Ben Shewry is head chef and owner of multi-award winning restaurant, Attica. Attica offers guests an immersive experience that showcases Australia’s unique cuisine, and has been featured multiple times in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, won The Age Good Food Guide’s Restaurant of the year 3 times – and has also been named the Best Restaurant in Australia. Along with awards, Ben himself has also won Chef of the Year twice, earned Attica 3 Michelin stars, and has been featured on the Netflix Series Chef’s Table. But even more impressive than the list of accolades and awards, is the way that Ben chooses to lead and run the restaurant. Rejecting the stereotypical role of a Head chef who stands at the pass yelling at people, Ben has built a high performing workplace by expecting high standards from his staff, while creating an inclusive environment where people want to come and work. I asked Ben to come on the podcast after reading his book Uses for Obsession. A memoir of his experience in the hospitality industry – that also offers valuable life lessons on every page. This is a conversation about more than food – it’s about integrity, obsession, speaking truth to power, and how it’s possible to succeed while maintaining a sense of self and humanity. I hope you enjoy this conversation with the remarkably creative – and one of the culinary world’s most inspiring voices – Ben Shewry.

Mykel Dixon doesn’t just talk about changing the world of work – he’s actively out there making it happen, one electrifying keynote and transformative experience at a time. Mykel has spoken globally to some of the world’s biggest brands, and his book, 'Everyday Creative,' won the #1 leadership book award in Australia. This conversation unfolds differently to previous episodes of the podcast, which is pretty apt given Mykel talks a lot about creativity and aliveness. Giving ourselves permission to enjoy our life, seek out what lights us up, and putting more trust in our instincts and intuition. Reconnecting with the more expressive parts of our personality that may have been suppressed by people or systems that don’t always value the unique, the playful, and the unconventional. I hope you are ready to be challenged and inspired - and perhaps even rediscover that part of yourself that has become a little dormant - because this conversation with Mykel Dixon is a powerful reminder that we all have the capacity to make magic in our personal and professional lives.

I’m really excited to share this conversation with Gregg Vanourek with you. Gregg is an expert who has authored three books - one of which was a winner at the International book awards. He also runs his own leadership and personal development company, and teaches leadership at the Stockholm Business School. But prior to deciding to help other leaders, Gregg was also a leader himself. A senior executive at a start-up, that scaled up, and has now become a market leader with over a 1Bn dollars in sales. And what I found both impressive and compelling about Gregg, is he is one of the rare experts who practices what he preaches. In this conversation Gregg shares why we should suspend the drift and live a life by design, some common traps we fall into that hinder our life’s happiness, the importance of conducting regular life audits, how we can transform failures to life lessons, and a whole lot more. This conversation is full of insights and wisdom that you will want to write down, reflect upon and remember. So grab a notebook and pen and enjoy this amazing conversation with Gregg Vanourek.

The author and management consultant, Warren Bennis, once said the key to leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. To turn the things we desire into the things we deliver. And someone I know who has made an art form out of this, is Cate Bakos. Cate is the Founder of Cate Bakos Property. A multi-award winning property investment and advisory practice - and one of Australia’s most respected buyer’s advocates. She is also the author of two books, co-host of the Property Trio Podcast, a mother, Board member, and regular media commentator. In this episode we talk about how Cate started her business, the value of building a good reputation, lessons she has learned from failure, how she aligns ambition with happiness, as well as a key lesson about money she wishes everyone knew. I hope you enjoy this conversation about how to live and lead well with Cate Bakos.

We all have patterns of behaviour that often don’t serve us well. The angry outburst when we’re frustrated, inability to say no despite an already busy schedule, or desire to control the family holiday plans. If you are tired of these parts of yourself holding you back, you’re going to enjoy this conversation with Tori Olds. Tori is a psychologist who brings complex concepts about how we think, feel and behave, to life. In this conversation we explore how the mental models we use to make sense of the world, can both help and hinder how we work, lead and live. In particular, how we can surface the stories that can keep us stuck, so we might live with more vitality and meaning. It’s hard to be successful without self-awareness. This conversation will raise your awareness about patterns of behaviour that may be keeping you stuck, and how you can overcome them to experience personal or professional growth. It’s time to listen to the engaging, wise, and practical psychologist, Tori Olds.

