31. Project management and leadership
In this episode, I catch up with Dominique Barker (CIO) for a deep dive on project management and leadership. We discuss:
- Dom's professional experience and project management origin story
- Implementing real change and making it stick
- Quantum thinking
- Failing fast and forward
- Harnessing executive sponsorship
- Providing just-in-time information
- Giving back to stakeholders
- Doing project management in your personal life.
About Dominique Barker
Dominique Barker is a CIO (Chief Information Officer) with deep experience in IT strategy, enterprise leadership, AI, and organisation‑wide digital transformation across complex public‑sector and university environments. In this episode Dom shares experience gleaned from leading organisation‑wide adoption of new ways of working, delivering large and small‑scale generative and agentic AI implementations, and driving major technology uplift programs. Dom is known for bringing people along on the journey. She partners closely with business executives and delivery teams to ensure technology investments achieve measurable outcomes, hit strategic targets, and deliver lasting organisational change.
More from Dom
More from Dom
- Dominique Barker on quantum thinking in the age of AI (Online article, Public Spectrum, March 2026)
- Coding, kids, and the invisible double shift of tech mums (Online article, ChannelLife, February 2026)
- Australia's AI outlook (Featured contributor, Moxie Insights, December 2025)
- Rewriting Your Career Mid-Flight – Dominique Barker on the Joyful Upsides of Tech Leadership (Podcast episode, Tech to Exec, September 2025)
Books recommended by Dom
- #noprojects: A culture of continuous value. By Evan Leybourn and Shane Hastie
- Bad change: 50 ways why change doesn't work and 266 tips to make it better. By Peter Phan and Gilbert Kruidenier
- The intangibles of leadership: The 10 qualities of superior executive performance. By Richard A. Davis
Cite this episode
MacDonald, J. B. & Barker, D. (2026, April 29). Project management and leadership (No. 31) [Podcast episode]. In Psych Attack. www.psychattack.com
Transcript
The transcript for this episode was developed using transcription software. It may contain errors.
Transcript
The transcript for this episode was developed using transcription software. It may contain errors.
Acknowledgements
Psych Attack is created and hosted by Dr Jaz MacDonald. The video and audio for this episode was edited by Morgan McRae and Dr Jaz MacDonald. Special thanks to Dominique Barker for sharing your time and expertise.
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Related blog posts
- Self-advocacy and professional relationships. By Max Loomes.
- Book recommendation: ‘The checklist manifesto’ by Atul Gawande. By Dr Jaz MacDonald.