Leading Change Experiences

26/03/2025

Growing grass in the midst of drought has been laborious. But we have found the saying to be true - "the grass is greener where you water it". We are nurturing what we have, and it's been wonderful to see the beginning of the outdoor component of our venue start to take shape!
We began with a clear vision—to create a training space on-farm where leaders and teams could step away from the everyday and into a nature-based setting for meaningful learning and development. But as we considered many factors, it made perfect sense to broaden our vision. We built versatility into our planning, expanding the scope of our facility to also host weddings, functions and other events, creating a space that brings people together for all kinds of powerful experiences.
Xmas Rocks Venue – Training and Events is in a low-populated area—some might even say an unlikely spot, with no iconic landmarks or popular tourist stops (other than the Willalooka Tavern!) to draw people in along their travels..
It took a conversation with Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast to recognise that what we’re building is a true destination experience—a place people intentionally seek out for the depth of the work, the connection to nature, and the transformation they experience here. Through our equine-assisted leadership and team development programs, corporate and women's retreats, and hands-on human development experiences, we’re offering something rare—a place where people come not for what’s around, but for what they find within.
There’s still plenty to do as we bring this vision to life, but momentum is building—and we’re excited to share that our first wedding is already booked in for mid-October!
From late October onwards, Xmas Rocks Venue will be available for:
🎄 Christmas wind-ups
🥂 End-of-year celebrations
🏡 Community gatherings
🏢 Business functions and dry-hire options
Whether you’re planning a relaxed team BBQ, a meaningful wrap-up with your crew, or just need a beautiful rural space to make your own—we’d love to host you.
Watch this space—something special is growing out here. 🌱

22/03/2025

Human-centered leadership. 💓
People-first workplaces. 🙌

22/03/2025

Is communication and people dynamics in your farming or agribusiness your greatest strength.. or creating frustration? Come say hi and have a chat at the South East Field Days!

20/03/2025

We're really exciting to be at this years South East Field Days! We are Site #2 in the AgTech Centre (opposite the stage).
Strong partnerships and teams create thriving businesses. Whether you’re running a family farm, managing employees, or leading an agribusiness team, the real strength of your business comes from how well people communicate, collaborate, and work toward a shared vision.
I'll be at the SE Field Days (21st & 22nd March), to chat about how better communication and leadership can create more productive, engaged, and resilient teams — even on the farm.
✅ Understand different communication styles — and know how to adapt your communication for better outcomes
✅ Navigate change and uncertainty with confidence
✅ Causes of stress and signs of stress and how to alleviate it at work
✅ Increase productivity by understanding how people work best
Come and say "hi" over the next couple of days!
I'll be in the AgTech Centre site number - 2.
If you can't make it, feel free to take my FREE Communication Quiz—scan the QR code and see where your partnership or team stands when it comes to the health or effectiveness of your communication.
📍 See you at the South East Field Days

~ Jess

10/03/2025

Colton Woods has some great posts and content. He's the first public account that I have found that shares my philosophy that when we partner/train or collaborate with horses - that the same principles parallel to developing human leadership capacity - in the personal and professional sphere. I am going to share two of his posts here - the parenting post may elicit a few triggers, depending on your own conditioning, experiences and belief systems. But I believe wholeheartedly, that observing and considering our own belief systems through a different awareness lense, is essential when it comes to transforming ourselves, as Leaders - in life and in our profession or workplace.
My whole leadership journey has been shaped through working with horses. I share the details in all of my workshops, they are the most incredible teachers of "self awareness" — the foundation for all human leadership. Horses teach us the art of levelling up our human skills, so that we can LEAD with conscious awareness.
Horses also teach us to transform: how we respond to the unknown or uncertainty; the growth that comes from challenges; the commitment required to our vision and mission; how to work with our intuition, and back it; emotional regulation; interpersonal skills; energy awareness; attitude and ego awareness; negotiation skills; effective listening; adaptable communication skills; making safe and effective decisions under pressure; clarity with focus and direction etc etc - ALL of the best human traits and leadership capabilities that really do allow us to have quality experiences as a human being and leader.

- Jess and The Herd

You’re Not Helping. You’re Handicapping Your Horse.

