LGBTQ+ LEADERS SPOTLIGHT: LUKE CLARKSON
The Authentic Leaders Program seeks to enable and empower queer individuals to access their full potential. Our graduates flourish and blossom into dynamic, powerful LGBTQ+ leaders who transform the world through their grace, passion and fierce courage.
Our LGBTQ+ Leaders Spotlight is a series of interview with past Authentic Leaders Program (ALP) graduates. These brilliant people
Today, we shine a beautiful spotlight on Luke Clarkson, who met us while working as a Human Capital Senior Consultant for Deloitte.
Luke’s joyful spirit, tenacity and thoughtfulness led him through his ALP journey to even greater life adventures.
More About This Fearless LGBTQ+ Leader
Luke took part in our Authentic Leaders Program while based in Sydney, Australia. We gave him (and his cohort) a simple challenge at graduation: to create a caring world connected by pride, both in ourselves and each other.
Upon Luke’s ALP graduation, he took our challenge head-on. He became the leader of StandOUT, Deloitte Australia’s LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Network. He worked to elevate the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, and assisted Deloitte in their sponsorship of Sydney World Pride.
In his professional capacity at Deloitte Australia, Luke worked to bring humanity to cloud transformation, making today’s digital world a more personally connected place.
We spoke to Luke as he prepared to embark on his boldest adventure yet — a relocation to Barcelona, Spain. Our conversation ranged from personal to professional, and Luke showed more of the thoughtful passion we’ve come to know and love.
Our Conversation with Luke Clarkson
Enjoy our in-depth LGBTQ+ leadership interview with Luke in 6 chapters:
Beginning the LGBTQ+ Leadership Journey with ALP
Tearing Down the Brick Wall
Leading With Fiercely Courageous Pride
A Legacy of Growth and Connection
The Fight for Professional Trans Inclusion
A New Chapter: What’s Next for Luke?
Beginning the LGBTQ+ Leadership Journey with ALP
Authentic Leaders: So how did you come to find the Authentic Leaders Program?
Luke Clarkson: So I joined Deloitte six years ago. And I kind of came in and went, where is everybody? There are a lot of LGBT people around…why is this so under formed? So I stepped up as the Perth lead (of StandOUT), and then the role came up to lead our the the national network.
And then so when I undertook the Authentic Leaders Program, I was part of the 1st.cohort that went through. I went through because I was a leader, and it made sense for me to go first.
Authentic Leaders: What was your thought process walking into the program?
Luke Clarkson: I remember this one particular lady, Lisa Walton, who’s now left the firm. And for her to come out and go, “Oh my God. Luke, you have to do this.”
And I was a bit trepidatious because I'm thinking, you know, people are so.excited and animated about this thing. Having done corporate training and L&D training and DEI training before, I was like, “Oh, where’s this going to go? Am I going to get enough out of this? Is it going to be testing and challenging enough?” All of those things.
Tearing Down the Brick Wall
Authentic Leaders: And did the experience of ALP differ from what you thought it would be?
Luke Clarkson: I remember meeting Ian for the first time and going “Wow, this guy is just so caring, the way that he speaks is so gentle.” And after the first session, Ian will tell you this, I was walled up. Working with a new coach or a mentor, you don't want to give too much away.
It was 55 minutes into an hour long, one-on-one session with Ian and I, and he said, “Can I just say before we end up…You've given me 55 minutes of brick walls and if you're going to get anything out of this program, I really recommend that you let me in.”
Authentic Leaders: That must have been challenging to hear.
Luke Clarkson: That statement, “Let me in,” is something that I've heard a few times in my life.
My mum has said it to me before and my dad (would say), “Luke, your brother and your sister let me into their life and you don't let me in. And I want to be a part of your life.”
So when he said that it was like, you know, tears immediately. You pressed on the right button. You've said the thing that gets me going.
And I just know that after that it was that moment of, “OK, I see what this is about. Now I get it. This is going to be different and challenging and exciting.”
Authentic Leaders: It’s hard to walk away from being a “walls up” gay person.
Luke Clarkson: Now I'm a very extroverted person. I'm a very strong communicator. I can connect well with people — but I would always hold something back.
Ian was able to ask the right questions to elicit… you know, to take a brick out of the wall and and take it down. And there were certain things that he was able to ask or make me question about myself in in a positive way that I've never had before.
Authentic Leaders: Like what?
Luke Clarkson: So you know, challenges about growing up, challenging my own narrative about my life. I remember saying to him in our first session, “Look, I'm a pretty privileged white guy from a family that mum and dad are still together. I've never wanted for anything like. I'm very lucky and I have the love of my family.”
And he said to me, “Luke. But you've got your own story and you've had your own challenges. And I don't think that life was always easy for you. If that was the case, then you wouldn't be where you are.”
Which really like helped me just to look beyond the story that I tell myself, the narrative that I tell myself of who I am, what I'm about, what I'm not about. And I think that process helped me overcome and challenge this narrative of my being.
Authentic Leaders: Did that have a pretty immediate impact on you, or did it take some time?
Luke Clarkson: I remember going home and having a conversation with my mum and dad, and trying to unpack certain things. And they are obviously on a different development journey to what I am, and I was so willing to engage in the conversation and say, “Hey, do you remember when this happened? That made me feel like this.”
And I have never had a better relationship with my family than I do now, because of that willingness to take the wall down — or just know that the wall is there.
Authentic Leaders: And know why you put it there.
Luke Clarkson: Yeah.
