---
title: "Sonder and Leadership: Realising We're All in This Together"
description: Sonder is the realisation that everyone's life is as complex as our own. Explore sonder's impact on leadership, recognizing our interconnectedness. Insights from Rhonda Brighton-Hall at the FEAL event.
image: https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/hubfs/flat%2c750x%2c075%2cf-pad%2c750x1000%2cf8f8f8.jpg
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### [Melos Sulicich shares SME success tips on Money News’ “Let’s Talk Business”](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/melos-sulicich-shares-sme-success-tips-on-money-news-lets-talk-business)

 Melos Sulicich, CEO of Bank of Sydney was interviewed by 2GB’s Money News "Let's Talk Business" segment with Scott Haywood. He shared tips for family-run businesses to make sure ev...

<https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/target-hostile-countries-not-us-drug-giant-csl-tells-trump>

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### [Target hostile countries, not us, drug giant CSL tells Trump](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/target-hostile-countries-not-us-drug-giant-csl-tells-trump)

 This is an extract from an article written by Michael Smith and Jessica Gardner in The Australian Financial Review. Published on the 10th July 2025. “It is weighing on the share pr...

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## [Sonder and Leadership: Realising We're All in This Together](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/sonder-and-leadership)

###### By Carden Calder

###### 03 Aug 2023

[Social Media](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/topic/social-media) [Financial Services](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/topic/financial-services) [Growth](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/topic/growth)

##### [Reaching High Net Worth Individuals Through Social Media Marketing in 2025](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/how-target-high-net-worth-individuals-social-media)

[Public Relations](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/topic/public-relations) [Reputation Management](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/topic/reputation-management) [Crisis Management](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/topic/crisis-management)

##### [The Science of Crisis Communication: Proactive and Reactive Strategies](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/proactive-and-reactive-crisis-communication-strategies)

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##### [Introduction to Crisis Communication](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/introduction-to-crisis-communication)

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### Why it's about us all, not just you. Or me. 

Today I learnt a new word. **Sonder. **

Words, as we know, have the power to change how we think, what we do and how we make people feel AND how we interact with others. 

Sonder might change almost everything, as some words do.

"Ooh aah" to you, [Rhonda Brighton-Hall FCPHR](https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAAACixf8BB5Ixe7UKxEJw7l5dykq4QsCRJns&keywords=rhonda%20brighton-hall%20%20fcphr&origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&position=0&searchId=8f123378-3b55-496e-9a31-1630b406593c&sid=0lU#) (RBH) of [mwah and Milo-Arne Wilkinson. ](https://mwah.live/)You both rocked your slots at the superannuation [Fund Executives Association](https://www.feal.asn.au/) (FEAL) this morning.

While I was fortunate enough to chair the panel and audience Q & A today, it was the prep call that made me think hard, examine my own leadership, and cry. But that's a story for another post.

I can't do justice to all of today's conference so I will share just two of RBH's closing thoughts, admiringly...

### Sonder

**So what is sonder? **Thanks to urban dictionary (hence US spelling): =

> Sonder is the** realization** there aren't any main characters in the world.
> 
> Everyone has just as complex a life, thoughts, crushes, **relatives**, dreams, and mind, *just as your own. And just as ordinary as your own.*
> 
> While you're the main character in your life, you're also a **background character** in someone else's.

**The knowledge** that you and I, reading this, are both JUST LIKE the rest of the planet's circa 8.045 billion people is making me awestruck, and filled with wonder at sonder.

What it means for leadership...

### Leadership is about everyone else, AND you

RBH's second last point hit me pretty much in the chest. Excuse the paraphrasing but essentially it's this:

What really matters to your ability as a leader isn't your psych test, whether you're an introvert or extravert... or anything else EXCEPT how and who you are as part of the leadership team. We need to know the profile, dynamic and performance of your leadership TEAM as a whole. To then understand who and how you are as a leader.

It's context and people or team dependant.

Leaders don't matter more than anyone else.

But we do matter a lot in the context of the other humans around us. 

Very sonder.

If we get this right it's good for each of us, our people AND for business.

***If you’d like to continue the conversation [call us](tel:+61290188600) or contact us ***[***here***](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/speak-to-us-about-marketing)[***.***](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/speak-to-us-about-marketing) 

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###### 14 May 2024

#### [The Science of Crisis Communication: Proactive and Reactive Strategies](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/proactive-and-reactive-crisis-communication-strategies)

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###### 10 April 2024

#### [Navigating Regulatory Waters: Friend or Food? How To Stay Ahead in Financial Services](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/navigating-regulatory-changes-financial-services)

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###### 27 March 2024

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###### 07 March 2024

#### [Introduction to Crisis Communication](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/introduction-to-crisis-communication)

<https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/talking-to-the-media-5-tips>

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###### 21 February 2024

#### [Talking to the media? Sean Aylmer shares his top 5 tips](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/talking-to-the-media-5-tips)

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###### 24 September 2021

#### [Growth Hacking: Attracting FUM as a lean start up, from Right Click Capital](https://www.bluechipcommunication.com.au/blog/growth-hacking-attracting-fum-as-a-lean-start-up-from-right-click-capital)

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