A horse that never struggles never learns. A horse that never faces pressure never grows. And a horse that is constantly micromanaged becomes weak, dependent, and unsure of itself.

We were never promised an easy road—not in horsemanship, not in business, and not in life. Growth comes through refinement, and refinement happens through challenge. If you believe you’re protecting your horse by stepping in too soon, over-correcting, or removing every obstacle, you’re not helping—you’re hindering, handicapping and crippling them. You’re robbing them of the strength and confidence that only comes through overcoming.

True leadership isn’t about control; it’s about stewardship. The best horsemen and leaders don’t force results—they set the stage, present the opportunity, and allow the horse and people to think, adjust, and develop wisdom. That’s how confidence is built—not through comfort, but through challenge.

And the same holds true in business. Entrepreneurs who avoid risk, dodge struggle, and micromanage everything end up with fragile businesses. Avoiding difficulty today guarantees greater hardship tomorrow—because when the real pressure hits, they have no foundation to rely on.

Refinement comes through fire. Strength is built through resistance. The best leaders—whether in the saddle, in business, or in life—don’t fear struggle; they embrace it as part of the process. They understand that true strength isn’t given; it’s earned.

So stop stepping in too soon. Stop making things too easy. Stop fearing the struggle.

The change within your horse, your life, your business starts with you.

If you don’t have the knowledge, seek it out. If you want your horse to trust you, start trusting them. If you’re afraid of making mistakes, start seeing them as lessons instead of failures.

Your horse, your business, and your life will only grow when you do. So step forward, get uncomfortable, and lean into the process. Because the only way to be truly prepared—is to go through it.

Together We Rise.

-Colton Woods

05/03/2025

Culture is felt, not just spoken...

Culture isn’t about crafty mission statements or bosses providing "feel good perks" like free coffee and someone running to the bakery most days for the rest of the team . Culture is about how people feel— EVERY SINGLE DAY at work.

It shows up on a Sunday night… when team members either have that sinking "monday-itis" feeling creeping in.. or, are looking forward to getting to work the next morning.
It’s in the unspoken things that make or break a team culture, like:

🤷‍♀️ Do I actually matter here?
🤷‍♀️ Can I show up as myself, without second-guessing everything, and without judgement on who I am or how I do things?
🤷‍♀️ Am I supported, valued, seen and heard - or am I just a number?
🤷‍♀️ Do I belong?

Culture is the energy that flows through a team. It’s how people EXPERIENCE work, not just what the company says it stands for.

Culture is not built through words—it’s shaped by every interaction, every decision, every moment.
And as a leader, if you’re not intentionally creating it, you’re unconsciously allowing it.

Keeping it real— how do your people’s hearts and stomachs feel about Monday morning, on a Sunday night?

~ Jess

25/02/2025

We’ve all been told: Treat others how YOU want to be treated. Sounds fair, right?

❌ But what if that belief is actually creating disconnect and disengagement in your team?

💡 Strong teams aren’t built by treating everyone the same way—they’re built by understanding what each person needs to thrive.

🎯 Some need structure, others need freedom.
🎯 Some crave direct feedback, others need encouragement.

Great leaders don’t assume—they adapt.

🚀 Want to lead a team that truly connects and performs at its best? Watch this video and discover the shift that changes everything.

25/02/2025

Happy Tuesday! I’m working on my PDF "4 Steps To Fix Personality Clashes In Your Team", a guide for leaders, managers, and business owners—for anyone who finds themselves at the helm of a team. I mentioned it to a friend who has farm workers in their family farming business, and she said, “Jess, I’m not a leader!”

I asked, “What makes you NOT a leader?”

The labels we assign to ourselves are shaped by our belief systems, our conditioning, and our subconscious filters. Here’s a woman who runs the household office, manages staff, bridges communication between her husband and workers, and makes decisions that impact others. She handles people problems, guides her family through emotional ups and downs, and works tirelessly to lift others. To me, that qualifies her as a leader—through and through (And yes, she deals with personality clashes... Like most environments where individuals have to get along with, and work with others).

To me, “leadership” and “teamwork” aren’t confined to a title or an office. They appear in the warmth and challenges of home life—my partner and I often chat about what leadership means in parenting and how we weave a leadership framework into our daily lives. Leadership and teamwork manifest in the everyday workings of our communities, workplaces, and social circles. Leadership means different things to different people, and so does being part of a team.

Ultimately, leadership isn’t just about holding a title—it’s about connecting, inspiring, and working together. Every team is a vibrant mix of unique individuals, each with their own beliefs, habits, and communication styles. Yes, these differences can lead to misunderstandings or even conflict, but they also create opportunities for growth and innovation. When we bring people together to communicate, collaborate, and achieve shared goals, we’re not merely managing a group—we’re truly leading.

~ Jess

21/02/2025

In amongst all of your interactions, are you aware of the interactions that leave you feeling completely drained?

Part of our self care is to take charge of our energy and set boundaries that protect our well-being. Below are some common pitfalls that lead to energy depletion and discover effective strategies to safeguard your well-being. Remember, it's possible to support others without absorbing their emotional loading. I'd love to hear how you manage your energy when you are interacting with others and their emotional loads 💡

Jess

17/02/2025

If you feel like the only way to keep things moving is by constantly checking in, following up and fixing things yourself… you’re not alone. Have a listen if you’re ready to lead without the burnout! ! ✨

13/02/2025

I used to be consistent with the unseen work.. and then I wasn't.

We’re always told to “keep going, keep showing up.” We get busy in the doing; chasing around after kids, working, building business.. seamlessly chasing our tails. But what if showing up starts with slowing down?

Sometimes we catch ourselves and are able to remind ourselves that we are missing this element of rest and reconnect.. other times it appears that this rest is forced into our hands.

We talk about pushing through—but leadership also happens in the quiet moments— where we pause, reflect, and reconnect with ourselves. Lately, I have had to start "scheduling" in my rest time.

I don't think we can categorise "busy-ness". For some it's a busy mind, the over thinking, or mastering procrastination; for others it's that a lot of time is spent working; for some, schedules are full with family commitments; or farming commitments; or meeting the needs of others in the myriad of ways this shows up at work and home.

What I know is when I have ignored the early warning signs of getting close to overload... the Universe creates situations that force me to stop. As I reflect on this, it appears obvious and includes breaking my coccyx, tearing my gastroc, bed ridden with the flu etc.

I have come to remember that Leadership isn’t just about doing more. It’s about knowing when to pause, when to reflect, and when to prioritise ourselves.
I am now scheduling in meditation in the paddock, sharing space with my herd, grounding with the earth—without emails and pressure.
Just space to breathe, reset, and get clear.

The unseen work— the moments where we actually pause, be present and listen to ourselves—is what makes showing up fully possible, and renews our energy.

If you’re always running on empty, consider this your sign to stop. You don’t need permission to take a breath. The unseen work is the work.

