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The official magazine of Proteus Enterprises P/L proteus edition 2 2026 Happy Birthday Proteus - 33 Years By Des Penny Leadership in a low-trust world By AIMME One Conversation. Once a Week. Everything Changes. By Richard DoreThe Proteuslife Team Editor: Des Penny Production: Leanne Keillor Advertising: Joe Stuart Design: Javier Marmol For all enquiries: 1300 219 903 ABN: 30 092 276 358 proteusleadership.com An Important Message SUBSCRIBE Proteuslife welcomes editorial submissions from a diverse range of people and industries. The information printed is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as professional advice without first checking with appropriate legal or industrial experts. We do not necessarily endorse the views, statements, claims, strategies or ideas put forward by contributors of the magazine. Proteuslife is merely relaying experiences and information. Proteuslife is not liable for any personal or professional loss you may have incurred as a result of reading this magazine. No material may be reproduced in part or whole without written consent from the editor. Advertisements in Proteuslife will be accepted only if they meet all relevant laws and will not give rise to any legal claims or liability and they reflect the culture and purpose of the magazine. proteus The official magazine of Proteus Enterprises P/L John C. Maxwell Remember: Sometimes we win and sometimes we learn. A I M M E rtificial ntelligence arketing agazine xpert AIMME is our AI-powered Marketing and Magazine Expert and newest member of the Proteuslife team. Blending advanced technology with a human lens, she brings fresh thinking, timely insights, and practical leadership ideas to every edition. From culture and change to performance and innovation, AIMME helps us explore what matters most in today’s leadership landscape, supporting our mission to create great leaders. 2 proteuslife 2 proteuslife Subscribe to Proteuslife MagazineDes Penny Every minute we spend complaining about what's happening is a minute we take away from making things better. Hi everyone, This edition marks a significant milestone, 33 years of Proteus Leadership. As I reflect on that journey, I don’t see it as longevity, I see it as a privilege. A privilege to keep showing up, to adapt through challenging times, and to stay committed to creating great leaders. That perspective matters, because leadership today is not getting easier, it is getting more real. Richard Dore’s article cuts straight to the core. In a world chasing engagement strategies, the biggest driver is still the relationship between a leader and their people. And that comes down to one simple habit, one meaningful conversation each week. Simple in concept, but not always easy in practice. Across this edition, that theme continues. From AIMME’s insights on leading in a low-trust world to the cost of avoiding hard conversations, the message is clear. Leadership is built in the small moments, what you say, what you avoid, and how consistently you show up. There is also a necessary shift back to responsibility. Clear expectations, honest conversations, and treating people like adults. Not harsh leadership, but respectful leadership. And as always, this edition brings balance. Alongside the deeper thinking, you will find lighter moments through The Shortcut Queen recipes by Chrissie Swan on pages 38 to 41, along with Joe’s Gadgets for Geeks, a reminder that curiosity, creativity, and enjoyment matter too. Thirty-three years on, the focus remains the same. Practical leadership that works in the real world. Take what resonates, act on what matters, and remember: Leadership doesn’t change through big declarations. It changes one conversation at a time. Please enjoy! Des Penny - Editor editor's proteusleadership.com/linkedin/des proteusleadership.com/lets-go-lets- grow-podcast-with-des-penny/ proteusleadership.com/des-penny-blog Connect with Des! Let's Go - Let's Grow podcast with Des Penny 33 Years of Creating Great Leaders Across Australia and Beyond 3 proteuslife06 Happy Birthday Proteus - 33 Years By Des Penny 3 Editorial 6 Happy Birthday Proteus - 33 Years By Des Penny 8 One Conversation. Once a Week. Everything Changes. By Richard Dore 12 Leadership in a Low-Trust World By AIMME 14 Design Your Own Program 16 When Leaders Lose Their Way By AIMME 18 The Complete Leader Certificate Program 20 Only Employ Fully Formed Adults By AIMEE Contents One Conversation. Once A Week. Everything Changes. By Richard Dore 08 Only Employ Fully Formed Adults By Aimee 20 4 proteuslife22 The Cost Of Avoiding Hard Conversations By AIMME 24 What Our Clients Are Saying... 