Episode 30: When You Know the Right Thing But Can’t Do It: Leadership in High-Risk Work with Kelvin Kamara

Episode 30: When You Know the Right Thing But Can’t Do It: Leadership in High-Risk Work | Kelvin KamaraHere’s the truth. I loved this conversation.It was so lovely to catch up with Kelvin again and reflect on the work we’ve both been part of in complex, high-risk environments.In this episode of Not Another PD, I’m joined by Kelvin Kamara, Chief Operating Officer from Hopewell Community Care.We’re talking about complexity inside leadership.Not the polished version. The real version.The kind of work where you’re balancing human rights, client safety, staff safety, and community expectations at the same time, particularly when supporting clients with risk.Where you’re often leading on the ground.Making decisions in real time.And carrying responsibility that doesn’t always have a clear answer.Kelvin said this about boundaries:“Whatever we lead with, that’s what our teams will most likely copy.”Which really speaks to leadership by example.Not just in what we say.But in what we model, every day.He also spoke about the moral distress staff in our sector may experience:“Staff know what good support looks like… but they can also feel very restricted by the systems around them.”And this is something I see come up so often in supervision.People know what good support looks like.They care deeply about doing it well.But they’re working within systems, environments, and constraints that don’t always allow that to happen.That gap between what you know is right and what you’re able to do is where the tension builds.And over time, that’s where burnout and moral stress can start to show up.In this episode, we cover:Leadership in high-risk disability and community settingsMoral distress and the impact of not being able to act in line with your valuesLeading on the ground and supporting teams in real timeBalancing human rights with client safety, particularly when supporting clients with riskThe realities of restrictive practicesPsychosocial hazards in helping professionsLeadership behaviour and its impact on team cultureResources mentioned in the episode:Right to disconnect laws: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/hours-of-work-breaks-and-rosters/right-to-disconnectCompulsory treatment (Victoria): https://www.dffh.vic.gov.au/compulsory-treatmentRestrictive practices (NDIS Commission): https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/rules-and-standards/behaviour-support-and-restrictive-practicesConnect with Kelvin Kamara and Hopewell Community Care:WebsiteContact Hopewell Community CareKelvin Kamara LinkedInHopewell Community Care LinkedInConnect with Jazmin:WebsiteInstagramLinkedInWork with Jazmin:Boundaries as Practitioners ($59 self-paced online training)Group Supervision (next starting June 2026)Thank you for being part of this important conversation, and please reach out to myself or Kelvin with any questions or feedback following the episode, we would absolutely love to hear from you.Jazmin