15th NSW PUBLIC SECTOR WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Strategic leadership is one of the most challenging concepts to master. It requires vision to realise extraordinary outcomes, courage to overcome resistance, and collaboration to build commitment despite diverse interests. Successful, inspirational Senior Executives understand that driving impactful and positive transformational change demands confidence to lead the way, the vulnerability to really listen to others, and the vigilance to realise sustainable outcomes. 

In this full-day, intensive workshop you will unlock powerful new thinking and explore proven tools and frameworks to uplift your strategic leadership capacity and advance your career. Walk away with a clear strategic agenda and operating system, a confident mindset, a proven method to address personal and professional challenges.

Inspiring Strategic Leadership

- Create a transformational strategic agenda to drive positive change

- Develop a crystal clear purpose to realise your aspirations

- Learn how to prioritise strategically and say ‘no’ judiciously

Transitioning from Specialist to Strategist

- Develop greater personal wellbeing, enthusiasm, peace of mind and a sense of calm 

- Discover how to let go of your inner personal critic and judgment of others

- Learn how to appreciate your emotions as a signaling system 

Lean in with Standards, Boundaries and Priorities

- Discover how to create stretch zones to empower and develop contributors 

- Find out how to set and maintain high standards and clear boundaries

- Learn how to understand and resolve interpersonal power dynamics 

Position Your Career for Success

- Learn how to rapidly accelerate your career into more Senior Executive positions 

- Find out how to lift your mindset to generate greater success 

- Design and build sustainable long-term career outcomes

Join Liquid Learning for this kick-off session as we prepare for two days of incredible speakers, senior leaders, expert deep-dives and unmissable panel discussions!

After opening remarks the whole room breaks up into INTERACTIVE GROUPS for you to meet one another, network, and outline your desired learning outcomes as we start unpacking the key themes of the conference!

One of the greatest rewards is being able to stand back and see that you have made a difference. Minister Ward's career and leadership journey has allowed her to learn from those before her, whose shoes she now fills, as she inspires future generations of women to come forward, fine their own voice and be heard. Be inspired and get ready to discover your own true potential.

- Learn from your mentors and leaders
- Look for inspiration around you; what specific things inspire you and where do you want to be
- Who do you want to inspire

Carving a career in the public service has its own unique array of challenges, obstacles and often unexpected opportunities. The decisions that govern our leadership journey can draw on many different spheres of influence and change as our personal and professional priorities evolve. Drawing on 20 years of public sector leadership experience, Georgina explores the skills and strategies that have led her to success in this personal and inspirational session.

- Identifying present and future motivators

- Evolving as a leader

- Skills and strategies for success

Goal-setting is one of the keys to career progression, but you also need to be willing to take a chance when the opportunity arises. But reward comes with risk, and to do this you need to learn how to trust your instincts and step outside your comfort zone. In this session Joann shares insights from her leadership journey, and how to embrace the pressure that comes with progress.

- The positives of pressure

- How much is too much - knowing your limits

- Pressure from above

Do you feel that there's more to your career, leadership and life and want to maximise your value, worth and impact? Sometimes you can be overwhelmed with expectations, roles and workload, and can’t see a clear path forward. In this session Kellie will give the tools you need to make a change and futureproof your career.

- The global trends influencing career choices and the opportunities inherent in the new world of work

- 3 Futureproofing Keys that will unlock your unique value and superpower your career

- Tools to adapt and grow in an ever-evolving cycle of impact

Whether it’s taking on a new role, moving organisations, meeting new people and building new teams, or navigating ongoing digital disruption, we encounter new circumstances and challenges on practically a daily basis. As a leader, adaptability is one of the major skills you need to master in order to sustain a successful working environment. This exclusive panel of NSW government leaders will discuss all of their career hurdles, including any disruptions or challenges they have encountered working from home, and explore the secret skill of adaptability.

