Leadership Secrets Every CEO Needs to Build High-Performing Teams with Sladen Moses

Leadership Secrets Every CEO Needs to Build High-Performing Teams with Sladen Moses

CEO Sladen Moses speaks with Anton Guinea on the Leaders of Influence podcast about what real influence and leadership look like in practice. Sladen defines influence not as being the loudest voice, but as the compound effect of small moments, comments, ideas, and actions that continue to shape teams and outcomes long after a meeting ends. He describes his leadership style as a “greatest hits album” made up of mentors, colleagues, bosses, and family who taught him customer obsession, candor, hard decision-making, and showing up for others even when there’s nothing in it for you. A core theme is service-driven leadership and sales: instead of pushing for end-of-quarter deals, his company focuses on deeply understanding customers’ problems and helping solve them, trusting that sales will follow naturally. Sladen also emphasizes psychological safety and high standards within a small, highly specialized startup team, comparing business more to a high-performing sports team than a family; everyone is accountable, aligned to a shared goal, but treated well especially when things are hard. He explains how Lexon Solutions leverages deep industry experience in mining, oil & gas, and heavy industry to help clients manage spare parts and indirect materials, using credibility and empathy from ex-industry professionals rather than traditional hard-sell tactics. The discussion closes with Sladen’s belief that sometimes the only thing carrying an idea forward is your belief in it, so leaders must hold strong convictions while staying adaptable in how they reach their goals. Takeaways: Influence is built from small, consistent moments Sladen sees influence not as big speeches or titles, but as the compound effect of everyday comments, decisions, and behaviors that quietly shape culture and outcomes over time. Service-first leadership makes sales and trust easier By obsessing over customers’ problems and genuinely trying to help (even if it means saying “you don’t need our product”), Sladen shows that integrity and service naturally create credibility and long-term business. High standards plus psychological safety create high-performing teams He leads like a coach of a high-performance sports team: the best idea wins regardless of title, tough conversations are normal, and people feel safe enough to hear and give hard feedback while staying aligned to a shared mission. Quotes: "Influence to me is more of a compound effect of several tiny moments instead of big speeches and planning sessions, and executive oversight." "We tell the truth, especially if it's a tough conversation to have. We get comfortable having uncomfortable conversations. We obsess over our customers, and we treat people well when things are hard, not just when things are going to plan." "Sometimes your belief can be the only thing that will take an idea forward. So maintain those strong beliefs, but be able to adapt." Timeline: 0:00 – Influence as a team sport 0:30 – Sladen’s background and leadership journey 3:59 – What “influence” means to Sladen 5:32 – “Best idea wins” culture at Lexon 8:32 – Service-first mindset in sales and leadership 13:54 – Standards, hard conversations, and long-term impact 15:14 – Life inside a high-pressure, bootstrap startup 19:19 – Psychological safety, DISC, and team dynamics 24:05 – High-performing sports team vs “family” analogy 27:17 – Aligning individual goals with company vision 28:54 – What Lexon actually does for heavy industry clients 32:46 – From consulting to product-led SaaS and long-term integrity 36:00 – Final message: strong belief plus adaptable strategy Conclusion: Sladen Moses shows how real influence comes from service, standards, and shared ownership rather than titles or loud voices. He leads Lexon like a high-performing sports team, where the best idea wins, hard conversations are normal, and psychological safety lets people do their best work. By obsessing over customers’ problems and bringing deep industry expertise to the table, his team builds trust and long-term relationships instead of chasing quick wins. Sladen’s story underlines that when you align strong personal belief with adaptability and a people-first culture, business performance and impact follow naturally.

