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A 100+ year old organization was facing an enterprise-wide, multi-billion dollar transformation. A new, cross-functional team was brought together to spearhead this change, but faced challenges because of organizational siloes and lack of cross-functional communication. Following an in-depth assessment of the leadership team’s behaviors and their leadership presence, the president realized the team would need to change their communication strategies to drive the transformation.

Each leader was assessed using a research-based model of executive presence, the ExPI™, which is designed to measure specific behaviors of executive presence and leadership communication; the qualities of leadership that engage, align, inspire and move people to act. The team developed a “profile of success” highlighting their desired future state as a team, and compared that with the collective data on their strengths and gaps as a team. The comparison and insights from the comparison formed the roadmap for improving their behaviors as a team.

The leadership team ultimately became champions for the enterprise-wide change by improving communication streams and winning buy-in from their own teams and other stakeholders critical to the change. They’ve transitioned from seeing their role as protecting their vertical siloes to connecting their functions into a horizontal, integrated pipe that delivers fast, seamless value to the company and the customers.

This case study highlights the importance of creating culture change through leadership behavior. When an organization is faced with high-stakes transformation, change ultimately starts at the top. Leadership teams who invest in the hard work of changing their siloed actions, and hold themselves accountable for a new way of working, will be able to drive change more effectively and more quickly.

Previous prevalence studies of likely autistic spectrum condition (ASC) within criminal justice settings have focussed on specialist forensic mental health settings. The purpose of this paper is to examine prevalence of autism in a general community forensic sample.

In total, 336 offenders managed by a probation office were administered with a recognised screening tool to identify likely autism (AQ-10). Screenings were scored and those above the threshold were identified, where possible further diagnostic information was sought on positive-screened cases.

In total, 4.5 per cent (15 offenders) of the caseload screened positive for autism. Descriptive demographic information such as gender, age and offence type is provided for this group. Further diagnostic information was available on eight of the cases. Three already had an autism diagnosis and further psychometric assessment indicated that a further three cases were 80 per cent likely to be diagnosable with autism.

Demographic information on the sample could not be compared with norms across the whole probation caseload due to limitation of resources for the project. No further diagnostic information was available on six offenders who screened positive for autism.

The research indicates that autism is not substantially over-represented in a large community offender sample although further research is required to identify the full degree of representation.

Different kinds of offences are observed to be committed by offenders who do exhibit autism. It would be useful for criminal justice staff to have a general knowledge about autism, also how people with autism might offend and how they might best be supervised by probation services.

This is the first study of its kind internationally to examine prevalence of autism in a general community forensic sample.

The purpose of this paper is to report research findings on the perspectives of overseas trained psychiatrists (OTPs) on the “The Overseas Trained Specialist Up-Skilling Programme” (OTSUP), initiated in Queensland, Australia to assist OTP's to prepare for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrist (RANZCP) Fellowship examination. Ascertaining and utilisation of OTP's views about the programme will enable improvements to be made to the programme and better implementation.

An exploratory qualitative design was utilised for the study in order to provide insights on the quality and effectiveness of the OTSUP.

Centred around two main themes. The first theme included participant's knowledge about the up-skilling programme with its subthemes of “finding out about the programme”; “perceived aims of the programme”; and “educational events supporting the programme”. The second theme revolved around participants’ perceived benefits of the up-skilling programme with its four subthemes such as, first, individualised support, second, the opportunity to improve practical and communication skills through OTSUP educational events, third, access to peer support and fourth, provision of specific information on the RANZCP examination process.

Limitations as this was a qualitative study, the findings can only be applicable to a similar context. Nevertheless, the findings do provide support for an educational initiative that assisted the OTS to better prepare for the RANZCP examination. To gain further insight into challenges faced by OTS with successfully passing the examination in less frequent attempts, programmes such as the OTSUP need to be improved and sustained.

The findings provide valuable insight into how OTPs view the up-skilling programme. Moreover, the findings pave the way forward in how the programme can be improved in the future to assist OTPs prepare for the RANZCP examination.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of social capital among International Medical Graduates (IMGs). It will specifically examine bridging social capital and greater intercultural communication which provides IMGs access to the wider community and plays a key role in cross-cultural adaptation and acculturation.

A review of the literature.

An Australian wide shortage of doctors has led to an increased reliance on the recruitment of IMGs. As IMGs migrate, they may encounter different meanings of illness, models of care and a number of social challenges. Nevertheless, greater cross-cultural adaptation and acculturation occurs through bridging social capital, where intercultural communication, new social networks and identity aids integration. This process produces more opportunities for economic capital growth and upward mobility than bonding social capital.

Concerns regarding immigration, appropriate support and on-going examination processes have been expressed by IMGs in a number of studies and policy papers. However, there is very little insight into what contributes cross-cultural adaptation of IMGs.

As IMGs migrate to not only a new country, but also a new health system and workplace they arrive with different cultural meanings of illness and models of care. These differences may be in contrast to the dominant western medical model, but often bring positive contributions to patient care in the new environment. In addition, improving bridging social capital provides IMGs access to the wider community and has been demonstrated to play a key role in cross-cultural adaptation and ultimately acculturation.

“A Candidate, canvassing his district, met a Nurse wheeling a Baby in a carriage, and, stooping, imprinted a kiss upon the Baby's clammy muzzle. Rising, he saw a Man, who laughed.