What makes elite athletes perform? Not just become Olympians, which is a feat in itself, but become a medal winning Olympian. What do the athletes, their coaches, technical staff, and systems they are training in, do differently to those athletes who work hard - but don’t peak at the right moment - and miss out on a podium finish. These are just some of the questions I asked Richard Young. An athlete who has won gold medals in cycling, coached world champions, and created medal-winning programmes for three countries using his research, innovation and experience across 10 Olympic cycles. In this conversation we discuss common barriers that prevent people performing at their best, why simplification is essential to success, how we can alter our behaviour in the moments that matter, as well as the important role reflection plays on performance. I hope you extract some lessons around your own leadership and performance in this conversation with Richard Young.

Leadership can be difficult at the best of times, but for David Knoff, this took on a whole new meaning, when as Station Leader at Davis Research Station in Antarctica, he was told due to the Covid pandemic, that his ride home was being cancelled – indefinitely. David and his team were stuck in one of the most isolated and challenging places on the planet. What was supposed to be a routine mission turned out to be one of David’s most challenging leadership experiences. Lessons he has dissected and shared in his compelling book, 537 Days of Winter. In this conversation, we discuss navigating uncertainty, decision making, how he balanced risk, safety, and the well-being of his team, strategies David used to keep the team motivated, as well as the lessons he learned leading a team in such challenging circumstances. While many of us will never face Antarctic level challenges, the lessons David provides in this conversation are practical, insightful, and worth applying in the everyday challenges we all ace as leaders. It’s time to listen to the compelling story and leadership lessons, from David Knoff.

Nick Maxwell knows a thing or two about leadership. A highly respected leader who played 208 games at the Collingwood Football Club, he was appointed Captain in 2008, and led the club to their 15th Premiership in 2010. Following his illustrious 208 game AFL career, Maxy transitioned into various leadership roles at the GWS Giants, rugby league club Melbourne Storm, and the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. Nick has not just lived a leadership role but contributed to some of our countries most successful sporting organisations as a leadership advisor. But by his own admission, the science and art of leadership is one Maxy had to work for, learn, and develop throughout his career, which is one of the things that makes this conversation so compelling. The insights Nick provides are born from the trenches of leading and advising high performance coaches, athletes and teams. In our conversation Maxy shares his leadership philosophy, how to build high performing teams and cultures, the role that struggle plays in success, how to balance learning and performing, frameworks he found useful for motivating people and performance… and so much more. This conversation is about leadership from a man who has lived the role throughout his personal and professional life. I hope you enjoy the valuable insights in this conversation with Nick Maxwell.

On a score of 1 to 10, 1 being frazzled and 10 being fired up, where are you sitting right now? Do you feel alive and inspired, full of energy? Or are you dragging yourself through the day, racing from one demand to the next, your mind full of mental clutter? Wherever you scored yourself, Marc Champagne believes improving your mental fitness, is essential, if you want to thrive in the modern world of work, and the demand of your day-to-day life. Marc is a keynote speaker, host of the podcast Behind the Human, and author of the best-selling book Personal Socrates. He’s also a sought after consultant, who provides mental fitness strategies, to Fortune 500 companies such as VaynerMedia, Google Pixel and Coca-Cola. In this conversation, Marc and I talk about why being mentally fit matters, the positive impact of removing our psychological clutter, specific strategies you can use to start your own mental fitness routine, as well as the power of asking questions, taking time for self-reflection, and how doing this, can positively impact our mental well-being and happiness. Generous, wise, and powerful, this conversation is a game changer for anyone looking to upgrade their mental capability and performance. I hope you enjoy this conversation with mental fitness strategist, Marc Champagne.

Based on the average age in Australia, I have 1,506 Mondays left to live. For some people, this mathematical mortality might cause some anxiety or discomfort. But for Jodi Wellman, having a consciousness about death, gives us the opportunity to live our life more fully. Jodi is the author of the book You Only Die Once and Founder of Four Thousand Mondays. A consulting practice designed to help people live more fully in order to avoid the coulda/should/woulda’s that can occur when we sleepwalk through life. In this conversation, Jodi shares why satisfaction and content are hard for us to find, how boundaries help manage a busy life, when habits and routines don’t serve you, how you can start to take a risk or try something new, and so much more. Packed with personal anecdotes and practical insights, this conversation will resonate with anyone who wants to live more boldly by adding the two ingredients that help create a compelling life: meaning and vitality. If you want to reach the end of your life with less regret, you’ll enjoy this conversation with author, coach, and best friend of the Grim Reaper, Jodi Wellman.

