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Confidence Comes from Action: The Reality of Leadership

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 06:25:32 GMT

Confidence Comes from Action: The Reality of Leadership

Satisfaction has the word action in it and confidence comes from doing.

Leadership is not easy and if it feels that way, one could argue we are not doing it right. I still remember an Army colleague of mine saying "your first real leadership job is all about convincing yourself you can be a leader, and then your next role is about convincing others they can be leaders". He was 100% right because effective leadership comes down to the right mindset, supported by simple skills.

The image above shows our recent graduates from the Confident Leaders Programme . It is a modular program, supported by group coaching and focused on improving leadership where it actually happens, in the micro moments when we engage with our direct reports. It was fantastic to work with this group of leaders from KellyCo.

As a side note, these leaders are impressive! They are all under 30 and run businesses with more than ~150 employees. I did not have that level of skill at their age!

B2B Sales Hasn’t Changed - Buyer Confidence Still Closes Deals

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 06:08:12 GMT

Sales tech changes fast but has buyer behaviour really changed, or do B2B fundamentals still matter?

Working with sales organisations across industries and geographies gives us a clear view of how selling is evolving. AI is now at the forefront of everything from customer profiling and market segmentation to response and fulfilment.

Yet most of these advances are concentrated in B2C. In B2B sales, the fundamentals remain largely unchanged.

What has changed is buyer awareness. B2B buyers are more informed than ever, but alongside that has come a sharp rise in FOMWD (Fear of Making the Wrong Decision). With more information, more stakeholders, and more perceived risk, decision making anxiety in B2B buyers has increased rather than disappeared.

We saw this clearly in our recent work with the JB Hi-Fi Commercial sales team. The focus was not on adding more sales techniques or tightening scripts. Instead, it was about helping sellers support buyers through their decision making anxiety.

Through the Social Style & Versatility and Adaptive Selling programs , the emphasis was on adapting to how the buyer likes to buy. Sellers adjusted their communication style, pace and focus to reduce uncertainty and help buyers move forward with confidence.

The most effective B2B sellers are not those who push product harder. They are the ones who can stand in the buyer’s shoes, understand the pressure behind the decision, and guide the buying process rather than force a sales process.

And here is the key point. That is not new.

B2B sales has always been about helping buyers feel confident in the decision they are about to make. We may talk about products and services, but what we are really selling is our customer’s role/career/business success.

Sales tech has changed the tools but it does not seem to have changed what B2B buyers need. Now more than ever, they want to be able to trust you to help them make the right decision for themselves and their business - a very human need ...

Images above are of the recent 3 days with JB Hi-Fi Business. Thank you Jake and Stuart for a really fun few days!! It was also really good to work with a Sensis colleague from waaaay baaaaack - Jason Drummond.

Victoria Beckham, leadership and humility (yes, you read that correctly!)

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 06:53:23 GMT

Victoria Beckham, leadership and humility (yes, you read that correctly!)

Most mornings before the day officially starts, I jump on the spin bike and binge Netflix (two birds with one stone, right?). Usually it’s crime thrillers, but recently I watched the Victoria Beckham documentary and it completely surprised me.

I’ve always admired Victoria, but what stood out wasn’t her success - it was her humility. She openly admits her business nearly collapsed partly because her team had become afraid to say “no” to her.

That kind of self-awareness is rare. The higher we go, the harder it becomes for people to challenge us. Yet real leadership means creating a culture where honesty and pushback are safe - and expected.

Research from Harvard Business Review shows humble leaders build teams that are 34% more engaged and 50% more creative.

Humility isn’t soft - it’s smart.

Try this week:

1. Ask for pushback - “What am I missing?”

2. Own and openly talk about your mistakes - it builds trust faster than perfection.

3. Reward honesty - even when it stings.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about creating the space for better ones to emerge... and if you’re ever on a spin bike at 6am, the VB doco is well worth it!

The real story of transformation: courage, pragmatism and patience ...and a dog!

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 05:49:14 GMT

In recent months, we’ve partnered with organisations re-imagining culture, reshaping employee experience and restructuring functions to align with bold growth plans.

Change like this is never straightforward. It can be messy and demanding - but it is also rewarding and pioneering.

