# Alicia McKay
> Think for yourself, see more clearly, make better decisions, and live on your own terms.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [About Alicia McKay](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/about.md) - Writer, speaker, and strategist. Author of three books on strategy, change and public leadership.
- [Latest](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/archive.md)
- [Battling in the public sector](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/battling-in-the-public-sector.md) - Battling in the public sector? Making things happen in the public sector is more complex. Here's some helpful advice.
- [Contact](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/contact.md) - Reach out with your questions, booking enquiries and media requests.
- [CTA Upgrade](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/cta-upgrade.md) - Been meaning to go paid? This is your sign. You've been reading for free. I'm not mad about it, but here's the option to go deeper. You don't need the hard sell. You already know if it's worth it. "I decided to cut down on my subscription-related expenses, but the quality of your content is so good…
- [CTA](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/cta.md) - Join 11,000+ critical thinkers "I consider this newsletter fuel for my tank. There is never a time where a headline or a sentence doesn't jolt me into action or shift my thinking." - Michelle Cowan Become a member
- [Essays](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/essays.md)
- [Feeling stuck at work](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/feeling-stuck-at-work-2.md) - Feeling stuck at work
- [Feeling stuck at work](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/feeling-stuck-at-work.md) - Feeling stuck at work Don't let the machine get you down. Here's how to focus your energy and get things moving again.
- [I'm a frustrated woman](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/im-a-frustrated-woman.md) - I'm a frustrated woman Me too. Dive into essays on social trends, structural barriers, and professional bullshit to help you put some language around the fury.
- [I write about strategy, change, and decision-making.  If you're a critical thinker, you're in the right place.](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/linkedin.md) - Weekly insights to help you think for yourself, see more clearly, make better decisions, and live (and work) on your own terms.
- [Member feedback](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/member-feedback.md) - What subscribers say Here's the value people most commonly mention getting from their Alicia McKay subscription: * Makes them think * Cuts through noise and gets to what actually matters * Challenges assumptions (including their own) * Turns complex ideas into something clear and usable * Gives the…
- [Membership](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/membership.md) - Are you in the right place? You're not lazy. You’re not unfocused. And you’re definitely not stupid. But it is getting harder to think clearly, trust your judgement, and make decisions in uncertainty. The way I see it, you've got two options. 1. Let your overwhelm and insecurity take the wheel. Che…
- [Reading log](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/reading-log.md) - In beta. Book reviews and recommendations.
- [Series](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/series.md) - Catch up on some of Alicia's most popular series
- [Strategy to Action: Transformation partnerships with Alicia McKay](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategy-partnerships.md) - Reset your strategy and develop your leaders for high-impact transformation.
- [Alicia McKay | Join the thinking class](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/subscribe.md) - Essays on power, systems, and thinking - plus tools and training to help you live and lead with conviction.
- [Member support](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/support.md) - Submit a support ticket
- [Testimonials](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/testimonials.md)
- [Tools](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/tools.md)

## Posts
- [Who should we be angry at?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/who-should-we-be-angry-at.md) - We don't picket outside the bank or post death threats to insurance execs. That unhinged fury is reserved for the Council. Should it be?
- [Screw the algorithm](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/screw-the-algorithm.md) - Content has collapsed into algorithmic hell. Here's what's going on - and what I'm trying to do about it.
- [LG Professionals WA State Conference](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/local-government-professionals-wa-4-5-november-2026.md) - Alicia will give a keynote and appear on panels and in masterclasses to talk about local government leadership in a changing world.
- [The idiot test](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-idiot-test.md) - If people on the internet seem stupid or evil, pay closer attention. Your bubble might be morphing into an echo chamber.
- [The irreconcilable tensions of public leadership](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-irreconcilable-tensions-of-public-leadership.md) - If you work in the public sector, embrace the frustration. The system is working exactly as designed.
- [When it all seems too much, pick up a book](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/when-it-all-seems-too-much-pick-up-a-book.md) - Reading gives us perspective on our place in history and humanity. Here are two books that made me cry like a baby.
- [Choose meaningful friction over costly convenience](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/meaningful-friction.md) - We get to choose our hard. Convenience and conformity can have costly second-order effects.
- [What chronic uncertainty is doing to our lives and careers](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/what-chronic-uncertainty-is-doing-to-our-careers-and-lives.md) - A Friday Flurry on the state of work and what it might do to us
- [Beware the allure of speedy outputs](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/beware-the-speedy-outputs.md) - What strategy can teach us about process and time
- [How to conquer apathy](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/conquer-apathy.md) - The unequivocal solution I would die in a ditch for.
- [When nothing matters](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/when-nothing-matters.md) - An existential post-holiday hangover
- [You have everything you need](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/you-have-everything-you-need.md) - But you'll have to listen carefully for it
- [Let 'em cook: the looming crisis of human judgment](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/let-em-cook-the-looming-crisis-of-human-judgment.md) - Stop before you Google that recipe
- [Being a thought leader rotted my brain](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/being-a-thought-leader-rotted-my-brain.md) - A Friday Flurry on escaping performative expertise and avoiding the internet
- [Strategic Public Leaders Training, Sydney](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategic-public-leaders-training-sydney-september-2026.md) - Join us for two days of strategic leadership training with Alicia McKay - in partnership with LGPro NSW.
