Professional Development

How to Nail your Interview in 2021: From using your (A)ge as a strength to (Z)oom backgrounds

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

A job interview can seem daunting at the best of times, even more so if it has been a while since your last one. Read below our top tips on getting back in the game so you can enter your next interview with confidence to stand out from the crowd.

Body language speaks volumes

Needless to say, your conversation during an interview should always remain professional. However, if you are talking the talk, it is important your body language is walking the walk. You could be saying all the right things but if you are slouching and looking off into the distance while talking, your message won’t have the same impact. Sitting up straight, with your arms uncrossed and open, conveys a message of confidence to your interviewer (even if you’re not feeling it); fake it until you make it! Maintaining eye contact is also vital. Holding the interviewer’s gaze communicates the message that you are motivated and enthusiastic to take on the position.

Interviewing in an AC (After Covid) World

In today’s corporate climate, there is a high chance that your interview could be conducted online via a platform like Zoom... and the rules are no different. Professional attire is still a must. It is also a good idea to pick a room with good lighting and a blank backdrop (no, this is not the right time for your favourite zoom background of you on a tropical beach). It is also important that you give your interviewer your full attention. This means, closing down all other tabs, picking a quiet space to conduct the interview and turning your phone on silent.

In order to best mimic in-person eye contact, try to look into the webcam when your interviewer is talking. If you keep your eyes on the screen, to your interviewer, it may seem like you are distracted and focusing on something else. If you are using a laptop, one trick is to minimise the Zoom application window and position it as close to the webcam as possible. You should also always raise your laptop until the screen reaches your eye level. Just stack any books or boxes you have lying around for a DIY stand.

Check your Socials

Today, social media can be a powerful recruiting tool and employers will often trawl the social media pages of potential employees looking for red flags. Thus, it is vital you ensure your profile tells the story you want it to. Don’t let an embarrassing video from four years ago hinder your future job prospects so consider doing an audit of your social media pages (don’t forget your tagged items). Facebook allows you to view your page from the perspective of a potential employer. Simply select the three dots next to your cover photo and click the ‘View As’ option from the pop-up menu. Your safest bet, if you have any questionable content that you really can not part ways with, is to switch your social media profiles to private.

Your Age Can Be Your Greatest Strength

No matter your age, it is important to highlight your strengths and what you can bring to the table. If you are towards the younger end of the spectrum, you may not have experience, your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn can bring its own benefits. You are able to bring a different mindset to the table and possibly with more current education. On the flip side, if you have been in the workforce for a bit longer, it’s important to highlight your wealth of knowledge and specific accomplishments you have achieved in your previous roles. These tangible results will set you apart from other candidates. Bring with you a plan on how you can bring your past successes and implement them into the role you are applying for.

The 4 Learning Styles: Upskill More Efficiently by Embracing Your Learning Style

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

If you’re about to embark on upskilling, give some thought to how you prefer to learn and you might find the learning process less daunting.

Have you ever given thought to how you prefer to receive information or learn new things? Does it go in one ear and out the other when you hear it, but if you read it you always remember it?

Having a better understanding of how you prefer to feel out new information is a really handy skill to have at your disposal.. If you’re looking to upskill, you’ll retain the information much more quickly when you learn in your preferred style. This skill is also handy if you're just looking to be a better team player because once you know how you prefer to feel out information and new ideas, you’re more likely to contribute and collaborate in a more meaningful way.

There are four types of learning styles listed here; Visual, Auditory, Read/Write and Kinesthetic. Read through these and see which one you find yourself preferring.

Visual

Visual learners often learn best using visual aids like videos, pictures, graphs, diagrams and charts. If you are a visual learner, you will often remember what you saw rather than what you read or heard and you may have difficulty remembering information passed on verbally. To maximise this to your benefit, pay extra attention to graphs and charts, or see if you can channel your understanding into something visual (like a diagram), incorporating lots of colour. Writing down notes will help the visual learner retain information.

Auditory

Auditory learners learn best from listening. If you are an auditory learner, you may find you often talk to yourself while studying and explaining concepts to yourself out loud. To get the most out of this style, you’d benefit from discussions in collaborative groups where you will be able to talk to other people about key concepts and listen to them talk through their thoughts. You’ll also probably enjoy podcasts as a format to learn new things and reinforce key concepts or thoughts in action.

