Leadership Decanted

Send us a message! In this Cheeky Half episode, Paul & KG discuss a very recent report published by the Scanlon institute in Australia, the Mapping Social Cohesion report. It's a fascinating social research project that seeks to assess the state of our 'social cohesion' at a given point (the report is published annually). It looks at categories such as our sense of belonging, ac...

Send us a message! What does a hot cup of tea have to do with our understanding of culture in the organisations where we work? Join Paul & KG as they touch on this surprising 'phenomenon' with their special guest, Michael Henderson . Michael is a Corporate Anthropologist (yep, it's a real thing!) with a clear and sharp take on what makes culture in our organisations, and what le...

Send us a message! In this Cheeky Half episode,  Paul & KG talk about the idea of 'Courageous Conversations'. Why is 'courage' needed in these scenarios? Aren't they simply just conversations that happen to touch on difficult topics? Why then the need for 'courage'? Is there real danger where some form of bravery is required? Or does this term say more about...

Send us a message! KG & Paul often refer to leadership practice as being contextual. No one size, style or framework fits all. And despite their many years of combined leadership practice, they have barely experienced the sheer diversity of contexts where leaders 'play'. And so they invited Nicole Schleicher , General Manager of Services and Impact at redkite , for a leadership chat...

Send us a message! Have you ever found yourself in a position where a confidential or sensitive message you need to convey somehow morphs into a set of well-meaning lies? We confess, we have. And sometimes, despite our best intentions, we just haven't worked out how to navigate that slippery slope. Paul & KG  talk about some of these moments, not always something to be proud of, but never...

Send us a message! KG & Paul love their regular conversations on leadership over a glass of wine. That's no secret. But it's easy to forget that these conversations provide only a small, even infinitesimal, slice of what leadership is and could be. They'd be the first to admit they don't have a monopoly on leadership practice, nor its definition. It is for this reason KG &a...

Send us a message! Life can sometimes beat us around, and it doesn't care who you are or what responsibilities you hold in an organisation. And yet, if you do hold a position where you have responsibility over others, and a deeply emotional crisis hits you and the team, then you may be at risk of neglecting your own feelings of emotional and psychological exhaustion, simply because you are ex...

Send us a message! " Two sporting teams, both alike in dignity, In fair London, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." (with sincere apologies to Mr Shakespeare...) What leadership object lessons can we take from a recent sporting controversy. Where two teams, two captains, face what seems to be the same event, but o...

Send us a message! Is influence an essential trait for effective leadership? Join Paul & KG as they explore different notions of influence. Is it persuasion? Is it manipulation? How about the art of telling compelling stories, advocating for others, and leading by example? Join the conversation and tell us what you think influence to be, and how it might work in practice. Join us and please, s...

Send us a message! In leadership roles, we often face uncomfortable conversations and encounters. When experiencing these unsettling situations, we have a few options. These include enduring the discomfort and navigating through the storm until we find stability, or prematurely ending the conversation, ignoring the tension. One approach fosters growth and connection, the other doesn't. Join K...

Send us a message! The term 'Self Care' has become a common one. However, the practice itself, as it pertains to those in leadership positions, seems to be as scarce or as ad hoc as ever. Why should we care about 'Self Care', and what difference would it even make to how we lead? Join Paul & KG as they discuss their own challenges around 'Self Care', and how they...

Send us a message! Celebrating our leadership successes should be a joyful and necessary practice. However, if we are not attentive to our leadership shortcomings, especially our failures, then we are condemned to repeat the same mistakes. Join KG & Paul as they chat with Ed Vaughn , from Generation Leadership , about his fascination with leadership failure and, amongst many insightful moments...

Send us a message! It's not unusual for any of us to feel under the pump, where there just aren't enough hours in the day to get done what needs to get done. It is a perennial challenge that often ends with us spinning our wheels, emotionally throwing our hands in the air and giving in to the situation, as if there were no other option. If you identify with this response, then Paul is wo...

