IN FOCUS will give our readers a chance to get to know a little bit more about who our consultants are and what makes them tick. In this edition we speak with Director of Governance and Strategy, Brodie Woodland.
I came to work at TMS because… I made a career change from being a practising lawyer, and I was looking to work with a team who could bring cultural and organisational psychology expertise to the work I wanted to do with boards and executive teams to enhance governance. The team here has that expertise, and was also a perfect fit for me in the energy, enthusiasm and dynamic environment.
In my work I am passionate about… the importance of culture in good governance. In my experience, best-practice governance policies and systems can easily fail if they are not supported by the right organisational culture. I’m passionate about building values and behaviours that support good governance.
What I enjoy most about TMS is… the diversity of my work and being part of a team where everyone has a genuine interest in each other’s professional and personal success.
My first job was… working in the Coles deli – slicing ham, serving chicken livers and cleaning the fat out of the hot chicken rotisserie. Not the ideal job for a vegetarian (which I was then), but it was my first weekly pay packet (literally –a small yellow envelope with cash that we lined up to collect from the pay window).
The person I most admire professionally is… Leigh Sales. Her job is very different from mine, but I admire her because she is incredibly smart, articulate, funny and has an impact on public life. Maybe I also admire her because I was a bookish redhead as a kid. If she’d been on TV then maybe I’d have wanted to grow up to be Leigh Sales!
The book that has had the biggest influence on my career… is Bleak House by Charles Dickens. It was mandated reading in my law school ethics class, and has some important lessons about justice and social reform. There are also strong messages about professional ethics and client service that apply well beyond the legal profession.
If I wasn’t a consultant I would be … well, when I was 10 I wanted to be a ship’s captain. It turns out, I don’t really like confined spaces, so ships might be out. My current day-dream job would be a yoga teacher – the tools that yoga gives in developing mindfulness are fantastic for keeping perspective and thriving in work and life.
The best piece of advice I have ever been given is… measure twice, cut once (advice from my Dad for home handy-work). While I don’t often use a handsaw at work, it reminds me of the importance of laying the groundwork for success with good preparation.
The thing that makes me most happy outside work is… much the same as what makes me happy at work – being around great people, being challenged and learning. That currently means spending time with my family and friends, training for a half marathon and taking Spanish lessons.
