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.

Our 2022 Emerging Leaders Program cohort presented their final group presentations and graduated earlier this month. We caught up with Hannah Stevens, Coordinator Customer Relations at City of Onkaparinga to find out how she found the Emerging Leaders Program. What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP)? Previously I had the opportunity to participate in the LG Professionals SA Management Challenge and thoroughly enjoyed the process and confidence it gave me in my current leadership position. As a leader in the Customer Relations team at the City of Onkaparinga I am always looking for new ways to learn and develop to support my team and the organisation, so the Emerging Leaders Program was another great opportunity to pick up new skills to support this. You recently presented your project presentations – what was your chosen topic and some of the project highlights? Our chosen topic for the project regarding the biggest opportunity facing local government in South Australia in the next 5 years was mandatory voting in local government elections. I really enjoyed the process working as a team putting this together and working as a group to utilise each other’s strengths.

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.

We recently caught up with Brittany Shelton, Governance Officer at District Council of Grant to find out how she's enjoying the Emerging Leaders Program. What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program? After four years working as a lawyer in private practice, I was feeling burnt out and unfulfilled in my career. Around 12 months ago I made the terrifying decision to transition into local government and the world of governance. This change opened so many doors for me and reinvigorated my passion for my career and my appetite for new challenges. I first heard about the Emerging Leaders Program from our Council’s 2021 incumbent and immediately, it piqued my interest. The program aims to provide participants with a greater understanding of local government, where it sits within the context of our current and rapidly evolving world (think political, economic, environmental, cultural, all the big-ticket items). It also fosters and builds adaptable leaders, providing them with the skills to lead our organisations and our people through what has been one of the most challenging decades on record for employees and employers alike. What’s not to like so far, right? For me, the main reason I applied to participate in the program is that I have always been interested in leadership. However, when joining an organisation as complex as local government, particularly in the current climate, I wasn’t confident that I had the necessary skills or knowledge to be a genuinely impactful leader (in a positive way). Whilst we can all generally recognise the importance of great leaders, it is sometimes harder to get the ‘how’ right. The most recent module focused on leading through change – what were some of your takeaways from this module? This module was particularly relevant for me at present (although, I say that after every module). On 5 September, the Labor Government (SA) announced its intention to facilitate an amalgamation plebiscite for the residents of District Council of Grant and City of Mount Gambier, to vote whether they considered the two Councils should be merged or not. In practice, what this would mean for the staff of these two Councils would be a massive organisation change, where peoples roles, colleagues, systems and entire way of working could possibly be overhauled. Big change. Huge change. This module was delivered on 15 September, talk about coincidental timing! Luckily for me, I was able to work collaboratively with my fellow participants assisted by the amazing Dr Marguerite Kolar to reflect on how change affects our people, the difference between ‘managing’ and ‘leading’ change, and how to best support staff through times of uncertainty. My top three take-aways from this module were (I can’t believe I cut this down to just three): Managing change relates to timelines, budgets etc and Leading change relates to assisting our people to transition (two different things); Change affects us all differently, and for change to be “successful” we must consider what our people are afraid of losing, and clearly identify our reason for change; Be clear on your plan for change and communicate this clearly and regularly to your people, including being honest.  What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses? So far, I am most enjoying bringing all of my previous experience with leadership together into usable information and skills (my toolkit). When I was advised that I had been successful in my application to participate in the program, the first thing I did was hunt out my copy of Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead that had been sitting un-read on my bookshelf. Needless to say, the book was amazing, and I am kicking myself for not having read it sooner. However, I can honestly say that each module has been equally as insightful and valuable in any leader’s repertoire as Brene’s bestseller. As the program evolves, I only become more eager to see what else is in store, and continue to build my skills and value as a leader.

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders cohort, Simon Keller, Team Leader Horticulture at City of Tea Tree Gully to find out how he found the program.

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?
I signed up for the Emerging Leaders Program to further develop myself both personally and professionally, and give myself the best opportunity to further my leadership aspirations.

A recent module focused on sustainability – what were some of your takeaways from this? I found the module very interesting, and it was great to see how both public and private partnerships can work so successfully. The waste recycling facility was very impressive, it was quite an eye opener seeing just how much rubbish gets sorted and recycled.

What was your biggest take away from the program?
I found the opportunity to learn more about myself, my personality and preferences as both a leader and team member very insightful. I am able to use that information to target what I perceive to be my weaknesses, but to also improve and build upon my strengths both personally and professionally.

What advice would you give to someone considering undertaking the Emerging Leaders Program?
I would tell them that it is a challenging program that will take you out of your comfort zone, but will offer you valuable insight into yourself as an individual and team member. You will learn and gain valuable insights into various leadership styles, and how to implement what you have learned into your workplace. I would also tell them to embrace the program and enjoy the ride!

