Scope Articles
Four behavioural styles, explained through a football club that shouldn't work and does. Roy, Keeley, Ted and Nate, and what each one costs a team when the pressure comes on.
Ever run a planning session that starts with a whiteboard full of everything that's wrong? There's a better way. SOAR is a strengths-based planning framework that swaps "what's broken" for "what's working" — and it changes the whole energy in the room. In this post we break down why SWOT isn't wrong, just tired, and how four simple questions can get your team building instead of defending. Read it, steal the questions, watch what happens.
Work out what a minute of you costs and you will start treating every interruption as theft. That instinct is the most expensive one you have. Cost is fixed. Yield is not.
If you have been avoiding holding a coaching or performance conversation, then grab a coffee and enjoy this week's blog. One of the most powerful motivators at work is to feel that you are progressing and contributing to meaningful work. What separates highly effective leaders from average ones is their recognition of the power of coaching. So build our confidence and lead well!
Should you get a coach or a mentor? The honest answer is neither, on its own. Six seats you should be filling, one question that tells you which kind of help you actually need, and why the adviser who agrees with you is the least useful one you have.
Employee engagement is critical! This week's blog gives you 6 strategies to drive employee engagement. Start your engines and check your levels of engagement.
Most team plans are written once and never looked at again. Here is what separates the teams that deliver from the teams that just planned.
It's time for your first quarter check in! How are you travelling with the goals you established in January? Are you running on 1/4 full, or 1/4 empty? Check how you are measuring up and explore the basics of SMART business planning. Planning shouldn't be daunting; it should be fun!
Who does that?!?! Find out as MJ shares her reflections and learnings on her journey from unfit and unhealthy to #beawesome
As MJ turns 50 she shares the 10 most influential lessons she has learned. How many do you agree with?
If ‘Feedback is a gift’ as Ken Blanchard attests, then why do so many of us want a refund, or wish to re-gift it straight after it’s been given? How feedback is afforded often differentiates whether we perceive it to be of value, or quite frankly put – just ‘an elephant to the head’, something that negatively weighs on your mind. This week's blog explores Appreciative Inquiry; a process you can use to encourage curiosity, stimulate thinking and explore!
MJ was recently ask to share her journey as a business entrepreneur at the inaugural Perthspective event, we hope you enjoy her story of how courageous decision making led her on defining adventures.
Scope Vision is proof that size doesn’t matter - it’s what you do with it that counts! Our journey to awesome wasn’t lip service; the announcement has been made….Scope Vision is a WA Finalist in the Telstra Micro Business Awards 2016 and what a journey it has been!
When you live and breathe what you do you'll find inspiration and examples of it everywhere! Here's what I learned about leadership from Iron Maiden.
Stimulating employee engagement can be a real head-scratcher; many of the traditional methods of punishment, reward or manipulation just don’t work any more. This article explores how to ignite creativity with in your team.
We are in the moving business! It's time to turn the wheels.... Build a life, find your opportunities and always be sexy!
Guest Bloggers
In the first of our ‘For Health’s Sake!?!’ series Melanie Smith, nutritionist and health practitioner shares just how we are shrinking our brains living with stress! Let’s face it - nobody needs a small brain!
40% of Australian jobs will be obsolete in the next 10-15 years! This article explores why and what you can do to prepare yourself. Enjoy!
If your team are unhappy and unproductive, there could be a good reason. This week's guest blogger Theo Winter explores 4 reasons why people disengage.
The incredible series Game of Thrones returns today, so it's the perfect time for Guest Blogger Theo Winter to explain to us how he uses popular characters from the show to highlight DISC principles.
He explores how motivation can create variances within the 4 personality profiles.
Our guest blogger Tanya Halcrow shares her thoughts on the impacts of allowing passion and career to collide. Tanya explores how to move from disillusionment to clarity and embrace the change journey.
Carma (The Social Chameleon) writes a guest blog for us outlining ways you could be building your professional authority via Social Media.
Recently, I wrote an article for Carma's blog about Social Media about the challenges small businesses can face in getting started on Social Media, and some things that she has helped me to realise about my own Digital Marketing.
You can read this post HERE.
While reflecting on this topic it brought me back to one of our first guest bloggers - Richard Moroney! He wrote an absolutely AWESOME piece about Social Media which you might not have seen.
Exercise with purpose... the message our guest blogger James Thomson promotes when it comes to running emergency management scenarios.