26 The Inversion Era By AIMME 28 2026 Professional Development Schedule 30 The New Leadership Literacy By AIMME 32 Change Fatigue Is Real, But So Is Complacency By AIMEE 34 Proteus Events 36 When Nice Becomes a Problem By AIMEE 38 The Sortcut Queen By Chrissie Swan 42 Gadgets For Geeks By Joe Stuart 44 Proteus Team 46 Book Review By Richard Dore 48 Let's Go - Let's Grow Podcast With Des Penny The Inversion Era By Aimme 26 The Cost Of Avoiding Hard Conversations By Aimme 22 5 proteuslifeJane Leanne Ben Hoppo Brett Lisa Javi Joe 6 proteuslifeThat means that almost half of my life has been spent building this amazing company with my team, creating great leaders across Australia and beyond. If I had to sum it all up, I would simply say – what a privilege! I started Proteus in 1993 in the middle of a global recession and since then have experienced the best and worst of economic times, led the business through a global pandemic and as I write this, we are faced with wars and a fuel crisis across the world, and yet nothing has managed to stop us yet. I have seen competitors and start up consultancies come and go as they struggle with the challenges of running and maintaining a business. I have similarly seen team members come and go. Some have flourished and gone on to do great things, while others realised that the pressure and commitment to be successful in this industry was not for them. But one thing has stood firm for 33 years at Proteus and it is this. We did not get into this to make a quick buck or to be guru superstars, the Proteus team do it because it is our calling to create great leaders across Australia and beyond and in turn change the lives of individuals and businesses alike. What a privilege! Although I might be getting older now, one thing that I know for sure is that the fire in my belly to help create better people and workforces burns as bright and as strong as it ever has. Yes, we are experiencing some of the most challenging times we have ever known right now, but all that means is that we need great leaders in our businesses, more than ever before. Around us a new world order is being created where people are disconnecting from each other and at the risk of being unpopular, I will continue to fight against that as much as I can. People need people - not space! Businesses and governments and community groups need to work together like never before and leave egos and lies behind. That really is the only way any of us can be successful and fulfilled. However, if we only focus on the problems around us then we will continue to walk the fast track to nowhere and that is not an option at Proteus. So, thank you for being there with us over the past 33 years and thank you to my team for helping to make it all happen. I trust that there will be many more years to come and I can’t wait to present to you all of the new initiatives that we have in the pipeline. So, here’s to the next 33 years of creating great leaders! Des Penny Founder & Director of Innovation and Growth Proteus Leadership If INTEGRITY is the foundation you build your life on, then you will always be successful, no matter what the world throws at you. - Des Penny Happy Birthday Proteus! 33 It is so humbling to know that on 9th April 2026, my company, Proteus Leadership, turned 33 years of age. Years Des Richard Bridie Simon Sarah Grant 7 proteuslifeTHE HIGH-IMPACT HABIT THAT BUILDS ENGAGEMENT AND RELATIONSHIPS FAST BY RICHARD DORE The manager is the single most important factor in an employee’s engagement at work. - Gallup, Culture Shock (2023) 8 proteuslifeA new team member was once invited into my office to celebrate and recognise her early success, by involving her in a project that I knew she’d be excited about. Instead, on her arrival she walked in nervous… almost bracing herself. When I asked if she was okay, she admitted thinking that she was about to be told off. That moment stuck with me. Not because of anything that I had done, but because of what she had experienced before. In her world, being called into the boss’s office meant something had either gone, or was going wrong. It took quite some time for her to realise that a conversation with her leaders did not have to mean correction. Rather, it could mean connection! That experience is not unique. Speaking with many of our clients and especially senior HR and L&D leaders, the conversation nearly always lands in the same place. How do we lift our engagement? And, not just survey scores either. Many admit those numbers have not shifted in years. What they are really chasing is something deeper. A genuine shift in leadership and culture. They want their people more connected, more invested, and certainly more engaged with genuine heartfelt service to clients. At some point, I suggest what might be the most powerful management habit available. It’s not my idea. However, decades of Gallup research reinforced in their book Culture Shock, make it clear to me that the biggest driver of engagement is not policy, perks or incentives. It’s the rela- tionship with their immediate manager. That’s it! And every time I say it out loud, the reaction is almost identical. They look at me like I’m on drugs. Because the idea just sounds so ridiculously simple. Ask every leader to have one meaningful conversation each week… with every person in their team. Not a task update. Not a performance correction. Not a hurried exchange between meetings. Instead, a genuine, intentional conversation. 9 proteuslifeNext >