~Jess

26/01/2025

💛 Post

I am very fortunate. Life has moved in miraculous ways. We are building a fantastic facility and venue in the SE, and I am beyond grateful to my partner Scott who has supported my work and dream by building a space so I can continue on my purposeful journey.
In all of this, I can't help but miss this little, but incredible space (in the photo). The nature-based classroom and horse arena that so many humans and a number of horses came together at Highland Valley. There were connections made, hugs had, tears shed, a-ha moments experienced, convicted decisions made and deep, thought provoking conversations had. There were leadership attributes developed, and profound awareness discovered.
There were some break-downs, and more break-throughs.
Being human— with all of our human patterning, our different perspectives, our different philosophies, our triggers, our fears, our "busy" thoughts and our behavioural blind spots.. and then...
The Horses— who simply desire to follow our lead. The Horses— calling us to connect with our own truth; our own authenticity. The Horses — calling us to align our heads and hearts; to be present in the moment - free from the past... and attuned to being the best version of ourselves in the present. They call us to BECOME the person that is aligned with who we want to be, in the future.
The horses teach us to tune in. They exist with a natural intelligence and they are waiting for us to become attuned to this natural intelligence.
Oh how I miss this space. It was often mentioned by clients that they felt a healing energy when they came to do a program or session. Perhaps it was the quartz crystal scattered through the paddocks, the magical gums, the energy flow of the land. Perhaps it was the herd's harmony that weaved through the space.
While I talk mostly about, and facilitate "leadership development" in my content, my page and workshops.. at the end of the day... all leaders are human. All leaders have 'human stuff' that is always impacting themselves, their relationships and their results.
So while I market Leadership Development.. essentially what I do, is human or people development. It's personal development. Yes, we work with teams. Yes, there is HUGE benefit to having a workplace team come together to work team dynamics and function; communication; trust; relationships; understanding etc etc.
I have found.. the sustainable results come from individuals working on themselves, first.
It's taken me a year of messy self discovery, unraveling, listening to logic, sitting in intuition.. to come full circle to fill the missing gap at LCE, which includes personal leadership development. For a team to come along and work deeply on themselves, BEFORE they workshop together as a team.
So this year is full of clarity and conviction and developing a model that brings the best of everything I have, together - where people really get to deep dive into self discovery; build their emotional muscles; transform their perspective; re-energise their identity; and really develop deeper competencies in leadership - both in self and in relating to, and positively influencing others.
It's going to be a busy year! I take a moment to reminisce on the journey and all of the incredible people who were a part of that in different ways. I think of all of the Horses who have partnered with me to facilitate sessions, watching how they communicate certain things with every individual has been one of my biggest pleasures. Horses are incredible teachers of self.. if we are willing and open to listen and take on board their feedback.
We have all come together, to raise consciousness. To raise human awareness. To learn how to think differently; to learn how to respond more thoughtfully, rather than react to situations; to learn how to communicate with awareness, rather than assuming people understand what we are saying; and to learn how to lead more effectively, and "LEAD LIKE A MARE".
Because Lead Mare's— trust themselves, back themselves, have certainty, have healthy relationships with the other herd members, have respect and trust from the other herd members, have focus and direction, have grit, have grace.
The lead mare embodies all that we would benefit from acquiring in leadership and life.
Our new venue will have a slightly different vibe... but still, I am determined to make it a place where people come to grow, align and transform themselves - and their businesses.
Now, I am out to beat the heat and enjoy this very last day of school holidays with my family. I trust that all of your young people enjoy their transition into another year - whether that be school, home school, new employment etc. and that you, have your most wonderful year yet.

Jess, and the Herd 💛🐴

15/01/2025

𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚡. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚊𝚕𝚜, 𝚑𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜—𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚞𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍. 𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗? 𝙾𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚗, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝—𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝...

Read my article here :)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leaders-find-meaning-when-courageously-live-4jwkc/?trackingId=zv%2BIZfm%2BgSlgq0pNYZY4bg%3D%3D

Or if you're not on LinkedIn, I have just published the article on my new website:
https://leadingchangex.com.au/blog/b/leaders-find-meaning

04/01/2025

🔥 Emotions can be your greatest strength—or your biggest obstacle. 🔥

I was out early this morning (can you tell :p ) thinking about how in the many years of facilitating social emotional development programs for children, we frequently talked about "emotional regulation"— yet I rarely hear it spoken about in the adult world or workplace. Yes EQ is becoming more popular as a talk point in the workplace.. but as people go about their daily grind and continue in patterns of habits, I am not sure that it's a consciously practiced daily.

Since emotions drive behaviours, I believe it should be.
ALL relationships (even the relationship we have with self) and quality of interactions, are impacted by how we manage and express our feelings.

It’s not about suppressing your feelings. It’s about recognising them, managing them, and expressing them in ways that create connection and growth.

Most people either:
😤 Let emotions take over..
🤐 Or bury them deep and let the pressure build.

When you learn to manage emotions consciously and express them resourcefully, you become the leader, partner, or parent that feels good. You feel more inner peace and calm. You feel significant. You feel connected. You inspire confidence, trust, and connection—because you’ve mastered what so many struggle with.

The world needs more of us choosing to lead with emotional intelligence. Will you be one of them?

💬 Share in the comments:
What’s one way you practice emotional regulation?

01/01/2025

Happy New Year! 🎉
3 actionable steps that will change your experiences and results this year 🙌

23/12/2024

2024 Acknowledgment & Gratitude ✨

21/12/2024

✋🛑 Part 2 - The critical component to “Leading with Vulnerability” - why just ‘being vulnerable’ is not a great display of leadership. Have a listen for what needs to follow expressing our own gaps or challenges, the missing key to building trust and genuine rapport.