Ways to Change the Workplace with Prina Shah

158. Living in a Fishbowl: Being the CEO in a Small Town with Simone Pickering

• Prina Shah • Episode 158

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0:00 | 16:46

What happens when leadership doesn’t end at the office door?

In Living in a Fishbowl, Prina Shah is joined by regional HR expert Simone Pickering to explore what it really means to be a CEO in a small town — where anonymity doesn’t exist, visibility is constant, and leadership follows you to the supermarket, the school gate, and community events.

This episode moves beyond leadership theory and into lived experience. It unpacks the emotional load of being both an organisational leader and a public figure, the isolation that often comes with senior roles in small communities, and why boundaries, wellbeing, and support systems are not optional for sustainable leadership.

From local government CEOs and not-for-profit leaders to boards and councillors, this is an honest conversation about responsibility, burnout, and compassion — for leaders and for the humans behind the titles.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Why CEOs in small towns are never “off duty”
  • Leadership visibility and being constantly observed
  • How small actions are magnified and misinterpreted
  • CEOs as public figures, not just organisational leaders
  • Decision-making when social consequences are unavoidable
  • The emotional isolation of senior leadership roles
  • Confidentiality challenges in tight-knit communities
  • Why some CEOs need to physically leave town to recover
  • Burnout risks in regional and not-for-profit leadership
  • The hidden cost of networking, stakeholder events, and “being on”
  • Why purpose-driven leaders are at higher risk of burnout
  • The critical role of boards and councils in shaping culture
  • Two questions every board must ask:
     
    • What does it feel like to work here? 
    • How does our conduct impact organisational culture?

About Simone Pickering. Simone is a Kalgoorlie local and the founder of The People & Culture Office, a consultancy she launched in 2018 to make HR practical, human, and accessible for regional businesses.

Simone’s career spans local government, mining, and the not-for-profit sector, giving her deep insight into the realities of leadership and culture in small towns. She works closely with CEOs, boards, and leadership teams across regional WA to strengthen culture, lift capability, and build workplaces that are sustainable — not just compliant.

Simone brings honesty, warmth, and a deeply human lens to conversations about work, leadership, and wellbeing in regional communities.

Connect with Simone:

Send Prina a text to let her know how you'd change the workplace

If you are seeking professional advice or would like to change your company culture through training, consulting, speaking and coaching, get in touch,  email me.

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Prina (Helping you find GREAT ways to change your workplace) Shah