Partners in transformation
Leading through COVID-19
Right now, we’re in the midst of a global event unseen before in our lifetimes. We will make it through this unimaginable moment in time, but not as we were before.
Times of great disruption often make way for great learning.
We are all having to think and do things differently, planting the seeds of innovation.
Many are witnessing what it means to self-organise, come together, and rapidly problem-solve in service of a shared purpose. Even through digital screens, we’re inviting each other into our homes, our lives and our moments of vulnerability, creating a more human workplace. And we’re taking stock of what’s really important: for society, for business, and for a life well-lived.
Now is the time to be intentional about the future we’re creating. We’re here to help you do just that: to take whatever moment you’re facing and awaken possibility.
Performance Frontiers work with leaders committed to transformation and dedicated to a meaningful impact in the world.
Like you, we’re discovering new ways of working.
Take a look at how we’re evolving our services to support you through COVID-19 and beyond.
Our clients
Latest news
Everyday Human-Centred Learning Design
While our audience are usually front of mind as learning designers, sometimes the reality of the job means we are relying on scant or ... read more
PF BY DESIGN | Framing Creativity
Our design team recently enjoyed a creative recharge when visiting the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) ... read more
Creative Leadership: Leading With and For Creativity
As technology continues its automation of programmatic work, the premium on creativity in the workplace only grows. Creativity allows ... read more
Creative Courtyards | Making Space For Creativity
It’s been said that creative thought is at the core of human progress. In this context, it can be seen as the reason we enjoy our ... read more
Digital Connections | Knowledge Transfer in Hybrid Environments
The Deloitte study Global Human Capital Trends found organisations believe “knowledge management” to be one of the top three issues ... read more
Sharing Knowledge – The Power Of The Collective
“More than ever before, knowledge sharing is being led by people, culture and context.” Jody Turner, Future Trends. According to a ... read more
Scaling Excellence | Adaptive Systems for Knowledge Transfer
When most people think about scaling a business, they think about acquiring more of a certain tangible resource: talent, capital, ... read more
Bodies of Knowledge | What if your body has the answers you’ve been seeking?
By my actions teach my mind. ~ William Shakespeare Remember when you were a child, and the world was not something just for your mind ... read more
De-escalating with CALM
After years of doom scrolling our way through the day, we are in many ways tired. One part of this is just the loss of our normal ... read more
Improv for Agile Mindsets
As leaders are increasingly required to facilitate more collaborative, agile workspaces, so too must our skill bases and the focus of ... read more
Amping Your Somatic Intelligence
To remain relevant, competitive, and buoyant, organisations need to change the frequency of their actions into increasingly shorter ... read more
Expanding Our Repertoire | Future-Proofing with Coaching
The acronym ‘VUCA’ – meaning volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous - has wedged itself into the language of organisational ... read more
What is Strategy?
Mike Tyson once famously said: “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” And it can certainly feel that way when we ... read more
The Ties that Bind Us: External Social Capital and Innovation
Few partnerships could be considered more profitable than that of “Wintel”. Microsoft and Intel dominated the PC-era and led the ... read more
What is Attunement?
Curiosity and empathy are familiar terms in personal and leadership development. It could be argued that, to a degree, curiosity ... read more
Cultures of Recognition
"Social capital is fundamentally about how people interact with each other." Dekker and Uslaner The Coronavirus pandemic has tested ... read more
Growing Pains: What The Science Behind Hybrid Working Tells Us
Zoom fatigue, back-to-back meetings, and lack of commute time to decompress… Hybrid working has brought with it a whole new raft of ... read more
PF By Design | Togetherness Toolkit
Social cohesion activities for hybrid workplaces When it comes to cohesing in the hybrid space, we are finding that being more ... read more
The Social Animal: Finding Fulfilment
Many years of sociological research have identified a number of primary social needs that drive human behaviour. During periods of ... read more
Regenerative Teams: Rhythm and Reach
Few interpersonal relationships are more important to organisations than the dynamics of teams. It’s uncontroversial then to say that ... read more
PF By Design | In Conversation with Rami Saab
This month, as the greater Performance Frontiers team explore diversity, equity and inclusion with an open heart and people-focussed ... read more
Amplifying Voices: Optimal Feedback Loops
A San Francisco-based executive consultant recounts a conversation he overheard about Steve Jobs’ feedback style while at Pixar. Jobs ... read more
Headwinds and Tailwinds
If you're serious about diversity and inclusion, pay attention to the winds. Many of us have experienced exclusion at some point in ... read more
The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Shift is a Learning Shift
The case for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in organisations has been made extensively. To start, in our practice at ... read more
What If Your Boss Was A Computer?
