We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders Program participants, Shraddha Dhungel, Infrastructure Engineer, Mount Barker District Council to find out how she enjoyed the program. 

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

Having started this graduate job less than two years ago, I am very early on in my career and am still shaping myself professionally and my leadership style. Although I have a while to go before I take on a leadership position, I believe it’s never too early to learn good leadership habits. I wanted to dig deeper within myself and learn what it takes to be a good leader – hence I signed up for the program.  

A recent module focused on 'Sustainability’ – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

It was a great module, the presentation from City of Mitcham regarding their power grid was a very interesting topic and definitely something that all of the councils should be thinking moving forward. It wasn’t just the actual initiative itself – it was all the back end thinking, planning and convincing council to go with the idea that was really impressive. 

What was your biggest take away from the program?

The biggest takeaway for me was the different TMS profiles for people in a workplace - how to relate/work with them best and also understanding how this relates to other people’s perception of me. This program really helped me get out of my comfort zone, and made me more mindful about of the different collaboration techniques required when working with different people to get the best possible outcome. 

What advice would you give to someone considering doing the Emerging Leaders Program?

Be open to different ways of thinking and doing things, and definitely get out of your comfort zone and do things the way you normally wouldn’t do it. 

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders Program participants, Paul Minks, Senior Procurement and Fleet Officer, Alexandrina Council to find out how he is enjoying the program so far. 

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

The Emerging Leaders Program is a well-respected and highly sought after experience. I wanted to sign up to represent Alexandrina Council in this program to connect and collaborate with likeminded from across the sector. 

A recent module focused on 'Media and Engagement’ – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

The key takeaway from this module was understanding the benefit of having a great communications team and governance system that understand social media platforms. Be on the front foot and keep up to date with what is reported, most times the media only republish existing media reports.

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders Program participants, Meegan Barrett, Team Leader Library and Volunteers at City of Burnside to find out how she is enjoying the program so far. 

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

I’ve been in my current Team Leader role for over four years, and with the City of Burnside for 20 years this year. I seek out opportunities to learn more about myself and my role as a leader in the organisation. The program offered the balance of theory along with practical applications which appealed to me. While it had been more than 30 years since I was last at Uni, the thought of pushing myself out of my comfort zone was another reason I signed up.

A recent module focused on 'leading through change’ – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

The module on change was a day that went by too quickly! The day focussed on setting expectations, drivers for change, internal and external pressures and communication. The takeaways were many and included the practices of active listening and leading by example. We were all encouraged to embed our learnings into our everyday life within the first 24 hours by practicing active listening with our colleagues.

What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses?

The networking opportunities and relationships I have built have been my biggest takeaways at this point. I have met and connected with people from different councils from all over South Australia. I look forward to leveraging these connections in my role as a leader. I am also looking forward to celebrating the successful completion of our projects with the rest of the wonderful group.

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders Program participants, Egon Loh, Community Development Officer at Mount Barker District Council to find out how he is enjoying the program so far. 

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

I was new in the local government sector (less than a year), and I saw the Emerging Leaders Program as a great opportunity to understand and develop my leadership style, help me understand my strengths and weaknesses, and build valuable connections with fellow peers undertaking the program.

A recent module focused on the ‘Political Context’ – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

I was fascinated by Clinton Jury, Chief Executive Officer, LGA SA presentation about the complexity between the three tiers of government (local, state and federal), and I remembered the exact words Clinton said “the crossover between the three tiers is where the magic happens.”

Alison Hancock, Executive Manager, Mount Barker District Council, also shared about the uniqueness and different working relationships between the administration and the Elected Members, and their separation of roles is quintessential to how local government operates.

This module enabled me to gain a deeper appreciation of the intricacies of working in local government.

What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses?

I am looking forward to the last module of the program (Integration) where I will review the learnings and reflect on my personal growth over the past 5 months in the ELP and I am excited to apply them in my work area.

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders Program participants, Kat McAteer, Operational Excellence Business Partner at City of Onkaparinga to find out how she is enjoying the program so far. 

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

Participating in this program has been a long-term goal, I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to take part this year. It's the local government focus, collaboration opportunities with future leaders from other councils and exploring my leadership style that appealed to me. What makes this experience even more enriching is the practical, hands-on setting in which it takes place, with the invaluable support of LG Professionals SA and UniSA.

The program allows me to expand my knowledge of leadership concepts and practices, challenge my assumptions, explore innovative ways of thinking, and enhance my self-awareness and confidence. It also provides a networking environment with local government professionals, which facilitates not only real-life and tangible learning outcomes, but also offers a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences.

A recent module focused on ‘A Rural Perspective’ – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

The rural module marked the beginning of our participant-led content, and it was exceptionally well-organised and thought-out. It provided us with a comprehensive view of the 'rural perspective,' emphasising both commonalities and differences compared to metropolitan councils. Reflecting on a full day of great content, I particularly enjoyed the site visit to Summit Sports Park and learning about the Gather Round. 

