About Dr Josie McLean

Dr Josie McLean sitting against a wall of dark red brick. She is smiling and resting one hand under her chin.

Who is Dr Josie McLean?

Dr Josie McLean is an Australian leadership practitioner, author and facilitator who helps leaders and organisations navigate complexity and uncertainty. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, she specialises in adaptive leadership and complexity-based organisational change, working with clients across government, corporate and community sectors.

Rather than relying on outdated planning models, Josie helps leaders, teams and organisations learn their way forward in conditions where the path ahead is unclear.

What approach does Dr Josie McLean use to lead organisational change?

Josie uses a complexity-based approach grounded in the recognition that organisations are living systems, not machines. The challenges leaders face today rarely have neat, predictable solutions, so her work focuses on helping teams discover what works through dialogue, collaboration and iterative experimentation.

Her practice draws on three core methods:

Adaptive Leadership, which distinguishes technical problems (solvable with existing expertise) from adaptive challenges (which require learning and behaviour change).
Estuarine Mapping, a sensemaking method for navigating uncertain environments.
Living systems thinking, which treats organisations as interconnected, self-organising systems.

A central premise of Josie's work is that the way we think shapes what we do. Much of her facilitation involves helping groups surface and challenge the unconscious assumptions that keep them stuck, opening up new perspectives and possibilities for action.

What is Josie McLean’s professional background?

Before entering the world of leadership and organisational development, Josie worked as a strategic planner and finance company manager. A pivotal moment at a coaching conference in 2003 sparked her commitment to sustainability and systemic change, leading her to become a pioneer of the professional coaching industry in Australia.

Josie's PhD exploring how organisations can become more sustainable through living systems principles earned her a Dean's Commendation of Excellence. She has authored three books: Big Little Shifts: A Practitioner's Guide to Complexity for Organisational Change and Adaptation, which describes the leadership journey to lead systemic changes in relation to complex, adaptive challenges; Ecological and Climate-Conscious Coaching: A Companion Guide to Evolving Coaching Practice (co-edited); and Purposeful Cultures: A Practical Self-Leadership Guide, which explores who we are and how to make a difference.

Who has Josie McLean worked with?

Josie has worked with leaders and organisations across Australia's public, private and community sectors for more than two decades. For over 15 years, she has been a lead facilitator of South Australia's Governor's Leadership Foundation program, working with emerging leaders from across sectors.

Her client list includes Flinders University, the Department of Environment and Water, Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board, the Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, and many of South Australia's leading local councils.

What results do clients get from working with Josie McLean?

Clients gain both immediate and long-term shifts in how their organisation functions. In the short term, Josie's complexity-based approaches produce shared understandings of how a system currently operates and conversations that open new perspectives and pathways forward. Over the longer term, clients identify how to shift the system in the direction they want to go.

Case study: How Josie McLean helped transform a local council

Josie helped turn around a council plagued by chronic deficits, high staff turnover and project failures, supporting a complete cultural transformation. The council in question went on to become one of the top three financially managed councils in South Australia and is now a multiple award winner for business excellence and organisational culture.

Her research-backed approach has produced lasting change across government, corporate and community organisations throughout Australia, independently recognised through Human Synergistics Transformation Awards.

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“We used adaptive leadership tools to start moving into the solutions space... we got some amazing outcomes from this fascinating beginning, and it will shine a light for us to see the NEXT STEP”

— Alex Gaut, Team Leader City of Holdfast Bay

“Her deep understanding of complexity...and exceptional coaching skills, have allowed our team to test ideas and become confident navigators in complexity.”

— Tania McDonald, Urban Sustainability Team, Department of Environment and Water, South Australia

“Josie’s ability to build trust and challenge constructively made her an invaluable partner in our transformation journey.

I strongly endorse Josie for any role requiring leadership development, strategic facilitation, or cultural change within a complex organisation.”

— Luke Havelberg, Executive Director KidSafe Connect Transformation Program, Department Child Protection

“Josie’s wise advice and facilitation skills were the perfect mix in supporting our successful transition to a high-performing small team. Her empathy and care created a safe space for my team to share their dreams for the future.”

— Gilbert Rochecouste, Managing Director, Village Well

“Josie McLean and her team have worked with myself and the leadership team for over a year now. Her unique approach both challenges and nurtures team beliefs and assumptions… Staff have come away from these sessions with greater clarity on our direction, improved collegiality and respect for one and other and a renewed sense of vigour in achieving our goals.”

— Ben Stockwin, CEO, Australian Institute of Landscape Architects

How can you achieve results across your entire organisation?

When people believe that they can make a difference, transformation follows. You will see measurable improvements in four key areas:

Individual Impact: Leaders develop stronger decision-making skills, increased confidence, and enhanced emotional intelligence, which in turn improve both their professional effectiveness and personal fulfilment.

Team Transformation: Enhanced collaboration, higher engagement scores, improved productivity, and stronger working relationships that reach across silos.

Cultural Evolution: Organisational culture shifts that improve retention, boost performance, and create environments where people thrive - not just survive. Employees queue up to work in these places.

The Ripple Effect: Perhaps most importantly, you and your team will become catalysts for change in your broader networks, industries, and communities. You’re not just transforming your own organisation - you will influence entire sectors.

Who we work with

We partner with forward-thinking leaders who recognise that thriving in today's complex world requires more than traditional management approaches.

Our Ideal Clients Are:

Purpose-driven organisations ready to align their operations with meaningful regenerative impact
Culture-conscious leaders who understand that enduring success starts with people and relationships
Visionary change makers seeking practical strategies to engage their teams in transformation

From Local Government to Global Corporations We've successfully guided organisations across sectors—from community banks and high-tech manufacturers to local councils and not-for-profits. Size doesn't matter; commitment to authentic change does.

Ready to Start? Whether you're a CEO, Head of People & Culture, Sustainability Manager, or change maker at any level, we want to hear from you. After more than a decade of helping organisations move from surviving to thriving, we know real change is possible when the right support meets genuine commitment.

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