The Dynamic Leader Podcast

In this conversation, Shelley speaks with Shivani Gupta, a trailblazing electrical engineer turned entrepreneur and educator, about passion and attracting and retaining the right people. Drawing from her experience scaling businesses to $5 million valuations and mentoring over 250 companies, Shivani emphasises the power of aligning passion with discipline. Inspired by the mentorship of her father and grandfather, both electrical engineers, Shivani advocates for equal opportunities and the pursuit of mastery. She believes passion must go beyond fleeting enthusiasm, requiring sustained effort over 6-12 months to create purpose and leave a lasting impact on others. Grab a copy of Shivani's book: https://www.askshivani.com/author Connect with Shivani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askshivani/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this conversation, Shelley and Fran Southward, CEO of Auscontact, explore the theme Leading with Impact: Elevating Performance and Customer Excellence, emphasising that impactful leadership is vital for empowering teams to achieve remarkable results. They discuss the importance of creating a workplace where everyone thrives, positively influencing the organisational value proposition and how this translates through to communities and the common misconception that leaders cannot balance strength with kindness, asserting that many outstanding leaders excel by leading from a place of joy, generosity and kindness . They highlight the importance of emotional intelligence, self-awareness and recognising that leadership should not be about personal control but fostering others' growth in impactful ways and that overcoming leadership challenges, and letting go of rigid perceptions will allow an authentic leadership style. Connect with Fran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-southward-82455b49/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley is joined by her sister, Narelle Burke, an award-winning international HR leader, and her son Riley, who has recently turned 13, to discuss the current state of Generative AI. They explore where we are with AI, how we should be using it, whether we’re behind in its adoption and what its future looks like. Narelle brings her extensive experience in strategic HR and business partnering to the conversation, while Riley offers a perspective from the younger generation, who are already engaging with AI in unique ways. Together, they discuss how AI is transforming the workplace, how people are starting to use it intentionally to save time and effort and the risks of relying on AI-generated outputs without fully understanding how it works or what it’s teaching. Connect with Narelle:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/narelleburke/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

Today, we explore leadership with retired Australian airline captain and author Chris Smith, known for his book Leadership at 43,000 Feet. With decades of senior experience in aviation, now a senior lecturer and aviation counsellor, Chris advocates globally for engagement and mental health in organisations. He draws compelling parallels between piloting and team management, highlighting humility as a leader's "superpower." In aviation, it’s not about titles but specialist knowledge—no one can be an expert in every field. Genuine humility encourages openness, reducing the hierarchy that often stifles growth. Shelley and Chris discuss the paradox of humility in leadership, where leaders frequently trade it for strength, courage and ego, especially as they advance in their roles. He believes dropping the traditional "command and control" facade is crucial for effective leadership. Transforming culture from the ground up remains one of Chris's most rewarding aspects of leadership, fostering genuine change across the organisation. Grab a copy of Chris's book: https://www.aculturalleadership.com/store Connect with Chris: https://www.aculturalleadership.com/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley talks with Sinead Connolly, CEO and Co-Founder of Lotus People, about recruitment trends and the evolving workplace. Sinead shares insights on navigating a fast-paced work environment, where both leaders and teams must prioritise mental health, set boundaries and find balance amidst the hustle. With multiple generations working side by side, companies face unique challenges in accommodating varying expectations, character traits and the widening age gap. Younger generations are more informed and have a strong sense of purpose, leading to shorter tenures within companies. Looking ahead, Sinead and Shelley explore how empathy, communication, collaboration and adaptability will remain critical skills as Gen Alpha enters the workforce, possibly alongside Baby Boomers. To attract and retain talent, organisations need forward-thinking strategies that infuse care and empathy into company culture, creating diverse pathways for people to thrive in new roles. Connect with Sinead: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sineadconnolly/ https://lotuspeople.com.au/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

Today, Shelley discusses the importance of embracing personal development as the workforce increasingly integrates generative AI, which is transforming human capabilities. She emphasises that learning is more critical than ever, requiring leaders to rethink how they work by balancing existing tools with deep self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Vertical development, Shelley explains, is a personal journey of introspection, which can lead to transformative growth. By practicing continuous learning and stimulating our minds, we can navigate this evolving landscape with excitementrather than fear, ensuring we stay ahead in a rapidly changing world.Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley speaks with Bryan Whitefield, author of Team Think and former President of the Risk Management Institution of Australasia. With over 30 years of experience in engineering, insurance and management consulting, Bryan has helped thousands of leaders improve their decision-making processes. The conversation focuses on the complexities of team decision-making, highlighting the need to navigate varying authority levels and knowledge sets within teams. Bryan emphasises the importance of consistency in decision-making to build trust and discusses how decision flows can streamline processes from employee level to the board, freeing leaders to focus on the big picture. Together, Shelley and Bryan explore the value of consensus-driven decisions, clarity of purpose and team alignment in achieving compelling outcomes. Connect with Bryan: www.bryanwhitefield.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwhitefield/ Grab a copy of Bryan's book: https://www.bryanwhitefield.com.au/bryans-books/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley speaks with Rena Harvey, a healer, Reiki master practitioner, sound therapist, holistic counsellor, meditation master, spiritual mentor and author of The Formula of Life – Go Deep or Rise Higher. Rena shares her insights on intuition, describing it as a gut feeling that complements our thoughts and emotions, helping us better understand our whole self. With a passion for guiding others through pain to unlock their inner power, Rena discusses how embodying lessons and understanding them more deeply can lead to continued transformation and expanded consciousness. Grab a copy of Rena's book: http://www.renaharvey.com.au/the-book.html Connect with Rena: http://www.renaharvey.com.au/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley chats with life coach and author Danielle Colley, known for her book The Chocolate Bar Life. Danielle shares her journey from being fired as a journalist at the Australian Women’s Weekly to hitting burnout, driven by the belief that success equals self-worth. Together, they explore how avoidant behaviours can be used as a coping mechanism and the importance of building awareness of internal drivers. Rather than making drastic changes, Danielle emphasises the value of small, continuous adjustments to foster mindful, balanced living. Grab a copy of Danielle's book: https://daniellecolley.com.au/the-chocolate-bar-life-book/ Connect with Danielle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-colley-4b344926/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley speaks with Ishan Galapathy, an operational excellence (OpEx) strategist, about unlocking the potential of "quiet quitters"—those disengaged yet capable individuals waiting for a reason to stay. Ishan, with over 25 years of experience across seven countries, helps manufacturing and supply chain businesses maximise their assets by engaging their workforce and enhancing productivity. Drawing on his engineering background in robotics and automation, Ishan emphasises the importance of solving operators’ problems to unlock hidden capacity. He also shares insights from his book Unlock – Engage the seemingly disengaged, offering practical techniques for thriving in fast-paced, highly unionised environment. Grab a copy of Ishan's book: https://ishangalapathy.com/books/advance/ Connect with Ishan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishangalapathy/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