Leading With Fiercely Courageous Pride
Authentic Leaders: So that journey through facing past hurts hopefully leads us to positive moments. What’s something you've really grown to really like about yourself since graduating ALP?
Luke Clarkson: I would say the ability to connect. And when I say to really connect — not just, you know superficially you meet someone. But really, build meaningful, open, honest, trusted relationships with people.
Especially friends. I'm a person that’s never going to have a huge cohort of friends. ButI've got a very close group of real true friends.
And previously, a lot of that same feedback that my mum gave me at one point in time, I received from friends as well. “Hey, Luke, we love you. But geez, just let us in would you? What's really going on? Let us into that kind of mind and heart of yours.”
Authentic Leaders: And that’s gotten better for you?
Luke Clarkson: Since working with Ian, that has been the game changer for me. To say hey, I am so utterly lucky that I have a small number of friends that really, truly, truly care about me.
So let them be a part of your journey, as you are a part of their journey. Feel their pain as you know they feel your pain. Triumph with them, and be there with them in the moments and hours of need.
You don't have to be this kind of — you know, the friend that gets them into the parties. You just have to be a really good, true, meaningful friend there when the **** hits the fan that they can rely on.
Since working with Ian, my friends have said to me, “My word, it's just like a whole new friendship… I'm on the journey with you now and you're on my journey as well.”
Authentic Leaders: Does that differ between work and home?
Luke Clarkson: I am a person — and I have always been very principled in this way — that work and life are the same thing.
There's no, you know, hide certain parts of yourself at work. I want people to know exactly what I did on my weekends — you know, maybe not everything. But there's the open, authentic, honesty of “this is me”.
I won’t filter my life for you. This is all of it. I think that’s something I’m really proud of myself for.
A Legacy of Growth and Connection
Authentic Leaders: I know you’re heading into a new chapter of your life in Spain. But you leave a real legacy in Australia. Lead for the Stand Out network at Deloitte Australia. Teamed with Sydney World Pride, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
How does it feel like really feel as a person to know that professionally you've brought all this into being? That has to touch on some level of pride for you.
Luke Clarkson: It really does. Through all of the significant work that we've done with World Pride, with Mardi Gras, with bringing the ALP program to Deloitte, all of the the town halls, the you know the panel discussions, the rich conversations we have — all that sort of stuff, makes you pat yourself on the back, that's epic.
Authentic Leaders: You should!
Luke Clarkson: The one marker that I really feel proud about is that I see our graduates walk in the door on day one. And they are themselves, you know, their real gender identity, their real sexual identity. They are comfortable identifying as who they are from day one.
And I sit there and go, “Wow, that is the real that's the thing to be proud of. You’ve changed the culture of this place.”
Authentic Leaders: Imagine if you hadn't let the wall down, and you hadn't gone in wholeheartedly…
Luke Clarkson: The investment that I've done and my growth over those five years. That is what I carry with me. That’s what’s really special, yeah.
The Fight for Professional Trans Inclusion
Authentic Leaders: So what’s the next step? Let’s put it into the universe. What would you challenge the person who assumes your role in Australia to do?
Luke Clarkson: Let’s really change the outcomes for people. More people.
As an employer, how do we get the best trans people to work for us? How do we make everyone look at us positively for all the work that we do for gender non conforming, non binary people?
And have people say, “Wow, they're actually kind of leading the conversation out there, changing the game for these people.” That's what I want.
Authentic Leaders: Transphobia is still such a big issue.
Luke Clarkson: Oh, we've got we've got trans colleagues that have just been through the ringer, they’ve faced such challenges. And it's like, how do we just change the outcome for them?
Also, how do we vary from a business outcome perspective? I know that trans people are, as I said, are some of the smartest, most resilient people out there. How do we get more trans people working for us? How do we get them in the front door?
Authentic Leaders: Right.
Luke Clarkson: Absolutely. I think the next frontier or the next or fight to fight, it's that one. It's so obvious that's the answer.
Authentic Leaders: What do you think the corporate community can do to build trans inclusion in a positive direction?
Luke Clarkson: I personally think that.the corporate community needs to take an active stance on some of these topics. Go out there and say, “Hey, look, no, that's not right.”
If we have a really.strong culture internally, the internal culture has to match.what you're showing externally. That's what we need to to work on.
Authentic Leaders: You’re somebody who knows how to drop a quote with sincerity.
Luke Clarkson: No worries. I got it from my mama.
A New Chapter: What’s Next for Luke?
Authentic Leaders: So it’s off to Spain!
Luke Clarkson: It's going to be such a fun experience, a growth moment.
Authentic Leaders: Are you excited?
Luke Clarkson: I know that there's something really exciting around the corner. It probably is going to be challenging in the first part, getting over there, getting used to life and all of that. But there's there's so much good that's going to come from this.
And there’s a second part to it — it's nice to stop and reflect on all of the things I had said to myself when I was younger. “Luke, you would really love to live overseas one day. You'd really like to meet someone and do it together.”
And it’s one of those moments in your life where you go, “Oh, holy ****, this is actually happening.”
Authentic Leaders: You’re actually doing it.
Luke Clarkson: If I could speak to 8 year old Luke in Geraldton, WA, where there's 30,000 people there in the town. And say to him, “You know how different you felt? Well now, you live in Sydney, you've got a really good job and you have a a partner that loves you. You can go home and see your family and your parents, and you're just about to move to Spain…”
Like, wow. Yeah, it's quite incredible.
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