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My Green SuperCamp Journey By Tari Kumari

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My journey with Green SuperCamp Australia began in 2012, when I was gifted a full scholarship to attend a senior forum in Bali. At the time, I was halfway through my final year of high school and very focused on achieving academically. I was school captain of my high school, working on the weekends and volunteering in community based programmes in my spare time. With so much going on for me, I found myself extremely stressed and run down. I thought I was too busy, and definitely too ‘cool’ to be heading to a camp in my school holidays. Nevertheless, I went along with my younger brother to SuperCamp and it turned out to be an incredible blessing. It been a big part of my life ever since! 

As a camper, I found that the Quantum Learning strategies shared at SuperCamp gave me the cutting edge and extra boost I needed to excel further in my HSC. I’d been struggling with a condition called ‘trauma dyslexia’ at school and Quantum Reading allowed me to really re-frame my approach to reading. The life skills woven throughout the curriculum really opened my eyes to the concept of self reflection and self work. I found the 8 Keys of Excellence helped me to articulate my goals and feelings. I am an introvert, and while at SuperCamp I listened intently to what the Facilitators shared with us. I’d never had a ‘teacher’ so full of energy and so passionate about what they had to say and I was inspired by the confidence and worldliness of the Team Leaders. Carrying this experience home with me, I found myself having realisations and developing new aspirations long after my actual experience at camp was over, which turned out to be a real gem for me. 

I became a Team Leader as soon as I was old enough (19!) which felt like a very long two year wait (this was before the Leader in Training experience existed, otherwise I would have jumped at the chance!) I participated in both local and international programmes, which fuelled my desire to keep being a part of this world shifting program. The training that the staff team go through before campers actually arrive opened my eyes to the depth of research that goes into the foundations of the program. I loved learning more about the ‘why’ behind the way camp is set up, and about expanding my personal leadership and communication skills. After team leading at over 15 programmes across Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore I jumped that the chance to become Camp Coordinator one summer at a SuperCamp in Bali. I couldn’t believe that 4 years later, there I was right back where I started- but this time running the program. I felt I had come full circle. 

In the following months, reflecting on the privilege it was to shape and run an entire programme, I knew there was more opportunity for me to give and grow within SuperCamp and so I set a goal to become a Facilitator with Green SuperCamp Australia. In June 2017, I was so lucky to have been given the opportunity to travel to America to train with Quantum Learning to become a Facilitator. This was one of the most radical intellectual and emotional educational growth experiences I have ever had. I knew from my past experiences just how powerful the words of Facilitators can be. I had seen it done masterfully before and knew that I wanted to become one of those magnetic, empowering speakers whose voices had resonated with me over the years. Facilitation is a constant process of preparing, presenting and then reflecting. I carry a notebook with me and jot down ideas for key talks or academic pieces that come to me throughout the day. Collaboration between Facilitators on pieces and constant feedback is something that keeps us striving to improve and hold ourselves to the highest standard. When I present, I am looking to put myself in the campers shoes, and consider how myself, as a camper, would feel receiving what I have to say. For me to connect to the young people who come to Green SuperCamp through facilitation is an incredible privilege and I am so committed to continuing to grow myself in order to be of greater service to them. 

Wearing Hessian Underwear and other Life Challenges By Heather Yelland

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As a young girl growing up in the country, I had the freedom of thousands of acres of land on which to run, play, adventure and create, as well as 3 brothers with whom to share those adventures.  Miles form the nearest neighbours, we could be forgiven for thinking we were alone in the world.  Yet, my darling mum had rules about how the clothes must be hung on the line, with the underwear on the inside lines and all the pants hanging together, just in case someone dropped in and saw the clothes line.  Even then, some 40 plus years ago, I would sigh and say, “really mum, what does it matter?”.

Being more of the persuasion of “who cares what others think of me”, it was somewhat baffling to me to make sense of balancing the need to just get the washing dry with my mother’s need to have things “look right”.  Then I grew up and realised this was a micro demonstration of one of life’s true challenges.

