Have you noticed something isn’t working in how we lead today?
An award-winning documentary exploring what’s missing in leadership development and the consequences of decisions made from an unoptimised human system.
This documentary is FREE to watch because the kind of leaders we become shapes the world we live in.
A note from the director
Expanding our leadership abilities matters now more than ever.
We are asking leaders to navigate unprecedented complexity, yet most have never been taught how to work with the one system that drives every decision they make, themselves.
Make Me A Leader explores why this gap exists and what becomes possible when leadership is developed from the inside out.
Silvia Damiano
Founder, About my Brain Institute
About The ‘Make Me A Leader’ Documentary
We created Make Me A Leader to challenge a fundamental gap: we are developing leaders for a world that no longer exists.
Today’s leaders face relentless complexity, uncertainty and pressure. Yet most have never been taught how to lead the one system that drives every decision they make, themselves.
If we want to solve global challenges, evolve as a society, and lead with clarity under pressure, we need a different approach to leadership.
That is why this film exists.
On March 31, 2020, we made it freely available online so anyone, anywhere could access it.
The world does not need more information.
It needs better leaders.
Are you ready to redefine how you lead?
Make Me A Leader was self-funded and produced by award-winning leadership expert Silvia Damiano and her team at the About my Brain Institute.
Silvia travelled the world to interview leading scientists and experts, exploring one critical question: How do we adapt the human brain to thrive in a rapidly changing world?
Her work sits at the intersection of neuroscience and leadership, challenging outdated models that prioritise performance over the human behind it.
Since founding the About my Brain Institute in 2009, Silvia has been on a mission to democratise leadership and neuroscience, making them practical, accessible and deeply human.
Through Make Me A Leader and her books Leadership Is Upside Down and Brain-Friendly Leadership, she reframes leadership as an inside-out capability, not a title or position.
This film is an invitation to step into that shift.
This is not another leadership film about strategy, tools, or tactics.
Make Me A Leader helps you understand how your biology, mind, and behaviour shape the way you lead, perform and respond under pressure.
Through expert interviews and real-world stories, you will explore:
- How the brain and body influence decision-making and performance
- Why emotional regulation is essential for effective leadership
- The impact of technology on brain health and attention
- The science behind meditation, sleep, and recovery
- The mind–gut connection and its role in resilience
- How to adapt, stay grounded, and lead through change
You will not just learn new ideas. You will see yourself differently as a leader.
This film is designed to be shared.
Use it for personal reflection, team development, education, or organisational learning.
You can:
- Watch it individually
- Screen it within teams or organisations
- Integrate it into training or development programs
- Share it publicly using the official About my Brain Institute platforms
For media inquiries, distribution, corporate training, or offline copies, please contact us.
Copyright Notice:
Unauthorised downloading, editing, redistribution, or commercial use is prohibited and may result in legal action. To share or screen the documentary, please use our YouTube Channel here or share this page.
A special thank you to the people who appear throughout the film and assisted in the process.
The Talent
Alison Pate • Executive Coach & Mentor
Anna Bligh • Former Premier, Queensland Government
Bradley Andrews • President, Advisian Digital
Helen Lyons • Executive Director, Executive Development Public Service
Juan Carlos Cubeiro • Head of Talent, Manpower Group
Misti Melville • Global Human Resources Director, BuroHappold Engineering
Yvonne Coburn • Leadership Development and Executive Coach
Sue Langley • Founder & CEO, The Langley Group
Sylvie Minot • Co-Founder & Director, Syzygy Dance Project
Skander Malcolm • Managing Director & CEO, OFX
Shree Paradkar • Journalist, The Toronto Star
Troy Roberts • Founder, RAW Impact
Brooke Schiller • Leadership Consultant & Coach
Grant Soosalu • Author ‘mBraining’
Bruce Cryer • Former CEO, Heart Math
Karina Reggenesier • Student of Business & Management, Zeppelin University
Kim Pate • Senator, Ottawa - Canada
Maurizio Floris • Program Director, John Grill Centre
The Crew