With over 21 years experience in the policing, training, higher education, security and risk management fields James shares his insight with Scope enthusiasts on planning to get the right outcomes from your next emergency management drill.
Scope Vision....Serious about safety!
Love him or hate him, he’s a case study unto himself! Guest blogger Theo Winters looks at The Donald from the vantage point of DISC. Is it his high D traits that make him so ‘interesting’ or is it his level of emotional intelligence (EI) that creates havoc for him? An interesting article on pairing EI and DISC traits when interpreting behavioural styles.
Tanya Halcrow is the Marketing Manager/PR/Customer Relations Manager at Bidvest Wanaka, a division of Bidvest NZ, anational wholesale food distributor in New Zealand. With four divisions: Foodservice, Fresh, Logistics and Butchery, Bidvest provides the foodservice and hospitality industry with a complete range of food and non-food products, linking the distribution of 20,000+ products to over 15,000 customers.
With a background in accountancy Tanya specialised in working with property development companies forecasting and presenting financials to shareholding groups and stakeholders. With a passion for all things food, Tanya has owned a catering and café business whilst running cooking demonstrations, writing, blogging.
Her current role allows her to combine all the best attributes of her skills and passions.
![Weapons of Mass Referrals [Are your referrals costing you?!]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54b0d5cbe4b090b197f09ccb/1456211366431-W98GV7621B23TT8FY3EP/image-asset.jpeg)
"Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water."
- Bruce Lee
Stan Rolfe is a strategically minded, technology savvy, Talent Acquisition leader, with a passion for recruitment, technology, leadership and blogging (stanrolfe.com). Stan is currently the Resourcing Manager for Barminco Ltd, and Managing Editor for ATCHub, where all things talent management are discussed.
Stan has worked in the Talent Acquisition industry over the past 13 years within both Agency and Internal Corporate Functions. He has worked with leading organisations across the Professional Services, Engineering, Construction and Contracting sectors. One of Stan's recent successes has been the introduction of virtual simulation into the recruitment process at Barminco Ltd, a leading International underground hard rock miner. This saw him present at both the Australian Talent Conference (ATC2015) and #TruLondon on 2015.
Social media (SM) offers you an insight into how people engage with your brand story in their lives. It should be nurtured like any relationship. This article by guest blogger Richard Moroney gives you 7 great rules on how to rock your SM engagements.
DISC: One of the world's most popular team building tools.....guest blogger Theo Winter shares his thoughts and insights on this behavioural assessment tool.
Spending Time With...
MJ recently spent time with Donna Quinn, hospitality entrepreneur and now owner of Coco Belle Espresso Bar in Mt Pleasant. Read Donna's thoughts on the Perth Market and how she escaped the daily grind launching her Gold Plate finalist Espresso Bar Coco Belle. Engaging with her local market and delivering on the freshest food is the business strategy behind Coco Belle's success.
MJ spends time with Neil Randall, acclaimed footballer, Commissioner of the WAFC, Past President and Director of Subiaco Football Club, owner of the Paddington Ale House, President of the Western Australian branch of the Australian Hotels Association and Board Member for Hostplus, hearing his thoughts on leadership and the state of play in the Perth Hospitality Market.
MJ recently spent time with Andrew McIntyre from Lot Twenty (a bespoke small bar in Northbridge) gaining his thoughts on the state of the Perth hospitality market and his secrets on empowering and developing an incredible team. Enjoy the read; we think Andrew, his team and his establishment are truly spectacular!
In the first of our series on smallBIZperation, we spend time with Louise Atkinson, owner of Whispering Sands Horse Play Centre. If you have never been counselled by a horse, then you are missing out on one of life's magic moments!
Mark Daniels is truly inspirational! Follow his journey as he shares with us how he went from near-death to participating in marathons in under a year; a thought provoking and inspiring article on leadership, the power of goal-setting and grit. In Mark's words "Screw 'Disabled', Screw Normal; only you know what you are capable of."
MJ was fortunate to spent time with Nick Lloyd, awarded the WA Australian Hotels Association Award for Best Venue Manager in 2016. Nick shares his thoughts on leadership and learning, the state of the Perth Market and what it takes to run a successful venue.
This week MJ was fortunate to spend time with leading Perth Hotelier Andrew Donovan hearing his thoughts on leadership and the state of the Perth hospitality market. Enjoy the read!
