What Bob Brown teaches us about leading change


In this post I reflect on the life story of Bob Brown as shown in documentary The Giants (currently screening) and what he teaches us about leading change.

This photo was taken on a family visit to Tasmania’s Styx Valley in 2022 which is the home of Eucalyptus regnans, the tallest flowering plant on Earth. To stand in the presence of these giants, which have stood for more than 400 years, is nothing short of magical. They can’t help but to widen one’s perspective. I am deeply grateful to know that these beautiful trees are no longer under threat.

Humans and nature are inextricably linked. One person who perhaps knows this better than many is environmental activist, former politician, and Greens co-founder, Bob Brown. Last week, I had the privilege of seeing The Giants, a documentary recounting the personal story of Bob and his lifetime commitment to conservation. I was deeply stirred and inspired at multiple levels, so much so that I couldn’t get on with any other work/anything else until I shared this with you!

A qualified doctor, Bob walked away from his profession to follow what could be described as a ‘calling’ or a ‘knowing’ within himself, imploring him to attend to something greater. He has spent all his years since as a staunch activist for the protection of Australia’s wilderness, including his significant role in the infamous Franklin Dam protests and his 29 years in state and federal politics, during which he co-founded the Greens party.

Given much of my own work is about ‘leading change’ at a personal and systemic level, I couldn’t help but view The Giants through this lens, and I am so glad that I did. Bob’s actions and way of being in the world were well ahead of his time. Through viewing his story in its entirety, I was able to witness some of the qualities that guided his actions as a remarkable leader and changemaker.​

1. He got ‘out of the way of himself’ and found his voice.

Bob was quiet by nature as a child and didn’t like public speaking. However, early on he had an ‘ah-ha’ moment that would compel his future actions: this wasn’t about him, it was about speaking on behalf of the trees.

We can so often let the ‘I’ get in the way of the collective good. When we show up in service of something greater than ourselves, particularly if it is in alignment with who we are and what we are here to do, then all manner of things can shift to help us on our path. Speaking up and challenging the status quo is often the birthplace of change. It’s uncomfortable; we can feel exposed and personally attacked. Attending to what matters, connecting deeply with our personal ‘why’ and navigating through any self-doubt, is the way forward.

2. He backed himself and took risks

In every step of his journey, Bob approached the seemingly impossible by believing in the possible. He walked away from a secure career as a medical professional into the relative unknown, guided by an internal knowing that he had a greater role to play. Every step in the campaigns that he spearheaded involved taking risks. Perhaps you, like me, recall the footage of campaigners in rubber dinghies getting knocked in all directions as the first bulldozer arrived on a boat? There was a lot at stake and people were prepared to put their lives on the line to ensure these ancient forests would be there for future generations. A further example of Bob’s preparedness to take risks occurred during a television interview in 1978, when Bob shared that he was homosexual at a time when it was illegal in Tasmania. The courage of this man is truly inspiring.

Change doesn’t happen when we are in our comfort zone. It is uncomfortable by nature. If it’s not uncomfortable, then check again – is anything actually changing, or are we just re-arranging the deck chairs? The higher the stakes, the greater the risks that need taking. As leaders, we must take risks. We must find a way to quieten the voice of fear and doubt and back ourselves against the inevitable barrage of resistance.

3.He challenged social constructs and norms

Bob was prepared to challenge social norms, even in very hostile environments. One example of this is when Bob was exited from parliament after he challenged US president George Bush during his address. The topic of conversation mattered so much to Bob and the people he represented that he spoke out, despite very clear social expectations warning him not to do so. A perspective needed to be voiced, so he voiced it.

Challenging social constructs and norms is key to our personal growth as leaders and changemakers. If we conform to social expectations and smile politely instead of confronting the status quo, then change doesn’t happen. As leaders of change, we must become masters of this.

4.He created a change ‘movement’

Bob was a visionary. He knew what really mattered, spoke up and enlisted allies across the nation. While Bob and his colleagues were unable to save the unnecessary flooding of Lake Pedder (which remains flooded to this day), in 1982, he and his colleagues built a nationwide following and significant on the ground support that influenced a change of government at the time and ultimately stopped the damming of the Franklin and Gordon rivers. The movement that Bob and his colleagues created was extraordinary, especially given they were without social media or the internet (imagine that!). At the time, the greatest avenue for doing this was via media coverage. People were arrested for protesting; jails were full and the coverage of this was on national television. He harnessed celebrities and enlisted Australian icon, Dick Smith, to helicopter in a radio communication system and a plane full of influential supporters. Through thinking ‘outside the square’, he enlisted the followers and created momentum.

