Connecting with Geraldine Chin Moody

Geraldine Chin Moody GAICD is the Executive Director of One Blue Dot Advisory and the Non Executive Director at Future Group . In addition to her Senior Executive positions held at ASX-listed companies, she is a Board and Governance Principal at Directors Australia and the Advisory Board chair of ANU Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership . In March, when I had the tremendous opportunity to visit Geraldine in her hometown, Brisbane, I met so many in her vast network, she literally could be elected mayor.

How have relationships influenced your professional development and leadership style?

The people that have most influenced my personal development and leadership style are those who have been able to speak honestly but gently with me. Those who have helped me to see my strengths that I can do more of, to identify my overdone strengths that I need to do less of, and to give me clear, supportive feedback about the things I need to do differently. I have had leaders, mentors, coaches and friends who have done this in various ways and I have built a strong network of trusted advisers that I call on for advice and frank feedback.

Do you have any tips for maintaining and building strong relationships?

It may surprise some who know me to hear this but “networking” as it is traditionally known isn’t something that comes naturally to me. In terms of building relationships, I find it much easier to make strong connections through a common project or purpose where I can deepen and build on the relationship. 

In terms of maintaining relationships, I have learned over time that the best way to do this is to give my time and emotional availability so that I can more deeply listen and share. With a busy schedule, I find that the best way to create this presence is to ensure I am taking care of my health (sleep, exercise, eating well, mindfulness practice) and that I’m not distracted by technology. 

How have you intentionally built inclusiveness into your circles?

Inclusiveness has always been important to me, but I haven’t always taken action to match my intentions or understood who I am excluding. Even with the best intentions, we all have biases and I have learned that being inclusive of some groups can feel exclusive to others. I now try to work hard on checking my biases and being open-minded and curious about perspectives that are different to mine. I also try to bring new voices into my communities, but there is always more to be done.

What community or communities are you proud to be a part of?

Over time, I have more proudly embraced my Chinese-Australian heritage which is a huge part of who I am. In 2021, I become involved with the ANU Centre for Asian-Australian Leadership and now chair the advisory board. Through our mission to increase the representation of Asian-Australians in leadership positions in major private-sector institutions and public institutions, I have met and been inspired by so many Asian-Australian leaders of all ages, cultural backgrounds and work specializations. There is a deep sense of satisfaction in building meaningful connections with this community and in playing my part to create opportunities for a group who have been historically marginalized in Australia.

Who’s a Connector that's made a difference in your life? 

The late Audrey Page, a mentor of mine, was a deep connector who I really admired and who inspired me to build relationships in a more meaningful way. Audrey was a pioneer of career transition and outplacement support in Australia after going to university at the age of 39 after her sons finished high school. Quietly spoken and humble, through her deep listening, she had a special ability to understand what you most needed at any particular time and introduced you to the person who could best support you.

It's an honor to feature inspiring change-makers across industries who share their stories and words of wisdom about how to build meaningful relationships. Catch up on #CONNECTED with our previous guests, including Joyce Cacho , S. Mona Sinha , Anil Dash , and more!

Susan McPherson is a serial connector, seasoned communicator and founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a communications consultancy focused on the intersection of brands and social impact. She is the author of The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Relationships.

Follow Susan on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram and order her new book, The Lost Art of Connecting, also available on Kindle and Audiobook.