Women’s leadership is no joke

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on 8 March. It is a time to celebrate the empowerment, leadership and achievements of women around the And it is so much more than cupcakes, power lunches and inspiring speeches. It is about taking real action and progress. This week is an opportunity to talk about the

Why Your Reputation Still Matters

You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Time and effort put into qualifications, growth through personal development and optimised wellbeing. You’ve delivered results and maybe, an award or recognition along the way. But are you there yet? Here’s the reality. Your reputation isn’t built on your biggest wins alone. It’s the small, everyday moments

Why selfish selfies sting

Somebody should have warned me. Apparently everyone else seemed to know… but I didn’t. We recently enjoyed a family holiday at a tourist hotspot – unknown to us, a spot renowned for what I have unoriginally labelled “selfish” selfies. It was a battleground of tripods, sticks and hair flicks. I awkwardly laughed as I muscled

Will we choose ideas over soundbites

Watching the vote count for the by-elections for two Victorian seats got me thinking about political communication. Especially as, in 2025, we’ll have a Federal Election and some remarkable electorate changes. It is being reported that, for the first time, Gen Z and Millennials will outnumber Boomers in every state and territory. This is a

Less Is More? Until We Expect It All

Too many times, when working in local government, I heard the same whining about councils needing to focus on core service delivery (usually at social BBQ, which was always appreciated). Stick to your knitting, they said. Great! Awesome. Let’s save some money! We’ll just focus on waste and roads. Waste? That means we’ll just collect

Back-to-school safety plan

Like so many working parents, the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of back-to-school preparations. From picking up book and stationery orders to getting new uniforms and shoes (seriously, how fast do kids grow?), new haircuts and managing all the emotions (mostly mine, not hers) — it’s been a busy time. One thing

Trendspotting tips for 2025

The festive break offered a chance to catch up on reading and reflection. I’ve been especially curious to read articles about what might lie ahead for us. There’s an art to forecasting and trend-spotting that is beyond most of us, myself included. Thankfully, there is no shortage of modern-day Nostradamuses offering their predictions and insights. Here are

Time for an inbox detox

At home, one headache-inducing phrase is “𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘆…” It’s usually “yelled” when someone is running late… to an activity, event or appointment. Most frequently misplaced items are keys (mine), Myki cards and shoes (Miss 9’s ballet slippers). You can avoid these timewasting situations by “putting things away after you have used them.” It’s the same

Rethinking our culture of busyness

As we head to the end of the year, more and more people are saying how “busy” they’ve been or how quickly the months have flown by. These sentiments, often shared in passing, are appreciated. Sometimes, it is a genuine sign of our full lives. It can also create a ripple effect, prompting self-reflection about