Peter Malinauskas: Why Leaders Must Spend Their Capital or Lose It

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 Oval01:20 Taking office - the vision for South Australia02:25 Defining great leadership04:19 The crisis of global leadership05:46 Who do you turn to when things get hard?07:59 A defining leadership mistake10:30 Long-term vision vs short-term fires12:21 Legacy - what does he hope South Australia looks like?13:48 One piece of advice for every leader in the room16:31 Greatest leader in his life - Bob Hawke20:08 Q&A - Federal ambitions?22:59 The Gather Round negotiation with the AFL26:51 Where does he switch off?29:01 Q&A - Immigration, growth & South Australia's identitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

Luke Darcy sits down with Luke Tunnecliffe - a man who has spent most of his career behind the scenes shaping the biggest moments in Australian sport and media. From walking into Collingwood at 17 to decades in the Triple M Footy chair and building JamTV alongside Eddie McGuire, Luke is a steady hand. A connector. A storyteller. He’s been in rooms with Usain Bolt. Backstage with John Farnham. In Shane Warne’s man cave while Ed Sheeran played DJ. But this conversation isn’t really about any of that. It’s about Jack. Luke and his wife Amy are raising three children, including their son Jack, who is nonverbal and autistic. Unwilling to accept treatment with no promise of positive change, they have spent years trying to understand what might help, and how to hold a family together when life doesn’t look the way you thought it would. Luke speaks honestly about the strain - the financial weight, the exhaustion, the impact on siblings, the friendships that fall away and the ones that step up. He talks about the way music became a lifeline for Jack. And how in one extraordinary moment, Ed Sheeran sat with his guitar beneath the MCG and sang to him - calming him in a way few others could.  And then came a treatment plan that has changed everything. While there’s still a long journey ahead, the treatment has already led to the moment that Luke will hold onto for the rest of his life - Jack putting his arms around his neck and saying the three words he’d been waiting years to hear. This is an episode about resilience, fatherhood, mateship - and what it feels like when hope slowly starts to return. This conversation reflects Luke and his family’s personal experience. 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.

What does it actually take to perform at the highest level - not just once, but across a career? Luke Darcy sits down with Cate Campbell, four-time Olympic gold medallist and one of the most respected voices in Australian sport. Cate doesn't just talk about the wins. She reflects on the dream she and her sister Bronte cooked up as children in Malawi, the surreal experience of becoming an Olympian at 16, and what it meant to carry the Australian flag at Tokyo. But she also goes somewhere far more honest - into the parts of elite sport that rarely make the highlight reel: identity, failure, body image, team culture, and what it means to figure out who you are when the sport that shaped you is finally over. Cate also shares what real resilience looks like, why the most powerful shift in Swimming Australia was moving from valuing performance to valuing people, and the three pieces of advice she'd give any young person chasing a dream. Cate and Bronte recently launched their podcast, Campbells and Co. Check it out here. We are privileged to have Cate as part of our Aleda Connect community. If you want to learn and grow alongside people like her, find out more via the link below. 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.

Are we paying enough attention to our young men? Do we know how to raise healthy, confident young men in the world we live in? Luke Darcy sits down with Scott Galloway, professor at NYU Stern, entrepreneur, bestselling author and host of the wildly successful Prof G and Pivot podcasts. In this conversation on Empowering Leaders, Luke and Scott explore the pressures facing young men right now and why the path to adulthood seems harder than it once was. Scott reflects on the role his mother played in shaping his life, why learning to handle rejection has served him so well, and how becoming a father completely shifted his sense of purpose. He shares why boys need strong role models around them now more than ever, reminds us why empathy matters more in leadership than many people realise, and why learning to recover from failure might be one of the most important life skills we can develop. You’ll also hear about Scott’s upcoming plans for his huge Resist & Unsubscribe movement, his disappointment in most big tech companies at this time and his belief that sometimes the most powerful thing individuals can do is simply choose not to participate. Scott, authentic as always, offers the kind of leadership our next generation may need most. 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.

Recorded live overlooking the 18th at LIV Golf Adelaide 2026, Luke sits down with Scott O’Neil, CEO of one of the most talked about organisations in global sport. Scott has led at the highest levels of the NBA, NFL and NHL, and now finds himself as CEO of LIV Golf, guiding a competition that has challenged golf’s traditions while attracting a new generation to the game. In this conversation, he reflects on disruption and humility, the balance between innovation and respect for history, and why free agency matters in modern sport. He shares the philosophy behind his book Be Where Your Feet Are, what it means to lead under scrutiny, and how he keeps perspective when the criticism inevitably comes. From coaching his four daughters in basketball to learning golf at 50 in front of a global audience (a great story!), Scott speaks candidly about ambition, family, pressure and giving grace. 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.

What does it really take to build a championship organisation in one of the most competitive leagues in the world? On this episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke sits down with Jon Horst, General Manager of the Milwaukee Bucks and one of the most respected executives in the NBA. From starting as an intern to becoming the youngest GM in the league, Jon shares the mindset that shaped his rise - and the leadership principles that helped deliver an NBA championship and sustained excellence. He reflects on building a team around Giannis Antetokounmpo, what makes Giannis so rare beyond talent, and why character is non-negotiable when constructing a winning culture. Big topics: Jon's reputation for recruitment and the “IP” behind their decision-making process The balance between analytics and instinct How clear communication cuts through high-stakes pressure Why sustained success is about people, not just performance Jon also speaks about the cross-pollination of leadership across sport - you’ll hear him mention leaders like Matt LaFleur (listen to Matt’s Empowering Leaders episode here) - and how community and shared learning elevate teams beyond what any individual can do alone. Learn. Lead. Collaborate. We are privileged to have Jon as part of our Aleda Connect community. Book a discovery call today to find out more about how you can learn and grow alongside people like Jon within our signature leadership program. 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’s it like to be part of a small, trusted leadership group? Inside Aleda Connect, leaders from more than 20 countries come together each month in small groups to learn, reflect and collaborate. In this episode of Empowering Leaders, Luke Darcy shares the voices of ten leaders who are part of the Aleda Connect Global Leadership Program. From elite sport to global business, from diplomacy to AI, they offer honest reflections on what it means to step into a trusted leadership community. You’ll hear from Adam Driussi, Dan Rutstein, Emma Hayes, Jeremy Kodomichalos, Dixie Marshall, Paul Barnes, Sami Whitcomb, Aubrey Pleasant, Jenny Boucek and Jeff Scott - each responding to a simple question: What’s it actually like to be part of a small, trusted leadership group? What comes through isn’t theory. It’s lived experience. Conversations about vulnerability, accountability, imposter syndrome, loneliness at the top, and the compound effect of learning alongside people who think differently to you. We're privileged to work with this incredible collection of leaders who believe growth doesn’t happen in isolation. Find the full conversations with each of these guests right here: Aubrey Pleasant: The NFL Coach’s Emotional Intelligence Playbook Dan Rutstein: British Diplomacy to American Soccer Leadership Dixie Marshall: The Power of Storytelling in Leadership Adam Driussi: The Moment AI Saved My Company a Million Dollars Emma Hayes LIVE from London: For Women, By Women, Football & Beyond Jenny Boucek: How Servant Leadership Takes You to the Highest Level Jeremy Kodomichalos: There’s No Standard Path in Life or Business Paul Barnes: Navigating the Fast Lane of Formula One Sami Whitcomb: From Undrafted to WNBA Champion Super Bowl 2025 Leadership: Jeff Scott VP of Football Operations, Philadelphia Eagles To discover how you can learn and grow alongside leaders like the ones you've heard from today head here. Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.