- [How to lead in the Subjective Era](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-lead-in-the-subjective-era.md) - The Subjective Era will reward leaders and organisations who optimise for two things: trust and human agency.
- [Are you busy - or burdened?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/busy-or-burdened.md) - If you're collapsing under the weight of things, this one is for you.
- [The Subjective Era](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-subjective-era-part-1.md) - The reign of rationalism is over. Here's what this means for you.
- [Trust is the new truth](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-jig-is-up.md) - The jig is up. We don't want your slop.
- [PowHer podcast with Jess Stuart](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/powher-podcast-with-jess-stuart.md) - Alicia talks to Jess about leadership in an AI world, structural barriers for women in leadership, and the human skills we need to stay sharp.
- [Why citizens' assemblies won’t fix political distrust](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/citizens-assemblies.md) - Democracy done better - or just papering over the cracks?
- [Can philosophy AI-proof your career?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/can-philosophy-ai-proof-your-career.md) - The future of leadership is context - understanding the broader implications of the work you do and the role you play in the world.
- [Sneak peek! Power literacy WIP](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/sneak-peek-power-literacy-wip.md) - An inside look at creative incubation - and an emerging framework for power literacy.
- [The tension is the engine](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/tension-is-the-engine.md) - Why unresolved conflict may be the thing that keeps a life alive.
- [You are the system](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/you-are-the-system.md) - The front fell off. Stop waiting for someone else to fix it.
- [Ask a Strategist 28 April 2026](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/ask-a-strategist-april-2026.md) - Systems analysis for leadership challenges around work, speed, and delivery.
- [Ask a Strategist Online Workshop](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/advice-workshop-march-2026.md) - Strategic advice session for leaders facing tricky strategy and change problems. AMA.
- [In defence of furious women](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/in-defence-of-furious-women.md) - The stories that taught us to blame them
- [Shifting into systems thinking](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/systems-thinking.md) - Still blaming people? It's time to level up.
- [Why people still protest Jacinda Ardern](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/jacinda-ardern.md) - What happens when our lives are shaped by systems we can't vote out
- [You are what you do](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/you-are-what-you-do.md) - Hi scrollshitshowersleep, it's so nice to meet you.
- [Make friction cool again](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/make-friction-cool-again.md) - Why speed is overrated and thinking is under threat
- [Rules are stories](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/rules.md) - And stories can change
- [Cognitive sovereignty](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/cognitive-sovereignty.md) - Defend your mental territory
- [Cognitive Sovereignty Playbook](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/cognitive-sovereignty-playbook.md) - Ten practical ways to defend your mental territory
- [Notes from the edge of sanity](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/notes-from-the-edge-of-sanity.md) - A Friday Flurry on thinking, reading, dancing, and change. Feat cute cat.
- [The kids are all right](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-kids-are-all-right.md) - Dunking on grumpy Boomers, broken systems, and under-regulated techno-evangelism. Nodding to young people as they laugh their way to the group chat.
- [Opinionated workshop recording](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/opinionated-workshop-2.md) - In this workshop, participants interrogated and upgraded their opinions.
- [What if you’re a character in someone else's story?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/character-in-a-novel.md) - What The Slap can teach us about our opinions.
- [Move off autopilot](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/move-off-autopilot.md) - Help to re-engage your brain
- [Opinionated: The Workshop](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/opinionated-workshop.md) - A live, practical session to test and improve your opinions.
- [Opinionated Toolkit](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/opinionated-toolkit.md) - Practical resources to interrogate and improve your opinions
- [This client was a car crash](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/this-client-was-a-fucking-car-crash.md) - Also there was an actual car crash
- [Opinions are like assholes](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/opinions-are-like-assholes.md) - An enema for your thoughts
- [Agents of Humanity Draft White Paper](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/agents-of-humanity-white-paper.md) - Human Skills for a Second Enlightenment
- [From custom to conscience: calling bullshit on old thinking](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/from-custom-to-conscience.md) - Premarital sex, power literacy, chocolate cake: in. Class structures, outdated morality, fruit cake: out.
- [Nah, fuck thinking](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/fuck-thinking.md) - I wrote this on a treadmill at the gym. The treadmill is probably a metaphor.
- [The importance of thinking](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-importance-of-thinking.md) - Value the process as much as the product.
- [How AI will enshittify - and what you can do about it.](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/ai-enshittification.md) - The value added by any technology product tends to erode. In the absence of regulation, here's a practical resistance strategy to protect yourself.
- [Exposure](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/exposure.md) - Flesh in daylight
- [Is 2026 the Year of the Terse Email?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/is-2026-the-year-of-the-terse-email.md) - Why my fridge is an unaccountability machine and you might need to put your consumer rights pants on.
- [LGAQ Civic Leaders Summit 2026](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/civic-leader.md) - Queensland Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Councillors, CEOs and senior officers
- [Meetings that Matter Course](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/mtm.md) - Design and lead strategic conversations that drive action outside the room. Videos and workbook.
