Future Fit Leadership

Crisis is rarely the headline. It is the quiet gap between what happens and how leaders respond. And few people understand that gap better than Stephanie Craig, President of Kith, former political insider, and the woman some call the Olivia Pope of crisis communications. In this conversation, Stephanie takes us from her childhood in the Canadian Arctic to the halls of the US and Canadian Senates, and into the real world moments where reputation, trust, and clarity can make or break a business. We talk about the biggest mistakes leaders make in the first 24 hours of a crisis, why most organisations still underestimate their stakeholders, and how clarity and trust create strategic speed when it matters most. Stephanie shares practical, human advice for every leader. Build your crisis core team before you need it. Understand who your people are and how they communicate. Know what you stand for when the pressure hits. This is a conversation about leadership that is calm, conscious, and ready for the world as it truly is. Please enjoy this episode of Future Fit Leadership with Stephanie Craig.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant and very grounded Jenny Stilwell, a woman who has spent her life helping businesses move from surviving to scaling. Jenny has led companies through complexity, run her own advisory firm, and written the book The 7 Percent Club, which reveals why only a small number of businesses ever grow past two million in revenue. What I love about Jenny is how honest she is about the messy middle of leadership. She talks about that awkward moment when you step up for the first time and suddenly discover you have no reference point for the role you have just taken on. She shares how founders often choke their own growth by holding onto everything, and how letting go is more like a dance of trust and release than a single decision. We go deep into the traps that stop businesses from scaling. Complexity that creeps up quietly. Early team members who suddenly find themselves drowning under bigger titles. Capability gaps. Shiny object syndrome. And the hard truth that you cannot grow if you are still operating like the scrappy startup you once were. Jenny also breaks down why knowing your numbers is not optional. It is the backbone of every decision you make. Margin, ratios, revenue per employee, wage to sales, client insights, operational indicators. She brings it all alive in that way only Jenny can. Practical, plain speaking, and instantly usable. And of course, she answers our Future Fit Leadership questions. Adaptability. Strategic thinking. Emotional intelligence. And a powerful reminder that AI is shifting the ground under our feet faster than many leaders realise. This is a conversation packed with clarity, humanity, and a few reassuring laughs about the things we all struggle with. If you are leading a business, scaling a team, or trying to find your footing in a world full of moving parts, you will love Jenny’s wisdom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the FBI knocked on Kevin McCarthy’s door one morning in 2002, everything he thought he knew about integrity, loyalty, and trust shattered. What followed was a federal conviction for a crime he didn’t mean to commit, spending 33 months in prison that changed his life forever. In this deeply human conversation, Kevin shares how good people can make bad choices, what blind spots really look like in leadership, and how to rebuild your life and your sense of self when everything falls apart. From the moment the FBI entered his home to the lessons learned behind prison walls, Kevin’s story is one of self-awareness, humility, and the power of owning our mistakes. He reminds us that leadership isn’t about perfection it’s about perspective. It’s about learning to see what we once couldn’t, and finding integrity in the space between moral intent and legal reality. This is a conversation about humanity, not hierarchy. Please enjoy this powerful story with Kevin McCarthy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes a leader truly future fit in a world where AI can attend your meetings, interview your staff, and even write your next LinkedIn post? In this lively and thought-provoking conversation, futurist and best-selling author Michael McQueen joins Sadhana Smiles to unpack what it really means to stay relevant, human, and adaptable as technology reshapes the way we lead and work. They explore everything from Gen Z’s reluctance to take on leadership roles, to why “culture is caught, not taught,” and how real trust is built in a world full of deepfakes and digital avatars. Michael shares why the best leaders of tomorrow will blend confidence, conviction, and curiosity — and how to lead with both head and heart in the age of AI. Please enjoy this conversation with the insightful and always entertaining Michael McQueen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monica Bradley’s career has been anything but conventional — spanning trade, logistics, government, technology, and impact investing. In this Future Fit Leadership conversation, she shares how curiosity, contribution, and courage shaped her path from regional Queensland to boardrooms across the globe. Monica unpacks her mantra of growth without compromise which is a bold philosophy that challenges leaders to build organisations that drive profit, purpose, and planetary health in equal measure. From redefining value in the economy to reimagining how we lead through uncertainty, Monica brings deep wisdom and an infectious optimism for what’s next. Monica Bradley is a strategist, changemaker, and proud champion of curiosity, creativity, and kindness in leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Haros and Deivina Peethamparam from Gadens Lawyers join me to explore one of the fastest-evolving frontiers in leadership — psychological and psychosocial safety. They unpack what today’s laws demand from leaders, where most organisations fall short, and why emotional intelligence now matters as much as compliance. From trust and vulnerability to reproductive health and hybrid workplaces, this conversation gets real about what it takes to build teams that hum — safe, connected, and human. 🎧 Listen in for legal insights, lived experience, and practical tools every leader needs to create workplaces where people thrive — not just survive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 26, Lisa O’Neill’s body gave out before her mind did. What followed was a radical reset, a crash course in energy, healing, and self-awareness that would shape everything she teaches today. In this conversation, Lisa shares the story behind Energy: Get It. Guard It. Give It., and what it really means to manage energy, not time. From adrenal fatigue to four children and nine books later, she has built a life around purpose, colour, and courage  teaching leaders to stop leaking energy, start leading themselves, and live with intention. Lisa also opens up about her early life in fashion, the psychology of colour, and the powerful shift that happens when women stop minimising themselves and step fully into who they are.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leaders are contagious. That is where Michelle McQuaid begins. In this episode we explore how a leader’s state shapes a team’s energy, focus, courage and care, and why self compassion is not a soft option but a competitive advantage. Michelle is a positive psychology expert, best-selling author and LinkedIn Top 10 mental health voice who blends evidence with lived experience. Her latest book, The Perfectly Imperfect Little Girl, unpacks how good girl conditioning still nudges women’s confidence, decisions and leadership, and offers practical ways to lead with authenticity and resilience. We talk secure attachment to self, real psychosocial safety, burnout signals, and the simple habits that steady your nervous system in seasons of change. If you want your team to think clearly and thrive under pressure, this conversation is for you. Please enjoy my exchange with Michelle McQuaid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Fox AM has spent her career asking tough questions about leadership and even tougher ones about the systems that shape it. An award-winning journalist, author, and former editor at Boss Magazine, Catherine has spent decades reporting on power, progress, and the invisible barriers that hold people back. In this conversation, she shares what she’s learned about leadership from the newsroom to the boardroom  from myths that refuse to die, to the moments that redefine what real leadership looks like. We explore the themes from her bestselling books Stop Fixing Women, Seven Myths About Women & Work, and Breaking the Boss Bias and why she believes we’re overdue for a new conversation about power, bias, and what makes a truly self-aware leader. Catherine was bought to you by Saxton Speakers  - https://www.saxton.com.au/speakers/catherine-foxSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to keep your energy high, lead through change, and stay future fit in a world that never stops moving? In this conversation, Josh Phegan shares the lessons he learned from growing up surrounded by books and cassette tapes of Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy, through to becoming one of the most recognised performance coaches in our industry. We talk about confidence as a skill you can build, why feedback works best “in the car on the way back from an appointment,” and how leaders can avoid burnout by managing energy, not time. Josh also unpacks his five–step change management process, his rituals for keeping strategy front and centre, and why excellence isn’t a lofty concept but something you practice in every single moment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.