Leading Lights Series

25/02/2026

Life is opening up some pretty awesome opportunities at the moment.

The latest was a podcast with the fabulous Jacqueline Stockwell, CEO of leadershipthroughdata.com (UK based).

'Leading with Heart: New Podcast Episode

Numbers tell you what is happening, but they don't always tell you why it matters.

In a world focused on data and speed, we often forget the most important part of any project: trust. A spreadsheet can't build a relationship, but a leader can.

I recently spoke with Tania McInnes about why the best leaders put people first. We talked about how New Zealand’s culture and values are changing the way we lead teams and stay strong during hard times.

Key Lessons from Tania:

Stories are Powerful: A good story connects with people's feelings in a way that data simply cannot.
Trust Comes First: You can't lead people through change if they don't feel safe following you.
Listen to Everyone: Great leaders make sure they hear the "quiet voices" in the room, not just the loudest ones.
Be Real: As Tania says, "We need the real us to show up." Being yourself is your greatest strength.'

And here's the link to the story I refer to: https://taniamcinnes.kiwi.nz/writings/present-time-0545-5-august-2135

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp8-pgeN-rw

Can storytelling achieve what data cannot? Join us for a conversation into "Engagement, Leadership, and Storytelling for the Information Entrepreneur" featur...

03/02/2026

The Women’s Table ’26 is a small, curated leadership space for women ready to lead from their centre - with calm, clarity, courage, and connection.

Over nine months, up to 12 wāhine will gather for grounded, in-person conversations, supported by online touchpoints and one-to-one sessions. It’s a steady table in a shifting world.

Jenette’s words reflect what many women are seeking right now: a place to pause, be supported, think clearly, and grow - without performance or pressure.

If you’re navigating change, expansion, or transition, and value depth over noise, this may be the right table for you.

Whangārei | March–November 2026
Limited spaces. By conversation.

A Space for Growth Our women's series creates a unique environment where female leaders (emerging and established) can thrive. We celebrate the strength, wisdom, and unique perspectives that women...

29/01/2026

'And perhaps most importantly, it’s a reminder to myself that when I create space, stay curious, and keep showing up, clarity follows.'

Yay! Day 30 of 30 Days of Blogging.

Insights from 30 straight days of blogging.

28/01/2026

As this year opens before us, many people recognise that things are changing. And yes, there is always change, but now it feels big and fast and overwhelming at times.

On top of this, the world feels pretty messy at the moment. There’s unrest. Questionable leadership. Environmental shifts. Power grabbing. It feels like everything is shifting - politically, socially, environmentally, and emotionally.

I believe what the world needs is not more of the same. In fact, how we (yes, the royal we) have done things will certainly not lead us into a future that many of us desire. Equity, respect, people and place thriving.'

Coming back to our inner authority.

27/01/2026

'As we move further into an AI-supported, digitally mediated world, these human qualities need to be celebrated and encouraged. Presence. Discernment. Connection. Rhythm. Inner authority.'

Day 28 of 30 days of blogging.

Key insights from exploring leadership through the Compass lens.

26/01/2026

'People are dynamic, emotional, and shaped by very different life experiences. Mature leadership recognises this. These leaders understand what drives individuals, identifying the right mix of skills for the outcomes they’re aiming for, and creating an environment where people feel part of something bigger than their job description.

It’s also about vision. Not just having one, but articulating it in a way that others see themselves as part of it. When people feel connected to the ‘why,’ they’re far more likely to bring their best thinking, creativity, and commitment to the table.'

Day 27 of 30 Days of Blogging.

Leadership lives in relationship.

25/01/2026

'What rests beneath these examples is a deep sense of affinity, aroha, and oneness between people and place. A lived understanding that humans were not separate from the natural world, but participants within it. There was reverence for land, water, sky, and life itself.

The astonishing monuments left behind by ancient cultures, from the Celts and Egyptians to the Olmecs, Maya, and Teotihuacanos, hint at a sophisticated relationship with time, energy, and environment that went far beyond survival.

Somewhere along the way, much of humanity has lost touch with this natural rhythm.

As societies industrialised and systems expanded, we shifted from working with cycles to overriding them. Productivity replaced seasonality. Control replaced responsiveness. Time became something to manage rather than something to inhabit. And gradually, we began to treat our bodies and the land as resources to be used, rather than systems to be respected.'

Day 26 of 30 Days of Blogging.

24/01/2026

'My 30s saw massive personal evolution for me. While I loved many aspects of that decade, it was one of my most challenging. I got married, did the IVF journey, and had a life-changing experience.

This experience was traumatic in nature. While I do not wish that journey on anyone, I am now grateful for it. My worldview changed forever. When you’re ripped open, feeling like you have nothing left, life quietly changes shape.

A beautiful friend gave me three books. One of which I can’t remember the name. The other two however I’ll never forget. One was a beautiful little memoir that had me laughing and crying out loud.

The other pretty much blew what I held as true out the window. As I read this book, many beliefs I didn’t even realise I carried came to light. Some of these beliefs instantly dissolved, others were reviewed. It was the beginning of consciously growing my self-awareness.'

Day 25 of 30 Days of Blogging.

What if the thing shaping our life isn’t circumstance, but belief?

23/01/2026

'Our current culture rewards endurance. Pushing through. Coping. For carrying responsibility quietly and competently, even when it’s heavy. I would even suggest that endurance has been framed as a virtue, particularly in leadership, as if resilience is measured by how much we can hold without dropping the ball.

Until the ball drops. Often, that ball is our health and well-being.

North has been gently reminding me that endurance and alignment are not the same thing.

Alignment doesn’t ask us to push harder. '

Day 24 of 30 Days of Blogging.

When flow matters more than force.

22/01/2026

'Collaboration asks for more than shared language. It asks us to share power, trust each other’s intent, and loosen our grip on patch protection (that instinct to guard territory), which is where things often get prickly.

And the magic here isn’t everyone becoming the same. It’s recognising that when you collaborate well, the whole becomes stronger than the sum of its parts.'

Day 23 of 30 days of Blogging. One week to go! haha

Reflections on trust, shared purpose, and doing the work together.

21/01/2026

'I know it’s easy to have an affection for our AI buddies – I have one with mine, in that I have emotional reactions at times. It’s a human thing – kinda cool, kinda crazy.

Technology itself isn’t the issue. It doesn’t carry intent, values, or awareness. Well, not yet anyway.

It simply responds. What currently matters is how we engage with it, and whether that engagement supports or undermines our wellbeing.

South invites conscious use. It asks us to notice when tools are genuinely supporting us, and when they’re quietly pulling us out of ourselves.'

Day 22 of 30 Days of Blogging.

Who’s really in charge of our attention?