Read/Write

Read/write learners learn best from the written word like handouts, books, lists and glossaries. If you are a read/write learner, you will find yourself opting for transcripts of presentations as opposed to audio or video files and will choose to read and re-read these in your own time, before talking about them with your team. To get the most out of this learning style, it’s helpful to convert charts or diagrams into dot points or write out the meaning of the charts to help you retain the information. You will also benefit from writing out notes or actions from meetings; having things documented will really help you out.

Kinaesthetic

Kinaesthetic learners learn best by turning their learning into an activity. If you are a kinaesthetic learner, you may find you like taking notes and doodling while listening to teachers and will retain information best by participating in demonstrations. Similar to an auditory learner, your most effective way of processing information is in a group setting, explaining key concepts to those around you. Also similar to a visual learner, you retain information easier through turning your notes into diagrams and charts.

Have you worked out your learning skill yet? While most of us will use each learning style to a certain degree, we tend to favour one or two preferred ones. Put it to use and see how it goes.
Like this content?

Read more like it on the Flight Centre Travel Academy Blog.

Important Lessons Travel Teaches Us

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Aside from map-reading skills and how to order a beer in 5 languages, travelling to new places teaches us important lessons that invariably enrich our lives, by exposing us to cultures, customs and landscapes different from those at home.

As the saying goes, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”, so reflect on all your travel memories and have a think about how they’ve shaped you, personally and professionally.

Travel teaches us tolerance
Leaving a tip in Tokyo can be seen as insulting, but not leaving one in New York… even more so! Travelling to foreign cultures is a real eye-opener and local customs can be confusing, especially when what’s considered polite at home could turn heads for the wrong reasons elsewhere. Slurping may be frowned upon at your family dinner table, but not eating loudly enough in Japan can be mistaken as you not enjoying your food! Travel offers a window into different cultures, giving us a better understanding of how other people live, so we can learn to respect our differences and be more tolerant of others.

Travel teaches us resilience
Let’s face it, if you can navigate the subway in a foreign language when you’re jetlagged... you can do anything! Unfamiliar surroundings and communication barriers can throw us off balance but overcoming these helps us grow by becoming more resilient and adaptable to change. Travel forces us to live in the moment and tackle problems head on when things don’t go to plan, as well as exposing us to mystery foods, strange smells and bizarre customs. Embracing it all - being outside your comfort zone - is when the good stuff happens!

Travel teaches us gratitude
Travel can make our dreams come true, giving us an overwhelming sense of appreciation when we find ourselves in places we only ever read about. The opportunities are limitless and being able to experience everything the world has to offer teaches us gratitude on a grand scale. On the flipside, learning about the challenges others face and that the grass is not always greener on the other side can make us appreciate where we’ve come from, seeing us return to “The Lucky Country” with a new sense of gratitude. And nothing beats that feeling of pure bliss when you finally come home and crash in your own bed.

You may return home with a lighter wallet, but travel makes us richer in ways that money can’t buy. These experiences can fundamentally shape us personally but also professionally. Taking your experiences of tolerance, resilience and gratitude into the workplace can make you a better team player and/or leader with a good foundation of emotional intelligence.

Like this content? Read more like it on the Flight Centre Travel Academy Blog.

Why Networking is Key to Growing Your Career

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

It’s not what you know, it’s… well, you know the rest. We’ve all heard it a million times. It’s who you know that opens doors. And it’s who you know that advances your career.

I can certainly attest to this.

I started with Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) 13 years ago as a Travel Consultant with the Student Flights brand (before being rebranded as Universal Traveller) while studying a business degree at university. After progressing through the ranks in my store to become Team Leader, I was then able to take advantage of a new position that opened in Flight Centre Travel Group head office as a Product Marketing Specialist. I soon continued my progression to become a Marketing Manager before becoming the Head of Marketing at Travel Money Group and today, I am Head of Marketing for Flight Centre Brand.

I’m here because I’ve backed myself time and time again even if I didn’t have all the ‘skills’ that the job descriptions have asked for. But this self-belief hasn’t come naturally. I’ve leaned on my leaders, peers and mentors to give me advice and build the confidence that I needed to continue to grow and develop my career. They’ve instilled an attitude in me to always go for opportunities. You might be told NO but you’ll learn from that experience. That’s much more valuable than not doing anything and wondering what could’ve been or finding out who ultimately landed the role and realising you would have been in with a chance.

Career Development Networking

Networking and having a strong resume are both critical. But in the end, it’s having good relationships internally and externally that are most helpful — not only for getting a position but to be able to share ideas and understand and question other people's perspectives.

