What does it take to lead at the highest level, consistently - across teams, cultures and continents?

Michael Cheika has coached national rugby sides in Australia, Argentina and Lebanon, but his leadership journey began much earlier - shaped by the resilience, humility and drive of his immigrant upbringing in Western Sydney.

In this episode of Empowering Leaders, Michael joins Luke Darcy for a candid and powerful conversation on emotional intelligence, public pressure, and the challenge of building alignment in high-performance teams. He reflects on how he’s learned to balance vulnerability with toughness, what business can borrow from sport, and why defeat often teaches more than success.

With his trademark honesty and curiosity, Michael opens up about the influence of his family, the value of lifelong learning, and how great leaders never stop evolving - on or off the field.

 

The Leadership Playbook in London on September 5, 2025

Discover leadership insights from two of the world’s most respected coaches. Aleda invites you to “The Leadership Playbook”, a live panel discussion with NBA legend Steve Kerr and Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta.

This exclusive 90-minute session will share raw, unfiltered insights on:
Building teams that thrive under pressure
Leading with authenticity and clarity
Driving performance through challenges

These strategies translate directly into business and leadership, empowering you to build high-performing teams and lead with confidence in any environment.

EventDetails
Date - Friday, 5 September 
Time - 3:30pm to 5:00pm 
Location - The Londoner Hotel

Special Offer for listeners of the Empowering Leaders podcast

Enjoy 20% off General Admission and Front Row Tickets with code ALEDA20.

For tailored group discounts, please reach out to the team at Aleda via info@aledacollective.com

Book your ticket here 

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn directly from two of the greatest minds in leadership and performance.

This session is being run as part of the Lead Better, Live Better Summit 2025, hosted over 4 and 5 September at the Londoner Hotel. The conference features many other incredible, high profile speakers from the world of leadership and wellness and spots are limited. If you are interested in attending or learning more about the conference, please check out the What's Happening page on Aleda's website. 

 

Learn. Lead. Collaborate.

Start your leadership journey today. Head here to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time.

Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU here.

What does it take to lead at the highest level, consistently - across teams, cultures and continents?
Michael Cheika has coached national rugby sides in Australia, Argentina and Lebanon, but his leadership journey began much earlier - shaped by the resilience, humility and drive of his immigrant upbringing in Western Sydney.
In this episode of Empowering Leaders, Michael joins Luke Darcy for a candid and powerful conversation on emotional intelligence, public pressure, and the challenge of building alignment in high-performance teams. He reflects on how he&rsquo;s learned to balance vulnerability with toughness, what business can borrow from sport, and why defeat often teaches more than success.
With his trademark honesty and curiosity, Michael opens up about the influence of his family, the value of lifelong learning, and how great leaders never stop evolving - on or off the field.
&nbsp;
The Leadership Playbook in London on September 5, 2025
Discover leadership insights from two of the world&rsquo;s most respected coaches. Aleda invites you to &ldquo;The Leadership Playbook&rdquo;, a live panel discussion with NBA legend&nbsp;Steve Kerr&nbsp;and Arsenal Manager&nbsp;Mikel Arteta.
This exclusive 90-minute session will share raw, unfiltered insights&nbsp;on:
<ul>
<li>Building teams that thrive under pressure</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Leading with authenticity and clarity</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Driving performance through challenges</li>
</ul>
These strategies translate directly into business and leadership, empowering you to build high-performing teams and lead with confidence in any environment.
Event Details
<ul>
<li>Date - Friday, 5 September&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Time - 3:30pm to 5:00pm&nbsp;</li>
<li>Location - The Londoner Hotel</li>
</ul>
Special Offer for listeners of the Empowering Leaders podcast
Enjoy 20% off&nbsp;General Admission and Front Row Tickets with code&nbsp;ALEDA20.
For tailored group discounts, please reach out to the team at Aleda via info@aledacollective.com
<a href="https://www.tickettailor.com/events/aledacollective/1700263" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tickettailor.com/events/aledacollective/1700263&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1753353467405000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2maFoN6Qc6jLhRfqVwAWek">Book your ticket here</a>&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity&nbsp;to learn directly from two of the greatest minds in leadership and performance.
This session is being run as part of the Lead Better, Live Better Summit 2025, hosted over 4 and 5 September at the Londoner Hotel. The conference features many other incredible, high profile speakers from the world of leadership and wellness and spots are limited. If you are interested in attending or learning more about the conference, please check out the What's Happening page on Aleda's <a href="https://www.aledacollective.com/whats-happening" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.aledacollective.com/whats-happening&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1753353467405000&amp;usg=AOvVaw32YHuRXl-jrhfqT-7FyDA0">website</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Learn. Lead. Collaborate.
Start your leadership journey today. Head <a href="https://www.aledacollective.com/program/leadconnect">here</a> to find out more about our signature, cross industry collaboration program, Aleda Connect. Curated and facilitated by experts, running for 8 fortnightly sessions, Aleda Connect is the learning experience of a life-time.
Empowering Leaders is proudly partnered with Victoria University. Find more information about studying at VU <a href="https://tinyurl.com/yzcchzea">here</a>.

In this series, Luke Darcy is joined by iconic leaders to unpack learnings and life lessons from these game changers in their chosen field, whether it’s sports, art, business or education. We’ll break down the fundamentals of the new style of leadership, such as collaboration, integrity and innovation, through the stories of these iconic leaders.

Empowering Leaders

In this series, Luke Darcy is joined by iconic leaders to unpack learnings and life lessons from these game changers in their chosen field, whether it’s sports, art, social venture, business or education. We’ll break down the fundamentals of the new style of leadership, such as collaboration, integrity and innovation, through the stories of these iconic leaders.

In this series, Luke Darcy is joined by iconic leaders to unpack learnings and life lessons from these game changers in their chosen field, whether it&rsquo;s sports, art, social venture, business or education. We&rsquo;ll break down the fundamentals of the new style of leadership, such as collaboration, integrity and innovation, through the stories of these iconic leaders.