Comments on: The Organisational Zoo http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302 Victorian Public Sector Continuous Improvement Network Wed, 09 Jun 2010 07:40:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kathryn http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-724 Kathryn Wed, 08 Nov 2006 03:37:37 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-724 This was a really interesting workshop. Athur gave us a brief introduction to the organisational zoo. Using the animal metaphor Arthur makes it much easier to recognise and understand the types of people we work with and how they all contribute to an organisation's success. I look forward to reading the book and sharing it with my team. This was a really interesting workshop. Athur gave us a brief introduction to the organisational zoo. Using the animal metaphor Arthur makes it much easier to recognise and understand the types of people we work with and how they all contribute to an organisation’s success. I look forward to reading the book and sharing it with my team.

]]> By: Organisational Zoo - VPSCIN lunch « Knowledge Futures http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-597 Organisational Zoo - VPSCIN lunch « Knowledge Futures Sat, 04 Nov 2006 10:05:29 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-597 [...] More on this session here at the VPSCIN blog [...] [...] More on this session here at the VPSCIN blog [...]

]]> By: Coordinator http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-589 Coordinator Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:59:40 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-589 I went ot today\'s session knowing that I would meet up with twenty or so of my VPS colleagues, but I ended up seeing a couple of thousand of them as the workshop unfolded ! I have been fortunate enough to use Arthur\'s personality profiling tool before along with a whole of Govt Innovation group and it proved (as it did again today) to be a valuable and amusing way of establishing who\'s who in the zoo (sorry !). It has great potential in activities such as team building and stakeholder engagement. I wonder ... if the HMS Beagle had visited the VPS isles rather than the Galapagos, would Charles Darwin have formulated similar evolutionary theory ? (I suspect so.) Many thanks to Arthur Shelley for the valuable workshop and ALDC for the exceptional hospitality and zoolologically themed lunch. I went ot today\’s session knowing that I would meet up with twenty or so of my VPS colleagues, but I ended up seeing a couple of thousand of them as the workshop unfolded !

I have been fortunate enough to use Arthur\’s personality profiling tool before along with a whole of Govt Innovation group and it proved (as it did again today) to be a valuable and amusing way of establishing who\’s who in the zoo (sorry !). It has great potential in activities such as team building and stakeholder engagement.

I wonder … if the HMS Beagle had visited the VPS isles rather than the Galapagos, would Charles Darwin have formulated similar evolutionary theory ? (I suspect so.)

Many thanks to Arthur Shelley for the valuable workshop and ALDC for the exceptional hospitality and zoolologically themed lunch.

]]> By: Ken Tucknott http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-587 Ken Tucknott Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:43:39 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-587 What an enjoyable day and it whetted the appetite for more on the creatures in the zoo. Nematode will certainly take over from my coprolite salutation. Perhaps I was the odd man out, but unlike Michael(above)I felt I certainly differed in my traits from some other attendees. Although there were some seemingly contradictory traits (aggresive vs caring, relaible & procrastinating) in my inventory, I believe differing situations require differing responses, and rather than being rigid in my approach, I actually liked the notion of the Chameleon (but not in today's context as the sycophant)rather for their adaptability and survivability. It is an excellent abilty to have in a dangerous environment and the enemy never knows where you are coming from and shies away from confrontation. Once again thanks for the great session and I hope to take the lessons further in due course. Ken Tucknott Planning & IT Manager Region 4 (North East) ken.tucknott@police.vic.gov.au What an enjoyable day and it whetted the appetite for more on the creatures in the zoo. Nematode will certainly take over from my coprolite salutation.

Perhaps I was the odd man out, but unlike Michael(above)I felt I certainly differed in my traits from some other attendees. Although there were some seemingly contradictory traits (aggresive vs caring, relaible & procrastinating) in my inventory, I believe differing situations require differing responses, and rather than being rigid in my approach, I actually liked the notion of the Chameleon (but not in today’s context as the sycophant)rather for their adaptability and survivability. It is an excellent abilty to have in a dangerous environment and the enemy never knows where you are coming from and shies away from confrontation.

