Consulting Groups Sydney
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Shifting Governance to Deliver Better Outcomes
Tue, Sep 15, 7:00 AM**A portfolio can be on plan and still not be delivering value.** When governance conversations are dominated by project status, activity and keeping work on track, it can be difficult to keep the focus on the outcomes the work was intended to create. In this session, Narmada Natarajaperumal from Standard Chartered Bank will share their practical journey towards shifting portfolio governance from controlling activity to stewarding value. We’ll explore: * What changes when governance is focused on outcomes rather than outputs * How governance can be designed to support faster, clearer decision-making * What measures and signals will help us move sooner and safer towards value * Practical lessons from making the shift in a large, complex organisation If you’re involved in how organisations prioritise, govern and steer work, particularly across portfolio, PMO, strategy, transformation and product, this session is for you. There’ll be time after the presentation for Q&A – bring your colleagues and your questions. Speakers: **Narmada Natarajaperumal** \- Head\, Portfolio Strategy and Transformation for Cybersecurity and Financial Crime Portfolio\, Standard Chartered Bank\. Hosted by: **Ruma Dak** \- Senior Consultant\, BVSSH APAC
Sydney Singles Relational Lab — Facilitated Connection Experience
Wed, Sep 16, 9:00 AM# Tired of dating apps culture and surface-level? This is different. And people often leave surprised by how quickly strangers can feel human, warm, honest, and real again. Free to RSVP, 👉 $59 to confirm your spot [https://consciousconnectionsclub.com/stayconnected](https://consciousconnectionsclub.com/join) Relational Labs is a guided connection experience for singles who want more honest, playful, emotionally intelligent interaction — without performance, pressure, or endless small talk. This is not speed dating. Not networking. Not “pitch yourself to strangers.” It’s a facilitated relational container rooted in psychology, emotional intelligence, attachment work, social dynamics, nervous system awareness, and real-world human connection — made practical enough that you can actually live it instead of reading another 50 books about it. ## What happens • A 2-hour guided online relational experience • Real-time connection exercises designed to create authentic interaction • A format that adapts in real time to whoever is present • Optional participant-led in-person continuation afterward • WhatsApp connection thread after the session ## This may be for you if: • You’re tired of shallow or repetitive social spaces • You want deeper connection without forced intimacy • You enjoy personal growth, psychology, communication, or relational work • You’re open to meeting people in a more intentional way ## Important This experience runs with whoever is present and takes its own shape each time. Sometimes expansive. Sometimes intimate. Both are the real thing.
Small Team, Big Stack: A Quality Toolkit Built from the Ground Up
Wed, Sep 9, 7:30 AM**Small Team, Big Stack: A Quality Toolkit Built from the Ground Up** Most talks about quality assume you've got a QA team, a test framework someone already built, and headcount to spare. This one's for when you don't. **Sam Connelly**, Principal Quality Consultant within the Equal Experts network in Australia, walks through how a small startup team builds and maintains confidence in what they ship — for a predominantly JavaScript web app — without any of that safety net. **What we'll cover:** * **Unit testing** — what we actually test (and, just as importantly, what we don't) * **BDD, pragmatically** — the test framework we built, and how we've kept it extensible as our underlying model evolves * **Debugging from the outside in** — using analytics frameworks to reconstruct what a user did right before something broke * **Where we're headed** — early experiments including a self-healing UI E2E agent, and using Claude Code as an exploratory testing partner rather than just a coding tool This isn't a best-practices talk. It's what quality actually looks like when you're small, resource-constrained, and building the plane while flying it. You'll leave with practical ideas for your own toolkit — whatever size team you're working with. **Agenda** 5 30 PM - Gates open (Networking drinks & food) 6 15 PM - G-EE-K Talk 7 PM - Q&A 7 15 PM - Networking drinks (and more food) 8 PM - Wrap up
Tai Chi, Qigong (in person) - Cultivating Inner Peace and Wellbeing
