Be. Leadership Profiles 2012
Be. Leadership Profiles 2012
Table of Contents
Welcome - Minnie Baragwanath......
Foreword - Hon. Tariana Turia, Minister for Disability Issues......
Programme Directors – Lesley Slade and Philip Patston......
Alex Smith......
Brent Macpherson......
Sonia Pivac......
Tony Howe......
Layla Rudneva-Mackay......
Kim Silvey......
Genevieve McLachlan......
Ross Livingstone......
Kim Eruera......
Neelu Memon......
Carol Waterman......
Judy Small......
Simon Atkinson......
Rachel Mullins......
Gerri Pomeroy......
1
Welcome - Minnie Baragwanath
Leadership can seem like a very abstract word at times and as New Zealanders we often struggle to feel comfortable with this concept, perhaps fearing that we will appear arrogant or on some elevated and lofty plane.
Everyone seems to have different opinions on what it means to be a leader, what a leader looks like, and its place in creating a better world! Yet one thing is certain, New Zealand and the world needs great leadership if we are to flourish and to deepen our humanity.
It is my hope, as well as the hope of our Board, and the hope of our Be. Leadership Directors Lesley Slade and Philip Patston, that Be. Leadership can forever change the way we think of leadership and the advancement of a more inclusive world for all people. It is our hope that Be. Leadership and its sister program Be. Accessible, can in fact forever reframe the way we see leaders with disability and the contribution that they continue to make to the world around us. Shifting leadership away from a notion of power and control, to one of deep support and generosity of spirit. Away from a notion of linear mechanistic thinking to one which embraces the complexity of life and what it means to be fully human.
Margaret Wheatley talks about the fact that as a society in the 21st Century we continue to look for leadership in all the wrong places, well I believe that Be. Leadership is exactly the right place for New Zealand to Be. Looking for its future leaders!
In 2007 I participated in a highly respected Leadership programme and it was an utterly life changing year of growth and learning for me.
As a partially blind woman, I became what was possibly the first person with a disability to take part in this programme and over the course of the year, I became more and more aware of the fact that well-resourced, high quality leadership development such as this seemed to be so inaccessible to so many amazing leaders with disability across New Zealand, whether financially or for other access reasons.
I knew so many people who through circumstance had been thrown into very challenging leadership roles but often with little or no leadership development, or real support.
I also saw, and still see, a world that is not always ready to embrace the leadership that disabled leaders can bring to the world around us. As a society we still seem to struggle with the notion that disabled people can be great leaders and powerful change makers!
Some years ago a small group of us in Auckland began to develop a vision for sustainable leadership development. We wanted to find a way to ensure leaders with disability not only had every opportunity to succeed and thrive, but who could also model a resilient community of great leadership for the next generation.
Be. Leadership was born out of a series of community forums and out of the call of a community believing in a better world and a better way of doing things.
Under the incredible guardianship of social entrepreneur Philip Patston and Leadership development consultant Lesley Slade Be. Leadership, has almost had a life of its own. Over the last couple of years, it has attracted incredible support including from our very own Minister Tariana Turia. Whilst it is modeled on the extremely well-respected and successful Leadership Victoria and Leadership New Zealand programmes, Be. Leadership is quite unique!
Be. Leadership provides an authentic and accessible space for a deep programme of leadership development that is tailored to the challenges of leading a more accessible world in the 21st Century. Each programme year is filled with rich learning and opportunities for reflection, imagination and innovation. Through the course of the year the leadership participants have the unique opportunity to delve into deep conversation with many of our countries finest leaders from across the private sector, government and community, as well as leaders from justice, the arts, media and civil society!
I know that in the extremely fast-paced world that we live in, we often feel that further education and development programmes won’t fit in with our career, family and community commitments. However paradoxically, these are the times when we actually need to stop and reflect the most…
The Be. Leadership programme really is a gift; how many countries around the world are fortunate enough to have a programme like this? It is an opportunity to challenge ourselves to think differently and become more effective and fulfilled in both our professional and personal lives. Even if we have been in leadership roles for many years the need to learn and grow never stops, it only deepens.
In this book, you will read the personal stories of the fifteen 2012 Be. Leadership Participants. Each one of them is extraordinary in their own right and possesses their own unique leadership style.
