Any psychologist will tell you that almost all human behaviour is learned. The business academic will relate that specialisation leads to economies of scale, hence the emergence of huge, highly organised businesses over the past couple of centuries.

These two factors, and others, see us focus our learning and critical thinking into models and methods of practice. We refine how we perform tasks, getting more efficient and competent over time.

We watch our colleagues, absorbing not only their practices, but their attitudes and characteristics. And we see opportunities that fit within our professional frame.

Through the Shared Value Project, I have noticed how a social entrepreneur often does not understand the commercial reality and timeframes of business and thus fails to sell his/her idea, regardless of its promise. I have seen consultants step into this breach, able to connect the large and small, the considered and the impassioned. But consultants have the most finely honed practices of all, and find it hard to work or see opportunity outside them.

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In November 2012, Ellis Jones’ Principal, Rhod, was invited to co-present at the WorldPR Forum alongside Paul Druckman of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and Dan Tisch of the Global Alliance.

The talk was entitled “Integrated reporting: The role of corporate communication and investor relations in demonstrating strategy, governance, and financial performance in social, environmental and economic contexts”.

Not exactly the catchiest of titles, but a very important topic.

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Here’s some photos of Henry and I conducting in-field research on behalf of Regional Rail Link this week. We were positioned outside the Footscray Market and Footscray train station, fuelled by a couple of amazing Olympic Doughnuts and big cups of Vietnamese iced coffee asking people about how they shop in Footscray. The information collated will help Regional Rail Link support local traders create an even more vibrant food and retail experience in Footscray in 2013.

Whilst phone interviews and online surveys are a great way to gain insights, a couple of advantages to conducting this type of in-field research are:

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Last Tuesday night, a year’s worth of planning and effort culminated in a great big Hanukkah present for Emmy Monash Aged Care: a permit to build a state-of-the-art aged care facility in the Melbourne local government area of Glen Eira. Designed by award winning architects, Bates Smart, the building will be without par in Victoria.

Ellis Jones began this journey with Emmy in November 2011. Over the past 12 months we have conducted a stakeholder engagement program, called Shape Tomorrow, developed issues management and contingency plans, crafted press materials, guided political engagement and implemented a local community campaign to raise brand awareness.

The Shape Tomorrow campaign comprised in-depth stakeholder interviews of community leaders, focus groups and community surveying. It’s reach extended to about 3000 people, enabling Emmy to demonstrate a genuine interest in the community and a powerful groundswell of support for the new facility.

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It takes seconds. It’s incredibly convenient. Simply type in a key term into Google search and an endless list of answers is presented.

Yet this is not necessarily always the case for people in need of aged care services. As people come to need aged care support, whether in residential care or in-home care, they often turn to their local council for practical advice and solutions.

Local councils have done well to position themselves as the community’s central information hub. As the ageing population continues to expand, councils are even more geared up to provide confused consumers with a breadth of aged care support and services. In fact, councils such as Glen Eira have implemented a five year ageing strategy designed to keep older people active and engaged in community life.

The aged providers that enjoy a high level of visibility among councils, specifically among those who work in aged care, are likely to be recommended. This will at least ensure aged care providers maintain a flow of enquires and maintain a healthy waiting list.

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It’s a rare moment when Obama is upstaged in front of the podium, but that’s exactly what happened at the Democratic Convention earlier this month.

Michelle Obama’s speech on the opening night of the convention sent social media into a spin, but it was that ‘country boy from Arkansas’ who provided a master class in public speaking. Forget the democratic pressure points, politics alone cannot explain the success of Clinton’s speech.

Closer to home, the speech led many to reflect on the role of public speaking in politics and everyday life. Public speaking is an unavoidable task as we progress in our careers. A single speech can make or break a career, establish a positive reputation or leave it in tatters. Every speech is an opportunity to raise a public profile, to connect with a target audience, and to define what it is that you stand for.

So next time you face an audience, here’s a few tips to say it like Bill.

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The Living Longer Living Better (2012) aged care reform is causing an industry push on aged care providers, shifting the focus away from the operational to a consumer-centric business model.

The introduction of the user-pay system enables greater flexibility and choice for recipients, meaning that consumers will have a greater interest in how they choose to spend their money. As a result, consumers will want more choice and will be critical when selecting an aged care provider.

What does this mean?

If aged care providers want to stand out of the crowd they have to differentiate themselves from the competition, not only with the services they deliver, but also with their ability to understand their consumers and reflect this understanding in the programs they deliver.

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Vocational education and training has featured heavily in the media over the last 12 months. From significant cuts to TAFE sector funding to RTO quality and performance issues and the reduction in overseas student applications the sector is suffering.

With governments cutting funding for vocational training, the onus is on providers to find cost efficiencies, understand and calculate demand, be more effective in marketing courses and improve visibility of training options online. In an environment of change and uncertainty, there is greater need to provide cost effective online communications channels to manage perceptions and reputation.

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Remember that teacher who used to revel in the power she had? Pass or fail. Stop or go. Control over your imminent future.

No one likes scrutiny. It makes you nervous. Especially when the balance of power is not in your favour.

The emerging use by government of websites that share performance data on publicly funded organisations represents both risk and opportunities. My School is a current example of an information portal that allows comparison of 10,000 Australian schools by pupil and financial performance. The Government’s recent release of the Living Longer Living Better Aged Care Reform Package 2012 includes a My Aged Care website (anticipated launch early next year) with a ratings system deployed in four to five years.

A poor score on these websites will have a material impact on an organisation’s reputation but it need not be the only source of information. You can limit the damage.

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The release of the Labor Government’s Living Longer. Living Better plan will result in many aged care providers potentially reworking their existing care model plan, in an effort to become even more client driven.

Our response to the Productively Commission’s draft report outlined the challenges aged care providers would face if the proposed changes went ahead. This included the need to provide consumers with a clear pathway to accessing aged care support services.

Aged care provider, Benetas, has begun the shift. This provider recognises the impact ‘choice’ and ‘independence’ will have on the ageing community and they’ve also figured out the struggles consumers currently face when confronted with the inevitable and daunting prospect of needing aged care support.

Benetas has answered the question that many aged care providers struggle to answer…

“I need aged care support where do I go?”

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