When you listen to leaders long enough, certain names keep coming up.

In this Success Leaves Clues episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke asks a simple question: who has been the greatest leader in your life? The answers are intimate and often unexpected. A television director who kept a young host’s ego in check. A boss who held a job open throughout chemotherapy. A father with “magic dust.” A partner who quietly led the family while the world watched the cricket. A wife building programs for kids with neurodiversity. A dad who could walk with kings and keep the common touch. A dentist who modelled what it meant to run a values-led practice.

It is a moving reminder that leadership is often most present in the home, the clinic, the training track and the everyday conversations nobody else sees.

Find the full episodes right here:

Wil Anderson: "I'm a storyteller, not a documentarian!"

Jamila Rizvi: Leadership, Legacy, and Living With a ‘Broken Brain’

Bec Daniher: Why Action Speaks Loudest — $115M and Counting

Mike Hussey: How to Lead When the Heat Is On

Jeremy Kodomichalos: There’s No Standard Path in Life or Business

Super Bowl 2025 Leadership: Jeff Scott VP of Football Operations, Philadelphia Eagles

Dr Tim McGrath: How to Beat Burnout and Find Balance at the Top

Many of the leaders featured in this episode are members of our Aleda Connect community. To discover how you can learn and grow in a group alongside leaders like them, book a discovery call today and learn more about our signature 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.

Sometimes the best leadership wisdom fits on a Post-it note.

In this Success Leaves Clues episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke asks his guests for the one piece of advice they keep returning to. The answers range from the disarmingly simple to the deeply strategic. “Wake up each day and don’t be a wanker.” Keep the team at the centre but honour the individual. Keep dreaming and prepare for your chance. Catch people doing things right. Coach the way you’d want someone to coach your own kids. Lean into authenticity, even when it costs you. Say yes to leadership, even if you doubt yourself. And get to know yourself properly, especially the things you’d rather avoid.

These are small sentences that shape entire cultures.

Find the full episodes right here:

Natalie Kyriacou: Leadership during the Climate Crisis

Emma Hayes LIVE from London: For Women, By Women, Football & Beyond

Bruce McAvaney: The voice behind the most unforgettable moments in Australian sport

Todd Duncan: The 10 Word Question You Need To Ask Every Client

Mike Brey: From Notre Dame to the NBA

Brad Harrison: A Warrior’s Take on AI, Ayahuasca, and the Future of Defence

Jacinda Ardern: The Cost and the Power of Compassionate Leadership

Pippa Grange: Leading with Soul in a World Obsessed with Winning

Many of the leaders featured in this episode are members of our Aleda Connect community. To discover how you can learn and grow in a group alongside leaders like them, book a discovery call today and learn more about our signature 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.

True collaboration is not just getting along. It is committing to a mission together.

In this episode of the Empowering Leaders Success Leaves Clues, Luke talks with people who have lived collaboration in very different ways. Peter Rea explores character, growth and post-traumatic growth. Mikel Arteta reflects on a simple object, a football, and how it can change a life and even a country. Adam Driussi explains why his most important business relationship feels like a marriage. Paul Barnes talks about clarity and communication under race pressure. Dixie Marshall shares what happens when creatives, strategists and data people actually listen to each other. Lucinda Hartley and Andy Walshe bring in cross-sector collaborations that reimagine housing, cities and human performance.

It is a wide-ranging look at what happens when you put different experiences in the same room and ask them to build something together.

Find the full episodes right here:

Dr. Peter Rea: Ask Your Kids This Instead - The 3 Questions That Cut Anxiety & Build Character

Steve Kerr & Mikel Arteta LIVE: The Leadership Playbook

Adam Driussi: The Moment AI Saved My Company a Million Dollars

Paul Barnes: Navigating the Fast Lane of Formula One

Dixie Marshall: The Power of Storytelling in Leadership

Lucinda Hartley: How Our Spaces Shape The People We Become

Andy Walshe: Has Human Potential Peaked?

Many of the leaders featured in this episode are members of our Aleda Connect community. To discover how you can learn and grow in a group alongside leaders like them, book a discovery call today and learn more about our signature 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.

