How to use success and influence to drive impactful change with Craig Foster

From National Captain to Activist: How Craig Foster has Levelled the Playing Field using his Influence and Success

As Human Leaders, we are aware of a need for change. It’s palpable. Here is inspiration and guidance on how to drive the kind of change we need as as collective.

On the latest episode of We Are Human Leaders, we speak with Craig Foster, former national captain of the Australian men’s football team, Broadcaster, Adjunct Professor and Human Rights Advocate. We explore his transition from sports hero to an outspoken advocate for Human Rights, the importance of how we educate ourselves and talk about power and human rights and his key insights for leaders who want to drive change, starting now.

Craig blew our minds with his integrity, humility, wisdom and energy – we’re sure this conversation will be a gamechanger for you, too.

Being a team player when it comes to influence and impact

As Craig Foster outlines, his definition of success has evolved over the years. “When you're young, you think about reaching certain milestones as being an indicator of success. But, with each milestone that you achieve, you realize that it's only another step on a much broader, deeper journey.” In his view, “the definition of success should be different for all of us and should change throughout our life.”

As someone who came to prominence in sport early on, Craig says he was never cut out for individual sports. “The concept of team was something I came to really enjoy and believe in. It started to form a large part of my worldview: what is the team? What is a collective? How do we all interact? And, what is the responsibility of interdependence that we all have?”

Craig Foster is a self-confessed lifelong troublemaker

A self-confessed ‘troublemaker’, Craig explains how what started as a natural part of his approach has evolved into activism with global impact. He sees it as partly an intrinsic part of who he is, but also driven by the experiences he’s had as a prominent sports person throughout his life. “Those of us with power should step forward and take responsibility for transferring it to those without. And that principle underpins my life.”

He recalls as a young athlete bearing witness to inequity – and feeling compelled to do something about it. “Talent is only one aspect. There were many young athletes who didn't have the social power and privileges that I had.” 

Craig Foster underscores that this doesn’t diminish our achievements. As he frames it, “we all face barriers. But it’s important to acknowledge that other people have barriers I did not. And we all have a responsibility to try and lower those barriers in order to create a level playing field.”

Translating intention into action

In this conversation, Craig Foster shares how teamwork is not something just for the sports field or corporate environment: it’s key to driving change for advocates, too.

“The concept of banality of evil, which means I'm just a cog in a bigger wheel and I'm not responsible for the wheel, has to be torn apart. Every one of us is an actor. And if we join together, we have power. All of a sudden, the cog looks very different – and that's the reality of activism.”