- [Stop trying to agree with everyone](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/stop-trying-to-agree-with-everyone.md) - What Councils have taught me about making decisions under pressure.
- [WTF do you want? Desire is suspicious; productivity a scam.](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/wtf-do-you-want-desire-is-suspicious-productivity-a-scam.md) - First Friday Flurry of 2026 goes hard.
- [2026: The State of It](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/state-of-it-2026.md) - Bullshit is up, accountability is down. Here are three trends to watch and three skills to master.
- [Not An MBA July 2026](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/not-an-mba-july-2026.md) - Not An MBA returns in 2026
- [LinkedIn Local Auckland](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/linkedin-local-auckland.md) - Join Alicia McKay in Auckland for an up close and personal Q&A.
- [It's cool to be a New You](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/its-cool-to-be-a-new-you.md) - No pressure, but.
- [Day 24: Popular ≠ good](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-24-popular.md) - Popular just means popular.
- [Day 23: Families are overrated](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-23-families.md) - You can't pick them and they might be shit
- [Day 22: You're probably wrong](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-22-wrong.md) - Subscriber opinion
- [Day 21: Most talent is effort](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-21-most-talent-is-effort.md) - Maybe try harder
- [Day 20: Spelling still matters](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-20-spelling-still-matters.md) - Can you find the typo in this post?
- [Day 19: Find a partner early](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-19-partner-poll.md) - Or not at all.
- [Day 18: You're stuck with yourself](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-18-stuck-with-yourself.md) - Deal with it.
- [Day 17: You're not important](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-17-not-important.md) - What a relief.
- [Day 16: Money comes first](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-16-money-comes-first.md) - Fight me.
- [Day 15: Boredom is good](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-15-boredom-is-good.md) - Do it more.
- [Day 14: Kiwis don't work hard](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-14-work-hard.md) - Why did they tell me otherwise
- [Day 13: We need to talk about class](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-13-class.md) - It's the missing piece in the D&I puzzle.
- [Day 12: Your list sucks](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-12-your-list-sucks.md) - Cross most of it off
- [Day 11: Email is evil](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-11-email-is-evil.md) - Pick up the phone - or your legs.
- [Day 10: Play the power game](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-10-power-game.md) - Get across the invisible stuff if you want to win.
- [Day 9: There's no right answer](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-9-right-answer.md) - Stop trying to make it perfect. Pick a path and crack on.
- [Day 8: Self-help is a con](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-8-self-help.md) - But you might still benefit from it
- [Day 7: We should lose our Internet privileges](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-7-internet.md) - This is why we can't have nice things. Subscriber opinion.
- [Day 6: We should tell people to shut up](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-6-shut-up.md) - Early and often. Be cruel to be kind.
- [Unpublished opinions](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/unpublished-opinions.md) - Friday Flurry featuring retracted Unpopular Opinions
- [Day 5: Conspiracy theorists are right](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-5-conspiracy-theorists.md) - It's a shame they're crazy
- [Strategic Public Leaders Training](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategic-public-leaders.md) - A premium leadership program for public sector managers and executives to navigate complexity, align teams, and achieve transformative results.
- [Day 4: Leaders are dry drunks](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-4-dry-drunk.md) - Subscriber Opinion
- [Day 3: Women should be ugly and mean](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/women-should-be-ugly-and-mean.md) - It's a great way to get ahead.
- [Day 2: CEOs are tiny babies](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-2-24-ceos-are-tiny-babies.md) - And they don't even realise it.
- [Day 1: Your strategy is a load of shit](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/day-1-2025.md) - And a waste of time.
- [Stop reading the news](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/stop-reading-the-news.md) - It doesn't make you a good person.
- [The passage of time - and a few whinging men](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-passage-of-time-and-a-few-whinging-men.md) - Friday Flurry Birthday Special featuring salacious gossip and LinkedIn screenshots.
- [Is all advice just projection?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/is-all-advice-just-projection.md) - When people tell you what to do, they share more about them than you.
- [The more power, the less freedom](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-more-power-the-less-freedom.md) - Power comes at a price. Here's a few receipts.
- [Stop talking shit and start making sense](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/stop-talking-shit.md) - On communicating clearly and quitting the news
- [The news is killing you](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-news-is-killing-you.md) - (Or just keeping you scared but fear pays, so click this headline.)
- [NSW local government professionals become Strategic Public Leaders in Sydney](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/spl-sydney-case-study.md) - Local government managers from across NSW came together for two days of strategic leadership training with Alicia McKay - in partnership with LGPro NSW.
- [When decisions SUC(k)](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategic-decisions-suck.md) - When the stakes are high and messy, building a good process is the only way through.
- [Politicians deserve more credit](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/politicians-deserve-more-credit.md) - Reflections from Mayor School.
- [Take yourself seriously](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/take-yourself-seriously.md) - Because you only have one life and being you is a full time job.
- [The ambition vacuum](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-ambition-vacuum-inevitability-and-cultural-malaise.md) - Ambition depends on shared stories about the future. The old stories have collapsed, leaving a vacuum of inevitability and futility, especially around AI, the climate, and democracy.