Change doesn’t happen in isolation. We need to bring others on the journey with us.  How we go about that is key. Through creating a change ‘movement’ as opposed to just keeping stakeholders ‘engaged and informed’ we can activate so much more of the human spirit which in turns adds positive energy and momentum to the change effort.

5.He approached the change as an adaptive challenge

Bob didn’t know how they would stop the planned hydro electricity scheme going ahead. He just knew what was at stake and answered the call. This meant that he and his colleagues took one step at a time almost like a series of experiments to see what was possible. It was only then that the next step would become clear. It was a true adaptive challenge where there was no existing ‘map’ or ‘process’ to follow, just one step informing the next towards the vision of protecting these ancient forests.

We often think about change as a series of linear steps from one state towards another. The reality is usually quite different.  This is because transformational change is complex and multifaceted. We need to approach change as an ‘adaptive challenge’ ( where there is no known way to solve the challenge) rather than a ‘technical problem’ to be solved (where the solution is known or can be worked out) and leverage ‘experiments’ to learn and grow along with the change process.

Thank you, Bob Brown for being an extraordinary leader and change maker.

Please do yourself a favour and don’t miss seeing The Giants.

Nicola x

Our Leading Change Program is a nine-month in-house learning experience where a cohort of approx 16 leaders work or personal and organisational adaptive challenges supported by coaching, group coaching and workshops. The purpose of the program is developing leaders’ capability, capacity and confidence to lead change for themselves, their teams and organisations. Interested in finding out more? Book a conversation with Nicola.

“I’m sorry that you are feeling that way”


Photo: This is me age 3, refusing to walk any further. It was sitting on the kitchen bench on the morning of the Monday meltdown and it captured a little of how I was feeling on that day.

There is a lot to navigate right now isn’t there? How are you holding up?

When Dan Andrews announced extensions of stage 4 restrictions for Melbourne Lockdown 2.0 on Father’s Day 2020, the news wasn’t unexpected. In some ways I let it wash over me that day. That night, however, I tossed and turned and did not sleep well.

Monday came around again and as I was looking down the barrel of another week of what felt at the time like Groundhog Day, I awoke feeling overwhelmed and not knowing how I or anyone else was going to endure several more weeks of lockdown. I felt heavy and stuck and I was unable, in that moment, to focus on anything other than doom and gloom.

To compound how I was feeling, I started to feel guilty about feeling that way. Given all that I have to be grateful for in my life I should be able to just think positive thoughts and get on with it.
How often do we give that advice to ourselves and offer or give that advice to others? It has its place but sometimes it’s not helpful and can even be harmful.

Not surprisingly this harsh inner-critic compounded how I was feeling. Luckily for me, with my husband working from home we had some extra time together over breakfast (one of the many gifts that isolation has given us). He was able to be present with me and just listened as I explained to him how I was feeling in that moment. I didn’t hold back and left no stone unturned. He didn’t try and ‘fix’ anything. He was present and he listened. I cried. He passed the tissues and he listened.

After the 10 minutes it took for me to do the offload, he said, ‘I am sorry that you are feeling that way’ and gave me a big hug.

You know what happened then? The veil of heaviness that had surrounded me began to lift. I felt so much lighter. I mustered up the energy for a walk and reflected on that little bit of ‘magic’ that had just transpired. I felt so much better in myself. I was able to refocus on my day and get on with what I had to get done.

I share this story as a reminder of how important it is that we acknowledge the full spectrum of how we are feeling and find a healthy way to express that. Especially at this time, but this is equally important in our day-to-day interactions, life and leadership.

We need to get rid of the story of judging feelings as being ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and learn to welcome and make space for them all. We need to re-frame this idea that we should always focus on the positive, especially when it is at the expense of putting a lid on our so-called ‘negative’ emotions.

I am not suggesting for a moment that we should wallow in self-pity and stay there. What I am suggesting is that if we simply try and put a lid on the things we don’t want to feel then they will stay stuck somewhere in our bodies, wreaking potential havoc there. And they will get a stronger grip on us and keep us stuck there for even longer.

If we can, on the other hand, give these ‘feelings’ what they need – which is often simply to be acknowledged – they can then move through us and we can regain clarity, calm and the perspective that we need to be able to move forward.

In the famous poem, ‘The Guest House’, the 13th century Sufi poet Rumi, speaks to this same idea:
This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all!…”


You can read the full poem here.


My questions to you:

Are you making space to express all aspects of how you are feeling?

Is there anything you can do differently in supporting others to help them make space for expressing all of how they are feeling?

Please take care. Look after your emotional landscape and of course at any stage you feel any emotion feels too intense for then please get professional support. https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp

What’s your growth edge?


