About the Book
Make Your Move: The Australian Woman's Roadmap to Executive Leadership, Pay Equity, and Career Confidence, is a practical career guide for Australian women who are ready to lead, and want to do it on their own terms.
Despite rising awareness, women in Australia still hold just 22% of CEO roles, and progress on gender equity in leadership remains slow across both the public and private sectors. Too often, career advice for women is imported, outdated, or overly focused on hustle and personal sacrifice.
This book is different.
Written with an unmistakably Australian voice and grounded in the lived experience of senior executive Madeleine Taylor, Make Your Move cuts through the noise. It shares real strategies, stories, and tools to help women:
- Navigate bias, politics, and power dynamics at work- Build a personal brand that opens doors- Find the right mentors, sponsors, and circles of support- Use data to lead smarter and be heard- Create a work life aligned with their values, not someone else’s version of success
Whether you’re eyeing your first promotion, transitioning into executive leadership, transitioning from the Military or a different industry, trying to obtain work life balance, or simply want more from your career, this book gives you the clarity, confidence, and courage to take the next step.
You don’t need to be perfect.You just need a plan, and this book will help you make it.
Despite rising awareness, women in Australia still hold just 22% of CEO roles, and progress on gender equity in leadership remains slow across both the public and private sectors. Too often, career advice for women is imported, outdated, or overly focused on hustle and personal sacrifice.
This book is different.
Written with an unmistakably Australian voice and grounded in the lived experience of senior executive Madeleine Taylor, Make Your Move cuts through the noise. It shares real strategies, stories, and tools to help women:
- Navigate bias, politics, and power dynamics at work- Build a personal brand that opens doors- Find the right mentors, sponsors, and circles of support- Use data to lead smarter and be heard- Create a work life aligned with their values, not someone else’s version of success
Whether you’re eyeing your first promotion, transitioning into executive leadership, transitioning from the Military or a different industry, trying to obtain work life balance, or simply want more from your career, this book gives you the clarity, confidence, and courage to take the next step.
You don’t need to be perfect.You just need a plan, and this book will help you make it.

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Why is this book important now?
22%
Only 22% of ASX300 company CEOs are women, and just 7% are Chairs
Leadership pipelines remain stubbornly narrow for Australian women
1 in 2
1 in 2 women in Australia report experiencing workplace discrimination, including being overlooked for promotions or not taken seriously
Bias, politics, and invisible barriers are still very real.
70%
70% of women say they don’t feel confident advocating for themselves at work
Confidence gaps aren’t about ability. They’re about support, strategy, and environment.
Career Strategy Without Burnout
Learn how to make smart, intentional moves that align with your values, not just climb for the sake of it.
Confidence, Presence & Personal Brand
Build visibility and influence in meetings, online, and in the moments that matter most.
Navigating Bias, Politics & Power
Understand the unspoken rules of leadership, and how to play them without losing yourself.
Support That Accelerates You
Leverage mentors, sponsors, coaches, and real networks to grow faster and lift others as you go.
Chapter Summary
Stop waiting for permission. Start making your move.
For ambitious Australian women, the path to executive leadership and pay equity is often opaque. Make Your Move provides the deliberate, strategic roadmap you need to build influence, master organizational politics, and lead on your own terms. Drawing on her journey from the military and private sector into senior government roles, author Madeleine Taylor shares evidence-based strategies to help you:
- Define Your Value: Use the practical Career Compass and Achievement Archive tools to establish a non-negotiable personal brand.- Navigate the System: Master the unwritten rules of corporate and government politics, bias, and power dynamics.- Negotiate for Equity: Secure the remuneration, recognition, and roles you deserve with clear, data-driven negotiation strategies.- Lead with Impact: Develop the executive presence and strategic execution skills required to thrive at the highest levels.
This book is your essential guide to turning ambition into actionable strategy and closing your personal leadership and pay gap.
The book is structured into four parts, guiding you from establishing personal clarity to building a lasting legacy.
Part I: The Foundational Move: Clarity, Confidence, and Goals
This section establishes the critical personal strategy and mindset required for sustainable career growth.