- [Don't panic, it's just work](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/dont-panic-its-just-work.md) - Most of it doesn't matter. Just chill, mate.
- [ICMA 111th Annual Conference 2025 in Tampa, Florida](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/icma-2025.md) - Alicia McKay will travel from New Zealand to give a Game Changer session revealing powerful insights from her work with New Zealand and Australian Councils and a breakout workshop for strategic public leadership.
- [Strategic Public Leaders Promo Video](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategic-public-leaders-promo-video.md) - Learn more about the Strategic Public Leaders programme
- [LGNZ Mayors' School](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/lgnz-mayors-school.md) - Alicia McKay will host Mayors School for Local Government New Zealand following the 2025 local government elections.
- [The busker principle](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-busker-principle.md) - We underpay the work with the highest social value. In the new world, this toxic trait will be our undoing.
- [Strategic Public Leaders Training, Sydney, September 2025](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategic-public-leaders-training-sydney-september-2025.md) - Local government managers from across NSW came together for two days of strategic leadership training with Alicia McKay - in partnership with LGPro NSW.
- [Council rates are a straight-up bargain](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-vote-this-local-election.md) - Don't vote with your wallet. Pick people who play nicely with others.
- [LGMA Annual Conference in Brisbane, September 2025](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/opening-keynote-announcement-alicia-mckay-to-headline-lgma-annual-conference-in-brisbane-september-2025.md) - Alicia McKay will give the opening keynote in alignment with the LGMA theme: "The More Things Change..."
- [The P Tax](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-p-tax-2.md) - How we punish women's ambition - and what to do about it
- [The Amazing Cities and Towns Podcast with Jim Hunt](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-amazing-cities-and-towns-podcast-with-jim-hunt.md) - This episode of the Amazing Cities and Towns Podcast sponsored by Bearing Advisors, Jim Hunt interviews Alicia McKay about local government from down under.
- [Local Legends Toolkit](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/local-legends-toolkit.md) - Provide fun, fast and effective strategic leadership development for your Mayors and Councillors with the Local Legends Toolkit.
- [July 2025 Book Report](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/july-2025-book-report.md) - 12 word reviews for 12 months of reading
- [Poppy loppers](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/poppy-loppers-why-kiwis-snark-at-success.md) - Why Kiwis snark at success. Welcome to the first piece in a six-part series on the ambition recession.
- ["Isms" are not people](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/isms-are-not-people.md) - Does calling people racist protect racist systems? Maybe.
- [Four empires, one square](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/four-empires-one-square.md) - 2,500 years of Athenian empire and colonisation compete with cheap tourist trash. Travel was the winner on the day.
- [You are who you aren't anymore](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/you-are-who-you-arent-anymore.md) - Straddling the ravioli ravine with a Nashville musician to wonder about the cost of becoming yourself.
- [Mycenae](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/mycenae.md) - If you're going to make your brother eat his kids' flesh, expect a run of family murders and eventual ruin, no matter how strong your city walls are.
- [Philosophy 101](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/philosophy-101.md) - Three wise men, three empty historic sites, one upturned rubbish bin
- [Headshot 3](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/headshot-3.md) - Square and portrait
- [ALGWA NSW Annual Conference, Griffith, NSW](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/algwa-nsw-annual-conference-griffith-nsw.md) - Alicia McKay will be the MC and headline speaker at the Australian Local Government Women NSW Annual Conference in Griffith, NSW
- [Headshot 2](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/headshot-2.md) - Square, portrait, and landscape
- [Headshot 1](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/headshot-1.md) - Option 1 - square, landscape and portrait
- [June 2025 Book Report](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/book-report-june-2025.md) - A mixture of crotch-wetting, tear-shedding and hope-for-humanity books to improve your month
- [Serifos](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/serifos.md) - Cutting off the heads of rape victims ain't pretty but this sunrise sure as hell was
- [Delphi](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/delphi.md) - Getting high as balls to tell the future (spoiler alert: the future is on fire)
- [Introducing The Ambition Recession](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/coming-soon-the-ambition-recession.md) - A new essay series is on the way.
- [Local government is back in the firing line](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/local-government-is-back-in-the-firing.md) - They don't want reform, they want rates-capping. This is a bad idea, but it will play well in the 2026 election.
- [Scrolling is the new smoking](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/scrolling-is-the-new-smoking.md) - Tech giants have copied Big Tobacco’s playbook - and it works.
- [Nepotism, networks and human connection](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/nepotism-networks-and-human-connection.md) - On finding an afterschool job and buying a duvet in the current digital WTF-scape + BRING BACK LANDLINES
- [Official bio](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/official-bio.md) - Alicia McKay's official bio for speaking and media.
- [Critical thinking is not enough. It's time you learned about power](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/critical-thinking-is-not-enough-its.md) - Numbers and words are cool, but we have calculators and ChatGPT now. What you need is POWER LITERACY.
- [Bonus AI resources for paid subscribers](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/bonus-ai-resources-for-paid-subscribers.md) - Thanks for your support, here's the goods.
- [Big things should be good for us](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/big-things-should-be-good-for-us.md) - Cos you're worth it. Public value, private plunder, and general purpose technology.