Depending on who you speak to, you might receive any number of predictions for the future of work. Lists, prophecies and projections ... read more
Regenerative Leader Mindsets
What can you do to become a Regenerative Leader? Nature has been practicing the art of regeneration for eons. Salamanders and newts ... read more
The Hybrid Equation
We are in the second of the two great work transitions brought on by the pandemic. The first: a mass movement to work from home. The ... read more
Who’s Got YOU? | Self-Care for Leaders
An iconic moment in Superman: The Movie still resonates decades after the film’s release in 1978. Lois Lane, dangling precariously ... read more
Regenerative Leadership: The Logic of Life
“Life creates conditions conducive to life.” - Janine Benyus Inspired by the harmony and energy of life as it moves through cycles ... read more
Buffered Learning | Affect & Effect
Picture this: it’s 1pm on a Wednesday and you’re sitting in a training session. You’ve had a stressful morning where your boss snapped ... read more
Leading Through Ambiguity
Are you climbing the ladder, spinning your wheels, or up the creek without a paddle? The use of simple analogies in business are ... read more
The Power of a Kindness Ecosystem
The power of kindness to bring us joy is a tale as old as time. The Buddha teaches: “If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also ... read more
Trust in the Age of Affinity
We are living in an Age of Affinity and when it comes to work, people are attracted to organisations and teams that share their ... read more
Atomic Presence: IRL Connection in URL Learning Environments
How do we connect virtually with the same dynamic presence that we do in real life? The learning and development community is asking ... read more
Purpose-led Giving
As the end of another extraordinary and disrupted year draws closer, many of us are thinking about ways we can give back this festive ... read more
Valuing Intuition in a Wicked World
Intuition is regarded by some as the summit of human judgment. Studies have shown how chess masters are able to recognise patterns ... read more
The Power of Shared Language
Have you ever had a cryptic conversation with a close friend? The kind where you only need a few key words and phrases for them to ... read more
Crypto Credentials | Blockchain Breaking Through Bias
As learning professionals, we put our hearts and minds into designing programs that uplift, educate and transform. Often these ... read more
Reading Between the Lines | Ask vs. Guess Culture at Work
Are you a Guesser or an Asker? It’s still a conversation topic over a decade after the question was first posed back in 2007 by ... read more
How to Make a Success of Succession Planning
During the pandemic, some leaders have found themselves in situations that have seen their teams depleted of people to perform important roles, due to the impact of lockdowns or other Covid related events. This kind of global disruption is a timely reminder of the importance of understanding the critical nodes within our workflow and of constantly building resilience into our whole system through methods such as succession planning. read more
Change is not Transition
In our work life, we are experiencing a high rate of change as we adjust to the fluctuations in the business landscape. The stress of ... read more
Being Agile | Closing the Gap Between Methodology and Mindset
Agile is one of the most revolutionary business models in the last twenty years. It is liberating organisations from vertical, siloed ... read more
Pushing Back Without Pushing Away
If we all speak up and push back more often, we contribute to creating cultures of open knowledge-sharing and an ever expanding ... read more
Courageous Conversations
Embedded within constructive conversations are “courageous” conversations - the tough ones that we avoid if possible. Whether we are ... read more
Addressing Unconscious Bias
When facing a tough decision, we are often encouraged to listen to our instincts. But have you ever wondered how your ‘gut’ makes a ... read more
The Age of Affinity – values-based decision making
As we leave behind globalisation and profit-only mindsets, we find ourselves in a new age of values-based leadership and decision ... read more
Belonging – the power of inclusivity
Research tell us that a sense of belonging is the key ingredient in maintaining a relatively stable workplace. Find out why it's so ... read more
Immunity to Change
There is a mysterious gap between our intentions and our actions that often prevents us from making the changes we seek. ... read more
Racheting Up Resilience
How to grow your resilience muscle to do the heavy lifting in the new normal. read more
Talking High Performing Teams with Laura Clemesha
Performance Frontiers are thrilled to welcome our new associate, Laura Clemesha. Laura is a former member of the Queensland Firebirds ... read more
From Prophesy to Strategy
Gaze into the crystal ball with us in our latest article for Training & Development Magazine. read more
Award-Winning BIG W Optimum Program
We won Best Learning Culture in an Organisation for our work on BIG W Optimum! read more
Three Questions with Principal Dr Hayley Linthwaite
We’re delighted to announce Dr Hayley Linthwaite has been appointed Principal of Performance Frontiers. Hayley joined us in 2017 and ... read more
Just Transitions – Interview with Dr Matt Beard
Performance Frontiers talk leadership and the next frontiers in ethics with Dr Matt Beard of The Ethics Centre. read more
Ethics in the Digital Age
What does ethical leadership mean in our evolving digital workplace? read more
ANZ Mental Health Association Feature: Job Crafting Your Nine to Thrive
Natalie Richardson's latest piece offers practical tips to craft a better working life for you and your team. read more
The Dance of Partnering
In this article, we learn the "dance" of business partnering: joining and differentiating read more
We are AITD Award Finalists!
