Life, Leadership and Change with Kara Hawkins

Kara Hawkins
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Real stories about who we are, how we lead, and the world we're creating together. Life, Leadership and Change brings together entrepreneurs, creatives, academics, and changemakers for honest conversations that move from the deeply personal to the boldly systemic. Together, Kara and her guests everything from leadership, complexity and emotional intelligence to career fulfilment, social change, and the structures that shape how we live and work. If you're curious, purposeful, and believe in better, this show is for you.

  1. 1D AGO

    Rising to the Occasion: Part 3: Culture Wars and Colliding Worldviews

    Something has shifted in society. Most of us can feel it, but few of us have the language to explain it. In Episode 3 of my mini-series with complexity leadership scholar Dr. Aiden Thornton, we explore the topic of the culture wars, why our conversations across difference so often go nowhere, and what we can do about it as individuals and leaders. You will come away with: - Why people with different worldviews are not just disagreeing, but operating from entirely different realities - Some of the major worldviews shaping today's culture wars and how to recognise them - Why acknowledging diverse perspectives and pursuing true ones are not the same thing - Practical tools for having more constructive conversations across deep disagreement If you have ever felt frustrated, confused or exhausted by the state of public discourse, this episode will give you a clearer picture of why things feel the way they do, and a more grounded place to stand within it. Episode 3 of 4. Next up: truth, why it matters, and what it has to do with leading in a complex world. You can connect with Aiden here: https://au.linkedin.com/in/aidenmathornton BONUS Ask Aiden Anything Q&A session: Submit your questions here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/rQdcvQadga

    49 min

  2. APR 6

    Rising to the Occasion: Part 2: Leadership Skills for the Modern Era with Dr Aiden M. A. Thornton

    In Episode 1 we established that complexity is increasing. Now we go one step further to ask: are we as humans actually built to handle this level of complexity? And what skills do leaders need to navigate it moving forward? In Episode 2 of this mini-series, Dr. Aiden M. A. Thornton shares eye-opening research on the gap between what leadership roles demand and what most leaders are cognitively equipped to handle. Then we go beyond the problem to explore the emerging leadership skills needed to thrive amid increasing complexity in today's hyper-connected, unpredictable world. We cover: - What 700 leaders revealed about the relationship between cognitive capacity and role complexity - The key skills leaders need to navigate complexity effectively - What regulating your own nervous system has to do with navigating organisational complexity Whether you lead a team, drive change, or simply want to show up more effectively in an increasingly complex world, this episode will shift how you think about what leadership actually requires of us. This was Episode 2 of 4. Next up: leading through colliding worldviews and the culture wars. You can connect with Aiden here: https://au.linkedin.com/in/aidenmathornton Link to Aiden's research on the complexity gap here: https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/publications/facing-the-complexity-gap-developing-leaders-reasoning-skills-to-/ BONUS Ask Aiden Anything Q&A session: Submit your questions here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/rQdcvQadga

    51 min

  3. MAR 31

    Rising to the Occasion: Part 1: Understanding Complexity and the Case for Complexity Leadership

    In this episode, I speak with Dr. Aiden Thornton to unpack what complexity actually is, why it's been increasing for thousands of years (in some ways- but not all!), and what it really means for how we lead. In the first episode of our four-part mini-series, complexity leadership scholar and management consultant Dr. Aiden Thornton joins us to explore one of the most important and most misunderstood topics in leadership today. Together we dig into the crucial difference between complexity and difficulty, why our instinct to simplify everything might be doing us more harm than good, and what leadership really is (hint: it's not a role or a title). Aiden also shares his definition of leadership as a process of influence that fosters systemic health, a reframe that might just change how you think about your own role, whatever level you're operating at. Whether you're a seasoned leader, an emerging one, or someone trying to make sense of an increasingly complex world, this conversation is a powerful place to start. This is Episode 1 of 4. Next episode: the skills leaders need to keep up with a complex world. You can connect with Aiden here: https://au.linkedin.com/in/aidenmathornton BONUS Ask Aiden Anything Q&A session: Submit your questions here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/rQdcvQadga