It seems life is a continual journey of wanting to be our true authentic self and trying to be what other people want, need or expect of us.  Pulled left and pushed right, we sometimes forget to honour our own truth and walk our own path.  Indeed, if we bend and mould to the needs of others for long enough, we can become completely disconnected from our own truth and that inner wisdom that could so powerfully guide our journey.

There’s a strong social discourse for women (and indeed for men too) about what it means to be a woman, mother, wife, daughter, sister, community member and so on.  But who makes these rules and who sets the expectations?  My sense is we all do, yet we seldom stop to reflect on the impact of these social expectations on how we live our lives.  Handed blindly from one generation to the next, we end up conforming to these expectations and wearing the ill-fitting and out-dated garments of the past.

When finally the garment rubs like hessian, we are usually well into our adult years and too entrenched in the patterns of serving others to know what’s happening to us, how to deal with it or to whom we can go to even share the deeply guarded truth that we’re struggling.  After all, I’m surely the ONLY one who feels like this, right?

This is the power of finding your tribe – that unique group of people who genuinely want you to simply be your best and will stand with you and by you whilst you shake off the old garments and create your own new ones!  This is a group where sharing your struggles and vulnerability builds connection and meaning, rather than judgement.  The human soul seeks connection, understanding and belonging, yet we all too often rob ourselves of the opportunity to experience this because of our own judgement and the need to wear the cloak of happiness – a garment that keeps us apart from others.

“Today you are You, that’s truer than true.  There’s no-one alive who is Youer than You”, Dr Seuss.

Speaking Into The Listening By ST Hoogwout

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Have you ever put a postcard in a letterbox?

Now, have you ever wanted to deliver a bulk post package, then tried to deliver it through that same small letterbox?

You might reply: “That’s stupid, why try something that doesn’t work?”

Exactly, yet this analogy reflects how we often communicate.

The package (our message) doesn’t fit the letterbox of the receiver (what is important to them). 

And we all have a different letterbox.

What happens when you receive a telemarketer’s call?

Do they ask you for your current requirements, your satisfaction level with services, what is and what is not important about the services?

No, right?!?

They share their messaging, their offer, their version of that bulk package that, more often than not, doesn’t fit our letterbox.

So what can you learn about yourself and the way your communicate with others?

For us to build any relationship and develop any level of trust, whether it be with a team member, colleague, prospect:

“Seek first to understand”

The foundation of trust – which impacts the relationship quality.

When we understand what is uniquely important to the other, and genuinely demonstrate this understanding and our care to help the other, then we can develop, nurture and deepen the relationship.

Not before.

So, what can you do differently today to speak into the listening of the people around you?

So… What is it you do, Jodi? By Jodi O’Connell

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I absolutely love turning up to work and being all of who I am, just the same as I do when I turn up to my friend’s place, or turn up as a mum, or whatever. And finally, I now work with an organisation where who I am and what I bring is the most important thing in what I do. In fact, I am the General Manager, so not only is it the most important thing for me, it sets the tone for the team that I manage. In a sense, my role focuses on Change Leadership, because we work in the space of change.

My role focuses on creating the glue that engages people, as unique individuals and as a team, so I am essentially a glue maker.

And the third thing that I do, is about working with people’s values and really understanding what it is that inspires them. I support them to develop their own natural leadership capacity as I build my own in alignment with that. And interestingly, that is actually what we do in the Elevate Business service stream.

We actually do Change Leadership, which is the architecture around an intentional change process, we build cultures of engagement where people wake up and can’t wait to get to work and do what they love, just like me. And we really pay attention to finding that unique flow for each individual within a values-based leadership model.

So, it’s perfect! I get to BE it and foster it in the business that I lead, and then our consulting team go out and deliver it in a way that is congruent with the business they consult with.

My job, as General Manager of The Elevation Company is to make sure that what we do and be and model within our own business, is a wonderful example of what we consult with other businesses to do, be and create in theirs. In fact, my test of success is to make sure that we are the best possible example of what we teach when we consult with other businesses.