Silvia Damiano• Director, Executive Producer & Writer
Simon Martin• Director of Photography, Camera & Editor
Relmi Damiano• Creative Director, Writer & Production Designer
Dave Agius• Production Designer
Lajla Mostic• Assistant Editor & 3D Artist
Damian Hood• Assistant Editor & 3D Artist
Emma Newman• Assistant Editor & 3D Artist
Max Takacs-Gal• 3D ArtistNicole Lyons • Writer
Elise Cociuban• Music Composer
Roberto Benech Arnold • Music Composer
Kearon de Clouet• Sound Design
Douglas Lam • Web Developer & Production Assistant
Ayeesha Mukerjee• Designer & Production Assistant
Madelyn Beaufils • Production Assistant
Su Jung Kim• Designer & Production Assistant
Nick Simpson• Production Assistant
Santina Malacarne• Production Assistant
Salin Kong • Camera & Drone Operator, RAW Impact Cambodia
Heng Sary • Camera & Drone Operator, RAW Impact Cambodia
Leang Hour Kim • Camera & Drone Operator, RAW Impact Cambodia
Abraham Saikley• Photography Assistant
Robert Davy• Designer & Camera Assistant
Jason Capizzi • Camera Assistant
Antonio Vargas Ricardo• Kamala Tully • Ann Jackson • Lisa Gray • Jarman Massie • Jonathan Walker • Ben Nachmani • Melina Maini • Joaquin Besga • Ricardo Gonzalez Escobar • Gonzalo Rossi • Sacha Damiano • Melinda Hills • Geoff Heber • Mark Hodgson • Amber Jenner • Joshua Landua • Jorge Plaza • Blythe Rowe • Sharon Taylor • Phillip Baker • Caroline Monzon • Katie Hancock • Angus Rickard • Lisa Gorman • Santiago Puebla Sanz • Hayley Melrose • Isaac Herbert • Grant Herbert • Ben McNevin • Lucy Le Messurier Scott • Gail-Eaton Briggs • Deborah Pascoe • Jenny Vulcan • Laura Damiano
OUR GRATITUDE TO THE RAW IMPACT CREW IN CAMBODIA
Troy & Nicole Roberts • Holly Day • Monique Sleight • Liz Wills • Dany Sruy • Joshua Shayer • Jethro Boyd • Tessa Dorotich • Blake Hale • Renee Keating • Peter Fitzgerald • Sor Petra (Mr Petra) • Lee David (Mr David) • Hen Very (Mr Vey) • Peng Tre (Mr Tre)
Donate, volunteer and get involved!
To learn more about this non-for-profit organisation visit: www.rawimpact.org
WE WANT TO THANK THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE ANDORGANISATIONS FOR THEIR SUPPORT
David McCubbin • Tony Coburn • Katharine McLennanKen Chawkin • Cristina Wilson Porter • Florian Zdzidlaw
Advanced Brain Monitoring • Carlsbad, United States
Roxanna Geiger
Interaxon • Toronto, Canada
Ariel Garten • Chris Aimone • Ben Nachmani
WorleyParsons & Advisian Digital • Melbourne, Australia
Syzygy Dance Project • Sausalito, CA, USA
Amen Clinics • Los Angeles, USA
Herbert Smith Freehills • Sydney, Australia
Billy Blue College of Design, Torrens University • Sydney, Australia
Cesar Diaz, On Hair Boutique • Buenos Aires, Argentina
Violeta Brown • Ipswich, Australia
Bathers’ Pavillion Balmoral Beach • Sydney, Australia
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences University of Buenos Aires • Argentina
Escuela Superior de Comercio “Carlos Pellegrini” • Buenos Aires, Argentina
BuroHappold Engineering • London, UK
John Grill Centre, University of Sydney • Australia
Cafe La Biela • Buenos Aires, Argentina
Parque de la Memoria • Buenos Aires, Argentina
Scandic Holmenkollen Park • Oslo, Norway
Maharishi University • Fairfield, USA
Oslo & Akerahus University College • Oslo, Norway
G Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress & Resilience, UCLA • Los Angeles, USA
Produced by the About my Brain Institute
Our gratitude to everyone who attended our Premiere on July 25th, 2018.
Meet the Cast
Featuring interviews with business leaders, academics, leadership specialists and world-renowned scientists.
Reviews on IMDB
“It’s clear that Silvia Damiano has been on a noble quest to understand how we can all become better people in every aspect of our lives. This film is really well constructed and engaging.”
The Make Me A Leader Documentary clearly points the way, through a carefully constructed and evidence-based framework, to providing us with the knowledge and tools to take our destiny into our own hands to become effective leaders at all levels of the organisation and outside of work. Personally, I was left feeling inspired and energised by the prospect of positive change and improvement through understanding and seeing to the health and alignment of brain, heart and gut.
Michael Wright
Deputy Secretary
NSW Public Service, Australia
Watch Full Documentary
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Interview with the Director
Learn more about what took this project to fruition.
Our Premiere
Watch the showreel from our launch.
If this resonated, this is your next step.
Our learning resources build on the documentary, giving you the tools to apply this work in real situations, not just understand it.