From our work, success comes down to balance:

Be courageous: challenge the status quo. Organisations that experiment are 30% more likely to achieve long-term growth (Harvard Business Review, 2023).

Be commercial and pragmatic: ambition must stay anchored to outcomes. Programmes with clear goals are 3.5 times more likely to succeed (McKinsey, 2022).

Use evidence-based approaches: don’t just copy competitors. Look across industries and globally. The best leaders draw inspiration from where others succeed and adapt it to their own context (BCG, 2023).

This doesn’t necessarily mean pulling a framework or tool off the shelf. Organisational design is not about forcing a square peg into a round hole. The strongest results come when leaders shape approaches for their unique challenges and ambitions.

Above all, real transformation is incremental, sustained and well executed. At its core, it’s about human behaviour. That’s when change stops being a project – and becomes a new, transformational way of working.

… and on the subject of new ways of working, look who joined us last week to "test" out our new podcasting gear ... gotta love our newest team fur-member ...

The question I am asked weekly…

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:38:46 GMT

“What is the future of leadership development?”

The question we are asked weekly…

�� “What is the future of leadership development?”

AI has huge potential. It can personalise learning, simulate difficult conversations and provide real-time coaching nudges. Adaptive AI learning has been shown to boost retention by up to 60% (McKinsey, 2023).

But leadership is not just about data or skills. It is about communication, trust, empathy, confidence, resilience and courage. Research shows 85% of leadership success is linked to emotional intelligence (Harvard Business Review, 2023), and 77% of CEOs say the absence of these human capabilities is the biggest barrier to transformation (PwC, 2024).

This is where industrial and organisational psychologists are uniquely positioned. We bring behavioural science, business insight, data and assessment together to help leaders adapt to uncertainty and maximise organisational performance. As AI scales insights, we ensure they translate into meaningful, commercial AND human-centred growth.

The future is hybrid: AI will accelerate insights, but lasting transformation and performance will always come from human-to-human development.

When working with a difficult person starts to cost you

luke.ross@socialintelligence.com.au (Luke Ross) — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 05:55:50 GMT

Some of the best frameworks happen in the moment ...

This new framework came out of a coaching session with an individual who was struggling to work with a 'difficult' colleague. I grabbed a piece of paper and mapped out what was really going on.

What we discussed is that most of us move between being functional, operating with tolerance and healthy adjustment and slipping into dysfunction, where we start compromising ourselves, feeling drained, and eventually burning out.

The real shift happens when we move beyond healthy adjustment into compromising ourselves. That is when we cross into dysfunction, and that is where psychological distress, illness or even psychological injury can occur.

The key insight was that what often pushes us there is taking too much responsibility for the other person's behaviour. We twist ourselves inside out trying to fix things that are not ours to fix and in doing so, we lose connection with our own values and balance.

However, also a key insight, is a totally contradictory and competing reason we might move from functional to dysfunctional - sometimes the person is not actually difficult at all. It is our interpretation of their behaviour, shaped by our own stress, biases or expectations, that leads us to label them as 'difficult'. Once that happens, we risk falling into the same unhelpful pattern of overcompensation.

So the question to ask ourselves is:

1. Has this relationship pushed me into compromising myself?

If the answer is yes, there is important follow-up:

2. Am I here because I am taking too much responsibility for the other person's behaviour? Or am I here because I am misinterpreting their behaviour as difficult?

Whatever the answer, you have the power to choose how you respond before even asking the other person to change. This new framework will not apply to all situations, but it may give rise to a new way of seeing a situation.

However, on the flip-side, I totally get it. It is much more fun to blame the other person, label them as difficult and do nothing except expect them to change. But as always, what is fun is not necessarily helpful and it is rarely the secret to our success - bugger!!!

What zombies can teach you about team cohesion.

luke.ross@socialintelligence.com.au (Luke Ross) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 05:58:55 GMT

Not all team meetings should start with a whiteboard ...

For the McDonald's South East Leadership Team, their session began with eyes closed, three people chained to the walls and total darkness. Not your usual Monday morning, but an unforgettable way to build trust quickly.