Breaking Glass Ceilings: How Robyn Baker Build Real Influence

Seasoned strategist and grants/tenders specialist Robyn Baker traces her journey from starting at Brisbane City Council in 1980 to becoming a sought-after advisor who helps SMEs secure funding and scale with confidence. She reflects on breaking through as a woman in a male-dominated environment, fueled by mentors who pushed her into stretch roles and modeled strong leadership. Robyn shares practical stories of resolving team conflict, supporting distressed staff, and transforming tense relationships into deep trust, highlighting the importance of psychosocial safety and genuine care at work. For her, real influence is built on authenticity, word-of-mouth trust, and the responsibility that comes when people act on your recommendations, with leadership success measured by whether you leave the workplace better than you found it.   Takeaways: 1. Influence is built on trust, not titles Robyn sees real influence as what happens when people act on your recommendations because they trust your values, integrity, and track record—not because you call yourself an “influencer.” 2. Great leadership leaves people and places better than you found them Her measure of leadership success is simple: if your workplace, team, and individuals are in a better state when you leave than when you arrived, you’re doing leadership right. 3. Psychosocial safety is now a core leadership responsibility Robyn believes leaders must create environments where people feel safe, heard, and supported—especially when they’re struggling—while also ensuring leaders themselves are supported and equipped to handle emotional and relational challenges at work.   Quotes:   "I think finding your influence, I think people who trust you, who have the same values and morals as you, and they go, well, if she's doing that, then I'm going to do that." Description: Robyn links true influence to shared values and trust, not status or labels. "If you can leave your workplace in a better place than you found it, then you're probably a good leader." Description: Her simple benchmark for leadership success is the positive change you leave behind. "If their safe place isn't at home, then their safe place should be at work. They need a safe place somewhere." Description: Robyn underscores the responsibility leaders have to create emotionally safe environments for their people.   Timeline:   0:00 – The hidden factors behind losing a tender 1:10 – Anton introduces “Leaders of Influence” and Robyn Baker 3:36 – Robyn hints at her new diagnostic funding tool 4:18 – Exclusive tool for funding suitability and individual fit 5:24 – Starting in 1980 at Brisbane City Council 7:06 – Learning tenders, grants, and big-project funding from experts 9:06 – Leaving council to care for her sick child and starting consulting 11:33 – Launching her own consultancy from scratch in 2016 13:54 – Why some tenders lose: competition, location, social fit, and bias 17:04 – Defining influence: authenticity, trust, and real‑world referrals 19:40 – Early mentors, breaking glass ceilings, and tokenism vs. opportunity 24:30 – Growing as a leader and being pushed into bigger roles 26:40 – The team member ready to quit and how Robyn stepped in 31:28 – Facilitating hard conversations between leaders and staff 35:56 – Turning two people who “hated each other” into lifelong friends 39:18 – Psychosocial safety and why work must be a safe place 41:43 – The emotional load on modern leaders and the need to decompress 42:56 – Why leaders themselves need support, systems, and resources 44:34 – Robyn’s leadership test: leave the workplace better than you found it 46:37 – Anton’s wrap‑up and key lessons from Robyn’s story   Conclusion:   Robyn’s journey is a reminder that technical excellence—like knowing grants and tenders inside out—only truly scales when it’s paired with character, care, and courage. The way she navigated male-dominated rooms in the 1980s, backed younger women, and even turned workplace enemies into bridesmaids shows how far patience and genuine curiosity can go. Her stories underline that leaders don’t need grand gestures as much as they need consistency: listening when people want to quit, advocating when things get political, and quietly setting a standard of psychosocial safety before it had a name. Influence, in her world, is almost accidental—it accumulates over decades of doing the right thing when no one’s clapping, until one day your name is the one people whisper when someone asks, “Who can we really trust with this?”

