The Inner Chief

" The key here is not perfection, it's all about just doing the very best we can in the current state of our life." Chief, in our last episode of 2025, I'm going to share with you the exact end of year review process I've refined over more than two decades that gives me clarity, alignment, and meaningful progress. You can complete this on your own or with your partner, but in the Council of Chiefs we take it further by building a full Executive Playbook that guides both your career and life. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/379 👂 JOIN THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS. Break the isolation and stretch your thinking with a network of like minded C-Suite executives and business owners: chiefmaker.com/councilofchiefs In this episode, I'll break down for you: ✅ Why this process matters and why the goal is alignment, not perfection ✅ The 2 mindsets you need in order to set yourself up for success, and ✅ The exact 5-step process I follow in my End of Year Review. Here's to hitting 2026 out of the park, Chiefs! I wish you and your families a tremendous festive season and a safe and fulfilling new year. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my free Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

"It's now obvious to me that it's harder to maintain that sense of community unless you've got things like parkrun that are driving that connection." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Tim Oberg, former CEO of parkrun Australia. His full episode is titled Escaping the rat race, building a vibrant community and managing anxiety. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/377 👂 WANT TO ACCELERATE YOUR NEXT PROMOTION? COMPLETE YOUR FREE CAREER SCORECARD: www.chiefmaker.com/score-card Tim has a background in teaching and travel, having set up his own tour business in London in the early 2000s. He stumbled upon the parkrun concept in the UK in 2010 and pitched to the owner to be the one to take it to Australia, thereafter leading the regional business for nearly 12 years. Tim is now the Founder of Next Stars Sports Academy and the Healthy Kids Project, as he uses his vast experience in health and wellbeing to tackle some of the biggest challenges amongst the younger generations. He is also a Board member at Little Athletics Queensland and lives in Airlie Beach with his wife and 4 kids (congrats to them as they recently welcomed a little baby girl!). In the full Best of Series Masterclass we talk about: ✅ His epic back story that got him to where he is today - you'll really love this as it's one of the most in-depth, interesting and crazy ones we've ever had on the Inner Chief podcast! ✅ The courage he showed in repeatedly escaping the rat race to start his own businesses. ✅ Growing the parkrun Australia community from nothing to the biggest of its kind in the country, and ✅ How he has survived and thrived despite living with and managing anxiety. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Tim Oberg You can reach Tim via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Headspace app Beating Anxiety - SBS Insight TV show that Tim appeared on parkrun, anxiety and me - article posted by Tim after his recovery Dare - by Barry McDonagh Similar Episodes on community building Juliette Wright OAM, Founder of GIVIT, on Revolutionising misguided charitable giving, having a million conversations, and leaning into anxiety Daniel Penny, MD of Mustard Creative, on Going beyond the brief and understanding your influence Mike Smith, Founder and CEO of Zero Co, on Building a tribe of loyal customers, and creating a better world through business Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

"As human beings we have a lot more physically and mentally than we give ourselves credit for. When we think we're done, I don't think we're near." In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Rupert Guinness, legendary sports writer and ultra-endurance cyclist, on choosing growth and opportunity at every turn, and discovering untapped physical and mental capacity through extreme adversity. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/378 👂 ARE YOUR PEOPLE RESISTING CHANGE? Learn to lead the right way right now with the Chief Maker Guide to Situational Leadership: chiefmaker.com/fixresetgrow Rupert is a Sydney-based sports writer, author, public speaker and media consultant, as well as an accomplished ultra-endurance cyclist, adding extraordinary personal experience to his storytelling. Rupert spent nine years living in Belgium and France covering the Tour de France from up close in inside the tent. Since then, he has written for major publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and The Daily Telegraph. Across his career, Rupert has reported on an exceptional array of sports, covering many of the world's biggest events, including the Rugby World Cup, four Olympic Games and an extraordinary 31 Tours. Beyond journalism, Rupert has held senior media and communications roles with the Australian Rowing Team, the NSW Waratahs and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. He has also written 15 books, including Power of the Pedal, Overlander, and The Tour. In this Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The harsh reality of life inside the Tour de France and the unseen battles at the back. ✅ His personal accounts of mental toughness, setbacks and breakthroughs in finishing ultra endurance races. ✅ How he used resilience and composure to reframe weaknesses into growth areas, and ✅ Why seizing opportunity, embracing uncertainty and pursuing adventure matters more in midlife. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Rupert Guinness You can connect with Rupert via LinkedIn or Instagram. Books and resources The Tour - by Rupert Guinness Power of the Pedal - by Rupert Guinness Overlander - by Rupert Guinness The Fight - by Norman Mailer Similar Episodes on high-stakes adventure David Knoff, Antarctic Expedition Leader and author, on High-stakes risk and crisis management, and being adaptable around your mission Rory Hunter, Founder of MODEL, on Seeking solitude and healing on the ocean, and the adventure of a lifetime after buying an island in his twenties Ian Snape, CEO of Frontline Mind, on Resilience by design, leading Antarctic expeditions and relaxing in high-stakes environments Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

"Start telling your story really early. By the time the actual capital raise comes around, you can create something that's oversubscribed." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features James Schofield, Founder of Insight Investor Relations. His full episode is titled Pitching your business, raising capital and winning investor trust. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/376 👂 INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders James speaks the language of investors - over a 25-year career in capital markets, he's advised from both sides of the table: first as a top-rated equity analyst with Merrill Lynch, UBS, and Deutsche Bank, and now as the founder of Insight Investor Relations. Since launching IIR in 2018, James has worked with NZX-listed CEOs and CFOs across companies valued between $300 million and $3 billion. His team is trusted to design and execute investor relations strategies at pivotal points in a company's growth story, with their clients' aggregate market value more than doubling to $10.8 billion over the past 12 months. James and his team have also helped founders raise between $2-$15 million in growth capital through leveraging investor-side language and insights. In the full Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The right time to pitch and raise capital, and when not to. ✅ How to position your business to attract investors through clarity, credibility and consistent messaging. ✅ Why founders should treat investors like customers by understanding their needs and motivations, and ✅ The five Ps of pitching for investor success: purpose, product, proof, playbook, and promise. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with James Schofield You can connect with James via LinkedIn. Books and resources Essentialism - by Greg McEwen Similar Episodes on Capital Raising Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and CEO of FoodByUs, on Being data-driven, starting and exiting a business, and successfully securing funding Ant Moorhouse, Co-Founder and CEO of EarthTech, on Purpose-driven leadership, and changing the planet by harnessing technology and capitalism Jack Delosa, Founder and Chairman of The Entourage, on Frameworks for success, building customer connection, and raising capital from an investor's viewpoint Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

"It's now obvious to me that it's harder to maintain that sense of community unless you've got things like parkrun that are driving that connection." In this Best of Series episode, we replay a chat we had in 2019 with Tim Oberg, Former CEO of parkrun Australia on escaping the rat race, building a vibrant community and managing anxiety. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/377 👂 WANT TO ACCELERATE YOUR NEXT PROMOTION? COMPLETE YOUR FREE CAREER SCORECARD: www.chiefmaker.com/score-card Tim has a background in teaching and travel, having set up his own tour business in London in the early 2000s. He stumbled upon the parkrun concept in the UK in 2010 and pitched to the owner to be the one to take it to Australia, thereafter leading the regional business for nearly 12 years. Tim is now the Founder of Next Stars Sports Academy and the Healthy Kids Project, as he uses his vast experience in health and wellbeing to tackle some of the biggest challenges amongst the younger generations. He is also a Board member at Little Athletics Queensland and lives in Airlie Beach with his wife and 4 kids (congrats to them as they recently welcomed a little baby girl!). In this Best of Series Masterclass we talk about: ✅ His epic back story that got him to where he is today - you'll really love this as it's one of the most in-depth, interesting and crazy ones we've ever had on the Inner Chief podcast! ✅ The courage he showed in repeatedly escaping the rat race to start his own businesses. ✅ Growing the parkrun Australia community from nothing to the biggest of its kind in the country, and ✅ How he has survived and thrived despite living with and managing anxiety. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Tim Oberg You can reach Tim via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Headspace app Beating Anxiety - SBS Insight TV show that Tim appeared on parkrun, anxiety and me - article posted by Tim after his recovery Dare - by Barry McDonagh Similar Episodes on community building Juliette Wright OAM, Founder of GIVIT, on Revolutionising misguided charitable giving, having a million conversations, and leaning into anxiety Daniel Penny, MD of Mustard Creative, on Going beyond the brief and understanding your influence Mike Smith, Founder and CEO of Zero Co, on Building a tribe of loyal customers, and creating a better world through business Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

"The best founders are constantly pitching – for customers, recruits, suppliers and capital." In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to James Schofield, Founder of Insight Investor Relations, on Pitching your business, raising capital and winning investor trust. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/376 👂 INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders James speaks the language of investors - over a 25-year career in capital markets, he's advised from both sides of the table: first as a top-rated equity analyst with Merrill Lynch, UBS, and Deutsche Bank, and now as the founder of Insight Investor Relations. Since launching IIR in 2018, James has worked with NZX-listed CEOs and CFOs across companies valued between $300 million and $3 billion. His team is trusted to design and execute investor relations strategies at pivotal points in a company's growth story, with their clients' aggregate market value more than doubling to $10.8 billion over the past 12 months. James and his team have also helped founders raise between $2-$15 million in growth capital through leveraging investor-side language and insights. In this Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The right time to pitch and raise capital, and when not to. ✅ How to position your business to attract investors through clarity, credibility and consistent messaging. ✅ Why founders should treat investors like customers by understanding their needs and motivations, and ✅ The five Ps of pitching for investor success: purpose, product, proof, playbook, and promise. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with James Schofield You can connect with James via LinkedIn. Books and resources Essentialism - by Greg McEwen Similar Episodes on Capital Raising Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and CEO of FoodByUs, on Being data-driven, starting and exiting a business, and successfully securing funding Ant Moorhouse, Co-Founder and CEO of EarthTech, on Purpose-driven leadership, and changing the planet by harnessing technology and capitalism Jack Delosa, Founder and Chairman of The Entourage, on Frameworks for success, building customer connection, and raising capital from an investor's viewpoint Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“You can’t make good choices from a cluttered mind.” Chief, today I'm going to introduce you to one of the most powerful tools in leadership: The Decision Clarity Matrix. Every part of your life and career is shaped by the quality of your decisions. From relationships to investments, to how you respond in tough moments, your reputation and legacy all come down to one thing. Decision-making. Yet, no one really teaches us how to make good decisions. Until today, that is! 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/375 👂 ONE THING IS CERTAIN, TO BE A TRUE CHIEF, COGNITIVE CLARITY IS CRITICAL. WHERE DO YOU SIT ON THE CHIEF MAKER DECISION CLARITY MATRIX? chiefmaker.com/decisionmaking In this episode, I’ll break down for you: ✅ The Decision Clarity Matrix - how clear thinking drives high-impact decision making ✅ Managing your state to shift from cluttered thinking to clarity before key decisions, and ✅ The four decision zones: Breakthrough Territory, Danger Zone, Delegation, and the Vortex. You can follow along and download the full resource: chiefmaker.com/decisionmaking. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my free Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“Your values and philosophy about why you do things are your North Star; without them your decisions will be wishy-washy.” This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Neil Craig, Former AFL Coach and England Rugby High Performance Manager. His full episode is titled High performance environments, your North Star and decision-making under pressure. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/373 👂 GET THE FREE CHIEF MAKER TOP 30 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: chiefmaker.com/interview Neil was best known as being a former Australian rules footballer and as the Head Coach of the Adelaide Crows Football Club. His other stints in the AFL have included being the fitness adviser at the Crows, and having various coaching roles at the Melbourne Demons, Essendon Bombers, Carlton Blues and Gold Coast Suns. Between 2017 and 2022, he was England Rugby’s High Performance Manager under head coach Eddie Jones. In the full Best of Series Masterclass we talk about: ✅ What a high performance environment is and how to create one ✅ Why knowing your North Star - your purpose and values - is critical to success ✅ How to make complex decisions under pressure, and ✅ Why leadership is not about you, but all about you. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Neil Craig You can reach Neil via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Legacy - by James Kerr Similar Episodes on coaching Chief Maker Minisodes on Coaching Principles and Power Coaching Questions Conrad Tracey, Addiction Coaching Specialist, on Breaking points, dealing with resistance in others, and self-acceptance Golf Master Coach, Steve Bann, on Coaching the world’s best golfers, turning practice into confidence, and the improvement lifecycle Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“Chiefs who take a one-size-fits-all approach to leadership will ALWAYS end up failing.” Chief, today I'm diving into one of the most powerful models in business performance and leadership: the Fix, Reset, Grow, Change the Game journey map. This is the framework I use with almost every executive or organisation I coach. It gives you clarity, confidence and direction as a leader by showing you exactly where your business is, where it’s heading, and what to do next. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/374 👂 DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP GUIDE AND IMPLEMENT THE LEADERSHIP STYLE YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS RIGHT NOW: chiefmaker.com/fixresetgrow In this episode, I’ll break down for you: ✅ Why the model and the business performance journey map matter ✅ The 4 stages fully explained and how to self-assess where you are, and ✅ Putting in place the appropriate steps in order to adapt your leadership style and get you into the most exhilarating stage - changing the game. You can follow along and download the full resource: chiefmaker.com/fixresetgrow. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my free Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“It's not about you, but it's all about you. If you're able to think that way, you'll get feedback when you need it without asking for it and you'll be amazed how many problems just go away.” It's AFL grand final week so we're bringing you a Best of Series episode from 2019 with Neil Craig, former AFL Head Coach, on high performance environments, your North Star and decision-making under pressure. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/373 👂 GET THE FREE CHIEF MAKER TOP 30 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: chiefmaker.com/interview Neil was best known as being a former Australian rules footballer and as the Head Coach of the Adelaide Crows Football Club. His other stints in the AFL have included being the fitness adviser at the Crows, and having various coaching roles at the Melbourne Demons, Essendon Bombers, Carlton Blues and Gold Coast Suns. Between 2017 and 2022, he was England Rugby’s High Performance Manager under head coach Eddie Jones. In this Best of Series Masterclass we talk about: ✅ What a high performance environment is and how to create one ✅ Why knowing your North Star - your purpose and values - is critical to success ✅ How to make complex decisions under pressure, and ✅ Why leadership is not about you, but all about you. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Neil Craig You can reach Neil via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Legacy - by James Kerr Similar Episodes on coaching Chief Maker Minisodes on Coaching Principles and Power Coaching Questions Conrad Tracey, Addiction Coaching Specialist, on Breaking points, dealing with resistance in others, and self-acceptance Golf Master Coach, Steve Bann, on Coaching the world’s best golfers, turning practice into confidence, and the improvement lifecycle Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“Building an operating rhythm and sticking to it requires energy and fortitude.” Chief, today I'm going to talk about three important tips to help you bring your operating rhythm to life and to ensure that it is high impact and drives results consistently. I'm also going to talk through three of the most classic problems that executives face when trying to implement a new one or refine an existing operating rhythm. