Don Dunoon is:

  • Developer of the OBREAU conversation model, for supporting safer, clearer and more authentic conversations

  • Founder of Better Work Conversations, a brand owned by his company New Futures Pty Ltd

  • A leading proponent of conceiving of leadership as a practice different from, yet balancing, management

  • Expert in assisting groups and individuals strengthen their capabilities in conversing for change on tough issues and in exercising leadership

  • Author of In the Leadership Mode, a book framing leadership as a mode of action for enabling change with contentious problems, and different from management as another mode

  • Skilled as a facilitator, diagnostician and change agent

As an independent work culture, conversation and leadership development specialist, Don has 25-plus years’ consulting experience. His work centres on helping clients in diverse settings develop capabilities in talking about, and dealing with, issues in ways that are more mindful, that tap potentially available (including hidden) intelligence, that get to the fundamentals, and that draw forth energy and action for change. Based in Sydney, Australia, he has worked with clients and colleagues internationally.

Don has also presented at several international conferences, including 5 annual conferences of the International Leadership Association (between 2008 and 2021) and the World Conference on Quality and Improvement (2018).

His OBREAU conversation model (with OBREAU comprising the first two letters each of Observation, Reasonableness and Authenticity) is gaining increased attention internationally as a structure for supporting safer conversations and dialogue. A workshop on OBREAU was awarded “Outstanding Educator Workshop” at the 2016 Conference of the Association of Leadership Educators in Sacramento, CA.

Since 2019, Don has partnered with CHA Learning, the learning arm of HealthCareCAN, Canada’s peak hospitals and health services organisation, in an e-learning course, Talking About Tough Issues.

OBREAU is taught as part of leadership programs and courses at US universities including Kansas State (Staley School of Leadership), Virginia Tech (Dr. Eric Kaufman), and Troy University (Alabama, Dr. Dwayne Gunn).

In 2022, Don launched his new brand and website, www.betterworkconversations.com. The website is the new home of OBREAU and highlights in-company conversation-based courses Don has developed to help people engage more safely and productively for change and improvement.

Let’s Talk!

I work with clients and colleagues all over the world; and with web-conferencing technologies it’s easy to connect and stay in touch. So, no matter where you are, if you’re interested in discussing or applying any of the ideas or tools described on this site, or the services I offer, let’s talk.

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