This post shares a personal story and suggests that every human being on the planet right now, in some shape or form, is facing into their own ‘growth edge’. It invites the reader to reflect on what they are noticing in themselves and others in terms of this personal learning and highlights that perhaps the luckiest people right now have leaders and organisations that are providing development and wellbeing support for their people.

Meet Elaine. She is my delightful 84-year-old mother-in law. Elaine left school at age 15 to help with home duties on the family farm and continued in that role all through motherhood and grandmother-hood.

In her lifetime, she has baked tonnes of lemon slice and the arguably the best chocolate cake ever. When she isn’t baking, she pours all her energy and focus into supporting her community and showering us – the family – with her love.

Throughout her lifetime, Elaine has felt no desire for, nor any reason to, use a computer or a smartphone. And so, in March 2020, as the world felt like it was closing in on all of us, we realised that that Elaine would soon be in total isolation. Without even the stilted connectedness the internet offers the rest of us, she would have very limited contact with her her family and friends, and we were concerned about the flow-on impact this would have on her overall wellbeing.

So, without further thought, we purchased her an iPad. In a curious way, one of the first questions she asked was, ‘Why is the keyboard not in alphabetical order?’ She had never used any sort of keyboard in her life, let alone an email address. How much we take for granted! This was completely uncharted territory for her.

The rest is history.

True to form, with her enthusiastic approach to a new challenge, she was up-and-running in no time. The pure delight we witnessed when Elaine had her whole family (across many geographical locations) in front of her on the first Facetime call is a precious moment that will stay in my heart forever.

If you had said to me six months ago that, in the year 2020, Elaine would be making Facetime calls, ordering her groceries and doing her banking online, I would have broken out in laughter!

But she was soon doing all of that. We are so proud of her.

Elaine’s story got me thinking about what the disruption of this year has meant to all of us in terms of the learning we have been somewhat forced to do or had to do in many ways. What became clear to me is that every human being on the planet right now has had to confront their own fear at some level and learn something new, or make some change that they would not have made without the pandemic.

No one is exempt. It has been, and continues to be, a true ‘growth edge’ experience for us all. (Read more about growth edge here)

Do you agree? Where have you noticed this happening?

What are you being asked to or forced to change at this time?

What is your personal growth edge right now?

Some examples from my own ‘growth edge backyard’ are:

  • quickly getting up to speed and proficient at creating connection and engagement online so as to be able to effectively deliver team development via an online platform. Like many, I still really don’t like facilitating groups on Microsoft Teams, but at least I know how to do it.
  • taming my voice in our family to allow each person an equal say in shaping the healthy boundaries needed for life in isolation in a household of five people (that is, learning to listen better and not assuming I always have the best answer)
  • establishing a healthy and productive work rhythm by creating greater structure around my allocated working hours, which in my case means 90 minute cycles then taking a break (here is a great article on this topic).

Most clients that I am currently working with are struggling with many aspects of work and life – juggling home schooling, too many hours on Zoom and experiencing other financial and social pressures. It’s the norm rather than the exception right now.

What is being demanded of people by this pandemic in terms of growing and changing for many feels heavy and hard. I am also noticing, however, that the luckiest people during this time work in organisations and with leaders that recognise the need for, and are investing in, the wellbeing and development of their people. It is from this support base, that people can begin to make sense of themselves and their own experiences and begin to see some reward and celebration of their efforts on the other side.

The benefits flow on, as when this growth edge can be applied within a broader team context, it is even more powerful. As individuals grow and change and are able to be more vulnerable and courageous with themselves – as 84-year-old Elaine has demonstrated so well, and when they can do this with their teams as well, then team culture can grow in ways that are good for all.

Could you or your team do with support right now? Please get in touch to book your team development – delivered remotely of course.

 

Is there a burning question in your team? The Flow Game can help.


This blog post introduces readers to a unique individual and team development experience – The Flow Game. The Flow Game gets to the heart of what needs to change in the way the team is operating and in doing so creates clarity, grows connection and grounds action. It is a powerful process for leadership and team evolution as it provides a much-needed space for reflection, expression and connection.

Where did the Flow Game originate?

The Flow Game (www.flowgame.net) has its origins in Denmark back in the 1990’s and is now being played across the globe for individuals and teams as a way of finding clarity together. There are eight stewards of the game across the globe, including three of the original founders (Vanguards) – Toke Paludan Møller, Monica Nissen and Jan Hein Nielsen.

I have been extremely fortunate to be a student of the Flow Game for several years now, and have reaped the rewards both personally and professionally that come with this practice. In 2019, I was formally accredited as a Flow Game host and this coincided with the release of the Team Deck of cards. Since then,  the Flow Game has become an integral part of my leadership & team development toolkit.

Why you might ask?

