Connect Lead Coach

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Connect Lead Coach

Helping individuals and organisations create a leadership culture of connection & sustainability.

Inspiring leaders, teams and organisations to make their Contribution towards a braver, kinder world of work through coaching, facilitation and speaking events. Connect Lead Coach is an HR, Coaching and Leadership Development business, based in Brisbane Qld, with over 20 years of experience in HR, Coaching & training facilitation with all organisational levels from C suite to new managers & team l

eaders. We offer a range of services which are either off-the-shelf or bespoke packages, depending on your needs and what you want to achieve, and are available in person or virtually. Our mission at Connect Lead Coach is to support everyone establish a safe place to live and work where awareness, learning, challenge & kindness underpin a culture of connection and sustainability.

08/09/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲?

Last week, I did a box jump.

Every time I looked at that box at the gym, I pictured myself going headfirst over the top of it. 😬

So, I spoke to one of the coaches. We started smaller, built up to it and eventually…I jumped.

Hardly groundbreaking. But it got me thinking about 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

As leaders become more experienced, it can be incredibly easy to become entrenched in what we already know.

We find ways of communicating, leading, making decisions and managing people that have worked for us before.

And then we wonder why we're not getting a different outcome.

Growth requires experimentation.

A client of mine demonstrated this beautifully recently.

They wanted to create more openness and connection within their team, so they tried what they described as a “social experiment.”

At the beginning of a team meeting, they shared a list of emotions and asked everyone to check in by choosing what they were feeling.

It wasn't something they'd done before.

It felt a little uncomfortable. A little risky.

But rather than pretending otherwise, they explained why they wanted to try it and acknowledged to the team that they were leaning into something new themselves.

And that's leadership.

Not having all the answers.

Not waiting until you're certain something will work.

But being willing to try, learn, listen and adapt in service of a better outcome.

A growth mindset isn't simply believing we can get better.

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁.

My box jump and my client's experiment were very different challenges, but the principle was the same:

Start somewhere.
Try something different.
Learn from what happens.
Then expand the edge a little further.

So perhaps the leadership question isn't only:

“What do I need to get better at?”

Maybe it's:

“𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲?”

06/09/2026

✨𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵.

There are moments in leadership when things do not go the way we hoped. A decision may not have the outcome we expected, an important conversation may leave us feeling disappointed, or the effort we have invested may not seem to make a difference.

Feeling disheartened in those moments is completely human. What matters is giving ourselves the space to acknowledge the feeling, reflect and get curious on what led to this point and deciding how we want to move forward.

Sometimes, moving forward does not mean having all the answers. It means reconnecting with what matters, learning from the experience, and finding the confidence to take the next step. 🌱

𝐁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹: https://calendly.com/connectleadcoach/30min

03/09/2026

𝟓 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐀 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫.

5 years today I started a business.

When I started Connect Lead Coach, I knew I loved working with people. I knew I believed deeply in the potential of great leadership and the impact it can have on people, teams and organisations.

What I probably understood a little less was what it really meant to build a business around that belief!

There have been some incredible highs…

✨ Watching people unlock potential they didn’t always see in themselves.

✨ Helping leaders build and strengthen connections that genuinely change how they lead.

✨ Being invited into teams and organisations to have conversations that matter.

✨ Meeting and working with some brilliant humans along the way.

✨ Continuing to learn, stretch myself and become better at my craft.

And, of course, there have been lows too…

➡️ Not always getting it right.

➡️ The uncertainty that comes with running your own business.

➡️ The isolation that can sometimes come with being a solopreneur.

➡️ And working for an extremely demanding manager who is always pushing for the next thing… unfortunately, she’s me. 😂

Perhaps one of my biggest lessons over these five years is 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.

Connection to your purpose.

Connection to the people around you.

Connection to yourself — and knowing when to push, when to learn, and sometimes when to simply stop and recognise how far you’ve come.

So today, I’m doing a little of that.

𝟓 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡. 🥂

To every client who has trusted me, challenged me, recommended me, worked with me or simply cheered me on — 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

The same goes for my community of peers - you know who you are. Without either it's safe to say I wouldn't have hit this milestone 🙏🏻

I’m incredibly grateful for what these five years have taught me and excited about what comes next.

Here’s to continuing to 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 — and maybe giving that demanding manager the occasional day off! 💚

02/09/2026

💫𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻💫

This week’s emotion is Rebellious.

Being rebellious can sometimes mean challenging the usual way of doing things, questioning expectations, or giving yourself permission to step outside the rules you’ve created for yourself.

It doesn’t always have to be dramatic. Sometimes, it’s simply recognising when a familiar pattern no longer works and having the courage to do something differently. Pushing beyond the comfort zone can create space for growth, choice, and new possibilities. ✨

💬𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀:

"When was the last time you felt rebellious?"

