Macquarie masters program

SYDNEY’S Macquarie Graduate School of Management has a new masters program for managers in the early stages of their careers.

Macquarie Graduate School of Management dean Alex Frino.

Masters program

THE Macquarie Graduate School of Management in Sydney will launch a new master of management program next year, designed specifically for professionals in the early stages of their management careers.

The two-year program will include a compulsory internship with a leading corporate client.

It is the first time the business school has offered management education to early-career professionals.

Dean Alex Frino says the program will be tailored to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of cutting-edge management practices.

“We believe that the development of management skills occurs at the very beginning of a person’s career,” Frino says.

“This course is tailored to offer students the foundational business training, as well as the critical professional skills needed to put them on a path to future leadership roles.

“We are also excited by the internship component to this program which requires students to complete an internship at leading Australian and global businesses.”

The professor says students at the beginning of their careers will be able to take advantage of Macquarie’s extensive corporate partnerships.

Excellence awards

THE Australian Institute of Management Excellence awards will be contested nationally for the first time, with winners advancing from their respective regions to state-based finals and then a national award.

Categories include manager of the year, owner-manager of the year, young manager of the year and not-for-profit manager of the year.

AIM chief executive Daniel Musson says the awards recognise the need for effective management. “Regardless of your demographic or at what stage you are at on your management and career journey, AIM is uniquely placed to leverage the development of business, management and leadership skills to help our members build their capability and achieve their vision and ultimately meet their potential.”

The awards are in their 22nd year and previous winners and finalists include international employment entrepreneur Therese Rein, Domino’s Pizza general manager Don Meij and wotif.com founder Graeme Wood.

Nominations close August 20. www.aimawards.com.au.

Ground rules

LEADERSHIP and customer service management consultant Steve Simpson says companies need to overcome unwritten ground rules, or UGRs, if they want to succeed.

Simpson, who spoke at the Proteus Leaders with a Life national conference last week, says most worksites have UGRs that prevent people from speaking up to management or sharing ideas, which means people do not feel trusted and are left unwilling to contribute to group discussions.

“They’re seldom talked about openly,” he says. “I think there is nothing more powerful in a team or organisation than its UGRs.”

Simpson says for a business to become successful and create a positive culture, values need to be shared and UGRs discussed.

He says that includes assessing areas of concern, teaching staff about the culture and constantly updating practices, and embedding cultural values.

Great workplaces

GREAT Place to Work, which specialises in rating worksites and offering training, will be holding seminars around Australia this month on how to improve worksites.

The Great Workplace series, which will be held in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane from August 19 to 27, will help companies create and sustain an engaged and committed workforce.

The workshop will help companies prepare a comprehensive, flexible, and engaging learning experience for managers who want to create a great workplace. They will also prepare businesses to work with managers examining behaviours that create a great workplace. www.greatplacetowork.com.au