Much has changed in Australia since I lived there and carried out journalistic assignments across the nation for the national broadcaster in the 1980s.
This was before departing Australian shores to become an ABC foreign correspondent based in the UK and continental Europe.
Now that I have arrived back in London – after completing of my 2026 Professional Speaking Tour of Australia – I’m mulling over some of the bedazzling changes that have taken place Down Under.
These changes include:
• There are far more impressively designed skyscrapers in Australia’s largest cities – especially in the Queensland state capital Brisbane which has expanded rapidly under its “tall, not sprawl” planning policies
• There is far wider and more gracious recognition of the rights of the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders as the original custodians of the continent’s land and waters – illustrated in signs such as this one in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy
• There’s a vast array of thriving new frozen yoghurt outlets across Australia – offering patrons their multi-flavoured products, served with a range of fresh fruits and other enticements, to cool everyone down during a day in the Antipodean sunshine
• And a significant number of Australian business leaders now take part in collective sessions to improve their company performances – and enhance their individual skills – by working with visiting professional speakers within business leaders’ groups.
Here’s a business leaders’ group – based in the South Australian state capital of Adelaide – meeting in a gin distillery run by one of the members.
Members are pictured with a visiting speaker – who seems to be holding an imaginary glass of gin!!!
This Adelaide group is chaired by CEO coach and mentor, Rod Buchecker – wearing the mauve shirt.
It runs under the umbrella of Vistage International.
Vistage is one of various brands of business leaders’ groups with which I work.
Its groups often meet on the business premises of their members.
The session pictured took place on the well-stocked premises of the Prohibition Liquor Company.
“Give Great Answers To Tough Questions” sessions demonstrate how business leaders can improve their responses to the blowtorch-on-the-belly questions they face.
Such questions can come from customers, prospects, government officials, journalists and/or from members of their own team.
Group members are equipped with the “Golden Formulae” for giving great answers – as they work on enhancing the content, structure and delivery style of the enlightened responses they need to questions they suspect they’re going to face.
Members secretly score each other so that their performance levels can be measured objectively.
A prize goes to the biggest improver!
In Adelaide, the prize was awarded to Jaimee Charlton.
Here’s Jaimee receiving her author-signed copy of ‘Great Answers To Tough Questions At Work’, published by Wiley.
I’ve had the privilege of working with business leaders in many Vistage groups across the United Kingdom – as well as in Brazil and Malta, and now Australia.
If readers of this ezine anywhere are interested in joining a business leaders’ group, I’m happy to discuss what I know about groups that run near where you work.
Meanwhile there’s good news in Australia for anyone who wants to visit their local office supplies store and take a peek at ‘Great Answers To Tough Questions At Work’ on its bookshelves.
The book is on sale at the Officeworks chain – founded in 1994 and now Australia’s largest supplier of office and stationery products.
The 170 Officeworks stores across Australia typically look like this.
And here’s what you can find in the book-selling section of an Officeworks store…
But if you live somewhere that doesn’t have an Officeworks outlet around the corner, there is another choice.
‘Great Answers To Tough Questions At Work’ remains on the online shelves of Amazon in cyberspace.
You can check out the book at this international Amazon site:
Or you can find it on Amazon in the country where you are!
Amazingly, the version of ‘Great Answers To Tough Questions At Work’ sold in Officeworks has a slightly different look to versions I’ve seen on shelves elsewhere.
In Officeworks, the Australian copies come with a shiny cover – which is far glossier than the more subdued matt finish version available in northern hemisphere bookshops.
Of course, having a bit of gloss around your communications approach isn’t everything – but it can be nice to have!!!