I believe internal and external networking are both valuable. Internal networking helps you navigate the business with inner knowledge and opens up opportunities you might not have seen before — and in a company as big as FCTG, there are literally thousands of people already working here who you can connect with. External networking, on the other hand, gives you fresh ideas and new perspectives on challenges.

How to Improve Your Networking Skills

There’s an art to great networking. Firstly, don’t resort to an email or a phone call if you can help it. A face-to-face conversation, whether it’s over coffee, in the hallway or the elevator — or even a formal meeting is much more effective.

Here are some of my top tips for better networking, especially if you’re not a confident communicator:

Always come prepared. Before any encounter, research the person you want to connect with and have an idea of what you want to ask them beforehand.
Be yourself. Doesn’t matter if you’re an introvert or extrovert, blue-sky thinker or detail-orientated — we all have stories about successes and failures to share. Share yours and ask them what theirs are.
What are the networking opportunities like at Flight Centre?

Formal or informal mentor opportunities are always available. If you reach out to a peer or leader who you want as your mentor, in most cases, they would love to do it but YOU need to drive it. There are also less formal opportunities to network within the business like at our Buzz Nights (monthly business social events), Friday night drinks as well as discipline and retail conferences.

But remember, any time where different people come together is a networking opportunity, including your classic water cooler chat. As long as you know what you want your personal brand to be and who you want to talk to, opportunities are endless.

Power Skills

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Skills of the 21st Century to propel your leadership potential.

For years, recruiters and HR Leaders have talked about “skills of the future”. It’s now no longer acceptable to simply forecast these skills... recruiters are now actively assessing your leadership potential in relation to these power skills.

While many skills are considered teachable, it’s this set of power skills that will future-proof your career and leadership potential, and your ability to demonstrate them during the recruitment phase will help you stand out.

Power Skills of the 21st Century:

CRITICAL THINKING

This skill relies on logical reasoning and is about being able to suggest innovative solutions or ideas, constantly looking for new ways of doing things and being open-minded to the best solutions.

RESILIENCE

Your ability to bounce back when encountering challenges is key to success as a leader of the future. Responding calmly to frustrations, obstacles and opposition, coping and thriving under stress and being able to grow and move through challenges are cornerstones of a resilient leader.

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

Keeping up to date with technological innovations is a challenge for everyone, but as a power skill, your ability to upskill and stay abreast of new or updated technology will help you keep at the front of the pack. Harnessing technological advances to your benefit for data, customer centricity and new ways of working will help keep teams agile.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Being aware of your own emotions and being able to control them as part of your emotional intelligence is consistently ranked as one of the most important skills of a leader. Your intuition - being aware of other people’s emotions - will help you lead with integrity and work better with others. Forming connections with those you work with shows you have empathy.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

As they say, change is the only constant. Seeing change as an opportunity to grow and innovate is a key attitude for leaders. Embrace and celebrate change, adjust your mindset and shift your expectations to adapt to new ways of working.

FLEXIBILITY/AGILITY

Flexibility is about being open to fluid solutions - working towards a balanced approach with tasks and adapting to shifting priorities within the business and team. As organisational dynamics shift to embrace flexibility, it’s important for leaders to embrace flexibility and promote agile thinking and working.

CREATIVITY

Can you think outside the box? Creativity as a modern leadership skill is about your ability to realise future trends and work towards them; are you able to create new products, technologies and ways of working?

ACTIVE LEARNING/GROWTH MINDSET

Having a growth mindset means you constantly search for ways to continue to learn and grow. You’re attuned to your current abilities and learn from your mistakes, trying to continually improve and strengthen your skills.

DECISION MAKING

Making effective decisions, and making them quickly, is a honed skill. It relies on your judgement and considers all parties (business, team customer) as well as an assessment of that decision on the environment (ie. morale). The best decision-makers are those who can make high-level decisions that cannot be made by technology, and harness their full arsenal of power skills to make the call.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication is a key skill of leaders and includes your ability to use the right tone and body language to portray messages. Being able to move between communication styles to suit individual people, or the message being delivered, is a sign of a good leader.

DIVERSITY & CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE

This is about being able to understand, respect and work effectively with others, despite differences. Leaders who seek to understand your colleagues and direct reports in turn are able to provide an inclusive and non-judgemental environment.

Are we moving towards an open talent workforce?

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 05:11:37 +0000

Born out of the industrial revolution, ‘standard employment’ (a term coined to describe a permanent full-time employee), has been on the decline for the past decade. As the workforce continues to become more agile, flexible, and interconnected with rapidly advancing technology, more and more employees are making the switch to embrace the ‘gig' economy.