From there, it was straight into The Great Escape Melbourne’s Walking Undead, where surviving zombies became a crash course in team functioning.

��‍♂️ Trust: relying on your colleagues to unlock your chains before the undead shuffle closer.

��‍♀️ Healthy conflict: debating what to focus on.

��‍♂️ Commitment and accountability: sticking to the plan when panic sets in.

��‍♀️ Results: a team that escaped stronger and more connected.

The image shows Kelly Nardella, Joel Questel, Megan Robinson, Stephanie Devereux, Jonathan Y., Michael Dominish ,Tamika Wood and Anna Galluzzo working side by side on the many puzzles required to escape. A clear demonstration that cohesion and trust grow when challenges are shared. This was also just before a zombie jumped out behind them!

At SIG, we call that leadership development with bite! ��‍♂️

Want Better Performance? Make It Personal

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 05:51:59 GMT

92% of employees are more likely to take corrective action when they understand how their behaviour impacts their own success.

That simple truth sits at the heart of effective performance management, which we explored in the recent Nestlé Health Science Masterclass with dieticians from hospitals and clinical settings across NSW.

Many leaders make the mistake of focusing on how a person’s behaviour impacts others: the team, patients or the organisation.

However, the key to impact lies in helping the individual understand how their behaviour impacts themselves: their credibility, workload, relationships, opportunities and ultimately their success.

As Jack Lang said in 1939:

“Always back the horse named self-interest, it will be the only one that is trying.”

When people see the connection between their behaviour and their own success, they do not resist feedback, they act on it. A performance management 'pitch' needs to be something they want to 'buy' and that is often very different to what the leader wants to 'sell'.

The image above is of the group completing the worksheets to plan for discussion with a clear objective and strong connection to the recipient's self-interest.

If you wish to improve your people leaders' abilities to drive performance feel free to chat with us anytime.

Menopause at work: the hidden cost of labels

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 08:16:45 GMT

She's going through menopause ... the impact of the label.

Growing up in a household with two older brothers and a father who shared in the boisterous behaviour, I often heard my mum exclaim about the "testosterone overload." However, gender roles in our family were far from traditional - my mum worked as a workplace psychologist, and we had an open, egalitarian approach to life. Despite this openness, one topic we didn’t discuss was menopause.

Now, both my wife and I are registered psychologists, and in our household (which has a 50/50 gender split), conversations about women’s health are frequent and eye-opening. Despite progress in the corporate world, menopause is still rarely discussed at work. Sadly, I’ve heard “ she’s going through menopause” used to dismiss and negatively label women (by men and women alike). The woman managing hot flushes at her desk is often ridiculed, adding judgement to the already significant psychological and physical impacts of menopause.

With more women in senior leadership, Amanda and I are seeing many female clients grappling with the effects of menopause and the lack of understanding in their workplaces. If we want true gender equality in leadership, we must acknowledge and support women through this transition. Some stats on the impact:

50% of women report increased anxiety and stress during menopause (Freeman et al., 2014), which can erode confidence in leadership roles.
60% experience memory issues or difficulty concentrating, often mistaken for incompetence (Stuenkel et al., 2015).
45% of women feel menopause negatively impacts their work, with many facing bias from colleagues (British Menopause Society).
Nearly 30% say they’ve been judged on their performance due to cognitive symptoms (CIPD, 2019).
25% of women have considered leaving their jobs due to menopause symptoms and lack of workplace support (Menopause Journal).

On World Menopause Day, I thought I would share some research that suggests women going through menopause often require simple yet impactful adjustments to continue performing at their best:

Flexibility: Around 59% of women feel that flexible working hours or environments would help them manage symptoms like hot flushes and fatigue more effectively (CIPD, 2019).

Supportive Managers: 72% of menopausal women feel uncomfortable discussing their symptoms with their line managers, yet having supportive conversations could significantly reduce stress and improve job performance (Wellbeing of Women, 2017).

Workplace Adjustments: Temperature control, access to quiet spaces, or even better ventilation can make a huge difference for women experiencing hot flushes, and yet 45% of women report that no workplace adjustments were offered (British Menopause Society).

The 'Long Table Rules' every B2B salesperson should know ...