    36 min

  4. MAR 19

    The Power of Values-Based Messaging with Gemma Pitcher

    What if the reason your message isn't landing has nothing to do with your evidence, and everything to do with your framing? In this episode, communications and messaging specialist Gemma Pitcher breaks down the science of values-based messaging and why most advocates, nonprofits, and changemakers are accidentally undermining their own cause. We cover: Why facts alone rarely change minds (and what actually does)How to frame your message around shared values that no one can argue againstThe common mistake that hands your opponents control of the conversationWhy repeating a lie to debunk it only makes it stickierHow to respond to misinformation without reinforcing it (the "Truth Sandwich") Whether you work in advocacy, communications, HR, change or leadership, this episode will change how you think about persuasion and influence.

    36 min

  5. 12/05/2025

    Mark Poiesz: How to Cultivate Powerful Presence: On Stage, in Leadership and in Life

    Discover how to develop a deeper, more grounded sense of presence that helps you lead, perform, and navigate change with calm clarity. In this conversation, professional drummer and leadership coach Mark Poiesz shares insights from performing for millions and coaching leaders at Google, Warner Bros, and beyond.  You’ll learn: - How to build genuine presence (stage, leadership and otherwise) that connects and inspires. - The power of deep listening, to others, to energy, and to yourself. - How cultivating an “I AM” sense of self creates resilience in uncertainty. - A simple cue to help you cultivate presence in the moment, and navigate uncertainty, change, and conflict with grace. Enjoy! You can find Mark at: Website: https://www.markpoiesz.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/markpoiesz_ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/markpoiesz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-poiesz/

    57 min

  6. 12/05/2025

    Futurist Steph Clarke on Leadership, Loneliness and Connection

    I had the pleasure of speaking to Futurist Steph Clarke, who shares her insights on what it really takes to navigate a rapidly changing world.  We explore: The future of human connection in a time of loneliness, convenience, and rapid technological disruption.Leadership in uncertain times, and the contradictions in how we value and nurture skills of the future.Why many organisations are unprepared for accelerating change.Why friendship and connection are critical for both individuals and communities in times of disruption.Steph’s upcoming book How to Friend, and the role of friendship in wellbeing and resilience.And, Steph shares how you can incorporate futures thinking into your life and work in order to preserve what matters most. Check it out! You can find Steph here: LinkedIn:   / steph-clarke  Website: https://www.28thursdays.com/ Connection and Change is a channel by Kara Hawkins, bridging inner transformation and systems change. We explore human connection, personal transformation, collective wellbeing and leading change.

    51 min

  7. 12/05/2025

    Power In vs Power Over: The Secret to Lasting Stability

    If you’ve been feeling powerless or thrown off course by constant change, this is for you. This video explores how to find a stable sense of power that no one can take away, no matter what’s happening around you. You’ll learn how to shift from chasing control to building lasting inner strength, and why true power starts within. Guided Visualisation: https://youtu.be/v6gSh5cGCms

    5 min

  8. 09/26/2025

    Mapping Your Inner Process of Change

    No one loves change. It's universally uncomfortable. But whether it’s a change we choose (like a new career, moving cities, or starting a business) or one imposed on us (like job loss, grief, or a restructure), the way we experience it follows a very human inner process. Tune in to learn more about what happens inside us during change, and how you can adapt more easily. This will not only help you through personal change, but it will also help you support loved ones and lead teams through organisational shifts. We cover: - The two main types of change, and why one often feels easier. - The phases of the change curve, and why we don’t all experience them the same way - Why the process isn’t linear, why it’s normal to loop between phases, and how to get out of those loops. - How to support yourself and others at each stage of change. - A simple, powerful question that can help you re-ground in any moment of change. Image credit: https://mutomorro.com/tools/change-curve/

    9 min
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About

Real stories about who we are, how we lead, and the world we're creating together. Life, Leadership and Change brings together entrepreneurs, creatives, academics, and changemakers for honest conversations that move from the deeply personal to the boldly systemic. Together, Kara and her guests everything from leadership, complexity and emotional intelligence to career fulfilment, social change, and the structures that shape how we live and work. If you're curious, purposeful, and believe in better, this show is for you.

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