18th Public Sector Women in Leadership Summit

Verbal and non-verbal strategies to maximise impact

- Understand the power of body language and tone of voice

- Tailor your message to better meet your audience's needs and rhythms

- Use curiosity to overcome assumptions and bias

- Explore alternative communication styles

Communication skills 1: Building a connection

- Learn techniques to build rapport quickly and authentically, including active listening and finding common ground

- Explore the benefits of assertiveness and accountability in building trust and respect

- Develop your questioning and listening skills to create open communication and build deeper connections with your audience

Communication skills 2: Making an impact

- Strategies for managing expectations and overcoming challenging situations

- Tools for giving and receiving feedback effectively

- Persuasive techniques - questions, storytelling, insights

- Explore different types of conflict and effective de-escalation strategies

Impact, influence and persuasion in written communication

- Explore the components of effective written communication

- Understand the effect of voice and tone in creating impact

- Articulate your desired goal and purpose, and how to align this with your readers' needs

- Practical strategies for influential and persuasive writing

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!

There has never been a more important time for leaders to provide critical values-based support and guidance to their organisations and communities. The idea of leadership driven by values taps into people's motivations and links this to their personal beliefs and experiences, resulting in a workforce that is passionate and driven by the work that they do and the impact they can have on those around them. In this session join Letitia as she shares her values and how she leads with this at the forefront, encouraging her team to do the same and embrace their individuality.

- Hold yourself accountable to your own leadership philosophy

- Engage your employees to achieve your teams mission

- Lead from the heart to find value in everything that you do

Mentoring as a concept isn't groundbreaking but the benefits of having effective relationships can be. Throughout your career mentors will guide and support you through the various challenges that come your way. The art of utilising these relationships lies in having varied mentors which you turn to for different perspectives and strengths. In this session, Louise shares her journey of being mentored and using the lessons she's learnt to now mentor others and how successfully building these relationships has lead to a more collaborative career.

- Understand the two-way street of great relationships

- Guide your own growth through the support of a mentor

- Highlight the impact mentoring can have on a more collaborative workplace

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments.

Having clear aims and outcomes is the first step in achieving your career goals. Setting smaller, achievable stepping stone targets creates a pathway to help you navigate towards your overall epic career goal. In this session, join Liz Stephens to understand the key to creating goals that will motivate, energise and direct your career trajectory.

- Create your personalised action plan

- Prioritise you event experience

- Get started on achieving your goals TODAY!

Is there something you wish you had known when you first started out in your career? Or perhaps there are experiences you're having right now that you want to remind your future self of? The course of anyone's career is a journey and sometimes the twists and turns can provide us with experiences and information we should hold onto. In this reflective session, Julia shares with you the challenges she has faced and barriers she’s overcome throughout her career. 

- Reflect on past experiences

- Understand the value in your unique journey

- Approach challenges with a life long learner mindset

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

Generational diversity is described as having a wide range of ages represented in your workforce and recognising this as a type of diversity often goes ignored. As more people remain working for longer periods of their lives, we are now seeing more diverse workforces than ever before. This requires leaders to adapt to ways of working and styles of communication which can differ between generations. In this immersive panel conversation, hear the experiences and outlooks of experienced leaders and how they have dealt with this throughout their careers.

- Gain insight from the leadership perspectives of different generations

- Challenge stereotypes and understand working styles

- Understand and adapt to generations that differ from your own

Kate is a proud Wiradjuri woman who joined the Australian Public Service 29 years ago, to contribute to policy changes and improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities. For many Indigenous workers in the Public Service, a balance between work and community responsibilities can feel like an additional pressure to everyday work. In this session Kate shares how she's learnt to walk in both worlds and how you can provide a supportive environment for First Nations employees.

- Recognise different people's expectations and cultural load

- Understand your role in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and stakeholders to create a supportive environment

- Lead with curiosity and empathy

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders. Enjoy a light refreshment before finishing day one.

In today’s fast-paced world, where the demands of work and personal life can often feel overwhelming, burnout has become an all-too-common phenomenon. The relentless pursuit of success and the constant pressure to excel can take a toll on our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Recognising the signs and symptoms of burnout is vital but we also need to know how we can combat the symptoms and keep burnout at bay. Join Karen as she shares top tips for recognising burnout and maintaining your wellbeing.

- Keeping track of your energy levels

- Techniques to alleviate stress

- The effects of burnout on your body and mind

Join us for our end of day one networking. Enjoy canapés and drinks whilst getting to know your peers further, build ongoing relationships, and share your highlights of the day.

