Exactly How Many Leadership Lessons Can an Emerging Leader Learn in an Hour?
By Brooke Wanstall, 2024 IPAA Emerging Leader Working Group Member
Being an emerging leader in 2024 is no small feat. Balancing authenticity, striving to make a meaningful impact, and navigating the complexities of the public sector can feel like a tough gig. For many of us, joining the IPAA Emerging Leaders Working Group was a natural step toward honing our leadership skills, finding an empowering community of peers, and contributing to something bigger than our day-to-day responsibilities.
So, when Deborah Wilson, OnTalent’s Head of Strategy and Performance, and an IPAA sponsor, offered to facilitate a session on authentic leadership for the Emerging Leaders Working Group – we jumped at the chance.
Here are my five leadership lessons from Deborah’s session with the Emerging Leaders Working Group:
- Authentic Leadership Starts with Knowing Yourself
Authentic leadership is a never-ending journey. It requires deep reflection and an honest understanding of your core values. Through aligning our actions with our values, we build trust, foster stronger relationships, and inspire those around us.
For me, this was a reminder to remain grounded in my values of integrity and empathy, both as a team member and as an emerging leader. By knowing who I am—and where I want to go—empowers me to make decisions that align with my leadership vision.
So far, I’ve found authenticity and consistency build trust which makes it easier to connect with others and drive meaningful change!
- Using the DAC Model to achieve collective outcomes
Deb introduced us to the DAC model – Direction, Alignment, and Commitment, which focuses on three critical elements. Direction is about setting clear goals and a shared purpose that everyone can rally around. Alignment ensures that individual efforts are coordinated and working in harmony toward those goals. Finally, Commitment inspires shared purpose and dedication—not just to personal success but to the success of the whole team.
This shifted our understanding of leadership from simply managing tasks to creating an environment where individuals can thrive as a cohesive unit. Practical steps include setting clear and aligned goals and regularly assessing communication gaps. Celebrating team milestones can further strengthen commitment and alignment.
Personally, I recognised that leadership isn’t about going it alone, and regardless of our level of experience we can all use the DAC model to contribute to our team and achieve outcomes that truly matter.
- Don’t know your authentic self? Define it through 5 dimensions
We were challenged to reflect on our authentic selves by examining five essential pillars: purpose, values, relationships, self-discipline and trusting our instincts. This exercise was a powerful reminder to reconnect with our “why”—the reasons we show up every day, ready to lead and make a difference.
For emerging leaders, the pillars provide a pathway to becoming more grounded and focused. Anchoring ourselves in these principles allows us to lead with greater integrity and resilience.
This exercise provided clarity, reminding us of our strengths, indicating areas for further growth, while highlighting the path to cultivating genuine, value-driven connections within our teams and broader lives.
- The Art of Managing Up
Managing up is key public sector tradecraft. But as Deborah explained,
“it is about building positive, productive relationships with our leaders by understanding their goals, priorities, and communication styles.”
This skill isn’t about managing our managers, but rather, positioning ourselves as supportive colleagues that anticipate their needs and contribute to shared outcomes. This perspective shift was enlightening, reframing managing up as a tool for proactive collaboration and trust-building with our leaders.
For me, it has helped me to reflect on my approach with my leaders. Instead of focusing on getting my own ideas across, I’m now more attuned to understanding what is most important to my leaders and how I can support organisational goals.
- Just Take Action
The most inspiring part of Deborah’s session was her call to action. We left the session committed to taking specific steps to implement the lessons into our public sector roles.
For me, this means practicing authenticity every day, fostering communication within teams, and continuously seeking growth opportunities. It was a powerful reminder that leadership isn’t just theoretical. It’s about practicing values daily, whether by supporting a teammate, taking a stand for what’s right, or making tough decisions.
I see this as an opportunity to not only grow, but to inspire others. By actively embracing authentic leadership, I hope to encourage my peers to do the same, creating a ripple effect that strengthens teams and community.
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Conclusion: A Blueprint for Leadership
Although delivered in an hour, these five powerful leadership lessons are more than just that—they’re a blueprint for the kind of leaders we want to become. Leadership isn’t about titles or authority. It’s about showing up every day with integrity, courage, and the willingness to grow.
For the IPAA Emerging Leaders Working Group, this session has not only strengthened our individual leadership capabilities but has also helped us align our collective thinking to further IPAA Queensland’s mission of enhancing the capability and professionalism of public administration across the state. By applying these lessons, we’re better equipped to contribute meaningfully to our teams, organisations, and the broader public sector.
By embracing authenticity, fostering collaboration, and building strong relationships with those around us, we’re not only advancing our own leadership journeys but also helping to create a workplace culture that values trust, connection, and meaningful impact. We encourage you to reflect on and integrate these lessons into your own leadership journey. because leadership is a skill we all can practice, regardless of our role.
IPAA Queensland thanks our Emerging Leaders Partner
