Scholars like Edgar Schein argue that culture is mostly invisible to insiders. After working across many organisations, I’ve seen the truth in that. I’ve worked with leaders and executive teams who can no longer recognise the culture they operate in. Culture surveys help, but many organisations don’t always know what to do with the results. When a new leader arrives, they briefly occupy a rare position.

Is there ever a time for a leader to turn a blind eye to their own values and policies? This is a core leadership development question. An article in ABC News this week on the “rules-based global order” surfaces a deeper leadership dilemma. Six months ago, Australia’s rhetoric was about defending international law and the integrity of global rules. Now, the tone feels more restrained. More cautious. More evasive.

There is no trust in leadership when an organisation is disheveled I don’t usually comment on politics, but this week’s Coalition reunification story says less about party dynamics and more about leadership and lack of governance. Blame shifting. Rushed timelines for hate speech laws.

Watching the Winter Olympics this week, I was struck by how riders are assessed by judges. It made me reflect on how leaders are assessed in interviews, from my own experience being interviewed, sitting on executive panels, and now coaching senior leaders preparing for them. We’re encouraged to use STAR when asked, “Tell me about a time when…” Situation. Task. Action. Result.

That line from a recent ABC article on family businesses got me thinking about how organisations plan for leadership transition across generations. Excellence in leadership and change can be studied anywhere, not just in your own sector. In Australia, seven out of ten businesses are family-owned. That’s a significant body of lived experience in managing transition across generations. Take the family farm.

“𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝.” Those words were spoken by Brian Russell in a post-disaster reflection. He was one of five engineers who tried to stop the Challenger space shuttle launch 40 years ago. I was a teenager at the time. Revisiting the case through this linked article brought it back into focus for me.

In my coaching work with leaders, the Sunday Scaries show up far more often than people are willing to admit. I came across this SBS News article this morning and it put a useful name to a feeling I’ve seen, and experienced, many times in executive life: that sense of unease as Monday approaches and the week ahead starts to loom.

I stumbled across a little social experiment on Facebook the other day. The caption was: “Help me choose the most suitable tiles.” See image below. Naturally, I clicked in - partly curious, partly wanting my preferred tile validated (No. 1). But here’s what stopped me: out of 65 comments, there was no clear loser. Every tile had its fans. Some people were bold and decisive. Others were completely unsure. A few went totally off-script: “None of them—change the wall colour.”

If you’re stuck or growth has stalled, it might be time for a reset. This ABC story is a brilliant example of what a reset looks like on a national scale. We usually point to Norway, Australia and China as clean-energy leaders. But it’s Nepal and Pakistan that are leapfrogging the wealthy world. Nepal has 76% of new cars running electric. Pakistan has created a solar boom with no major government incentives - just households reacting to crippling energy costs.

I’m seeing a lot of commentary across business and government news about low productivity, financial strain, cost overruns and the real risk of slipping living standards in Australia. I’ve been thinking about the leadership implications — and why coaching and training for increased productivity has become essential. If productivity is about creating more value without more hours, more people, or more cost, then yes — Australia has a problem.

In developing current and future leaders, I’m fascinated by the role regret plays in leadership maturity — and how it shapes who we become. Frank Sinatra once sang, “Regrets, I’ve had a few… but then again, too few to mention.” In reading today’s ABC interview with Kamala Harris, she admits she regrets not challenging Joe Biden’s decision to seek re-election in 2024 — a decision she now calls “reckless.”

Spare a thought for Ange Postecoglou, who has been sacked by Nottingham Forest after just 39 days and eight winless games. The shortest reign of a permanent manager in English Premier League history.

I found this news article fascinating — for how regulators in the US assess the integrity of CEOs applying for casino licences, and the role emotional intelligence plays in that process. Here we have the Nevada Gaming Control Board publicly assessing an Australian gaming executive’s suitability for a casino licence, effectively declining the application because it stood no prospect of success in the short term.

It’s a bit of a trap. We’re quick to answer “half full” to sound optimistic and growth-minded. But sometimes, the “half empty” view is exactly what’s needed. A “half empty” voice is invaluable when assessing risks, dependencies or readiness especially before a make or break contract, merger, acquisition or major change.

To break through complex problems or underwhelming performance, leaders must question and challenge old conventions and be willing to let them go. That is never easy, especially when we are deeply invested in the very conventions that hold us back. Alan Kohler, in a recent ABC article (below) on fusion power and the Australia/USA alliance, argues that AUKUS, with its focus on submarines, looks like “old generals fighting the last war.”

When I read in this news link that Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, resigned because the parent company’s priorities conflicted with the values that built the brand, it really made me reflect on the power and use of core values. He said, “From the very beginning, Ben and I believed that our values and the pursuit of justice were more important than the company itself.”

As a former regulator, I admire the work of eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman - Grant. This ABC 7.30 interview highlights excellent leadership and communication. I’m proud that Australia is leading the world in protecting children from having sexual, violent or harmful conversations with AI companions.

I didn’t think so. Surely success breeds success? But in a recent coaching session with a client, I realised I may have been confusing 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 with 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴. This excellent article by 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘒𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘦 𝘝𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 shifted my perspective. His point: for some people, success doesn’t feel like triumph — it feels like danger.

🚀I’m thrilled to let you know about a change in career direction and to officially launch 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞, a change consulting and coaching practice I’ve created with my partner and Co-Founder, Rita. After 30 years in executive leadership, I’m moving into business as part o The chessboard just gave us a leadership masterclass — not in tactics, but in truth. Gukesh Dommaraju’s victory over Magnus Carlsen is an excellent illustration of how real leadershi

This is a powerful reminder that we should never assume a high-profile career or position, extraordinary talent, or an impressive track record equates to someone thriving or living their dream. The chessboard just gave us a leadership masterclass — not in tactics, but in truth. Gukesh Dommaraju’s victory over Magnus Carlsen is an excellent illustration of how real leadership dynamics play out: