One True Measure

Blake OConnell
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

One True Measure is about the journey each of us must take to understand, define and in time measure success in our lives. At One True Measure, we believe success is and should be an individual journey. We also believe in the importance of building a community in which we all grow and support each other on our collective journey. The goal of the One True Measure podcast is to create the space for long-form, in-depth conversations we can all learn from with exceptional people who embody their own One True Measure. This isn’t a show about chasing more. It’s a show about choosing better.

Episodes

  1. 2d ago

    James Jensen - The SAS, the evolution of leadership, and how to build high-performing teams.

    James Jensen is a former Australian Army soldier and Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) Patrol Commander with more than 20 years of service in the Australian Army.After graduating from the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Royal Military College, James changed his career path, deciding instead to serve not as an officer but on the front line as an infantry soldier. He served in the infantry at 1RAR, deploying on operations to East Timor and Afghanistan before successfully completing SAS selection in 2010.Over the following 14 years in the SAS, Jensen undertook multiple operational deployments, including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, eventually rising to the role of Patrol Commander. James’s evolution from a junior leader in East Timor to leading some of Australia’s most elite teams at the SAS reshaped his understanding of what true leadership means.Today, as a sought-after consultant, James works with organisations across various industries, helping leaders unlock their full potential and inspire greatness in their teams. His leadership expertise is still highly valued by the SAS, where he continues to train and mentor the next generation of SAS leaders. Following his military career, he founded K6 Consulting, where he helps organisations develop resilient leaders and high-performing teams.Jensen is a widely recognised keynote speaker, with presentations that specialise in leadership under pressure, decision-making, accountability, and translating the principles of elite military units into practical strategies for business and organisational success.

  2. Jul 15

    David Flanagan AO - From small-town Australia to building and leading an ASX 100 business

    David Flanagan is one of the most influential figures in Australia’s mining industry over the past three decades. David began his career as a geologist, building deep expertise in mining and resource development. In 2004, David founded Atlas Iron and grew it from a junior explorer into a major Pilbara iron ore producer valued in the billions, in the process helping to challenge the dominance of the industry's larger miners.Known for his energetic leadership style, David prioritised strong relationships, collaboration, and loyalty to his staff and contractors. He also spoke publicly about mining’s role in the Australian economy, commissioning The Miners: Stories from the industry that drives modern Australia in 2013.After leaving Atlas in a strong financial position in 2012,  the iron ore price collapse of 2014/15 triggered David's return to Atlas as managing director to lead a major restructuring effort, including profit-sharing agreements with contractors. His leadership helped stabilise the company in a highly volatile moment in the industry before stepping down again in 2016.David is credited with helping democratize access to Pilbara mining opportunities and building Atlas Iron into a symbol of entrepreneurial mining ambition in AustraliaOutside Atlas, David became heavily involved in education, science, and innovation. He served as Chancellor of Murdoch University and became a strong supporter of technology and space-related initiatives in Australia.He has received a multitude of honours: - Western Australian of the Year (2014) - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - Eisenhower Fellowship recipient - 40under40 “First Amongst Equals”; this particular award exemplifies leadership, innovation, and community contribution.Outside of his work, David contributes across a wide variety of not-for-profits, Youth Focus, GivingWest, Kalparrin, Many Rivers Microfinance and the Leukaemia Foundation and is an ambassador for the Fathering Project.

  3. Jul 8

    Ian Prior - From Africa to elite sport, and how the journey always has other plans for us

    Ian Prior is a professional rugby union player born to Zimbabwean parents. Ian spent part of his childhood in Zimbabwe before returning to Australia, a duality that would define one of the most extraordinary late-career chapters in Australian sporting history.Ian made his Super Rugby debut for the Queensland Reds in 2011, becoming part of the championship-winning squad that year. He went on to play for the ACT Brumbies, including the historic 2013 side that defeated the British & Irish Lions, before joining the Perth-based Western Force in 2014.At the Force, Ian became a legend of the franchise and one of only three players to achieve 100 appearances. He captained the side through its most turbulent period: the axing from Super Rugby in 2017. Under his leadership, the Force claimed the 2019 National Rugby Championship title.After 14 years of professional rugby and over 200 first-class appearances across the globe, retirement was a real possibility, but fate had other plans. Ian answered the call of the Zimbabwe Rugby Union. What followed was extraordinary: back-to-back Rugby Africa Cup titles in 2024 and 2025, a Player of the Tournament accolade, and historic qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Zimbabwe’s first since 1991. Perhaps the proudest moments in his rugby career is yet to be written representing Zimbabwe in the World Cup in Australia in 2027.Off the field, Ian is a sought-after keynote speaker and facilitator with Mettle Global, working with organisations focusing on leadership, building resilience, developing high-performance teams and crisis management.Ian holds an impressive education record, including a Bachelor of Exercise & Sport Science, a Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (Rehabilitation) and is currently completing his Master of High Performance Sport.Above all else, he continues to be driven and inspired by those that matter most: his wife Lizzy and kids, daughter Riley and son Jack.