Chapter 1: The Executive Blueprint: Why Strategic Intent Matters
Focuses on understanding the current state of women's leadership in Australia, why hard work isn't enough, and the necessity of shifting from a "worker" mindset to a "leader" mindset.
Chapter 2: Defining Your Non-Negotiables: Purpose and Value
Explores how to identify your core values, define your professional purpose, and translate your unique skills into clear, measurable value for any organization.
Chapter 3: Strategic Career Planning (Without the Burnout)
A guide to using the Career Compass and other planning tools to set clear, realistic goals and plot your path to the executive level without sacrificing wellbeing.
Chapter 4: Practical Tools for Advancement
Introduces essential documentation systems like The Achievement Archive and The Opportunity Tracker to ensure you always have the evidence needed for negotiations and promotions. Includes The "One Bold Move" Rule.
Chapter 5: Building a Personal Brand That Opens Doors
Strategies for intentionally crafting an executive-level personal brand, leveraging the 3-Part Visibility Playbook (online, internal, and external).
Part II: Navigating the System: Influence, Politics, and Power
This part provides the tools to master the external landscape, organizational dynamics, and securing influence at the highest levels.
Chapter 6: The Pay Equity Roadmap: Negotiating Your Worth
Detailed, step-by-step guidance on researching, preparing for, and executing high-stakes salary and promotion negotiations to close the pay gap.
Chapter 7: Leading with Confidence: Presence, Power, and People
How to project executive presence, master effective communication, and utilize the Executive Influence Toolkit to gain buy-in and respect.
Chapter 8: Navigating Bias, Politics, and Power Plays
Addresses the reality of organizational politics, how to identify and dismantle unconscious bias, and utilizing the Strategic Conflict Navigator to handle difficult situations with integrity and skill.
Chapter 9: Networks That Work: Building Your Circle with Intention
Moves beyond casual networking to focus on establishing strategic mentorships and sponsorships, and mapping your professional ecosystem for maximum support and opportunity.
Part III: Sustaining Impact: Execution, Adaptability, and Wellbeing
This section focuses on the operational excellence required for senior roles and ensuring personal sustainability for a long career.
Chapter 10: The Real Deal on Work-Life Balance
Dispels the myth of "balance" and focuses on strategic Work-Life Alignment, setting and holding boundaries, and using the Leadership Resilience Builder to avoid burnout.
Chapter 11: Stepping Up: The Art of Executive Execution
Focuses on the difference between being busy and being effective. Covers strategic delegation, managing high-performing teams, and transitioning from operational work to strategic oversight.
Chapter 12: Working Smarter with Data: Tools, Trends, and Taking the Lead
How to become a data-informed leader, leveraging business intelligence, identifying strategic trends, and using Data Storytelling to drive C-suite decisions.
Chapter 13: Leading Transformational Change
A guide to successfully leading large-scale organizational or cultural change, managing resistance, and cementing success.
Part IV: Leading the Ascent: Community, Legacy, and Action
The final part explores the long-term view of leadership—what it means to build a legacy and actively support the next generation.
Chapter 14: The Multiplier Effect: Sponsoring the Next Generation
The critical difference between mentoring and sponsoring, and how to actively champion other high-potential women to create a stronger pipeline of female leaders.
Chapter 15: Your Legacy of Leadership
A final reflection on long-term impact, defining your desired leadership legacy, and committing to continuous self-development and advocacy.
Conclusion: Now Make Your Move
A final call to action, reinforcing the key principles and encouraging the reader to implement their strategic plan immediately.
For ambitious Australian women, the path to executive leadership and pay equity is often opaque. Make Your Move provides the deliberate, strategic roadmap you need to build influence, master organizational politics, and lead on your own terms. Drawing on her journey from the military and private sector into senior government roles, author Madeleine Taylor shares evidence-based strategies to help you:
- Define Your Value: Use the practical Career Compass and Achievement Archive tools to establish a non-negotiable personal brand.- Navigate the System: Master the unwritten rules of corporate and government politics, bias, and power dynamics.- Negotiate for Equity: Secure the remuneration, recognition, and roles you deserve with clear, data-driven negotiation strategies.- Lead with Impact: Develop the executive presence and strategic execution skills required to thrive at the highest levels.
