In a world where complexity frequently impedes advancement, Rachel Choong is offering courage, quiet conviction, and clarity. Choong, who is regarded as one of Australia’s most reliable “executive whisperers,” didn’t take the conventional route to leadership; instead, she forged her own with tenacity and an extraordinary knack for succeeding where others failed. She quickly rose from her early days in IT and consulting to oversee some of Australia’s most important and intricate business initiatives, completing multimillion-dollar projects on schedule and within budget for significant organizations including NBN, Telstra, and NAB Co.
Beyond project metrics, however, is where her real strength rests. She is gaining her name by succeeding in high-stress situations. What distinguishes her and ultimately led to her development as a leadership mentor is her capacity to maintain composure, strategic thinking, and a strong people-focused approach in the face of adversity. She is gaining unique insights from crisis-aware leaders over decades, unravelling the process of decision-making in the face of uncertainty.
She is now converting those realizations into knowledge that is understandable for aspiring leaders. Her multifaceted leadership philosophy, which she refers to as the “quantum approach,” is where flexibility, emotional intelligence, and courage converge. In addition to teaching leadership,
Rachel Choong is exemplifying it with deliberate action, unrelenting value creation, and a strong desire to see others succeed. Her narrative is about more than just achievement; it’s about developing fresh, sincere, and radically revolutionary leadership paradigms.
The Accidental Leadership Whisperer
Choong’s journey into what she calls “executive whispering” began accidentally. After graduating with an IT degree, she landed in consulting by chance, quickly discovering she had a rare talent for seeing solutions where others saw only problems. But more intriguingly, she found herself naturally gravitating toward the most impossible projects the ones everyone else had abandoned.
“Everyone thought I was crazy for taking on the projects others wouldn’t touch. Yet throughout my career at major Australian corporations including NBN, Telstra, Coles, and NAB Co, I consistently delivered multi-million-dollar programs ahead of schedule and under budget.” she admits. At NAB, she completed a major security project in three months when it was projected to take a year.
At NBN Co, she implemented Access Management solutions protecting Australia’s entire broadband network.
But the real story wasn’t just about technical achievements. Working on these high-stakes projects gave her something invaluable, an unprecedented access to how Australia’s most successful leaders think under extreme pressure.
“I realized I wasn’t just trying to solve technical challenges I was genuinely curious about how people made decisions when everything was chaotic and uncertain. What became fascinating was watching leaders during crisis moments. These weren’t polished presentations or planned meetings these were raw, authentic moments where you could see how they thought.” she explains.
From Chaos to Clarity
The personal cost of becoming Australia’s “project rescue specialist” was enormous. Ten-hour days became the norm, often in a stressful environment failure wasn’t just disappointing it was devastating.
“I had no life outside work. When everyone else walked away, I stayed professional, stayed focused, and got the job done because there was no choice as millions of customers and entire companies depended on these solutions.” Choong reflects honestly.
These achievements earned her recognition that most professionals only dream of the Telstra CEO Award, CIO Awards, and NAB accolades. But the real satisfaction came from something deeper which was protecting millions of customers while enabling genuine innovation.
Then came the lightbulb moment. After 25 years of working with executives on these high-stakes projects, she realized those grueling experiences had given her something invaluable: insights into how truly successful leaders think that most people never get to see.
“The idea hit me: why not democratize this hardwon wisdom? Instead of limiting these insights to boardrooms, I could share them with aspiring leaders everywhere.” she says.
The Quantum Approach to Business
What sets Choong apart is her unique approach to leadership and business—one she describes using a fascinating analogy to quantum computing.
“My appetite for business is like quantum computing I don’t think in simple black and white, and I believe that’s exactly the mindset leaders need to thrive in our complex world,” she explains. Most people see business decisions as either safe or risky, like an on/off switch. But quantum computers can be in multiple states at once, which gives them incredible power to solve problems that seemed impossible before.
This philosophy has shaped her entire approach to both her career and her book. Where most leaders see “too risky” or “too safe,” Choong looks for the smart middle ground where real innovation happens. It’s this collaborative, multidimensional thinking that has transformed every industry she’s touched.
A Book That Bill Gates’ Endorser Endorses
The validation of Choong’s approach came from an unexpected source. The international bestselling author Graeme Simsion—whose book “The Rosie Project” was so beloved by Bill Gates that the Microsoft founder gave copies to 50 friends and named it among his top five picks for 2014 spoke at the launch of “54 Inspired Leaders” and delivered a ringing endorsement.
