Alison Taylor Director/Chief Executive Officer Capacity Development New Zealand Two years ago, I co-founded a new community not-for-profit organisation Capacity Development New Zealand, of which I am now the CEO. CDNZ was created by a group of people passionate about supporting and growing community organisations through strong relationships and effective capacity building strategies. We work mainly in the health, disability, social and youth sectors, and are still evolving our approach, based on a learning and development framework. My journey was through managing public health services in the UK and New Zealand; when I arrived in 1997, I was CEO of the Mental Health Foundation, then General
Manager of the Ministry of Youth Development before working as a consultant in the health and community sector. I am also a Trustee of the Vodafone Foundation New Zealand and Philanthropy New Zealand. Leadership New Zealand is an amazing opportunity to share ideas and experiences with each other and with the leaders we meet with. The combination of inspirational leaders and reflective learning through small group work has enabled me to reflect on my own practice and consider what it is to be a leader, most significantly how being in leadership positions reflects who you are as a person as well as the skills and experience you bring to the role. I have been most inspired by hearing how successful leaders have reflected on their own journeys and learnings, in particular the times when they feel they didn’t get things right, and how they grew from that. The importance of balance in life, as well as passion and drive to make a difference, have really struck home with me.
Cate Thorn Vicar of St John the Baptist Anglican Church, Northcote Anglican Diocese of Auckland Ordination in the Anglican Church emerged for me later in life. After ordination I worked at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland, a context that provided me with much learning and a constant growing edge. Given responsibility to lead the Cathedral in the transition time between the retiring and the new Dean marked the time of my transition from a Cathedral environment to a sole charge position as Vicar of St John’s, Northcote. As Vicar, I have overall responsibility for managing the parish unit and developing its presence in a community with a diverse social and economic demographic. At a regional (Diocesan) level, I am a member of a number of governance committees delegated
the task of the management, administration and development of the Diocese between annual Synods. At a provincial level, I have been variously organiser, facilitator and participant of and in a number of huis called to explore and share differing, divergent, and at times, conflicting theological understandings of particular issues. Participating in the Leadership New Zealand programme provides an opportunity to encounter people from a wide spectrum of leadership contexts. Combined with input from presenters who are courageously authentic and speak about leadership as an evolving expression of who they are (including quite a lot of discovery along the way), it’s soon apparent that leadership finds expression in many uniquely different ways and forms. Meeting such authenticity and excellence in a variety of leadership styles, which can be quite different from my own, stimulates and challenges me to recognise, accept and have courage in the unique potential of my own leadership.
Hans Verberne Area Manager, Midlands and East Coast, Accident Compensation Corporation I am proud to work for ACC, an organisation that makes a difference for all New Zealanders. For the last two and a half years, I have been an Area Manager in the claims management business. The amount of change ACC has undergone in that time, and the potential changes still to come, make the role a very challenging and varied one.
My background is actually horticulture having completed a Horticulture Science degree from Lincoln University. I worked in the areas of consultancy and quality assurance before moving into management roles with the Ministry of Agriculture, AgriQuality and AsureQuality. I am thrilled to be part of the 2011 Leadership New Zealand programme and have thoroughly enjoyed the first few sessions. Already my eyes have been opened to both the similarities of leadership in vastly different organisations, as well as the differences in leadership styles and approach that people bring to their roles. The opportunity to interact with and learn from leaders, both those presenting to us and those participating in the programme is very much appreciated.
I have been most inspired by hearing how successful leaders have “reflected on their own journeys and learnings, in particular the times
when they feel they didn’t get things right, and how they grew from that.
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Alison Taylor
” www.leadershipnz.co.nz