An Enlightening Talk with Professor Justin Craig: Insights on Trust and Decision-Making

On a crisp morning at the Melbourne Business School, EO Melbourne members gathered for a remarkable event featuring Professor Justin Craig. Known for his profound expertise in entrepreneurship and family enterprise, Dr Craig delivered a compelling session that delved deep into the essence of trust within decision-making teams. This event, organised by EO Melbourne, underscored their commitment to fostering the growth and development of their members through insightful learning experiences.

The theme of the event centred around a pivotal question: "Are we in good hands?" This query reflects a fundamental concern for trust in those making decisions on our behalf. As the business landscape becomes increasingly complex, the need for trust in leadership and teamwork has never been more critical. Dr Craig’s presentation addressed this concern head-on, exploring the intricate relationship between trust and organisational success.

Dr Justin Craig, a Research Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise at Bond University, shared his extensive knowledge on the subject. With 51 peer-reviewed academic publications, numerous book chapters, and several co-edited books to his name, Dr Craig's insights carry significant weight. His research focuses on the strategy, function, management, and performance of multi-generational enterprises, providing a rich backdrop for the event's discussions.

During the session, attendees gained valuable insights into the critical role of trust in team dynamics. Dr Craig emphasised that trust is not merely a desirable trait but a fundamental component for fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation within business ecosystems. He highlighted how trust-building and maintenance are crucial for driving organisational effectiveness.

One of the event's highlights was the exploration of practical strategies to enhance trust among decision-making teams. Dr Craig drew from his books, including "Continuity Model Generation: Integrating Wealth, Strategy, Talent, and Governance Plans" (Wiley Publishing, 2021), and "The Science of Business" (with Ken Moores) (Elgar Publishing, 2024). These works provided solid frameworks that attendees found immensely practical. 

Dr Craig's diverse academic background further enriched the session. In addition to his role at Bond University, he holds faculty positions at the Kellogg School of Management, Tec de Monterrey in Mexico, and the Rita Tong School of Business at St Francis University in Hong Kong. His broad perspective and experience provided a comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing business owners and leaders globally.

The event with Professor Justin Craig was not just an educational session but an inspiring experience that left a lasting impact on the attendees. It reinforced the paramount importance of trust in achieving organisational success and offered practical tools to build and maintain trust within decision-making teams. EO Melbourne's ongoing efforts to host such enriching events exemplify their dedication to fostering a thriving community of business leaders committed to continuous growth and development.

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Professor Justin Craig co-developed and delivers the academic content for Bond University's Forever Business program for Entrepreneurs' Organization. For more details of the EO APAC & Bond Business School 2024 program, visit this page.

EO Melbourne takes part in the APAC Bond University Executive Program

EO recently held its first-ever university-based EO Executive Education Program in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) Region and EO Melbourne members have taken part in this milestone program. It was held at Bond University in Gold Coast, Australia’s first private University and is ranked #1 in Australia for student experience.

The “Building the Forever Business Program” was an immersive five days of world-class on-campus learning that combined academic theory and entrepreneurial practice with a practical action plan to implement in one’s life and business. It culminated with each class member presenting their action plan to take away and implement.

This program was organised to build on the legacy of EO Executive Education Programs at Harvard, London Business School, and the Entrepreneurial Master's Program (EMP) at MIT. It aimed to enhance the members’ EO journey and support their transformational growth. Moreover, it was created to encourage regional connection with peers, supported by a mindset of shared experiences and group learning.

EO Melbourne Members Jeni Clift, Nick Clift, Steve Constantinou, Sam Hunt, and Costa Vasili joined other EO Members from various regional and global chapters for this Executive Education Program. The facilitators in this program were Dr Justin Craig from Bond University, Carlo Santoro from EO Melbourne and Nick Bloor from EO Brisbane.

Members of the inaugural Class of 2022 were raving about their experiences at the EO APAC Bond University Executive Programme. “Life changing.” “Transformational.” “Loved the living case studies…would have paid the money just to listen to them.” “If I had known there is ‘Nothing more practical than a good theory,’ I wouldn’t have run away from it all my life! We learnt many theories and frameworks and then witnessed how they are applied!”

This program is another milestone for EO APAC in enhancing the members’ EO journey, supporting their transformational growth and gathering like-minded leaders to connect with each other through shared experience and living up to the EO Core Value of “Thirst for Learning.”