My personal favourite was the panel discussion with Ritu Datta and Nigel Morris, as it provided valuable insights and perspectives, with key takeaways related to the distinct employment opportunities that rural councils can offer and their willingness to explore alternative employment arrangements.

What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses?

I look forward to every module within the program, as well as our weekly project and module team meetings. Each interaction offers a new opportunity for learning, whether through formal lectures or our exchanges with one another. The content is consistently well-suited to local government and is directly applicable to both my professional responsibilities and my personal growth and leadership development.

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders Program participants, Jade Falco, Service Excellence Coordinator at EastWaste to find out how she is enjoying the program so far. 

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

I have been wanting to sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program for several years and was so happy when the opportunity presented to participate. What interested me about the program is that it is an in-person course, providing an opportunity to meet and work with other Local Government professionals. Also, the Prospectus indicated that there is a great balance of personal development type work i.e. exploring personal behaviours mixed with practical development type work i.e. learning about change management and improving workplace culture.

What was your biggest takeaway from the opening retreat?

I had a mix of excitement and nervousness going into the opening retreat and my biggest takeaway was the confidence boost that it gave me. It showed me that I can do hard things and that the more I push myself out of my comfort zone, the more I can achieve and grow. I also really enjoyed the sessions delivered by UniSA, particularly the topics on the second day regarding leadership, beliefs and values.

What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses?

I am really excited about working with my team to deliver an amazing module about Local Government Sustainability. I am also looking forward to expanding my knowledge, growing as an individual, and increasing my self-confidence throughout the program.

What was your biggest take away from the program?

I really felt that the program gave me a deeper understanding of how local government operates and what it really takes to be a leader when it comes to building a great culture and leading change. I am also thankful for the connections that were built along the way with other program participants. 

What advice would you give to someone considering undertaking the Emerging Leaders Program?

Just do it! You don’t need to have all the skills and knowledge to do this program. You will work with others that are also learning and will pick up the skills you need along the way.

We recently caught up with Jess Davis, Community and Economic Development Officer at District Council of Streaky Bay to find out how she's enjoying the Emerging Leaders Program.

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)?

I first heard about the Emerging Leaders Program through my Manager (Penny Williams – General Manager Prosperity) at Council, Penny had recently participated in the LG Professionals SA, Strategic Management Program and Executive Leaders Program and had not stopped raving about them. We discussed the Emerging Leaders Program and believed it would be a good fit for moving forward in developing my leadership and management skills and career progression at District Council of Streaky Bay. Recently Council has undertaken a re-structure in which my current position becomes one of supervision and leadership, and to gain confidence in my ability to be a positive and knowledgeable leader and decision maker I believed this program would be a great experience. I was excited to participate in a program that would take me out of my comfort zone and provide me with an opportunity to build on my confidence and further develop my leadership skills, which this program has certainly done.

The most recent module focused on sustainability – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

The Module 7 Group did a great job, and I found the module very interesting, the CAWRA Materials Recovery Facility project was very impressive. Currently our Council is very focused on tree revegetation so hearing Tim from Tree Net speak was very insightful.

What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses?

Not waiting for as many delayed flights!

Only one more session together to go, at this point I am eager to finalise the group project and get together to see what the other groups present. I am looking forward to celebrating the hard work that every participant has contributed and hope to further develop the connections that we have made over the last few months. The networking opportunities within this program have been fantastic.

What advice would you give to someone considering undertaking the Emerging Leaders Program?

DO IT. It has been challenging and takes you out of your comfort zone, but it provides valuable insights into leadership styles and some surprising information about yourself as an individual and team member. I encourage anyone thinking about it to take the leap and register, the leadership skills and relationships you build with others on the journey with you are fantastic.

We recently caught up with Kathryn Lessue, Acting Librarian - Programs at City of Mitcham to find out how she's enjoying the Emerging Leaders Program.

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)?

I had initially been investigating courses in management/leadership, to develop my career. The ELP was advertised through our council People and Culture team and after talking to ELP Alumni, I found the program ticked all of the boxes and provided exposure in a wide range of areas relating to local government.

The most recent module focused on Local Government: Media and Engagement – what were some of your takeaways from this module?

Changing the narrative! Increasing trust with being honest and transparent, owning mistakes but continuing to focus on the positives.

Better ways of engagement and consultation processes with the community, how to target and develop a better understanding of the range of opinions and using this feedback to deliver projects that have been modelled with community consideration.

What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses?

My Module team is next to host our local government module day, with a focus on sustainability. It is an area that I am incredibly passionate about and I'm excited to hear our guest speakers share on greening infrastructures and how we, as leaders, can model best practice in leading our council and community into a sustainable future.

What advice would you give to someone considering undertaking the Emerging Leaders Program?

The Emerging Leaders Program is worth stepping out of your comfort zone for. It has exposed me to a greater understanding of my leadership style and provided me the opportunity to reflect on past experiences and build better techniques for improving my leadership skills. The modules have broadened my knowledge of local government and past my daily scope, with inspiring speakers, all of whom have a wealth of knowledge. The ELP has built my confidence, problem-solving skills and supported networking with a diverse range of individuals from other councils. It has been worth taking up the challenge.