By Dr. Aiden M.A. Thornton “Generational changes are always a challenge… there are many older leaders at sea to understand how to approach leadership with the younger generations.” This quote from Leading in Complexity: An Initial Enquiry in Tasmania vividly illustrates a tension that many leaders are feeling: how to lead across difference in a […]
Bridging Generations – Leading in a Shifting Social Landscape Read More »
The Menzies Leadership Foundation, in partnership with Global Voices, is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of the Sir Ninian Stephen Law Delegation Fellows. These three emerging legal leaders—Samar Batool Athar, Tiarna Williams, and Nashita Pasha—have been selected to represent Australia at the United Nations General Assembly Sixth Committee (Legal) in October 2025. This prestigious
Announcing the 2025 Sir Ninian Stephen Law Delegation Fellows Read More »
By Dr. Aiden M.A. Thornton “My complexities as a leader relate to organisational culture and introducing and managing change…”. This quote from Leading in Complexity: An Initial Enquiry in Tasmania captures a reality that many leaders feel acutely: the pressure to manage change at the pace it is unfolding. It’s where good intentions collide with
Culture, Change and Complexity – Aligning for Impact Read More »
Overview Over four years, from 2020 to 2023, the MedTech Actuator, in partnership with the Menzies Leadership Foundation, delivered two national science entrepreneurship programmes. These initiatives were designed to bridge the gap between scientific research and commercialisation by equipping researchers with essential entrepreneurial skills. The programmes offered robust and practical training, one-on-one mentorship, and facilitated
Unlocking the potential of science commercialisation: from training to systemic change Read More »
A powerful new suite of research, released today by the Menzies Leadership Foundation and First Australians Capital, highlights the systemic challenges, and the transformative leadership, of Indigenous women entrepreneurs in the Kimberley. Funded by the Menzies Leadership Foundation and First Australians Capital, the research supports Future Weavers, a movement led by Kimberley Jiyigas founder Natasha
By Dr. Aiden M.A. Thornton “System complexity is an ever-increasing challenge for leaders… I feel like the level of overwhelm being experienced by leaders is increasing.” This powerful quote from Leading in Complexity: An Initial Enquiry in Tasmania expresses something many leaders are feeling but perhaps struggling to articulate: the creeping weight of complexity, and
The Weight of Complexity – Leading Through Overwhelm Read More »
By Dr. Aiden M.A. Thornton “We are a small community. Leading change will typically upset members of your social circle or even family. That makes leadership in Tasmania particularly challenging – but we need it!” This quote reflects a reality that many Tasmanian leaders know all too well: change isn’t just an organisational process, it’s
Leading Change in Close-Knit Communities – The Tasmania Challenge Read More »
The legacy of Sir Ninian Stephen — a jurist, diplomat, and civic leader of the highest calibre — continues to shape the future of Australian legal leadership. His life’s work reminds us that law, at its best, is a force for principled engagement with the world’s greatest challenges. It is in this spirit that the
In a world where cultural change is too often attempted through metrics, off-the-shelf tools, and superficial symbols, Dr. Josie McLean offers a refreshing and deeply human counterpoint. As the author of Purposeful Cultures and Big Little Shifts: A Practitioner’s Guide to Complexity for Organisational Change and Adaptation, Dr. McLean brings over two decades of hands-on
By Dr. Aiden M.A. Thornton This quote conveys a sentiment that echoes across boardrooms, communities, and political spaces alike. It’s not just disillusionment—it’s exhaustion. Perhaps it’s an admission that some systems we’ve relied on, and some leaders who steward them, may no longer be up to the task. And yet, this experience of complexity, while
When Leadership Fails; Restoring Trust in Uncertain Times Read More »
Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity.
Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.