When you think of your organisation and how it operates - is it more like the Titanic or a speedboat? Is it hindered by friction, slow systems, and bureaucracy? Or is it full of flourishing people and projects that are connected and empowered to realise their full potential? Sam Spurlin from The Ready is committed to changing the way we work. To move away from the traditional systems and structures that served us in more stable times – to a more modern approach that can meet the challenges associated with constant complexity and change. In this conversation we talk about how work has changed, what new skills leaders require to thrive, how we can all contribute to curating a positive culture, and the role iteration plays in driving progress and performance. To succeed in the future of work, we all, in some way, must make a shift from business as usual to brave new work. Sam offers some sage advice about how you can make a start. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Sam Spurlin.

Are you waking up and walking through life wishing it was better? Do you have a deep desire lying dormant that you wish you could reignite? Maybe you doubt the path you are on, or feel like things are fine, but you’d prefer to be starting your day feeling fired up and full of energy? If any of these sound familiar you are going to enjoy this conversation with Bonnie Wan. A Brand Strategist who, at a moment of deep despair, used her skills and expertise in creating client briefs, to write herself a Life brief. A personal blueprint that saved her marriage and catapulted her career, that she details in her book The Life Brief: a playbook for No regrets Living. This is one of the best books I have ever read about why we need to live with intention and purpose, and more importantly, the practical steps we can take to align our actions and aspirations. This conversation is a deep exploration about why we need to slow down and listen to ourselves, how we can unearth the things that matter and motivate our life, the role courage and curiosity play in living more courageously, and the benefits of choosing a life that is compelling, rather than conforming. This is one of the best conversations I have had on the podcast. If you are eager to create a life that is wholly your own, you are going to enjoy this conversation with Brand Strategist and author, Bonnie Wan.

Marc is a professional coach that plies his trade at the elite levels of both tennis and AFL football. Apart from being a coach, he has spent the past decade mentoring and training coaches in the art of athlete development and has deep practical experience in developing and working in high performance sports programs. So when I wanted to speak with someone about how we see and seize upon opportunities to advance, I immediately thought of Marc. This conversation extends well beyond the boundaries of sport as Marc’s practical insights and advice are equally relevant to leaders with teams, parents raising kids, as well as individuals who are committed to being the me that they want to be. We cover a lot of ground in this episode from why we should embrace learning and growth, how to establish positive learning environments, common obstacles we must overcome when pursuing personal or professional development, the import role rest, reflection and recovery play in growth, and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with Marc. His down to earth nature and accessible wisdom will help you improve the way you see and seize upon your opportunities to advance. Enjoy this conversation with elite coach and educator, Marc Sophoulis.

Are you feeling constantly under pressure and overwhelmed? Are you taking work home with you or finding it hard to switch off? If so, this conversation with Malissa Clarke is really going to resonate with you. Malissa is an Associate Professor of industrial and organisational psychology at the University of Georgia, and she’s written a brilliant book called, Never Not Working – Why the Always On Culture is Bad for Business and How to Fix It. A deeply insightful book that has gained attention and accolades from people like Adam Grant and Daniel Pink because of the beautiful way it explores why a large percentage of us are overworking – and how we can face and fix our own tendencies to be tethered to work. We covered a lot of important issues in this conversation like: why we overcommit to work, common tendencies we should be aware of (and it’s not just how many hours you are working), why hustle cultures are harmful - and the things we can all do to achieve excellence as well as endurance. Malissa provides a practical voice to a common problem most of us face. How we can manage the competing demands of modern life. It’s time to listen and learn as we speak with Associate Professor, author, and proud working mum, Malissa Clarke.

If you are a leader in charge of a team, a coach striving to be successful, or a parent committed to raising reasonable kids, this conversation with Cody Royle will resonate with you. Cody is an author, speaker and coach who spends the majority of his time coaching Head Coaches working at the elite level of sport. And while you may think this kind of work would mean a testosterone fuelled discussion about motivation, peak performance and success, you’d be mistaken, as Cody takes a more considered, and counter-intuitive approach, to his work. In this conversation we discuss the cognitive demands leaders have to deal with and how you can navigate the stress and anxiety that can come with leading people. We explore the importance of identifying the gaps between your aspirations and the obstacles in your path, the importance of awareness, communication and decision making, how continuous learning can propel your leadership to new heights, and so much more. This episode will help you embrace your ambitions and pursue your boldest objectives. I hope you are ready to absorb the valuable insights that come from this conversation with Coach of the Head Coaches, Cody Royle.

