Working with Councils

You’re managing people, politics and pressure — I’m here for that!

As a People & Culture leader or a Senior Officer in Local Government, you’re supporting a workforce under unique pressures — where politics, public scrutiny, tight budgets and governance expectations collide.

Many challenges don’t warrant a formal process, but left unaddressed, they can erode trust, morale and productivity.

You may be seeing:

✅ Tension among and between Councillors and staff

✅ Lack of understanding about roles

✅ Confusion about impact on others

✅ Reluctance to have difficult conversations

✅ Values misalignment inside teams

✅ Staff drained by emotional labour or toxic dynamics

✅ Silent disengagement or unspoken conflict

I work discreetly, one-on-one with Councils — offering tailored support that protects confidentiality, builds trust, and achieves results.

Why I’m different — and why you’re in safe hands

I’ve served as both an elected Councillor and two-term Mayor. I’ve also been a Senior Council Officer, Executive, and now a qualified Executive, Leadership Mentor and Coach to Councillors, CEOs, Governance and People & Culture teams across Victoria.

This gives me a unique 360-degree understanding of Council dynamics — the spoken, the unspoken, and everything in between.

My approach draws on:

• 35+ years across government, NFP and executive roles

• Certified DISC and NLP methodologies

• Deep experience navigating leadership tension and team dynamics and conflict

Why not large group programs?

Cross-Council events can stifle openness. Real change needs safety. That’s why I work privately with each Council — to go deeper, protect confidentiality, and adapt to your context.

Results without disruption

In one Regional Council, trust was restored between Councillors and staff by working closely with each group and then together. Together we went below the surface of values to model and agree on behaviours that supported and undermined teamwork and trust.

In a Metropolitan Council, I helped to improve accountability, alignment and trust during a complex, lengthy restructure supporting the CEO, Executive and the entire Staff Team.

COPYRIGHT © 2025. All Rights Reserved.