About collabbWAY

I work differently from most leadership consultants.

Most leadership programs teach people what good leadership looks like. They don't teach what to do when a direct report goes quiet in a one-on-one, when a team meeting tips sideways, or when you've got ninety seconds to hold a standard without losing the relationship. That gap, between knowing and doing, is where most leadership development falls over.

I spent 15 years managing and leading in community services. Child risk and wellbeing. Family violence. Sexual assault. Sectors where the cost of a leader avoiding a hard conversation isn't a missed KPI. It's a person or a vulnerable family.

That work taught me something most leadership theory misses. The job of leading people doesn't happen in the strategy session or the development program. It happens in the small, daily moments when someone is underperforming, a peer is frustrated, or the team is watching to see what you'll do. Those are the moments where culture is actually made.

My foundation is social work. That training taught me to read people in context, listen past the words, and stay steady when the situation isn't. It's the bedrock of how I now work with organisations.

I work with leaders and organisations who've already done the leadership programs. They've sat through the models, filled in the 360s, and watched the same patterns return six months later. What they want now is for their managers to actually behave differently when it counts. Not just describe what good behaviour looks like.

What I bring is integration. Behavioural skill development that holds up under pressure, alongside organisational design that makes those skills the default way work gets done, not a special event. Hard standards and strong relationships. At the same time. On purpose.

If that's the kind of change you're after, get in touch.

Connect with collabbWAY

Brooke Baxter, Founder of collabbWAY - located in Geelong

Conflict

Miscommunication

Change Fatigue

Trust Repair

Burnout

What People Say About Working with Brooke

"Brooke was an absolute pleasure to work with, super smart, knows the community services sector really well, values driven and a genuinely nice person too. She has a great work ethic and builds long lasting relationships with people based on collaboration and mutual respect."

Richard Nearn, NFP Executive

“Brooke held the room so carefully, sharing practice insights with a strong focus on the intersection of practice and lived experience. She is a skilled and evidence-based presenter, and her time and expertise are much appreciated.”

"I was one of the students in the social work session you spoke at today. I just wanted to let you know, your talk brought me to tears. Thank you for putting so eloquently what is such a lived experience for so many. When you spoke of advocacy being labelled as difficult, I have never felt so seen. So, thank you! The world is privileged to have such a beautiful voice speaking loudly. "

Social Work Student, Deakin University

Tamara Holmes, Deakin University

“I’ve worked alongside Brooke for many years, collaborating across a range of projects, and have consistently admired her ability to quickly grasp what’s required, maintain strong team focus on the objective, and deliver high-quality outcomes.

Brooke’s strength lies in her deep understanding of leadership and team dynamics, and her ability to translate this into practical, well-structured models and approaches that managers can readily apply. She is an excellent communicator who engages people at all levels and brings them along on the journey.

Brooke is genuinely committed to helping leaders build stronger, more connected teams. I would highly recommend her to any organisation or individual looking to strengthen leadership capability and team effectiveness.

Philippa Bolton, NFP Manager

“Brooke brings an energy and enthusiasm to her leadership that lifts everyone around her. As a leader, she is both inspiring and genuinely considerate — the kind of manager who supports people to do their best work.

One of her real strengths is how quickly she can understand an issue and cut through to practical, effective strategies. She also sees and recognises the strengths in others straight away, which makes working with them feel motivating and valued.

Deb Kirkwood, NFP Manager

“Brooke is a dedicated professional who consistently goes above and beyond to ensure team success. Collaborating with her on the design, development and implementation of an org-wide practice framework project was a true pleasure; she brought a positive attitude and exceptional organisational skills to every challenge.

Beyond her technical delivery, Brooke is a natural leader who manages complex relationships with ease. She has a unique ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, navigating cross-organisational dynamics to build motivation and drive momentum. Brooke knows how to turn complex project requirements into actionable, successful outcomes. Any team would be lucky to have her, and I look forward to working with her again!

Tamara White, CEI - Senior Advisor

Recent Workshops

Here are some recent examples of workshops we ran with other workplaces.

collabbWAY Leadership Tools

collabbWAY Instagram

Impactful Projects

Transforming programs, enhancing effectiveness, delivering innovative solutions for organisational impact.

Organisational Improvement Solution

Edge Glass and Aluminium engaged collabbWAY to assess and enhance business operations, focusing on identifying efficiency improvements and cost-saving opportunities. As part of this review, collabbWAY evaluated and implemented a new job management system to streamline workflows and improve overall business performance.

collabbWAY successfully implemented the system across two sites in Victoria (45 staff), ensuring strong organisational and employee engagement, refined processes and seamless implementation, resulting in improved efficiency and operational effectiveness.

gray concrete building under blue sky during daytime

ARCA+ Professional 1:1 & ALIGN Feedback Model:

Developed by collabbWAY

The ARCA+ Professional 1:1 Framework and ALIGN Feedback Conversation Model, developed by collabbWAY, are practical, structured tools designed to bring consistency, depth, and practical application to reflective supervision or 1:1 meetings across people-centred sectors.

ARCA+ provides a clear and adaptable framework for leaders to support and guide employees in developing their capabilities, mitigate work stress and burnout, and integrate reflection into their everyday practice and work context. Paired with the ALIGN Feedback Model, organisations can create effective conversations that foster psychological safety, alignment, and accountability while supporting employee wellbeing.

We are currently offering partnership opportunities for organisations seeking to test and implement these practical, evidence-informed models, building a reflective, high-performance culture grounded in realistic, people-centred approaches.

For more on ARCA+

For more on ALIGN