Values Based Leadership with one of Australia’s Leading HR Professionals By Wilamina Russo

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Sue-Ellen Watts, Founder wattsnext 

In 2017 Sue-Ellen and the wattsnext team were invited as leading social influencers to the largest global HR conference, Society for Human Resources Management held in America each year. 

Their company mission/purpose is ‘we create great workplaces’ and the wattsnext company values are:

  1. We get it done with no ego and no excuses
  2. We have confidence to tell it as it is
  3. We work on the skinny branches
  4. We let our creative juices flow
  5. We are passionate and in the tough times we fight

1. What does values based leadership mean to you?

Firstly, I am very passionate about my belief that the vision, mission and values are the core of an organization and drive everything. The vision supports decisions made around the board table, the mission drives the customer experience and the values are the tools that the team can call upon to guide them, particularly when they are not sure what to do. 

Values are there to guide the behaviors of a team in a non-hierarchical manner. They are the strongest tools managers have in their tool box, when designed well and used correctly of course. True values should underpin and assist decision making. They should never be just fancy words on a wall or website. However I strongly believe that when we decide on our values we shouldn’t choose words that we already live easily. Just like our vision I think our values should be somewhat aspirational. I like to look at where the gaps are in a business and how we must behave to achieve our vision and mission and create values to support that. 

To me values based leadership is all about creating a work environment where the people treat the business like it is their own. It frees up a leader to be a true leader and not have to fall back to managing unnecessarily. Well-designed company values should guide the behavior of all employees, they should keep the train on its tracks. They should allow leaders to keep the flame alight (the purpose), to remain strategic and forward focused, while having the confidence that employee decisions are guided by the values. In essence people grow by making mistakes, taking risks and being curious and I see VBL as a leadership style that allows this to happen. Without putting the business at risk. 

2. Can you give us an example of your VBL in action?

An example that stands out to me is when I was recently about to present to a group of conservative business professionals about the Future of Work. We had prepared a fun game to kick things off which involved balloons and some team fun. As I welcomed the guests into the room I was greeted by very conservative, reserved and mature business men. My immediate feeling was that I could not possibly do the balloon game! They would not appreciate it and I would lose credibility with this audience. However I knew that there was specific reason for this activity. We had designed the presentation the way we had because we have a different approach to HR and business and this activity was part of the overall message, not just a fun starter. I turned to my colleague and advised her that I was pulling the balloon game from the agenda. It was clear to both of us that I was scared of how we would be perceived. That was when the magic happened. My colleague did not hesitate in responding to me ‘skinny branches’! this is our courage value and it is place specifically for situations like this. Where we stop doing something that we know is authentic and right because we are scared. I had no response. I had to live our values and be brave. I did and the audience loved it!!! Not only did the value help me in that situation to keep true to our offering but it also allowed a direct report to hold the CEO to account which I love!  

3. Who else have you seen employ VBL well?

We help our clients identify their Vision, Mission and Values so we are very spoilt to see some amazing leaders go through this process. I say we help our clients identify them as this is an art. The business owner must understand their story, what is important to them and what impact they have on the world. We help them extract this information and articulate their story. Many are intrinsically VBL’s, but the process allows them to become Values Based Leaders in their own right and educate others on their story.

What I have noticed by offering this service is how often established business owners have lost touch with their why. They are no longer connecting with why they started their business in the first place or what value they offer their customers. That is really sad for me because I love business and am insired by entrepreneurs and business owners. My favorite activity in our business is helping business owners and employees reconnect with the reason they go to work everyday and the impact they are having on the world!

4. What impact has VBL had on your team/company?

We live and breathe our Vision, Mission and Values every day, but VBL has allowed me to understand my own leadership style. I am a self-improvement junkie and allergic to micro management. I believe in people and that together we can make a difference, but it hasn’t always been that way. As the business has evolved I have had to evolve with it and I am a strong believer that you must understand where you are can have the largest impact. Values Based Leadership has given me the confidence to be strategic, forward focused and Ok with being the visionary. That is where I can impact into our next decade, VBL has helped me come to terms with the new leadership role I now have. 

Thanks Sue-Ellen!