This book is your essential guide to turning ambition into actionable strategy and closing your personal leadership and pay gap.
The book is structured into four parts, guiding you from establishing personal clarity to building a lasting legacy.
Part I: The Foundational Move: Clarity, Confidence, and Goals
This section establishes the critical personal strategy and mindset required for sustainable career growth.
Chapter 1: The Executive Blueprint: Why Strategic Intent Matters
Focuses on understanding the current state of women's leadership in Australia, why hard work isn't enough, and the necessity of shifting from a "worker" mindset to a "leader" mindset.
Chapter 2: Defining Your Non-Negotiables: Purpose and Value
Explores how to identify your core values, define your professional purpose, and translate your unique skills into clear, measurable value for any organization.
Chapter 3: Strategic Career Planning (Without the Burnout)
A guide to using the Career Compass and other planning tools to set clear, realistic goals and plot your path to the executive level without sacrificing wellbeing.
Chapter 4: Practical Tools for Advancement
Introduces essential documentation systems like The Achievement Archive and The Opportunity Tracker to ensure you always have the evidence needed for negotiations and promotions. Includes The "One Bold Move" Rule.
Chapter 5: Building a Personal Brand That Opens Doors
Strategies for intentionally crafting an executive-level personal brand, leveraging the 3-Part Visibility Playbook (online, internal, and external).
Part II: Navigating the System: Influence, Politics, and Power
This part provides the tools to master the external landscape, organizational dynamics, and securing influence at the highest levels.
Chapter 6: The Pay Equity Roadmap: Negotiating Your Worth
Detailed, step-by-step guidance on researching, preparing for, and executing high-stakes salary and promotion negotiations to close the pay gap.
Chapter 7: Leading with Confidence: Presence, Power, and People
How to project executive presence, master effective communication, and utilize the Executive Influence Toolkit to gain buy-in and respect.
Chapter 8: Navigating Bias, Politics, and Power Plays
Addresses the reality of organizational politics, how to identify and dismantle unconscious bias, and utilizing the Strategic Conflict Navigator to handle difficult situations with integrity and skill.
Chapter 9: Networks That Work: Building Your Circle with Intention
Moves beyond casual networking to focus on establishing strategic mentorships and sponsorships, and mapping your professional ecosystem for maximum support and opportunity.
Part III: Sustaining Impact: Execution, Adaptability, and Wellbeing
This section focuses on the operational excellence required for senior roles and ensuring personal sustainability for a long career.
Chapter 10: The Real Deal on Work-Life Balance
Dispels the myth of "balance" and focuses on strategic Work-Life Alignment, setting and holding boundaries, and using the Leadership Resilience Builder to avoid burnout.
Chapter 11: Stepping Up: The Art of Executive Execution
Focuses on the difference between being busy and being effective. Covers strategic delegation, managing high-performing teams, and transitioning from operational work to strategic oversight.
Chapter 12: Working Smarter with Data: Tools, Trends, and Taking the Lead
How to become a data-informed leader, leveraging business intelligence, identifying strategic trends, and using Data Storytelling to drive C-suite decisions.
Chapter 13: Leading Transformational Change
A guide to successfully leading large-scale organizational or cultural change, managing resistance, and cementing success.
Part IV: Leading the Ascent: Community, Legacy, and Action
The final part explores the long-term view of leadership—what it means to build a legacy and actively support the next generation.
Chapter 14: The Multiplier Effect: Sponsoring the Next Generation
The critical difference between mentoring and sponsoring, and how to actively champion other high-potential women to create a stronger pipeline of female leaders.
Chapter 15: Your Legacy of Leadership
A final reflection on long-term impact, defining your desired leadership legacy, and committing to continuous self-development and advocacy.
Conclusion: Now Make Your Move
A final call to action, reinforcing the key principles and encouraging the reader to implement their strategic plan immediately.