What happens when an accounting student reads one book, builds a rogue website, and accidentally launches a global career in human resources?

In this episode, host Jonathan Mamaril sits down with Jodi McLeod, a Rockhampton-born generalist whose unconventional HR journey has spanned remote Australian mining towns, Sky TV in Scotland, and Irish IT firms. Now thriving back in regional Queensland, Jodi brings a refreshingly grounded, data-savvy perspective to the realities of modern people management.

From making a 2:00 AM mad dash across state borders during COVID to rebuilding corporate intranets from scratch, Jodi’s story proves that the best HR practitioners are the ones who refuse to be boxed in. Together, Jonathan and Jodi unpack why the industry urgently needs to master data analytics, the hidden toll of vicarious trauma on HR teams, and why chasing blanket "fairness" might actually be killing workplace meritocracy.

In this episode, we cover:

• How a Body Shop book inspired Jodi to ditch accounting for a global HR career
• Working HR roles in remote Kununurra during a 3.5-year lap around Australia
• Why early-career HR professionals need to balance high confidence with being humble
• The terrifying, exciting reality of AI and why Australia lags behind in adoption
• The vicarious trauma HR teams face managing legislated domestic violence issues
• Why human resources desperately needs a dedicated seat at the government table
• The controversial downside of workplace fairness versus rewarding hard work
• Rapid fire: Empire Records, gluten-free baking, and restoring a 1957 Rover

When the workplace gets complicated, the best way forward isn't narrowing your focus—it’s broadening your mindset.

South Geldard Lawyers — HR & Employment Law Support: southgeldard.com.au
Do you think mandated workplace "fairness" makes it harder to reward your highest performers? Let us know your thoughts below

Subscribe so you never miss an episode of the HR Engage Podcast — where real HR leaders share real stories.

Produced and published by Law Firm Marketing experts, Practice Proof

What happens when you combine corporate HR expertise with a professional background in drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselling?

In this episode of the HR Engage Podcast, host Jonathan Mamaril sits down with Carla Canning, the founder of Connect Lead Achieve. Carla shares her inspiring journey from starting out in law firm administration to stepping away to work as a counsellor, eventually returning to human resources to solve a massive industry gap: the chronic under-resourcing of people operations within the community services and not-for-profit sectors.

Carla and Jonathan unpack why so many small-to-medium NFP and NDIS organisations are trapped in a reactionary HR cycle, often only seeking support when facing Fair Work disputes or funding risks. From navigating generational divides over work-life balance to the simple, preventative power of morning tea and cake, this conversation explores how organisations can transition from pure risk management to active culture and capability building.

In this episode, we cover:

• Moving from corporate legal administration to drug and alcohol rehab counselling
• Why the community services and NDIS sectors are chronically under-resourced in back-of-house support
• Navigating the shift from reactionary crisis management to proactive workplace compliance
• Why bringing cake to morning tea is actually a brilliant preventative HR strategy
• Bridging the work-life balance divide between office staff and frontline support workers
• Golden career advice for both early-career generalists and senior HR executives
• Carla's rapid-fire insights on micro-moments of self-care, coast trekking, and volunteering in Laos

True workplace transformation begins when we stop treating human resources as a compliance checkbox and start actively empowering the individuals delivering frontline care.

South Geldard Lawyers — HR & Employment Law Support: southgeldard.com.au

How does your organisation encourage proactive relationship-building to catch team issues before they turn into major challenges? Consider your own workplace strategies as you listen to today's episode.

Follow the HR Engage Podcast for real stories from real HR leaders. Never miss an episode.

Produced and published by Law Firm Marketing experts, Practice Proof

Why are your stakeholders nodding "yes" but doing absolutely nothing?

Jonathan Mamaril welcomes professional speaker and business strategist AJ Kulatunga to explore the high-stakes world of impact and influence. From his roots in Darwin to the global stage, AJ shares how his "warrior" archetype and unique vantage point help HR leaders navigate the complex, often non-linear path of modern leadership.

This conversation breaks down why logic and data often fail to move the needle when it comes to organisational change. AJ explains that real influence requires building "trust in the bank" long before you ever need to withdraw it. By shifting your mindset and "hugging the cactus," you can bridge the execution gap and move people from where they are, rather than where you wish they were.

In this episode, we cover:

• The "TLC" Framework: Think, Look, and Communicate
• Why leaders must "hug the cactus" and embrace uncomfortable conversations early
• Building institutional trust versus peer-to-peer credibility in the age of AI
• Using strategic storytelling to shift identity and drive executive action
• The secret to solving 100 small problems versus tackling one horse-sized challenge

How to "level up" your leadership by mastering execution intelligence
Mastering these capabilities makes every future challenge easier to navigate and far more rewarding.

🔗 South Geldard Lawyers — HR & Employment Law Support: southgeldard.com.au

What is one "cactus" you have been avoiding hugging in your workplace recently?

Subscribe so you never miss an episode of the HR Engage Podcast — where real HR leaders share real stories.

Produced and published by Law Firm Marketing experts, Practice Proof