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sponsor Success The WHATs and HOWs for business improvement projects A powerful and practical guide to delivering effective sponsorship of business improvement projects The trouble with Lean Six Sigma is that there is an awful lot written and discussed about the organisational deployment models, successes and failures, and how to run projects as a Green and Black Belt. But how do you sponsor a project? With sponsor SUCCESS, you'll understand what you need to do to successfully sponsor a project and then how best to do it. You will discover how to facilitate change when people have to adopt new ways of working that are a significant departure from their current practices. sponsor SUCCESS will help you understand what questions to ask to: Help successfully implement change Ensure the root causes are fixed Build leadership support Engage others to make the improvements stick Help develop people to deliver process improvements more effectively "Jones has written the definitive guide to sponsoring change projects. If you are a sponsor of a major project and you want to know how to be successful - read this book very carefully!" David Miller, Managing Director, Changefirst "Welcome to Morgan Jones' kitchen. If you are responsible for leading an improvement program you need to read Morgan Jones' recipes and checklists for success outstanding insights for the experienced and beginner." Dennis Green, Air Commodore, Australian Air Force "This is a fantastic read with practical guidelines, tools and frameworks that will help ensure your next Six Sigma project is successful. Project Sponsors will find this a 'go-to' manual for each unique project time after time!." Cathy Reber, Director Sales Effectiveness, American Express "Today's organisational change environment is becoming increasingly challenging and complex and we need to shift the focus to how we implement change, rather than focussing on the mechanics of the change. This book provides not only questions to ponder but also ideas on how we can drive that transformation." Craig Fox, Assistant Commissioner, Australian Taxation Office About the Author: Morgan Jones has spent the last 25 years helping organisations implement change. He has extensive expertise in directly managing Lean Six Sigma deployment in Europe and Asia in various companies and industries, including banking, manufacturing, mining and service industries. He has trained over 250 Black Belts and 500 Green Belts in Lean Six Sigma, coaching them to deliver in excess of $370 million to the bottom line of their companies. He frequently presents at international business improvement conferences in Australia and Asia, has chaired over 12 of them and regularly and is regularly head judge of process improvement awards. Through 25 years of experience of change implementation, Morgan has developed a deep belief that to successfully sponsor projects, managers must build their own capability to transform themselves and not be dependent on external support. His academic background is in engineering and management with a Masters in Manufacturing, Management and Doctorate in Competitive Strategy and he is an internationally registered Executive and Personal Coach. He has lived and worked in Europe and Asia as well as spending time working in the United States.

A major scholar has recently pointed out the tendency, fuelled by Creative Writing courses, for an assumption that literary works, of any time period past or present, are inescapably autobiographical. After all, it is easier to gossip about the author's, or composer's, or painter's sex-life and deprivation than the work itself. As a poet, I am not writing autobiography. I don't think Shakespeare, Whitman or Dickinson were doing so either. And I don't find it particularly helpful to reduce the arts to "self-expression." I engage in an art which may be speculative, imaginative, philosophical, probing, subject to trains of thought, association of ideas - or even caprice. Like a mathematician, I grapple with symbols; unlike a mathematician I perceive, and sometimes play with, the inexact nature of the symbols or words which make up our language. Whitman said it was "a language experiment." I am not "I"; "I" is not I - or me. I place things on the page, objectively at times, but sometimes swept up in the emotions of the theme or the work. I hope that the reader might experience such emotion too - and hear it. I refer to the titles of two late volumes by Robert Lowell: Notebook, and History. They morphed into versions of the one book. I am engaged with the terrain and the climate, the daily events often of Dromana and the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria - but in my Irish poems I am heavily wrapped up in the traditions, history, ballads and fate mainly in Wexford. In Which Way the Wind (2010) I argued that the reader completes the line and the poem. The book belongs to the reader. About the Author A pioneer in the teaching of Writing and Literature in Australia, Trevor Code was the chairperson of the ground-breaking first Literary Studies course team at Deakin University. He has taught in schools at all levels, lectured in English at State Colleges, and served as Head of Department at Geelong Stage College. He was an actor, director of theatre, member of senior level Education Department committees and the board of Victorian Association of Teachers of English, delegate for several years to the Federal Conference for Aboriginal Advancement, and an activist for human rights. He has taught creative writing at all levels, and a full range of Literary courses. In the United States, he served on the board of the Worcester County Poetry Association, was its vice-president for programming, and directed several major projects, especially in association with the Worcester Art Museum. He was a Professor of English at Worcester Polytechnic Institute university, where he taught a full range of creative, American and British courses, and he also taught at Clark University and the College of the Holy Cross. His poetry and other writings are prolific and wide-ranging. In 2004 he returned to live in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. He heads the Melbourne chapter of DLS, an organization for literary enthusiasts, of which he was the co-founder. He supports the Australian Poetry Centre, the Victorian Writers' Centre, and the Fellowship of Australian Writers. He has written study guides on Shakespeare and American Literature, and a Workshop Manual for writers. He has several books of poetry, the latest of which is Configurations. He is a director of drerir Books. Reviews ..". a strong Shakespearean influence that stretches the mind to deeper appreciations." "the poetry is a diverse and varied tapestry on themes tailored to an individual personal expression that is stimulating, emotive and thought-provoking...like a mature bottle of wine..." "I take great pleasure in the way the intellect and passion drives through each poem generating its imagistic sequence. "