“When Graeme Simsion gave that endorsement during his speech at my book launch, I honestly had to pinch myself,” she recalled. Simsion described her book as “Rachel has invited you to their home where they are hosting a fabulous party with their most interesting and inspiring friends.”
What particularly struck Simsion was Choong’s focus on relatable success rather than billionaire fantasies. As he noted, “these people are successful in a way that we might as reasonable mortals aspire to be.” He also observed that when these leaders were asked what inspires them, “nobody said it was money, the overwhelming answer was people.
This insight reinforced something Choong had discovered through her interviews: the most fulfilled executives are those who focus on developing others.
The Passion That Drives Everything
Behind all the professional achievements and accolades lies a simple but powerful driving force: helping people find hope when everything feels impossible.”I wrote ’54 Inspired Leaders’ because I’ve been in those dark places where you can’t get out of bed and question life’s purpose. We all have. During those times, I realized how desperately we need wisdom from people who’ve faced similar struggles and found their way through.” Choong shares with remarkable vulnerability.
Her passion stems from a profound source of inspiration: Dr. Moya Cole, an ancestor of her late partner, who founded hospitals so poor people could get treatment.“She taught me that when you can help others, you have an obligation to do so,” she explains. This philosophy extends beyond people sometimes it’s as simple as buying fruits for injured wildlife or donating to help sick patients in hospitals.
Every leader she interviewed reinforced this principle. Denis McGee’s wisdom that “when you get knocked down, get up, and if you’re knocked down again, get back up again,” and Philippa Taylor’s reminder that “the more you shine the light for other people, the more it reflects back on you” became central themes in her work.
Balancing Act: The Quantum Life
The question of work-life balance brings out Choong’s refreshing honesty. “I don’t think perfect balance exists and I’ve learned to be okay with that,” she admits. Instead, she focuses on staying healthy as the foundation for everything else.
Her approach is unconventional but effective. She writes after work, meditates regularly, and often can’t socialize much simply because she doesn’t finish work on time. Between her day job, writing, and self-improvement, her schedule is packed. But everything she does is geared toward making herself and others better, which gives her purpose.
The non-negotiables that keep her grounded are simple but crucial: walking to work for exercise and thinking time, prioritizing sleep, eating healthy food consistently, and cuddling her dog for pure joy. Two CIOs she interviewed shared wisdom that became her framework: eat healthy food, sleep well, exercise, and connect with people with these four things, you can tackle anything.
Advice for Tomorrow’s Leaders
For aspiring leaders, Choong’s advice is both practical and profound: “Become a value creator first, and opportunities will follow It’s not just what you do, but how you do it and how much value you bring to others that determines your success.”
She emphasizes building self-reliance, taking control of your reputation early, and not waiting for permission or opportunities. “Life is too short for that. When you think you can’t do something, ask yourself what makes you think you can’t. Often, it’s just fear of failure, but that fear will keep you stuck forever.”
Perhaps most importantly, she advocates using your differences as your special weapon. “Whatever makes you unique—your background, perspective, or approach—lean into it. Those differences are what will set you apart in a crowded field.”
The Mantra That Changes Everything
Choong’s mantra for success is deceptively simple yet profoundly effective. Training her mind to be calm through daily meditation. “When your mind is calm, you can think clearly and make better decisions.
But meditation alone isn’t enough. The real transformation happens when you cultivate genuine caring for others. Caring gives me deep satisfaction and becomes the fuel that drives everything I do.” she says.
This approach creates what she calls a positive cycle: genuine care creates a positive attitude, which widens the mind, builds inner strength, self-confidence, and courage to go beyond personal problems.
According to her Success isn’t about conquering the world; it’s about expanding your capacity to care and serve. When that becomes your foundation, growth happens naturally because you’re always reaching beyond yourself to help others thrive.
The Quantum Future
Today, Rachel Choong represents something new in the leadership space, someone who has not only achieved success but has created pathways for others to access it. From cybersecurity expert to executive whisperer, she’s shown that the most powerful career moves aren’t always up the ladder, but sideways into spaces where you can amplify others while amplifying yourself.
Her final message to those seeking inspiration is characteristically direct: “Be impressive when opportunities come—deliver results, not ego. Stay mentally resilient, keep learning, believe you can do something special. Show everyone what you’re capable of.”
In a world increasingly complex and uncertain, Rachel Choong’s quantum approach to leadership, thinking in multiple dimensions, embracing complexity rather than oversimplifying it, and always asking How can I add value here? offers a blueprint for the kind of leaders our future desperately needs.
After all, as she learned on that sinking boat years ago, true leadership isn’t about avoiding the storm it’s about staying calm, acting, and ensuring everyone makes it safely to shore.
