Adam Goodes spoke with Indigenous students, alumni and industry partners at a University of Sydney leadership and resilience session on Monday as part of the Business School's inaugural Connecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voices event.
The session was held at the Chau Chak Wing Museum and centred on how failure, identity and reflection shape leadership.
Mr Goodes, an Adnyamathanha and Narungga man, opened by speaking about learning from difficult moments.
"You're not going to make the right decision every time," he said.
"It's okay to fail, and I've learnt the most in my failures."
He joined Associate Professor Stacey Kim Coates for a conversation about his development from a shy teenager to Sydney Swans co-captain and two-time premiership winner.
Mr Goodes discussed how connecting more deeply with his Aboriginal heritage strengthened his confidence and direction as a young man.
The morning began with a yidaki performance by Kalan Nau in the museum stairwell.
Aunty Binowee Bayles from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council then taught attendees introductory phrases in Gadi language.
Mr Goodes reflected on how leadership is grounded in values shaped by family and community.
"Leadership starts in the family and it comes from your personal values, understanding where your values come from and what kind of leader you want to be," he said.
"I learned resilience from what I've been through but I also learned it from my ancestors, and I feel a responsibility to do right by them."
He spoke about the year he set out to take on a leadership role at the Swans and described the intensity of that period.
"The year I decided I wanted to become a leader [in the Sydney Swans] was the hardest year of my career, because I wanted something," he said.
"I put my mind to it, set goals and sought out mentors. One thing I learned is leaders cannot be inconsistent with their daily performance.
"If you don't know what sort of leader you want to be, start by crossing out what sort of leader you don't want to be."
The message resonated with Conservatorium of Music students Nate Griffin and Sophia Hunt.
Mr Griffin reflected on how easily phone use can distract from in-person opportunities.
"I'm drawn to opportunities through my phone, but in doing that I'm missing out on what might be more meaningful opportunities in person," he said.
Ms Hunt highlighted the impact of Goodes' engagement with the room.
"You could see how present and responsive Adam was with everyone today, she said.
"As a First Nations person, his voice is so empowering and it gives me hope that one day I could also be an inspiration for the next generation."
Associate Professor Coates noted the significance of his contribution to the event.
"Adam's leadership, advocacy and entrepreneurial journey continue to inspire many, and his openness and humility resonated powerfully with our audience," she said.
The initiative brought together Indigenous alumni, current students and industry partners for a morning focused on building networks and shared purpose.
Associate Professor Coates said the event will support the development of an Indigenous business alumni and student network and guide future mentoring opportunities.
"As our inaugural event, it holds special significance in our broader strategy to strengthen Indigenous engagement and leadership across sectors, with a view to building an Indigenous business alumni and student network and establishing a mentoring program," she said.
This session followed a year of activity supporting the Business School's Indigenous strategy.
The school expanded the Gadigal Centre and opened Ngara, a study and meeting space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
The school also sent four Indigenous students to Yawuru Country in Broome for on-Country engagement with Aboriginal businesses, and staff took part in cultural intelligence workshops.