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 06:12:41 GMT

To all my fellow sales professionals, here are the long table rules we sometimes forget ...

Sales is always a numbers game. What gets said gets sold. Keep showing up.

Never forget ...

Follow-up is your real closer. N o matter how good your pitch, 99% of deals need persistent, thoughtful follow-up to cross the line.
They don’t want your product, they want what your product does - sell the 'do' not the 'thing'.
Never go to the supermarket hungry - never try to sell when you are desperate for the deal. It shows and it hurts your chances.

The long table rewards patience, persistence and perspective. Keep your seat.

The image above is from a recent sales training event DLL. We covered Adaptive Mindset for Sales Resilience and Adaptive Selling. It was a very long table!

It was awesome to see some old friends again!! Daniel Foster, Kirk Purchase, Daniel Eames, Luke Austen, Michael Donnelly and Brendon Mayo!

Click below to learn more about the program.

The Strategic Power of Storytelling in Leadership

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 06:00:53 GMT

Great leaders don’t just lead. They story tell.

Over recent months I’ve had the privilege of working with executives leading both global and regional organisations through high-stakes, high-impact transformation.

One guided their organisation to a successful listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

Another steered a complex merger that strengthened commercial performance while boosting employee engagement.

Others have led large-scale operational transformation with minimal risk and consistently high retention.

Different sectors. Different strategies.

But one capability they all share in abundance?

The power to story tell.

These leaders don’t just tell people what’s happening.

They don’t lean on jargon and logic alone.

They paint a picture, build trust, and take people with them.

They captivate and connect.

They share insights, not just instructions.

They guide through lived experience.

They create meaning out of change.

And perhaps most importantly, they’re willing to be vulnerable - to share mistakes, lessons, and personal insights that inspire belief.

Why storytelling matters

Storytelling is no longer a ‘nice to have ’ - it’s a strategic leadership advantage.

Research proves its impact:

Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone (Harvard Business Publishing).
Storytelling increases brain activity fivefold compared to data-driven communication (Stanford GSB).
It significantly boosts perceived authenticity and influence (Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 2019).

The secret to executive storytelling

So what makes storytelling truly powerful in leadership?

�� Root your message in purpose and values.

�� Make it human - don’t just share wins, share lessons.

�� Use narrative to simplify complexity and frame change.

�� Speak to both the head and the heart.

Because when leaders use story well, they don’t just inform - they move people.

They spark energy. They build belief. They drive momentum.

And that’s what leadership is really about.

Congratulations to Claire Jenkins and Mark Lew from Azuhr.

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 05:42:50 GMT

Congratulations to Claire Jenkins and Mark Lew from Azuhr.

We are pleased to welcome you both as certified TRACOM Group Social Style and Versatility Instructors through Social Intelligence Group.

We look forward to hearing of your success with your clients and the wider Kingston Reid Group .

The image below shows Claire and Mark during their certification, looking like they are enjoying themselves (and to be fair, they probably were!). They both performed exceptionally well.

Most people find the instructor certification process genuinely rewarding. It is a rare opportunity for L&D professionals to focus on their own development, rather than always being the ones delivering it.

We love running these certifications because there is something special about the anticipation of seeing their first programs come to life.

Check out more about our Instructor Certification programs below.

Who you are is not the problem. How you work with others might be.

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 02:47:52 GMT

Why authenticity without adaptability can hold you back and how to make the shift that builds trust and connection

It can be uncomfortable to consider, but as organisational psychologists, we offer this reflection as a constructive challenge: your authenticity is not an excuse to disengage from the responsibility of connecting well with others.

In a world that celebrates self-expression, it’s easy to forget that authenticity is not a free pass. Being true to yourself does not mean others must accept unfiltered behaviour or accommodate emotional blind spots. Statements like “this is just how I am” may feel honest, but they often mask an unwillingness to adapt – and in professional environments, that can damage trust and effectiveness.

Authenticity and adaptability are not opposites

The most effective leaders and team members are not those who suppress who they are. They are the ones who adapt their behaviour in ways that still feel genuine – because they understand that true authenticity lives alongside adaptability.

You don’t need to become someone else. You just need to be someone others can work with.

