Mentorloop Industry Advisory Council

Alana Bennett

Fractional CPO  |  Leadership Development Facilitator & Coach  |
Experience Designer  |  Keynote Speaker  |  GAICD

Areas of Expertise

  • Leadership Development
  • Employee Experience Design
  • Employer Branding
  • People Strategy Development
  • Organizational Culture

Connect with Alana

www.connectedexperience.com.au

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More About Alana

Alana helps leaders connect intention with impact so the experience actually matches the words.

She is the founder of Connected Experience, a fractional CPO, executive coach and facilitator with over 20 years in the people space. She works with founders, CEOs and leadership teams who care about performance and how it feels to be part of the system they are building.

Her work focuses on closing the gap between what organisations say matters and what people actually experience day to day. Making culture real. Leadership human. Strategy lived.

Her style is simple and practical. Less is more. Small things, done consistently. She brings clarity, care and accountability into the everyday moments that shape trust, momentum and performance.

Alana is known for cutting through the noise with warmth and edge, naming what isn’t being said and helping leaders design the rhythms, behaviours and signals their people actually experience.

For organisations that want leadership and culture to be clear, human and genuinely lived, she designs for that.

Alana in the Loop

Alana Bennett and Christian Miran share why building a truly future-ready workforce isn’t about predicting what’s next, but about cultivating adaptability, continuous learning, and human-centered “power skills.” They highlight how creating a culture of growth, supported by thoughtful use of AI, is the key to helping people thrive in an unpredictable future.

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Council members Alana Bennett and Christian Miran draw on their experience in people strategy and workforce transformation to reframe the idea of preparing for the future of work. In this session, they share why “future-proofing” is no longer enough and how future-building through adaptability, resilience, and continuous learning is what truly equips organizations to thrive.

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Alana shares why she believes true leadership is less about asserting control and more about creating a culture where autonomy and accountability coexist. She also shares how a supportive, trust-based, and intentional approach is the key to achieving this.

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Alana's Mentoring Story

Having a mentor and being a mentor
is a power skill. It allows you to tap into knowledge, expertise and experience that is outside the relationship with your leader.

This unique dynamic creates a safe space for vulnerability, experimentation, and growth that's distinct from traditional reporting relationships.
I'm deeply passionate about everyone surrounding themselves with mentors who have skills and experiences in spaces where they may not. No one is truly successful alone and putting the right support around is key to being successful.

You need mentors who you can call when faced with a challenge, who can hype you up before a big presentation or help you work through a failure.
My own journey has shown me that the most impactful mentoring relationships are reciprocal – while mentors share their wisdom and experiences, they often gain fresh perspectives and insights from their mentees.

I believe in cultivating a diverse mentor network, as different mentors can illuminate different aspects of your professional and personal development.
The beauty of mentoring lies in its flexibility. Sometimes it's a structured, long-term relationship; other times, it's a single conversation that shifts your perspective entirely. I've seen how mentoring can transform careers, build confidence, and open doors to opportunities that seemed out of reach.

Whether you're just starting your career or leading an organisation, having mentors who challenge your thinking, celebrate your wins, and support you through setbacks is invaluable.
As a mentor myself, I focus on creating an environment where mentees feel empowered to explore their potential, take calculated risks, and learn from both successes and failures.

It's about asking the right questions rather than providing all the answers, and helping mentees discover their own path to success.

More from Alana

Aligning Learning with Impact – Building Capability Through Everyday Work

Talent development is most effective when it’s tied to real work—not treated as a side project.

This session dives into how role expectations, performance feedback, and targeted learning all come together to drive meaningful growth, not just course completions.

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Cultivating Connection

In this episode of the Rising Femme podcast with Monique Harding, Alana talks about the importance of connection at work, the markers for knowing you have a connected team and practical tips on fostering more connection in your life.

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Talent Blazers S03 E12: Connecting EVP with the Human Experience

“The reality is, when you get to workshops and focus groups, you want to be unearthing new insights.”
 
“What you don’t want to do is rehash something that the organisation already knows because of data they’ve collected.”
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