The best introduction to my leadership philosophy comes from my StarWeekly article on 16 December 2020. 

At the end of the article, I tell the journalist the following: 

"I love helping people, I have always thought it is one of my strengths – there is a quality in me, that I love to help people."

It is with great pride that I say that this has not changed in almost 5 years, evidenced by a more recent blog post for the Faculty of Business and Law (direct link below). I still love helping people and I still love volunteering. I hope that this portfolio does this justice - because no amount of words will ever describe my passion for giving back to the community. 

In several leadership roles, such as my term on the Deakin Law Students Society Geelong, the Deakin University Student Association and mentoring, I evidenced my ability to adapt and respond to the needs of the student body. As a leader, my approach was to prioritise serving my team in any leadership capacity, and this meant active listening, asking questions and collaborating with others to ensure a sustained problem solving approach. 

Outside of Deakin University leadership initiatives, I found value in having purpose as a leader. At Rotary, my leadership style was inextricably tied to my humanitarian values. I recognised that this underpinning purpose brought a team together. I also implemented this in my internships - finding purpose in everything that I do, so I can drive team success by guiding everyone toward a common goal. Similarly, my study abroad experience showed me that understanding what motivates me is instrumental to long-lasting leadership impact. 

It has been a great pleasure to reflect on my leadership journey throughout this portfolio. It has been a peaceful reminder that I am never truly at the end of my journey - there is constantly more to learn, more to achieve and more to teach to others. It can, however, start with making the most of your degree.

What does leadership mean to me? 

Across various leadership roles, I have discovered that a strong leader leaves the biggest impact when they consciously choose to take small actions every day to promote collaboration and a safe team environment. It is especially powerful when teams are led with integrity, empathy and empowerment, ensuring that I set this example as a leader through responsiveness and support. Throughout all my leadership roles, I have found that the cornerstone of good leadership is service to our teams - and never the other way around. In my experience, this has been primarily demonstrated by creating inclusive, resilient environments where small acts of intentional support enable my team to thrive. The actual actions vary between different roles, but the same philosophy remains - being a good leader means showing up for your team consistently, inviting diverse perspectives, and always following through. My journey does not stop at the end of my tenure however - leadership is also about ensuring that these opportunities and spaces continue without me in them so a consistent team dynamic can be achieved. 

Leadership is a commitment to create opportunities, foster collaboration and build a culture that promotes an empowered, high-performance environment, where all voices are valued. Moving forward, I hope to continue this philosophy in all leadership positions, and leave a positive, lasting impact in every leadership space I fill, from the moment I step into the role, and long after I leave the role. 

I'd like to take this time to thank the panel for considering my application and I hope you enjoy reading through my journeys as much as I enjoyed reflecting on them.