The Back Story – Fiona Royall

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The Back Story – Fiona Royall
In this The Back Story interview we sit down with one of our senior team in Melbourne, Fiona Royall.

It’s our monthly interview with one of our ADAPTOVATE team from around the world. While not in the same league as The Proust Questionnaire – we think it’s a great way to share our employee’s own story with you.

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This month we interview our senior consultant in Melbourne, Fiona Royall.

1. First up – how long have you worked with us?

I joined in early 2019

2. Why did you join us? Were you in the industry previously, or looking for a new career direction?

I was looking for new opportunities through my networks and ADAPTOVATE was recommended to me by a friend. I started out my career working for corporates but after a few years identified consulting as the area I would like to work in. Before joining the ADAPTOVATE team I’d already been working in digital consulting for a couple of years. I was intrigued by ADAPTOVATE as I had never worked in a start-up environment before, I have previously worked with large organisations. The team also put me through my paces across the interviews so I respected their due diligence and got a window into what the way of working and culture would be like. The relationship ADAPTOVATE has with BCG was a drawcard.

3. How has your previous experience and career helped define where you are now? Would you have done things differently?

As I grew in my career, I gained a good idea around what I wanted. I started out in marketing and through that landed in digital marketing. I enjoyed digital because it was constantly changing so it kept things interesting. I knew I wanted to travel, to be able to work across industries and companies to gain as much experience as possible and learn. I had also seen companies struggle with change brought on by digital so wanted to be able to apply what I had learned to help other companies on their journeys. So I began to explore opportunities in digital consulting. Now what I do is broader than ‘digital’ and more encompassing of innovation and transformation. I wouldn’t change my journey.

4. How do you balance your work life with your ‘real’ life – Do you have a good balance and how important is it to you?

ADAPTOVATE is supportive of work-life, I would not be here otherwise. You are able to have honest discussions with leadership and the team around it which makes a huge difference. It can be a struggle at times, mostly when travelling as you are away from home, your loved ones and routines so it can throw things off balance if you allow it. I try to balance work with my ‘real’ life by managing expectations of those I work with and being protective of my life outside of work. It is of critical importance to me; being able to maintain a life outside of work makes me a better person when I am at work as I’m more rested, energised, happy and healthy.

5. With so many of our team remote working, we always like to ask how do you have your home office/desk set up? Organised or chaos? Any top tips?

At home, I have a stand that can sit on top of a table that allows me to work standing up which allows me to not be stuck sitting all day. I have a portable stand that I take everywhere that means my screen is eye level, with a keyboard and mouse. I have also recently invested in blue light glasses. I learnt the hard way how important it is to have good ergonomics. I like to be organised, and I also try to change locations where I can, so I might start my day working out of a local cafe before heading home. When I work from home (and more generally) I aim to get outside over my lunch break and go for a walk to get some air and recharge ahead of the rest of the day. I return much better for it.

6. Do you play music during your Agile workshops with clients? What do you recommend on your latest playlist?

I do. I tend to look for Spotify playlists that are suitable background music that doesn’t distract or overwhelm the people in the room. Their Office Playlist usually works well.

7. How do you think technology has best helped humanity and do you have any concerns about our future?

What stands out is the ability to connect with people all around the world. There are also productivity gains which ideally allows people to focus on higher-value activities or frees up time and capacity. I’m a big proponent of quality output over hours worked. I have many concerns about the impact of technology: ethics, misinformation, privacy and use of personal data, and the impact on how we interact with the world (if you look up while on public transport you will likely see everyone glued to their phones).

8. Strategic Foresight allows companies to detect changes early and ensure action is taken quickly. Which companies have you seen able to change and adapt quickly. (and hopefully using Agile methods to do so)

Amazon stands out for being able to adapt their business model over time and embracing agile. You can read more on the agile side of things here https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2019/06/02/how-amazon-became-agile

9. What does success mean to you personally?

I aspire to be good at what I do, enjoy what I’m doing and whatever follows, follows.

10. Finally – You’ve time travelled back to your 10- year old self – What advice would you give?

Nothing. I trust she will find her own path.


For more monthly interviews with our ADAPTOVATE team, you can visit here.

Adaptovate - Business Agility specialists
Adaptovate - Business Agility specialists