Empowering Leaders

This special episode of Empowering Leaders brings together some of the world’s most forward-thinking voices to explore one of the biggest shifts of our time: artificial intelligence. Across dozens of conversations on the show, we’ve been asking leaders how they’re navigating this moment. Their answers are honest, energising, sometimes confronting... and full of clues about what great leadership will require next. You’ll hear from Andy Walshe, Adam Driussi, Dr Ben Hamer, Tyson Ballard, Brad Harrison, Julian Treasure, Dr Ayesha Khanna, Jeremy Kodomichalos and Dan Rutstein - each offering a unique perspective on what AI means for creativity, decision-making, responsibility and the future of work. From what these leaders have told us, as powerful as AI becomes, the future will still belong to people who can listen, adapt, stay curious, and lead with clarity. This collection invites you to pause, look ahead, and consider how you want to show up in this new era. Listen to the episodes in full below: Andy Walshe: Has Human Potential Peaked? Dr Ayesha Khanna: How to Build Big with AI and Lead with Humanity Jeremy Kodomichalos: There’s No Standard Path in Life or Business Adam Driussi: The Moment AI Saved My Company a Million Dollars Dan Rutstein: British Diplomacy to American Soccer Leadership Brad Harrison: A Warrior’s Take on AI, Ayahuasca, and the Future of Defence Julian Treasure: The Real Power Move? Saying Less, Listening Better Dr. Ben Hamer: AI + Gen Z = the End of Business as Usual Tyson Ballard: Innovating at the crossroads of Law, AI & Lifestyle Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke Darcy sits down with one of the greatest figures in world hockey, dual Olympic gold medallist and champion coach Alyson Annan. Alyson reflects on her journey from superstar player to leading the Dutch and now Chinese women’s national teams, and why she never once thought of herself as “the best in the world” - even though she was! She shares the deceptively simple goals that drove her playing career, and how curiosity has become the secret to sustaining performance over decades. Luke and Alyson explore what high-performance sport can teach business about recovery, emotional connection and celebrating success, and why leaders should spend more time observing their people rather than filling every moment with instruction. Alyson also opens up about growing up fast, parenting in youth sport, and why learning Chinese has transformed her understanding of communication and trust. Alyson delivers a masterclass in leadership, language and humility as one of the most respected coaches in global sport. You'll hear Alyson mention the legendary Emma Hayes: Listen or relisted to Luke's episode with Emma Hayes here: Emma Hayes LIVE from London: For Women, By Women, Football & Beyond We are privileged to have Alyson as part of our Aleda Connect community. Book a discovery call today to find out more about how you can learn and grow alongside people like Alyson within our signature leadership program. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this special SLEEP episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke sits down with world-leading sleep and recovery coach Anna West, founder of Sleep2Perform, to explore why good sleep might be the most underrated performance enhancer on the planet. Drawing on her work with Premier League clubs, Olympic programs and high-pressure corporate environments, Anna explains how a single night of poor sleep can affect learning, reaction time and injury risk, and why she’s less interested in scare tactics and far more interested in helping people understand how much great sleep can change their lives! She and Luke unpack why a good night’s sleep actually starts the moment you wake up, exactly how daylight, movement, nutrition and stress all shape your sleep hours, and why some of the most talked-about trends… from wearables to mouth taping… need a lot more critical thinking. Anna also shares simple ways to handle jet lag, long-haul travel and late-night schedules, and gets into the nitty gritty of how leaders can build cultures where rest is seen as a competitive advantage, not a sign of weakness. Anna is full of practical, science-grounded wisdom that will change the way you think about your days and your nights! We are privileged to have Anna as part of our Aleda Connect community. Book a discovery call today to find out more about how you can learn and grow alongside people like Anna within our signature leadership program. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the “right” pathway to success doesn’t exist? In this episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke sits down with WNBA champion and Opals leader Sami Whitcomb, whose story is anything but conventional. Undrafted out of college and cut from early opportunities, Sami took her game to Germany and Australia, grinding away from the spotlight for years before forcing her way into the WNBA at 28 and becoming a two-time champion. Sami and Luke talk about what really separates elite performers and they get into the details of exactly how Sami squeezes every bit of potential out of her own game. Sami shares openly about imposter syndrome at the top level, the leaders who changed everything for her (including Opals captain Tess Madgen and WNBA legend Sue Bird), and why authentic care and collaboration are non-negotiable in great teams. They also dive into the harder questions: how to balance motherhood with elite sport, why having a village matters, how to switch off and be truly present at home, and the role of curiosity and perspective in sustaining a long career. It’s a grounded, generous conversation about resilience, leadership and building a life that isn’t defined by your circumstances. We are privileged to have Sami as part of our Aleda Connect community. Book a discovery call today to find out more about how you can learn and grow alongside people like Sami within our signature leadership program. