2026 VIC Business Group Dinner: You Know What Your Team Needs to Do. So Why Aren't They Doing It?
Join us for a keynote presentation and two-course dinner, all included with your registration!
Presenter:
Annette Tonkin — Clinical Communication & Behaviour Change Explorer
Format:
45-minute keynote
Who this is for:
Physiotherapy clinic owners who are technically excellent, genuinely invested in their teams, and quietly frustrated that the conversations they're having aren't producing the results they're working towards.
The problem this session addresses:
You were trained to be an exceptional clinician. Nobody trained you to lead people. The communication skills that work brilliantly in the treatment room don't automatically transfer to managing, developing, and getting the best from a team. Most clinic owners don't know this — which means they keep trying harder at the wrong thing.
What you'll leave with:
• A clear understanding of why your team's behaviour follows the same patterns as your patients' — and what that means for how you lead
• The difference between the three types of conversations clinic owners have with their teams — and why defaulting to the wrong one keeps performance stuck
• One concrete communication shift you can apply before your next team interaction — that changes how your team thinks, responds, and takes ownership
• A new lens for team performance: one grounded not in systems or incentives, but in the quality of the conversations you're having every day
The take-home:
The biggest lever for team performance isn't a new accountability structure or a better incentive system. It's the quality of the conversations you're having. Clinic owners who develop behavioural intelligence unlock team performance that no roster change or staff meeting ever could.
About Annette Tonkin:
Annette Tonkin is a Clinical Communication & Behaviour Change Explorer with more than 30 years of experience as a physiotherapist, three-clinic owner, and professional speaker. She has spoken at state and national allied health conferences across Australia for over a decade. Her work sits at the intersection of communication, behaviour change, and clinical leadership — helping clinic owners and senior clinicians turn difficult conversations into better outcomes, for both their patients and their teams.
Please note this is a Face-to-Face event, and by registering you are signing up to attend IN PERSON.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact vic.pd@australian.physio
Sponsored by:
