There’s no doubt about it, we are navigating tough times! Globally, the toll on humanity feels pretty immense. Locally, the public service and private sector are both grappling with tough economic conditions and a large amount of uncertainty - with associated squeezes on budgets, workforce, growth and expansion. The pressure on people is unmissable.
Given that context, it’s easy - and entirely understandable - to put our heads down and focus on outputs. But when work becomes a relentless list of tasks, we risk a lot more than needing a good night’s sleep; we can lose our sense of purpose, our connection with others, and our hope that things will get better. Most of us are energised by hard work when it feels meaningful, developmental and productive. But without those conditions, it can quickly start to feel more like a ‘grind’.
Add mid-winter blues and seasonal bugs to the mix, and July feels like exactly the right time to focus on bringing a bit of humanity to work; how we look after ourselves, and importantly each other, and how we can sustain a collective sense of energy, purpose and success.
In that spirit, attending this week’s L&D Summit was a refreshing change of scene, especially listening to Sonya’s session on building and embedding Succession in organisations - which is all about how we sustain long-term performance and learning.
And in this month’s blog, we explore a powerful idea for tough times: reclaiming a fuller definition of work. Inspired by Tim Gallwey’s work triangle, we unpack how organisations can protect learning and experience, not as indulgences, but as strategic essentials for navigating pressure and emerging stronger.
We also spotlight Belonging by Owen Eastwood as our recommended read. It’s a timely reminder of the deep human need to feel seen, valued and part of something bigger - for all of us to feel that we belong, especially when organisations and teams may feel like they’re in survival mode.
Winsborough are a proud sponsor of the 2025 New Zealand L&D Leadership Summit.
The conference centred on the future-focused and positive theme:
Forward Motion – Leveraging learning as a catalyst for organisational change.
Participants and presenters came together to explore the evolving landscape of Learning and Organisational Development across sectors. The sessions tackled the complexity facing today’s L&OD leaders and the opportunities within it.
Key themes included:
Building sustainable people strategies through organisational learning
Mapping critical skills and capabilities for the future
Tapping into the strengths of a multi-generational workforce
Embedding Kaupapa Māori principles in meaningful, practical ways
Evolving leadership development for today’s challenges
Lifting digital literacy across organisations
And adapting L&D to deliver more with less without compromising impact
The result was a rich mix of insights, shared challenges, and forward-focused thinking, all with the goal of helping L&OD leaders navigate change with clarity and confidence.
Sonya also facilitated a well-received session on planning for and achieving Smooth Succession; unpacking the key questions L&OD leaders need to be asking, the common challenges and barriers they face, and practical strategies to overcome them.
If you missed it, you can catch key insights in Sonya’s blog on Succession, which we featured in our May newsletter.
Develop Your Ability to Scale Effective Teamwork
Rocket ModelTM Certification Workshop in August
If you weren’t able to attend our June Teams webinar with Dr. Gordy Curphy and Brendan Lynch here’s the recording.
It’s getting really tight, but if you’re keen, it’s not too late to sign up for their workshop in August.
Why Now’s the Time to Reclaim the Full Definition of Work
By Rachael Stott
“Everywhere you look, the message is clear: do more with less. Fewer people, tighter budgets, higher expectations. Whether you’re in the private sector or public service, the pressure is unmissable and relentless. But in the urgency to deliver, are we shrinking our definition of work too far?”
Given the challenges of change and uncertainty, I have found myself referring a number of leaders to Owen Eastwood’s Belonging.
In our current pressured context, there is a risk that teams emerge out of restructures and change holding onto a ‘survival’ mindset.
They go head down on tasks and targets (in part ‘justifying’ their existence), and overlook the important work of aligning and connecting - around their new shared purpose, principles and practices. Owen Eastwood’s Belonging offers a powerful reminder that performance is sustained not just by tasks, but by connection and trust. He shows that a deep sense of belonging, of being seen, valued and part of something bigger, is what enables people to bring their full energy and commitment, especially under pressure.
For organisations and teams that have been through upheaval, Belonging is a call to reconnect with identity, purpose, and each other; the important elements that turn survival into momentum.
(If not Unity Books, we encourage you to support your local bookstore in accessing your reading.)
Kind regards, The Winsborough Team
Exceptional Leadership. A Better Future.
Winsborough, Level 3, The Formery, 87 Albert Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand, 0800 222 061
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