Speeches
Monday, 02 December 2024
Reception for the Closing Ceremony of the 2024 AmCham Academy
I am delighted to welcome you to Government House to mark the culmination of the 2024 AmCham Academy.
My Predecessor the Honourable Hieu Van Le and I have hosted this ceremony since the creation of the AmCham Academy in 2019, recognising importance of nurturing and encouraging leadership in our State.
Congratulations to those who participated in the program.
Already you have been recognised as leaders by your own organisations.
You have stepped up and taken on the challenge of honing your leadership skills.
For much of my own career, like you, I have been helped along the way by some very good colleagues; I’ve been the beneficiary of good advice; and I’ve been given some great development opportunities, both formal and informal.
It hasn’t always been a continuous upward trajectory; at times I’ve needed to take stock or seek advice.
I didn’t have all the answers, and, with respect, neither will you. Recognising that fact is one of the necessary learnings of your leadership journey.
This closing ceremony is an opportune time to ponder, as I am sure you have often done, what is leadership?
One useful technique is firstly to consider what it is not.
It is not about a grand title, or more pay, or wielding authority and control.
Instead, leadership harnesses the willing energy and talents of others, is forward looking and motivates others to succeed.
It is transformative, not only within the office, but also into our community, because good leaders give back and help to build their communities.
Ultimately, leadership is about connecting and ensuring everyone can seize opportunities and realise their potential.
When it comes to leadership, your actions will always speak louder than your words. You know you need to be authentic.
You also know you need to be a good listener and develop the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
I know, both from life in general and professionally from my experience as a diplomat, that people aren’t always really going to tell you what they really think.
They could simply tell you what you want to hear, and that’s a trap for leaders.
And if you develop your listening skills and seek out the views of people you might not normally talk to, different perspectives can come into the mix.
Good leaders also give everyone else a voice and encourage those who may not have been full participants the opportunity to make input.
Leaders also need to understand what it is like for people who may not have had the same levels of education, may not have had the same advantages, or may not feel able to contribute due to an imbalance of power or for other reasons.
Friends
I congratulate AmCham for focussing on best business practices, personal growth, and accountability of leaders as well as the importance of diversity and inclusion throughout the academy program.
As Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, I learned first-hand that a diverse workplace is a stronger workplace, and one in which better decisions are made.
I also gained insights into the extraordinary breadth and depth of the social, cultural, economic, business-to-business and government-to-government relationships between Australia and the United States, most recently enhanced through the AUKUS trilateral security partnership.
I thank the American Chamber of Commerce for its role in advocacy, information sharing, support of trade missions, and for facilitating the Academy and its networking opportunities.
To the participants, well done. You are now part of a thirteen hundred strong alumni.
You represent a wealth of talent, experience and drive that are a valuable resource for our State, and I wish you all the best in your careers.