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    In an industry where leadership is often measured by results, Brisbane Department Manager Ava Hinds has built a reputation for something less common: creating a team culture where people feel comfortable being honest.

    With more than a decade in property management, Ava is known across Living Here Cush Partners and throughout the broader Ray White group as a leader who combines high standards with genuine transparency, compassion and accountability.

    "I don't believe leaders should disappear behind a curtain and magically present the answer," Ava said. "If people understand the journey, the thought process or the steps involved in a decision, then they're learning too."

    That openness extends to her own mistakes. "I genuinely think vulnerability is a superpower," she said. "Being willing to say, 'I got that wrong,' or 'I should have handled that differently,' gives other people permission to do the same."

    The result is a culture where difficult conversations aren't avoided and feedback is welcomed, even when it's directed at leadership. One defining moment came during an open team meeting when a Property Manager shared that they hadn't felt supported by Ava during a challenging situation.

    "I'll be honest, it stung," she said. "But I listened, I acknowledged it and I apologised."

    Rather than creating tension, the conversation strengthened trust across the team and led to a new communication framework that helped people better express what support they needed.

    "That moment showed the team that feedback was genuinely welcome, even when it was directed at me."

    Ava credits much of her leadership philosophy to the culture she stepped into when she joined the business in 2021.

    "Haesley Cush and Matt Lancashire are exceptional leaders. They're honest, vulnerable, enthusiastic and genuinely care about people," she says. "You could feel that culture the moment you walked in."

    Today, colleagues describe Ava as a leader who is predictable, fair and deeply invested in the people around her. "I ask a lot of questions," she said. "When someone brings me a problem, I'm not usually looking for who's right or wrong. I'm trying to understand the situation and what outcome we're actually trying to achieve."

    The impact has been felt across the team. "Challenges feel less daunting because they're rarely faced alone," she said. "Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities. People feel comfortable speaking up, and because of that we're constantly improving."

    For Ava, leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating an environment where people feel safe enough to find them together. "I'm still learning every day," she said. "I'm still making mistakes. Hopefully just fewer than I did ten years ago."

    It's that combination of humility, honesty and consistency that has made Ava Hinds one of the standout leaders within the group - and a leader others increasingly look to as an example of how modern leadership can be done differently.

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