Adaptability does not mean self-erasure. In fact, trying to suppress your natural style in pursuit of acceptance drains energy and diminishes impact. On the flip side, rigidly clinging to your default approach in the name of ‘being real’ often creates friction, misunderstanding and distance.

We suggest reframing the goal. Don’t focus on changing who you are. Focus on showing up in ways others can connect with, collaborate with, and trust.

Connection starts with small shifts

Some of the simplest and most powerful ways to build connection, collaboration and trust include:

Prioritise others’ success before your own
Communicate in ways that work for them, not just for you
Aim to accept others, not necessarily like them
Listen carefully to feedback – especially the hard-to-hear kind
Act according to your values, but don’t expect others to share them

The takeaway

So, was who you are ever really the problem? Probably not.

But how we show up for others always deserves our attention.

Practising what we preach

The image above captures a recent cohort from the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, participating in our SOCIAL STYLE® and Versatility Masterclass, powered by TRACOM Group. These professionals explored a structured, evidence-based approach to building trust and collaboration – without sacrificing authenticity.

Are you part of a collective illusion?

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 03:19:20 GMT

How false consensus can derail strategy, silence truth, and stall progress

Not long ago, I found myself in an all-day planning meeting. The room was full of functional leaders and colleagues, all rallying around a bold new operational plan for the year ahead. We had heard an inspirational call to action from our senior leader, followed by hours of collaborative debate. By day’s end, we had alignment and enthusiasm around a plan that was set to transform our function.

There was only one problem: I didn’t believe in it.

Privately, I had serious doubts about its feasibility. The budget was tight, timelines were unrealistic, and I questioned whether the strategy would deliver meaningful outcomes for the business. Still, I stayed quiet. It felt as though everyone else was convinced, and past experience had taught me that voicing dissent could be interpreted as obstruction. So I nodded along.

A whisper in the lift

Months later, in the lift with a trusted colleague, I asked what she really thought of the plan. She looked at me and simply whispered:

“No chance.”

We both laughed - nervously. And I wondered: why didn’t either of us speak up?

Understanding collective illusions

This is a classic example of what behavioural researchers call a collective illusion: a situation where most people in a group privately disagree with a perceived majority opinion but go along with it anyway, because they wrongly assume others agree.

In his book Collective Illusions , Todd Rose (2022) explains how social conformity and fear of exclusion can drive this dynamic. In organisational life, these illusions often appear harmless or even invisible at first. But over time, they can undermine trust, stifle creativity, and derail decisions that require honesty and diverse thinking.

Collective illusions don’t just affect teams - they shape cultures. They can span entire departments, persist over time, and influence everything from strategy to performance reviews. They erode psychological safety by making dissent feel dangerous, even when it’s essential.

Why we don't speak up

We stay silent for many reasons:

We fear looking negative, difficult or disloyal

We assume someone else will raise the issue

We don’t want to derail momentum

We interpret silence as agreement

But silence isn’t always a sign of alignment - it’s often a signal of discomfort, disengagement or dissent that hasn’t found a safe place to land.

What can we do about it?

Over the past few months, we’ve worked with clients to explore how collective illusions affect not just decision-making, but also individual confidence, leadership integrity and team performance. It’s a challenging conversation - but also an empowering one.

To reduce the risk of falling into a false consensus trap, teams and leaders can:

Explicitly invite dissent – ask what’s not being said, and make it safe to say it

Normalise productive disagreement – treat difference as a strength, not a threat

De-couple challenge from conflict – allow people to critique ideas without being labelled ‘difficult’

Reward transparency over harmony – especially during strategy and planning

Check assumptions – what do we know vs. what are we assuming others think?

The painful truth

And the operational plan? It met a slow, painful death just six months later - unfunded, unsupported and largely forgotten.

The lesson wasn’t just about flawed execution. It was about the risk of silence.

If no one speaks up, everyone assumes they are alone. And that is how illusions thrive.

Are Leaders Made or Born?

Thu, 22 May 2025 14:54:56 GMT

Why real leadership is forged through behaviour, not biology.

