With me on the podcast today is Louise Baxter. Louise has significant experience in senior roles in the commercial and NFP sectors and is described as an “inspiring and authentic leader”. She is Starlight's Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director.

Louise is passionate about the creation of organisational purpose and believes this is key to delivering maximum impact through people. She practises positive leadership and has been successful in developing high-performing teams within a culture where change is embraced and innovation is embedded.

Louise has been acknowledged by CEO Magazine in 2016 as Australia’s NFP Executive of the Year and in 2019 Louise was listed in Pro Bono Australia’s Impact 25 which recognised the 25 most influential and inspirational people in Australia’s social sector, as nominated by their peers.

Louise makes it count by empowering her team to connect with organisational purpose and alignment and ensuring they identify with the wider impact.

Louise shares how a desire to be the best leader and coach, as well as a desire for new challenges led her to step into the role of CEO.

She discusses what can undermine teams and the importance of listening to feedback, which is part of the great culture she cultivates at Starlight.

Louise shares how she led her team to develop Starlight’s unique Shine Values, and how these ground and inspire the organisation in a really authentic way. She also reveals how positive psychology allows her team to achieve better outcomes, explains how it is not about toxic positivity, and what automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) are.

Louise shares the ways in which Starlight was match fit for COVID-19, how Louise embeds trust in Starlight’s culture and how managing and nurturing relationships is the most important thing you can do as a leader.

I could have spoken to Louise all day! This conversation was incredibly inspiring and generous - there are so many lessons for leaders, both emerging and career professionals. Enjoy!

LINKS:

Starlight: Our Shine Values

Connect with Louise Baxter:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/louiseabaxter
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/louisebaxter

Connect with Julie:

Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

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