In this episode, I am delighted to welcome Joel Copeland, Principal of the ACT Instrumental Music Program, who shares his authentic journey of building unity and trust across a geographically dispersed team that spans more than 80 schools throughout the ACT. Joel opens up about the reality of leading a team that only comes together in person for two hours each week, revealing how he navigated the complex challenge of creating a unified culture while establishing his leadership identity in a system new to him.

Joel discusses a well-established culture shaped by decades of previous leadership and the initial isolation he felt when trying to connect meaningfully with staff he rarely saw face-to-face. With refreshing honesty, he shares how he learned to move at the speed of trust rather than rushing to implement changes, even when external pressures demanded decisive action. He explains his intentional restructuring of collaborative time to prioritise human connection over content delivery, and how site visits became a non-negotiable part of his leadership rhythm.

Join us for a practical conversation as Joel reveals that culture doesn't depend on proximity, and that deliberate, trust-embedded interactions can build strong, connected teams even across postcode lines. Most significantly, he demonstrates how co-designing values and rituals with his team, rather than for them, transformed their working relationship from transactional to one grounded in belonging and contribution, proving that when people feel genuinely seen and valued, they'll lean in regardless of geographical distance.

In this episode, I am pleased to welcome Glenn Forbes, who shares his practical journey of building high levels of shared belief within educational teams and overcoming the persistent challenges that fragment collective action.

Glenn opens up about confronting the real obstacles that undermine team effectiveness: blame, magnitude, fragmentation, and isolation. He discusses how these forces create barriers to genuine collaboration and shares his thoughtful approach to addressing each challenge head-on. Rather than offering quick fixes, Glenn presents a collection of what he calls "micro-moves" - small, intentional strategies that gradually build the foundation for stronger collective belief among staff.

Join us for a conversation as Glenn reveals how these micro-moves work in practice and why building collective efficacy requires sustained, deliberate effort. He demonstrates that when educational leaders focus on systematic approaches to strengthen shared belief, teams move from working in silos to achieving genuine collective impact. Glenn's honest reflection on this ongoing challenge offers practical insights for leaders ready to tackle the complex work of building truly collaborative educational environments.

Connect with Well-Nest:

Click HERE to book a leadership + wellbeing coaching discovery call with Aimee

LinkedIn: Aimee Presnall

Website: www.well-nest.com.au

Instagram: well_nest_collective_co

Other Podcast: Wonders of Wellbeing

In this episode, I am delighted to welcome Penny Curran-Peters, Principal of Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College, who shares her honest journey of navigating the difficult transition from beloved mentee to independent leader.

Penny opens up about the challenge many young leaders face when they've built their skills in a supportive environment they love, only to realise they must leave that comfort zone to continue growing. She takes us through her experience of making a "triple whammy" move - changing roles, schools, and cities simultaneously, while managing the complex emotions that accompanied this career progression.

Join us for this authentic conversation as Penny shares practical wisdom about maintaining relationships with mentors while building independence, the importance of giving yourself grace during periods of growth, and her powerful realisation that while you need others alongside you, you fundamentally have everything within yourself to flourish.

Connect with Well-Nest:

Click HERE to book a leadership + wellbeing coaching discovery call with Aimee

LinkedIn: Aimee Presnall

Website: www.well-nest.com.au

Instagram: well_nest_collective_co

Other Podcast: Wonders of Wellbeing