“Fantastic speaker!
Passionate, enthusiastic and authentic”
KPMG
“Prepare to be captivated”
Kiwibank
Dr Ellen Joan Ford is an award-winning leader, military veteran, international speaker and facilitator focused on: Leadership & High-Performance Teams, Organisational Culture & Staff Engagement and the Future of Work
Award winning leader at a national level
Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award
KiwiBank New Zealander of the Year - Local Hero
Person of the Year - Manawatu Standard
International Speaker and Facilitator
TedX
Military
Corporate Sector
Government Departments
Academic, Researcher and Scholar
MBA (executive) and PhD focused on leadership
Author: #WorkSchoolHours
Co-author: Food & Fibre Sector leadership
International publications on leadership
Army Officer / Military Leader
Ten years' service in NZ Army
Deployment to Afghanistan
Advised Chief of NZ Army on gender inclusion
Supported the evacuation of 563 Afghans to NZ
Ellen draws on her research and practical experiences and has helped multiple corporate and government organisations improve their leadership & high-performance team capabilities, their culture and staff engagement, and prepare them for the future of work.
Ellen served ten years as an officer in the NZ Army, and has led soldiers on operations, and teams in the corporate sector. She completed her MBA, PhD and post-doctoral research, focused on leadership.
It is Ellen’s authentic ability to bring out the best in others in a safe, real and fun environment that makes her so unique. She is a natural speaker and facilitator and will inspire, energise and expand thinking for your organisation in the following areas:
Leadership and High-Performance Teams
Organisational Culture and Staff Engagement
The Future of Work
A leader’s job is to create an environment where their team can thrive, where they have Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose, and then direct that thriving energy at the task that needs to be achieved. When people have Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose, they thrive, and they do their best work for their team. Organisational outcomes such as retention, productivity, engagement, well-being and ultimately, profits, are enhanced when people are thriving.
My Leadership Model is Belonging, Autonomy, and Purpose
Ellen’s best case study for what can be achieved when people have Belonging, Autonomy and Purpose is the evacuation of 563 people from Afghanistan to New Zealand. Read her team’s incredible story here.
#WorkSchoolHours: A Revolution for Parents, Workplaces and the world.
Right now, we are expected to work as though we don’t have kids and parent as though we don’t have jobs. It is not sustainable. It’s causing people to leave the workforce, or to sacrifice valuable family time – and simultaneously hurting organisations as retention and productivity take a nosedive.
#WorkSchoolHours offers us all a better framework – one that takes us far beyond how we structure our work schedules to deliver better commercial outcomes for businesses, better careers for all working people, and better lives for everyone. Building on decades of research and lived experiences, #WorkSchoolHours gives us practical insights and immediately actionable solutions.
Available as paperback, audio book or e-book
“#WorkSchoolHours provides not just the manifesto for change but offers real and practical ways to tackle the opportunity. This is a must read for any leader building a modern workplace.”
Michael Moynahan I Former CEO of HarperCollins ANZ, Former Chair of Creative New Zealand
#WorkSchoolHours Online Course
Parents edition
Are you a working parent feeling trapped in the constant tug-of-war between your career and your children's school hours? Have you found yourself sacrificing either your job performance or precious family time, just to keep up?
You're not alone, and it's time for a groundbreaking change. Welcome to #WorkSchoolHours. This isn't just another course offering time management hacks or preaching about a mythical work-life balance. #WorkSchoolHours is about fundamentally transforming how work is done, and this course helps you to influence this.
"Nothing short of brilliant. It left me feeling motivated and empowered."
natalie I working parent
#WorkSchoolHours Online Course
People leaders edition
Are you a people leader tasked with maintaining high team performance while navigating the demands for flexibility and autonomy? Do concerns about productivity, clear outcomes, and the potential for increased administration hold you back?
The #WorkSchoolHours course is designed for leaders like you, ready to revolutionise how work is done to benefit everyone. This course goes beyond traditional flexible working arrangements. It's about leveraging #WorkSchoolHours principles to foster an environment where your team can achieve its best work—without sacrificing flexibility, or organisational requirements.
“Ellen shows how fundamental changes in how we structure and measure work will be good for all workers – and for business too.”
Dr Pete Frizzell I Chief People Officer, FMG
Some of the organisations Ellen has worked with:
Featured and published work
Recent News
Speaker / Facilitator Reel
Testimonials Video
“Because Ellen’s a change-the-freaking-world person”
Mark Crysell, tvnz
