Paul Skewes

Icons of Change™

Icons of Change International Awards 2026  Paul Skewes  Founder & Principal, LeadStrong Coaching Former Leadership & Capability Leader with BHP, Newmont, Gold Fields & DOF Subsea Leadership Development Consultant, Osprey International Former Senior OD and Leadership Coach, Astute Learning   SDG Focus: Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth  Changemaker for Workplace Capability, Employee Engagement, and Meaningful Human Contribution (Australia)  Paul Skewes is an Australian leadership speaker, facilitator and organisational coach whose work is centred on a practical but often overlooked question: what prevents capable people from contributing what they know, see and are capable of? For more than 25 years, he has worked across mining, oil and gas, construction and major infrastructure, supporting leaders at every level—from frontline supervisors and operational teams to senior leaders responsible for organisational capability, talent and major organisational change. His career has consistently explored the relationship between people, leadership and performance, with a particular focus on creating workplaces where individuals are equipped, trusted and encouraged to make their fullest contribution.  From High-Pressure Industries to Human-Centred Leadership  Paul's professional journey has given him extensive experience inside some of Australia's most demanding operational environments. His career has included leadership development, organisational development and capability roles with BHP, Newmont, Gold Fields and DOF Subsea, alongside consulting and coaching engagements across complex resources, infrastructure and major project environments. These experiences have shaped a practical understanding of how leadership behaviour affects communication, accountability, engagement and performance, particularly when organisations are operating under significant commercial, operational or workforce pressure.  Rather than viewing leadership as a collection of abstract theories, Paul approaches it as something that is demonstrated through everyday interactions: how a supervisor responds when a problem is raised, whether a team member feels able to challenge a decision, whether people take ownership when something goes wrong, and whether leaders create an environment where difficult conversations can happen before problems become crises. This practical understanding has become the foundation of his current work as a speaker, facilitator and organisational coach.

Transcript

00:00Hello, I'm Paul Skews, a leadership speaker, facilitator and organisational coach based in Perth, Western Australia.

00:08First of all, thank you to Justin Ho and to the Icons of Change Organising Committee.

00:14I'm genuinely honoured to receive this recognition.

00:17And for me, this also comes with a personal responsibility.

00:21Because change isn't reserved for people with impressive titles, enormous platforms or this exceedingly high formal authority.

00:29Every one of us influences what happens around us.

00:33And we do that through what we say, what we do, what we tolerate and the things we just simply

00:39choose to ignore.

00:40My work focuses on something I call the contribution gap.

00:43And that's the distance between what people are capable of contributing and what they actually feel able and willing to

00:50contribute.

00:50And I've seen enormously capable people hold back because they didn't feel heard, trusted or safe enough to speak honestly.

00:58And I've seen what becomes possible when leaders make it easier for those same people to step forward, take some

01:05ownership and contribute fully.

01:07That is how my work contributes to more sustainable workplaces.

01:11Because decent work should mean more than simply having a job.

01:15It should be a place where people are treated with dignity, where their voice matters and where they know they

01:21can make a difference.

01:23The International Year of Volunteers reminds us that contribution can take many forms and it happens through our professions, our

01:30communities.

01:31And it's the way we can show up for people around us.

01:34We all have influence.

01:36The real question is whether we will use it deliberately.

01:39So thank you for this recognition.

01:41I accept it with gratitude and a personal commitment to keep using my influence deliberately.

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