Empowering Leaders

Jakara Anthony is Australia's most successful Winter Olympian…ever. A two-time Olympic gold medallist in mogul skiing, she's the first Australian to defend an Olympic title, doing it on the world stage against competitors from countries where skiing is practically a birthright.
And she's 27.
In this conversation with Luke Darcy, Jakara pulls back the curtain on what being that successful actually takes.
The four-year Olympic cycles planned down to the finest detail.
The mental side of the sport that can't be measured or counted in reps.
The broken collarbone in the lead-up to her second gold.
The fear every time she drops in.
And the coach she's worked with since she was 12 years old who she credits as the greatest leader in her life.
Jakara gives a masterclass in performance, resilience, and what it means to do hard things consistently… even when it's uncomfortable.
04:20 What it means to be in a club of her own
06:04 The four-year Olympic cycle - how it all gets planned
08:21 Dropping in - what's going through her mind at the top of the course
09:27 The edge - why consistency separates her from the field
10:19 Carrying the target - defending Olympic gold at Milano Cortina
11:12 Beating the Europeans at their own sport
12:10 What she's found in herself at 27
12:54 The hard things - fear, the mental game, and learning to cope
14:33 Advice for young people who want to push themselves
15:31 What's next - planning for the French Alps in 2030
16:38 What keeps her balanced outside the sport
18:00 The curiosity rabbit hole - coffee, latte art & sustainable performance
18:57 Her mantra - "be where your feet are"
20:02 Sponsorship & who's backing Australia's greatest Winter Olympian
22:42 Greatest leader in her life - coach Pete McNiel
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.
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Recorded live at Adelaide Oval in front of a packed Aleda Connect audience during one of the most talked-about weekends in Australian sport, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas sits down with Luke Darcy for a rich and candid conversation.
In this episode, he reflects on:
What it actually means to lead at the highest level
The difference between authentic leadership and the kind people see straight through
Why compassion in political leadership is mistaken for weakness and why he thinks the opposite is true
What it looks like to build a small circle of people brave enough to tell you you're completely wrong.
The Premier also talks about the discipline required to stay focused on big-picture vision when crises are landing on your desk every single day… from child protection to hospital systems to policing. He shares a defining leadership miscalculation that taught him to trust his instincts. And he makes a brilliant case that in a world of uncertainty, the leader's job isn't to commentate the problem… it's to Make. The. Call.
And... there's also the story behind his now-legendary "Trump-style" negotiation tactic deployed in front of the AFL commission. That one you'll have to hear for yourself.
Gather Round. Adelaide Oval. The Premier of South Australia.
00:00 Welcome to Adelaide Oval
01:20 Taking office - the vision for South Australia
02:25 Defining great leadership
04:19 The crisis of global leadership
05:46 Who do you turn to when things get hard?
07:59 A defining leadership mistake
10:30 Long-term vision vs short-term fires
12:21 Legacy - what does he hope South Australia looks like?
13:48 One piece of advice for every leader in the room
16:31 Greatest leader in his life - Bob Hawke
20:08 Q&A - Federal ambitions?
22:59 The Gather Round negotiation with the AFL
26:51 Where does he switch off?
29:01 Q&A - Immigration, growth & South Australia's identity
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If your team wins, who gets the credit… and what does your answer say about the culture you're building?
​​Ian McKeown has spent more than two decades at the cutting edge of elite sport… from the AFL to the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, and back to Australia as General Manager of Performance at the Adelaide Crows.
He holds a PhD in strength and conditioning, has published extensively on ecological dynamics and applied sports science, and is widely regarded as one of the most sophisticated performance architects in global sport. But spend five minutes with him and what strikes you most isn't the credentials… it's the human.
In this episode, Ian unpacks what he's learned across three continents about the conditions that allow people - and teams - to truly thrive. He talks about why you can smell a dysfunctional culture the moment you walk in, and why the fanciest facility in the world means nothing if it doesn't feel right. He shares the Seth Godin book he read on the plane from Ireland to Australia that changed the way he thought about his career along with the winning philosophy he's carried ever since.
He explains why shared goals, shared ownership and shared success are the only things that actually build something sustainable. He also gets into the butterfly effect of great leadership, the two words he comes back to every single day - kindness and composure - and why he believes the scariest person in any room isn't the loudest one. It's the one who doesn’t flinch.
Ian’s belief in the power of connection, curiosity and genuine human relationships runs through every single minute of this conversation.
Learn. Lead. Collaborate.
We are privileged to have Ian as part of our Aleda Connect community.
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.
Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What separates a good wine from a truly world-class one?
According to Adam Wadewitz, it comes down to balance, finesse… and a relentless commitment to the vineyard.
Adam is the Chief Winemaker and Joint CEO at Shaw + Smith, one of Australia's most iconic cool-climate wineries, and one of the most decorated winemakers of his generation. In this episode, he takes us from the footy fields of Willunga in South Australia to the vineyards of Europe… sharing what drove him to the top of his craft, how great teams are built, and why he believes Australian Grenache is on the cusp of a new world chapter!
He also generously shares with you the list of his five wines to drink before you die, the legendary story behind Wendouree and how he came to hold cuttings from one of Australia's most coveted vineyards, and what he’s learned from a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conductor about leadership and energy.
Learn. Lead. Collaborate.
We are privileged to have Adam as part of our Aleda Connect community.
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.
Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, our guest Luke Tunnecliffe told the story of his son Jack… eight and a half years old, non-verbal and autistic… and the search that brought his family to a clinic in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
This week, our guest is the doctor who runs that clinic.
Dr Kyle Daigle is a clinician, author and global thought leader in functional neurology. From his clinic in Louisiana, which attracts families and athletes from over 78 countries, Kyle is doing what many doctors said couldn't be done. He's helping non-verbal children find their voice, uncovering the hidden connections between the gut, the sinuses and the brain, and working with Olympians and elite athletes to unlock peak performance.
In this episode, Kyle shares the multi-system approach he uses to understand and treat complex neurological conditions, the surprising parallel between neurodiverse children and elite athletes, how sensory stimulation and light therapy are producing results that are changing families' lives, the leadership lessons forged through his own journey as an ADHD kid with a speech impediment, and the simple belief at the heart of everything he does - when you understand the brain, create safety and stay patient, incredible change is possible.
This conversation reflects Dr Kyle's clinical experience and personal philosophy. It is not intended as medical advice. Listeners should always seek guidance from qualified healthcare professionals when making decisions about their own health.
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.