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Unscriptedhr HR Consultant, Advisor and Coach supporting businesses to create culture-enriching workplaces.

One thing I’ve learnt in over 25 years working in HR is that so many workplace issues aren’t actually policy problems.Th...
10/10/2026

One thing I’ve learnt in over 25 years working in HR is that so many workplace issues aren’t actually policy problems.

They’re conversations that haven’t happened, have been avoided for too long, or simply haven’t gone well.

I’ve just finished reading Crucial Conversations (third edition) as part of The Reading Room, facilitated by Anna Marshall from People Mastery.

And even after all these years in HR, I found myself reflecting on how I approach difficult conversations, both personally and professionally.

Two things really stood out for me.

❤️ Start with Heart

Before going into a difficult conversation, stop and ask yourself what you actually want to achieve. Not just for yourself, but for the other person and the relationship.

It’s so easy when emotions get involved to focus on being right rather than getting to a good outcome.

CPR – Content, Pattern, Relationship

I really loved this simple framework.

Are we talking about something that’s happened once? Something that keeps happening? Or has it reached the point where it’s affecting trust and the relationship?

I see this so often when working with managers. We keep addressing individual incidents when what we really need to talk about is the pattern of behaviour.

And sometimes, by the time we have that conversation, the relationship has already been impacted.

It’s a great reminder that having the conversation early, and approaching it with the right intent, can make such a difference.

I’m curious, what’s one thing that’s helped you approach a difficult conversation differently?

AI is moving quickly.For HR, the real question isn’t whether it will change our work...it’s how we use it well while kee...
02/09/2026

AI is moving quickly.

For HR, the real question isn’t whether it will change our work...it’s how we use it well while keeping people at the centre.

For regional organisations, there’s another important piece to the conversation: how can AI help us attract, develop and retain the capability our communities need?

On Tuesday 20 October, the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) Mid North Coast Network is bringing together local HR professionals, people leaders and business owners to explore:

❓How AI is already changing the way we work
❓Where it can genuinely add value
❓What it means for our regional workforce
❓How we prepare our people and organisations for what’s ahead

This will be an interactive round table - a chance to share what you’re seeing, ask questions and hear how others are approaching similar challenges.

I’m really looking forward to co-facilitating the conversation with Meg Campbell from Coast to Country HR.

📅 Tuesday 20 October
⏰ 5.00–7.00 pm
📍 Taree Universities Campus

A big thank you to Donna Ballard Taree Universities Campus for providing the space and the opportunity for our regional HR community to come together.

If you work in HR, lead people or are responsible for workforce and capability across Taree, the Manning Valley or the wider MidCoast, we’d love you to join us.

Register here: https://www.ahri.com.au/event/round-table-ai-in-hr-the-regional-talent-equation

Kath Harris FCPHR HR Consultant UnscriptedHR

Not everything needs a meeting.There. I said it. 😆As we head into another week, perhaps it’s worth asking before sending...
31/08/2026

Not everything needs a meeting.

There. I said it. 😆

As we head into another week, perhaps it’s worth asking before sending that calendar invite…

Could this be an email?

Could it be a Teams message?

Could I pick up the phone and sort it out in five minutes?

Or — radical thought — does everyone I’m inviting actually need to be there?

I’m all for getting people together when we need to collaborate, make a decision, solve something or actually connect.

But a meeting to talk about the meeting before the meeting?

Maybe not.

Our calendars have become so full that sometimes we forget people need space to actually do the work.

So here’s my Monday challenge:

Before you send your next meeting invite, ask yourself:

What do we need to achieve … and is a meeting really the best way to achieve it?

Your team’s calendar might thank you.

Kath Harris FCPHR HR Consultant UnscriptedHR

Helping create

A great local HR opportunity is now open at Garden Village Port Macquarie.I’m looking for an experienced HR Business Par...
18/08/2026

A great local HR opportunity is now open at Garden Village Port Macquarie.

I’m looking for an experienced HR Business Partner who enjoys being close to the business, building trusted relationships and helping managers work through people matters with confidence.

It’s a broad, hands-on role and a genuine opportunity to make a difference in a respected Port Macquarie organisation.

Take a look, or share it with someone who might be a great fit - link in comments.

I’m reading Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown at the moment, and this one stopped me.“Boundaries are the distance at whi...
15/08/2026

I’m reading Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown at the moment, and this one stopped me.

“Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” - Prentis Hemphill

Such a simple way to think about boundaries.

We often think of boundaries as being about saying no, putting up walls or keeping people at a distance.

But perhaps they’re really about creating enough space to look after ourselves while still caring about the people around us.

