Leadership Week
Date: 20 - 23 Jul 2026
Leadership Week
Giving you the tools and skills to lead well, work better, and support your team to thrive.
Leadership Week, an initiative of the Institute of Community Directors Australia and McKinsey & Company, is a dedicated week of leadership training designed to support and strengthen the capability of the not-for-profit and community sector.
The aim of this event, held 20-23 July 2026 is to provide leaders in the sector with the tools and training they need to become the best leaders they can be.
The theme for Leadership Week 2026 is Giving you the tools and skills to lead well, work better, and help your team to thrive.
This four-part series equips leaders with the tools and skills to lead well, work better, and support their teams to thrive. Covering effective execution, the opportunities and risks of AI, and approaches to difficult conversations and talent development, each session focuses on real-world challenges and actionable techniques to improve team performance and leadership impact.
Join one of our four FREE webinars by registering below.
Leadership Week Program
High-Performing Teams: Execution & Ways of Working
Presented by Priyanjali Arora, senior expert and Lauren Arancini, associate, McKinsey & Company.
Explore the foundations of strong execution and effective teamwork, including practical tools for prioritisation and visual management, approaches for setting clear team norms, and strategies to anticipate risks, strengthen collaboration and improve team performance over time.
About the speakers
Priyanjali Arora – Senior Expert
Priyanjali is a Senior Expert in McKinsey’s Organisation Practice and spends most of her time supporting clients across the APAC region on organisational topics including leadership development, culture and operating models. She brings expertise in using analytics and technology to support data-driven approaches to culture change and leadership. Priyanjali works with clients across a wide range of industries throughout the region.
Lauren Arancini – Associate
Lauren is an Associate based in McKinsey’s Melbourne office who works with public and private sector organisations across both strategy and delivery, particularly at the intersection of the two. She is passionate about helping clients apply emerging technology and thought leadership in practical, value-driven ways, translating global best practice into meaningful outcomes.
Leveraging AI
Presented by Marcela Bonilla, associate, and Wen Cheng, software engineer, McKinsey & Company.
This session will discuss opportunities and implications facing the not-for-profit sector as a result of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, and strategies organisations can employ to mitigate the risk of AI to their organisation and stakeholders.
About the speakers
Marcela Bonilla - Associate
Marcela serves as an expert for leadership and change management capability building across a range of topics and sectors. She is a leader in McKinsey Australia’s pro-bono AI capability building program and strategy work for the for-purpose sector. Before McKinsey, Marcela worked in New York City in learning and development and sales enablement across multiple organisations.
Wen Cheng – Software Engineer
Wen is a Software Engineer who’s passionate about bridging the gap between people and technology to drive innovation. Wen combines technical expertise - incl. full-stack development with React, APIs, secure software practices and data modelling - with her experience leading large-scale operations to deliver solutions grounded in real-world business needs. Wen focuses on building client capabilities in tech transformations, Agile ways of working, and digital twins.
Leading Difficult Conversations that Develop Talent
Presented by Amanda Fung, engagement manager and Michelle Benington, business analyst, McKinsey & Company.
Explore how leaders can confidently navigate difficult conversations to support individual and team growth. This session covers common sources of conflict, practical strategies for constructive and respectful conversations, and ways to use feedback, coaching and apprenticeship to help people build capability, stretch their skills and continue developing.
About the speakers
Amanda Fung – Engagement Manager
Amanda is a leader in the transformation practice and the regional lead of Zero-Based Design in Australia. She mobilises organisations to translate ambition into execution and challenges clients to rapidly reshape their operating models. Amanda is a former Corporate M&A lawyer with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University. She has previously worked in London, Singapore and Australia.
Michelle Benington – Business Analyst
Michelle is a consultant closely associated with McKinsey’s SHaPE practice, focusing on strategic transformation, technology and operating models. She began her professional career as a lawyer, and her work at the firm has spanned both public sector and not-for-profit clients. She is particularly passionate about helping organisations build inclusive leadership teams that drive stronger outcomes and enable effective mission delivery.
The resilient leader: Leading sustainably through change
Presented by Nina Laitala, training lead, Institute of Community Directors Australia
This session will explore sustainable leadership in the for-purpose sector, including how leaders can recognise burnout, respond to changing conditions, and develop the self-awareness and resilience needed to lead effectively over the long term.
About the speaker
Nina Laitala – Community Directors Training Lead
Nina excels in strategic and change management, particularly in bringing diverse stakeholders along for the journey. Her agile management style and unwavering energy and commitment enable her to build strong teams that thrive under challenging situations. She specialises in strategic and change management, governance, and advocating for marginalised communities. At ICDA, she works with the training team to develop and deliver programs including the Diploma of Governance.