What I think this group demonstrates well is that there is never just one type of leader, but rather it is a role that we can all nurture within ourselves; we can always develop and improve our own leadership styles, and humbly appreciate the opportunities to lead.
The Be. Leaders also highlight the importance of a solid and cooperative leadership community around any kind of social change movement. As a society we are truly better off because of their courage and readiness to step into leadership!
I encourage you to reflect on these stories slowly and thoughtfully. Contemplate their leadership lessons in your own life, and think about the incredible opportunity for New Zealand if all our leaders could embrace the challenge of leading a more accessible world!
I would also like to dedicate this book to Shaun McKinney, a 2011 Be. Leadership graduate who passed away in November 2012. Shaun was an incredibly compassionate and kind young man, who at 26 was only beginning to fulfil his leadership potential. Although his life was short, Shaun made a huge impact on his peers and community and we will always carry his message of compassionate leadership with us.
Foreword - Hon. Tariana Turia, Minister for Disability Issues
In July I joined members of the Be. Institute in the 2012 celebration at Te Papa. When I thought about all that Be. Leadership represents, I came across a wonderful poem by Douglas Malloch which captures the possibilities and the excitement of the Be. Movement; Be the Best of Whatever you are:
If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley — but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.
If you can't be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass —
But the liveliest bass in the lake!
We can't all be captains, we've got to be crew,
There's something for all of us here,
There's big work to do, and there's lesser to do,
And the task you must do is the near.
If you can't be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can't be the sun be a star;
It isn't by size that you win or you fail —
Be the best of whatever you are!
Congratulations to you all on your journey this year to be the best leaders you can be. This year has been a year of possibilities and opportunities. You will have been challenged, inspired and supported in ways you never conceived of. You will have experienced the calling to Be The Change – and now we celebrate the fifteen thought-leaders; movers and shakers that you have become.
This is your moment – your moment to mobilise your courage and embrace the greatest challenge imaginable to be role models in paving the way towards a more inclusive society.
You are ‘change makers’ and I believe you have and will make a difference to the lives of others, and in doing so, you will create a ripple of hope which has the power to influence so many more.
A former alumni, the late Rena Savage once said: “I have to acknowledge those who have been in my life, who have gone before me but have left a lasting impression; who have ensured that the path they have paved is one of accessibility, is one of inclusion to the best of their ability.”
I think that at the heart of Rena’s vision, is that our aspirations for our community are really based on manaakitanga – the act of generosity towards one another. Giving of ourselves – our time, our dedication – can be the most simple act, and yet it is something that can change lives, and build resilience. I encourage you not to underestimate the importance of family and community and their collective opportunity to change lives.
Be Leadership is about exploring what you can do and seeking out that potential. We must believe in fostering potential, knowing as a leader that you have the opportunity to not only challenge yourself but to support others to be the best they can be.
I thank you for your contribution to creating an inclusive world and I wish you well for your future. There’s big work to do – and together, we must Be the Change we want to see. Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui.
Na, Tariana
Programme Directors – Lesley Slade and Philip Patston
The incredible duo at the head of the Be. Leadership programme are Lesley Slade and Philip Patston. You wouldn’t even know that their first encounter was rather rocky; to put it nicely, they didn’t quite get on like a house on fire!
However, proving that first impressions can sometimes be extremely wrong, Philip and Lesley are now an inseparable team and direct the Be. Leadership Programme each year with passion and grace.
Philip Patston began his career as a counsellor and social worker, but also spent a large portion of in the entertainment industry as a comedian and actor. Bringing his passions for creativity and social change together, Philip established his own company, Diversity New Zealand, in 2001, and then four years later founded Diversityworks Trust as a vehicle to create social change.
Highlights of Philip's professional life include being appointed the Patron of Rainbow Youth, becoming one of New Zealand’s first recognised Social Entrepreneur Fellows, speaking at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship in Oxford and setting up not-for-profit organizations including the Diversityworks Trust, Ripple Trust, Manawanui inCharge and Auckland Disability Law.
Philip’s ambition, he says, is to “lead a global redefinition of diversity to effect unique social change and increase human creativity.” In 2012, Philip was one of only a handful of people from across New Zealand invited to speak at the TEDxAuckland Conference. Here she shared his thoughts on diversity and challenged the audience to think differently about uniqueness.
Philip is not afraid to push the boundaries and challenge the status quo and therefore enables the Be. Leadership participants to dig deep within themselves to discover their true potential.
