Culture CapitalWhen a workplace scandal hits the headlines, leaders are quick to blame a few bad apples.But what if the rot goes all the way to the roots?
In this powerful episode, Prabha and Mundanara sit down with one of Australia's most respected experts in organisational culture and integrity for a candid, unflinching conversation about what's really going on inside our workplaces.
With over two decades leading cultural reviews at some of Australia's most high-profile institutions — including Qantas, Rio Tinto, the NSW Parliament, and the Australian music industry — Alexandria Shehadie has sat across the table from the broken, the silenced, and the powerful. And she's not pulling any punches.
Together they explore why so many organisations get cultural reform dangerously wrong, why racism remains the most under-acknowledged harm in Australian workplaces today, and why middle management are the true keepers of culture — for better or worse.
Plus, practical advice for leaders hitting a wall with resistance, and what to do if you're the one suffering inside a toxic workplace right now.
This is not theory. It's lived leadership.
Resources
- Safe Work Australia — https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
- Australian Human Rights Commission — https://humanrights.gov.au
- Fair Work Commission — https://www.fwc.gov.au
- Gari Yala 2 (Speak the Truth) — https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculties/business/research/centre-for-indigenous-people-and-work-cipw/gari-yala-2
- Racism@Uni (Respect at Uni) — https://humanrights.gov.au/resource-hub/by-resource-type/projects2/study-racism-australian-universities
If this conversation resonated with you, make sure you follow or subscribe to Culture Capital on your favourite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Share this podcast with colleagues, leaders, and anyone passionate about building stronger workplace cultures.
Co-host Prabha Nandagopal is the founder of Elevate Consulting Partners, providing expert consulting on workplace culture, positive duty compliance, and human rights. Learn more at elevateconsultingpartners.com.au
Prabha also founded SafeSpace@Elevate, Australia's first trauma informed workplace reporting platform. Learn more at safespaceelevate.com.au
This episode of Culture Capital is brought to you by BlackCard, Australia's leading Aboriginal owned cultural capability training organisation. Learn more at theblackcard.com.au
Culture Capital is produced by the BlakCast Network