Our partnerships with BIG W, and Logan City Council, have both been nominated for an AITD Award. read more
Join us at The Great Wave, Oct 16-19 2020
Hayley Linthwaite and Natasha Budd are facilitating "Here Be Dragons" an immersive online experience at The Great Wave Melbourne Hub. read more
Job Crafting: Redesigning Your 9 to Thrive.
Performance Frontiers are presenting at the Workplace Mental Health Symposium. read more
Empathy Mapping: The Road to Innovation
Good design begins with empathy. In this article, we explore how to place empathy at the heart of our problem-solving and innovation processes. read more
The Power of Story
Story is a powerful, but often under-appreciated leadership tool. Here's are some need-to-knows about unleashing the power of story. read more
Building Self-Esteem: From Self to Whole Team
How can we sustainably instil a strong sense of self-esteem in ourselves, our team and our whole organisation? read more
Bridging the Strategy Execution Gap
You've set your strategic focus, now it's time to take action. This is often where things fall apart. When it comes to strategy execution, how do we bridge the gap? read more
Dynamic Decision Making: How to Beat the Tortoise
We're often told that quick decisions are reckless; that slow and steady is the wiser way. We all know the tale of the tortoise and the hare. But what if we could beat the tortoise and make wise decisions at pace? read more
Strategic Prioritisation
It's common to find ourselves asking, which - from our array of strategic initiatives - should receive the most attention and why? read more
Sharpening our Strategic Focus
How do we share our focus between how we operate our organisation today, and how we innovate and implement strategies for the future? read more
Workplace Today Interview: Business Innovation During COVID-19
Alis speaks to Workplace Today about the necessity of innovation in this landscape, and how leaders can cultivate workplace cultures primed for innovation. read more
Hayley Linthwaite to present at Global Cyber Conference for Peace
Senior Associate, Dr Hayley Linthwaite, is co-hosting a session this Saturday June 27th at the Global Cyber Peace Conference. This ... read more
Learning From Living Systems
There is much wisdom to be found in the natural systems that surround us. Here are 4 Leadership Lessons captured in a brilliant living document, courtesy of the DAC lab. read more
ATOMIC Presence for Digital Learning
In our latest article for Training & Development magazine, Hayley explores how the human connection can be strengthened online. read more
Energising Performance Conversations
Performance conversations can be tricky. How do leaders re-energise the process for better outcomes? And how do we navigate post-covid? read more
Introduction to Whole Systems Thinking
It took a pandemic to see how connected and interdependent we are as a global community. As leaders, we need to understand what it means to lead with whole systems awareness, so we can make sure our ripple effect is a positive one. read more
10 tips for Facilitating Online Learning with Zoom
One story of how we fast-tracked our digital strategy and pivoted to 100% online learning in less than a week. read more
Three Questions with Marianne de Pierres
In 2020, PF celebrated our 20th birthday. With over 20 years' of leadership, learning and transformation carefully crafted and collated content under our belts, and a brand new vision to scale our positive impact, we were looking for the perfect voice to share our great work with the rest of the world. In walked Marianne. read more
Political Astuteness: “Dirty Word” or Vital Leadership Skill?