- [May 2025 Reading Journal](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/may-2025-reading-journal.md) - Short stories, essays and memoir to get you thinking, but in manageable chunks (+ a prompt for a mid-year reset.)
- [Behind the AI hype machine](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/what-the-ai-bros-wont-tell-you.md) - Why the public conversation about AI is failing - and what leaders should be talking about instead.
- [NZ Herald Feature - From foster care to own boss: How a teen mum defied the odds](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/nz-herald-wrote-a-thing-about-me.md) - NZ Herald profiles Alicia McKay's journey from foster care and teen pregnancy to international consultant, author, and speaker.
- [Queensland Small Business Friendly Conference, Brisbane, May 2025](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/queensland-small-business-friendly-conference-brisbane-may-2025.md) - Alicia McKay to speak on how to bridge the engagement gap between Councils and business - Local Legends: How to find your collaborative advantage. Recording inside!
- [The problem with AI Conference Culture](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-problem-with-ai-conference-culture.md) - We are letting techno-optimist corporate shills dominate the chat. Get these men off the stage.
- [LGASA Conference, May 2025](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/alicia-mckay-keynote-at-the-lgasa-conference-may-2025.md) - Alicia McKay speaks to elected and executive leaders in Adelaide at the Local Government Association of South Australia OGM
- [There are no magical robots](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/there-are-no-magical-robots.md) - And if there are, they look a lot like the dudes who already run the show
- [Everyday is everything](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/everyday-is-everything.md) - Find meaning in the daily drudgery or consign yourself to a lifetime of dissatisfaction
- [April 2025 Reading Journal](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/april-2025-reading-journal.md) - From China to Aotearoa + a focus on form
- [The Four Commandments of Priorities](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/a-few-things-you-should-know-about.md) - Thou shalt have as few priorities as possible. Thou shalt treat priorities as commitments, not wishes. Thou shalt rank thy priorities. Thou shalt walk the talk in tricky times.
- [Confessions of a serial mover](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/confessions-of-a-serial-mover.md) - Always moving, never arriving
- [Put yourself in situations](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/put-yourself-in-situations.md) - You don't need a plan. You need to put yourself in a situation and watch what happens.
- [Make guilty choices this week](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/make-guilty-choices-this-week.md) - Guilt fades. Resentment festers.
- [March 2025 Reading Journal](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/march-2025-reading-journal.md) - Big sad stories packed with perspective
- [Hearing the whispers before they become screams](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/hear-the-whispers-before-they-become.md) - The call is coming from inside the house
- [What's worth more than money?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/whats-worth-more-than-money.md) - Creative value under extractive capitalism + an urgent plea to reclaim sovereignty over your attention
- [For when it feels like you can't change anything](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/for-when-it-feels-like-you-cant-change.md) - Everything is connected. Once you see it, you can shift it.
- [You have infinite capacity for transformation](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/you-have-infinite-capacity-for-transformation.md) - New beginnings are wasted on young people
- [Terms of engagement](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/terms.md) - Terms for working with Alicia McKay
- [Prepare for disaster](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/prepare-for-disaster.md) - Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. When have things ever gone exactly as you planned?
- [Keep the dream alive](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/keep-the-dream-alive.md) - Plans are predictions about how we think we could achieve our goals. They’re a hypothesis, an experiment ready to be run.
- [Alicia McKay named Top 25 Thinker in Local Government by the LGIU](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/alicia-mckay-recognised-by-the-lgiu.md) - Alicia McKay has been named one of the world's top 25 thinkers in local government by the UK's Local Government Information Unit.
- [Start with strategy](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/start-with-strategy.md) - Our hopes, dreams, and plans live in an unpredictable future. We can’t read tomorrow’s headlines, but we can position ourselves to achieve our goals.
- [Future Local Lab interview](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/future-local-lab-interview.md) - Future local leadership, challenges and solutions - an interview with LGIU.
- [Why strategy is a survival skill this year](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/stay-alive-in-2025.md) - Winging it is a death wish. If you don’t know what you want, the next 10 months are going to swallow you whole. Never fear: strategy will save you.
- [Are you having the wrong argument?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/are-you-having-the-wrong-argument.md) - Learn to have better arguments for fuller, fairer, and more focused decision-making.
- [Local Legends strategic audit](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/audit.md) - Audit the strategic capability of your Council and find out where to focus your efforts.
- [Responding to community requests: a guide for Councillors](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-respond-to-local-government-service-requests.md) - A guide for Councillors on dealing with incoming constituent requests
- [So nothing right now](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/so-nothing-right-now.md) - Feeling overwhelmed by clutter, commitments, and chaos?
- [How to be popular with voters and achieve nothing](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-be-popular-with-voters-and.md) - Hint: its being a rock-throwing jerk.
- [Local Legends Welcome Pack](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/local-legends-welcome-pack.md) - For Local Legends clients
- [Strategic Public Leaders Training Welcome Pack](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategic-public-leaders-training-welcome-pack.md) - For in-house Strategic Public Leaders clients
- [Conference MC Pack](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/mc-pack.md) - Useful guidance and advice for a smooth conference or event
- [The public opinion trap](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-public-opinion-trap.md) - It will skew your perspective and make for bad decisions. Don't fall for it.