We're back! Another day and a whole lot more learning to come - time to check back in with your fellow leaders.

Tick off any goals you scored on Day One, develop an implementation plan for your new goals and set yourself up for another exciting day!

Modern day leadership focuses on creating an environment that allows people to be creative and solve problems. Creating this space in the workplace promotes innovation and improves productivity, and in Krissy Barrett's role this means a safer, more responsive Australian Federal Police Force. In this session Krissy shares the strategies she implements to lead her team and encourage a bigger picture view.

- Maximise collaboration in your team and encourage a more connected public service

- Lead with psychological safety for increased innovation

- Expand your leadership toolkit with strategies from a seasoned professional

What difference do you make to those around you? What will they say when you move on? The true mark of a leader is measured by the lives that you have influenced. In this session, join Kelly Pearce as she shares her journey of defining her legacy and how she embraces this on a daily basis.

- Embrace your story and lead authentically

- Find your unique abilities and use them to impact others

- Leave a lasting legacy

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments.

The Australian Public Sector has undergone a profound transformation in recent years, marked by a shift towards greater digitalization, efficiency, and citizen-centricity. As leaders within the APS, you are looked upon by your teams as role models to help shape their responses to change. In this session, join Sally Dooley as she empowers you with practical strategies to successfully lead your team through change.

-  Provide constant and clear communication to streamline change 

- Overcome employee resistance to change 

- Deliver results in a complicated and evolving environment

Resilience is the ability to successfully adapt to changing circumstances with mental, emotional and physical toughness. The world we work in is constantly evolving as the APS looks to be more citizen-centric than ever before. As leaders we need to be resilient and lead resilient teams. Join Emily Arnberg as she reflects on how she has built a resilient mindset in a career of constant changing timelines and requirements.

- Build your resilience toolkit to bounce back from change

- Share mental toughness techniques to help prepare your team

- Recognise your level of flexibility and identify where you can seek support

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

A psychologically safe workplace allows employees to do their best work and promotes positive mental well-being. When workers feel psychologically safe, they thrive, are more creative, and find more solutions to problems. Innovation across the APS is paramount to delivering results that are governement and citizen-centric. So how do you create a psychologically safe space and drive innovation in your team? Join this interactive panel discussion to hear the ideas from top leaders on how they foster creative thinking in their world. 

- Build trust and respect amongst your team members to increase idea generation 

- Challenge power dynamics and hierarchical views

- Understand the importance of creativity and engagement within your team

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders.

Compassion is the quality of having positive intentions and real concern for others. Compassion in leadership creates stronger connections between people. It improves collaboration, raises levels of trust, and enhances loyalty. In this session Liz Williamson reflects on how she embodies compassion in her leadership roles and has learnt to combine her work and home personas to lead with understanding.

- Take time to explore and understand the situations of people in your team

- Help your team to reach their potential and reap the engagement benefits

- Lead with the client at the heart of your decisions

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

High-level communication, influence and negotiation skills

- Manage emotions for positive, assertive communication and relationships

- Develop techniques of persuasion, negotiation and influence with coaching skills and “conversational intelligence”

- How to prepare for and have difficult conversations with confidence 

Transformational leadership strategies to accelerate team performance

- Leverage team dynamics to enhance performance

- Challenge, support and empower others

- Manage uncooperative staff members

Drive change and innovation as a female leader

- Recognise and overcome hurdles to change

- Trust your intuition and step outside your comfort zone

- Embed a positive change culture in an organisation

Action planning for leadership

- Develop a personalised approach - short and long-term

- Understand the leadership pipeline 

- Share approaches for moving your career forward

Fundamental authentic leadership capabilities

- Capabilities, attributes and skills of an influential and authentic leader

- Develop personal worth, power and responsibility 

- Embrace your diverse and inclusive leadership style

Maintain resilience and authenticity through difficult times

-Techniques to maintain resilience 

- How to be an authentic leader

- Practice and maintain integrity as a leader

Leading with Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

- Evaluate your EQ level and identify opportunities for further growth and development

- Understand your EQ and its impact on the way you are perceived as a leader 

- Leverage your EQ in the workplace

- Embrace qualities of empathy and understand to become a better leader 

Understand your own leadership style

- Build self-awareness of leadership traits and how they align with organisational goals

- Recognise demands of leadership and the expectations of the organisation                      

- Understand the expectations of team members and direct reports

- Develop your personal leadership plan