Nicole How

Behind the Teams

Business EN ↓ 6 episodes

Go behind the scenes with leaders in Digital, Product & Design to find out how high performance teams are built and managed. Hosted by Nicole How, a former professional athlete turned recruitment consultant with a background in psychology, this podcast is an open conversation with experts about their experiences, behaviours and beliefs about what defines leadership, team performance and success. We prioritise depth and practical mechanics over high level theory. If you’re a leader or aspiring leader in digital, product or design, this podcast is for you.

Author

Nicole How

Episodes

High Performance is About Behaviours, Not Results with Candice Pendergast 22.06.2026 36:06

What does it actually take to build a high performing digital team? Candice Pendergast, Head of Digital at Future Group breaks down why behaviour is the leading indicator of high performance, while results are the lag indicator. She shares: How she leads a remote-first team across five superannuation brands, Why wellbeing and performance aren't in conflict What leaders get dangerously wrong when t...

Why the difference between big D & little D design has never mattered more with Darren Smith 01.06.2026 33:39

In this episode, I sit down with Darren Smith, Senior Director of Product Design at Multiplier for an honest and wide-ranging conversation about the state of design leadership. We cover: Why design leadership isn't broken but is often set up to fail, and the formula for getting it right The difference between "big D" and "little D" design, and why AI is coming for one of them How blurring boundar...

Turning the Leaf: From Studio to Strategic Partner with Gemma Poesaste 11.05.2026 25:54

What does it really take to turn the leaf and transform an in-house creative team from an execution studio into a true strategic partner? In this episode, I sit down with Gemma Poesaste to unpack the journey of building Roam, Telstra's internal creative agency. From growing the team from 12 to 30, to navigating the very human side of change, we covered: - Why quick wins matter more than people th...

The Proud Pragmatist: Why Design Quality is Negotiable with Matthias Schreck 20.04.2026 35:18

In this episode of Behind the Teams , host Nicole How sits down with Matthias Schreck , Head of Design at WiseTech Global. With a career spanning nearly two decades, including nine formative years at Atlassian, Matty shares his philosophy as a "proud pragmatist". We dive into why the best design leaders are willing to negotiate on "gold standards" to ensure the ultimate success of the product. Key...

The Power of Reps with Simon Hilton: Why the Speed of Shipping is the New Metric for Career Growth 30.03.2026 35:14

In this episode of Behind the Teams , I sit down with Simon Hilton , the Head of AI Products at MYOB , to explore the intersection of leadership, team dynamics and the rapid evolution of technology. Simon shares his career mission of building great teams that build great products, emphasising that a high-performing team is the fundamental requirement for software success. The conversation dives de...

Leading Through Complexity with Sarah Stokes: Building Design Maturity and High-Impact Teams 09.03.2026 35:08

In this episode we sit down with Sarah Stokes, a veteran of 25+ years to explore her experiences as a design leader. Whether you’re a Senior Designer eyeing your first lead role or a Head of Design struggling to build your teams authority, this conversation is your roadmap. We dive deep into: The Influence Myth: Why "doing good work" isn't enough and how to make influence a "team sport." The Rese...