A SWEEPING, DRAMATIC STORY OF LOVE, HOPE AND DISCOVERY ABOUT THE PAST.

Synopsis: BLUE SKY DARK HEART is a collection of short stories set in Townsville, northern Queensland, Australia. The stories have a slight military theme and Townsville is the link between them. Townsville is a garrison town with an expanding military presence. The stories are modern and written in the ROMAN A CLEF style. About the Author: CHIESA IRWIN, the author, is originally from the USA and currently lives in Townsville. Ten years ago a book of her poetry was published, POLES OF ATTRACTION. There is another book of short stories, POINCIANA, to be published and more poetry.

The Elephant's Footprint is an intriguing crime novel laced with romance and set against a South African backdrop. Linda, a sharp and intuitive detective leaves Australia, to return to her birthplace Rustenburg, amidst the excitement of the World Cup soccer challenge. She finds the once lush farmland crippled by drought, lawlessness is on the rise and disease is rampant. At critical times, such as this, the local community seek help from their healers and witchdoctors. Even Voodoo resurfaces. Her skill in detection is well known, and she is persuaded to join an overworked police force in a murder investigation. Initially, the police believe that an elephant savaged a young woman found dead in a nature reserve. However, it soon becomes clear that sinister human influences are at play. This is the first in a number of bizarre killings of female healers. Inundated with crime and the added responsibility of security during the World Cup, the police give up the search for the killer and she continues to investigate alone. She meets and falls in love with George, an archaeologist working on rock paintings in the area. With his support, she challenges evil forces trying to remove her from the case. But will her perseverance and George's scientific knowledge help her to uncover the murderer? About the Author: Joan Zawatzky was born in South Africa. After completing her studies, first in art and then in psychology, she moved to Australia, where she worked for many years as a counselling psychologist. Though painting remained a hobby, she decided to try her hand at writing. She wrote There's a Light at the End of the Tunnel, to help her clients overcome depression. The Scent of Oranges, her first novel, is set in South Africa and was shortlisted for the Australian Books Alive Programme in 2007. Recently she began writing full-time. The Elephant's Footprint is her latest novel, and the next in her South African series. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and their Siamese cat. Praise for the Scent of Oranges: "The elegance of Joan Zawatzky's writing is a big part of what makes this story so memorable and delightful. Her words flowed right through me and led me into a story so full of life, nature and relationships. I never wanted it to end." Ashley Merril, Front Street Review. "The Scent of Oranges by Joan Zawatzky is the first book I've read by this author but hope to read more. Right away I was transported to South Africa. I could picture everything that Linda saw as if I was her. Joan captures the essence of South Africa with the mystery and intrigue of murder." Cheryl's Book Nook "Zawatzky's style is wonderfully descriptive and I felt transported to South Africa through the pages of the book. I also loved learning more about South Africa and its people. The Scent of Oranges dynamically explores intense interpersonal relationships and I found it fascinating." Tara's View on Books. "The South African setting is beautifully recreated, with lovely descriptions of the landscape and people, and the author has written a thoughtful depiction of life under the terrible system of apartheid and its aftermath." Book Buzz "I think this novel will really appeal to people who like to sit and savour the writing and ...a mystery unfolding." Peeking Between the Pages