It’s something I think matters just as much at work as it does in life.

A little reminder that being clear about what you need isn’t the opposite of caring.

Sometimes it’s what allows us to keep caring.

This is my daughter, sitting on her board as the sun comes up.It looks pretty magical.What the photo doesn’t show is tha...
13/08/2026

This is my daughter, sitting on her board as the sun comes up.

It looks pretty magical.

What the photo doesn’t show is that it’s the middle of winter. It’s cold. It’s early. And this is board training before school - something she gets up and does most weeks.

Watching her has made me think a lot about what resilience actually looks like.

Sometimes it’s not a big, courageous moment.

Sometimes it’s getting out of bed when you’d rather stay there. Turning up when it’s cold and uncomfortable. Practising something again and again. Falling off and getting back on.

And sometimes, it’s knowing when you need to give yourself a break.

I think we can forget that when we look at photos like this - particularly on social media. We see the beautiful sunrise, the calm water and the perfect moment.

We don’t see the hard days.

The days when things don’t go to plan. When confidence takes a hit. When we’re tired. When we fall down. Or when simply getting out of bed feels like an achievement.

Work and life are a bit like that too.

Resilience isn’t about being strong, positive and productive every single day.

For me, it’s more about continuing to show up over time, learning from the days that don’t go so well, and recognising that progress rarely looks as perfect as the photo.

Although, every now and then, you do get a sunrise like this. ☀️

Sometimes the HR person needs a reminder too. 💜This beautiful package arrived today from the wonderful Anna Marshall at ...
28/07/2026

Sometimes the HR person needs a reminder too. 💜

This beautiful package arrived today from the wonderful Anna Marshall at People Mastery.

One thing I’ve learnt over the past year is how easy it is to spend all of your energy looking after everyone else - your team, your clients, your family and your community.

Somewhere along the way, you quietly move yourself to the bottom of the list.

I’m looking forward to joining Anna’s Reading Room. Not just for the books, but for the opportunity to slow down, reflect and connect with other women who understand the juggle.

Sometimes the best investment we can make isn’t in learning more, it’s in creating space to think.

Thank you, Anna. I can’t wait to get started. 💜

CONTINUE.The last part of Stop. Start. Continue. is often the one we rush past.We’re so focused on what needs fixing tha...
23/07/2026

CONTINUE.

The last part of Stop. Start. Continue. is often the one we rush past.

We’re so focused on what needs fixing that we forget to protect what’s already working.

For me, it’s curiosity.

One thing HR has taught me over the years is that the first story is rarely the whole story.

The employee who seems disengaged.
The manager who’s frustrated.
The team that’s resisting change.

There’s usually more going on than we first see.

I’m reminding myself to ask one more question before jumping to a conclusion.

“Help me understand…”

It’s one of the simplest questions we can ask, but it opens up some of the best conversations.

Leadership isn’t always about changing something.

Sometimes it’s about continuing the behaviours that build trust every single day.

So, what are your Stop. Start. Continue. this week?

START.Here’s one leadership habit I’m trying to use more often.“Let’s take that offline.”Such a simple sentence, but it ...
21/07/2026

START.

Here’s one leadership habit I’m trying to use more often.

“Let’s take that offline.”

Such a simple sentence, but it can completely change the quality of a meeting.

Not every discussion needs the whole team.
Not every disagreement needs an audience.
Not every detail needs twenty minutes.

I’ve been in plenty of meetings where two people are solving a problem that only affects them, while everyone else quietly checks out.

Protecting people’s time is part of good leadership.

So I’m reminding myself to notice when a conversation has served its purpose and gently move it offline.

Better meetings aren’t about longer agendas.

They’re about better habits.

What’s one thing you want to start doing as a leader?

STOP.We use Stop. Start. Continue. in HR all the time.At the end of workshops.During leadership programs.As part of team...
19/07/2026

STOP.

We use Stop. Start. Continue. in HR all the time.

At the end of workshops.
During leadership programs.
As part of team retrospectives.

But if I’m honest, I don’t ask myself those questions often enough.

So here’s my STOP.

Stop interrupting.

This is something I’m consciously working on.

I’m naturally enthusiastic, and sometimes I jump in because I’m excited or because I think I know where someone is heading. In my mind I’m helping.

The reality? It can stop someone sharing their thinking or feeling heard.

Some of the best leaders I’ve worked with aren’t the ones who speak the most.

They’re the ones who create space for everyone else.

This week, I’m reminding myself to listen all the way through before responding.

What’s something you’re trying to stop?

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