What is the ‘gig’ economy?

Unlike standard employment, where an employee works in exchange for time-based remuneration, in the gig economy, individuals with unique backgrounds offer their specialised skillsets on demand and as needed, working mostly as independent contractors, freelancers and temporary workers.

Who are these people?

There’s definitely more to the gig economy than Uber drivers and those picking up jobs on Airtasker. More and more people, across many industries, are making the change. Listed below are some common examples of those working in the gig economy:

Pros and Cons

Flexibility, globalisation and the rise of mobile/remote working technology are just a few of the factors seeing employers and employees alike turn to a gig economy model. Like with any type of employment, there are pros and cons of gig work. If you’re still not sure whether gig work is the right pathway for you, we have highlighted some of the benefits and other things to take into consideration, below.

Pros

Be your own boss
Flexibility over your schedule and the type of work you create
Encourages a healthy work/life balance
Ability to work on a variety of projects
Gives the chance to gain experience in different fields and build networks
Offers various sources of income
Acts as a “try before you buy” - provides an opportunity to experience a workplace and witness the culture before committing to a permanent role.

Cons

Employment is inconsistent and uncertain at times
Roles are temporary and short term
You need to be able to market yourself effectively - the “hustle” is a must
The work can be isolating at times
Negotiating your own wages and specific tax obligations requires knowledge and discipline (Check out more info here).
Gig workers are not entitled to sick pay, annual leave or superannuation.

If you like the sound of gig economy work, consider some of these questions to see if it’s the right career pathway for you….

Do you have the temperament for the ups and downs of being a gig resource?
Can you thrive in times of uncertainty?
Are you comfortable working alone?
Are you organised and disciplined to be your own boss
Are you resourceful when faced with challenged?
How will you plan for the downtimes?

According to Deloitte, Independent workers are becoming a critical sector of the U.S labour market and a number of trends are leading to its growth. If you’re interested in being an independent contractor, you might like to join the Home of the Travel Entrepreneur as an Independent Contractor. Click here for more information.

Why Company Culture is the Single Most Important Thing in any Business

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 05:55:22 +0000

General Manager of Corporate Traveller, Tom Walley, has had a stellar 17-year career with Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) and has seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to company culture. He sat down with legendary Sydney Swans player and premier coach, Paul Roos, and leadership and culture expert, Gerard Murphy, in a raw and unfiltered conversation on why company culture is the single most important thing in your business and more specifically, the important role that leaders play in not only preserving but improving the culture of an organisation.

What defines a company’s culture?

A company’s culture is ultimately shaped by certain behaviours of its people. These include behaviours that the business wants to reward as well as behaviours that an organisation wishes to challenge. However, as Gerard highlights, defining these specific behaviours can be especially challenging. Often companies who do not vocalise these behaviours are forced to rely on happenstance circumstances and events to define their company’s culture, ultimately leaving their culture to chance. Instead, it is vital that these specific behaviours are identified and made obvious to all staff in order for leaders to wholeheartedly and confidently reward their people as well as challenge behaviours the company does not condone.

For FCTG, our spirit of egalitarianism, irreverence and ownership defines the way we behave:

Ownership - We take full responsibility for our business and treat it as our own.
Egalitarianism - Everyone has the same opportunities, rights and privileges. Self-important people don’t fit in.
Irreverence - We take our business seriously but not ourselves. We respect our customers, our partners and each other.

Find out more about FCTG’s core values here.

How can Leaders impact a company’s culture?

It is important to note, embedded throughout any effective company culture is safety and trust. Safety, as Tom has witnessed throughout his time at FCTG, is a direct result of vulnerability both professionally and personally. Tom also believes it is important for leaders to lead by example when it comes to vulnerability. This is why he aims to always wear his heart on his sleeve and claims he isn’t afraid to cry in front of his people. FCTG has always encouraged vulnerability and authenticity from all its people.

“One thing FCTG prides itself on is being able to stuff up and it being ok. Being vulnerable and allowing yourself to fail gives you the confidence to have a go,” Tom says.

Trust is another vital aspect of any thriving corporate culture. The key to gaining trust as a leader, from Tom’s perspective, is being consistent not only with the job but in being there for your employees. Tom encourages other leaders to make sure they take care of their people outside of their day jobs such as remembering people’s birthdays, or when their family member is sick. Remembering these life events proves that you value your employees as people, not just appreciate them as a number.

