As the year draws to a close, many councils will gather for the familiar end-of-year barbecue or awards night. But true celebration is much more than sausages on the grill. Done well, it’s a powerful leadership act that fuels engagement, lifts morale, and acknowledges the hard yards your people have put in.

In our final sector event for the year, we’ll explore why Australians often struggle to celebrate meaningfully - and what leaders can do differently. We’ll unpack:

Why celebration matters for tackling overwhelm and burnout.

How recognising wins builds kindness, community and collaboration.

Practical ways to make achievements visible - within council culture and across your community.

What leaders themselves gain from embedding celebration into their leadership.

Anchored in our self–others–context framework, this conversation will connect celebration to achievement orientation and show how it strengthens both individual resilience and collective success.

Join us for a joyful, Christmassy session that reminds us all: celebration isn’t just the cherry on top. It’s a crucial ingredient in creating thriving councils and communities.

This session is designed for:

CEOs, General Managers, and members of executive teams who are responsible for people and culture, and employee development in councils.

You’ll walk away ready to:

Turn celebration into a leadership tool that fuels morale and engagement.
Counter burnout by making achievements visible and meaningful.
Build stronger trust, collaboration and connection across council teams.
Create moments of culture-building that go far beyond the token BBQ.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear from your peers and industry experts about what is working in their council whilst being provided practical strategies you can implement in your own context.

Location

Zoom, details provided 1 day before the session

Meet your Hosts:

Fabian Dattner – Founder, Chair, Resident Visionary - Dattner Group

Fabian is a highly regarded ethics commentator, leadership expert, and activist. A fierce advocate for women in leadership, Fabian says the world is at a critical crossroads and leadership is a key leverage point for positive change.

A visionary speaker, advisor, and facilitator, Fabian’s career spans more than 40 years, during which she has collaborated with numerous organisations in local, state, and federal government and thousands of leaders across the globe.

Chris Eddy - Podcast Host, Local Government News Roundup

Chris is an experienced CEO with a strong background in government administration and media. He is highly skilled in government operations, stakeholder management, public speaking, facilitation, negotiation, and corporate communications. Chris is also the host of Local Government News Roundup — the leading podcast for news and insights in the sector — where he interviews senior leaders and reports on the issues shaping local government today.

About Dattner Group

Dattner Group is one of Australia’s most accomplished and trusted consultancies, helping to build sustainable, purposeful leadership for almost forty years. We work closely as a culture and leadership development partner for many councils, large and small, around Australia.

And we are ready to help you create big change, little by little.