Martine Harkin
Martine is one of Leading Teams’ longest serving facilitators, a member of the first group of full time employees who trained under the founding partners in 2008.
A teacher by trade, she is valued by her clients for her rapport building and ability to keep things simple and aligned to the model. Her approach balances showing genuine care for the team while challenging deftly when required.
An AICD graduate, Martine is now Chair of the LTA Board and plays a key role in the training and quality development of our team. Currently she is based in Brisbane, where she has helped hundreds of teams and leaders become high performing.
How would you like to be described by your family, friends, and clients?
I would like to be described as:
Genuine – showing a great balance of care, empathy, and challenge
Generous – sharing of myself – knowledge included – without expectation
Grounded – acceptance that I am enough and constantly learning
Grace- lead by example in seeking feedback and modelling what courage and vulnerability look like
What is your favourite piece of leadership advice, or quote?
“I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday” – Eleanor Roosevelt
What does success look like with a client?
Success for a client ultimately is a higher performing team and that will look different for each team, depending on where they’re starting from and where they choose to take it. For teams, this will generally be a greater weight of numbers pulling in one direction for a common purpose. It means the right behaviours will consistently be rewarded and the less desirable ones will be challenged. Through stronger relationships and adherence to an agreed framework, the group will feel safer in having the genuine conversations and in turn their performance will improve. Everyone in the team will also have their own journey of improvement and that is the rewarding aspect of this program – harder to measure but it brings great joy and reward.
Tell us about your culture and leadership experience?
Joining Leading Teams has given me the greatest opportunity to improve as a leader and as a human. We live our model so are constantly applying what we do to our day to day lives. We don’t always get it right, so I feel immensely proud that we can share those experiences with our clients and also that I am – no doubt – a better person for being a part of our team. I am proud to have been voted in by my peers as a leader at Leading Teams for the last few years.
Martine has been trusted by
“In my opinion, Martine is brilliant! If you’re wanting to go on a true journey of transformation as an individual or a group, digging deep, confronting your truths, she’s your person. I’d describe her as a ‘no-bullshit’ type of coach, however super human with her approach with a brilliant read on people and behaviours.”
Head of People and Culture
Melbourne Real Estate