The Dynamic Leader Podcast

In this episode, Shelley speaks with Jaquie Scammell, the Founder & CEO of ServiceQ and Australia's leading expert in customer service. Jacquie shares her journey into the service industry, starting at age 14 with a job at McDonald's, where she developed a passion for operational excellence and understanding human behaviour. With 25 years of experience in corporate settings, particularly in major events and stadiums, Jaquie has honed her expertise in mobilising teams to deliver consistently exceptional customer experiences. Together, Shelley and Jaquie explore the evolving landscape of customer service in the digital era, discussing the balance between leveraging technology, such as generative AI, for speed and efficiency while maintaining the human connection that makes service truly special. Grab a copy of Jaquie's book: https://serviceq.co/books/ Connect with Jacquie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaquiescammell/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley speaks with Aneta Field, Senior Manager Customer Support at Honey Insurance, about the operational challenges of unplanned leave or absences. Aneta has built a professional life in contact centres and insurance, winning the Auscontact National Contact Centre Manager of the Year and several Customer Service Centre awards. A strong advocate for starting a career in contact centres, Aneta shares the value in learning how diverse communities across Australia communicate, providing unique opportunities to understand and address their varied needs. She describes contact centres as chaotic, crazy, fun and engaging environments that build character and offer numerous directions for growth and stability, uniting people of all ages and backgrounds. Shelley and Aneta discuss the perception that unplanned leave is increasingly problematic among younger generations, the importance of bringing more age diversity into workplaces to benefit from the stability, wisdom and experience of older workers and understanding the statistics and facts behind unplanned leave. Connect with Aneta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aneta-field12/ Connect with Shelley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/ Work with Shelley: https://shelleyflett.com/

In today’s conversation, I speak with Aneace Haddad about midlife and leadership. Aneace is a McKinsey-certified senior adviser, a seasoned C-suite executive coach and an acclaimed author. Midlife, defined as ages 40-65, is extending as we live longer and more research is conducted about this age range. Aneace's perspective is purely leadership transformation-focused. He built a payment software company in the south of France, grew it to 30 companies and sold it at the age of 47. Facing the ‘what next’ of his future, he experienced a midlife crisis and realised that what he was most proud of was his people. This period of deep introspection often leads to significant personal and professional transformation. Aneace loves watching senior executives undergo this type of transformation, enhancing their people and leadership skills. Join Aneace and Shelley as they discuss the growing workplace awareness that we will live longer, remain productive and how this environment fosters a keen interest in midlife transformation. Grab a copy of Aneace's book: https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-That-Drank-Hummingbird-Nectar/dp/9811848688  Connect with Aneace:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aneace/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley chats with Tassia Michaleas about her journey through leadership. As the CEO of Merri Health, one of Victoria's largest community health organisations and Board Director and Deputy Chair at In Touch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence, Tassia brings 16 years of leadership experience in the NFP and community sectors. She has successfully guided organisations through transformational change and health and social services reforms, driven by a passion for authentic, people-focused leadership. Tassia believes that passion is key to success and societal contribution. She and Shelley discuss Tassia’s journey, including the pressures of being the first in her family to attend university, her beginnings working on the ground and the challenges and triumphs of navigating the community health sector. Connect with Tassia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tassia-michaleas-58b415109/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley delves into the paradox that exists in leadership, emphasising the importance of mastering this complex concept for future success. The leadership landscape has become increasingly intricate, with traditional approaches of speeding up, extending work hours and applying quick fixes proving insufficient and unsustainable. Many leaders are experiencing burnout, struggling to keep pace with relentless change and finding that their old methods no longer suffice. Paradox, characterised by the coexistence of seemingly contradictory elements that are equally significant, is a concept leaders must embrace. Shelley breaks down this paradox, illustrating how leaders can navigate it by leveraging technology to operate effectively on both macro, strategic, visionary levels and micro, detailed levels simultaneously. Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley chats with Andy Hilliard about the global talent pool. Andy, the CEO of Accelerance, helps companies find the talent they need to scale high-performing, globally distributed software engineering and product development teams. Andy envisions a world without divisions, embracing the opportunities of global collaboration. He emphasises that there are no real barriers to going global, as we share time zones with various talent pools and have technology that allows effective collaboration without being in the same time zone. Andy and Shelley discuss the mindset and approach needed for collaborative work and how today's unique technological advancements facilitate global teamwork. Grab a copy of Andy's book: https://www.amazon.com/Synergea-Blueprint-Effective-Distributed-Development-ebook/dp/B0CTFTDQBZ?ref_=ast_author_dp Connect with Andy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyhilliard/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley chats with Charlotte Blair, the author of Career Unstuck, about career happiness and the elements that allow us to feel fulfilled and thrive in our careers. Charlotte is a professional certified coach with the International Coaching Federation and is one of Australia’s most experienced Gallup Accredited Strength Coaches. Join Shelley and Charlotte as they unravel the reasons behind getting stuck in a career and the mindset of ‘sunk costs’ that limits our beliefs in the possibility of change. They discuss how to shift to a place of happiness and the positive impacts this has on our work, relationships, overall happiness and health. Grab a copy of Charlotte's book: https://charlotteblair.com.au/product/career-unstuck-book-by-charlotte-blair/ Connect with Charlotte: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteblair/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley chats with Samantha Taylor about the importance of connecting head with heart and gut, both in leadership and as individuals. Sam, a long-time friend of Shelley, has significantly influenced Shelley's journey towards self-awareness. As an experienced property lawyer passionate about social justice, Sam actively participates in her organisation's women's network and pro bono committee. She is also dedicated to her personal growth through yoga, reiki and spiritual energy. Together, they discuss the growing trend of encouraging people to bring their whole selves to work and the benefits of more meaningful connections if people feel safe to bring their whole selves to work. They emphasise the evolving understanding that leadership requires integrating intellect with empathy and the shift towards more open and engaging conversations about holistic leadership. Connect with Samantha:https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-taylor-65303083/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

In this episode, Shelley chats with Graham Winter about transforming disruption into advantage. Graham, the best-selling author of "Think One Team" and founder of the consultancy by the same name, is also a three-time Australian Olympic team chief psychologist and the author of "Toolkit for Turbulence," which is the focus of today's discussion. A pivotal moment for Graham came from his high school cricket coach, whose gentle yet innovative approach unlocked potential in others. Graham emphasises integrating values and philosophies from respected mentors with personal experiences. Join Shelley and Graham as they discuss today's leadership landscape, where emotions and feelings are increasingly acknowledged as essential in the workplace, fostering open communication and trust. Addressing significant adaptive challenges, where there are no clear-cut answers, requires diverse opinions, conflict resolution, networking, collaboration and influence. Trust has become crucial in navigating these challenges and finding effective solutions. Grab a copy of Graham's book: https://think-one-team.mykajabi.com/essentials Connect with Graham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-winter-b4b5a59/ Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠

The concept of responsibility is important for leaders to understand how effectively they empower others to own their thinking, choices, actions and outcomes. As a leader, it’s important to ask, 'What am I responsible for and what am I not responsible for?" to ensure ownership and accountability.  Join me as I talk about the drivers that sit behind leaders who are prone to taking more responsibility than they should - with some of the possible reasons including a high need for control, wanting to avoid failure or to preserve relationships or harmony.  Find out how to remain neutral on this responsibility continuum, intentionally and purposefully adjusting with greater levels of awareness of both self and others. Connect with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleyflett/⁠⁠ Work with Shelley: ⁠⁠https://shelleyflett.com ⁠