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Feedback from our Leadership for Success Participants

Why I joined the program:
I requested to join the program, which was only being offered to ‘people managers’, but I felt there was a need for me to learn more about how to exercise leadership both within our organisation and with the community to support the changes needed to become more environmentally sustainable.

The program came at a good time for me as I was taking on another team in an ‘acting’ position in areas less familiar to me.

What I learned and changes I have made:
I understand the complexity of the organisation and that leadership can come from all levels in the organisation regardless of organisational position. (I had heard this before – but now I have experienced it.)

I take the time to think about the deeper aspects of my staff and how to interact and utilise their strengths better.

Trying to see the team as a whole, incorporating all of the strengths and learning to delegate towards these strengths.

I think more actively now about mental models and particularly trying to make links to people’s underlying values.

I am attempting to take a broader perspective before launching into ideas, behaviours and actions.

Listening to staff and getting out of the way!!

I have learned to have conversations with team members about what they need to do their work and achieve more towards their own goals and the team goals.

Encouraging team members to think about their own areas of leadership in the team and organisation.

I’m delegating more with greater confidence and I am coaching team members to achieve that work.

Listening more to my staff and other staff trying to understand more about what motivates them.

I am trying to be more aware of how other people are sitting with situations and not let me perception have to be the ‘right’ one.

I can see that I can get positive energy from dropping my inhibitions and being a bit ‘silly’ sometimes!

I am now willing to start on a project without knowing all the steps beforehand… And encourage others to do the same.

Understanding of inner strength and change.

Involving the team in conversations about an issue rather than jumping straight into trying to solve a problem – we have to understand the problem first.

I understand leadership comes form ‘innovative’ people not only from those in ‘power’.

I really like the distinction between adaptive and technical challenges. A lot of the work that I do is about encouraging change in environmental management and particularly requires and adaptive leadership approach.

I am trying to find more opportunities for my teams to share their stories.

I have been dealing with some complex people management issues and have been able to use ‘story’ to make strong connections with people.

I have learned to listen and appreciate others more, as we all have our own story.

Taking time to listen to other people’s stories as this can help me understand complex issues that I am trying to work with.

Results these changes have delivered:

My group has gone from verbalising ‘its not as good as it used to be’ to a self regulating and “willing to challenge and encourage each other’ team…

I feel more confident… with complex issues of teams with different personalities; people management issues; more confident to take risks and make decisions that are out of the ordinary.

I have more courage to provide feedback on issues of concern.

I am less likely to burn myself out.

I am more aware of my own thinking and leadership style and how I can best lead within the organisation… still have a way to go, however it’s a learning process.

I am a much stronger leader who is now able to empower staff and challenge people to achieve more.

Improved team dynamics … and happiness.