" Elizabeth understands the potential of complexity theory in its application to business management particularly when effecting the difficult task of bringing about change. She is able to interact with a management team and help them to grasp its power with only the briefest of understanding of the underlying theory of complexity science. I have found working with her stimulating in generating many insights into alternative ways of approaching business issues other than by traditional command and control methods "
John Ferrie Group MD Smiths Aerospace
" I consulted Elizabeth when my company was in need of a transformation. We were over 20 years old and whilst the organisation has changed completely over time, the current stream of business we were pursuing was clearly going nowhere. we were struggling to decide what to do and how to make it happen. The turning point was recognising from Elizabeth's model that 'Purpose' needed to be at the centre of our thinking and then become the driver of our actions. Once this became clear the rest fell into place and a direction emerged which everyone understood. Elizabeth's model was stuck above my desk for many month's to remind me of what was important and only disappeared when the company had grown substantially such that I had to move office to make way to accomodate more people - a great problem to have! "
Paul Argyle CEO Flight Directors Scheduled Services Ltd, now trading as www.alternativeairlines.com
Consultant and adviser
Elizabeth McMillan is a senior academic and an experienced and qualified management development consultant with more than 25 years' experience as a manager in both the private and public sectors
Elizabeth and her highly experienced Associates can offer you a range of consultancy and advisory services tailored to the needs of your organisation. These include:
- Consultancy and Advisory services
- Coaching and mentoring at all levels
- High quality research projects
- In company learning and development events
- High quality input to learning and development strategies
- Challenging and possibly critical insights into your current management practice!
- An impartial voice and a neutral listener
- Access to the latest research and ideas on effective management derived from Complexity Science and other leading edge research areas
The ability to spontaneously self organise and adapt to challenges and changes in the surrounding landscapes has enabled species to flourish and survive for millennia. Nowhere is this ability more evident than in communities of social insects such as ants and termites. Termites, for example, self organise and construct the most amazing free form nests that are perfectly adapted to the requirements of the colony and the landscape around them, whilst making best use of the raw materials available locally.
These tiny blind creatures are not led by some charismatic leader with a grand vision of the future of the colony, nor a top management team that instructs them on how best to proceed. Instead they operate in a spontaneous and opportunistic fashion, guided in all they do by a strong sense of purpose and direction. If these simple insects are able to create air conditioned homes, that in termite terms are several miles high, without all the paraphernalia of modern management practice, then surely there is much we could learn from them?
Termite mound - Cape York, Australia