MJ recently spent time with Colin Gourdis, read Colin's thoughts on leadership, learning, motivation and moments in time that shaped him in becoming one of Perth's leading hospitality consultants.
MJ recently had the opportunity to hear Andy Freeman's thoughts on leadership, innovation and the Perth Hospitality market. Known for his commitment, innovation and impeccable attention to detail, Andy is truly one of Perth's most respected industry figures. We hope you enjoy reading Andy's thoughts as much as we enjoyed bring them to you!
MJ was fortunate to spend time with DCH Legal Group Director Katherine Bodey, read how Katherine went from quarter life crisis to successful lawyer.
MJ recently spent time with 2015 Telstra Business Woman of the Year and Holyoake CEO Angie Paskevicius gleaning her thoughts on leadership. MJ shares Angie's story and insights with us in this weeks blog.
Sergeant Michael Wear, Marine Search and Rescue Coordinator at Water Police recently sat down to share his thoughts with us on leadership. Having been awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2014, it was interesting to hear Michael's journey.
MJ got the opportunity to sit down with Pat Tinnelly the General Manager Industries, Western Australia for Fulton Hogan. Hear Pat's thoughts on leadership and how he motivates and encourages his team to achieve best practice.
We get to spend time with some amazing people and now so can you! Read, relax, grow and learn…enjoy our posts as much as we enjoyed bringing them to you.
Today we bring you Spending Time with Susanne Martins, from Housing Authority WA!
I recently spent time with Tim Osborne the State Manager for the Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group [ALH] in Western Australia. Hearing Tim's thoughts on leadership and how he champions the operations of 29 leading West Australian hospitality and entertainment venues was truly inspirational! I hope you enjoy reading Tim's insights on how to grow a business through growing people as much as I enjoyed the interview!
So fortunate to have spent time with this inspiring entrepreneur! Thank you Jeb Brooks for sharing your thoughts with us.
So grateful to hear [and share] Jacqueline Aguiar's thoughts on leadership....
Leadership Card Insights
I have sat the same behavioural assessment four times over seventeen years. My natural style barely moved. What did change was how hard I was working to be someone else at work.
Ten years ago I published this article. One of the three secrets was already out of date, and I didn't notice. The 2026 revision.
There is one thing that, removed from a team, destroys it. Trust. Not strategy, not talent, not the org chart. Here are Covey’s thirteen behaviours that build it — refreshed with the research behind them, a corrected attribution, and one behaviour I’d now write differently after ten years.
Nobody likes a porcupine, so why do we let them stay? Nine steps to move their behaviour up — or move them off the team. Revised August 2026, because tip nine used to tell you to shrug off a bullying claim.
Curious to know the definition of 'T&T'? Look no further! Read how 'T&T' evolved, its definition and see an example in action. 'T&T' a leadership capability you can ill afford to be without! Enjoy.
Can your business afford not to be a SECSpert?! Become a part of the SECS revolution today [Secrets of Excellent Customer Service] and enjoy watching your profits grow!
Does all the talk of interest rates and budgets get you excited? See how you can use SWOT to measure your hard work, and give your business a fiscal boner!
Someone is not delivering. Before you ask a single good question, work out which of three problems you are actually looking at, because coaching the wrong one makes it worse.
Share in the journey to AWESOME. As Scope reaches its 19th year and decides how to celebrate the monumentus milestone, they decide to enter the Telstra Micro-Business Awards. Grab a coffee....share the journey... its been quite an experience!
The Workforce is changing
You can no longer reply on talent alone! As our series continues, we spend time talking all things talent management with Stan Rolfe, Principal at Qi Talent Solutions and Managing Editor at ATCHub. Explore the future of recruitment, so you can prepare for a change in the employment model.
As our series on the changing workforce continues, we examine just what it means to be entering the exponential age; an era of dramatic change that will revolutionise many industries. How will you be affected? Be prepared!
We spent time with Gia Le, Entrepreneur and author of Perthspective, asking what she thought a change in the job market would mean for the Independent Worker. Her thoughts and insight give an interesting vantage to our research on the changing workforce.
40% of Australian jobs will be obsolete in the next 10-15 years! This article explores why and what you can do to prepare yourself. Enjoy!
Every one of Covey's 13 trust behaviours has a forgery. Not an opposite — a forgery, which is far more dangerous, because an opposite is easy to spot. Here's what your best behaviour turns into when you're under load, and why you're the last person who'll notice.