Council's Restore and Thrive Turnaround Strategy received a serious injection of positivity during a hugely successful World Café event to review the organisation's new 'Back to basics' roadmap and values.
The World Café was held recently over two days, in four sessions, with over 180 staff and Councillors participating.
Armidale Regional Council General Manager James Roncon said the World Café was an exciting opportunity to bring teams together.
"This was the first time a world café has ever been held virtually, anywhere in the world," he said
"It wasn't without a few initial technical glitches, but everyone adapted really well and had the opportunity to share their views, constructively, and in the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect for each other."
The culture change initiative begins with values and behaviours based leadership. As an organisation the culture is well and truly under the microscope.
"The organisation is starting to get its swagger back," said James Roncon
"It was really pleasing to see staff and councillors break the shackles of the past and develop values and behaviours they all want to live and breathe.
"Leading through lived values gives staff the freedom to explore and challenge the way we do things and not be afraid to do so. Leadership is about encouraging people to find their purpose.
"It should be a model that thrives because it is lived and breathed by the whole staff group."
Council is now focused on setting a standard that all staff and councillors can aspire too that in-turn is reflected out in the community. A strong focus on values and behaviours will be a key component of our future recruitment.
"We want to be a high performing organisation that sets the standard for how a business should operate," said James
"Following the World Café the next stage of the journey for Council is to adopt the strategy map and start putting it into practice.
"While we will be striving to be perfect all of the time, we will have days when we miss the mark.
"We will own our mistakes, accept responsibility and be better next time."