What does it mean to be politically astute and why is this a key skill in today's business environment? read more
Transformational Leadership in the Age of Epidemics
COVID-19 is not a blip in the system. Disruption is new normal. To thrive, we need leaders with buoyancy and purpose. Leaders who are not afraid to challenge convention. Leaders dedicated to transformation. read more
Training Industry Magazine Feature: Psych Safety
To get the best out of teams, the modern leader must nurture psychological safety. Yet this is particularly hard in remote teams and fast-moving organisations. Our latest article, published in the March edition of Training Industry Magazine, outlines five tried and tested safety tools you can use to help teams rapidly develop psychological safety. read more
Adaptive Leadership
Our world is a complex, unpredictable ecosystem. Now with the added gravity of a pandemic in our lives, we can hardly ignore the VUCA reality that envelopes us. Without minimising the current realities we’re experiencing, how might we find a way to adapt and thrive? read more
Creative Brainstorming Tools
To solve for new and unprecedented challenges, we need new ways of thinking. Here are three tools to spark it... read more
From ‘Fake It Till You Make It’, To Cultivating True Joy
In name of making it through COVID-19, you may feel pressure to “put on a brave face”. However, forced positivity can add to the overall levels of strain. How can you cultivate true joy and remain buoyant? The answer may surprise you. read more
Adapting Learning Online: 6 Emerging Priorities
In these difficult times, it’s important to carve out clear space for the leadership development that will help us adapt and ... read more
Pause with PF
We're all going through a lot. To be the leaders we need to at this time, it helps to find a moment of calm in the storm. To support ... read more
Leading Through COVID-19 With Buoyancy
Everyday, it seems we are confronted with new and unprecedented challenges. As we recover from the bushfires, and as the impact of COVID-19 unfolds, how do we lead through crisis and disruption? One answer lies in buoyancy. read more
We’re speaking at Atlassian Summit 2020
Important update: We regret to announce that Atlassian Summit 2020 has been cancelled amid escalating concern around the COVID-19 ... read more
Is Your Caterer Killing Your Learning Potential?
In our latest article for Training & Development magazine, Natalie Richardson explores how leaders can use the science of nutrition to enhance learning and development outcomes. read more
Partnering for Value Creation Pt 2: The Dance
This is Part 2 of Optimising Value Creation Through Partnership: an exploration into the value of creating partnering relationships. read more
Partnering for Value Creation Pt 1: The Case
Here, we present our case for partnering: why creating partnerships is a key contemporary leadership skill, and one of the greatest resources for value creation. read more
Horizontal Leadership
In 2019, we are sharing our Horizontal Leadership research anew. New model, same sentiment: What we achieve alone cannot compare to what we achieve together. read more
Cultivating Personal, Leadership and Cultural Buoyancy
Our worklives are often characterised by many up and downs - some more severe than others. How do we move through tough times more constructively? read more
Curiosity: A Primary Leadership Discipline Today
Much has been written about the power and importance of curiosity in organisations today. And yet, despite the benefits, curiosity deficits are common. How do we make the shift? read more
Woolworths Group’s Eco Transformation
Today Sydney Morning Herald acknowledged Woolworths Group for their transformation into a dynamic retail ecosystem. This transformation means a lot to us. read more
PF to present at PMIAC 2019
Calling all Project Managers, Project Teams, and anyone interested in the power of story. PF will be presenting on project storytelling at PMIAC 2019. read more
Focus on the Learner Experience Not Engagement
PF's article explores what happens when we shift our focus from learner engagement to the learner experience. (published in Training Magazine, March 2019) read more
Can #libspill Teach us Something About Leading Transformation?
Another day, another leadership spill in Australian politics. Can we learn something from this chaos in the Coalition about steering transformation and the human side of change? read more
PF Present at Get BIM Right: bSA Management Series
We were recently invited to present at the buildingSMART Management Series around the topic 'Get BIM Right". Our Managing Director, ... read more
Giving and Receiving Feedback: It’s a Gift
Mention the word “feedback” in a professional setting and you will find many people shaking in their boots or running for the hills . The kicker is that people actually crave feedback. Even if it scares them. We encourage people to see feedback as a gift: one worth receiving and sharing at every opportunity. read more
Courage in the Boardroom
Courage involves saying what needs to be said to the right person, at the right time, and in the right manner. As leaders, our observations are vital, yet many of us find it difficult to speak up, particularly if our message could be hard to hear. How do we back ourselves for the benefit of our entire organisation? read more
Feature Article: The Age of L&D Content Curation
In the age of information, learners often feel overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information at their fingertips. Is content curation a new priority for learning and development teams? Check out PF Senior Associate, Natalie Richardson‘s, new article published on Training Industry online. read more
Leadershift: Leading Horizontally and Vertically
Modern organisations are highly matrixed and rely on partnership and interconnection to deliver business outcomes. The leadership required is one that not only sees vertically, but horizontally as well, delivering outcomes for your function or business, balanced with a considered understanding of what is best for the whole organisation. read more
![ACE-ing Customer Experience at BWS [CASE STUDY]](https://performancefrontiers.com/leadership/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Portal_Display-pic_ACE.jpg)
ACE-ing Customer Experience at BWS [CASE STUDY]
For the last three years, our team have partnered with BWS to transform the business, boosting engagement in a team of 7500 across 1300 stores and creating a customer-centric culture through a handful of initiatives, including the Revolutionary Authentic Customer Experience (ACE) Program. read more
Five Essentials to Having a Courageous Conversation
In our professional lives, situations often arise that bring about the need to have difficult conversations. Here are 5 steps to help you courageously navigate these situations. read more
One Link in a Chain Reaction: Employee Motivation
You may have heard of the ripple effect of positive emotions, but what about the ripple effect of employee motivation on customer satisfaction? And how can leaders spark this chain reaction? read more
Agile Innovation: Insights from the World Business Forum 2017
Our MD Gretel attended the World Business Forum 2017 and unpacks the top three priorities for getting Agile in your organisation. read more
Redesigning Retail: Empathy and Customer-centric Innovation
In this second article of our Redesigning Retail series we ask: How important is empathy in this modern retail environment? And how can Design Thinking help retailers design innovative customer experiences? read more
Redesigning Retail: Create Great Customer Experiences
In this first article of our Redesigning Retail series, we ask: How can we take a leaf from Amazon’s book and write the next chapter for Australian retail? read more
Leader as Facilitator
Contemporary leadership can often feel as if you have to be all things to all people: expert and friend and enabler and strategist...and…and…and… read more
Happy Holidays
For Performance Frontiers, 2017 will be... read more
Subscribe for monthly insights
We’ve launched a monthly newsletter, Thought Frontiers:
Fresh thinking on leadership and our transforming world of work.
From the frontiers, to your inbox, every month.
Performance Frontiers’ Founder and Director Gretel Bakker leverages her 16 years’ experience as a world-class organisational designer and facilitator to expand human capacity, incite transformational change and drive individuals to shape exceptional futures.
Creative provocateur and Global Changemaker, Dr Hayley Linthwaite, is a program designer, facilitator and coach with Performance Frontiers. She empowers individuals, organisations and communities through creative collaboration, social innovation and practical exploration to envision and enable a better future. Hayley has extensive experience in theories, forms, and conventions of applied performance, behavioural and systemic change, strategic conflict analysis, and experiential learning honed within extensive roles as an arts educator, researcher, director and performer.
A dynamo designer and problem-solving prodigy, Kate applies her design expertise and passion for visual learning to our graphic, instructional and product design department.
As a principal, lead facilitator, process designer, writer and executive coach at Performance Frontiers, Dr Martin Challis is dedicated to utilising his creativity and insight as powerful catalysts for facilitating learning and transformational change in organisations, teams and individuals.
Backed by over a decade of national and international experience in education, corporate management and consultancy, Taya’s work as an impassioned facilitator designer, educator and coach at Performance Frontiers expertly balances content and process to elicit powerful learning outcomes and cultivate meaningful change.
Dr Georgia Seffrin is supported by over 15 years’ experience in transformational change and leadership in organisations. She has built a productive career in learning design and facilitation across a diversity of professional sectors including education, health, government, corporate and arts organisations.
As Performance Frontier’s lead graphic and instructional designer, Jason breathes life into complex theory and unlocks new ways of thinking through the production of captivating tools and designs.
Jocelyn utilises her expertise in relationship management, knowledge of integrated marketing communications and skills in word wizardry to establish, maintain and enrichen PF’s professional relationships.
Ed recognises the partnering role finance has in realising an organisation’s strategy. Over six years, Ed has responded to manifold challenges of our rapidly evolving business and has helped Performance Frontiers thrive. His skillful management and refinement of our financial processes and systems help to ensure that we remain agile, responsive and successful. His financial expertise has been built through decades of financial consultation, dedicated bookkeeping, financial reporting and accounting both locally and nationally.
Lowanna uses her 20 years’ experience as a program designer, facilitator, arts educator and academic to help our clients make meaningful change in a way than inspires transformational growth.
Kylie uses her high-level relationship skills, expertise in coaching psychology and facilitation prowess to co-create transformative learning experiences and build human potential.
Dr Jane Austin brings over 20 years’ experience as a registered clinical psychologist to guide organisational and individual development in her work as a designer, coach and facilitator with Performance Frontiers team.
Olga is our office all-rounder and administration superstar. She applies her design acumen and super organisational skills to the task of designing efficient systems processes behind the scenes at Performance Frontiers.