Leadership

When leaders encourage their team to “switch off” they don’t always realise it can be demotivating and inaccessible. For many, the idea of switching off is actually daunting. Like a void of space and time that could be used to be making a difference.   Also, you’re not a lightbulb. You don’t have an on and off switch. It’s not that black and white.  The best thing you can do is learn to go from “on” to “recharge.” This is what we discussed in the episode with Dr Cassandra Goldie, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS).  Cass brings public [...]

Leaders are often looked to as experts. But they’re not. The strongest leaders surround themselves with experts, which means, you don’t know the answer a lot of the time.  When leaders feel like they should know, they miss the opportunity to invite their team to step into their strengths, rally around you, draw out their skills and talents to solve the problem in ways you couldn’t imagine. This is what vulnerability looks like practically, at the highest levels of leadership. This is what we discussed with Alex Badenoch, Telstra’s former Group Executive – Transformation, Communication and People on our Leading Generous [...]

People think that a collaborative team is being a yes person, never disagreeing, and singing kumbaya in a circle.  But actually, leading a collaborative team takes some hard decisions. This is what we talked about with Kelly O’Shanassy, CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation on our Leading Generous Teams podcast this week. We discussed how she fuels herself and her team/ to make the hard decisions and stay focussed on the goals that matter. Kelly is experienced in executive roles in business, government and the community sector. In her career, Kelly has led the charge to boost clean energy, save water [...]

Shallow or strategic?  What comes to mind when you think of the highlight reel of your work?  It’s shallow. Like you’re glossing over what still needs to be done. You just don’t have time for it. And yet, in my conversation with Lyn Morgain, CEO of Oxfam on our Leading Generous Teams podcast this week, we discussed the strategic importance of learning how to share the joy and those moments of highlight. Lyn Morgain is the Chief Executive of Oxfam Australia. As leader of Oxfam Australia, Lyn oversees the delivery of a broad range of long-term development programs, advocacy campaigns and [...]

There’s a lot of vulnerability that comes with being a leader, and one that we see consistently is the inaction leaders sit in when they don’t know the answers. They think that “when I have more experience, or I’ve been here, in this role a little longer, then I’ll have the answers.” But the truth is, the strongest leaders don’t have all the answers. That’s what I discussed with Sheree Lowe, Executive Director, Social and Emotional Well-being of Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) on our Leading Generous Teams podcast this week.  Sheree Lowe is a Djab Wurrung and Gunditjmara [...]