Sun, Sep 13, 5:30 AM**Are you looking for an effective and holistic way to manage stress, boost your energy, and improve your overall health?** Explore Qigong and Tai Chi, ancient Chinese practices for health maintenance and longevity. * Qigong practice fosters harmony of mind, body, and spirit through meditation, breathing, and gentle movements. * Tai Chi (Taiji) combines gentle physical exercise, balance training, breathing, mental attention, relaxation, and social interaction in one practice. **WHY Choose Qigong/ Tai Chi?** For information on the health benefits of * Qigong, see details in the link https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/qigong-what-you-need-to-know * Tai Chi, see details in the link https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/the-health-benefits-of-tai-chi **Potential Health Benefits** * *Breathing* \- encourages slow\, controlled breathing and respiratory awareness * *Gentle movement* \- supports aerobic conditioning and circulation * *Physical* \- engages joint mobility\, awareness of body posture\, alignment and balance * *Cognitive* \- attention\, concentration\, body awareness and potentially executive function * *Mental/ emotional* \- calms the mind and reduces stress\, anxiety and depressive symptoms * *Sleep* \- may improve sleep quality * *Mind & body* \- awareness of the relationship between movement\, breathing and mental state * *Social* \- group practice can reduce isolation and provide social connection * *Philosophical* \- can cultivate patience\, non\-force\, awareness\, balance and a sense of harmony **ACCESSIBLE for All** * Low-impact (no jumping) - suitable for all ages and fitness levels * It can be practised anywhere, at any time * No special equipment required **WHAT to Expect and Experience** *Our Qigong & Tai Chi sessions* are designed for beginners and introduce you to the principles of this timeless practice. Experienced practitioners are welcome to share this space as we explore: * **Postural alignment:** Awareness of the body's structural alignment to improve balance and relaxation * **Breathing Techniques**: Regulate the breath to improve lung capacity and energy flow (Qi). * **Gentle Movements:** Perform a series of slow, flowing movements to activate the body's energy pathways and systems. * **Meditative Focus:** Awareness and integration of the body and mind. Cultivate a calm mind. **PROGRAM** 3:30 pm - Welcome \* Introduction \* Meditation (Wuji)/ stillness before movement \* Loosening exercise \* Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade) Qigong \* Tai Chi (The Four Pillars of Health) \* Meditation (Wuji) + compassionate meditation \* Review + Q&A 4:30 pm - Close **Please preview and be familiar with the Ba Duan Jin movements in the video link [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf8bDFrYrRc]** **WHO is the facilitator** * David has practised Tai Chi and Qigong for over 15 years. He is a certified trainer in The Four Pillars of Health Program, a wellness and fall-prevention initiative approved by AUSactive. David has shared the benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong with hospital patients, staff, and online participants. With a passion for holistic health and a caring teaching style, David will guide you on your journey to well-being. **COST** * Donate $ whatever you can afford or feel the class is worth. No one will be turned away if you can not donate. * 100% of donations collected will support a charity to purchase food to feed people experiencing homelessness. **RSVP** * Click “Attend” if you are committed to joining. When prompted, please provide your name and contact mobile number to confirm your attendance. CANCELLATION: If you decide to cancel, please notify me at least 24 hr before the event by "Edit attendance" and change your status to “Not going”, **MEETING POINT:** At the gazebo at Menai War Memorial, Parc Menai. The class will be held on the grass, next to 2 benches. If it rains, we can practice under the gazebo. Car parking is available next to Parc Menai or the shopping centre. Public toilets and a cafe shop are conveniently nearby. **Parking location**: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2KLxLqAuJZoPGN367?g_st=ic **PREPARATION**: * **Clothes** \- Wear comfortable\, warm clothes that let you move freely\, closed\-toe shoes\, hat \(if required when sunny\)\, pullover or jacket \(if the weather turns cold\) * **Water -** Bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated. **CAUTION: If you have any cold or flu symptoms or are feeling unwell, it is advisable that you stay home, as attending might make your symptoms worse.** **\*\**Disclaimer***\*:If you have any health issues that may impact your attendance, please consult your medical practitioner before attending the class.