The Truth About Being a Female Truck Driver | Trucking with Casuarina Smith

Casuarina Smith, known as Trucking with CJ, shares how she uses her platform and road-train experience to advocate for the transport industry and educate everyday drivers about road safety, especially around heavy vehicles. She explains her unconventional journey from a corporate insurance career into trucking, helped by a few people who saw her potential and by her own decision to invest personally in gaining her truck license. Casuarina speaks candidly about being a woman in a male-dominated field, the tough realities, and how her values, authenticity, positive representation, and refusal to sexualize her image or promote harmful products guide what she will and won’t do for money. She describes receiving emotional messages from people who are inspired to change careers or start driving, and from families whose children feel seen through her content and her self-published children’s book, “My Auntie’s Truck.” A recurring theme is the idea of “being in the right room”: your value doesn’t disappear when people don’t respond, it often just means you’re showing your work to the wrong audience, and the key is to find communities and spaces that genuinely want you to succeed.   Takeaways: 1. Influence is a responsibility, not a label Casuarina sees influence as the power to shape how people view trucking and safety, so she treats it with care—sticking to honesty, positivity, and being a real role model rather than chasing clicks. 2. Your values are more important than quick money She turns down lucrative offers (like gambling or sexualized content) that don’t align with her principles, choosing long-term integrity over short-term cash, even if it means going back to full-time trucking. 3. You’re not “wrong,” you might just be in the wrong room From her kids’ book to her online content, she’s learned that poor reactions often mean the audience is a bad fit, not that the work has no value—success comes from finding the right people and spaces who appreciate what you do.   Quotes: “You have the ability to shape someone's perception of something, so make sure that with that power you do it correctly.” – Casuarina Smith “Just because someone doesn’t see your value doesn’t mean you’re not valuable; you might just be in the wrong place.” – Casuarina Smith “I’m not just working in the industry, I’m working for it, and I’m advocating for it.” – Casuarina Smith   Timeline:  0:00 – Casuarina shares practical road safety tips for driving around trucks, including giving space, avoiding blind spots, and using UHF radios on channel 40. 1:14 – Anton sets up the podcast focus on leadership, influence, and impact, and introduces the theme of real-world influence. 2:10 – Brief overview of who Casuarina is: road train driver, content creator, and advocate known as Trucking with CJ. 3:10 – Casual chat about where she lives now, helping her partner with interstate freight, and flying to Tasmania for AgFest. 4:23 – Discussion about the truck she’s currently in (Kenworth 950 Legend), bunk beds in the cab, and a shout-out to Emerald Carrying Company. 6:04 – Reflection on how everyone is connected to the transport industry without realizing it, from office supplies to clothes. 6:51 – Exploration of the mental fatigue of trucking: dealing with traffic, being brake-checked, and constant risk management. 7:47 – Concrete advice for everyday drivers on making truckies’ lives easier through space, awareness, and respectful driving. 9:06 – Anton asks how to practically use a UHF to talk to a truck driver and what to say when wanting to overtake. 10:18 – Light-hearted discussion about the Bruce Highway, road quality, and what politicians should experience before allocating road budgets. 10:48 – Story of how she moved from insurance into trucking, including early ride-alongs with her dad and investing in a truck license. 13:50 – Conversation about her dad’s fears, gender stigma, and the early challenges of being a woman entering trucking. 16:58 – Casuarina explains how she thinks about influence and why she treats it as a serious responsibility rather than a trendy label. 18:08 – She outlines her personal values: being a positive role model, avoiding sexualization, rejecting gambling promotions, and only backing brands she trusts. 22:39 – She talks about burning out from full-time trucking, changing how she works, and holding her ground on not compromising her principles for money. 23:58 – Stories of people she’s inspired, from career changers to young women who started driving after following her content. 29:23 – Discussion about the financial and training commitment of getting a truck license, and why investing in yourself gives you independence. 32:31 – Anton and Casuarina unpack how some people close to you may not truly support your success and what that feels like in business. 34:31 – Reflection on the idea that lack of recognition often means you’re in the wrong room, not that you lack talent or value. 35:58 – Quick snapshot of her social media reach and the growing community around trucking and road safety. 36:31 – She explains why she created her children’s book about trucks and the gap she saw in positive truck-related stories for kids. 37:31 – Description of how the book teaches kids about different trucks, their drivers, and how each supports daily life. 39:59 – Realities of self-publishing: paying illustrators and printers, marketing it herself, and dealing with imposter feelings. 40:40 – Contrast between events where the book barely moves and others where it sells out, reinforcing the “right room” idea. 42:46 – Anton’s leadership-focused summary on influence, values, and staying aligned with what matters despite pressure. 46:23 – Casuarina’s closing reflection that she’s not just working in transport but working for it, as an advocate for the whole industry. 46:58 – Final wrap-up, subscription call-to-action, and encouragement for listeners to apply the lessons about influence and values.   Conclusion: Influence often starts quietly, one person deciding to do their work with integrity, even when nobody seems to be watching or buying. What stands out is how far values can carry someone: from a truck cab to kids’ bookshelves, from a UHF radio to hundreds of thousands of followers. The story shows that staying true to what you stand for might limit your options in the short term, but it multiplies your impact over time. Sometimes the real shift happens not when you change who you are, but when you change the rooms you walk into and the people you choose to serve.   * Casuarina’s YouTube channel: Trucking with CJ [https://www.youtube.com/@TRUCKINGWITHCJ] * Casuarina’s Instagram and other socials: Trucking with CJ [https://www.instagram.com/truckingwithcj/?hl=en]

