Menzies Leadership Forum

What does purpose look like in the next generation of leaders? As new forms of leadership emerge at the intersection of technology, behavioural insight, and social impact, how will purpose evolve? In this closing conversation, guests explore how data, economics, and human motivation can work together to drive a more inclusive and values-aligned future — one where purpose becomes an active force for systems change. Key Themes & Talking Points: The next frontier of purpose-driven leadership Data, behavioural science, and the future of civic engagement Redefining leadership impact for emerging generations With Thomas Walker - CEO of Think Forward & Hosted by hosted by Elly Hanrahan and Indigo Atkinson, Global Voices

Purpose isn’t a solo act — how do we co-create meaning and impact together? This conversation examines how shared purpose builds momentum, trust, and collective action. Guests explore the beauty and friction of co-leadership and reflect on what it takes to align across difference in pursuit of the greater good. Key Themes & Talking Points: Aligning across difference The dynamics of co-leadership and collaboration Purpose as a system-wide, relational practice With Beth Eggleston - Co-Founder & Director at Humanitarian Advisory Group & Hosted by hosted by Elly Hanrahan and Indigo Atkinson, Global Voices

Purpose isn’t a solo act — how do we co-create meaning and impact together? This conversation examines how shared purpose builds momentum, trust, and collective action. Guests explore the beauty and friction of co-leadership and reflect on what it takes to align across difference in pursuit of the greater good. Key Themes & Talking Points: Aligning across difference The dynamics of co-leadership and collaboration Purpose as a system-wide, relational practice With Thom Woodroofe – Senior International Fellow with the Smart Energy Council & Hosted by hosted by Elly Hanrahan and Indigo Atkinson, Global Voices "Power Prosperity Planet" visit: https://www.booktopia.com.au/power-prosperity-planet-thom-woodroofe/book/9781923192751.html

How does purpose show up in decisions, trade-offs, and action? Moving from reflection to action, this episode explores the realities of living one’s purpose in high-stakes, high-pressure environments. Guests share candid accounts of moments when values were tested, decisions were complex, and resilience became essential. Key Themes & Talking Points: Leadership in messy, uncertain spaces Holding true to values under pressure Purposeful risk-taking and courage in action With The Hon. Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG – Former High Court Justice, Human Rights Advocate & Hosted by hosted by Elly Hanrahan and Indigo Atkinson, Global Voices

What catalyses clarity, conviction, and commitment? This episode explores the origins of purpose — those pivotal moments that ignite a leader’s sense of direction. Through personal stories and reflections, guests unpack how identity, experience, and values shape leadership journeys and help distinguish ambition from deeper purpose. Key Themes & Talking Points: Defining purpose on your own terms Identity, lived experience, and leadership emergence The difference between ambition and deeper purpose With Dr Naba Alfayadh from Rahma Health & Hosted by hosted by Elly Hanrahan and Indigo Atkinson, Global Voices

Bonus Episode: Leadership as a Public Good — Developing Collective Capacity for a Complex World What kind of leadership is needed when no single person can hold the whole picture? In this Bonus Episode of The Future of Leadership Development, Dr Toby Newstead is joined by Professor David Day and Liz Gillies to explore a defining challenge of our time: the growing gap between the complexity of the world and the way we develop leadership. As global challenges intensify — from climate disruption and political polarisation to declining trust and the rise of generative AI — leaders are increasingly expected to navigate overlapping crises that no individual can solve alone. This Bonus Episode examines why traditional, individual-focused models of leadership development are no longer fit for purpose and explores the shift toward collective leadership capacity grounded in purpose, ethics, and shared responsibility. Listeners are invited to rethink leadership not as a scarce commodity or positional role, but as a public good — essential to navigating complexity and shaping a more resilient, humane future. Key Themes & Talking Points Why “hero leadership” models are breaking down Leader development vs leadership development Collective leadership as a response to complexity Purpose and ethics as anchors in uncertainty Leadership as a public good With Toby P. Newstead from University of Tasmania, Professor David Day from Claremont McKenna College and Liz Gillies, CEO Menzies Leadership Foundation

What kind of leadership do we need to shape the future we want? The final episode looks ahead, asking what a national platform for leadership development should look like in order to meet critical transitions across health, education, climate, and productivity. Do these adaptive challenges demand a new way of leading? And if so, how do we build the individual and collective capabilities required to enable that shift? This conversation will leave listeners with insights into what it will take to ensure leadership development genuinely creates impact for the greater good. Key Themes & Talking Points: The critical transitions ahead and what they demand of leadership. The capabilities leaders must develop to navigate these transitions. What a national platform for leadership development could look like. How to ensure leadership development is impactful, inclusive, and future-focused. With Toby P. Newstead from University of Tasmania and Professor Rufus Black from University of Tasmania 

What happens when leadership is shared, not centralised? Impact at scale requires collaboration across governments, business, philanthropy, and communities. This episode explores real-world stories of distributed leadership, including Indigenous and citizen-led approaches that demonstrate how collective leadership can create more just and sustainable outcomes. Listeners will hear practical lessons on building trust, sharing power, and mobilising diverse groups towards common goals. Key Themes & Talking Points: The value of distributed leadership across sectors. Indigenous and citizen-led models as exemplars of collective leadership. Building trust and partnerships to drive systemic change. What collective leadership teaches us about the future of leadership development. With Toby P. Newstead from University of Tasmania and Jack Manning from AIME and Liz Gillies from Menzies Leadership Foundation

Professor David Snowden, a pioneer in complexity science, joins Toby Newstead from the University of Tasmania to discuss leadership in an era marked by polycrisis. They explore how leaders can thrive amidst challenges like climate change and social division. Key topics include the importance of resilience, systems thinking, and collaboration. Snowden emphasizes developing these capabilities through education and highlights the need for leaders to adapt their strategies and embrace a more complex understanding of organizational dynamics.

Join Dr. Toby Newstead as he chats with Professor Nathan Eva, a Fulbright scholar focusing on servant leadership, and Benny Callaghan, founder of Systems Collaboration Partners. They dive into what measures truly signify effective leadership development. Discover the nuances between corporate and community programs, the importance of objective data over perceptions, and how leadership can thrive even outside hierarchical structures. They emphasize the ethical responsibilities of educators and the need for ongoing growth beyond initial programs.