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/372 👂 DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER OPERATING RHYTHM HOW TO GUIDE AND PUT YOUR VISION AND MISSION INTO ACTION FAST: chiefmaker.com/operatingrhythm In this episode, I talk about: ✅ The Chief Maker Performance Lifecycle: P2R2 ✅ Owning the plan and embedding it culturally in your organisation, and ✅ Ensuring it is always impactful and doesn’t become stale. You can also find out more about what an operating rhythm is by checking out some previous episodes: Building a personal operating rhythm High Performance Teams Series - Operating Rhythm Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my free Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“To win your people’s hearts and minds, you have to have a compelling vision or proposition to offer them.” This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features George Hunt, Former CIO of the Year. His full episode is titled Winning hearts and minds, technology as a strategy, and the little things of leadership. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/371 👂 WONDERING WHAT CAREER MOVE TO MAKE NEXT? GET THE CHIEF MAKER BOOK AND BE GUIDED BY THE GREAT METHOD FOR CAREER ACCELERATION: chiefmaker.com/book At the time of the recording, George was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Sydney Water. He is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Smart Energy Water in the UK, a role he has held since November 2020. George is a recognised technology leader within the global utility sector, with a successful track record in implementing technology infrastructure to support increasing customer expectations, challenging regulatory outcomes and corporate business goals. He has also held roles as a Global Consulting Partner at Wipro Digital in the UK and CIO for Wessex Water. George has a Bachelor of Engineering from Birmingham University and a Master of Information Systems from Kingston University in London, and was awarded CIO Australia’s CIO of the Year in 2018. In the full Best of Series Masterclass we talk about: ✅ How to win the hearts and minds of your people and aligning to achieve a vision ✅ Why Technology has evolved to become a key strategy for most organisations ✅ Some great analogies for leading a business through rapid change, and ✅ The Little Things of Leadership like the power of goodwill. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with George Hunt You can reach George via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Be Like Amazon - by Jeffrey Eisenberg, Bryan Eisenberg, Roy H Williams The Advantage - by Patrick Lencioni Who Moved My Cheese - by Dr Spencer Johnson Leading on the Edge - by Rachael Robertson Be The Business: CIOs in the New Era of IT - by Martha Heller Similar Episodes on strategic technology Ant Moorhouse, Co-Founder & CEO of EarthTech, on Purpose-driven leadership, and changing the planet by harnessing technology and capitalism Greg Steele, Global President of Arcadis Mobility, on The importance of broad experience, bringing people with you and dealing with difficult issues Angus Stevens, Co-Founder & CEO of StartBeyond, on Taking learning by experience to new frontiers, putting guardrails on innovation, and creating useful technology for tangible real-world problems Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“If you think your people aren't using AI, you would be in denial.” This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Kate Newey, HR Chief of Adaptalift Group. Her full episode is titled The secret life of HR professionals, having it all and AI in the workplace. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/370 👂 INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders Kate is a highly experienced HR leader and has held various roles at Adaptalift Group since 2012, currently overseeing 650 staff in her role as HR Chief. She is a champion of flexible executive roles, balancing part-time leadership and parenting, something that became almost non-negotiable during the COVID pandemic. In the full Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The secret life of HR professionals…the real, messy and rewarding reality in the current business environment. ✅ How leading from the middle builds influence, trust and a seat at the strategic table. ✅ Navigating burnout, boundaries and part-time leadership through parenting and a modern lifestyle, and ✅ HR’s growing leadership in AI strategy and how this links to company strategy and and what “buy, borrow, build, bot” means for HR. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Kate Newey You can connect with Kate via LinkedIn. Books and resources Mindful High Performer - by Chelsea Pottenger Similar Episodes on Human Resources Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer of G8 Education on Driving business success through the development of your people Zaklina Craig, Chief People Officer of Business NSW, on Optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone Angela Tsoukatos, CEO and 20 years executive team member, on Pivotal career moments, how to focus on core business, and the most effective ways the Board and C-Suite can work together Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“The one analogy I use for technology change programs is that we're trying to upgrade an aircraft whilst it's in flight. This allows people to understand the risk profile.” In this Best of Series episode, we replay a chat we had in 2019 with George Hunt, former CIO of the Year, on winning hearts and minds, technology as a strategy, and the little things of leadership. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/371 👂 WONDERING WHAT CAREER MOVE TO MAKE NEXT? GET THE CHIEF MAKER BOOK AND BE GUIDED BY THE GREAT METHOD FOR CAREER ACCELERATION: chiefmaker.com/book At the time of the recording, George was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Sydney Water. He is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Smart Energy Water in the UK, a role he has held since November 2020. George is a recognised technology leader within the global utility sector, with a successful track record in implementing technology infrastructure to support increasing customer expectations, challenging regulatory outcomes and corporate business goals. He has also held roles as a Global Consulting Partner at Wipro Digital in the UK and CIO for Wessex Water. George has a Bachelor of Engineering from Birmingham University and a Master of Information Systems from Kingston University in London, and was awarded CIO Australia’s CIO of the Year in 2018. In this Best of Series Masterclass we talk about: ✅ How to win the hearts and minds of your people and aligning to achieve a vision ✅ Why Technology has evolved to become a key strategy for most organisations ✅ Some great analogies for leading a business through rapid change, and ✅ The Little Things of Leadership like the power of goodwill. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with George Hunt You can reach George via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Be Like Amazon - by Jeffrey Eisenberg, Bryan Eisenberg, Roy H Williams The Advantage - by Patrick Lencioni Who Moved My Cheese - by Dr Spencer Johnson Leading on the Edge - by Rachael Robertson Be The Business: CIOs in the New Era of IT - by Martha Heller Similar Episodes on strategic technology Ant Moorhouse, Co-Founder & CEO of EarthTech, on Purpose-driven leadership, and changing the planet by harnessing technology and capitalism Greg Steele, Global President of Arcadis Mobility, on The importance of broad experience, bringing people with you and dealing with difficult issues Angus Stevens, Co-Founder & CEO of StartBeyond, on Taking learning by experience to new frontiers, putting guardrails on innovation, and creating useful technology for tangible real-world problems Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“It's really important to keep a sense of humour, especially if you're in a stressful environment. Show people that you're human.” This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer, G8 Education. Her full episode is titled Driving business success through the development of your people. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/369 👂 DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE REAL IMPACT OF OVERLOAD? Learn how to stay focused, optimise your effort and prioritise what’s really important. chiefmaker.com/focus As an experienced People and Culture Leader, Linda Carroll joined G8 Education in June 2024. With more than a decade of executive experience in the early childhood education and care sector, Linda has honed her skills in building and managing high-performing teams across diverse networks. Her expertise lies in people and culture transformation, talent acquisition, capability development, and employee and industrial relations. Linda’s accolades include the HR Director of the Year award at the Australian HR Awards in 2019 and she has also obtained an MBA in Human Resource Management from Griffith University. In the full Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The significance of developing people within an organisation through continuous learning. ✅ Hiring for attitude and creating a loyal culture through recognition and embracing humour ✅ Overcoming the crisis of confidence upon returning to work post-maternity leave, and ✅ The evolving role of HR and its strategic importance in driving business success via the power of human capital. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Linda Carroll You can connect with Linda via LinkedIn. Books and resources 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - by Stephen R. Covey Emotional Intelligence - by Daniel Goldman Similar Episodes on Human Resources Zaklina Craig, Chief People Officer of Business NSW, on Optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone Angela Tsoukatos, CEO and 20 years executive team member, on Pivotal career moments, how to focus on core business, and the most effective ways the Board and C-Suite can work together Fiona Crawford, CHRO of Creditor Watch, on Doing extra, celebrating success, and enabling the business Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“HR is such a diverse role. At any given time we see people at their worst, and people at their best. We’re expected to be lawyers and are constantly making commercial decisions.” In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Kate Newey, HR Chief of Adaptalift Group, on The secret life of HR professionals, having it all and AI in the workplace. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/370 👂 IS YOUR PROGRESS BLOCKED BY DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS? Download this step-by-step guide to build trust, get buy-in and turn difficult stakeholders into ambassadors: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders Kate is a highly experienced HR leader and has held various roles at Adaptalift Group since 2012, currently overseeing 650 staff in her role as HR Chief. She is a champion of flexible executive roles, balancing part-time leadership and parenting, something that became almost non-negotiable during the COVID pandemic. In this Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The secret life of HR professionals…the real, messy and rewarding reality in the current business environment. ✅ How leading from the middle builds influence, trust and a seat at the strategic table. ✅ Navigating burnout, boundaries and part-time leadership through parenting and a modern lifestyle, and ✅ HR's growing leadership in AI strategy and how this links to company strategy and and what “buy, borrow, build, bot” means for HR. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Kate Newey You can connect with Kate via LinkedIn. Books and resources Mindful High Performer - by Chelsea Pottenger Similar Episodes on Human Resources Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer of G8 Education on Driving business success through the development of your people Zaklina Craig, Chief People Officer of Business NSW, on Optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone Angela Tsoukatos, CEO and 20 years executive team member, on Pivotal career moments, how to focus on core business, and the most effective ways the Board and C-Suite can work together Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“HR has shifted towards partnering with the business as a trusted advisor to the executive team, as people have started to realise the value of human capital.” In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Linda Carroll, Chief People Officer of G8 Education, on driving business success through the development of your people. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/369 👂 FEELING OVERLOADED? Constant emails and meeting requests flooding in? Too much to do and not enough time? Learn how to prioritise your time with this strategic focus tool. chiefmaker.com/focus As an experienced People and Culture Leader, Linda Carroll joined G8 Education in June 2024. With more than a decade of executive experience in the early childhood education and care sector, Linda has honed her skills in building and managing high-performing teams across diverse networks. Her expertise lies in people and culture transformation, talent acquisition, capability development, and employee and industrial relations. Linda’s accolades include the HR Director of the Year award at the Australian HR Awards in 2019 and she has also obtained an MBA in Human Resource Management from Griffith University. In this Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The significance of developing people within an organisation through continuous learning. ✅ Hiring for attitude and creating a loyal culture through recognition and embracing humour ✅ Overcoming the crisis of confidence upon returning to work post-maternity leave, and ✅ The evolving role of HR and its strategic importance in driving business success via the power of human capital. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Linda Carroll You can connect with Linda via LinkedIn. Books and resources 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - by Stephen R. Covey Emotional Intelligence - by Daniel Goldman Similar Episodes on Human Resources Zaklina Craig, Chief People Officer of Business NSW, on Optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone Angela Tsoukatos, CEO and 20 years executive team member, on Pivotal career moments, how to focus on core business, and the most effective ways the Board and C-Suite can work together Fiona Crawford, CHRO of Creditor Watch, on Doing extra, celebrating success, and enabling the business. Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“There's work guilt because you worry that you're not delivering 100%. There's guilt that you're not being the best mum possible. So, it really is guilt on all fronts if you're not careful.” This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous CEO guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Nicolette Rubinsztein AM, Professional Board member and author. Her full episode is titled Removing guilt, building female confidence, and overcoming busy-ness. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/367 👂 RIGHT PERSON, WRONG ROLE? Use this checklist of questions to determine the right future development plan for your leaders: chiefmaker.com/performance Nicolette is a qualified actuary and is currently the Chair of Greenpeace Australia Pacific and CBHS Health Fund, and a Non-Executive Director at Zurich Australia. She has previously been a Director at UniSuper and OnePath Insurance, and was the President of the Actuaries Institute for 4 years after an extensive career in senior management roles as an actuary. Nicolette received a Member of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday 2024 Honours List for her significant service to the finance and commerce sectors. She is also the author of “Not Guilty”, a powerful book providing strategies for successful career mums. In the full Best of Series Masterclass we talk about: ✅ The resilience learnt from losing her job twice due to overnight industry changes ✅ How to balance work with motherhood without feeling guilty or putting your career on hold ✅ Why lower confidence in females has led to a lower uptake of STEM careers, and ✅ Overcoming busy-ness as parents and the concept of “career mum staff”. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Nicolette Rubinsztein AM You can reach Nicolette via LinkedIn or on her website. Books and Resources Homo Deus and Sapiens - by Yuval Harari The Confidence Code - by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman Similar Episodes on the evolving workplace Alison Mirams, CEO of Roberts Co, on Transforming an industry and leaving a legacy by putting workers and their families at the heart of your business. Grainne O'Loughlin, CEO of Karitane, on Parenting for executives and the first 2000 days of a child's development, and the inspiring legacy she is building. Dr Bronwyn Evans AM, CEO of Engineers Australia, on Theory vs practice, empathetic performance management, and advancing society through great engineering Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“When you develop all three traits, you become bulletproof. You create momentum, confidence, and long-term impact.” Chief, today we dive into what I consider to be a core framework that I’ve observed after working with hundreds of top-tier executives and CEOs through the podcast and our day job at Chief Maker over a number of years. These three traits keep showing up, without fail, in every high-performing leader I meet. If you don’t have these in your toolkit, I can almost guarantee you’ll struggle to hit your definition of success. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/368 👂 WANT TO ACCELERATE YOUR NEXT PROMOTION? COMPLETE YOUR FREE CAREER SCORECARD: www.chiefmaker.com/scorecard In this episode, I talk about: ✅ The 3 key traits that every great leader has in spades ✅ A brilliant little tool to diagnose where you need to create some real momentum shifts ✅ What will happen if you don’t act now Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my free Finish Strong monthly newsletter and podcast drops 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

“You’ve got to get yourself in a position to exit, and then give yourself the time to exit properly. The biggest advice I give sellers is to not be in a rush to sell.” This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Dean Salakas, Former CEO of The Party People. His full episode is titled Being sale-ready, Forecasting like a CFO, and Selling confidently on your terms. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/366 👂 EQUIP YOUR MIDDLE MANAGERS AND SENIOR LEADERS WITH THE TOOLS TO DRIVE CHANGE AND RESULTS. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba Dean is a retail advisor, keynote speaker, and former CEO of The Party People, Australia’s largest party store, which sold in late 2024. With three successful business exits and a track record of retail innovation, Dean now helps businesses grow through strategic advice and execution support and also as a fractional Head of Growth at Party Hire Group. This is the second time we have had Dean on the show; during episode 234 we covered how he saw change as an opportunity, coping with growth, and evolving as a leader. In the full Evolved CEO Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The art of the sale - how to create buyer FOMO, go public with your sale, and drive up valuation. ✅ Why staying ‘match-fit’ with reporting and forecasting is key to a successful exit. ✅ The power of understanding your customer beyond product, and why this matters when selling, and ✅ What BATNA is and why deal structure matters more than just the multiple on offer. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Dean Salakas You can connect with Dean via LinkedIn. Books and resources The One Minute Manager - by Kenneth Blanchard Ph.D. &, Spencer Johnson M.D. Similar Episodes on Selling a business Roland Frasier, CEO of All Channels Media, on Creative business deals, modelling and masterminding Julie Mathers, Founder of Flora & Fauna and now CEO of Snuggle Hunny, on Bootstrapping a business from start to $30M exit Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and CEO of Foodbyus, on Being data-driven, starting and exiting a business, and successfully securing funding Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker