Author of a best-selling guide on how to immigrate to the US as an academic (Spallek 1998) and a dental textbook (Spallek, Schleyer 1998), Heiko Spallek is known for his transparent and helpful approach to academic leadership that he practices now as the Head of School and Dean of The University of Sydney School of Dentistry. Growing up in East Berlin, as the son of an upholsterer and a seamstress, he was the first in his family to enter university. His career and education span many realms, starting with learning how to blow up bridges in the East German military, leading 80 recruits at a construction site for three years, studying dentistry in Germany at one of the oldest universities in Europe, getting an MSBA degree in computer science in the US at one of the new business schools, being the chief investigator on US-federally funded research grants, building a multi-national tech company with his wife during the hay days of the Internet, serving on boards of start-up companies, and finally moving to Australia where he heads a dental school with close to thousand staff and students as well as and serves as director of a not-for-profit organization that supports people with disabilities. Heiko has experienced societal changes, touched different cultures and domains, and connected with thousands of people when leading large organizations or being on stage as a keynote speaker. His various audiences have embraced his leadership lessons and provided ample feedback that has shaped his approach to inclusive leadership. He has a deep appreciation for different viewpoints, which he believes is at the core of effective leadership. His computer and information science expertise has shaped his love for data as a basis for decision-making instead of opinions.