- [In defence of the bureaucrat](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/in-defence-of-the-bureaucrat.md) - Spare a thought for your local public servant. Taking the boot out of the public sector, volume 3
- [The difference between private and public value](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-difference-between-private-and.md) - Your retort to "you'd never run a business like this!". Taking the boot out of the public sector volume 2.
- [Public service isn't inefficient, it's complex - there's a difference](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/public-service-isnt-inefficient-its.md) - Let's shatter the myth that the private sector would do government projects faster or cheaper: they don't.
- [Local leadership done well: strategic, aligned, and connected](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/local-leadership-done-well-strategic-aligned-and-connected.md) - How Local Legends transforms governance and management effectiveness in local government
- [Alicia to speak at LGIT24: Local Government IT Conference in Coffs Harbour, Nov 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/alicia-to-speak-at-lgit24-local-government-it-conference-in-coffs-harbour-nov-2024.md) - Alicia is the keynote speaker on perspective in local government leadership
- [Revenge of the Arts Degree](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/revenge-of-the-arts-degree.md) - BA grads excel at context, patterns, and big-picture thinking. Learn why hiring Arts graduates - and mastering critical thinking frameworks yourself - gives you an edge.
- [How to be more strategic](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-be-more-strategic.md) - Strategists make their decisions with intention. Goal-oriented choices, made consistently, even under pressure, will deliver you almost anything you want.
- [You can be the one who changes things](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/you-can-be-the-one-who-changes-things.md) - It's never been a better time to change things at work - and it's what your boss wants you to do.
- [Mate, it's just work](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/mate-its-just-work.md) - Many of the big problems we battle during our days are work-related. At the time, they feel catastrophic. But we won't remember them in a week, month, or year.
- [Get problems you're proud of](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/get-problems-youre-proud-of.md) - You will always have problems. So choose ones you're proud of.
- [If you were them, you'd be a jerk too](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/if-you-were-them-youd-be-a-jerk-too.md) - Stop pointing fingers at people when you talk about change and focus on the systems that need shifting instead.
- [Are you impatient? Manage daily annoyances with 4 key strategy skills](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/are-you-impatient-manage-daily-annoyances-with-4-key-strategy-skills.md) - Tired of feeling frustrated by everyday annoyances? Gain valuable perspective and learn effective strategies to deal with irritating situations.
- [Just keep going](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/just-keep-going.md) - Sustaining momentum is hard for everyone. Just keep going.
- [Tippity tap, send](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/tippity-tap-send.md) - If you spend all your time on the detail, the big picture suffers. It's time to get out of the operational weeds and focus onstrategic leadership.
- [Local Legends In-House Programme](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/local-legends-in-house-programme.md) - Bring elected and executive leaders together for two days of strategic leadership development at your Council.
- [10 ways to take control of your life](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/10-ways-to-take-control-of-your-life.md) - You can take charge of your life by tackling these ten things.
- [Success hack: the right people](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/success-hack-networking-with-the-right-people-2.md) - The company you keep matters. Target your networking to people who will help you grow.
- [Client list](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/client-list-2.md) - A running list of clients I work with and organisations who send their leaders to me for training.
- [The consequences of your commitment](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-consequences-of-your-commitment.md) - Unless you're making trade-offs that channel your time, energy, attention and money into your priorities and away from competing demands, they aren't your priorities. They're hopes and wishes.
- [Strategic Public Leaders Training with LGPro NSW, Sydney, 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategic-public-leaders-training-sydney-september-2024.md) - Local government managers from across NSW came together for two days of strategic leadership training with Alicia McKay - in partnership with LGPro NSW
- [A strategic choice a day keeps the existential dread at bay](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/a-strategic-choice-a-day-keeps-the-existential-dread-at-bay.md) - Strategy is something you do, not something you have. Make goal-oriented decisions once a day and rise to your strategic potential.
- [The difference between the public and private sector](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-difference-between-the-public-and-private-sector.md) - In this video, learn the differences between public and private sector operating models. Discover why getting things done in the public sector is slower and more complex than producing outcomes in private business.
- [How to run an 8 week strategy check-in](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-run-an-8-week-strategy-check-in.md) - Here's some ideas for how to run exciting and engaging strategy away days that will keep people on track and keep your big picture plan moving forward.
- [Make the minimum viable decision](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/make-the-minimum-viable-decision.md) - All good decision processes include action.
- [How to deal with all that pesky sh*t in your life](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-deal-with-all-that-pesky-sht-in-your-life.md) - Many trivial tasks are holding you back from achieving your true potential. Give them the Four D treatment and watch your life change,
- [Council Induction Masterclass - 27 August 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/council-induction-masterclass-online-27-august-2024.md) - Join Alicia McKay for an online masterclass about Council inductions - recording inside!
- [Put your bloody phone down](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/put-your-bloody-phone-down.md) - You're an adult, and you control your time and attention. Put down the damn phone.
- [Eiffel Tower leadership](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/eiffel-tower-leadership.md) - Eiffel Tower leadership is bold, innovative and willing to endure short-term pushback for long-term gain.