My Passion for Green SuperCamp By Matt Searle

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My experience at Green Super Camp Australia has been a blast. I started off at GSCA as a team leader the year after finishing high school, I came into this program excited but unaware of the entire content that was covered and no prior knowledge from family or friends.

When I reflect on it, my first camp I got to see and experience a lot of camp through the eyes of a camper. As much as I was there to help the campers grow and find themselves, as well as guide them throughout, camp provided that exact same opportunity to me. I saw the way the facilitators presented pieces and I was left on wanting more, it made me ready and willing to dive into a deeper level of understanding. When the campers had questions, I had the exact same ones. That’s what I think is the coolest thing about this program, no matter how many times you come back as a camper or part of the team creating the experience, there’s something new for you to challenge you or make you grow some more. That one area you’ve been trying to ignore comes up and really makes you take your life in the right direction.

 As a facilitator now, I love to present these opportunities to new campers, allowing them to think and assess how they show up in life and how they would like to interact with their families back at home. Every day is a fresh interaction with the campers, giving them a chance to continue to shape themselves learning from the day prior’s learnings.

To those still wondering about the impacts this camp has, you’ll never know until you stand there with the campers on their final day and see how they shine in a new light. An experience you’ll never forget.

I love GSCA because of the family. The love that is found here cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.The way bonds are formed in such a short time is something that the next generation needs. Each of these bonds at camp create a safe space that allow anyone to open up, find yourself and be the you that you want to be.

To take these connections with you later on in life creates such a support network that no matter what, there’s always a family willing to listen to you. Who couldn’t love something like that? With the way the worlds going currently we need more teens connected to one another through actual emotions not just technology. GSCA is more than just a camp, but a life changing experience that has ability to reach a limitless amount of young people helping make a positive impact on them and those around them. What’s not to love?

Out of all of the Impacts we make, this one’s my Favourite by Cathy Fyffe

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My favourite impact made by TEC is too see the transformation in the young people that attend our Green SuperCamp program. To have young people deepen their understanding of themselves in their formative years fills me with joy.  It’s exciting to see them get connected to the fact that ultimately the key to our happiness is to love ourselves exactly as we are. (Of course they learn many other things too.)

So many of us spend our life time finding this truth and go through a lot of grief and heartache before we discover this for ourselves. Our Green Supercamp Program hopefully short circuits some of this and opens the hearts and minds of our young people so they can make their unique difference in the world.

The Queen of the Action Vortex by Claire Clifton

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The first time I heard Heather speak about the ‘Action Vortex’ where we get caught up in the “How” of things and the ensuing action and reaction, I knew she was speaking to me. It may as well have had my name on it.

Having continuously seen my purpose in life to make everything better, I have always looked at “How” to fix the current problem. It has, without exception, caused me to work harder, or faster, or take on yet another extra job, making me busier and more and more frantic. Awareness of this pattern lead me to discovering my overwhelming Default drama of “I’m responsible for everything!”

It is still something I need to be aware of as I continue to have a tendency towards this state, but now that I understand the concept of asking myself “Why?” and not “How?” I find I am becoming much more attuned to the flow of life and in identifying why I need something. I seem to find a new path in exploring that “why?” and it doesn’t involve pushing myself, or being busy, or burying myself in the rush of life. Indeed the more I ask “Why?” the more I am becoming aware of what is important to me on a daily basis, and at last the Vortex is slipping further and further from me.

I am probably as busy as I have ever been, however because I am no longer caught in the whirlpool of how I am going to keep it all together, I am free to explore why it is important and enjoy the flow of energy that comes from being at peace with that.

Why I joined The Elevation Company by Jodi O’Connell

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I get really excited about stories of how when you put an intention out into the Universe, it manifests…. especially my own!

Five years ago the Universe decided I needed a HUGE ‘wake-up call’ in the form of a medical condition that could have taken my life. I made the conscious decision to treat it as such, and reevaluated my entire world. This resulted in my starting to question if there was more to the life I had been leading and whether I was truly living it to my fullest potential. I had absolutely lost the truth of who I was.

