ABOUT THE MIDDLE GROUND
For people navigating the everyday realities of leadership in human services and the NDIS.
The Middle Ground brings together perspectives, practical resources and conversations about the questions that do not always have a straightforward answer.
You can explore in your own time, bring a question, or find people to think alongside.
WHY THIS SPACE EXISTS
Leading in human services means working with people, responsibilities and systems that do not always pull in the same direction. You might be supporting a team while navigating organisational expectations, responding to immediate demands while trying to think ahead, or carrying responsibility without having the final say.
Being capable does not remove the need for somewhere to reflect. Sometimes what helps is a question that shifts your thinking, a practical resource, or a conversation with someone who sees things differently.
We are building The Middle Ground to make more room for that kind of learning and connection.
WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE
Practical prompts, guides and resources to support your own judgement.
EXPLORE
Browse leadership challenges through written reflections, videos, articles, tools and questions for your own practice.
MEET
Get to know the people behind the contributions, their experiences and the ideas they bring.
CONNECT
Explore Peer Circles: facilitated conversations with others navigating the work of leadership.
HOW WE APPROACH THE WORK
PEOPLE & CONTEXT
Leadership choices are shaped by relationships, experience, expectations and the conditions of the work. We are interested in all of these, rather than placing every problem on one person’s shoulders.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
We do not need to agree on everything to learn from each other. Questions, uncertainty and respectful differences can help us understand more.
USEFUL IN PRACTICE
A reflection, tool or conversation should help you notice, consider or try something in your own context. You decide what is useful.
TRUST & BOUNDARIES
You choose what to share. Private peer conversations are separate from the public collection, and permission matters when anyone’s contribution is published.
A NOTE ON AI
Tools can support the work. Responsibility stays with us.
We use AI tools to assist with parts of drafting, editing, organising material and creating some illustrations. They can help us communicate ideas and develop resources, but they do not replace our experience, judgement or responsibility for what we publish.
We review and shape AI-assisted material before publication and check factual claims against appropriate sources. We do not enter identifying personal information or confidential material from enquiries, contributions or Peer Circles into general-purpose AI tools.
Different contributors may take different approaches. We respect those choices and agree on any use of AI when working with someone else’s contribution.
BUILDING THE MIDDLE GROUND
We are Dianna Dawson and Rebecca Brissett. We bring different experiences and interests, with a shared commitment to thoughtful leadership and useful conversation.
Our perspectives meet and overlap. Neither stands alone: the people, relationships and systems of leadership are connected.
CO-FOUNDER & CO-FACILITATOR
Dianna brings 25 years of leadership experience in human services, including CEO, executive and national management roles. She is curious about how beliefs, habits and past experiences shape the way we lead. In The Middle Ground, she brings a focus on the person inside the role, helping people recognise patterns, explore different perspectives and consider what they might do next.
CO-FOUNDER & CO-FACILITATOR
Rebecca brings more than 20 years of experience across disability services, operational and executive leadership, consulting and sector education. She is interested in how people lead within complex systems, and how relationships, expectations and organisational conditions shape their choices. In The Middle Ground, she brings leadership experience, deep sector knowledge and a systems lens that keeps people in view.
A COLLECTION THAT GROWS WITH THE CONVERSATION
The Middle Ground is a growing collection, not a finished set of answers. We will keep exploring particular issues, adding perspectives and practical resources as they develop.
Guest contributors bring their own experiences and ideas. Peer learning may also inform the collection where there is explicit permission to share it. Private conversations do not automatically become public content.
We welcome ideas that help people think about leadership from different perspectives.
Explore how organisations can use the collection or support participation in Peer Circles.
ADD TO THE COLLECTION
Is there a leadership challenge you’d like us to explore,
a perspective you’d like to share or a resource you’ve found useful?
Help shape this growing collection by telling us what matters to you.
Please leave out identifying or confidential details about other people or organisations.
Emails aren’t anonymous, and we’ll ask your permission before publishing your contribution.