Grant Giles on Why Anxiety Needs Your Permission to Leave

Former pro triathlete and high-performance coach Grant Giles about anxiety, endurance sport, and influence. Grant explains how he suffered from pervasive anxiety and discovered that accepting and embodying it, rather than resisting it, reduced its power- a lesson he now applies in both sport and life. He describes his evolution from 1990s professional triathlon into a coaching career that integrates psychology, mindfulness, embodiment, and neuroscience, heavily influenced by the example of Mark Allen and the legendary 1989 Iron War. Grant outlines his coaching methods with triathletes, fighters, and big wave surfers, focusing on grounding in the body, breathwork, visualization in the “felt sense,” and preparing mentally for key “pinch points” where things get hardest. He closes with his coaching mantra of authenticity, honesty, integrity, and truth, arguing that stripping away personal “bullshit” and being fully yourself is the real source of influence and performance. Takeaways: Accept, don’t resist anxiety Grant explains that trying to get rid of anxiety makes it stronger; accepting and fully feeling it (like a wave that comes in and goes out) allows it to subside and become manageable. Performance comes from embodiment and flow High performance in Ironman and other extreme sports comes from “becoming the process”—using felt-sense visualization and staying in the body rather than overthinking, which enables flow even during very hard efforts. Real influence is grounded presence, not tactics Grant defines influence as the steady, calm “ground you hold” for others—being authentic, honest, and present—rather than clever strategies; athletes respond most to a coach’s integrity and grounded energy. Quotes: "What I found out about anxiety is the more you try to get rid of it, the stronger it gets. The more of it you can accept and embody and feel, the more it pulls back." Description: Grant reframes anxiety as something to be accepted and felt, not fought, showing how non-resistance reduces its power. "Be with the process. Don’t try and escape the process." Description: Grant’s core performance principle: instead of wishing discomfort away in sport (or life), immerse yourself fully in what you’re doing. "Influence to me is… the ground that you hold for other people… so basically, at the end of the day, it’s just be more of yourself, and there’s influence." Description: Grant defines influence as grounded presence and authenticity, not strategy or tactics. Timeline: 0:00 – Anxiety as a Superpower Grant explains his history with anxiety and how accepting it (not resisting it) changed everything. 1:00 – Who Is Grant Giles? Anton introduces Grant’s journey from pro triathlete to high-performance and mental skills coach. 4:07 – Old-School Triathlon & Ironman Basics They compare 90s triathlon to today and break down Ironman race distances. 6:06 – Hypnotherapy, Embodiment & Flow How visualization in the “felt sense” and non-resistance helped Grant take 45 minutes off his Ironman time. 9:42 – Anxiety in Racing and Life Grant’s “wave on a beach” metaphor and the principle: what you resist persists. 10:59 – What Real Influence Means Influence as the calm ground you hold for others, not tactics—rooted in Grant’s experience coaching a pro squad. 15:01 – Iron War & Mark Allen’s Impact The 1989 Iron War story and how Mark Allen’s psychological approach shaped Grant’s philosophy. 20:52 – Coaching Fighters & Big Wave Surfers Grounding, breathwork, and becoming an “immovable object” when safety and fear are on the line. 28:56 – Ironman as an Internal Battle Handling the darkest patches of the race and training to cope with “feeling bad,” not just feeling good. 36:27 – Grant’s Coaching Mantra: Authenticity Grant closes with his core values—truth, honesty, integrity, and being fully yourself as the real source of influence. Conclusion: Triathlon and high-performance coaching become a lens for understanding anxiety, influence, and leadership in everyday life. Grant Giles shows how accepting and embodying discomfort—rather than resisting it—unlocks flow, resilience, and better results, whether you’re racing Ironman, fighting in a ring, or leading a team. His methods of grounding, breathwork, and visualization in the “felt sense” turn abstract talk about mindsets into practical tools anyone can use. Above all, Grant argues that real influence isn’t about tactics; it’s about the authentic, steady ground you hold for others. Sport, in his world, is just the arena where we practice being more fully ourselves.

