Testimonials

The tools we have gained from your course have got me well and truly out of that ‘hurry sickness’ cycle of reactivity. So not only has your course made me more productive, but it might just stop me dropping dead from a stress related heart attack too.

James Redgrove, General Manager – Safety Systems, Dreamworld Australia

“Thank you Dermot, this course has been fantastic. I have learnt about so many part of outlook I was not aware of and am already seeing a difference in the way I work from the changes I made earlier on in the course.”

Kirsty Macfarlane

“Love this course, great combination of presenter videos, how to videos, the written white papers and the ability to go back and re watch sections. Really got a lot out and it is beginning to show in my working week. Still lots to learn. Thank you Dermot.”

Karen Riddel

I finished this book on the weekend in just a day and loved it! Really great content and relatable examples, actually feels such a relief while reading it. The words of a globally recognised time management expert help unpack why the day feels as crammed and stressed as it does, and importantly, what can be done to change it. It’s insightful, practical and so relatable, a must read for any time poor and busy executive who wants to stop being reactive and start managing their time more effectively to drive better outcomes for themselves, and teams around them.

Well done to Dermot Crowley on an excellent book and creating such positive thought leadership, we need more attention on building this type of muscle in today’s business world. Time is our most precious, scarce asset and this book gives tips and strategies to help make the most of how we setup and use it sustainably. Well done Dermot!

Sarah Hearn, Executive, Customer Remediation at NAB

Told with genuine insight and a sprinkle of wit, never could this evidence-based study be any more timely and urgent than now, in this era of shifting and resetting workplace paradigms. An easy-to-follow playbook for business and government leaders and workers to make sense of what we do today but should be doing tomorrow.

Charles Miranda, author, editor and journalist

“Dermot has been guiding our team through ‘Smart Work’ and ‘Smart Teams’ for just over two years. The strength and clarity of his knowledge and personal work practices flow into his books and training, and our results have been transformational.  Team members experience a greater sense of control and ease in their work days, and together we have adopted a ‘shared’ productivity language and culture.”

Lesley Mackay, GM Tasmania, The Smith Family

“This latest offering from Australia’s leading expert on productivity is his best work yet (and that’s saying something…Dermot’s work has already had a profound impact on me and my team, and transformed how we work and how we work together). If you want to do more deep work, more meaningful work and have an impact, the key is taming urgency.  As you’ll learn, we don’t want to eradicate urgency (as if we could)…just get rid of unproductive urgency and fuel ourselves with the right kind of urgency at the right time.  This book will show you how. You’ll finish this book with deep clarity about what to do and energised to take action. This is the thinking person’s productivity bible for the next decade.”

Peter Cook, Chairperson of Thought Leaders, author of The Thought Leaders Practice and The New Rules of Management

“COVID-19 shows us that we can all work differently.  It forced us to reassess what was urgent, what was important and what was a true crisis.  Dermot Crowley’s latest book Urgent! points out the ‘inconvenient truth’ of urgent work and how this leads to unproductive cultures.  Urgent! shows us how to be less reactive and more productive by learning to moderate urgency.”

Gabrielle Dolan, author of Real Communication and Stories for Work

“Disruption requires us to deal with immediacy, but that does mean everything requires urgency. This book explains the difference.

Matt Church, founder of Thought Leaders Global, author of Amplifiers

“Whether through one of our chats, or through reading one of his great books, I have learned so much from Dermot about being more calm and focused and deliberate in how I decide on the right things to do and when to them, and then get them done. Like everyone, I can easily fall into the urgency trap, reacting to what is always more demand than I’ll ever be able to supply. But it’s Dermot’s advice and techniques that make this urgency whirlwind happen less and less often. As the world continues to change around us, businesses can’t afford to give in to the urgency trap anymore. We all need to get more focused and deliberate on deciding the right things to do and when to do them, and then get them done. And Dermot’s book, Urgent! is the practical formula to help us.”

Stacey Barr, strategic performance specialist, author of Prove it!

“Dermot has been guiding our team through ‘Smart Work’ and ‘Smart Teams’ for just over two years. The strength and clarity of his knowledge and personal work practices flow into his books and training, and our results have been transformational. Team members experience a much greater sense of control and ease in their work days, and together we have adopted a shared ‘productivity’ language and culture.”

Lesley McKay, General Manager Tasmania, The Smith Family

“While we all aspire individually to work smarter, it is not until you shift an entire team to achieve this that you realise the true scale and benefits. Smart Teams is an excellent reference for leaders and individuals alike. Allowing you to not only develop good habits, but more importantly create a team culture of productivity and efficiency.”

Paul Gracey, Director-Printing Systems, HP

“Dermot makes the concept of improving personal productivity tangible with practical tips that can be implemented immediately. His humble approach to holding up a mirror to the bad habits many of us fall into means that his audience can immediately relate to his stories whilst still feeling inspired to take action.”