Yes I had a “why me” moment…. But not a “why has this happened to me” moment. More of a “why on earth have I survived!” moment.

Fast forward 18 months and a friend of mine attended an event in Melbourne where Heather Yelland spoke about Green SuperCamp Australia. My friend was so impressed that when she heard that Heather was running an adult program, she called me and said “We HAVE to go!” Given the growth journey I was now dedicated to, and the curiosity I had about this Heather Yelland character, I agreed to attend with her. (Thank you Bobbi!)

Wow…. I was blown away! The power of the framework taught at the event and Heather’s ‘very real’ presentation style had me sold. I came home and told everyone who would listen: “I don’t know in what capacity, but I am going to work with Heather and her co presenter Cathy Fyffe in the future.” Upon learning my Big Why, my top values, my default drama and unique point of inspiration, (the foundations behind The Elevation Company framework) my life was literally changed forever! I ceased merely existing, and started living a life of absolute truth, integrity and flow.

As a result of the impact of my experience I chose to volunteer for every event the company ran over the next 12 months, whilst undertaking a coaching/mentoring course with Heather and Cathy. It was during one of those calls that Heather mentioned that her PA had decided to resign and that she was looking for a potential replacement. I felt my heart racing…. This was IT! I remember grabbing my phone and texting her that “I WANT THAT POSITION!” Then I burst into tears. Here was the opportunity I had expressed to the Universe that I wanted – the opportunity to support others rediscover the truth of who they are and live the difference they were born to make.

I started with the company in September 2015 as an Administration Coordinator. I received a promotion to General Manager in July 2017 and the possibilities are endless as to what my future at TEC looks like. I just know that it fills my love tank, encourages my growth as both an individual and a team member, and it allows me to bring my Big Why of IMPACT to each and every working day. Added bonus: I get to work with amazing beings on a daily basis.

So I strongly recommend that you do “put it out there” when you want something to happen. The Universe is always listening.

Values Based Leadership with Andrew Kirk by Wilamina Russo

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Name – Andrew Kirk, Managing Principal

Company – Forsyths, www.forsyths.com.au

Claim to fame – We’ve been around for almost 100 years and feel the best is yet to come.

Company Values – We are invested in your success. We are committed to quality outcomes. We will not carry passengers. We care about our community.

 

  1.       What does values based leadership mean to you?

Everyone brings a unique set of skills to make our company great – all 100 plus team members are equally important.  For me, it’s about realising that each and everyone in the business has a role to play.

Previously it was predominantly about the leadership team rowing the boat. That’s simply not going to work anymore. Now its about having an ocean liner to accommodate the whole team! Having everyone on that ocean liner, paddling in the right direction, everyone along for the journey.

  1.       Can you give me an example of your VBL in action?

Embarking on this cultural piece for our business. If you had asked my five years ago about company culture, I would have told you it was not a high priority, not a major focus for the organisation. But now I truly believe that getting that right is going to be crucial in taking our company to where we want to go. Getting everyone on that ocean liner and having a true understanding of their importance to our organisation needs to be business as usual.

  1.       Who else have you seen employ VBL well?

A difficult question. Whilst I have visibility around certain aspects of other organisations, I don’t get to see how they necessarily live and breathe VBL.

Reflecting on our organisation, we have over 65% females with a lot of working mums. They are clear on their values, direction and what is important to them. Their intent is sincere and they simply don’t tolerate a lot of bullshit.

So to that end, when you ask for an example of VBL in action I’m going to  say my Wife who leads our family! She absolutely leads with her values. She is honest with herself and with us, she holds true to what’s important to her, she is happy to challenge the family when she feels it is needed, does so with such dignity and respect, and I can definitely learn a thing or two from her!

  1.       What impact has VBL had on your team/company?

Our organisation has so much potential. We have a group of talented people that we need to get all rowing the same way. By making culture a focus, communicating with the team, empowering them, letting them know they are equal contributors to the direction and success of this business, that is the piece that is critical to the continue success of the Firm.

We are by no means there yet, it’s a work in progress, but the journey has begun.

Thanks Andrew!

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