Adaptive Leadership – where to start for success

CEO

Leaders Institute of SA

Cathie Brown was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the not for profit Leaders Institute of South Australia in July 2017. In this role she is responsible for the delivery of development programs which enhance individuals capabilities to understand themselves, see the big picture, lead successful change and act authentically in leadership roles across all industries. The Institute’s flagship program is the Governor’s Leadership Foundation program which is a 10-month immersive program for senior leaders. The Institute also provides programs for emerging leaders and in-house development programs, coaching and psychometric testing.

Prior to this role, Cathie has worked in many transformational positions including merging TAFE SA into one entity, establishing the Media Centre for Education Research Australia and buying the State’s Rescue Helicopter Service. She also co-wrote the Equal Opportunity Commission report into sexual harassment and sex discrimination in the SA Police Force. She is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course, holds a Master of Business Administration (awarded the Alec Ramsay Award and MBA prize), a Bachelor of Arts and is a qualified project manager. She started her working life as a journalist.

Cathie has also held a number of Board Director positions and is currently President of community radio station 5MBS. She is also the mother of two young adult daughters.

Change Agent

The Catalyst Foundation, The Partnership Pty. Ltd

Dr Josie McLean began her career as a financial analyst and corporate strategic planner in the automotive and finance industries. She has been fascinated by the intersection of strategy, people, process and change ever since. In 1999, she commenced her executive coaching practice that extended into organisational cultural evolution by 2009. During that year Josie also received the global International Coach Federation President’s 2009 Award for her contribution as a co-founder of the professional coaching industry in Australasia.

Josie’s doctoral thesis involved her as an external change agent within a client organisation to understand how an organisation might transform itself to nurture people and planet – just like a person might – from the inside out. Through this study she has developed a deep understanding of complexity, adaptive challenges and the personal, cultural and structural adaptive challenges that lie at the heart of organisational transformation and survival. Her thesis was recognised with the Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence. She continues to work in the ambiguous space of adaptive learning and change within organisations and communities.

Increasingly her work is turning to teaching others what she has learned about complex challenges and how to move forward within them. Josie also researches and publishes as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide’s Yunus Social Business Centre and is a co-founder on the global Climate Coaching Alliance initiative