This month, I sat down with Cameron Schwab for a deep and intimate conversation about the true essence of leadership - and how we can all be better leaders in the various roles we play in our lives. Few people know the peaks and pitfalls of leadership like Cameron. CEO of the Richmond Football Club at just 24 ears of age, he rode the rollercoaster of high performance sport as the second longest serving CEO in the modern game. In that time, he collected a host of valuable lessons he now leverages as a leadership coach and strategist, and has detailed in his book More to the Game. Moving beyond the usual vernacular around leadership, we discuss what lies at the heart of good leadership, the role adversity and complexity play in defining a leader, the leadership principles Cameron himself uses to guide his life, and so much more. This is a conversation where you’ll want to have a pen and paper close by to capture the countless ideas Cameron shares. Please enjoy this ripping conversation with the very wise leadership coach and strategist, Cameron Schwab.

My guest on this episode is Many Kapur. Manu holds the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Higher Education and directs The Future Learning Initiative at ETH Zurich. Manu conceptualized and developed the theory of Productive Failure. How, rather than avoiding failure, we can purposefully design for it to facilitate better learning. In this conversation, Manu explains the importance of our environment for learning, why we need tasks to be challenging enough to stretch us but not so difficult that we become overwhelmed, as well as the profound impact productive failure has on our ability to grow and learn. We also discuss the correlation between learning goals and persistence in problem-solving tasks, and uncovering valuable insights that can help us navigate our own personal and professional challenges. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Manu Kapur as he unlocks the secrets of productive failure, and how it can propel us towards a better, more fulfilling life.

How can confronting the end of your life teach you how to live a good life? According to author, educator, and speaker Jehan Casinader, quite a lot. Calling on his personal experience battling severe mental distress, Jehan joined me to talk about the connection between the narrative that runs through our life and the level of health and happiness we experience. Jehan is best known as a journalist and storyteller in the fast paved world of prime time TV in New Zealand. He was won a number of coveted media awards, including Broadcast Reporter of the year in 2020, and has written a brilliant book called This Is Not How It Ends covering his four year battle with depression and how the power of storytelling helped him survive. In this conversation, he shares why the stories we tell ourselves matter, and how interrogating their origins can help us better understand how we work, lead and live. We discuss ways we can mask our insecurities, the value of struggle, how silently struggling can lead to sickness, and the benefits of rewriting our story so we become the author of our own experience. Please enjoy the insightful and inspiring wisdom that flows consistently throughout this conversation with Jehan Casinader.

You are in for a real treat this month as I talk to acclaimed author, mentor, and genuine nice guy, Digby Scott. In this episode, Digby shares his insights about why we need to lead with more purpose and wisdom. Digby is the author of the book Change Makers and works with individuals and teams who want a more considered approach to how they engage and navigate, complexity, challenge, and change. This conversation with Digby was a real pleasure. We covered some wide ranging ground, including why we need to slow down, and ask better questions to gain better insights. Digby also shares the importance of cultivating courage, how systems can support personal and organisational growth, and so much more. This conversation will move your mental furniture around why we need more depth and wisdom in modern leadership. Time to listen and learn from the funny, insightful, and very wise, Digby Scott.

There is a lot of theory around how to build high performing cultures and teams. But one woman who genuinely knows the practical side of high performance is Lisa Alexander. Head Coach of the Australian Netball Team from 2011 – 2020, Lisa coached 102 Tests, winning 82 of them, leaving that role with an impressive 81% winning record. In addition to her on field success, Lisa was coach of the year in 2014, has been awarded the Australian Sports Medal, and received a Member of the Order of Australia Award in 2021. Which goes to show, her contribution to people and performance in the Australian sports landscape has been significant. In this episode we discuss how Lisa builds a high performance team and what systems and routines she uses to manage the demands of a Head Coaching role. Lisa also shares how she manages setback and struggle and overcomes player’s resistance and reluctance to change. Get your pen and paper ready as we listen, and learn, from High Performance Educator & Coach, Lisa Alexander.