- [Local Legends: How to make a difference in local government](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/local-legends-how-to-make-a-difference-in-local-government-copy.md) - Local Legends is the essential guide to local government leadership for Councillors and Council managers.
- [An existential crisis about books, mortality and David Bowie](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/an-existential-crisis-about-books-mortality-and-david-bowie.md) - Two weeks ago I had a sudden existential crisis, worried I wouldn't achieve things that were the most important to me.
- [Alicia McKay to return as MC and speaker at the LG Pro NSW Conference in Sydney on 31 July 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/alicia-mckay-to-return-as-mc-and-speaker-at-the-lg-pro-nsw-conference-in-sydney-on-31-july-2024.md) - Delegates will receive the first sneak peek at Alicia's new book: Local Legends!
- [6 ways to stay on track when things turn to shit](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/6-ways-to-stay-on-track-when-things-turn-to-shit.md) - Use setbacks as an opportunity to prove your commitment to what matters most. Perfect!
- [Why change gets worse before it gets better](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/why-change-gets-worse-before-it-gets-better.md) - Change is hard, even when we want it. Before things improve, they tend to get much worse - and here are five key reasons why that happens.
- [Connect, don't control: turning strategy into action](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/connect-dont-control-turning-strategy-into-action.md) - Strategy implementation is difficult: we get stuck on details, work in silos, go too slow and are scared of our own decisions. Here's what to do instead.
- [Push out your payoff](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/push-out-your-payoff.md) - Learn to shift your focus to longer-term outcomes for greater impact.
- [Alicia McKay to appear at exclusive CEO Breakfast Workshop in Adelaide, 26 June 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/alicia-mckay-to-appear-at-exclusive-ceo-breakfast-workshop-in-adelaide-26-june-2024.md) - Talking about Eiffel Tower leadership and local government challenges with LGASA
- [Boost your focus: reclaim your attention in a digital world](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/boost-your-focus-reclaim-your-attention-in-a-digital-world.md) - Reclaim your focus by creating physical, mental, and temporal space. Learn practical tips to overcome a hyper-digital life and make room for thought and connection.
- [How and when to quit things (and how to do it well)](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-and-when-to-quit-things-and-how-to-do-it-well.md) - Why you should leave before it's bad, end good things and not let guilt hold you back - and how to do it well.
- [Mildura Rural City Council: Local Legends in-house programme](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/mildura-rural-city-council-case-study.md) - Mildura Rural City Council invested in its Councillors and executive managers to build strong relationships and boost decisions after an organisational review.
- [Three ingredients of perspective](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/three-ingredients-of-perspective.md) - Perspective isn't pop-psychology or esoteric waffle. It's good decision-making practice with tangible application. In this post, I outline the three ingredients of perspective: horizon, significance, and connection.
- [WasteMINZ Conference May 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/alicia-mckay-dazzles-wasteminz-conference-as-keynote-speaker-in-hamilton.md) - Click through to watch the hilarious - and powerful - videos from Alicia's high-impact keynote about perspective.
- [City of Mitcham: Local Legends in-house programme](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/city-of-mitcham-case-study.md) - City of Mitcham used the Local Legends programme to transform their decision-making.
- [Glen Eira City Council: Local Legends in-house programme](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/glen-eira.md) - Glen Eira City Council used the Local Legends programme to help their leaders navigate financial uncertainty.
- [Why your strategy is failing and how to fix it](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/why-your-strategy-is-failing-and-how-to-fix-it.md) - Most strategies experience a failure to choose, align, communication or embed. Here's how good strategy works and how to save yours from the brink.
- [Parks and Leisure Association VIC/TAS Melbourne, May 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/parks-and-leisure-association-vic-tas-melbourne-may-2024.md) - Alicia was the star keynote at the Parks and Leisure association conference at Marvel Studios in Melbourne and a panel moderator.
- [Go off plan but stay on strategy](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-difference-between-strategy-and-plans-2.md) - Priorities are being tested - how can you use this as an opportunity?
- [Stave off mediocrity with perspective and purpose](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/stave-off-mediocrity-with-perspective-and-purpose.md) - You've only got one life, and it's in your hands. Nobody else can decide the direction of your life and impact.
- [Alicia delivers a special  keynote to the Secondary Principals Association NZ Conference in Queenstown](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/alicia-delivers-a-special-keynote-to-the-secondary-principals-association-nz-conference-in-queenstown.md) - Alicia McKay was the keynote speaker at the SPANZ conference in Queenstown - with a special twist! Read on to learn more.
- [2024 LG Pro VIC Annual Conference, Melbourne, May 2024](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/2024-lg-pro-vic-annual-conference-melbourne-may-2024.md) - Alicia was the MC, plus a keynote speaker, panelist, workshop facilitator and awards night host for the Local Government Professionals VIC conference at the MCG in May 2024.
- [Time management for consultants - (and everyone else!)](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/time-management-for-consultants-and-everyone-else.md) - Time management for consultants. Tips and tricks to optimise your schedule to get the most out of your days.
- [How to do scary things](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-do-scary-things.md) - There is only one thing separating scared people, and people who know how to do scary thing: action. Action converts imagination into reality.
