Refined Leadership was founded in 2016 by Dr. Margot Elliston, an organisational psychologist who spent fifteen years working inside large corporations and noticed a persistent gap: leadership training programs were plentiful, but genuine Leadership Development — the kind that changes how a person thinks, relates and decides — was rare.
Margot set out to build a practice that combined rigorous psychological science with the practical wisdom she had gained from coaching hundreds of executives through complex challenges. She assembled a small team of experienced facilitators, each bringing a distinctive lens — from neuroscience and adult learning theory to strategic consulting and change management.
Today, Refined Leadership serves organisations of all sizes across healthcare, engineering, financial services, education and government. We remain intentionally boutique so that every client receives the personal attention and bespoke design that mass-market providers simply cannot offer. Our growth has been entirely organic, driven by referrals from leaders who experienced the difference our approach makes.
What has not changed since day one is our conviction that the quality of an organisation's leadership is the single greatest lever for performance, culture and long-term sustainability. We exist to help leaders discover and refine that quality within themselves.
Our mission is to develop leaders who create thriving, resilient and human-centred organisations. Everything we do is guided by four core values.
We tell the truth, honour our commitments and hold ourselves to the same standards of accountability we ask of the leaders we develop. Integrity is not negotiable — it is the foundation of every coaching relationship and every workshop we deliver.
We approach every engagement with genuine curiosity about the leader, the team and the system. We ask better questions rather than rushing to answers, because deep understanding is the precondition for meaningful change.
We measure our success by the measurable difference our work makes — in leadership behaviour, team performance and organisational outcomes. If we cannot demonstrate impact, we have not done our job.
Growth requires discomfort. We create safe spaces for leaders to confront blind spots, challenge assumptions and experiment with new behaviours. We model the courage we ask of our clients by being honest, direct and compassionate.
A small, senior team of practitioner-scholars dedicated to developing exceptional leaders.
Founder and principal coach
Margot holds a doctorate in organisational psychology from the University of Adelaide and is a Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation. She has coached over three hundred executives across six industries and is known for her ability to combine warmth with rigorous challenge. Margot specialises in senior leadership transitions, board effectiveness and leading through uncertainty.
Senior facilitator
James brings twenty-two years of experience in strategic consulting and leadership education. Before joining Refined Leadership, he led the leadership capability practice at a global consulting firm and designed development programs for ASX 100 companies. James holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School and is a certified practitioner of the Leadership Circle Profile and the Hogan assessment suite. His workshops are known for their energy, practical application and lasting impact.
Program designer and coach
Priya is a registered psychologist with a passion for emerging leader development and inclusive leadership. She designs our cohort-based programs and brings expertise in adult learning theory, neuroscience of habit formation and group facilitation. Priya previously managed leadership academies within the South Australian public sector and holds a Master of Applied Psychology from Flinders University. Participants consistently describe her as insightful, empathetic and deeply practical.
Our team maintains the highest professional standards through ongoing accreditation and peer review.