The more safety and trust that is established throughout a company, the more behaviours that ultimately mould a company’s culture, can be called out. Gerard suggests that first and foremost this must begin with rewarding someone when they are doing something right and suggests the 4-1 method (4 goods to every 1 bad). Safety and trust are also imperative when challenging behaviours. Tom Walley’s plan of attack is to give feedback, provide a plan to improve and work through the plan together. A great culture says “you have done something wrong but we will support you through it.”

Check out the full webinar between Tom, Gerard and Paul below:

Building a great team culture, the FCTG way: Family, Village, Tribe

Thu, 27 May 2021 05:58:02 +0000

At Flight Centre Travel Group, we have built our business upon the foundations of Family, Village, Tribe. This structure is based on the theory that human beings have and will always have an innate need for connection and that people are more motivated when organised into teams that replicate hunter-gatherer groups.

Thus, in the late 90s, the Family, Village, Tribe structure was born - to foster a continuing sense of personal and social identity that is usually non-existent in large organisations. This simple, flat and transparent structure acts as a mechanism for effective communication and ensures everyone feels a sense of belonging and purpose.

Let's break it down...

YOUR FAMILY

Family is the first building block. At Flight Centre, your family is your individual team. Consisting of a minimum of three and a maximum of seven people, a family is an intimate group of people who know each other well and can provide encouragement, feedback and support. Whether they work remotely or together in person, a family unit can celebrate individual and collective wins and are able to rally around one another in a crisis.

YOUR VILLAGE

The village is the second layer of our structure and is comprised of three to five like-minded families. The families in each village socialise together and often participate in training sessions, celebration nights and bonding activities. If needed, the families in a village can support one another by sharing people and resources.

YOUR TRIBE

A tribe includes a maximum of around 25 teams with a single tribal identity. An individual's tribe provides a sense of belonging that is bigger than themselves. A tribe is a way to connect with a greater community.

While all three layers are necessary, the family structure is vital to get right in order for the whole system to be effective. So, how do we ensure that our people feel bonded to their team?

We asked leaders across various parts of our business what do they think the key is to fostering a safe and inclusive team environment and how do they ensure each individual feels emotionally connected to their 'family'.

Megan Lowe – General Manager Leisure Product:

"An effective team is a highly engaged team. They have fun, are open and honest with each other and feel like they have a lot to offer in delivering on business outcomes. To engage your team, you acknowledge the strengths they all bring to the table and encourage open and honest conversations. They are part of setting the teams goals and the ideas behind the objectives to achieve these goals. They then all own a part of this plan and the execution of it, which they hold each other accountable for."

Meighan Nash - Regional Sales Leader Flight Centre:

"As a leader, I try to ensure that teams are as effective as possible by accepting that each person brings to the table a skillset, a history, a goal and a passion; and to accept each person as individuals. Understanding how "the job" fits into their lifestyle allows me to look for ways to be flexible whilst getting the work done. It makes people happier and more content at work, which in turn leads to greater outcomes and results.

Brent Novak – Head of Sales, Operations & Network, Flight Centre Australia:

"A great team should have a common purpose which connects them to one another, the business they work within and their own personal beliefs. A great team is underpinned by clear and consistent behaviours that are challenged, followed and exceeded - with feedback given and received to constantly look to improve one another and more towards achieving your common purpose."

Cameron Boyd - General Manager, Flight Centre Travel Academy:

“Essential to an effective team are clear expectations of everyone's specific roles and responsibilities and a clear purpose for business. To ensure my team is as effective as possible, I report and share key measures of success, celebrate wins and lead by example.”

Maria McCosker - Technology Leader, Premium Brands:

“What makes a great team? As a leader, I am constantly critiquing if I have this right. An effective/great team does not happen by itself or by one leader. I believe it is a combination of each member whilst being directed towards a common goal by their leader. However, a leader needs to lead with compassion, integrity and focus to drive the team towards this common goal. A team heading in the same direction with mutual respect is the beginning of success.”

Kerry-Anne Walker - Global Events:

"An effective team starts with a leader that is able to delegate and empower. It is their responsibility to set direction and inspire, but be consistent and confident in their decisions and ensure that everyone in the team has a voice and feels valued. The one thing that all effective leaders do is make themselves redundant so they can move on to even greater challenges and help more people. All my personal success as a leader has been a result of living this principle."

