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317

 – How to Lead with Emotional Awareness and Build a Valuable (and VALUED) Team with Karine Rayson

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Hosted by HerBusiness

On air:

17 July 2025

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What does the superyachting industry have to do with your leadership style? 

Turns out, a whole lot.

In this episode, I’m joined by Karine Rayson, an expert in leadership and mental health within the superyacht industry – where teams are required to live and work together 24/7 out at sea. And in that intense environment… leadership matters.

And it’s no different for your business. These leadership and communication skills are foundational for any business, even if you’re on dry land.

Here’s What You’ll Discover in This Episode: 

  • The metric that sets high-performing teams apart from the rest, and why authoritative leadership is a recipe for ego issues and disengagement.
  • The parallels between life on a superyacht and running a small business – and why it all boils down to leadership and strong team communication.
  • The (so often overlooked!) layers of communication that build trust.
  • How to spot the small, physical signs that signal something’s wrong before it’s too late.
  • Why slipping work, a lack of eye contact, or mismatched energy might actually be a silent plea for support from your team (and what you can do to turn things around).
  • Karine’s psychology-backed tips to make your team feel seen and valued – and why success all starts at onboarding.
  • What emotional literacy really means (and what it DOESN’T!), and why self-awareness is the foundation of leading others well.
  • The most uncomfortable, but essential, thing you can do as a leader to grow your emotional intelligence and improve your team’s ability to work well together.
  • Why shifting from an authoritative leader to a facilitator actually creates a more connected, motivated, and purpose-driven team.
  • Karine’s leadership non-negotiables to create a psychologically safe space, lead people in the same direction towards your ultimate goal,
  • And so, so much more…

 

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Mentioned in This Episode:

The HerBusiness Network

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About the host

Suzi Dafnis

Hi there. I’m Suzi Dafnis, CEO at HerBusiness. My BIG passion is helping women business owners to grow and scale their business, so that they can create their ideal lifestyle and make a difference in the world. Every day I am inspired by the more than 30,000 amazing women (and men!) in our community and I love finding the best education, mentors, and resources from around the globe, to help them get the skills, knowledge, and support they need to succeed. It’s been my privilege to lead HerBusiness (formerly The Australian Businesswomen’s Network) for the past 23 years (two+ decades – WOW!) because, whilst I’ve enjoyed success in business, I’ve also experienced the highs and the lows – sometimes you can feel on top of the world and in control and other times you can feel isolated, exhausted and stuck. What has made the biggest difference for me has always been having great people around me and having a lifelong commitment to learning. That’s why I am so passionate about the work we do here at HerBusiness – providing a Connection Network for women in business to get the mentors, contacts, referrals, knowledge, and skills they need to grow their confidence, make more money, build their businesses, expand their network and create the lives they love. My entrepreneurial journey started in the spare room of my Sydney apartment in 1994 when my business partner and I started a boutique events company that represented speakers and authors from the USA, here in Australia. Over the years I’ve grown multiple multi-million dollar businesses in the events, publishing and education niches – with teams in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. Not everything has worked and there has been a degree of trial and error, and a lot of bumps in the road. But I have always had a strong commitment to always surrounding myself with great mentors and like-minded peers – a Connection Network that I can depend on and who can depend on me to be there for them too. I truly do what I love, every day.  

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About the guest(s)

Karine Rayson

Karine Rayson

Karine Rayson is a globally recognised leader in the fields of mental health and leadership development within the superyacht industry. As the director of The Crew Coach, a pioneering crew support and training company, she is transforming the way leadership is taught and experienced at sea. Drawing on her academic background in psychology and organisational psychology, Karine delivers practical, psychology-informed training that raises the standard of leadership across all levels of crew. Her impact has been recognised globally, with features in The New Yorker, The Sunday Times, and Marie Claire, positioning her as a thought leader driving meaningful cultural change.

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