  4. Jul 1

    Ben Franks - What the All Blacks’ winning culture can teach us

    Ben Franks is one of the toughest and most respected front-row players in world rugby, and one of the very few who can claim to be a two-time World Cup winner with the New Zealand All Blacks. Ben and his brother, Owen, formed one of the most powerful front rows in international rugby and became symbols of toughness and consistency in the All Blacks forward pack. Ben attended Christchurch Boys’ High School, a famous rugby nursery. Ben’s rise was steady and built on hard work; he was admired for his strength, discipline, and relentless attitude to improve. His professional career began with the Canterbury Crusaders. The Crusaders years shaped him into an elite tighthead prop, one of rugby’s most demanding positions. For context, Tighthead props absorb enormous physical punishment while anchoring the scrum and protecting the team’s possession. Ben earned his first major All Blacks recognition in the late 2000s. His combination of scrummaging power, work ethic, and experience made him invaluable in high-pressure matches. The peak of his career came during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Playing on home soil, Ben helped the All Blacks end a 24-year World Cup drought. Four years later, Ben achieved something even rarer. He was part of the squad that won the 2015 Rugby World Cup, defeating Australia in the final. Winning back-to-back Rugby World Cups, which placed this All Blacks generation among the greatest teams in rugby history. After retiring in 2020, Ben became a professional coach, now based in Japan with the Mitsubishi Dynaboars in the Japanese Division 1 league. An accomplished public speaker, leader and expert on the importance of structure and preparation in building great individuals and elite teams. Proving his strength is backed by a keen and well-rounded intellect. If you want to find out more about David, please see the attached links. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-franks-3a440144/

  5. Jun 24

    David Knoff - 537 days of winter, surviving and leading in the harshest place on earth

    In 2007, as an infantry platoon commander, David served in the Solomon Islands, which began a lifelong career in international relations. Following this, David began working with Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was soon overseas on his first Diplomatic posting to the Australian High Commission, Islamabad, at the height of the international coalition’s efforts to bring stability and peace to Afghanistan and Pakistan. David then went on to work as part of the international coalition to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq.In 2019, David was given a leadership challenge unlike any other in modern history, as the Station Leader at Davis Station, Antarctica, he was leading a team of just 24 through the isolation of an Antarctic winter when the COVID-19 Pandemic broke out. The impact of the pandemic on Antarctic operations saw David's team without a ride home as planned and facing one of the longest periods of isolation in modern Antarctic History.David's book, '537 Days of Winter: Resilience, Endurance and Humanity while stranded in Antarctica during the Pandemic' tells the story of what it was like to lead a team through unprecedented uncertainty and how to find resilience in the most extreme environments.Combining his experiences from war zones and his six different Antarctic expeditions, David now works as a professional speaker. As a speaker, David's unique story also helps organisations and individuals understand the importance of environmental awareness and works with schools and corporations to better understand humanity's impact on climate and the planet’s most remote wilderness in Antarctica..If you want to find out more about David, please see the attached links.https://davidknoff.com/

  6. Jun 17

    William Von Hippel - The Social Paradox of Connection and Autonomy and what this means for your happiness in life

    In this episode, Blake sits down with Dr William von Hippel. Bill is a renowned psychologist, author and expert on human behaviour. Bill has spent over three decades as a psychology professor in the United States and Australia. Today, he writes books and conducts research for private companies. Bill has published over 150 academic articles and chapters across a range of psychological topics. His work has been cited over fifteen thousand times in academic literature and widely reported in the media, including The New York Times ‘100 Ideas of the Year’, The Economist, USA Today, Le Monde, Il Mundo, Der Spiegel and The Australian. Bill is the author of The Social Leap: The New Evolutionary Science of Who We Are, Where We Come From and What Makes Us Happy, a critically acclaimed book that explores how the challenges our early ancestors faced continue to influence our decision-making, relationships and happiness today. ‘The Social Leap’ has been translated into a dozen different languages and received the annual Book Prize from the world’s foremost social psychology society. Bill’s second book, ‘The Social Paradox’, was published in February 2025 to crtical acclaim. Bill has also been a guest on several of the world’s biggest podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, The Diary of A CEO,  London Real and Modern Wisdom with Chris Williamson. Known for his ability to connect evolutionary theory with everyday life, Bill’s research delves into the cognitive and social mechanisms that influence our relationships, decisions and overall well-being. His talks are insightful and engaging, offering audiences a fresh perspective on how ancient evolutionary pressures continue to mould our lives today. When he is not doing all of these things, Bill can be found spending time with family and friends, climbing, golfing, and skiing. If you want to find out more about William, please see the attached links. Instagram - www.instagram.com/williamvonhippel  LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-von-hippel/

  7. Jun 12

    Peter Scott - The silent service of submarines and leading with courage and compassion