Cassandra Thurston – Internal Communications Team Leader:

"To bring it back to basics, there is no team without trust. To me, an effective team is one that has a strong culture of trust with one another. Team members feel empowered to take risks without fear of failure, and if they do fail, they trust their team will be there to support them."

Kylie Conboy – Operations Leader, Business School:

"I think, first and foremost, what makes an effective team is communication. Sharing thoughts, opinions, and ideas amongst team members is critical to this. We are lucky at FCTG that we have built into our business many different vehicles of inspiration to do this... via 1-1's, WBM's, planning days, AM planners, TL meetings, and the list goes on. We just need to be disciplined enough to use them."

Shannon Fogarty – General Manager Product, Travel Associates:

"My teams are always united by a clearly defined purpose and end goal. Each member's diverse skills are used in a collaborative fashion; however, everyone is held accountable for the part they play. By empowering each person, you can really drive the team towards its goal."

Gareth Jarret – Regional Sales Leader, Flight Centre:

"I think we already have great people in our business, but for them to be really fly they need to be aligned to a common goal. They should be encouraged to collaborate and engage everyone within the team. We want to be surfacing our experts within our teams to best tackle problems effectively or to upskill and educate each other. When they truly work together and have each other's back, there is nothing they can't achieve. As a leader, I try to empower my people to collaborate and have autonomy in their business. Also, remove any speedbumps that might be in the road ahead so the team can do what they do best."

Are you ready to find your family, village, tribe? We're hiring right now. Start your dream career today.

How to handle a crucial conversation: Diary of a (somewhat) reformed confrontation avoider

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 06:43:28 +0000

One thing I love about working at FCTG is the ample opportunities to grow and better myself both personally and professionally. Our learning and development team offer countless courses, both face-to-face and online, that are designed to challenge us and expand our skills to be able to better navigate certain situations both in the workplace and in our daily lives.

Recently, I enrolled in the ‘Crucial Conversations’ course where we were exposed to concepts to help transform our thinking and frame our mindset to have a successful crucial conversation. Even in my role as an Internal Communications Coordinator, I’m acutely aware that I have room for improvement when it comes to approaching conversations and communicating my points effectively. Throughout the course, we discussed the four objectives to a conversation, three transformational ideas and explored the seven principles that underpin Susan Scott’s Fierce Conversations model.

“Our lives succeed or fail one conversation at a time. While no single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of your career, business, relationship or life, any single conversation can.” Susan Scott.

First, we had to consider what conversations we found the most challenging. For me personally, it was anything that involved confrontation, however for many others in the course being Leaders of teams, their pain points involved any conversations that involved approaching performance or behavioural issues within their team. We were then asked to consider what made these conversations difficult to have. Common answers included being unsure of how the other person would react, the fear of causing friction to the relationship as well as worries involving likability possibly leading to further problems down the track.

There are several reasons that we find crucial conversations so hard to have, particularly amongst leaders needing to raise concerns about their team’s performance or behavioural issues within their team. Fear of how the other person will react, worries about likability and angst about crucial conversations possibly causing a fracture in the relationship are the common concerns that stop crucial conversations from taking place.

According to Fiona Taylor, FCTG Leadership Development Facilitator, engaging in difficult conversations is a necessary and unavoidable part of working with others.

“It does not have to be a stressful or confronting experience. Those who can create trust, rapport and understanding can facilitate these types of conversations in ways that are caring, transparent and authentic,” she says.

Next time you’re faced with the prospect of a crucial conversation, it might pay to brush up on Susan Scott’s seven guiding principles:

Master the courage to interrogate reality

Often when we attempt to tackle a crucial conversation, fear causes us to shift and change course. Sometimes this fear causes us to not speak up when we intend to, or, it can cause us to say something that we don’t truly believe for the other person’s benefit. Avoiding these crucial conversations can have a detrimental effect on our relationships and our lives. Being able to master the courage to interrogate reality means gaining the confidence to speak out when you feel it is necessary. We must play a proactive part in the success of our relationships with the first step being to open up to others on how you truly feel.

Come out from behind yourself, into the conversation and make it real

Having a “real” conversation means showing up authentically. Nothing will ever be achieved by participating in a conversation if you are not being real. Instead, it can lead you further away from accomplishing your goals by wasting not only your time but the time of others.

Be here, prepared to be nowhere else

Showing up to a real conversation authentically takes preparation. You can put in all the hard work and set your intentions however if you are not physically or mentally prepared for the conversation you are hindering the success for yourself and others involved.

