Future Fit Leadership

More than half of Australian workers say they are quietly cracking. Not burning out. Not falling apart in obvious ways. Just holding it together on the outside while something frays on the inside. In this episode of Future Fit Leadership, I’m joined by Dr Michelle McQuaid, senior fellow at the University of Melbourne and founder of The Change Lab, to unpack the findings from her latest national research, The Change Lab 2025 Workplace Report. Drawing on insights from more than 1,000 workers across Australia, Michelle shares what “quietly cracking” actually looks like, why younger workers are feeling it most, and how leaders are being impacted in very different but equally challenging ways. We talk about the supercycle of change leaders are operating within, the cost of living pressures shaping behaviour at work, the hidden risks of poor change management, and why wellbeing initiatives are falling short when they miss the emotional and social realities people are living with. Michelle also shares her HEART framework for leading change, practical ways leaders can support their people right now, and why connection matters more than communication in this next chapter of work. This is a timely, data-led conversation for leaders who know their people are carrying more than they can see, and who want to lead with clarity, care, and credibility in a decade that will demand all three.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What began as a single Instagram story became a national reckoning. In this episode of Future Fit Leadership, I sit down with Chanel Contos, founder of Teach Us Consent, to talk about how thousands of young people sharing their experiences forced Australia to confront what it was not teaching about consent, sex and power. Chanel takes us back to the moment she asked one simple question online, the flood of responses that followed, and the twelve month sprint that led to consent education being mandated in schools across the country. We talk about rape culture as a system, not a single act, why consent cannot be taught as a one off lesson, and how silence quietly protects harm. We also explore the harder conversations. Porn literacy. Online influence. The rising hostility she sees in some young men. The emotional cost of carrying thousands of stories. And what real leadership looks like when culture change, not comfort, is the goal. This is a conversation about courage, responsibility, and what it takes to turn anger into action. Not just for educators and parents, but for leaders everywhere who shape culture whether they intend to or not. Please enjoy this powerful and deeply important conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you only had 4000 Sundays in your lifetime? And what if the way you work today is quietly stealing them away? In this conversation, Dr Kristy Goodwin takes us inside her own life-altering wake-up call — a moment in a Code Red hospital ward that forced her to confront burnout, mortality, and the “success tax” so many high performers pay. Kristy shares why our bodies keep score, how to stop crawling to Friday and start arriving at Sunday fully alive, and why protecting your focus, energy, and relationships is non-negotiable if you want to lead into the future. This is not just about wellbeing, it’s about the kind of leaders we choose to become — human-first, sustainable, and fiercely intentional. 🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: how many Sundays do you have left, and how do you want to spend them?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we close out the year, this final episode of Future Fit Leadership brings together the themes and insights that defined our conversations in 2025. Leadership continues to shift at speed. We are the generation of leaders who guided our people through COVID and are now navigating the rapid rise of AI, technology transformation and changing expectations in the workplace. This episode reflects on the global perspectives shared by more than 100 leaders across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and the patterns that emerged again and again. Human centric leadership. Accountability. Energy and wellbeing. Purpose. Courage. Adaptability. And the willingness to learn, unlearn and rethink how we lead. We also look back at standout moments from guests including Holly Ransom, Michael McQueen, Lisa O’Neill, Dr Michelle McQuaid, Renee Wootton, Scott Millar, Dr Kristy Goodwin, Kate Mason, Victor Perton and Nik Robinson. Future Fit Leadership will return in February with more global voices and conversations shaping the next era of leadership. Over the break, we will be resharing some of our most impactful episodes from the year. Tune in to the season finale and reflect with us on what it takes to lead well in a world that continues to change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crisis is rarely the headline. It is the quiet gap between what happens and how leaders respond. And few people understand that gap better than Stephanie Craig, President of Kith, former political insider, and the woman some call the Olivia Pope of crisis communications. In this conversation, Stephanie takes us from her childhood in the Canadian Arctic to the halls of the US and Canadian Senates, and into the real world moments where reputation, trust, and clarity can make or break a business. We talk about the biggest mistakes leaders make in the first 24 hours of a crisis, why most organisations still underestimate their stakeholders, and how clarity and trust create strategic speed when it matters most. Stephanie shares practical, human advice for every leader. Build your crisis core team before you need it. Understand who your people are and how they communicate. Know what you stand for when the pressure hits. This is a conversation about leadership that is calm, conscious, and ready for the world as it truly is. Please enjoy this episode of Future Fit Leadership with Stephanie Craig.