- [The paradox of public leadership (or: just give them the damn picnic table)](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-paradox-of-public-leadership-or-just-give-them-the-damn-picnic-table.md) - Are you putting the wrong thing first and letting bureaucracy stand in the way of public outcomes?
- [Life Lessons podcast with Alistair Burton](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/making-strategy-simple-getting-shit-done-and-cutting-through-the-crap.md) - Making strategy simple, getting shit done and cutting through the crap
- [Understanding idea technology](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/idea-technology.md) - The ideas we have shape the world we live in. We need to question those ideas regularly, to create a society we can be proud of.
- [Strategy: not your job?](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/strategy-not-your-job.md) - Ever heard of Not My Job (NMJ) syndrome? Making strategy meaningful and delivering on change is all about everyday decisions and actions.
- [Stop being a hero](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/stop-being-a-hero-3.md) - Heroes overcome the odds. Systems change them.
- [Don't worry about your culture](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/dont-worry-about-your-culture.md) - Here's what you should be worrying about instead.
- [How to ask bigger questions](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-ask-bigger-questions.md) - Most people ask small questions, so they make small-time progress. Learn to ask big questions for bolder choices and better results.
- [3 myths about decisions that need busting](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/3-myths-about-decisions-that-need-busting.md) - There is no right decision. Discover a fresh perspective on making good, long-term decisions and shaping a better future.
- [How to find your purpose: 7 questions from Mark Manson](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-find-your-purpose-7-questions-from-mark-manson.md) - If you don’t have the resolve and determination to do good sh*t, leadership is not for you.
- [How to move fast without breaking things](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-move-fast-without-breaking-things.md) - Moving fast and breaking things is great, but you should follow these 4 rules to prevent unnecessary stress and headaches.
- [When progress goes too far: becoming a top woman manager](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/when-progress-goes-too-far-becoming-a-top-woman-manager.md) - Discover insights from a thought-provoking book on women in management, challenging gender biases and exploring strategies for success.
- [SkyCity Entertainment Group People Leaders Conference, Auckland, December 2023](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/skycity-entertainment-group-people-leaders-conference-auckland-december-2023.md) - Alicia McKay speaks about how to cope in changing times
- [The problem with professionalism: rejecting sameness at work](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/the-problem-with-professionalism-rejecting-sameness-at-work.md) - Professionalism is just an acceptable way to discriminate against people in the workplace. It's time we talked about class.
- [Be yourself to beat burnout](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/be-yourself-to-beat-burnout.md) - Burnout is killing us - but the answer lies within us. Are you owning your reality?
- [Good decision-making](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-make-a-good-decision.md) - Make better decisions by focusing on process, not outcomes. Don't get it right; make it right.
- [How to get on top of your stupidly long list](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/how-to-get-on-top-of-your-stupidly-long-list.md) - Learn a handy 7-step system to beating overwhelm and focus your time and energy - free video and workbook.
- [Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Online, November 2023](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/department-of-infrastructure-transport-regional-development-communications-and-the-arts-online-november-2023.md) - Alicia McKay speaks to federal government about how to work more effectively with local Councils in Australia
- [What strategic planning is about (and not about)](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/what-strategic-planning-is-about-and-not-about.md) - Strategic planning is not about predicting the future. It's about getting clear on medium-term decision criteria, so we make good choices when they arise.
- [Strategy 101: what strategy really is](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/4-minute-low-down-what-strategy-is.md) - Strategy is how we choose to achieve our goals. It is made of three bits: why, how, and what.
- [The Polly Podcast Network](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/why-work-is-such-bullish-t-with-alicia-mckay.md) - Alicia McKay is in the studio with Polly Gillespie talking about why work is such bullish*t
- [Nurture a network of freaks](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/nurture-a-network-of-freaks.md) - The company you keep will change who you are as a person. Choose carefully.
- [Inspire Speaker Series, Hamilton, November 2023,](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/inspire-speaker-series-hamilton-november-2023.md) - Alicia McKay was the guest speaker at the Inspire series in Hamilton
- [You deserve this. Bye.](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/you-deserve-this-bye.md) - What to do when other people are negative or jealous about your achievements.
- [Balancing micro delight and macro despair](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/ff-balancing-micro-delight-and-macro.md) - How I try to keep my WTF IS THIS SH*T impulse from ruining public events
- [Two unusual questions to help you understand yourself (and your work)](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/two-questions-to-understand-yourself-differently.md) - You probably know what you want to do. You might to ask need some different questions. Here's two.
- [A Friday stream of consciousness](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/a-friday-stream-of-consciousness.md) - Finally my pile has eased - here's what I REALLY want to write about. What grabs you?
- [Pay yourself first: a no-bullshit sequencing guide to your days and life](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/pay-yourself-first.md) - You're a living, breathing miracle. Your happiness, peace and enjoyment has intrinsic value. You weren't put here to work, and you don't have to suffer to earn joy.

## Optional
- [RSS Feed](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/rss/)
- [Sitemap](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/sitemap.xml)
- [Full content of pages and posts](https://www.aliciamckay.co.nz/llms-full.txt)