Synopsis: The trouble with change management is that there is an awful lot written and discussed about the failure rate of change projects. But how do you implement major change successfully? With Successful Change, you'll understand how organisations and people connect, and learn how to successfully facilitate change when people have to adopt new ways of working that are a significant departure from their current practices. Successful Change will help you understand how a people-centred change methodology can: - Help successfully implement change - Energise your organisation around the change - Build leadership support - Engage others to make the transition stick Author Bio: David Miller has spent the last 25 years helping organisations implement major change. He has extensive expertise in directly managing major changes including strategy implementation, technology implementation, business process changes, restructuring and quality management. In 1995, David founded Changefirst, to help businesses build competitive advantage through creating and sustaining organisational change capability. Through 25 years experience of change implementation, David has developed a deep belief that to successfully change, organisations must build their own capability to transform themselves and not be dependent on external support. His academic background is in Economics, Politics and Psychology. He has lived and worked in Europe and the United States as well as spending time working in Asia. David currently resides in West Sussex, England with his wife Susan and his terrier, Bear.

Breathless Sleep...no more is more than a memoir.It recounts Paul's personal struggle over many years with severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Paul's story takes the reader down a path of anticipation, hope, despair, resolution and then new hope and symptom resolution. Paul recounts his experience with referenced facts giving credibility to his writing and the benefits of breathing retraining.The reader joins Paul in his exploration of how and why his health improved. The reader is given a clear and concise introduction to the relevant science of this prevalent sleep disorder.The book takes the reader into the world of a desperate sleep deprived lawyer who did not tolerate CPAP and who undertook a Buteyko breathing course because he was drawn to a natural treatment.Paul becomes his own case study of his successful control of severe obstructive sleep apnoea. The book includes comparative photographs and before and after sleep studies detailing the degree of apnoea and the impact this was having on his body and the improvement following the completion of the course.The reader gains a clear insight into the missing pieces from the jigsaw of his respiratory health.In this 2nd updated edition Paul recounts his frenectomy (tongue tie release) and how it enhanced and further improved his sleep. There is also additional content on Nitric Oxide and the critical role it plays, as the third gas, in our respiratory cycle.Paul is certified as a Buteyko practitioner with two leading world organisations The Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health and Buteyko Clinic International.Breathless Sleep...no more is more than a memoir.It recounts Paul's personal struggle over many years with severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Paul's story takes the reader down a path of anticipation, hope, despair, resolution and then new hope and symptom resolution. Paul recounts his experience with referenced facts giving credibility to his writing and the benefits of breathing retraining.The reader joins Paul in his exploration of how and why his health improved. The reader is given a clear and concise introduction to the relevant science of this prevalent sleep disorder.The book takes the reader into the world of a desperate sleep deprived lawyer who did not tolerate CPAP and who undertook a Buteyko breathing course because he was drawn to a natural treatment.Paul becomes his own case study of his successful control of severe obstructive sleep apnoea. The book includes comparative photographs and before and after sleep studies detailing the degree of apnoea and the impact this was having on his body and the improvement following the completion of the course.The reader gains a clear insight into the missing pieces from the jigsaw of his respiratory health.In this 2nd updated edition Paul recounts his frenectomy (tongue tie release) and how it enhanced and further improved his sleep. There is also additional content on Nitric Oxide and the critical role it plays, as the third gas, in our respiratory cycle.Paul is certified as a Buteyko practitioner with two leading world organisations The Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health and Buteyko Clinic International.

