A good mentor isn't necessarily the person who gives you the right answer. Sometimes, they're the person who asks the question that helps you find it yourself, challenges an assumption, notices the progress you can't see, and gives you someone to call when you're stuck.

In this episode of the Rural Leaders podcast, Kristy Hollis and Cass Wilson share what they've learnt through their mentoring relationship, established through the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation's National Mentoring Initiative. Kristy Hollis is a naturopath, herbalist, entrepreneur, industry advocate and mentor, and the founder of Everlasting Health. She was the 2025 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award winner for the Northern Territory, with her work focused on improving rural and remote health. Cass Wilson is Executive Officer of the Rural Health Research Foundation, with a career spanning government, corporate and not-for-profit roles and a strong focus on regional communities, partnerships and leadership.

For Kristy, mentoring offered another perspective as she worked through business decisions, built her vision, and sought greater clarity and confidence. For Cass, it was an opportunity to share her leadership experience while also learning from Kristy's background, work and experiences. Over about nine months, their relationship grew into something more than a formal mentor-mentee arrangement.

Together, they explore how trust is built, why setting boundaries matters, the value of showing up consistently, and how mentoring can work without a rigid agenda for every conversation. They also unpack the difference between giving advice and asking curious questions, and why recognising someone's progress can be just as valuable as helping them solve a problem. At its heart, this is a conversation about mentorship as a two-way street, where both people learn, contribute and grow.

Key insights from the conversation:

• Mentoring works best when both people are clear about what they want from the relationship, including what they want to give and take from the experience.

• Trust is built through consistency. Showing up, making time, and prioritising the relationship helps show it matters.

• A mentor doesn't always need to provide the answer. Curious questions such as "Have you thought about this?" can help someone see a challenge differently and find their own way forward.

• Good mentoring can help you see your own progress. An outside perspective can recognise achievements that are easy to overlook when you're caught up in the day-to-day.

• Boundaries matter. Understanding each other's time, commitments and communication preferences can help create a relationship that works for both people.

• Mentoring doesn't have to be rigid. Cass and Kristy found that allowing conversations to respond to whatever was happening at the time helped the relationship feel authentic and genuine.

• The best mentoring relationships are reciprocal. Being a mentee doesn't mean simply receiving support. Taking an interest in your mentor, understanding their experience, and being a sounding board can make the relationship richer for both sides.

Applications are now open for the National Mentoring Initiative. For more information, visit https://rural-leaders.org.au/national-mentoring-initiative/

Listen to the full conversation with Kristy Hollis and Cass Wilson on the Rural Leaders podcast.

Our host: Oli Le Lievre is the host of Rural Leaders, an ARLP Course 28 alum, and the founder of Humans of Agriculture.

Guests: Kristy Hollis is a Naturopath, Herbalist, Reflexologist, and Founder of Women's Business: Nurture and Thrive.

Cass Wilson is the Executive Officer of the Rural Health Research Foundation and The Carolyn Vincent Chair

Matt Norton has always been someone who likesto move quickly, solve problems and keep things progressing. As Director of AgDSA, he helps agricultural businesses navigate complex planning approvals, environmental compliance and government processes. But through his leadershipjourney, Matt discovered that one of his greatest strengths could also be one of his biggest blind spots.

In this episode of Rural Leaders, Matt reflects on how greater self-awareness has transformed the way he leads, communicates and shows up, both professionally and personally. From recognising that he often interrupted others because he wanted to help move conversations forward, to learning how different personalities process ideas in differentways, Matt shares the practical lessons that have changed the way he works with colleagues, clients and his own family.

As part of this season's exploration of the ARLF Leadership Practices, this conversation focuses on awareness. Through theNational Mentoring Program and the Australian Rural Leadership Program, Matt learned that leadership begins with understanding yourself first. His story demonstrates how awareness is not simply recognising your strengths, butunderstanding how your behaviours affect the people around you and making conscious choices to create better outcomes.

This episode is an honest, practical conversation about self-reflection, communication, vulnerability, and the ongoing work of becoming a better leader. Matt's experience reminds us that awareness isn't something you achieve once. It is a practice that continues to shape how you lead every day.

Some highlights:

● How starting a consulting business during COVID unexpectedly created new opportunities for growth

● Why understanding different communication styles helped Matt become a more effective leader

● The leadership lesson that camefrom recognising his tendency to interrupt conversations

● How Oscar Trimboli's concept of "shrewd listening" gave Matt language for a challenge he had experienced for years

● What the Australian Rural Leadership Program taught him about leading from the front versus leading from behind

● Why greater self-awareness has improved not only his professional relationships but also how he parents and supports his family

● How learning to value quieter voices has strengthened his leadership and decision-making

● Why awareness is an ongoing practice rather than a destination

● How growing in self-awareness has given Matt the confidence to advocate for his industry, community and thefuture of Australian agriculture

Our host:

Oli Le Lievre is the host of Rural Leaders, an ARLP Course 28 alum, and the founder of Humans of Agriculture.

Resources:

AgDSA

Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

Rural Leaders podcast

Tanya Stevenson believes one simple philosophy has shaped every successful project she's been part of: never do anything alone.

As CEO of the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre, Tanya has spent more than two decades bringing people together to tackle complex community challenges. Whether it's improving children's literacy, creating innovative wellbeing experiences, supporting foster families, or helping grassroots ideas become reality, her approach always starts the same way. Find the people who care, learn from those who've solved similar problems before, and build solutions together.

In this episode of Rural Leaders, Tanya shares how collaboration has become the foundation of her leadership. Rather than trying to have all the answers, she actively seeks out people with different expertise, often connecting with leaders from around the world, adapting their ideas to suit local communities and creating partnerships that last.

As part of this season's exploration of the ARLF Leadership Practices, this conversation focuses on affiliation: building meaningful relationships that strengthen leadership, improve problem-solving and create better outcomes than any individual could achieve alone. Tanya reflects on overcoming imposter syndrome as a young leader, why ego can be one of the biggest barriers to community impact, and how the strongest projects are built by groups of people who share ownership rather than individuals working in isolation.

This episode is a practical and inspiring conversation about the power of collaboration, the importance of asking better questions, and why meaningful change often begins by inviting others to be part of the solution.

Tanya's story is a reminder that leadership is not about having the best ideas. It is about creating the conditions where great ideas, strong relationships and shared purpose can flourish.

Some highlights:

• Why Tanya's philosophy of "never do anything alone" has guided her leadership journey

• How looking globally and adapting ideas locally has helped solve community challenges

• Why affiliation and collaboration create stronger, more sustainable community outcomes

• The role humility plays in bringing together people with different skills and perspectives

• How Tanya builds partnerships across business, government, community organisations and volunteers

• Why the most successful projects are shared by many rather than owned by one

• Practical advice for anyone wanting to turn a grassroots idea into meaningful community impact

Our host:

Oli Le Lievre is the host of Rural Leaders, an ARLP Course 28 alumni, and the founder of

Humans of Agriculture.

Resources:

Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre

Australian Rural Leadership Foundation

Rural Leaders podcast