The Journey to Natural Leadership Starts Here

The journey to natural leadership starts here

If traditional leadership models don't resonate with you, or you've faced burnout and pressure to constantly achieve more, this podcast is for you.

We're redefining leadership through authenticity, alignment, and ease, rather than force and hustle. True leadership arises from a deep self-understanding, making leading feel natural.

That's our exploration together.

For the full episode, listen on the player above

I've always been drawn to leadership, feeling a deep sense of purpose to guide and impact others. However, traditional leadership teachings never felt right to me. I've witnessed leaders, including myself, burn out trying to fit into systems that don't support them, often wearing masks to be deemed 'successful'.

What if leadership was about alignment rather than striving? What if it felt easy and fulfilling?

That's the foundation of The Natural Leader Podcast.

Reflecting on past roles, I've often taken leadership positions because others thought I fit, despite knowing internally it wasn't right. An example: 18 months ago, I accepted a senior role everyone deemed perfect for me. Despite external validation, it felt wrong, and I ended up exhausted and unfulfilled.

Failing the interview was a blessing, sparing me from burnout. This experience prompted me to rethink my leadership journey, realising I could make an impact through conversations and sharing knowledge, not just in high organisational positions.

This realisation led to The Natural Leader Model, which I'm passionate about sharing with you.

What Is a ‘Natural Leader’?

So what does it actually mean to be a ‘Natural Leader’?

This is a concept I talk about a lot because it’s the foundation of this podcast and the work I’m doing.

A Natural Leader isn’t someone who forces, pushes, or manipulates their way into leadership.

A Natural Leader is someone who leads simply by being themselves—by embracing their strengths, trusting their intuition, and showing up with integrity. And by integrity, I mean leading based on who you are, not on what someone else expects you to be.

Think about the most inspiring leaders you’ve ever encountered. Were they the ones who controlled everything, who dominated the room?

Or were they the ones who carried a quiet confidence, a deep authenticity, and a presence that made people feel safe, motivated, and seen?

That’s the kind of leadership we’re exploring here.

And the truth is, every single one of us has a unique leadership style.

• Some of us lead through deep listening.

• Some of us lead through action.

• Some of us lead through vision and inspiration.

But all of us lead best when we do it in a way that feels natural to us.

I wouldn’t say I have a clear definition of what leadership is, because I think it looks different for everyone.

What I would say is, that a true leader is someone who others want to follow, who they want to guide them, to look up to, and to do all of that through choice rather than force or because they have to.

I also believe you can be a leader no matter what your work role is. A stay at home mum can be a leader of their family, a footy coach is a leader for his team, an influencer on social media can be a leader for thousands or even millions of people, a kid can be a leader in their classroom, and of course, the way most of us think of leadership – you can be in a management position where your role is to lead a group of people, you can be elected into a position of leadership such as government, councils, members of a board of directors.

But the part that gets left out the most when we talk about leadership, is how we lead ourselves.

My personal view is that until you can lead yourself effectively, you will always be lacking in your ability to lead others.

And it all starts with self-awareness. Understanding yourself deeply, understanding how what you do or say affects other people, and what you can do to bring out the best in others.

Why Traditional Leadership Models Aren’t Working Anymore

Leadership has long been tied to outdated notions: that the best leaders are loud, dominant, and controlling, and that leadership requires self-sacrifice for success. However, this approach no longer works. People are exhausted and desire leaders who are genuine, human, and caring. Modern leadership emphasises embracing natural strengths, working with one's energy, and leading in a sustainable, fulfilling way for everyone involved.

Traditional leadership pressures individuals to always be 'on', extroverted, and in control, which is often misaligned and exhausting. Effective leaders don't fit into a box or sacrifice themselves; they lead naturally and impactfully. To transform leadership, we must stop equating busyness with success. Effective leadership isn't about doing more, but about asking great questions, creating space for others, and admitting when they don't have all the answers.

Emotional intelligence is crucial, as it builds trust through empathy and understanding. Leadership should shift from competition to collaboration, elevating others rather than just leading for them. Lastly, vulnerability should not be seen as a weakness; powerful leaders embrace their humanity and create a safe culture for others to do the same. If traditional leadership doesn't resonate with you, know that the model is outdated, not you.

What to Expect from The TNL Podcast

So, what can you actually expect from The Natural Leader Podcast?

Well, this is going to be a mix of solo episodes—where I’ll break down concepts around self-awareness, energy, leadership, authenticity, and more—and guest episodes, where I’ll bring in incredible people who will talk through their experiences, why they believe leadership needs to change and show us how everyone can lead in a different way that aligns with them.

We’ll talk about things like:

• How to understand your unique leadership style.

• How to trust yourself and make decisions with clarity.

• How to move past burnout and build sustainable energy as a leader.

• How to navigate challenges and setbacks with confidence.

• And how to truly step into your power—without force, without burnout, and without losing yourself in the process.

Some episodes will be deep and introspective. Others will be practical and action-based. But every single one will be focused on helping you become a more authentic, aligned, and impactful leader.

One of the things I’m most excited about is diving into the real, unfiltered conversations about leadership—the kind that don’t just tell you what to do, but actually help you understand why certain things feel aligned (or totally off) when it comes to leading.

We’ll be talking about things like:

✨ How to lead without burning yourself out—and why energy management is one of the most underrated leadership skills.

✨ The difference between power and force in leadership—because let’s be real, nobody wants to be led by someone who’s constantly pushing and controlling everything.

✨ How to trust yourself as a leader—especially when self-doubt creeps in, because yes, even the most confident leaders feel it sometimes.

✨ The balance between masculine and feminine energy in leadership—when to take action, when to lean back, and how to integrate both for a leadership style that feels natural.

✨ And of course, one of my favourite topics: How to align with your unique leadership style using Human Design—because once you understand your natural strengths, you can stop trying to lead like someone else and start leading in a way that actually feels right for you.

And that’s just the beginning. I’ll also be bringing in some incredible guests who are leading in new, innovative, and aligned ways—so you can hear directly from people who are embodying this shift in leadership.

How You Can Be Part of This Community

Before we wrap up, I just want to say—this podcast isn’t just about me sharing ideas. It’s about us—a collective of current and aspiring leaders who are all on this journey together.

So, I’d love to hear from you. If something in this episode resonated, let me know. You can connect with me in a few different ways:

• On Instagram @freshcollective_il (link in the show notes), where I’ll be sharing more insights, reflections, and behind-the-scenes of this journey.

• At my website – freshcollective.au

• And, I’m also about to open The Natural Leader Hub, which is a membership based space which includes deep dives into the Natural Leader Model, as well as tools and practical applications so you can start leading naturally with confidence! More on this to come.

And if you’re excited about what’s coming, please make sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. I can’t wait to go on this journey with you.

Final Words

So, that’s it—our very first episode of The Natural Leader Podcast is done.

This is just the beginning, and I can already tell it’s going to be an incredible journey. If you take one thing away from today, let it be this:

Leadership isn’t about you needing to change. It’s about becoming more of who you already are.

I can’t wait for what’s ahead.

Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in the next episode.

Connect & Continue the Conversation

📍 Follow me on Instagram: @freshcollective_il

🌎 Explore more leadership insights: www.freshcollective.au

🌟 Join The Natural Leader Hub – Opening Soon!

💬 What resonated with you most in this episode? Comment below or message me on Instagram—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! It helps more leaders like you find this podcast and start leading in a way that feels right.