We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders cohort, Dayle Arblaster, Business Support Officer - Corporate Services & Innovation at City of Mitcham to find out how he's finding the program so far.

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

As someone who is relatively new to the sector, I saw the Emerging Leaders Program as a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Local Government. It represented a chance to meet with like-minded peers from across the sector, understand the challenges they are facing, and learn from their experiences with new ideas and approaches. The Uni SA modules offered through the program were also of interest as leadership concepts around leading change and shaping culture are particularly important in a Local Government context.

What was your biggest takeaway from the opening retreat?

During the opening retreat of the 2021 program the participants enjoyed getting to know each other and understanding more of what to expect as the program progresses. For me, the biggest takeaway was that leaders must constantly check in on their assumptions, not only about the environment and those around them but themselves. Leaders need to seek contrary data to challenge their assumptions and beliefs to see things from a different perspective and explore new approaches. This is particularly important within the ever-changing sector we all operate in.