FLY with Richard De Crespigny

When Ben Pettingill was just 16 years old, he lost 98% of his eyesight overnight thanks to a hereditary disease that had laid dormant up until that point. His resilience was quickly tested when Ben was forced to comprehend a new reality without his sight.

Not allowing his disability to get in the way of life, Ben has gone on to waterski, compete in Spartan obstacle course races, hike the famed Kokoda Track. When not at home with his wife and two daughters, Ben is travelling around the country speaking with children and companies, advocating for better mental health, and even hosting his own podcast.

In this raw and honest conversation, Ben opens up about the day he lost his sight, the drive to rebuild his life and finding his purpose in disability awareness and advocacy. 

SUPPORT

Crisis management is one of the elements of resilience. How a person or business handles a scandal or disaster can make or break their future. In the case of QF32, not one passenger spoke ill of Qantas, myself or the crew in the aftermath.  

In this episode, I speak with one of Australia's most respected and knowledgable crisis management and communication experts about getting the message right, how individuals and companies can plan for the worst, and why the CEO is not always the best person to front a crisis.

Steve Wright is an experience military and commercial pilot, who spent many years specialising in human factors and safety management with Qantas. It's a role that saw him teaching and testing the next generation of pilots in aviation best practice, developing and facilitating the courses to get the certified and in the air.

In this episode, Steve and Richard discuss pathways for up-and-coming pilots, the skills required to succeed and how the industry has changed over the years.

Well known in the Australian media industry as the co-founder of independent publisher Junkee Media, Tim Duggan knows about the monotony of corporate life. After selling off and leaving the business, Tim reflected on the way we work, finding that too many of us are overworked, disengaged and apprehensive about the future of our jobs. It prompted his work on the book 'Work Backwards', looking at fulfilment through values-led actions.

In this episode, Tim details the road trips that helped spark his 'Work Backwards' movement, the research that shows how overwork is killing us and his tips for finding purpose in your work and life overall.

John Howard is Australia's second-longest serving Prime Minister, responsible for revolutionary gun law reform and the introduction of the controversial goods and services tax (GST). From humble beginnings working for free at his father's petrol station, Mr Howard became a lawyer before moving into politics. Steadily moving up the Liberal Party ranks, he took on roles as Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs and Treasurer, before being elected party leader in 1985. In 1996, Australia voted Mr Howard in as the nation's 25th Prime Minister - a title he would hold for close to 12 years. 

In this candid and wide-ranging interview, John Howard discusses the resilience he gained from his modest childhood, his thoughts on the politics of the past and the current political landscape, and the importance of building a strong and dedicated team.