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant and very grounded Jenny Stilwell, a woman who has spent her life helping businesses move from surviving to scaling. Jenny has led companies through complexity, run her own advisory firm, and written the book The 7 Percent Club, which reveals why only a small number of businesses ever grow past two million in revenue. What I love about Jenny is how honest she is about the messy middle of leadership. She talks about that awkward moment when you step up for the first time and suddenly discover you have no reference point for the role you have just taken on. She shares how founders often choke their own growth by holding onto everything, and how letting go is more like a dance of trust and release than a single decision. We go deep into the traps that stop businesses from scaling. Complexity that creeps up quietly. Early team members who suddenly find themselves drowning under bigger titles. Capability gaps. Shiny object syndrome. And the hard truth that you cannot grow if you are still operating like the scrappy startup you once were. Jenny also breaks down why knowing your numbers is not optional. It is the backbone of every decision you make. Margin, ratios, revenue per employee, wage to sales, client insights, operational indicators. She brings it all alive in that way only Jenny can. Practical, plain speaking, and instantly usable. And of course, she answers our Future Fit Leadership questions. Adaptability. Strategic thinking. Emotional intelligence. And a powerful reminder that AI is shifting the ground under our feet faster than many leaders realise. This is a conversation packed with clarity, humanity, and a few reassuring laughs about the things we all struggle with. If you are leading a business, scaling a team, or trying to find your footing in a world full of moving parts, you will love Jenny’s wisdom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the FBI knocked on Kevin McCarthy’s door one morning in 2002, everything he thought he knew about integrity, loyalty, and trust shattered. What followed was a federal conviction for a crime he didn’t mean to commit, spending 33 months in prison that changed his life forever. In this deeply human conversation, Kevin shares how good people can make bad choices, what blind spots really look like in leadership, and how to rebuild your life and your sense of self when everything falls apart. From the moment the FBI entered his home to the lessons learned behind prison walls, Kevin’s story is one of self-awareness, humility, and the power of owning our mistakes. He reminds us that leadership isn’t about perfection it’s about perspective. It’s about learning to see what we once couldn’t, and finding integrity in the space between moral intent and legal reality. This is a conversation about humanity, not hierarchy. Please enjoy this powerful story with Kevin McCarthy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes a leader truly future fit in a world where AI can attend your meetings, interview your staff, and even write your next LinkedIn post? In this lively and thought-provoking conversation, futurist and best-selling author Michael McQueen joins Sadhana Smiles to unpack what it really means to stay relevant, human, and adaptable as technology reshapes the way we lead and work. They explore everything from Gen Z’s reluctance to take on leadership roles, to why “culture is caught, not taught,” and how real trust is built in a world full of deepfakes and digital avatars. Michael shares why the best leaders of tomorrow will blend confidence, conviction, and curiosity — and how to lead with both head and heart in the age of AI. Please enjoy this conversation with the insightful and always entertaining Michael McQueen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monica Bradley’s career has been anything but conventional — spanning trade, logistics, government, technology, and impact investing. In this Future Fit Leadership conversation, she shares how curiosity, contribution, and courage shaped her path from regional Queensland to boardrooms across the globe. Monica unpacks her mantra of growth without compromise which is a bold philosophy that challenges leaders to build organisations that drive profit, purpose, and planetary health in equal measure. From redefining value in the economy to reimagining how we lead through uncertainty, Monica brings deep wisdom and an infectious optimism for what’s next. Monica Bradley is a strategist, changemaker, and proud champion of curiosity, creativity, and kindness in leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Haros and Deivina Peethamparam from Gadens Lawyers join me to explore one of the fastest-evolving frontiers in leadership — psychological and psychosocial safety. They unpack what today’s laws demand from leaders, where most organisations fall short, and why emotional intelligence now matters as much as compliance. From trust and vulnerability to reproductive health and hybrid workplaces, this conversation gets real about what it takes to build teams that hum — safe, connected, and human. 🎧 Listen in for legal insights, lived experience, and practical tools every leader needs to create workplaces where people thrive — not just survive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 26, Lisa O’Neill’s body gave out before her mind did. What followed was a radical reset, a crash course in energy, healing, and self-awareness that would shape everything she teaches today. In this conversation, Lisa shares the story behind Energy: Get It. Guard It. Give It., and what it really means to manage energy, not time. From adrenal fatigue to four children and nine books later, she has built a life around purpose, colour, and courage  teaching leaders to stop leaking energy, start leading themselves, and live with intention. Lisa also opens up about her early life in fashion, the psychology of colour, and the powerful shift that happens when women stop minimising themselves and step fully into who they are.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leaders are contagious. That is where Michelle McQuaid begins. In this episode we explore how a leader’s state shapes a team’s energy, focus, courage and care, and why self compassion is not a soft option but a competitive advantage. Michelle is a positive psychology expert, best-selling author and LinkedIn Top 10 mental health voice who blends evidence with lived experience. Her latest book, The Perfectly Imperfect Little Girl, unpacks how good girl conditioning still nudges women’s confidence, decisions and leadership, and offers practical ways to lead with authenticity and resilience. We talk secure attachment to self, real psychosocial safety, burnout signals, and the simple habits that steady your nervous system in seasons of change. If you want your team to think clearly and thrive under pressure, this conversation is for you. Please enjoy my exchange with Michelle McQuaid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Fox AM has spent her career asking tough questions