The image below is from a recent Warrant Officer course I had the privilege of instructing - in my other life as an Army Reserve Officer. During the session, we explored ethical decision-making in command and combat scenarios, and introduced the TRACOM Group's Social Style and Versatility framework to strengthen leadership effectiveness in real-world conditions.

Reflecting on my own journey, it feels like just yesterday I was a young Private, being shaped by the Warrant Officers around me. I still remember every one of their names - their presence, their standards and their values continue to shape how I lead today.

Warrant Officers are more than technical experts - they are stewards of culture. They model ethical conduct, set expectations and act as trusted role models for junior soldiers. Their leadership has a profound and enduring impact.

So, are leaders made or born?

Research suggests leadership is largely learned. While personality and cognitive ability contribute to leadership potential, studies show these account for only around 30% of leadership effectiveness. The remaining 70% comes down to behaviour - how leaders adapt, make decisions and engage others in complex, dynamic environments. These behaviours are not fixed. They can be taught, developed and refined over time.

That is why courses like this matter. These Warrant Officers are not just absorbing theory - they are shaping the kind of leaders their teams will depend on in the most demanding circumstances.

Interestingly, the ADF has recently placed greater emphasis on enhancing the social intelligence and behavioural mastery of its leaders. In many ways, my military and civilian careers are converging - with both focused on building high-trust, high-performance leadership grounded in clarity, ethics and adaptability.

Ready to grow your leaders?

At Social Intelligence Group, over 3,000 leaders from across industries and geographies have experienced the power of the SOCIAL STYLE® & Versatility framework - strengthening their communication, influence and leadership impact. Whether in corporate, government, defence or not-for-profit sectors, our programmes equip leaders to perform with confidence, clarity and behavioural agility.

Explore our Leadership Programmes or get in touch to discuss how we can support your leadership development goals.

A Dietitian, a Psychologist, and Nestlé Walk Into a Conference Centre… Sounds Like the Start of a Wellness Revolution.

Thu, 15 May 2025 05:33:34 GMT

“A Dietitian, a Psychologist and Nestlé Walk Into a Conference Centre… Sounds Like the Start of a Wellness Revolution.” ��

Okay, maybe not a stand-up set - but what actually happened was just as good.

At the Nestle Health Science Masterclass in Brisbane, a room full of brilliant dieticians tackled the TRACOM Group A daptive Mindset for Resilience program. Less kale and quinoa talk - more brain science, mindset shifts, and real tools for staying sharp under pressure.

These healthcare pros aren’t just focused on what goes into the body - they’re investing in what goes on inside the mind.

As always it was a pleasure partnering with Nestlé Health Science , to deliver these masterclasses this session was all about staying calm, clear, and ready for whatever the clinic (or life) throws your way.

Even though it was Nestle Health Science we did still receive some Nestle chocolates - who does not love a Kit Kat!

If you believe you can’t, you won’t: shifting sales mindsets

Tue, 06 May 2025 07:58:01 GMT

Why being right isn’t always helpful - and how reframing beliefs drives performance

The image is Simon Webster, Grant Richards and myself going over the waterfall in NZ this week. I was over 'the ditch' this week working with the Finance New Zealand team and they invited me to join their team buidling activity.

Before we hit the rapids, our session focused on unhelpful sales beliefs and how they can limit our performance. Take confidence, for example - if we don’t believe in our product or ourselves, how does that impact our sales? Or if we hold limiting beliefs about our customers or the market, how does that shape our results? The answer is clear: negatively.

Interestingly, many of these unhelpful beliefs are actually accurate assessments of the situation. But being correct doesn’t mean being helpful. High performance isn’t about ignoring reality, it’s about choosing perspectives that drive improvement. Reframing our thoughts doesn’t mean being delusional; it means shifting our mindset to focus on opportunities rather than limitations.

Right now, many people are navigating tough markets - whether selling, job hunting, or chasing new opportunities. If you want to improve your performance, start by identifying the beliefs that hold you back (even if they’re true) and reframe them in a way that moves you forward. It’s not easy, but it’s essential - because your next sales call, your next interview, or your next pitch could be the one, and you need to bring your best.

Being right doesn’t always improve performance - strange but true.

