I want to share a key activity we do here at RuralScope each and every January. It's a simple one and is great for team building as all staff can participate. But the best part of all is that it cleans the slate ready to bring in new things for the year ahead. We call it CLEANSWEEP. We grab our diaries and go through each month identifying key things we did / achieved / mucked up etc etc for each month. And through this process we jot down the highlights as we go. And we also acknowledge things that didn't go to plan and let them go. It is a fabulous time for each of us to reflect, review, acknowledge, let go and celebrate. One thing I know for sure is that it creates pride and allows each of us the time to re-calibrate for the year ahead. We have just completed our CLEANSWEEP, here's what we found......
Before we get to that though..... I am often asked why we do CLEANSWEEP in January and not in December so that it finishes the year. Short answer. We work pretty much through til the end of the year and even if we don't physically, mentally we seem too. And I find that a break between when we finish work for the year and when we commence for the following year really helps to allow our minds to automatically reflect on the year and all the activities just gone.
So now, here are some of our RuralScope highlights for last year.....
2017 was busy year as we reviewed and implemented more of the 'working on our business', rather than the important but just 'working in our business' stuff. An overall highlight as we levelled up our focus and thinking to being more strategic.
- Facilitated the successful Australian Grain Leaders Program. Held face to face sessions in Canberra. Adelaide and Perth. 100% stated they would recommend the program to others.
- Our Director, Jo Eady, was appointed to the Rural Business Collective Australia advisory board. She attended meetings / forums focussing on setting the direction for this innovative initiative.
- Conducted an evaluation of a national agricultural industry leadership program - focussing on reach, impact and outcomes. Recommendations accepted by industry for implementation in 2018.
- Provided advice to an agricultural industry sector regarding a diversity strategy to attract and increase the involvement of young people to this industry.
- Facilitated 15+ short term leadership coaching programs with emerging and established leaders from across Australian agricultural industries.
- Attended and facilitated an emerging leaders panel at the Australian grains industry Innovation Generation conference hosted by Grain growers Limited.
- Commenced a Mentoring Program to benchmark RuralScope nationally and establish a plan for future development. The outcomes of this program are realising positive benefits for us as well as our clients. We are far more focussed and manage out time much better than we have for ages!
- Our beautiful RuralScope office (with the yellow door) flooded! We identified a new location, renovated, upgraded out computer systems and moved in. Still a bit of a work in progress.
- Created a leadership development concept for a national agricultural industry and led the pitch to achieve investment for its development and delivery.
- Facilitated the LandcareNSW Muster 2017 in Albury and provided feedback and recommendations report from the 250 people who attended from across New South Wales. Outcomes already being implemented.
- Re-established our website www.ruralscope.com.au dormant for years and commenced regular blogging (got to keep this up).
- RuralScope took steps to establish and trial some new social media tactics resulting in an increased profile across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Positive feedback about our work, projects and personnel from clients unsolicited and shared across networks, online and various forums.
I hope by sharing our CLEANSWEEP process with you, I inspire you to do this for yourself and your business. If you have a go, I'd love to hear how it goes. Please get in touch by emailing here or phoning direct.