about leadership and even tougher ones about the systems that shape it. An award-winning journalist, author, and former editor at Boss Magazine, Catherine has spent decades reporting on power, progress, and the invisible barriers that hold people back. In this conversation, she shares what she’s learned about leadership from the newsroom to the boardroom  from myths that refuse to die, to the moments that redefine what real leadership looks like. We explore the themes from her bestselling books Stop Fixing Women, Seven Myths About Women & Work, and Breaking the Boss Bias and why she believes we’re overdue for a new conversation about power, bias, and what makes a truly self-aware leader. Catherine was bought to you by Saxton Speakers  - https://www.saxton.com.au/speakers/catherine-foxSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to keep your energy high, lead through change, and stay future fit in a world that never stops moving? In this conversation, Josh Phegan shares the lessons he learned from growing up surrounded by books and cassette tapes of Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy, through to becoming one of the most recognised performance coaches in our industry. We talk about confidence as a skill you can build, why feedback works best “in the car on the way back from an appointment,” and how leaders can avoid burnout by managing energy, not time. Josh also unpacks his five–step change management process, his rituals for keeping strategy front and centre, and why excellence isn’t a lofty concept but something you practice in every single moment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From a pineapple farm on Kubi Kubi country to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Renee Wooton’s journey is anything but ordinary. A proud First Nations aerospace engineer, leader in sustainable aviation fuel, and Boss Young Executive, Renee has faced adversity with grit, curiosity, and courage. In this conversation, she shares her story of resilience, breaking barriers in STEM, and how Indigenous wisdom is shaping her leadership philosophy today. We talk about belonging, cultural strength, sustainability, and the future of aviation. Renee’s message is clear: leadership is about staying true to your values, expanding the room for others, and building a future where people, planet, and purpose are in balance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Griffith has spent three decades helping elite athletes and hard-charging executives perform without burning out. In this conversation we unpack why stress is the quiet saboteur of leadership, and why meditation is not a fad but a recovery tool that gives you rest deeper than sleep in just 20 minutes. Steve shares how his six month holistic leadership program builds self leadership, one on one relationships, and accountable teams, and why change only sticks when it is practised, coached, and measured. We talk about the hour of power, staying above the line, integrity with yourself, and what it takes to scale wellbeing across construction sites, local councils, and fast moving real estate teams. We look ahead to a future where self awareness, values, and inner resilience are non negotiable for leaders. Forget the app. Close your eyes. Please enjoy this conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From high school entrepreneur to CEO of one of Australia’s fastest-growing companies, Scott Millar has never played by the rules. Nicknamed the “Teenage Entrepreneur” by the media, Scott turned down the traditional career path to build a business that helps organisations connect with Gen Z and future generations. In this episode of Future Fit Leadership, Scott shares how curiosity, courage, and creativity have shaped his journey. We talk about why Gen Z leaders are rewriting the playbook, what it means to thrive in a world of constant change, and why the best leaders of tomorrow will be those who aren’t afraid to rewrite the rules today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you only had 4000 Sundays in your lifetime? And what if the way you work today is quietly stealing them away? In this conversation, Dr Kristy Goodwin takes us inside her own life-altering wake-up call — a moment in a Code Red hospital ward that forced her to confront burnout, mortality, and the “success tax” so many high performers pay. Kristy shares why our bodies keep score, how to stop crawling to Friday and start arriving at Sunday fully alive, and why protecting your focus, energy, and relationships is non-negotiable if you want to lead into the future. This is not just about wellbeing, it’s about the kind of leaders we choose to become — human-first, sustainable, and fiercely intentional. 🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: how many Sundays do you have left, and how do you want to spend them?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Mason’s leadership journey is anything but ordinary. From touring with Paul McCartney to leading culture and transformation across global giants like Coca-Cola Amatil, Amcor, and Credit Suisse, Kate has sat at the biggest tables — and now she’s rewriting the rules of leadership with her business, Social Value. In this episode of Future Fit Leadership, Kate shares powerful lessons on building diverse CEO pipelines, moving from performative to purposeful leadership, and why culture is more than words on a wall. She opens up about the personal cost of leadership, her lived experience as a lifelong carer, and the insights she brings to helping leaders balance performance with purpose. If you’ve ever wondered how to lead with heart, avoid the traps of burnout, and create real social impact — this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to lead with impact when the world won’t stop changing? In this episode of Future Fit Leadership, I sit down with Holly Ransom — author of The Leading Edge, global speaker, and one of Australia’s boldest leadership voices. Holly shares the lessons that shaped her, from her grandmother’s courage in standing up for others to the mantra that if you “walk past it, you tell the world it’s okay.” We talk about why method — not mindset — is the biggest gap in leadership, why mattering at work transforms culture, and why adaptability, courage, and curiosity will define the leaders of the future. A sharp, energising conversation with insights from Holly’s own journey and her conversations with leaders like Barack Obama and Richard Branson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.