Image credit: Peter Arreola
Hello fellow Enablers,
Last week I had the privilege of spending time with a leadership team I’ve been working with for several months now. I want to keep the specifics of the session anonymous, but I’ll share something that really struck me.
It wasn’t a dramatic moment.
No fireworks.
Just a series of subtle signals—glimpses, really—that told me this team is beginning to talk to each other in a completely different way than they would have done four or five months ago.
There was openness.
There was curiosity.
There was a willingness to go a little deeper.
They challenged each other—with respect.
They supported each other—without patronising.
They asked questions—not just about the task at hand, but about how they could help each other show up more fully.
This shift in the way they speak and listen to one another might seem like a soft win.
But it’s not.
It’s the foundation of Fulfilling Performance.
Because when communication changes—when it becomes more real, more human, and more generous—then the environment shifts too. Culture starts to align with purpose. People start to feel safe enough to tell the truth about where they’re stuck. The invisible handbrakes—confusion, hesitation, lack of clarity, disengagement—start to be named. And once they’re named, they can be released.
That’s the work.
It’s not always headline-grabbing. Sometimes the most significant signs of progress are hidden in the spaces between the words—an honest question, a nod of empathy, a well-timed pause.
But don’t underestimate what it means.
A team that talks differently performs differently.
Reflection
If you’re leading a team right now, ask yourself:
How are we talking to each other?
What’s being said—and what isn’t?
Are we safe enough to be honest?
Are we making each other better?
If the answer to any of these feels uncertain, there’s no shame in that. It just might be time to release the handbrake.
Thanks for reading,
Andy
CAREER-VIEW MIRROR #221
Alexandra Farrugia: Finding creativity between orchestra and automotive.
🎙️ From Bassoon to Boardroom
In this week’s episode of CAREER-VIEW MIRROR, I’m joined by Alexandra Farrugia, Head of Corporate Accounts at Angle Auto Finance.
Alexandra’s career began in classical music—studying bassoon at the Sydney Conservatorium and freelancing as a musician—before taking an unexpected turn into automotive retail and eventually rising through the ranks at BMW Group Australia.
In our conversation, we explore:
• What she learned about resilience and self-direction from life as a musician
• How her dealership experience shaped her approach to leadership
• Why she finds her current work more creative than performing in an orchestra
• The mindset shift that came with becoming a mother
Alexandra’s story is a brilliant reminder that creativity, curiosity, and courage can take your career in all kinds of fulfilling directions.
🎧 Listen now: Apple Podcasts / Online / Spotify
Check out the directory of all our guests and episodes on Instagram.
“Go to people” need people to go to!
The Aquilae Academy: Guided peer mentoring and coaching for executives, senior leaders and business owners.
Running a business or holding a senior position in an organisation can be very rewarding. At the same time it can be challenging and even lonely.
There are certain topics we are either unable or uncomfortable to discuss with colleagues no matter how self aware and open we are.Sometimes it is just not appropriate to discuss an issue with a colleague. Maybe they are the issue!
Our partners and friends may want to listen and help but they may not have relevant experience or be completely independent.
The Aquilae Academy is for senior leaders and business owners who:
acknowledge that they can’t and don’t have to do it alone
value interdependence and
are looking to continue learning and growing with the support of a team of like minded peers
If this sounds like you, contact me and I’ll happily tell you more.
Thank you,
Andy
E: andy@aquilae.co.uk