Tackle your toughest challenge today

The idea of having crucial conversations can be exhausting and one of the reasons we feel this way is because so many of us put them off and let them fester into something bigger and more daunting. A problem named is a problem solved.

“Burnout doesn’t occur because we’re solving problems, it occurs because we’ve been trying to solve the same problem over and over” - Susan Scott.

Obey your instincts

Don’t just trust your instincts, obey them. So often do we bite our tongues and hold in something that we should have said in the moment, only to walk away full of regrets for not bringing something to the surface. Tuning into yourself and trusting your gut not only can benefit yourself but could also benefits those around you who may share the same view or opinion.

Take responsibility for your emotional wake

It is important to recognise that your actions have a ripple effect on those around you. This is aptly named your emotional wake. Especially, as a leader, there is no comment without a flow-on effect. A throw-away comment could have a devastating impact on someone who looks to you for guidance. Conversations form the basis for relationships and all relationships are built one conversation at a time. It is extremely important that a leader has enough self-awareness to deliver their messages without the “load”. This will allow leaders to be able to speak with clarity, conviction and compassion.

Let silence do the heavy lifting

Almost as important as what is said is what is not said. When there is too much talking and not enough listening, meaningful conversations struggle to occur. It is vital that when we participate in crucial conversations, we listen to understand not listen to respond. Ensure there is enough silence between words for insight to occur so all parties have the chance to achieve an understanding of one another.

Source: Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott.

Find out why right now is the best time to be a Travel Sales Consultant

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 02:00:00 +0000

Travel doesn't look the same as it always has. With international travel borders opening up, booking travel has only become more complex and our amazing Travel Sales Consultants are more important than ever in ensuring we can open up the world for our customers and get them safely to where they need to be. We sat down with Jono (Team Leader), Ingrid, Kevin and Elyse (clockwise pictured above) from Flight Centre Kippa-Ring in Queensland to find out what has changed in their role and what they are most excited about as we travel begins to pick up again.

What's been the most unexpected outcome from the pandemic?

Jono: Probably how much the industry has banded together. Enemies have become allies and we are all just trying to figure our way out of it and get us moving forward in the future.

Kevin: What surprised me most was the appreciation the customers showed for how hard we worked each time to get as much of their money back for them as possible.

Ingrid: When the pandemic hit all our teams were taken apart and our work families were left a bit broken. For me, I was moved into the Kippa-Ring store, where I have now been for about a year, and after 14 years of working for Flight Centre, I can confidently say this has been the best team I have ever worked with. We are such a great unit, we have the same work ethic, we care about our customers and we just love coming to work together each and every day.

What skills have you leaned on in the past 18 months? What skills have you worked on?

Jono: The main skills I leaned on would be being able to empathise with your customers. You never know someone's situation and why they want to travel, you just have to try to get the best solution you can for them every time.

Ingrid: A lot of persistence and perseverance. I learnt that it was important not to allow your emotions to control how you react, you must always own the problem and remind yourself that some things are out of your control. Despite everything, this experience has made me a better worker and a better person as I have developed some life-long skills.

What are the best things about working as a Travel Sales Consultant?

Jono: Being able to talk about travel all day! Helping make people’s travel dreams a reality is truly what I love most. It is also super exciting helping people that have never travelled before. The feeling you get when someone returns from their trip with their love of travel ignited is what I’m most excited for as we move away from these past two years.

Ingrid: What I love about my job is that I can travel through my clients' eyes. I have always been a traveller at heart so watching my clients' come up with their dream destinations and watching their plans come to fruition is what I love the most.

Elyse: No day is the same. One day you could be booking a trip to America, the next, Africa or Egpyt. The knowledge you acquire is amazing and incomparable to anywhere else.

What advice would you give to someone applying for a Travel Sales Consultant role?

Jono: Now is the best time to do it. As borders continue to open, we will be trying to get people to places that they may have never before thought was possible. Especially over the past two years, a lot of people have had to put their travel plans on hold so now is the time to apply because things are about to go crazy!

Kevin: Roll with the punches. The world changes every day and you need to be able to roll with anything that may cause your day to take a turn for the worse. Also, have fun, explore the world and always relate your own experiences (both good and bad) to your client's in order to build trust and bond.

Ingrid: Own your passion, be true to yourself and believe in yourself.

Elyse: Embrace the diversity of every day. The things you learn is not just knowledge that you can use in the workplace but also some you can carry with you throughout your life.

Why work for Flight Centre?

