FROM LOSS TO LEADERSHIP: FLOURISHING THROUGH GRIEF AND PURPOSE with DALE DAWSON || EQ Strategist
"The grief didn't diminish or hasn't diminished. What's happened is I've learned to grow around that grief."
In this deeply moving episode, Dale Dawson - Australian senior executive, health & wellbeing champion, and grief educator—shares her extraordinary journey from devastating loss to purposeful leadership. Dale's story isn't easy. She lost her mother in 2011, and after few years her beloved husband Steve to brain cancer in 2020, and her dad in 2022. What happened next wasn't a return to "normal"—it was a complete transformation in how she lives, leads, and serves others.
WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER:
🎯 THE ACCIDENTAL 25-YEAR CAREER: Why Dale thought she'd only stay in the public sector for 2 years—and what kept her flourishing for 25
💔 NAVIGATING UNIMAGINABLE LOSS: The raw truth about losing two people you love within a year—and how she learned to carry the pain differently
🌱 GROWING AROUND GRIEF Not healing from it. Not moving past it. But growing around it. This reframe changed everything.
💪 KINDNESS VS. NICE: THE CRITICAL DISTINCTION: Why Dale was told she was "too nice"—and how she learned that kindness and accountability go hand in hand
🧭 BEING A ROLE MODEL OF POSSIBILITY: How Dale turned her darkest moments into purpose: grief education, brain cancer advocacy, and helping others heal
✨ AUTHENTICITY AS A LEADERSHIP SUPERPOWER: Why being yourself isn't soft—it's the most powerful thing you can do as a leader
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ABOUT DALE DAWSON:
Dale Dawson is an Australian senior executive with 25 years in the public sector, specializing in health, wellbeing, and culture transformation. After losing her husband Steve to brain cancer five years ago, she trained as a grief educator and now helps others navigate loss while continuing to lead with kindness, authenticity, and purpose.
She advocates for: → Grief literacy in workplaces → Brain cancer research and support → Leadership through authenticity → Creating cultures of kindness, connection, and belonging.
Connect with Dale on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-dawson-37711339/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-dawson-37711339/]
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ABOUT THE INSPIRING LEADERSHIP PODCAST:
Hosted by Dominic Siow, Inspiring Leadership brings you real conversations with leaders who lead with heart, humanity, and courage. We explore emotional intelligence, resilience, purpose, and what it really takes to inspire others.
🌐 Website: https://www.eqstrategist.com/ [https://www.eqstrategist.com/]
📧 Email: info@eqstrategist.com [info@eqstrategist.com]
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eqstrategist/ [https://www.instagram.com/eqstrategist/]
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eqstrategist/?viewAsMember=true [https://www.linkedin.com/company/eqstrategist/?viewAsMember=true]
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