Journal
Insights on future ready leadership, the economics of justice, systemic innovation, and equity by design.
Who Said It? | Who Is? | What Is? | Did You Know? | Systems in Practice | Signals and Reflections
When was the last time you had a pattern interrupt?
Real growth rarely comes from comfort. Whether it’s moving countries, shifting careers, or rethinking what’s possible, disruption helps us see with fresh eyes — revealing what to keep, what to let go of, and what to reimagine.
Read on to explore why intentional change might just be your greatest strategy for renewal.
How ancestral wisdom guides me.
As Matariki invites reflection and renewal, I’ve been thinking about my own Internal Board of Directors — the people whose values shape my choices, even when they’re no longer here.
For me, that includes my grandfather, whose quiet strength still guides my leadership today. Who would take a seat on yours?
What does wellbeing really mean to you and how has this evolved over time?
At the CA ANZ Canterbury Conference, one question made me pause — how much has our understanding of wellbeing really evolved?
Once seen as a “nice-to-have,” I now view it as performance infrastructure, every bit as critical as systems or strategy.
Read on for four mindset shifts that have reshaped how I think about wellbeing, work, and what truly drives performance.
Finance is missing dignity as a design principle.
For too long, financial products have been built by and for those already inside the system, leaving many excluded by complexity, assumptions, and one-size-fits-none thinking.
Could dignity be the missing ingredient that unlocks both trust and innovation?
False Economy: Undermining Pay Equity Creates Business Inefficiencies
The government's rush to dismantle New Zealand's pay equity framework last week wasn't just pushed through under urgency; there is broad sentiment that it was pushed through to make the budget look better.
The government claims the rushed changes to the Pay Equity Act will save “billions”, but this completely misses the bigger economic picture.
Gutting our pay equity laws isn't a triumph of fiscal responsibility; it's a budget allocation trick creating market distortions that businesses will ultimately pay for.
Do we have the courage to lead?
Do we have the courage to lead when human sense and business sense face formidable opposition?
Two years ago, I shared this Harvard Business Review article and research showing the financial consequences of politically-motivated business restrictions. Reading it again over the weekend, I was struck by how the warning is even more pertinent today than it was then.
Trust in Finance and the Rise of Fintech
I'm delighted to be participating in the inaugural panel of the Juncture Dialogue Event Series on Thursday 22 May. Juncture: Dialogues on Inclusive Capitalism is a groundbreaking University of Auckland Business School research centre exploring how capitalism can better serve people and planet.
To Blacklist or Wield Influence
When confronted with business partners or providers engaged in unethical practices or poor conduct, the first instinct might be to consider blacklisting. But what about the alternative? What happens when we choose to maintain our seat at the table specifically to challenge misconduct and drive substantial reform from within?
Smooth Seas Don't Train Great Sailors
This week I am reflecting on a proverb that has shaped my understanding of leadership development: "Smooth seas don't train great sailors."
Looking back on my career, the periods of greatest growth weren't during comfortable, predictable times. They came when navigating choppy waters, making difficult decisions with incomplete information or imperfect context, and steering through unexpected storms.
“You're really good at de-escalating situations."
A work acquaintance said this to me recently. After joking that having four tweens and teenagers gives me plenty of practice, I paused to consider what I actually do when team members come to me with concerns or frustrations during our one-to-one meetings.