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders cohort, Madeleine Brookes, Tourism Officer at City of Mount Gambier to find out how she's finding the program so far.

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

I’ll admit, before starting my tourism role with the City of Mount Gambier I had very limited knowledge about local government. It was only once I started that I began to learn about how passionate the sector was. I found myself looking to build my understanding of local government and increase my confidence and ability to work well within it. So, when I saw the opportunity to participate in the ELP I knew it would be the perfect fit.

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

In this session, we had some great discussions with a range of speakers. We explored the challenges that Councils face when communicating and attempting to connect with their community; the changing landscape and technology that impacts the way Councils use media; the opportunities Councils can use to better engage with media representatives and strengthen relationships; and how Councils can effectively engage all segments of the community including those who are diverse and vulnerable

A key takeaway from this session was understanding that there is no one right way of doing things when it comes to communication. Whether we're talking about communication via social media or community consultation, the same approach won’t work for all councils or projects. What are you most looking forward to as the program comes to a close? I’m sure I’m not the only one looking forward to submitting our final projects. It’s been great working as a team to investigate an improvement within local government and I look forward to hearing what the other groups present. I’m also looking forward to further developing the connections made throughout the program. Over the past 7 months, we have had the opportunity to meet, work with and learn from a range of different people from across the local government sector.

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders cohort, Craig Mudge, Manager Corporate Services at District Council of Mount Remarkable to find out how he's finding the program so far.

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

I had been interested in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) for a couple of years, however it wasn’t until I was appointed to my current role that I took a proper look at the program. The opportunity to build on my confidence and further develop my leadership skills in a program tailored for the Local Government sector was one that I just couldn’t pass up.

I did have some reservations, in particular the time and travel commitment, but the feedback and encouragement I received from others from regional Councils who had participated made it a no brainer.

A huge shout out to my CEO and my amazing team for their support in me taking on this opportunity!

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

The leading through change topic facilitated by Dr Marguerite Kolar focussed on change leadership, change management, the impact of change on people and their reactions, and how leaders can help all during periods of change.

We were given insights and aids into skills of change leaders, including how to take everyone on the journey and how to be enthusiastic, genuine and sincere about circumstances surrounding change.

My main takeaway was the importance of active listening, always keeping the communication lines open and persevere.

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

We’re getting towards the end of the ELP now, so I’m keen to work with my group on finalising our group project, as well as taking in the final modules on sustainability and integration.

On a side note – our Council has entered the Rural Management Challenge for the first time, and I will be the Team Mentor. I am looking forward to supporting the team as they navigate the challenge in November. Go Team Remarkable!

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders cohort, Kelly Vandermoer, Finance & Executive Administration Officer at East Waste to find out how she's finding the program so far. What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program? I have only worked within Local Government for a short time, but it didn’t take long to realise that I could see myself in it for the long haul.  The Emerging Leaders Program presented as a worthwhile opportunity to get to know others in the industry, understand what it’s like working in Council from a range of different perspectives and seniority levels, and gain insight into what it takes to be a successful leader. The most recent module focused on the Political Context – what were some of your takeaways from this module? I found the complex dynamic of the relationships between Council Executives, Staff, and Elected Members the most interesting, and how it must be delicately managed to ensure successful outcomes for our communities.

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

I’m really looking forward to seeing what each of the groups put forward for the final group project. We are really passionate about our topic and can’t wait to see what the rest of the groups have been working on.

We caught up with one of this year's Emerging Leaders cohort, Sally Bartlett, Information Management Lead - Operations at City of Charles Sturt to find out how she's finding the program so far.

What made you sign up for the Emerging Leaders Program?

Following a transition to a new team and team leader position, I saw the Emerging Leaders Program as an opportunity to increase my knowledge and understanding of local government and further develop my leadership skills and confidence, in order to become a more effective and valuable leader within my portfolio and the wider Charles Sturt team.

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

Firstly, as someone who has only worked for a metropolitan council, it was interesting to learn about the different challenges facing rural councils and how they manage these through sharing of resources with neighbouring councils.

I was also surprised to hear that regional communities place higher expectations on senior leadership staff representing council at community events etc, whereas in my experience this has predominately been the role of the Elected Members in metropolitan councils (in most instances).

Lastly, I really loved hearing about all of projects (development, open space and recreation improvements etc) that the Rural City of Murray Bridge has and is continuing to deliver to improve liveability in their area and achieve their target of boosting population to 25,000 by 2030. What are you most looking forward to as the program progresses? I am looking forward to working more closely with the members of my project and module teams, investigating our project topic in further detail, delivering an interesting and engaging module session and most importantly, at the conclusion of the program, bringing back my learnings to my portfolio and the organisation.