Everyone Is in Sales (Even If You Don't Think So) | Ashley Hayden

Ashley Hayden, a Melbourne-based commercial growth and marketing leader who also runs a small wine business as a creative outlet. Ashley defines influence primarily as the perception you create in others, emphasizing that what really matters is how people receive and interpret your words, actions, and positioning. He links influence closely to trust, connection, and storytelling, arguing that everyone is in sales because we are constantly selling ideas, ourselves, or our work, whether we realize it or not. Ashley highlights the power of creative storytelling to build relationships in both business and personal life, and stresses that genuine influence also depends on being an excellent listener—using our “two ears and one mouth” in the right proportion. Throughout, he and Anton use examples like movies, wine, and workshops to illustrate how recommendations and stories shape others’ perceptions and decisions.   Takeaways:   1. Influence is perception-based Ashley defines influence as the perception you create in others—it’s less about what you say about yourself and more about how others receive, interpret, and talk about you when you’re not in the room. 2. Everyone is in sales (whether they know it or not) From coders to executives, everyone is constantly “selling” themselves, their ideas, or their work. Recommendations about movies, books, or restaurants are all everyday examples of selling through enthusiasm and belief. 3. Storytelling and listening are core influence skills Creative storytelling builds connection and trust, but it must be paired with deep listening—using “two ears and one mouth” in proportion—to really understand others’ problems and influence their thinking in a meaningful, respectful way.   Quotes: "I think that influence then is about the perception that people create... you can talk about yourself as much as you want, you can talk about your business as much as you want, but it's really about how other people receive that." "I always say... we're all salesmen, we're all [in sales]... that person at some point had to get the opportunity to be able to write their code, so they sold themselves at some point." "We have two ears and we have one mouth for a reason... you should listen twice as much as what you should speak."   Timeline:   0:00 – 1:20 | Ashley’s definition of influence (perception and trust) Influence as the perception you create in others; trust as a core part of that. 1:20 – 3:56 | Anton’s intro: Leaders of Influence & Ashley’s background Podcast positioning, why influence matters, and Ashley’s corporate/consulting bio. 3:56 – 5:35 | The wine side-hustle story Ashley’s small wine business, being his own best customer, and mixing passion with business. 5:35 – 7:18 | Learning wine by doing & creative outlet Leaving corporate comfort, learning winemaking hands-on, and using wine as a creative outlet. 7:18 – 9:26 | Defining influence: perception created, not words said Ashley explains influence as perception, pitches, and how others talk about you when you’re not in the room. 9:26 – 13:07 | Everyone is in sales (movies, recommendations, and influence) How everyday recommendations are selling; influence in workshops and casual conversations. 13:07 – 15:35 | Storytelling, movie choices & shaping perception Using favorite movies as icebreakers, how your choices create a specific perception. 15:35 – 19:00 | Storytelling, connection, and the power of listening Campfire origins of storytelling, two ears/one mouth, and why listening is a core influence skill. 19:00 – 23:58 | Mentors, stewardship, and long-term influence Ashley’s 17-year mentor story, values, trust, and when the mentor becomes the mentee. 23:58 – 28:21 | Family influence, spouses, and leadership loneliness Influence of parents and partners, feedback from spouses, and how lonely leadership can be. 28:21 – 32:41 | Hospitality leadership and seeking support Influence challenges in hospitality, transient teams, and the need for mentors/peer circles. 32:41 – 35:45 | Pride in others’ growth: mentees and entrepreneurs Stories of people Ashley has mentored, from note-taking lessons to a dance & kids’ science business. 35:45 – 39:13 | People, planning, and performance: the execution triad Right people, clear plan, and actually performing—why execution is where many get stuck. 39:13 – 41:00 | One team, one message: Ashley’s leadership mantra Lessons from elite teams, avoiding silos, and aligning everyone around a simple, shared message. 41:00 – end | Anton’s recap and call to action Summary of key influence ideas, book mention, and how to go deeper with Leaders of Influence.   Conclusion:   This episode centers on Ashley Hayden’s core idea that influence is the perception you create in others, not just the story you tell about yourself. Through examples from consulting, wine-making, and everyday life, Ashley and Anton show that everyone is in sales, constantly “selling” ideas, values, and character in how they show up. They highlight storytelling and deep listening as the practical skills that turn influence into trust and real connection. Ashley’s experiences with mentors, mentees, and hospitality leaders underline that growth comes from supportive relationships, clear plans, and committed execution. The conversation lands on a simple leadership mantra—“one team, one message”—as the anchor for any leader who wants to influence with clarity, consistency, and integrity.