Dr. Stacey Ashley’s career journey began with a Bachelor of Economics in Accounting and Law, leading to a graduate role with IBM. This initial position provided a strong foundation for her commercial knowledge. Driven by a desire to learn and gain diverse experiences, she moved through various organizations and roles early in her career. A significant turning point was her role at Vodafone in Australia, where she joined as employee number seven before the network launch. During her tenure, she witnessed Vodafone’s growth to 3,000 employees, transitioning from a start-up to a major market player. This period included remarkable opportunities, such as working directly with the CEO for Pacific on key due diligence activities, executing turnaround projects, and leading significant business system programs worth over $100 million. Despite her success at Vodafone, she eventually sought further personal and professional growth, prompting her to establish her own leadership practice in 2005. Since then, Dr. Ashley has been dedicated to future-proofing CEOs, their leadership, their people, and their organizations with a focus on elevating the practice of leadership globally. We at CIO Global, are proud to introduce Dr. Stacey Ashley as Cover Story of the edition – Business Geek: Women Leaders to Watch, 2024.
“If you can see it, you can be it. By being a visible thought leader and developer of leaders, I hope to inspire others to harness their strengths and do something truly purposeful.”
Dr. Ashley’s journey to becoming a market disruptor evolved over time. Initially lacking clarity on her purpose, she gradually refined her vision through continuous learning and exposure to new experiences. Her nearly 20-year journey has centered on elevating the practice of leadership, recognizing the growing need for quality leadership in today’s world. Dr. Ashley has expanded her perspective by engaging with new people, ideas, industries, and geographies. This approach is encapsulated in her concept of “big leadership,” which she discusses in her latest book. Several factors inspired Dr. Ashley to start her own venture. Firstly, she had exhausted learning opportunities within corporate environments. Secondly, she noticed a lack of good leadership at various organizational levels, a sentiment echoed by her colleagues and friends. Lastly, she sought a sustainable way to balance having a family with her career aspirations. These factors collectively motivated her to establish her own business on her terms.
Dr. Ashley brings a unique perspective to her industry through her extensive knowledge of leadership, diverse experiences, and insights gained from working with numerous clients. Her approach emphasizes that leadership is a continuous journey of learning and improvement. She strives to make leadership more accessible, comfortable, and impactful, always seeking ways to develop leaders and set them up for success. This commitment to continuous growth and innovation defines her unique contribution to the field of leadership. Dr. Stacey Ashley believes that challenges and setbacks are valuable learning opportunities. She emphasizes the importance of extracting lessons from every experience, whether successful or not, and using these lessons to move forward. She also views setbacks as potential redirections toward new pathways filled with opportunities, provided one is open to exploring them.
Dr. Ashley considers herself a unique entity in the marketplace. To stay ahead of the competition, she continually learns, stays proactive, and listens to her clients. By understanding their needs, identifying what works and what doesn’t, and anticipating future trends, she positions herself to provide valuable support. Continuous learning ensures she always has something new to offer, keeping her ahead in the industry. One of Dr. Ashley’s significant impacts came from a conversation with a former colleague when she first started her business. Seeking marketing advice, she received generous support, which later inspired that colleague to become a coach himself. This interaction highlights how Dr. Ashley’s passion for coaching and helping others can ripple outwards, inspiring others to pursue similar paths and make their own impacts. For Dr. Ashley, leadership is about leaving people and situations better than she found them, and this story exemplifies her far-reaching influence.
“Mentorship provides invaluable wisdom, support, and a sounding board, making the journey easier to navigate. I encourage aspiring leaders to actively seek the mentors they need to succeed.”
Advice for Aspiring Women Leaders:
Dr. Ashley advises aspiring women leaders to focus on three key elements to find their zone of genius and create opportunities for disruption:
What do you know? Understand and leverage your knowledge, experience, qualifications, observations, and research.
What do you love? Identify your strengths and the activities that energize and bring you joy, allowing you to find your flow.
How can you contribute? Determine the difference you can make, how you can overcome obstacles, and how you can highlight what is possible.
By working within these three areas, aspiring leaders can position themselves to disrupt their markets effectively.
Dr. Ashley emphasizes the importance of understanding what a balanced life looks like for each individual and supporting oneself in achieving it. For her, this means setting clear boundaries about availability, choosing the right communication channels, and recognizing and managing her energy levels. She advocates for saying no to engagements that don’t serve one’s well-being and ensuring that there is enough time for activities that are personally fulfilling, whether it’s spending time with family, traveling, reading, or engaging in new learning experiences. Understanding oneself and creating opportunities to support personal well-being are crucial for maintaining a healthy balance between professional success and personal life.
Dr. Stacey Ashley sees endless opportunities for growth and innovation in the field of global leadership development. She believes the key is recognizing the ongoing need to support leaders at every organizational level. The biggest opportunity lies in continuously growing and elevating leadership capabilities.
By actively sponsoring and supporting the development of leaders’ skills and confidence, she believes they will drive growth and innovation within their respective industries. Dr. Ashley is particularly proud of her recently published book, Big Leadership: How CEOs Create The Future. This book delivers an important message to leaders at all levels, challenging them to step up, embrace the responsibility of their roles, and proactively shape the future. She sees it as a powerful tool for inspiring and guiding leaders to make a meaningful impact. Dr. Ashley is a strong advocate for mentorship, believing it is crucial for fostering leadership, especially among women. She observes that women often try to figure things out on their own and may not seek help as frequently as they could. Mentorship provides invaluable wisdom, support, and a sounding board, making the journey easier to navigate. She encourages aspiring leaders to actively seek out the mentors they need at various stages of their careers.
Dr. Ashley stays agile and adaptable by continuously learning and expanding her skill set. She conducts extensive research to stay aware of market changes and evolving global trends. This awareness enables her to adapt her strategies and approaches to remain effective in a constantly changing environment. Dr. Ashley aspires to leave a legacy of elevating the practice of leadership globally. She believes in the adage, “If you can see it, you can be it,” and hopes her visibility as a thought leader and developer of leaders will inspire others. Her goal is to encourage people to harness their strengths and do something purposeful, whether on a small or large scale. Ultimately, she aims to develop leaders who create opportunities for those around them, thereby amplifying her impact through a ripple effect of positive change in leadership practices worldwide.
“The biggest opportunity lies in continuously growing and elevating leadership capabilities. By actively supporting leaders’ development, we enable them to drive growth and innovation within their industries.”