Vengeance is the theme focused on the parallel careers of two differently motivated murderers. The manipulation of their strengths and weaknesses by a Private Investigator leads to a climactic collision. A boy is abducted, raped then killed in a Nazi style ritual hanging. Police trace, arrest and charge wealthy, aggressive Erwin who had escaped conviction on previous charges due to manipulations of the law by his shyster lawyer and a slightly bent Vice Squad copper. Under political pressure to obtain a quick conviction, contaminated evidence is submitted to the Court by a haemorrhoid prone prosecutor. Erwin is found not guilty and can never again be tried for the murder. The boy's grandfather, a Licenced Private Investigator, resolves to kill Erwin. The instrument of death he chooses is an enormously prosperous white collar nance criminal who has quietly built a billion dollar property empire and successfully converted his "Black" assets into "White" thereby becoming the "GoIden boy" of finance. A "Handbook for white collar criminals" could be an alternate title. Integral to the career development of the financial criminal are accurately described insurance frauds, medical benefits frauds, and frauds on superannuation funds and the methods of utilising private companies to evade taxation and attention of nancial regulation authorities. Unknown to Erwin and the deadly financier, they have attracted official surveillance of two cops, one crooked who fears Erwin; the other squeaky clean but disenchanted. Without attracting Police attention the resolute grandfather contrives to pitch Erwin against the financier in an explosive confrontation aboard a multimillion dollar luxury yacht. About the Author: Dudley Flint is the pseudonym of a semi-retired Melbourne, Australia, author. In his civilian career he had over 40 years as General Manager, Trustee or Consultant to Australia's top government, semi-government and industry superannuation funds, with over 15 years as a Councillor of the Victorian Division of the industry's peak body, the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA). In the wider field of business, he served as a Director of a Bank, a Motel Chain, and a joint semi-government / Bank multimillion dollar property trust and was Chairman of an ASX listed property development company. As a licensed Private Inquiry Agent he draws on decades of experience to detect and resolve, mainly by common sense negotiation, "irregularities" within the superannuation industry. Restitution before retribution is his strength. Parallel with his business career, he served as an Officer in the Australian Army Reserve rising from a humble National Serviceman to Officer Rank and receiving the ED (Efficiency Decoration). His last posting was that of Divisional Artillery Intelligence Officer for the Third Division. The author's qualifications and vast experience make him the only person capable of writing this unique book.

Exposes disastrous decisions of Main Street to Middle Market Business Owners and their Advisors that can stagnate cash flow; profits and reduces business valuation during Succession, Exit or Transition. Discover how to avoid management mistakes and escape debt commitments to release you from your business to financial freedom and success. The real life case studies in this book enable you to: -Expose 8 strategy weaknesses that could rob you of the lifestyle you desire -Identify 4 structural faults that can stop you getting what your business is really worth -Eliminate 6 errors that could lead to choosing the wrong successor -Diagnose 6 disastrous decisions that could drive your business value down -Foresee 3 potential failures that could lead your business to foreclosure -Reveal how to prevent being imprisoned by business debt commitments -Avoid 4 management mistakes that could lower your business profits -Safeguard the value of your business legacy -Position yourself for power and security at each phase of your business -Transform you business systems to maximise cash flow and profit. "A very timely book. A huge tsunami of business sales is about to happen... In this book, no stone is left unturned. For the business owner prepared to read this from cover to cover here is a sure guide on how to conduct your business exit strategy." -Anthony Jensen, Employee Share Ownership Committee Member "SET Your Business for Success is a great resource for business owners who are beginning to think about selling their businesses. Written by L. A. Riley, a seasoned expert in field of exit and succession planning, the book walks owners through a simple, straight forward process to help them exit their companies the right way. Presented in 21 short chapters and using 22 case studies, this should be read by all US business owners." - Richard Jackim, Co-Founder of the Exit Planning Institute. About the Author: L. A. Riley captured the insightful stories that form the foundation for this book from two decades of dedicated professional service to clients and their financial well being. The passion for exit planning was fuelled by specific dilemmas that ignited a determined focus in her to ensure the best possible succession outcome for any business owner that wants to maximise their cash flow and profit when they exit their business. As an acclaimed speaker and sought after educator of business owners and professionals alike, L. A. Riley's consulting firm, The Exit Experts, provides strategic and educational support for business owners who want to ensure the lifestyle they have worked so hard for when they exit their business, whether through planned or unplanned circumstances. L.A. Riley's career long focus on winning the best possible personal and financial results for her clients has earned L.A. Riley high acclaim from both clients and colleagues. This has lead to consultancy engagements some notable international companies that desired to leverage her knowledge and skills to develop their Advisors and assist their clients. Qualified with a Masters Degree in Business from USC, and C.E.P.A (Chicago) L.A. Riley combines academic expertise with real world experience to overcome issues facing business owners today.