- Risk v Reward - embracing opportunity in the uncertain

- A new perspective on change

- Learning to lead through the ‘new normal’

Leading change can be one of the greatest challenges a leader can face, something Suzanne Crowle knows all too well, currently heading up a large-scale digital transformation project. In this session, Suzanne reflects on the defining moments in her leadership journey and how they have informed the type of leader she is today, whether it was making the move from specialist to generalist, building a career while working part-time and raising a family, or preparing for a 800km family cycle tour of South Korea.

- Stepping up from a specialist into leadership
- Maintaining momentum around career breaks
- Putting people at the heart of change

As a leader it is important to develop and use your network, in order to build relationships and strengthen alliances within the workplace. By creating this unity within your organisation, you are not only creating a positive team environment; you are opening up to more potential for growth and reaching goals as a collective. You will explore how to create and build your network within your workplace and outside of work, and how to know the right (and wrong) people for you to be connected with! 

- The importance of networking and having a supportive team
- Potential for greater career and organisational success with a team backing you
- Who (and who not) to network with

Welcome back for Day Two - there's a lot to digest from our amazing speakers and action modules so far!

Recap the key learnings and takeaways from Day One, and prep an action plan to maximise your event experience over our jam-packed second day!

Improving diversity can be a complex issue, and sometimes you have to peel back the onion to find the hidden obstacles to gender equity and opportunity. Megan is a career firefighter, senior officer and executive with extensive experience leading expansive culture change, and bringing people along for the journey. In this session Megan will share insights from her remarkable career, and explore some of the ways you can influence the conversation, and make a difference.

- Understanding inclusion biases, enablers and blockers
- Strategies to make your voice heard
- Develop influential communication skills

As a leader in the public eye, you are submitted to high levels of scrutiny regarding what you do and how you do it. But it's not easy to take charge of your perception as a leader, so how do you effectively juggle the challenges of managing yourself and your team, and still keep your head above water? In this session Kiersten will share insights from her leadership journey, and explore the unique challenges of leadership in the public eye.

- Finding your rhythm and how you work best
- Dealing with pressure and scrutiny
- How to maintain your confidence (even when it's lacking)

In order to meet and exceed the challenges of our evolving world of work, leaders must learn to adapt to these changes. Kristie will explore how you to build resileince and bounce back from change and adversity - not only to get back to where you were, but to emerge as a stronger leader.

- Effectively bouncing back from change in industry and world of work

- The role and importance of resilience as a leader

- Practical skills to help you become an effective change manager/leader

To effectively lead a team through any sort of transformation, it is critical to put your people at the heart of that change. In this session, Ruth reflects on her leadership journey both in Australia and the UK, and her experience successfully leading, reforming and transforming customer-focused organisations, including her role leading the NSW Education COVID-19 Taskforce.

- Take ownership of your leadership journey
- Embrace challenges with confidence and courage
- Placing people at the heart of change

The NSW Public Sector has made great strides improving diversity and women’s representation at leadership levels. So why is it that existing and emerging women leaders still report feeling like they are working in a male-dominated environment? The stats alone don't tell the whole story. Join our panel of dynamic leaders as they discuss the state of women’s leadership, how navigate unconscious biases (including our own), and how you can facilitate an inclusive work environment as a leader in the public sector.

- Creating an inclusive work environment
- Breaking stereotypes and navigating unconscious bias
- Reflecting on quotas

Leadership is the art of influencing and developing others to achieve their highest potential. Above all, there's perhaps nothing more important than the way a leader communicates. Your people will focus on it, try to interpret it and read between the lines. Transparent communication is key to building trust, but how much is too much and how can you do it effectively? In this session you will unpack the skills you need to make an impact and communicate confidently.

- Discover the psychology behind the decision-making process
- Identify effective channels for communication internally and externally
- Formulate persuasive phrases to maximise your influence

We wrap up our two days of insight and inspiration with this interactive roundtable session. This is your chance to table any topic or trend for a final group discussion. Network with your peers, reflect on your journey so far and create an action plan to carry you forward!

- Reflect on your key takeaways from the Summit
- Identify opportunities for career progression and growth
- Create an action plan for your leadership journey