Everyone says communication is important. But how do you master it?

In this episode of the Empowering Leaders Success Leaves Clues, Luke brings together people who think deeply about how words land. Dan Rutstein talks about the power of three. Julian Treasure shares why listening is a radical act. Steve Kerr explains why he sometimes writes letters instead of speeches. Michael Cheika leans into honest conflict. Yasmin Poole walks toward hard truths. Suzanne Eyler Williams reminds us to say less and hear more. And Gilbert Enoka talks about the internal shift that needs to happen before any external change can stick.

It’s a collection of stories about communication that is clear, human and often uncomfortable, but always in service of something bigger than ego.

Find the full episodes right here:

Dan Rutstein: British Diplomacy to American Soccer Leadership

Julian Treasure: The Real Power Move? Saying Less, Listening Better

Steve Kerr & Mikel Arteta LIVE: The Leadership Playbook

Michael Cheika: Leading Across Cultures - What Business Can Borrow From Sport

Yasmin Poole: How to Speak Up - Even When It’s Hard

Suzanne Eyler Williams: Cushioning the effects of concussion and repetitive impact

Gilbert Enoka: The Mind Behind the All Blacks

Many of the leaders featured in this episode are members of our Aleda Connect community. To discover how you can learn and grow in a group alongside leaders like them, book a discovery call today and learn more about our signature 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.

Some leaders feel the pressure to have all the answers. The most interesting ones stay curious instead.

In this Success Leaves Clues episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke sits with people who’ve built entire careers on asking better questions. From future-of-work expert Dr Ben Hamer to AI advisor Dr Ayesha Khanna, cave diver Craig Challen, Paralympic champion Curtis McGrath, artist Vincent Fantauzzo and coach Lorena Bernal, they all talk about staying open, not finished.

They share how curiosity makes you more agile, more humble and more collaborative, whether you’re trying to save lives, win gold or create something beautiful. It’s a celebration of leaders who don’t pretend to know everything, and who enjoy the process of learning as much as the outcome.

Find the full episodes right here:

Dr. Ben Hamer: AI + Gen Z = the End of Business as Usual

Dr Ayesha Khanna: How to Build Big with AI and Lead with Humanity

Dr Craig Challen: Leadership When the Stakes Are Life and Death

Curtis McGrath: Finding Purpose When the World Falls Apart

Vincent Fantauzzo: The bravery, beauty and brilliance of a neurodivergent mind

Lorena Bernal: Authenticity Over Perfection

Many of the leaders featured in this episode are members of our Aleda Connect community. To discover how you can learn and grow in a group alongside leaders like them, book a discovery call today and learn more about our signature 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.

In leadership, everyone talks about high performance. Fewer people talk honestly about what it actually costs.

In this Success Leaves Clues episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke brings together a powerful mix of coaches, athletes and leaders who all start in the same place: self leadership. From the NFL to elite netball, from politics to BMX gold, they talk about managing energy, filling your own cup, and knowing who you are before you try to lead anyone else.

You’ll hear about meditation, vitamins and morning routines, but also about boundaries, honesty and the strange balance between being selfish enough to pursue a dream and selfless enough to use it to help others. It’s a reminder that before you lead a team, a family or a country, you have to learn how to lead yourself.

Find the full episodes right here:

Aubrey Pleasant: The NFL Coach’s Emotional Intelligence Playbook

Jack Preddey: Training Your Mind Like an Elite Athlete

Jenny Boucek: How Servant Leadership Takes You to the Highest Level

Tyson Ballard: Innovating at the crossroads of Law, AI & Lifestyle

Tania Obst: From 23 Losses to Double Championship Glory

Behind the Politics: Peter Dutton on Family, Leadership, and Australia’s Challenges

Saya Sakakibara: Turn Your Fear into a Superpower

Many of the leaders featured in this episode are members of our Aleda Connect community. To discover how you can learn and grow in a group alongside leaders like them, book a discovery call today and learn more about our signature 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.

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.