BEAT INCUMBENCY DISEASE, MAKE COMPETITORS IRRELEVANT & STAY NO. 1 WITH YOUR MOST IMPORTANT CONTRACTS AND CUSTOMERS When you win business through a formal bid or tender, you will need to retain it that way too. But only about 50% of incumbent contract holders actually keep their contracts when it comes time to re-compete. That's a scary number, and usually it isn't because they are doing a bad job - in fact, most are doing quite a good job. Incumbents lose because they're still doing the same job as they were at the start of the contract, and this just doesn't cut it with customers any more. The prospect of failing on a re-compete bid is always a reality. But if you're a CEO, business owner or senior manager with revenue responsibility, clearly this is not an option. The work and thought that positions you as the clear winner needs to start well before the Request for Tender, and incumbency is only an advantage if you choose to use it. Winning Again shows you how to leverage your incumbency advantage, put com-pelling new ideas in front of the customer, and retain the business you simply can't afford to lose. "If losing a big account is not an option, Winning Again shows you how to keep competitors out and seal the deal a second time." - Jill Konrath, author of Agile Selling and SNAP Selling Praise for Haydon's first book The Shredder Test: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Winning Proposals: "A quick way to learn a great deal about proposal writing...excellent value...highly recommended." Australian Marketing Institute "What's your strike rate when it comes to successful submissions? If it's less than 100%, you could learn something from The Shredder Test. The chapter summaries are excellent...a concise, useful read." The Age Newspaper "Strategies, tactics, how-to's and tips that any business can use." Herald Sun Newspaper About the Author: Robyn is a business development consultant who specialises in helping organisations to get ready to compete - and re-compete - for important contracts that are won through formal bids and tenders. She is an expert in proposal writing and her first book, "The Shredder Test," is an Australian Institute of Management bestseller. Based in Melbourne, Robyn works with organisations on business development programs for their high-value customers, and her clients have won and retained contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars with many of Australia's largest corporate and government buyers.

Reluctant sleuth Bromo Perkins returns to the streets of Richmond, persuaded by the tempting wiles of Liz Shapcott, to look more closely into the death of bright young student Melissa O'Grady. As he bumbles his way into the murky depths of this trendy Australian suburb, Bromo soon falls foul of devious real estate agents, housing developers and town planners as he uncovers something far more sinister than shonky real estate deals. The tentacles of a cruel and vicious trade in young Asian women drag him into a world of murder and torture simmering below the surface of a richly diverse community where he is never more than a few paces away from his beloved short blacks and a soothing shot of Lagavulin malt.

Synopsis: The people factor is now regarded as arguably the most important driver of business performance, but according to surveys of CEOs, it is one of the least effectively managed corporate functions! Closing the Gap between Latest Ideas, Research & Practice Over the last 20 years or so, organisational research has come along in leaps and bounds, but in the process, the gap between ideas and practice has grown to such an extent that the use value of many of these ideas is understandably questioned and discounted by practitioners. In this important book, Beames shows how many of the key ideas that have emerged in management and organisational studies over the last two decades can be harnessed to guide management practice and improve organisational performance. Here, for the first time, we have a book which clearly shows the importance of the psychological contract for workplace health and performance - and more importantly, how it to measure and use it to transform workplaces. Now, more than ever, in these increasingly fragile and uncertain economic times, knowing how to build workplace relationships and drive value creation through human capital will be a key to future success. This book provides a clear blueprint for how this can be achieved. Peter Gahan, Associate Professor in Human Resources and Employment Relations, Department of Management, Monash University For directors, senior managers and even HR professionals, coming to grips with the volume of research and information on organisation and people management is daunting. Colin Beames takes complex, emergent and critical subjects and presents them in a way that is readily grasped by the reader. This book is timely, given the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, which has caused discontinuities to our previous thinking. It provides both frameworks for directors and CEOs, and detail for executives, each trying to understand and answer questions of how best to manage the entity's human capital. Colin's book illustrates how contemporary thinking can be applied to provide practical people solutions for this difficult task. Richard de Lautour, Regional Director, Finance & Administration, Flight Safety Foundation About the Author: Colin Beames BA (Hons) Qld, BEng (Hons), MBA, MAPS, Corporate Psychologist Colin Beames is a thought leader in the measurement and reporting of human capital, workplace trends, employee engagement and retention and careers, with a deep and expansive knowledge of these subjects. He is the Director of the WRDI Institute, an Australian boutique consultancy firm which specialises in the development, commercialisation and provision of a range of innovative human capital products, tools, services and resources. Colin's organisational consultancy experience includes assignments in Australia and overseas, both in the private and public sectors. Industries in which Colin has worked include the: agricultural distribution and export, agricultural research, banking and finance, biotechnology research, building and construction, information technology, insurance, health, manufacturing, retail, resources, and tourism industries.