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when the thing you love most is also the thing you fear the most? In this episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke sits down with Olympic BMX gold medallist Saya Sakakibara, whose story is as much about courage and inner work as it is about winning in Paris. Saya opens up about watching her brother Kai’s life-changing crash, the strange limbo that followed, and why she chose to keep racing for both of them. She explains how fear didn’t hit all at once, but crept in later through her own crashes, and how that planted a seed of doubt she had to learn to work with, not run from. Saya talks Luke through the mental performance tools that changed everything: rewiring her subconscious, using visualisation as “future memories,” focusing on the 95% of the mind that runs in the background and training it like a muscle. She shares how her “Just go” mantra helped her block out distraction in Paris, and why walking away knowing she didn’t leave anything on the table mattered just as much as the gold medal. Beyond BMX, Saya reflects on becoming an author and public speaker despite a fear of speaking, the tension between being “selfish” as an elite athlete and wanting to give back, and why asking for help has always been her quiet form of leadership. She also shares her dream of helping young athletes and young women find their voice, tell their story and build a life they’re proud of. Saya shares the mindset you can build from the ground up. And reminds us all that courage is not the absence of fear, it’s what you decide to do with it. Grab a copy of Saya’s brand new book “Just Go” for more Saya magic! If you're in Melbourne tonight, head to the The W Club to meet BMX Olympic Gold Medallist Saya Sakakibara and celebrate the release of her brand-new inspiring memoir, 'Just Go'. Tickets are selling fast here. Luke mentions a brilliant episode with Steve Hooker, Olympic Pole Vaulting gold medalist - listen here. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes the All Blacks the most successful international sporting team of all time? For Gilbert Enoka, who spent 23 years shaping their mindset and culture, the answer begins within. In September, when Luke walked into Aleda’s leadership conference in London, the Head Coach of the United States Women’s National Team, Emma Hayes, was clutching Gilbert’s book in her hands. She looked up at Luke and said, “You have to read this.” (Emma’s recent episode is here.) In this episode of Empowering Leaders, after reading the book as prescribed, Luke sits down with the legendary mental skills coach whose work has transformed how the world thinks about leadership, pressure and performance. From his early years in an orphanage to two decades guiding the All Blacks, Gilbert shares timeless lessons about resilience, self-belief and the quiet power of structure and humility. He explains why you’ll never rise above your opinion of yourself, how great leaders “nail it not nearly it,” and why there can be no external gains without an internal shift. One of our favourite bits (because we do this here at Aleda) is when Gilbert reminds us not to rush past our successes but to instead “vent our joy” just as we vent our problems. You’ll hear Luke mention NBA great Steve Kerr’s recent episode - listen (or listen again) here. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What should leaders actually do with AI this year? In this conversation, futurist and CEO Dr Ayesha Khanna gives Luke clear, practical steps for small teams and big organisations: start with personal productivity, build safe team workflows, then move to data-driven pilots that serve customers first. Ayesha explains why governance must sit beside innovation, what recent AI experiments really tell us, and how great leadership in the AI age is defined by ethics, upskilling, and a true growth mindset. She shares lessons from her failed startups and her incredible work teaching AI skills to girls and women. Ayesha believes there’s “something remarkable about everyone” and it shows. Listen in as Luke and Ayesha also touch on quantum computing, Singapore as an iconic national transformation, and Ayesha’s refreshingly human rules to live by including “multitasking is a sin” and taking regular tech and AI fasts. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few leaders have captured the world’s attention quite like Jacinda Ardern has! As Prime Minister of New Zealand, she became known for her compassion, her decisiveness, and her ability to lead through crises with grace. Now, after stepping away from politics, Jacinda is finding new ways to influence change - through her work at Harvard, her continued advocacy for kindness and integrity in leadership, and her role as a mother navigating what balance really means. In this episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke Darcy speaks with Jacinda about what she’s learned in reflection, the human cost of leadership, and how we might build a future shaped by empathy rather than fear. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to lead with clarity in a world that celebrates complexity? Jeremy Kodomichalos spent over a decade helping shape Google’s strategy and operations across Australia and New Zealand. He’s known for his calm, collaborative approach to leadership - one grounded in curiosity, problem-solving and humility. In this conversation, Jeremy reflects on the lessons that shaped his path - from the sacrifices of his Greek immigrant family to the early mentors who opened doors and taught him the power of asking the right questions. He shares insights from his time at Procter & Gamble and Google, and why he believes perfection is overrated, simplicity is underrated, and psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams. Jeremy offers up key lessons on leadership, gratitude, and the importance of staying grounded while striving to grow. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when a data scientist steps into the boardroom and the locker room at the same time? Adam Driussi, co-founder and CEO of Quantium and chairman of the Canterbury Bulldogs, shares how he’s using artificial intelligence to shape both business and sport. Adam explains why leaders shouldn’t feel “aged-out” of AI, how simple it is to get started, and the surprising ways he personally uses it - from strategic planning to preparing for difficult conversations. He also shares a real-life example of AI potentially saving Quantium a million dollars a year in support costs, and reflects on how society needs to balance the power of technology with the human need for trust, judgment and connection. The conversation also touches on Adam's experience in the Aleda Connect leadership program, including the leadership feedback that completely changed the way he approaches team culture. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time. Book a discovery call today. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.