Lesley Slade has a long history in leadership development working with individuals, organisations and communities. Lesley originally trained to be a teacher, then went on to work as a community worker, initiating and setting up community programmes.
Lesley then went on to be Manager of Human Resources at Housing New Zealand, and Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at Auckland Regional Council.
In 2005, Lesley was involved with the set up of Leadership New Zealand, of which she became the inaugural Chief Executive until 2008. In this role, Lesley worked with established and emerging leaders to grow, nurture and celebrate leadership throughout the diverse communities of New Zealand.
Lesley has the ability to bring the very best out of people in leadership. She is one of only a handful of people in New Zealand who are truly reframing the entire notion of what leadership is and what it means for our future wellbeing as a nation and as people.
The Be. Leadership participants are fortunate to share in Lesley’s wealth of knowledge around leadership, especially in the arena of social change. As co-Director of the Be. Leadership programme and a leadership consultant for individuals and organisations, Lesley offers guidance and insight into leadership, people, and organisational development. Through her gracious and intelligent presence she truly challenges each person she meets to be the best version of themselves.
Together, Lesley and Philip create the stimulating programme that is Be. Leadership. The balance of their sense of humour with their robust depth of knowledge creates a familiar environment full of questioning, exploring, and reflection.
Lesley believes that a programme like this offers refreshing breathing space for leaders. “We’ve got to step back sometimes, and just stop doing, and start imagining a different way to Be.”
As the Directors of this programme, Philip and Lesley see their role as creating a community of leadership that will enhance the broader Be. Accessible message as they believe that effective leaders are integral to the success of creating true social change.
Philip says, “My vision is for Be. Leadership to be known as the most prolific social change development initiative in the world.”
Alex Smith
“Alexandra as a name means ‘defender of mankind’ – maybe this was a sign of what I was going to be focused on in the future and where my leadership journey would head. I ‘ve been instilled with a strong sense of social justice.”
Alexandra Smith, a creative spirit from Wellington, prides herself on having retained her childlike curiosity and imagination about changing the world and what this could look like.
As a thinker, writer, and educationalist, Alex is particularly interested in how people learn and create stories of their world. Observing people in movement in dance class and in how they tell their stories gives great insight into who people are and what they want others to see. Arts are like this; you can capture how people are in the moment and any self-expression in this form is an expression of how artists and creators think about the world. Alex completed her MA (Education) thesis in young disabled people’s views of physical activity as portrayed in the media. Following on from this, she is keen to do some research into enhancing the health and well-being of young people with impairments, eventually leading to the creation of resources to create greater awareness and quality of life for all. Further to this study, she wishes to extend into exploring the differences in physical identity between those with life-long impairment and acquired impairment.
Although she prides herself on retaining her childlike curiosity and unconditional trust, you get the sense that Alex is an old soul; her insight and perception of New Zealand’s future reflects such wisdom. “I think as a nation we swing between wanting to be the same and wanting to be different. The challenge will be in losing our self-conciousness enough to focus on a future direction and the bigger picture for both access and diversity.”
These two pillars, accessibility and diversity are part of what Alex believes will make New Zealand stand out on the world’s stage in the future. She believes that we will only get there by working together, a notion that many believe is far too rare in New Zealand’s current leadership landscape. “The leadership challenge may be in accepting and taking responsibility for both successes and perceived failures as a collective group, rather than silo those who have stuck their head out to make changes.”
And what about her own personal qualities as a leader? “I am most proud of my integrity, I will change course if it does not feel okay with my personal sense of trueness to values of relationships, honestly speaking our truth, standing up for others and ourselves, compassion, and humanitarianism.” In fact that is how she ended up as an Education major; other courses she had done seemed irrelevant to what was current in the world and were very isolationist- they stuck with their own patch. Education lived diversity of thought, theory and practice, and looked at current world problems.
Alex is also extremely tenacious, never giving up and always finding a way to bounce back when challenges are thrown her way. Further, she truly believes in the value and ability of all people; that we all have something to offer.
Brent Macpherson
“I was given a book from my father about Winston Churchill when I was about 12 years old and in there it said, ‘if you are going to go through hell, keep going’. That quote always reminds me to never let anyone take away your dreams”.
Brent Macpherson is an outgoing and charming film producer and entrepreneur with a passion for celebrating cultural diversity.