Adapting to change tackled

Three high-profile speakers from very different backgrounds shared insights into thriving in the modern business world, at a first-time Karratha and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry event last week.

So-called demotivational business speaker and trainer Andrew Horabin, survival specialist Mike House and international criminal and human rights lawyer Rabia Siddique presented at the Lead and Adapt workshop at the Karratha Leisureplex function room on Tuesday, September 20, attended by about 140 local businesspeople.

The speakers, who are all based in WA, said they joined forces with agency Market Creations last year to deliver a presentation specifically designed to be, as Ms Siddique put it, “not just another leadership summit”.

“(The seed) was this conversation that we had last year, about how people are doing it hard, particularly since the boom bubble burst, and we wanted to do something that was uniquely serving people in regions, people in Western Australia, who are having to suddenly come off very good times into these very difficult volatile uncertain times, and how could we do that with heart,” she said.

“We can all get through this, if we’re willing to challenge our perceptions and if we’re willing to look at the bigger picture and if we are willing to adapt, because that’s the key.”

Leadership and adaptation was explored from three different perspectives, with Mr Horabin speaking about better communication with less ego and Mr House exploring how people’s reactions under pressure in emergency situations spell the difference between life and death.

Ms Siddique harnessed the power of storytelling in retelling some of her key life experiences, including negotiating an Iraqi hostage crisis and winning a landmark discrimination case against the UK Ministry of Defence.

“I think for me, my journey has taught me that actually we can be defined by those things that we feel are beyond our control, especially the negative things, or we have a choice,” she said.

“Life is a choice. And we can choose to respond to those things in a different way and see them in a way as gifts and opportunities to become wiser and stronger.”

Karratha is only the workshop’s second regional location after its debut in Perth last year.

KDCCI chief executive John Lally said he had organised for the speakers to come here after hearing good feedback in Perth, as their message tied in well with the chamber’s goals for this year.

“Our strategy this year is it’s not how you do things with business, it’s your attitude and the mental side of it,” he said.

“It’s all about how you think and how you react.

“And I think, when you get massive change, which we’ve had, then this is really important for people.”

“I’ve noticed, with the businesses in the chamber, the people that have decided to change the way they do business and adapted the way they do business, they’ve thought a bit differently, they’re the ones who are starting to do (better).”