Welcome to the latest episode of Open Diaries, where we dive deep into the minds of exceptional individuals to bring you their unique life stories, experiences, and wisdom. In this thrilling episode, we're joined by John McGlothin, a former military paratrooper and author of the eye-opening book, "How to Deal with Damn Near Anything: The Paratrooper's Guide to Life."John shares his incredible journey from serving in the military to becoming a writer and sp, using the invaluable lessons he learned during his time as a paratrooper to help others navigate life's challenges. With a blend of humour, grit, and raw honesty, John opens up about his experiences in high-pressure situations and how the military trained him to think on his feet, adapt, and overcome obstacles.Tune in as we explore the art of mental resilience, the importance of self-awareness, and the power of taking initiative. This is one episode you won't want to miss, so gear up, buckle in, and get ready to parachute into an unforgettable conversation with John McGlothin on Open Diaries.

In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the inspiring story of Sophie Bretag, the Kindness Mentor who has dedicated her life to fostering empathy and compassion in the workplace. Growing up amidst adversity, Sophie shares her personal journey of overcoming hardship and how it shaped her perspective on life. She opens up about the transformative power of kindness and its impact on both personal and professional relationships. Listen in as we explore Sophie's mission to create a kinder, more inclusive work environment and discuss practical tips for integrating kindness into our daily lives.

In this episode, we speak with Ally Nitschke, a leadership expert and the author of "The Rise of the Courageous Leader." Ally shares her insights on the three pillars of leadership: self-awareness, team awareness, and organisational awareness.

Ally explains that self-awareness is the foundation of leadership, as it helps leaders understand their strengths, weaknesses, and values. By being self-aware, leaders can be more authentic and lead with purpose.

Team awareness is the second pillar, and it involves understanding the dynamics and needs of the team. Leaders need to create a supportive and inclusive environment where team members feel heard and valued. Ally shares practical tips on how to build trust and collaboration within teams.

Finally, organisational awareness is about understanding the broader context in which the team operates. Leaders need to be aware of the company's vision, goals, and culture to align their team's efforts with the organisation's objectives.

Ally emphasises that these three pillars of leadership are interconnected and that effective leaders need to balance them. She shares inspiring stories of courageous leaders who have demonstrated these qualities in challenging situations.

Justyna Jochym is a powerful and inspiring figure in the arts community, whose journey as a migrant has deeply influenced her advocacy for artists and their vital role in society. As the CEO of Festival City Adelaide, Justyna understands the emotional toll of leaving one's home behind and starting anew in a foreign land. Growing up in a family of migrants and cleaners, she knows firsthand the struggles and challenges faced by those who seek to build a new life in a foreign land.

Justyna's passion for the arts is rooted in this vulnerability, and she believes that it is through creative expression that we can find connection, meaning, and hope in even the most challenging of circumstances.

Through her work, Justyna is helping to create a more vibrant and diverse cultural landscape that reflects the richness and complexity of the human experience. Her own personal journey as a migrant is a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength that lies within us all.

Society’s expectations and life’s challenges dim the lights we all have within us. The expectations and challenges steal pieces of us, and we carry on with life not feeling whole.

Gemma is an expert in lighting up leaders. Through her expertise, she helps us lift the blankets we have placed over our light to feel whole again and live an authentic life.

Having inspired over 72000 people, Gemma has spoken to audiences at Google, Amazon, PayPal, Qantas, Vodafone, and the NHS in London. Her keynote at Google headquarters in Silicon Valley was live-streamed to every Google office on the planet.

We all are on a quest to find our purpose. But for some of us, our purpose is determined long before we set foot in this life. This was the case for Chris. Today, Chris works at Red Cross, the organisation that once extended a helping hand to Chris's mom, who escaped the Vietnam War.

In this episode, Chris spoke about his childhood as a son of a refugee, his thoughts on leadership and his story of coming out to his family.

In our part 1 episode, Stephan Knoll shared intriguing stories across different areas of his life, from politics and family to business and leadership. In this part of the episode, part 2, we delve deep to hear about his personal life and core beliefs to uncover the human behind the title.

We covered personal aspirations, life, fears, death and everything in between. As well as other sensitive topics such as COVID-19, refugees and migration. Stephan has been on a long and challenging journey as an ex-minister, business owner, father and husband. Whilst not many people can transform personal challenges into guiding principles, Stephan has proven that it is doable and, more importantly, a choice.

Tune in and continue where you left off in the first part of this episode. We don't often get an opportunity to hear the perspective of such incredible people as Stephan.

Privilege, or in layman's terms, "the head start in life," is generally hard to grasp if you haven't had it taken away. And what's more of a privilege than being a minister?

Growing up in a reputable family with a well-established business might make you think that's a privilege, but it's merely the case with Stephan. When Stephan Knoll decided to pursue a career in politics, he did acknowledge the privileges of being a minister and the duty of service he had at hand. Still, he didn't anticipate the scandals that would challenge him personally and professionally.

Stephan Knoll served South Australia to the best of his abilities and contributed to many successful projects we see every day. Unfortunately, many of us remember the scandals, but who is Stephan Knoll?

Tune in and listen to some of Stephan's most personal stories that shed light on many interesting areas from which you're bound to learn a few lessons.

As a people leader at one of the most globally known organisations, Coca-Cola Amatil, Dorodea brings a refreshing and unique perspective to leadership whilst combining her passion for coaching teams and corporate finance experience gained at Coca-Cola Amatil for over a decade.

In this episode, Dorodea highlights some well-tested and easily implementable hacks to help engage with those around us and ourselves. Dorodea is an accredited coach with credentials from the Institute of Executive Coaching & Leadership (IECL), and she believes true leadership always begins from within. The lessons captured in this episode have been proven to work with incredibly large teams in one of the world's most successful organisations, so they'll probably work for you!