The Compass
Reflections, strategies, and real leadership insights to help you navigate change, challenge, and growth.
Leadership Is About Decency. About Bringing People Together.
We throw the word “leadership” around a lot these days. But let’s be clear: leadership is not about dividing people into camps. It’s not about scapegoating. And it’s certainly not about stoking anger so that chaos looks like strength.
Real leadership is about decency. It’s about building bridges, not burning them. It’s about holding people to a higher standard, not dragging them into the mud.
And in a moment when politics has become a performance of insults, conspiracies, and tribal loyalty tests, we need to remember what leadership is and what it isn’t.
Why Leaders Who Support HR Will Survive (and thrive) IN the Next Talent Crisis
Why Leaders Who Support HR Will Survive the Next Talent Crisis
Talent isn’t what’s scarce right now. Leadership is.
AI will replace tasks, but not trust. Technology will streamline operations, but it won’t build belonging. The leaders who thrive in this downturn will be those who understand one truth…
Mentoring vs. Coaching vs. Counselling: What Today’s Ad Leaders Actually Need
Mentoring vs. Coaching vs. Counselling: What Today’s Ad Leaders Actually Need
Leadership support is everywhere, but often misused.
Ask a leader if they’ve had a mentor, coach, or counsellor and they’ll usually say “yes.”
Ask them if they know the difference and… silence.
The Emotional Tax of Leadership: Why Burnout Is the Biggest Competitive Threat
Leadership today demands far more than business acumen. It demands emotional stamina.
The modern leader isn’t just tasked with driving outcomes. They’re expected to hold space, regulate culture, coach performance, and buffer stress. The cost? Emotional burnout.
A 2024 Beyond Blue study found that nearly 60% of Australian media and advertising leaders report high levels of stress, emotional fatigue, and decision exhaustion. Most worry they “can’t show weakness.” That silence is dangerous.
From Redundancy to Resilience: How Advertising Talent Can Rebuild Their Edge
The advertising industry is on break-glass alert. Agencies are laying off employees, shrinking teams, and recalibrating service offerings—all in the name of efficiency. According to a recent analysis, this trend isn’t a failure; it’s shape-shifting. But for everyone let go, it’s a moment of reckoning.