Kellogg conversations: collective impact

And as you went through the programme, now you're out the other side, if you look back, is there some particular insights or experience that stand out to you?

Strangely, not the ones I thought would, but actually on reflection, it's so obvious.

It translates across all the sectors, across all of the different interests that people have.

Some people are really deeply committed to facts and figures, to the science, to how things work under the hood.

And some are more connected to stories and history, but actually the power of the people that actually drive behind it.

And that's so obvious.

And yet we tend to, I think, as rural people, jump straight to the outputs.

We want to see dirty boots and tired hands.

And so having time to actually reflect on, it actually doesn't matter how good your idea is.

or how incredible your thinking or the tool that you've invented.

If people won't or can't understand it, they don't trust you enough to pick it up, actually it can go nowhere.

So the power of relationships, but also I think I come from a generation where relationships were organic things.

To actually shift my thinking to the ability to create, deliberately create networks and relationships.

And the willingness of incredible people, and I'm sure it's across other industries, but across the rural sector, people who you are in these really powerful roles are so generous with their time and their willingness to support you and create connections for you to move forward.

So that ability to focus on the people to drive the outcome.

So I'm not saying that it's all just around sitting around having cups of tea.

Olivia, it is very much around joining the dots between the strength of the relationship, particularly built deliberately when things are good and ahead of time so that when things get a little bit rough, you've got that network to fall back on and actually through that driving really tangible outcomes on ground.

So that flow through that connect.

I think that leads to a quote that probably many people have heard in the past.

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.

And leadership isn't about waiting until you're ready.

It's about taking that next small step in the journey.

And it sounds like you've nailed that in regards to what that step needs to be to take those next steps.

I think actually I could even add another piece to that with my newly shiny wisdom is yes, also, if you've got people with you and behind you, you can go long.

And as you went through the programme, now you're out the other side, if you look back, is there some particular insights or experience that stand out to you?

Strangely, not the ones I thought would, but actually on reflection, it's so obvious.

It translates across all the sectors, across all of the different interests that people have.

Some people are really deeply committed to facts and figures, to the science, to how things work under the hood.

And some are more connected to stories and history, but actually the power of the people that actually drive behind it.

And that's so obvious.

And yet we tend to, I think, as rural people, jump straight to the outputs.

We want to see dirty boots and tired hands.

And so having time to actually reflect on, it actually doesn't matter how good your idea is.

or how incredible your thinking or the tool that you've invented.

If people won't or can't understand it, they don't trust you enough to pick it up, actually it can go nowhere.

So the power of relationships, but also I think I come from a generation where relationships were organic things.

To actually shift my thinking to the ability to create, deliberately create networks and relationships.

And the willingness of incredible people, and I'm sure it's across other industries, but across the rural sector, people who you are in these really powerful roles are so generous with their time and their willingness to support you and create connections for you to move forward.

So that ability to focus on the people to drive the outcome.

So I'm not saying that it's all just around sitting around having cups of tea.

Olivia, it is very much around joining the dots between the strength of the relationship, particularly built deliberately when things are good and ahead of time so that when things get a little bit rough, you've got that network to fall back on and actually through that driving really tangible outcomes on ground.

So that flow through that connect.

I think that leads to a quote that probably many people have heard in the past.

If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.

And leadership isn't about waiting until you're ready.

It's about taking that next small step in the journey.

And it sounds like you've nailed that in regards to what that step needs to be to take those next steps.

I think actually I could even add another piece to that with my newly shiny wisdom is yes, also, if you've got people with you and behind you, you can go long.