It was also really great to work with a few of my past GE colleagues Sarah Southee, Matt Fogarty, Andrew Partington and Simon Harding.

We flipped the raft, and I had a feeling it would happen even before we went over. I wanted to bail out, but in the end, I learned something valuable, I can survive going over a waterfall. Now, I’m confident I’ll handle it even better next time!

Next-Gen Leadership in Action

luke.ross@socialintelligence.com.au (Luke Ross) — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:49:39 GMT

What McDonald’s young managers can teach us about real-world leadership

At just 23 years old, some Restaurant Managers at McDonald’s are leading teams of up to 120 employees and managing operations with an annual turnover of $AUD8 million.

That might sound like the profile of an emerging tech entrepreneur - but it’s the reality for many young leaders in one of Australia’s largest youth employment ecosystems.

These managers are responsible for hiring, coaching, performance, customer experience, operational efficiency - and doing it all while leading peers, many of whom are teenagers themselves. It’s high-stakes, high-pressure and incredibly fast-paced. And they do it daily.

It’s easy to underestimate the complexity of leadership in environments like this. But next time you visit a McDonald’s, look a little closer. You’ll see leadership in motion: calm decision-making, team motivation, conflict resolution, adaptability and accountability - all in real time.

To say I didn’t have those skills at that age is an understatement!

The Programme Behind the Performance

We’ve had the privilege of working with the senior leaders who guide and grow these remarkable restaurant managers - thanks to Laurie and Anthony Nigro for the opportunity.

Together, we’ve been exploring a dynamic development framework that blends Situational Leadership with Social Style and Versatility , helping leaders refine both what they do and how they do it:

Situational Leadership® equips leaders to diagnose development needs and match their leadership approach accordingly.
SOCIAL STYLE® & Versatility helps leaders understand their own behavioural style, read others, and flex communication for greater impact and buy-in.

This combination is powerful: it gives young leaders the structure to lead effectively and the emotional agility to build influence and trust - core capabilities in any leadership context.

Why It Matters

Developing leadership at this stage of a person’s career builds habits that last. These young leaders aren’t just running restaurants - they’re building resilience, clarity, emotional intelligence and performance mindsets that will shape how they lead for decades to come.

We’re excited to keep supporting their growth - and to see where this next generation of high-capability leaders takes their skills next.

Being a servant leader does not mean being a 'pushover'

luke.ross@socialintelligence.com.au (Luke Ross) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:02:07 GMT

Being a servant leader does not mean being a 'pushover'

Servant leadership is often praised for its empathy, humility and others-focused approach. But at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) leadership team’s annual offsite, while exploring the TRACOM Group’s Social Style and Versatility framework, we examined a sharper edge to this idea and asked some essential questions:

When does serving others become stepping back too far?
When does accepting difference become condoning underperformance?
Are we avoiding discomfort, or using it to drive growth?

There is a fine line between flexibility and fragility, between support and surrender. True servant leadership demands more than being agreeable. It requires courage, clarity and backbone.

What strong servant leadership looks like ...

A powerful moment in the session came from Patrick Woods , Chief Operating Officer at ACU, who offered a clear and compelling blueprint for leadership. Clear, because it is straightforward. Compelling, because it is rarely done well or consistently:

As a leader, do these five things well:

Set clear expectations
Agree on goals
Provide regular feedback
Offer recognition
Give support

And do all of this while managing interpersonal tension. Not avoiding it, but using it to build productive, resilient relationships.

Challenge as an act of service

We often love leaders who make us feel good. But the best leaders are those who help us become better, even when it is uncomfortable. Sometimes, that means holding us accountable, challenging our assumptions, or offering feedback that stings in the moment but strengthens us in the long term.

Some of the most valuable feedback I have ever received was hard to hear. But I would not be where I am today without it. True servant leaders are willing to say what needs to be said, even if it means risking temporary discomfort.

That is not weakness. That is leadership in service of growth.

Grounded. Active. Bold.

Servant leadership, done well, is not passive. It is bold. It holds boundaries. It empowers performance without abdicating responsibility. It combines behavioural awareness with clarity of intent. And when supported by frameworks like Social Style and Versatility, it becomes even more actionable, measurable and scalable.