SydDT #130: The Hidden Performance Skills of Great Designers
Thu, Sep 10, 8:00 AMDesigners spend years learning how to shape products, services, and experiences. But some of the most important design work happens live, in the room: * facilitating conversations * navigating uncertainty * building trust * uncovering perspectives * creating energy * driving alignment * helping people feel safe enough to contribute honestly Great facilitators don’t just run workshops, they shape emotion, attention, participation, atmosphere, and human connection in real time. In this Sydney Design Thinking Meetup, we’ll explore what designers can learn from experts who work at the extreme edge of live human experience design. Joining us will be: [Pamela Pilawa](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-pilawa-27096baa/) A Sydney-based performer blending clowning, physical theatre, storytelling, and teaching across cultures and languages. [Pamela’s work ](https://pamelapilawa.com/)explores presence, emotional authenticity, courage, vulnerability, improvisation, and audience connection. Pamela will share perspectives from the world of clowning and performance — including: * how to stay present under uncertainty * responding authentically in the moment * reading audience energy * embracing failure and imperfection * building trust and connection quickly * why vulnerability can be a leadership strength Because sometimes the difference between a good workshop and a transformative one isn’t the methodology. It’s the human presence in the room. [Wai Yin Vicente Kwok](https://www.linkedin.com/in/wai-yin-vicente-kwok/) Creative Director and Founder of [Wai Yin Designs](https://www.waiyindesigns.com/), with more than 20 years of international experience across theatre, film, immersive events, entertainment, and experiential activations — including large-scale themed experiences at Universal Studios Singapore. Wai Yin will explore how environment, atmosphere, spatial design, and intentional setup influence participation, behaviour, emotion, and outcomes. Drawing from theatre, live entertainment, and immersive experience design, she’ll share how: * environments shape interaction * atmosphere influences engagement * physical space changes collaboration dynamics * intentional staging can reinforce purpose * experiences can be orchestrated to support desired outcomes Because workshops, co-design sessions, and facilitation environments are experiences too. And like any experience, they can be intentionally designed. Together, we’ll explore: * facilitation as performance * the role of presence in leadership and design * designing environments for participation * improvisation and adaptability * balancing structure with emergence * how designers can become more effective facilitators of human interaction This session isn’t about becoming performers. It’s about learning from experts whose craft depends on understanding people in real time.... **EVENT SPONSORS** This event is brought to you by [Thoughtworks](https://www.thoughtworks.com/), [Shapeshifters](https://www.shapeshifterscreative.com.au/), The Growth Habit, and [Dynamic4](https://dynamic4.com). We take photos and record our events for documentation and promo purposes. Just let us know if you prefer not to be featured.
History of Political Economic Thought
Sat, Sep 19, 6:00 AMThe century from **1848 to 1948** was one of the most transformative and turbulent periods in human history. It witnessed revolutions, imperial expansion, industrialisation, financial panics, global wars, economic depression, and the emergence of competing political and economic ideologies that continue to shape the world today. This session explores how the world evolved from the upheavals of the **Revolutions of 1848** to the reconstruction that followed the **Second World War**. We will examine the rise of mass industrial capitalism, the acceleration of global trade and finance, and the increasingly pronounced boom-and-bust cycles that culminated in major crises, including the Long Depression of the late nineteenth century, the Panic of 1907, and the Great Depression of the 1930s. At the geopolitical level, the session traces the **rise, apex and gradual decline of the British Empire**, which dominated global commerce, naval power, and international finance throughout much of the nineteenth century. We will then examine the forces that shifted economic and political leadership across the Atlantic, laying the foundations for the **American Century** through industrial scale, financial power, technological innovation, and victory in two world wars. Central to the discussion is the clash of ideas that emerged in response to the opportunities and disruptions of industrial modernity. We will explore the development of: * **Classical Capitalism**, championing private enterprise, markets, and industrial growth. * **Socialism**, arising as a critique of inequality, exploitation, and the social consequences of industrial capitalism. * **Georgism**, Henry George's influential proposal that economic justice could be achieved through land value taxation while preserving market incentives. * **Keynesianism**, developed in response to the failures of orthodox economics during the Great Depression and advocating active government management of demand and employment. * The early foundations of **Monetarism**, which challenged Keynesian approaches by emphasizing the central role of money, banking, and monetary stability in economic performance. The session also examines how economic thought and political power interacted with real-world events, including nationalism, colonialism, labour movements, technological transformation, the First World War, the Russian Revolution, the interwar period, and the Second World War. By understanding the conflicts, crises, empires, and ideas that shaped this remarkable century, participants will gain deeper insight into the origins of the modern global economy and the intellectual traditions that continue to influence debates about prosperity, inequality, growth, and governance today. | Join us for a fascinating exploration of a hundred years that reshaped the world and established the foundations of the economic and political order we inhabit today. | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
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