What do you do when your greatest strength becomes your biggest weakness?

In this exclusive live recording from the Marketing Tech Retreat in the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, Dr. Carmen Gould, Director of Global Marketing at RMIT University, shares the profound personal lesson that transformed how she thinks about leadership, organisations, and systems.

Carmen opens up about how resilience (her superpower) was actually preventing her from slowing down and listening to her body. Instead of exploring what was happening beneath the surface, she kept pushing through until her body forced her to listen.

They discuss:

• Why ignoring your body's signals can be a leader's downfall
• How to move from survival mode to regenerative leadership
• Creating conditions for renewal, not just resilience
• Building feedback loops that help you and your team thrive
• The interconnected elements of wellbeing that system thinkers can't afford to ignore

This conversation is essential listening for any leader who's ever been told that they're "too resilient" for their own good, or who's wondered whether pushing through is always the best solution.

About Dr. Carmen Gould:

Carmen is the Director of Global Marketing at RMIT University, leading cross-functional teams to drive student acquisition, brand strength, and strategic growth. With expertise in digital transformation across marketing, CRM, and CX ecosystems, she brings both strategic rigour and a human-centred approach to marketing leadership.

Hosted by notable CX thought leader, Tomas Haffenden:

Tomas started his career with arguably the toughest CX challenge of all - teaching mathematics to teenagers. Now an accomplished MC and keynote speaker on all things CX, his long list of directional shifts includes conversational consultant, comedian, futurist and currently Head of Service Design. Needless to say, Tomas is no stranger to how missteps can impact the journey and inform the leader you become as a result.

Find out more about Ashton Media's marketing events taking place across NSW and Victoria this year.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you’re running at 150 miles per hour but the people around you can’t keep up?

In this candid conversation, AI advisor and CX leader Simon Kriss opens up about the career-defining mistake that blindsided him, moving too fast for his team and leaving them struggling in his wake.

From the high-pressure world of airlines to advising organisations on the future of AI, Simon shares:

• How a “strategic misfit” conversation with his boss changed everything
• Why leaders need to go beyond the “Are you okay?” surface check-in
• How to spot the quietest person in the room and why their voice matters most
• The strategies he uses now to keep teams aligned while still moving at speed

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re bringing your team with you or just dragging them along, this episode is essential listening.

About Simon Kriss:

Simon is an AI advisor helping organisations navigate the fast-changing world of artificial intelligence. With decades of leadership experience in CX, he brings a unique blend of strategic insight and people-first thinking.

Find out more about Ashton Media's CX, customer care and customer insights events taking place across NSW and Victoria this year.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If inaction is a decision, how do you explain it? In this thoughtful and candid conversation, Rajan Kumar, CEO & Co - founder of The Lumery, shares the leadership misstep that shaped him most: not acting quickly enough, and more importantly, not explaining why.

From transparency traps to communication preferences (are you yellow, green, blue, or red?), Rajan dives into the psychology behind trust, culture, and the misunderstood power of slowing down before speeding up.

If you lead a team or want to, this episode is a goldmine of insight into leading better by being more human.

"Inaction is still a choice. But if you don’t explain why you’re choosing it, people will make up their own reasons."

Marketing Tech Symposium | 9-10 September NSW

Marketing Tech Retreat | 9-10 October VIC

The Grey Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.