The Courage to Lead: From Ten Pound Pom to Triple G — The Extraordinary Life of Gillian Whan OAM

In this warm and inspiring episode, Allan Sicard sits down with Gillian Whan OAM — nurse, migrant, political campaigner, radio announcer, theatre stage manager, historian, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Gillian’s story spans a wartime childhood in rural England (including the day she saw Winston Churchill), her migration to Australia as a “Ten Pound Pom” aboard the Orontes, and her early nursing career in Canberra. She shares vivid memories of campaigning with her husband Bob Whan, alongside Gough Whitlam in 1972, bringing to life one of the most transformative moments in Australian politics.

Her life has been one of service and participation: leading the Woden Valley VIEW Club, broadcasting for community radio, reading for the vision-impaired, managing stage productions, and later preserving local history in Sydney.

Family is at the heart of Gillian’s story — from her children Stephen and Susan to her grandchildren Lachie (“Triple G”), Maddie, Georgie, and Jamie, and her great-granddaughters Harriet and Elizabeth .

This is a conversation about resilience, adaptability, and never being a bystander — a masterclass in leadership, community, and love across generations.

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The Courage to Lead - The Book

Leading with Empathy, Humanity, and Competence: Erin Longbottom on Healthcare for the Homeless.  In this powerful episode of The Courage to Lead, Allan Sicard reconnects with Erin Longbottom, Nurse Unit Manager of the Homeless Health Service at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney. Erin shares her transformative leadership journey since stepping into the role in 2016, building a comprehensive street-based outreach model that serves Sydney’s most vulnerable populations.

From assertive health care for people sleeping rough to navigating the trauma of a deeply religious upbringing, Erin speaks candidly about her purpose, pain, and passion for justice. This episode dives into the real-world impact of intergenerational trauma, why systemic empathy matters, and how Erin grew her team from one nurse to a multi-disciplinary powerhouse supporting people on the margins.

A must-listen for leaders committed to equity, compassion, and sustainable change.  Erin 3 pillars of Leadership are:

✨ Empathy

This episode isn’t just about homelessness — it’s about leading a movement for equity, one courageous act at a time.

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The Courage to Lead - The Book

“From Redfern to Reform: Belinda Hughes on Courageous, Compassionate Leadership”

📄 Episode Summary:

Belinda shares her extraordinary journey from her early days as a probationary constable in Redfern, to becoming a trailblazing prosecutor with Strike Force Raptor, and eventually taking her skills and values to the international stage. Along the way, she opens up about navigating motherhood in the police force, studying law while raising a daughter, and leading major cultural change in some of the most complex environments in Australia and the Pacific.

With warmth and candour, Belinda reveals how she broke down barriers—sometimes literally with a netball team—and challenged the status quo with intelligence and heart.

🔑 Key Themes Discussed:

Leading without rank: her first experience of real leadership as a junior constable

Creating innovation and cultural change within police, transport, and regulatory agencies

The importance of mentorship, authenticity, and ‘prosecuting nicely’

How she built trust in PNG through connection, culture—and netball

Why emotional intelligence is a leadership superpower

Whether you're an aspiring leader, a seasoned professional, or just in need of a fresh perspective, this episode will leave you reflecting on what it truly means to lead with courage and compassion.

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The Courage to Lead - The Book

A Life of Service and Leadership: Danny Doherty’s Courage to Lead

In the latest Courage to Lead Interview Series, I spoke with recently retired Detective Superintendent Danny “Dasha” Doherty, whose remarkable 40-year career in the NSW Police culminated in commanding the Homicide Squad. Reflecting on his journey, Danny shared how his formative years, shaped by a caring teacher and challenging family life, instilled early lessons in trust and leadership.

A true servant leader, Danny’s career spanned undercover operations, major crime squads, and leading complex homicide investigations. He spoke powerfully about Winston Churchill’s words, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,” which guided his life of service.

Danny reminded us that resilience, trust, and staying true to yourself are non-negotiable traits for leaders under pressure. He credited his wife Jane, his love for music, and his team for keeping him grounded through tough times—including the loss of a colleague and confronting organised crime.

🔊 Listen now to learn how leadership can be about lighting other candles while keeping your own flame burning bright. His story is an inspiring testament to courage, compassion, and the power of leading with heart. through the concept of gratitude.  This is truly a different way of approaching leadership and creating a team of leaders around you.

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The Courage to Lead - The Book

In this episode of The Courage to Lead, Belinda Sinclair, National Sales Director at Domain Australia, shares her journey of values-based leadership in a high-performance, highly competitive industry. From being promoted two weeks before maternity leave to leading with gratefulness, Belinda explores the power of trust, feedback, and building diverse teams. She opens up about setbacks, strategic growth, and how accountability and care can—and must—coexist. A masterclass in modern leadership, this episode is for anyone striving to lead with integrity, courage, and humility.

