User:Daisybookworm/sandbox/Bruce D. Watson

Bruce D. Watson
Known for his useful and rigorous reconceptualisation of "Organisational Learning" based on neuroscience, neurophilosophy, situated action, connectionism, and how that reconceptualisation applies to improving management education and practice.

Community Worker, Educator, Educationist, Community Developer, Community Engager, Researcher, In-Home Support Carer

Professionally Bruce is generally recognised for his people skills, together with the ability to turn ideas into appropriate action. In brief, he has active-listening skills, strong communication skills, clear thinking, collaborative approach, consultative yet decisive manner, firm yet fair management style, ability to satisfy stakeholders with varying agendas, and a particular insight into determining the needs of individuals, groups, businesses and organisations. He has provided professional services to State Government Departments, interstate Government Departments, international training organisations, professional bodies, unions, licensing boards, educational institutions, faculties, executive groups, churches, community services & health organisations, and individuals.

Career Direction Change

Consequential to continuing organisational restructuring in a dual-sector university during 1999, Bruce began a career direction change including establishing his own business, HEADS TOGETHER, specialising in management and organisation advisory services, project management, work-based learning and training, coaching and mentoring, and research and report writing. HEADS TOGETHER is informed by over 45 years of work-based experience and professionally-based research.

Professional Doctorate Program and Research Associate

Bruce completed a thesis for the Doctor of Education degree offered by The University of Melbourne. The thesis builds on Bruce’s long-held interest and ability in management, governance, and organisational development. Entitled “ ” (1). The thesis reconceptualises “organisational learning” based on major advances in cognitive science. Since January 2000, Bruce has been an Associate of the Centre for Organizational Learning and Leadership at The University of Melbourne.

Retailing and Medical Science

During seven concurrent years in part-time retail work, including periods as a relieving manager, Bruce completed tertiary studies and in 1977 he commenced work as a medical scientist. Bruce subsequently entered the education field in 1980. He held and maintained a strong interest in the skills required in management and organisational development. Bruce deliberately developed these skills personally, professionally and academically.

Teaching, Management and Senior Executive

After formal training and an internship in secondary school teaching during 1981, he accepted a secondment invitation for a teaching/lecturing placement in the TAFE component of a large dual-sector university in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. By 1985 he was appointed Head of a Department and within six years he was appointed Head of the School. This involved successfully overseeing the development of areas such as health, information technology, community services, preparatory studies and applied science. (e.g., environment, food technology and occupational health and safety) and included the management of teaching provision to local and international students. A further initiative was the development of commercial business operations within the School.

Governor-in-Council Statewide Responsibility

As Head of School, Bruce successfully nominated, on behalf of the dual-sector university, to assume a Governor-in-Council appointed role for the state-wide development of the area of health paraprofessional and apprenticeship education and training for the then Office of Training and Further Education (OTFE) in the State of Victoria. Over three years (1993 - 1995) the field subsequently developed strongly throughout the State and the School became the major TAFE health provider in Victoria under Bruce’s leadership. Bruce is recognised for initiatives that crossed the boundaries between TAFE and Higher Education, and also brought industry and professional groups into close partnerships with education providers before it was generally considered “fashionable”. His ability to comprehend “the big picture” and act on it opened many doors to new opportunities and approaches not generally associated with a dual-sector university at the time.

Senior Executive Reassignment - Organisation Development Role

Following major organisational restructuring that merged TAFE and Higher Education operations within the dual-sector university in 1996, Bruce was transferred internally and developed the role of Deputy Dean (non-academic) which encompassed a demanding, nevertheless successful, and strategic approach to intra- and inter- faculty development in areas including philanthropic fundraising, sponsorship, industry and community partnerships, alumni involvement, schools liaison, commercial activity, and research. Over four years, a key skill was Bruce's ability necessary to effectively work across hierarchical boundaries and draw important contributing organisational "fragments" into an integrated effort that directly involved the relevant staff. For example, one major sponsorship project involved the successful collaboration, developed over ten months, with equipment suppliers to outfit a state-of-the-art training and teaching ward through an "in-kind" partnership agreement. As is appropriate, the final implementation stages were handed-over to the relevant Department and its staff just before Bruce left the dual-sector university.

Community Service and Program Evaluations

Membership of several community services and health boards of governance is one expression of his deep concern for the wider community, a concern that requires action, not only theorising. He has undertaken voluntary leadership roles with youth and young adults. Additionally, over a period of five years as an elected councilor, he oversaw and formally evaluated a large number of highly successful community outreach programs at St. Michael’s Uniting Church, Melbourne, including trauma recovery, single living, pre-marriage, social justice, fundraising and sensible aging.

HEADS TOGETHER Principal and Founder

Bruce formed HEADS TOGETHER in 1999, a boutique sole-trader business (2).

A different, community-based business model.

HEADS TOGETHER Purpose

To be a constructively influential service provider assisting individuals and organisations in embracing their uniqueness. Also to demonstrate that all organisation members and  supporters are capable of  encouraging and contributing to admirable organisational functioning. HEADS TOGETHER Vocation

Heads Together provides integrated education and organisational development advisory and implementation services based on pre-eminent resources, including rigorous academic research, always presented in an accessible manner, to the public, private, community and not-for-profit sectors. HEADS TOGETHER has a broad agenda to improve personal, organisational and community outcomes by providing opportunities for practical input from all organisation members and supporters from the wider community. HEADS TOGETHER Approach

HEADS TOGETHER maintains firm collaborative links to specialist Centres and expert sole traders that ensure a validation pathway for all work undertaken. HEADS TOGETHER does not subscribe to 'one-size-fits-all' approaches or ‘fads’ in the respective fields of service we offer. HEADS TOGETHER provides advice and help to implement customised, long term solutions. Where appropriate we directly involve our client partners.

Leisure and Interests

Bruce Watson’s leisure activities include: reading widely, collecting and viewing Laurel and Hardy videos, gardening, photography, collecting and reading the works of Albert Schweitzer, the Arts and international travel which has included Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, Finland, Spain, Scandinavia, England, Scotland, France, Morocco, Portugal, Penang, China and Vietnam. He is a qualified scuba diver. A favourite leisure activity is walking Oscar, a labrador retriever.