Richard Burns, General Manager, Customer Experience & Technology, Aussie

“Dermot presented at our recent Area Manager conference in the Gold Coast. Dermot delivered on the brief perfectly, and presented a tailored session that was both inspirational and instructional. I believe that his practical approach to productivity will ensure that my team actually implement what they have learnt.”

Angus Sullivan, Executive General Manager, Retail Sales & Service, CBA

As someone to whom work organisation does not come naturally, the Smart Work program has changed my life and transformed the way I work every single day. I’m getting more done in less time and getting better outcomes simply because I’m better equipped through better prioritisation and having more time available to spend on activities that really add value to my piece of the business. I’ve been telling everyone I can how valuable this program has been and everyone needs to do this, regardless of your level or position. If your work has a strong association with sending and receiving emails, do it – it will change your working life.

Jeff Harrison, Team Manager, Video Conferencing, CBA

We have found working with Dermot Crowley extremely rewarding.  As a team we have developed a new operating rhythm, a common language for efficiency practices and gained collective and individual insights into our optimal working styles.  We have collectively been so impressed with what we have learnt that we have requested Dermot continue to work with us on a regular basis to continue to hone our skills, stay true to the working methodologies he has taught us and continue to operate as efficiently as possible.  As a leader when I hear the words “this training has changed my life”, “how did I ever get through all my work before meeting Dermot”, “Dermot is a super star” and “I am so grateful to Dermot for getting a better balance in my life”, I can only say that the training is money well spent!

Justine Cain, Divisional General Manager, Medibank

You have revolutionised my life! Our session on Wednesday was a game-changer for me! Unlike most courses, where I begin seriously invested and drift off half way through, I actually found myself becoming more invested in what you were saying as the day progressed.

 

Monique Hope-Pearson, Group Legal Council, Connective Broker Services

In my 6 years in CommSec (and CBA) this is the BEST COURSE I’ve ever done. I would recommend to anyone at any level. In fact I’ve had 4 of my staff go through it since. Its easy application in real time with ongoing support makes it easy for everyone and anyone to implement .. it’s now a way of life and I’d NEVER go back.

 

Steve Mater, Executive Manager Investment Sales, CommSec

I am delighted to report that today, the team are totally energised and working diligently to implement the new systems.  The office has a completely different feel, a warmth of positive energy.

David Smith, Managing Director, SC Botanicals

We are an organization that gears up at the end of the year enormous work load leading into the Australian Open. There is a significant sense of “busyness” amongst the teams and I was looking for an expert that could talk to all levels of employees and management and relate to their “busyness” by providing them some new insights and work tactics to allow them to work smarter and not harder.

Since Dermot has visited our business and delivered his keynote presentation his name has been the echo of our workplace corridors for the past few months as people have discovered an easier way of life in a very busy period of our calendar year.

I have had multiple employees thank me for finding such an inspiring speaker and an overwhelming sense of delight when staff have shared what they have implemented since hearing Dermot speak and how it has impacted their daily lives.

Dermot has been described as a speaker that not only has valuable tools and takeaways that staff were able to implement immediately but he delivers the message in a way that is engaging and entertaining.

I personally believe that Dermot has saved me hours of work each day and I couldn’t sing his praises enough when it comes to the value he offers in the time I have spent with him.

I would recommend Dermot to any organization that is needing uplifting and motivating in personal productivity and who are prepared to learn new tricks and habits that will change the way you think about your approach to work forever.

Jaquie Scammell, Director Customer Relations, Tennis Australia

Dermot Crowley’s Smart Work is an exciting personal productivity game-changer. 7 days on from our Leadership Team of 60 people spending 3 hours with Dermot, it’s great to see the buzz during the session translated into a team who are excited to have found a simple and practical way to release their potential and that of their teams.

It feels like I have found the simple answer to delivering my own personal productivity goals together with a simple program to help the whole organisation thrive not strive.

David Smith, Managing Director, Diageo Australia

Adapt’s integrated approach to managing inputs, actions and outcomes through centralised action planning has made a world of difference to how I operate and what I get done.  Achieving a zero inbox has taken a weight off my shoulders and I feel more in control of my time.

Steven Ford, Managing Director, Bulbeck Group

Dermot is a true professional who unlocks time by smart use of technology together with tried and true time management principles.

Kathleen Bailey-Lord, Group GM Shared Services, ANZ Bank

Dermot’s workshop and 1 on 1 coaching was life changing for my team and me. Personally, I have regained at least 16 hours each week, and my team have become evangelists, converting everyone they meet to their new approach to email and task management.

 

Fiona Geddes, General Manager Direct Channels Support, Commonwealth Bank of Australia

This is the most valuable training I have done in years!

 

Rachel Foley-Lewis, Senior Partner, Deloitte Australia

Adapt has helped me and many of my colleagues to improve our effectiveness and sharpen our focus by changing the way we use our technology. Dermot’s approach is straight forward, practical and produces immediate results.

Michael Rose, Chief Executive Partner, Allens Arthur Robinson

Leading Productivity Whitepaper

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