🔊 Listen now to learn how leadership can be created through the concept of gratitude.  This is truly a different way of approaching leadership and creating a team of leaders around you.

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In this episode of The Courage to Lead, Deputy Commissioner Ben Millington shares his inspiring leadership journey from surf lifesaving as a teenager to leading operational coordination for NSW Rural Fire Service. Ben reflects on key lessons from policing in tough communities, coordinating crisis responses during the Black Summer fires and COVID, and driving reform in Queensland. With honesty and humility, he highlights the power of persistence, team trust, and listening deeply. A must-listen for leaders navigating high-stakes environments and complex change.

🔊 Listen now to learn how leadership in high stakes environments and more importantly how to prepare yourself to be the best leader you can be.

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🎙 Navigating Leadership in Crisis Situations: Jamie Caldwell’s Leadership Journey

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jamie Caldwell, Director of Energy Operations in New South Wales, to explore what it means to lead through complexity, uncertainty, and crisis. Jamie shares his insights on why leadership is less about technical know-how and more about human connection, trust, and adaptability.

He reflects on the challenges of operating in a rapidly evolving energy sector, the impact of shifting political landscapes, and the importance of continuous learning. From working alongside local politicians to managing diverse energy sources and ensuring equitable access, Jamie highlights the critical role of collaboration and communication in effective leadership.

We dive into the importance of fostering strong team dynamics—through open dialogue, recognition, and one-on-one connection—and how these values shape a resilient and motivated workforce.

The episode culminates with Jamie’s account of the Broken Hill electricity outage, a real-world crisis response that put leadership principles to the test. He walks us through the challenges of coordinating a statewide response, the importance of community resilience, and the need for strategic, calm decision-making under pressure.

Whether you’re leading a team, navigating change, or preparing for the unexpected, this episode is packed with wisdom for leaders at every level.

🔊 Listen now to learn how leadership in crisis is built on connection, clarity, and courage.

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This interview by Allan Sicard on The Courage to Lead Interview Series with Professor Pauline Boss, author of Loving Someone with Dementia, looks at what our futures will be like.  1 in 2 women, and 1 in 3 men over 85, in the western world will experience dementia.  

The scary part is that the carers of dementia are currently dying quicker than the people with dementia.  

This interview and her book provides insights and valuable tips on how to navigate this challenging journey for both ourselves and our loved ones.

The interview should also act as a level of awareness for leaders in any workplace, as the role of caregiver, amongst our employees will become more and more prevalent, and how do workplaces deal with this new challenge.

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This interview by Allan Sicard on The Courage to Lead Interview Series explores what is really meant by Gender Equality with a true expert in the field Professor Cordelia Fine. 

This is the 2nd time Cordelia has been on our podcast(see Episode 36). She is described as a 'living legend' researcher in this field with her books on the subject having the following descriptions :

‘Ten books about women that will change your life’ (Sunday Times), '22 books women think men should read’ (Huffington Post), ‘Top 10 books on women in the past 30 years’ (The Australian) and the New York Public Library’s Essential Reads on Feminism, 100 Years After the 19th Amendment, among others. 

Her latest book titled "Patriarchy Inc" seeks to shift the dial from something we need to do in a business sense to the concept of well-being for everyone. 

As our responsibilities grow we have periods in our lives that we step in and out of paid work for care giving responsibilities as parent and as a carer, for partners, parents and relatives. 

It is unfathomable that women should be the only care givers.  As the baby boomers age, 1 in 2 women over 80 and 1 in 3 men over 80 will suffer from dementia.  A lot of people will be parents to their children and carers to their parents.  Care giving will potentially be a greater activity than paid work. 

Gender equality is getting lost in economic framing.  Equality and inclusion is about a fairer and more just society for everybody.  It really is that simple and something we should all embrace  and consider what our workplaces will need to be like to accomodate our care giving responsibilities.

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This interview by Allan Sicard on The Courage to Lead Interview Series delivers a story with a twist on leadership.  As we hit the golden age of 40 + we bring with us a level of wisdom and capabilities that we didn't possess when we were younger.  

This is the story of leadership from Aneace Haddad, A C-Suite Coach who unlocks the potential of C-suite teams.

Aneace introduces "joyful rejuvenation" as a proactive embrace of change and transformation. As individuals age, their resilience increases, allowing them to approach challenges with joy and curiosity rather than fear.

He observes that leaders often default to a directive style, akin to parenting, which can infantilise team members. He advocates for empowering others, where leaders act as supportive guides rather than authoritative figures.

The conversation concludes with the importance of joy in the workplace. Aneace highlights that when leaders embody fun and positivity, it sets the tone for the organisation, inspiring creativity and collaboration.

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