The Hidden Cost of Stakeholder Friction – How to Smooth Your Engagement Runway
As the world becomes more crowded and connected, key stakeholder groups matter and frictions impose heavy costs. Stakeholders can be full of surprises - you never know quite how they’re going to act or react. Logic doesn’t always prevail because personalities and...
Hobart is Calling
Change is all around and Hobart is calling! I grew up in Hobart, Tasmania before heading off to Sydney at the age of 21. Back then it felt very small and I couldn't wait to get out of there - but now it feels like the right place to be. The 'before' shot In...
The Essential Skills Your Leaders Need in 2026
Years of constant disruption has proved that traditional skills and planning cycles are no longer enough. Here’s how leaders can foster resilience to successfully navigate the challenging year ahead. Every generation of leaders faces a turning point and 2026 is...
How to start your own Impact Journal and power into 2026!
Two weeks ago, I received the greatest gift. An academic, Katherine, who is now recognised for outstanding work in her field approached me and said: "You probably don't remember me, but many years ago I was afraid of speaking in public and you encouraged me to just...
Fix Uncritical Thinking to Save Time, Money and Your Career
Have you ever made a snap decision and later regretted it? Most of us have. Sometimes the cost is small, but for leaders, a rushed or poorly thought-out course of action can have serious consequences. Executives and boards today face relentless pressure: Cyber...
Build Ecosystems of Trust … or Lose Your Customers
In banking and financial services, customers are worried about their security because technology is amplifying vulnerability. Financial or data theft from AI-generated calls, rogue invoices and imitation websites are just some of the many examples afflicting retail...
For Transformation, Managing Energy is Everything
I was thumbing through a Harvard Business Review article on business transformation and delighted to find the revival of Virgin Australia featuring in it. The article, by two Bain & Company leaders reiterated that very few transformations deliver lasting results -...
When Does Persuasion and Influence Become Manipulation?
At the start of a week-long mini-bus tour of the Mekong many years ago, the guide explained it would get quite hot and we might want to consider a bus with aircon, but it would cost a little extra. We all put in the required amount and were expecting to disembark and...
New Research Reveals the Changing Purpose of Generative AI Usage
Have you ever wondered if everyone uses Generative AI for the same reasons you do? A new study from filtered.com of the top 100 GenAI uses sees some surprises at the top, some favourites well down the list and a selection of uses that beg the question: What planet are...
Weighing up the ROI of an Expert Facilitator or Host
How do you weigh up the return-on-investment (ROI) of an expert facilitator or host? Facilitation is a key skill and service offering that I put to work in supporting my clients. It's a role than goes relatively unnoticed when it's done well compared to when it's not,...
Is Making a Difference Enough for You?
Here's a question that might interest you: Is making a difference enough? Yes, it's a good thing to make a difference, to help someone or something in some way. But we must also ask ourselves: is it enough relative to what we are capable of? Will we satisfy ourselves...
Embarking on change? Read this first!
Executives and leaders are under increasing pressure due to the number and nature of the disruptions to their business. Accenture research finds the rate of change is not only high, it’s accelerating. This frenetic pace of change is taking its toll. People are feeling...
