    Action Learning provides people with the direct and indirect feedback necessary to learn complex leadership skills along the way.

Having considered the strengths associated with Action Learning as it applies to the development of leaders within organisations through either formal in-house leadership development programs or through less formal development, the question of measuring the success or otherwise of leadership development programs becomes the next issue to be addressed. In a recent edition of the MITSloan Management Review, Gandossy and Guarneri (Principal and Research Consultant respectively, from the US based Hewitt Associates, human resource consultants) reported that research from the top tier of US based companies identified the development of a range of holistic measures that addresses key organisational stakeholders namely, people managers, business leaders, HR professionals, and key organisational talent. These measures included, but were not limited to the following:

• identifying when key talents would be ready to move onto new roles within the organisation
• understanding the extent to which leaders take responsibility for their own development and that of their people
• identifying how leaders contribute to the development of talent as a corporate resource
• understanding the extent to which leaders 'walk the walk' on effective leadership behaviours
•  identifying the business trends that most influence leadership strategies within the organisation, and
• understanding the link between our leadership development programs and the internal supply of qualified candidates.

The real linkage that appears to be highlighted throughout the discussion presented by Gandossy and Guarneri relates to the extent to which an organisation can ensure that the leadership development programs are aligned to actual business needs as distinct to being abstract and somewhat detached from the organisational imperatives that need to be addressed.

The design of the Action Learning Question Program ("ALQ") addresses such needs by operating at the dual level of developing your staff but doing so in the context of resolving very real organisational challenges that, left unresolved, will hinder organisational efforts towards future and long term sustainability.

The 2015 public ALQ Program, referred to as Cross-Organisational Cohorts, (which recently concluded in November 2015) proved highly successful and delivered real solutions to the organisations that were represented, and real value to the individuals involved in the cohort.

Similar programs with bespoke ALQ Program structures are commencing in March 2016 as in-house ALQ Programs. These are developed for medium and large organisations that are, from a resource perspective, able to accommodate unique Learning Sets necessary for an effective program. Whilst structural elements are uniquely developed in these instances, both the in-house and the cross-organisational cohorts all operate under a common ALQ framework.

The support provided by the Australian Institute of Management ("AIM") has added further value to both the Cross-Organisational Cohorts, as well as the In-House Cohorts. AIM have identified the rigour and value of the Program, and have agreed to recognise completion of the Program (through undertaking a multi-tiered written assessment process) as one Credit Unit towards their highly acclaimed 8-Unit Graduate Diploma of Management and their 12-Unit MBA programs. Whilst this accreditation path is not compulsory, it provides a very sound base to support ongoing education and staff development - a very valuable process for organisations. 

OPTIMUM NFP in conjunction with Action Learning International Ltd. is currently preparing a further Cross-Organisational Cohort to commence in February 2016. Given the success of the recent Program, and the detailed expressions of interest received from five prospective cohort members to-date, it is recommended that you lodge your interest as early as possible, as these Programs are designed for a maximum number of participants of eight per Program. You can register on-line at www.optimumnfp.com.au (ALQ Workshop tab), or contact David Rosenbaum at drosenbaum@optimumnfp.com.au or on 0411-744-911 to register or to discuss the nature of the Program and how it may benefit your organisation, as well as yourself.

As the Principal of OPTIMUM NFP and Senior Consultant and Head of Relationship Management and Program Delivery for Australia at Action Learning International Ltd., I am well placed to structure a program that responds to your organisation's requirements. With the advent of both the Cross-Organisational Cohorts as well as In-House Cohorts, all organisations, irrespective of size, can now consider the practical benefits resulting from participation in an Action Learning Question program to solve sticky organisational challenges whilst simultaneously developing the leadership skills that your organisation will need in the coming years.

Contact David Rosenbaum at drosenbaum@optimumnfp.com.au or 0411-744-911 to discuss how an Action Learning Question program can assist your organisation achieve its objectives.