Send us a message! On this episode, KG sneakily turned the spotlight on Paul . What exactly does Paul do? All this talk of leadership and team development, surely we shouldn't just assume he knows what he's talking about, right? Check out this conversation if you are at all interested in his take on working with leaders and their teams. And, as usual, the conversation is fuelled by an am...

Send us a message! Leadership can sometimes feel like a cross between a talent show, where your leadership capabilities are always being judged, and a high-stakes survival show, where you constantly have to choose between the preservation of your own career and the development of the careers of others. How to choose!!?? Join Paul & KG as they think out loud about how sometimes, popularity seem...

Send us a message! Apparently, there are some things about leadership that make Paul want to squirm and run into the woods, shrieking like a Banshee. On this occasion he was disturbed and triggered by our special guest, Marcus Crow , co-founder of 10,000 Hours and a deeply experienced facilitator who works with leaders across many industries and sectors. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation tha...

Send us a message! Anyone with any interest in the Australian context will know 2023 is going to be a significant year for many of our leaders holding public office. This is the year a national referendum is put to the population about enshrining a voice of our Indigenous People into the constitution.  But not just those in the public domain who have a role to play. Anyone with even the smallest a...

Send us a message! As a new season of Leadership Decanted kicks off, Paul & KG discuss what it might take to refresh and reframe their leadership practices, as they are very mindful that all of those qualities, practices, behaviours and energy that got you here, may not necessarily get you to where you want to go next! There's also a tortured metaphor about sailing somewhere in this conve...

Send us a message! Our 2023 Leadership Decanted teaser! KG & Paul are looking forward to sharing ideas, thoughts, conversation - and some very good wine - as we continue to explore the vast leadership landscape. We'd love to share all this with you too!! Do you have a question? Would you like to suggest a topic of conversation? Please reach out on askus@leadershipdecanted.com or visit us...

Send us a message! It's that time in our lives when we look back, doe-eyed and in soft focus, to a magical year... Hmm, maybe not. Despite our penchant for a nice glass (or two) of wine during our Leadership Decanted conversations, we manage to take a sober look at how we think leadership may have played out over the past year. Join Paul and KG as they reflect on 2022, and how they make sense...

Send us a message! Thanks to a listener question, KG & Paul are reminded of their leadership 'scars' as they contemplate the question of why anyone would want to lead at all! Is it purpose, is it force of personality or is it sheer bloody-mindedness, amongst the many options? Maybe a little from each column. Shout out to Damien for your reflection that lead to this little Cheeky Half...

Send us a message! Vanilla has had a bad rap over the years. Often associated with blandness and things vaguely unremarkable, to be called 'Vanilla' can be experienced as a back-handed compliment at best, and a dismissal at worst. However, KG & Paul beg to differ. Over an impeccable bottle of 2004 Buller & Sons [ now Buller Wines ] Calliope Shiraz , they discuss the oft-derided w...

Send us a message! As it turns out, not a huge amount. Paul & KG visit the website of the Australian Leadership Index . Driven by Swinburne University of Technology , the index "provides a way to measure how people view the performance of leaders and their institutions, when it comes to their overall leadership, and its drivers." This Cheeky Half conversation merely scratches at the...

Send us a message! The death of Queen Elizabeth II has generated more commentary, analysis and nostalgic introspection in the last few weeks than we can ever remember. Despite the overwhelming avalanche of words, Paul & KG still felt they could add their small drop in this vast ocean by turning their attention to the idea of 'legacy'. What is it and, more importantly for us, what is...

Send us a message! Questions of gender identity are becoming more commonplace in public discourse, but not everyone in leadership has necessarily grappled with all the complexities wrapped around those conversations. Paul and KG are no exception. Nevertheless, in this Cheeky Half episode they talk about how leaders might broach discussions and interactions with those who might be inquiring about a...