About

Stewarding Human Flourishing Through Public Value

I help individuals, communities, organisations, cities and nations 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:

  • Communities

  • Individuals

  • Organisations

  • Cities

  • Nations

Rodney Barber

I am a social entrepreneur and public investment expert.

I am passionate about advocating for and equipping leaders to secure investment to enable resilient communities, whether at organizational, suburb, district regional or national levels.

I believe that the way to achieve better outcomes is through better decisions. To this end, I created Better Decisions. Better Outcomes TM, to enable public leaders to engage and think with others how best to deliver better outcomes for better public value to measurably improve living standards and eliminate systemic poverty.

I stand for leadership that listens, includes, and does what’s right even when it’s hard.
I bring communities and decision-makers together to work on what matters most — and make decisions they can be proud of, not just today, but in 10 years. I care less about quick wins and more about lasting outcomes — ones shaped by courage, connection, and what really counts.

I help leaders and communities shift from short-term fixes to decisions that stand the test of time — decisions grounded in integrity, shaped by real people’s voices, backed up by evidence and focused on outcomes that matter. I support them to see more clearly, lead more humanely, and build stronger, more resilient futures together.

I want to be remembered for leading with conviction, courage, and compassion — and for helping others find the clarity to act, even when it’s hard. I hope people experience me as someone who brings people together and believes in what’s possible.

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

During my time at NZ Treasury from 2009 to 2016, I established the Better Business Cases Framework to inform decisions on initiatives. I led the capability development of the public sector nationally including the establishment of training, communities of practice, clinics and coaching. I had the framework evaluated in 2015 and one of the recommendations was to take a wider sector and country perspective. My BBC journey at Treasury is here.

I left Treasury in 2016, founded Barber Associates and created Better Decisions. Better Outcomes (BDBO) Framework, to identify the right initiatives to have an exuberant economy, stunning environment, thriving communities and vibrant cultures, with the enabling infrastructure. I have coached a district to do this and several public sector agencies as well as build and maximize their internal capability for ‘best public value’ investment decision making to achieve their vision.

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 to Public sector and NGO organizations.

My background

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.

LinkedIn

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.

LinkedIn

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.

LinkedIn

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.

LinkedIn

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.

LinkedIn

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.

Mark Abbot

Principal at Mark Abbot Consulting Ltd.

Mark specialises in organisational strategy and transformational change. His local government experience comes from senior executive and consultancy roles covering corporate asset management; sector strategy development and implementation; organisational planning and evaluation; and programme management of transformational infrastructure.

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