About

I help people, organisations, and places make better decisions that contribute to human flourishing.

My work brings together public value decision-making, community resilience, leadership coaching and long-term stewardship.

Whether supporting an individual navigating an important life decision, a community strengthening resilience, or an organisation making significant investment decisions, my focus remains the same:

Helping people make better decisions that lead to better outcomes.

About Rodney

I am a Chartered Accountant, coach, community resilience practitioner and public value decision-making specialist with more than 30 years' experience working across government, communities, organisations and international development.

My professional background includes:

  • New Zealand Treasury

  • Office of the Auditor-General

  • Better Business Cases

  • International Monetary Fund (IMF)

  • Governance and community leadership

  • Community resilience and collective action

Over time I became increasingly interested in a simple question:

How can people, communities and institutions make better decisions in an increasingly complex world?

That question has shaped much of my professional and community work and led to the development of Better Decisions Better Outcomes (BDBO).

My Approach

My work is grounded in three connected ideas:

Public Value Helping decision-makers focus on the outcomes that matter most for people, communities and society.

Better Decisions Better Outcomes (BDBO) A practical methodology applied in the Think phase of decision-making.

Community Resilience Strengthening the foundations that enable people and communities to flourish.

Together these approaches can be applied across multiple scales whether individuals, organisations or places- suburbs, cities, districts, regions, nations

If you want to know more about why I do this…

At NZ Treasury from 2009 to 2016, I established the Better Business Cases Framework nationally including the development and delivery of training, communities of practice, clinics and coaching.

I left Treasury in 2016, founded Barber Associates and created Better Decisions. Better Outcomes (BDBO) Framework, to think through how to identify the right initiatives to then develop business cases

In 2017 I trained and coached the government of a foreign country on how best to build decision makers’ and the public’s confidence and identify the right initiatives to achieve the vision.

In 2020 I commenced as a contract employee with the International Monetary Fund advising governments  of developing nations how to improve decision making.

In my suburb, Newlands, I have used parts of BDBO to collectively engage with local leaders to set a vision for 2030, to build community wellbeing and resilience, and identify how best to achieve that vision and measure outcomes.

I have also applied BDBO with Public sector and NGO organizations.

My background

Working With Associates

Depending on the nature and scale of an engagement, I work with a trusted network of highly experienced associates who bring complementary expertise in:

  • Public value and investment decision-making

  • Governance and strategy

  • Infrastructure and business cases

  • Community resilience

  • Leadership development and coaching

  • Service design and innovation

  • Organisational development

  • Research and evaluation

Let's Connect

Please connect if you are facing an important decision, opportunity or challenge.

Connect

Meet the Associates

Brett Hodgson

Business Adviser and Director

Brett is an experienced executive having developed his skills through roles held at Board, Country and Regional levels for multi-nationals. Brett has also built his own successful IT services business. Brett specialises in governance, innovation and organisational performance through the development and mobilisation of teams with clear strategy, commonly shared goals and vision.

Stephen Davies Howard

Director at Davies Howard Group Ltd.

Stephen is recognised as a skilled facilitator accredited to conduct Investment Logic Mapping by the Victoria State Department of Treasury and Finance and he is the only independent (non-government employee) endorsed by the New Zealand Treasury as both an ‘Expert’ practitioner and reviewer for the Better Business Case process.

Lewis Weatherall

Director at Business Case Consulting Ltd.

Lewis specializes in assisting clients to develop high quality business cases using the Better Business Cases (BBC) approach. Lewis is a Treasury-endorsed Expert Practitioner and Reviewer, an APMG International approved trainer and an Investment Management Standard (ILM) facilitator.

Simon Vagn Larsen

Director at Open Service Design Ltd.

Simon co-designs and delivers innovation in many forms, including labs, for private and public sector organisations and assists with improvements in systems, culture, organisational development, and innovative change. Simon’s engagement equips people with the thinking, tools, processes, and the action of human-centered service design.

Peter Bonniface

Business Consultant at BRP Consulting

Peter specialises in working with organisations to help them develop investment proposals that are strategically aligned, compelling, and provide value for money. He is a Treasury endorsed Better Business Cases Expert Practitioner and Treasury accredited Gateway reviewer.

James Barnes

Director at Ingage Global Limited

James is the creator of the Relationship Equity Management (REM) Model, incorporating “Indigenous Thinking”. He has 30 years of practice proven local and international experience, specialising in Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management across Central and Local Government, and the Private and Not for Profit sectors. James is of Ngāti Porou descent which enables him to provide a cultural perspective to organisational transformation and change management.

Dr. Huong Nguyen

Dr. Huong Nguyen Huong works at the intersection of strategy, human resources, and foresight, helping organisations turn bold visions into practical outcomes. Drawing on experience with New Zealand government agencies, the OECD, and global futures initiatives, she supports organisations and communities to build the capabilities, leadership, and adaptability needed to prepare for what’s next.

Bill Mcdonald

Strategic Finance and Investment Advisor

Bill is a trusted advisor with 25+ years of senior experience in public sector finance, investment strategy, and infrastructure planning. He specialises in complex project evaluation and business case development aligned with government frameworks. A former CFO at Wellington City Council, he has led work across major infrastructure and service delivery projects, including prison development, port revitalisation, fleet electrification, and urban investment planning. Bill is known for his calm, strategic approach and ability to translate complex objectives into practical, evidence-based outcomes.

Jamie Scott

Director at Jordan Scott Consulting Limited

Jamie Scott (MHRINZ) is a Director of Jordan Scott Consulting with 30+ years’ experience in HR leadership, training, facilitation, and coaching, including senior national HR roles. He is an active member and former Wellington Branch President of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, and a Senior Consultant with Inspire Leaders. He is also an accredited Senior Associate and Trainer with the Forum Corporation, a global leadership development organisation. Jamie delivers leadership development, coaching, and team effectiveness programmes, and is known for his engaging, practical facilitation style and strong client relationships.

He is accredited in:

  • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

  • DISC Behavioural profiling and 360 feedback instrumentation

  • Hay McBer and Lominger Competency modelling

  • The Leadership Circle (TLC) 360 profiling tool

  • Team Management Index (TMI)

  • Human Synergistics LSI1 and LSI2 Profiling tools

  • ICC Accredited Coach