Watch the video to hear the perspective shared, and take a moment to reflect on how this emotion shows up for you.

Share your thoughts in the comments or send a message, genuinely interested to hear your reflections!

01/09/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 ✨

Career transitions can bring uncertainty, self-doubt, and difficult decisions. With the right coaching support, they can also become an opportunity to reconnect with your values, reset your mindset, and move forward with greater confidence.

This client gained deeper self-awareness, clarity around their career direction, and the confidence to navigate their next chapter with purpose.

💬 Sometimes, the clarity you need starts with taking a step back and seeing things from a new perspective.

Ready to navigate your next chapter with clarity?

𝐁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹: https://calendly.com/connectleadcoach/30min

30/08/2026

A follower sent me a note last week in response to one of my ECD videos about being Courageous.

And it made me reflect on something…

Putting my first video out on social media was genuinely one of the most courageous things I’d done in a long time! 😬

I overthought it.
I worried about what people would think.
I wondered whether I really had anything worth saying.

But I posted it anyway.

And I’m sharing this for anyone who has a message they want to share, a point of view they believe is important, or even a simple idea or hack that someone else might benefit from.

You never really know the impact you can have.

Someone might hear exactly what they needed to hear that day.

Someone might feel a little less alone.

Someone might try something differently because you were willing to share what you know.

And when that impact comes from a place of kindness and a genuine desire to help others, it feels extra special. ❤️

So, if you’ve been getting in your own way, overthinking it or waiting until you feel completely ready…

I encourage you to be Courageous.

Have the conversation.
Share the thought.
Post the video.
Use your voice.

You could quite literally help someone in your community.

And that feels worth being a little uncomfortable for.

26/08/2026

💫𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻💫

This week's emotion is Doubt.

Doubt can feel heavy. It can make us question our decisions, second-guess ourselves, and quickly turn a small moment of uncertainty into something much bigger in our minds.

Sometimes, doubt comes from wanting to get things right and avoid making mistakes. While checking and preparing can create reassurance, learning to pause, check the facts, and give ourselves permission to make mistakes can also help take some of the weight out of the emotion. ✨

💬𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀:
"When was the last time you felt doubt?"

Watch the video to hear the perspective shared, and take a moment to reflect on how doubt shows up for you.

Share your thoughts in the comments or send a message, genuinely interested to hear your reflections!

25/08/2026

A few Sundays ago, I unexpectedly found myself with 3–4 hours completely to myself.

If you know me, you'll know just how rare that is.

My first thought wasn't, "How nice." It was, "What can I achieve?"

My mind immediately went to the never-ending mental to-do list and all the things I could finally tick off.

Achievement has served me well. It's one of my strengths.

But it can also be my downfall.

I'm not naturally good at slowing down. My nervous system has been trying to tell me that for a while.

In that moment, I caught myself. Instead of filling every minute with productivity, I leaned into the discomfort of doing the opposite.

So I took myself out for a coffee, wandered along the bay, and finished with a 60-minute massage.

No agenda.
No productivity.
Just presence.

And it was complete bliss.

It reminded me that sometimes the most productive thing we can do is give ourselves permission to pause.

So I'm curious...

What's your autopilot?

And what feels uncomfortable to do differently—even though you know it's exactly what you need?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

23/08/2026

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. ✨

Leadership can come with the pressure to always be available, helpful, and ready to say yes. But without clear boundaries, time and energy can quickly become stretched, making it harder to focus on what truly matters.

Healthy boundaries help create clearer expectations, protect your capacity, and make space for more intentional leadership. They can strengthen relationships because people understand what you can commit to and where your focus needs to be.

🤍If you’re looking to lead with greater clarity while protecting your energy and focus.

𝐁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹: https://calendly.com/connectleadcoach/30min

19/08/2026

💫𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻💫

This week's emotion is Courageous.

Being courageous doesn’t always mean doing something huge. Sometimes, it’s having a vulnerable conversation, taking a risk, speaking up, or simply doing something that feels outside your comfort zone.

Courage often comes with a physical reaction too. A tight chest, a nervous stomach, or that feeling of resistance can all show up when taking a step into the unknown. The more those moments are embraced, the more familiar they can become, turning something that once felt scary into something that feels possible. ✨

💬𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀:
"When was the last time you felt courageous?"

Watch the video to hear the perspective shared, and take a moment to reflect on how courage shows up for you.

Share your thoughts in the comments or send a message, genuinely interested to hear your reflections!

Address

Manly, QLD
4179

Telephone

+61450900440

Website

https://connectleadcoach.com/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-smith-90638a64/

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