Ingrid: FCTG is a company that encourages career progression and the opportunities are endless.

Elyse: The culture within FCTG and within the team. It is super fun and every day is great.

Kevin: Travel is a passion of mine... I love ships, planes, trains and being able to help customers are the reasons I started at Flight Centre.

Where are you travelling to next?

Kevin: Hopefully to Canberra, to see my 92-year-old mum. After that, wherever I can get a ticket to next!

Ingrid: I am staying close to home; my son and I are going to Mooloolaba over Xmas this year. Internationally, I think it will be a cruise of the Southwest Pacific with my 10-year-old son.

Elyse: Like a lot of others, we had a COVID baby so our first trip will be to Canada for her to meet her grandparents for the very first time.

Jono: Hamilton Island and then after that Tassie, then Bali.

Why it's important to recognise and celebrate diversity at work

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 02:00:00 +0000

To celebrate the beginning of pride month, we sat down with two of our amazing Flighties to ask them what pride means to them and why they think it is important for corporations to recognise and celebrate diversity.

Sam – Accounts Payable, Reconciliations

What does pride mean to you?

Pride means being comfortable with who I am and feeling safe enough to share that with the people around me, both in my personal life and at work. Pride is a celebration of who we are, with no apologies, and it acknowledges the difficulties we face as a community. Pride brings to life the wonderful differences between people, and it's such a beautiful thing.

How do you feel supported at work?

I've never felt more comfortable in a workplace than at FCTG. FCTG acknowledges and celebrates the diversity in its community, and it's what makes work here so great. Since starting with FCTG in January, I've not felt even an ounce of judgment from others after having told them parts of me I usually try to hide. Mostly, they're excited to go to MOFOs to meet my partner, Sam, and have a chin wag with her. My team in finance are some of the most wonderful and accepting people, and they give me the support to be who I am.

Sam and her partner Sam who is the head chef at MOFOs, the rooftop restaurant and bar located on the top level of FCTG's Global HQ.

Why do you think it's important for corporations like FCTG to recognise and celebrate diversity?

As a society, it's taken far too long for people to accept differences and diversity. What FCTG has done is completely flip the status quo and encourage us more than ever to stay true to who we are and how we feel. By recognising and celebrating diversity, FCTG creates a safe and welcoming space where people can express themselves. This celebration is important to continue to remove the stigma and "the unknown" from people really just being people. At the end of the day, we're all human, and this recognition brings us closer together not only as a workplace but as a community.

"Pride is a celebration of who we are, with no apologies, and it acknowledges the difficulties we face as a community. Pride brings to life the wonderful differences between people, and it's such a beautiful thing" - Sam.

Steven – Digital Platforms Specialist

What does pride mean to you?

For me, pride is simply being able to be your authentic self in all walks of life. Not having to choose to be identified with rituals like 'coming out' but just getting on with living my life because we are all accepted. I often laugh and like to turn the tables by asking my straight friends how they came out to their families...the look of confusion is priceless.

How do you feel supported at work?

FCTG is a great place to work. Let's face it, the travel industry has a certain flamboyance to it, so I have always felt welcomed and supported from the day I started (over 20 years ago). FCTG provides a space where I can bring my whole self to work, each and every day. No one even bats an eyelid when I wear my rainbow suit to the office (see below).

Why do you think it's important for corporations like FCTG to recognise and celebrate diversity?

Simply put - attraction and retention. Corporations need to recognise the diverse make up of their working community so that they can put in place strategies to ensure everyone feels supported not just the minorities that already have a platform like Pride. Offering inclusion programs such as our 'Come As You Are' Workplace group highlights to potential employees that they will be valued and hopefully instils a level of confidence in current employees to stick around. It also brings about opportunities to broaden the conversation at all levels of business to ensure the needs of the many are being met. Listen to your people, give them a platform to provide feedback and encourage them to join the conversation as often as they can.

Flight Centre Travel Group's Diversity and Inclusion Program 'Come As You Are'

Fundamentally, having a Diversity & Inclusion Program (D&I) is about making sure we, as FCTG, can provide a safe and inclusive work environment for all of our people. It allows us to ensure everyone is represented in every facet of our business. The issues tabled and the solutions offered are representative of a broad range of people, ideas, beliefs and needs.

In first recognising and then celebrating the many different facets of what makes you “you”, we are doing our part to make our work environment better every day. When you show up, we want you to show up as YOU. There is only one best way when it comes to supporting you, and it involves celebrating your whole self.

Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