Once again thanks for the great session and I hope to take the lessons further in due course.

Ken Tucknott
Planning & IT Manager
Region 4 (North East)
ken.tucknott@police.vic.gov.au

]]> By: Jodie Saunders http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-586 Jodie Saunders Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:31:04 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-586 What a grat day was had by all. Very interesting concept and I really want to know the animals in more detail, so when I look at people at work I can link the animal to each as a way of memory skilling - just hope I don\'t call one of the executives a lion or a hyena ! I am really looking forward to the whole concept and the book. What a grat day was had by all. Very interesting concept and I really want to know the animals in more detail, so when I look at people at work I can link the animal to each as a way of memory skilling – just hope I don\’t call one of the executives a lion or a hyena !

I am really looking forward to the whole concept and the book.

]]> By: Luke Naismith http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-584 Luke Naismith Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:28:07 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-584 A great workshop Arthur and a shame we did not have longer. I think it just goes to show that there is a little bit of animal in everyone. Or as we discovered, a lot of animal in certain people. And, as a former Zoologist like Frank, I\'ve always said that I wanted to work with animals and now I realise that I have finally achieved my dream - the moral of that story is to be careful of what you wish for ! The personal profiling was really valuable. A great workshop Arthur and a shame we did not have longer.
I think it just goes to show that there is a little bit of animal in everyone. Or as we discovered, a lot of animal in certain people. And, as a former Zoologist like Frank, I\’ve always said that I wanted to work with animals and now I realise that I have finally achieved my dream – the moral of that story is to be careful of what you wish for !
The personal profiling was really valuable.

]]> By: Michael De Sousa http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-583 Michael De Sousa Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:22:18 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-583 I thoroughly enjoyed and was enlightened by Arthur Shelley\'s workshop on the characteristics of the organisational zoo animals. I realise that each of these animals which when combined in a team can achieve greatness. I really look forward to reading Arthur\'s book to establish what species I am. I get the feeling that most who attended the workshop were similar in character. Perhaps we should attract other animals to such a workshop to better understand their behaviour and strengths. I see it important that I truly know myself and how I portray myself to others. The picture slides of people used by Artur and my rating of them from 1 to 5 did vary as he gave me more information about them. Thi shows how tricky initial perceptions can be ! I certainly would like to emulate the good characteristics of other animals and be able to spot the right ones to help me reach my goals. I wish to commend te CIN for picking such a useful workshop that strikes at the heart of character - keep up the good work. <em>Michael De Sousa Quality Coordinator Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Services Board Level 2, 456 Albert St East Melbourne 3002 mdesousa@mfbb.vic.gov.au</em> I thoroughly enjoyed and was enlightened by Arthur Shelley\’s workshop on the characteristics of the organisational zoo animals. I realise that each of these animals which when combined in a team can achieve greatness. I really look forward to reading Arthur\’s book to establish what species I am.

I get the feeling that most who attended the workshop were similar in character. Perhaps we should attract other animals to such a workshop to better understand their behaviour and strengths. I see it important that I truly know myself and how I portray myself to others. The picture slides of people used by Artur and my rating of them from 1 to 5 did vary as he gave me more information about them. Thi shows how tricky initial perceptions can be ! I certainly would like to emulate the good characteristics of other animals and be able to spot the right ones to help me reach my goals.

I wish to commend te CIN for picking such a useful workshop that strikes at the heart of character – keep up the good work.
Michael De Sousa
Quality Coordinator
Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Services Board
Level 2, 456 Albert St
East Melbourne 3002
mdesousa@mfbb.vic.gov.au

]]> By: Linda Martin http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302&cpage=1#comment-582 Linda Martin Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:11:51 +0000 http://www.vpscin.org/?p=302#comment-582 You will never look at your work colleagues or bosses the same way again - a facsinating insigt into understanding human behaviours in the workplace. I just have to figure out what animal I am ! This would be a great team building exercise. You will never look at your work colleagues or bosses the same way again – a facsinating insigt into understanding human behaviours in the workplace. I just have to figure out what animal I am ! This would be a great team building exercise.

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