Because quite simply put – The Flow Game surfaces what really needs to change (based on the collective question of the group), creates alignment and before people have even left the room many of the internal barriers to change are no longer there. A new lease of energy, connection and grounded action is available for the team. This is cultural change and leadership in action.

What is the Flow Game?

The Flow Game isn’t a conversational game as you might expect– it is more about reflecting and sharing and listening without the need to interrupt or judge or fix or justify or explain.   The process helps us to slow down and fall into our true nature and helps us to learn a very different way of being together and interacting in a conscious way. From that place new awareness and insight is surfaced and the action that we need to take becomes clear. The flow game in its essence helps individuals, teams and groups to:

  • Create clarity
  • Grow connection (self, others & to vision, values purpose), and
  • Define and agree action
  • Create (desired) change

The Seven different perspectives in the flow game

1.Blue River of the EAST – Vision

The creative and visionary side of leadership and seeing the big picture

2.Yellow River of the SOUTH – Community

The ability to empathize, connect, inspire, engage, align and attune

3.Green River of the WEST – Action

The ability to bring vision into meaningful action and ‘get things done’

4.Red River of the NORTH (Red) – Courage

Having the courage to walk new paths, break new ground, lead the way

In addition to the four rivers – dimensions or directions of our personal leadership there are two more aspects to consider:

5. Above (Heaven) – heaven speaks to our highest aspirations and powers that are greater than we are.

6.Below (Earth) – earth below is our ground, the foundation we stand on. It gives us a sense of reality and demands our presence here and now.

7.My/Our Question/Intention –The focus or intention is formulated as a question, which sits in the centre of the game. Together we then explore and illuminate the intention/s from the other six perspectives of the game.

Source: www.flowgame.net

Three Versions

There are three different card decks that are used for different purposes:

  • Personal,
  • Team &
  • Family/community

Within that context, there are multiple possibilities for the way the game can be played as it can be designed around an individual or group intention (question) or a combination of both.

As a flow host community, we are constantly evolving and exploring new ways to design and host the game for varying contexts and needs.

A Burning Question

The flow game is a process – and it’s a powerful one but it is important to note that it’s not the panacea for every presenting issue or challenge. The important thing is that the individual/s or team has a burning question that they are seeking clarity on and that the invitation to, and the design of the game is set up in a way that honors the people, the process and the situation/question.

The need and intent and the membership of the group first must be clear and we then design the game around that.

Different Applications

Three of the ways that The Flow game is currently being used in a business and community context are:

1. Team Development

When working with an intact team, a great place to start is with a shared/collective question or intention. This is where the Team Cards are used.  This may progress to a round using the Personal Cards however in this context – a generic question would be applied for each member of the team. For example, “given what we now know about the team, what does that mean me? “would be applied generally. The design will of course depend on the need, intent and membership of the group.

2. Leadership Development

Depending on the need, intent and membership of the group (for example it is often easier to be vulnerable with people we don’t know than with people we do know) ,the flow game can be integrated into an existing Leadership Development Program at the start of the shared learning journey, midway during the experience or as a way of integrating and coming to closure and grounded action at the end of a Leadership Development Program.  Team, Personal and Family/Community Cards can all be applied in this context.

In today’s hectic world at a time when it is so easy to fall into the trap of being overwhelmed by feelings of “busy and important”, the Flow Game offers the essential time required to reflect and do the important deep-thinking essential for conscious choice and action – Participant

3. Cultural Evolution

The flow game is a powerful way to create clarity and alignment at an individual and collective level and this is where it fits to support and enable cultural evolution. In one specific application, it is being used in the implementation of the cultural change journey. Stage 1 was one was about defining purpose, vision, values and strategy and stage 2 is about bringing that to life.  The Flow game is being leveraged as part of the team and leadership development journey with the collective question: Given our overall direction, “What is our responsibility to bring this to life?. It is also being used with the leaders of this change to create clarity and alignment around leading this change.

How many people can play?

The flow game is typically played with 2-8 players – however that too can be flexible. For example, it can be utilized in an executive coaching session with one person all the way through to a conference with many people.  It is possible to have multiple games being played concurrently and has been done with great success in many settings.

While there are many different applications of The Flow Game, the essence of what it delivers at both an individual and team level remains the same:

  • Clarity
  • Connection
  • Action
  • Change

It is from this place that we can live, lead and be together consciously and create healthy high-performing teams.

Evolving Leaders was established in 2014 with the purpose of evolving the consciousness of leaders to make the world a better place. The Flow Game is a powerful partner in this work. We are greatly indebted to the founders of the game and the international flow host community that continues to evolve this practice.

Interested in a Team Flow experience? Please get in touch.