Practice Pack Part 1: The Art and Practice of Adaptive Leadership

Liz Skelton - Co-Director, Collaboration for Impact

Liz is Director and co-founder of Collaboration for Impact (CFI). CFI builds capacity in systems change and adaptive leadership for social change, systems change and social innovation working with and advising Government, Not for Profit, Community, philanthropy sectors on how to create the conditions for social change. Liz brings unique specialist experience, skills and knowledge in leadership development to building collaborations to enable cross sector stakeholders to change the way their systems work to create positive social change.

With over 25 years’ experience leading social change, Liz began her career leading NGOS’s in Scotland and Australia before co-leading the establishment and growth of a national social leadership learning organisation Social Leadership Australia. As Principal Consultant she spent eight years working with leaders in community, government and businesses across Australia developing the theory and applying the practice of Adaptive Leadership to tackle their toughest challenges. Since 2014 she has been applying the practice of Adaptive Leadership to place and issue-based systems change working with First Nations leaders and other Australians to change their relationship with deep collaboration, extending this innovative practice to communities working collaboratively across Australia to achieve better outcomes.

Liz is an author and teacher of leadership for systems change, and has co-authored two books: "The Australian Leadership Paradox: What it takes to lead in the Lucky Country", with Geoff Aigner, published by Allen & Unwin in 2013, and “Lost conversations: Finding new ways for black and white Australians to lead together” launched in November 2014 co-authored with a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders. Liz is also a Lecturer with UNSW’s Centre for Social Impact's Masters and Graduate Certificate in Social Impact.

Anna Powell - Practice Lead, Collaboration for Impact

Anna Powell has extensive experience in strategy, evaluation, design and co-creating learning systems. Anna has held senior management roles across the education, community, international development, corporate and education sectors, including with Oxfam and Westpac Foundation. Anna also has extensive consultancy experience working with and facilitating collaborations between government, place-based change initiative, international aid initiatives, universities, social enterprises and philanthropic organisations.

Anna draws on professional training and qualifications in complexity theory, human-centred design, psychology, organisational development and strategic and adaptive leadership to support people to co-create implement and learn from strategic social change initiatives. Anna has led the design, monitoring and evaluation of collaborative initiatives in areas including education, employment pathways, youth and family services, and economic participation.