    In this episode, Blake sits down with Peter Scott. Peter Scott joined the Royal Australian Navy as a seventeen-year-old Midshipman and, over three decades, rose to become the professional head of the Navy’s elite: the Submarine Arm. During that journey, he served among the dedicated crews of the most highly specialised capability in any Navy in the most complex and demanding environment on earth: the undersea battlespace. He survived and led others through at-sea fires, floods and explosions, and passed the most demanding military command course in the world, Perisher. Peter commanded the longest deployment ever conducted by an Australian submarine and led the Arm through an unprecedented period of expansion. In all, he served in ten submarines and twenty different command and leadership appointments over thirty-four years. A veteran of multiple Special Operations with the Submarine Arm, he also saw active service in Iraq, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan during 2006 and 2007. Peter was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service in the Australia Day Honours List 2008, having previously been decorated with the Conspicuous Service Cross for achievements in command of HMAS Collins. Peter holds a Master’s degree in Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney and now works as an executive coach, helping leaders develop, perform, and succeed. He has recently authored a memoir, published by Fremantle Press, on his naval and submarine service - ‘Running Deep. An Australian Submarine Life.’ When not writing or coaching, Peter can be found on the trails running ultramarathons or relaxing at home with his family. If you want to find out more about Peter, please see the attached links. www.peterscott.au

  8. Jun 10

    Dr Jenny Brockis - From Wellness to Burnout: How to Achieve Optimal Performance in Your Life.

    In this episode, Blake sits down with Dr Jenny Brockis is a Medical Practitioner, Lifestyle Medicine Physician and Health and Wellness Coach committed to reshaping the future of healthcare toward a focus on prevention and reduction of chronic disease. Having no idea what she wanted to do after leaving school, Jenny initially trained as a Nightingale Nurse at St Thomas’ Hospital in London before realising medicine was where she really wanted to be. After qualifying at Bristol University, she commenced specialist GP training before migrating to Australia, where she set up and ran her own highly successful group family medical practice for many years. Burnout was the freight train Jenny never saw coming. She lost her practice and sense of identity. If she wasn’t a doctor, who was she? In 2009, Jenny founded her consultancy Brain Fit, working in the corporate sector, providing workplace health and well-being services, and becoming an international and award-winning keynote speaker. She retrained in Lifestyle Medicine, gained her Fellowship in 2019, and has continued to indulge her passion for learning by studying the neuroscience of leadership, nutritional and environmental medicine, positive psychology, menopause management, and nature-based therapy at a postgraduate level. A prolific writer, Jenny has written a weekly blog since 2009, has had countless articles published in print and online, and is the author of six books, including the best-seller Future Brain and her newest book, The Natural Advantage. Having discovered, thanks to burnout, that there is life beyond work, Jenny is an avid hiker, kayaker and owner of two nutty Vizsla dogs, wife and parent to two amazing young adults. If you want to find out more about Jenny, please see the attached links. www.drjennybrockis.com The One True Measure: Follow us on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/onetruemeasure LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-o-connell-a829b369/ Website - https://www.onetruemeasure.com.au/

  9. Jun 5

    Ben Pronk DSC - The SAS, leadership and stoic philosophy to build your resilience to win in life.

    In this episode, Blake sits down with Ben Pronk, a leader and specialist in risk, resilience and process improvement.Ben’s first career spanned 24 years in the Australian Army, with the majority of this time spent in the Special Air Service Regiment. In this capacity, Ben served on multiple operational deployments and was decorated for leadership in action, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. The culmination of his service was serving as the Commanding Officer of the SAS. Ben is a highly regarded thought leader and sought-after public speaker, a faculty member at the Australian Graduate School of Management and a Patron of the Military Art Program Australia. Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Defence Studies (with Distinction) from King's College, London, and a Master of Business Administration (with Distinction) from the University of Western Australia. He is also a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course. Alongside Tim Curtis, his business partner, Ben co-hosts the popular Unforgiving60 podcast. In 2022, Ben co-wrote the best-selling book The Resilience Shield with Tim and his brother, Dr Dan Pronk. Ben also has a new book due out on June 30 titled ‘ We are all going to die’ Practical Happiness for the time you have left. When he is not all these things, he is the Managing Partner at Mettle Global, a marathon runner, an artist, a husband, a father of two, and a true Renaissance man. If you want to find out more about Ben, please see the attached links.https://resilienceshield.com/ https://www.benpronk.com/  The One True Measure: Follow us on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/onetruemeasure LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-o-connell-a829b369/ Website - https://www.onetruemeasure.com.au/

  • 9 Episodes

About

One True Measure is about the journey each of us must take to understand, define and in time measure success in our lives. At One True Measure, we believe success is and should be an individual journey. We also believe in the importance of building a community in which we all grow and support each other on our collective journey. The goal of the One True Measure podcast is to create the space for long-form, in-depth conversations we can all learn from with exceptional people who embody their own One True Measure. This isn’t a show about chasing more. It’s a show about choosing better.

Information

  • Creator
    Blake OConnell
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Blake OConnell
  • Show Website
    One True Measure

You Might Also Like