Small Talk - Blog by Houratious Albert

Culture, diversity, and sustainability are the defining keywords of the present-day workplace.  Leaders and employees alike are searching for the magic formula to understand and theorise abstract and far-reaching concepts like culture and diversity. Current ways of achieving diversity that organisations and leaders adopt are to include observable diversity like ethnicity and background into consideration when forming teams. This is amazing progress compared to 10 years ago when I was rejected for jobs in small companies at the final stage of interviews because of “cultural fit” and not due to technical or leadership abilities.  Today, that is not just unacceptable, we are in a world where people actively try and work against such biases. That is a pleasant and welcome change. Where the trouble starts is after the formation of a diverse team.   Leaders and teams will not be able to harness the power of Diversity of thought if we are unable to...

Short Version (TL;DR:) Having delivery managed the team that won the IT News Award for health category 2021, on a very high note, I am moving on from Readify / Telstra purple as part of the current redundancies at Telstra. I am evaluating my next career move to join an organisation that enables me to contribute to a purpose that makes a difference.  Long version:  Last week, the project that I delivery managed, CHRIS, won the IT News award 2021 for the health category. The week before, I was confirmed of my redundancy as part of the current round of job cuts at Telstra along with 1400+ other colleagues. It couldn’t have been a better time, as it gives me the opportunity to end my current chapter in the organisation on a high note and with a swell of pride for my humble contributions, while walking among giants. From my early days at our tiny office in Docklands as a consultant, intimidated by the brainpower around me, to my current position leading the same state/squad in Vict...