Thank you to the exceptional ACU team for the opportunity to explore these ideas together.

One moment that stood out was watching a scene from Meet the Parents, which hilariously illustrates the tension that can arise between different Social Styles in the workplace.

Congratulations to Trudy Priest - Certified in Adaptive Mindset for Resilience®

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 05:29:22 GMT

We’re thrilled to congratulate Trudy Priest from Westpac on achieving certification as a TRACOM Adaptive Mindset for Resilience® Instructor.

This globally recognised qualification in social intelligence is a powerful complement to Trudy’s existing credentials in SOCIAL STYLE® and Versatility. Together, these certifications make her a dual force in building resilient, adaptable and socially intelligent sales teams at Westpac.

As always, it was a pleasure reconnecting with one of my GE alumni. Trudy, you were brilliant then, and it’s no surprise you’re still leading with flair and impact today.

For the curious: the photo above shows Trudy gamely pretending to enjoy instructor certification. Like all good Type II fun, it’s deeply rewarding when complete, but definitely a challenge while you’re in it!

www-socialintelligence-com

Confidence Comes from Action: The Reality of Leadership

Confidence Comes from Action: The Reality of Leadership

B2B Sales Hasn’t Changed - Buyer Confidence Still Closes Deals

Sales tech changes fast but has buyer behaviour really changed, or do B2B fundamentals still matter?

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Victoria Beckham, leadership and humility (yes, you read that correctly!)

Victoria Beckham, leadership and humility (yes, you read that correctly!)

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The real story of transformation: courage, pragmatism and patience ...and a dog!

In recent months, we’ve partnered with organisations re-imagining culture, reshaping employee experience and restructuring functions to align with bold growth plans.

The question I am asked weekly…

“What is the future of leadership development?”

When working with a difficult person starts to cost you

Some of the best frameworks happen in the moment ...

What zombies can teach you about team cohesion.

Not all team meetings should start with a whiteboard ...

Want Better Performance? Make It Personal

92% of employees are more likely to take corrective action when they understand how their behaviour impacts their own success.

Menopause at work: the hidden cost of labels

She's going through menopause ... the impact of the label.

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The 'Long Table Rules' every B2B salesperson should know ...

To all my fellow sales professionals, here are the long table rules we sometimes forget ...

The Strategic Power of Storytelling in Leadership

Great leaders don’t just lead. They story tell.

Congratulations to Claire Jenkins and Mark Lew from Azuhr.

Congratulations to Claire Jenkins and Mark Lew from Azuhr.

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Who you are is not the problem. How you work with others might be.

Why authenticity without adaptability can hold you back and how to make the shift that builds trust and connection

Authenticity and adaptability are not opposites

Connection starts with small shifts

The takeaway

Practising what we preach

Are you part of a collective illusion?

How false consensus can derail strategy, silence truth, and stall progress

A whisper in the lift

Understanding collective illusions

Why we don't speak up

What can we do about it?

The painful truth

Are Leaders Made or Born?

Why real leadership is forged through behaviour, not biology.

So, are leaders made or born?

Ready to grow your leaders?

A Dietitian, a Psychologist, and Nestlé Walk Into a Conference Centre… Sounds Like the Start of a Wellness Revolution.

“A Dietitian, a Psychologist and Nestlé Walk Into a Conference Centre… Sounds Like the Start of a Wellness Revolution.” ������

If you believe you can’t, you won’t: shifting sales mindsets

Why being right isn’t always helpful - and how reframing beliefs drives performance

Next-Gen Leadership in Action

What McDonald’s young managers can teach us about real-world leadership

The Programme Behind the Performance

Why It Matters

Being a servant leader does not mean being a 'pushover'

What strong servant leadership looks like ...

Challenge as an act of service

Grounded. Active. Bold.

Congratulations to Trudy Priest - Certified in Adaptive Mindset for Resilience®

We’re thrilled to congratulate Trudy Priest from Westpac on achieving certification as a TRACOM Adaptive Mindset for Resilience® Instructor.

“A Dietitian, a Psychologist and Nestlé Walk Into a Conference Centre… Sounds Like the Start of a Wellness Revolution.” ��