Applications are now open for a cross-industry program that will build leadership skills among young people in Australian horticulture. The Growing Leaders program will be delivered by The Right Mind, and will focus on a range of tools that are required to grow leadership skills. Vegetable growers have the opportunity to participate in a horticulture-wide program to help them become sound leaders and learn how to inspire others in their workplaces and industry.

The Growing Leaders Program is a multi-industry levy-funded program where participants have the opportunity to meet, mix with and learn from leaders across a range of horticultural industries.

Delivered by David Hanlon and Jill Rigney from The Right Mind (TRM), the program seeks to challenge participants to reflect on what is expected of a modern leader, and to equip them with the tools they need to prosper. It was widely acclaimed in the adaptation for the nursery and turf industries and now is offered to a wider range of industries.

“It is a program based on our Rural Leader’s Bootcamp, but there are modules containing real life industry examples that will ensure analytical skills are tailored to the participants’ own industry,” David explained.

TRM’s program comes with a wealth of fresh and innovative training materials (evaluated by external peers) that have been customised by highly experienced facilitators to meet the specific needs of the industries involved. This comprehensive leadership-oriented curriculum is characterised by high-quality teaching materials, complemented by small and whole group theoretical and experiential learning.

“It is transformational in its approach and provides a personal stretch to participants beyond what is traditionally offered,” David said.

“Participants leave with an urge to tackle things (either personally, organisationally or within their industry) that they have not done prior to taking on the program. For us, this is deeply rewarding.”

Jill believes the wider mix will broaden the views of participants.

“Our experience over the past 12 years with the Rural Leader’s Bootcamp clearly demonstrates participants learn the ‘art of leadership’ more quickly through having to apply principles, and not get bogged down in their own technical fields,” she said.

Program activities

The program involves a number of elements, including two face-to-face workshop sessions, which David describes as a ‘boot camp’.

“It is definitely full-on, and participants love that. It facilitates a more rapid understanding of their own leadership style and provides the latest tools to grow it,” he said.

“The program is designed for people to improve their leadership skills for themselves, their team, their organisation, and the wider industry in which they work. It’s about working through the process of leading yourself and others.”

The program includes learning about, understanding and identifying your own and others’ communication styles; how to manage conflict; how to set and meet priorities for yourself and your business; how to manage risk; and understanding your customers’ needs among others. One of TRM’s mantras is ‘doing leadership’.

“It is so easy to sit and absorb with little going back to the participants’ own business or industry,” David said.

To overcome this, participants undertake a workplace project that is discussed with their immediate manager and supported by TRM during the program. This is through one-on-one coaching sessions, and specific webinar-delivered sessions to re-enforce participants’ knowledge and skills.

“We have found that the participants’ businesses love it. They are actively encouraged to provide feedback during the program, sit in on the webinars, and provide us with feedback at the end of the program,” Jill said.

Developing skills

Outcomes from the program include a significantly deeper understanding of self and one’s own potential. For the organisations participating, there is a greater knowledge around the ‘hidden drivers’ of performance and how to bring them to the fore. Participants in the nursery and berry industry program are also contributing to industry awareness.

“We were amazed at the number who conducted field days and did interviews for their respective new outlets,” Jill said.

As an industry-funded program, TRM strongly encourages participants to step up and take on higher leadership positions within their industry body.

2020 Workshop dates

The first Growing Leaders workshop will be held in Brisbane from 11-13 May, and a second workshop will take place in Melbourne from 10-11 August.

The program is open to all industry levy-payers. There is no cost to participate in the program, however travel costs to the workshop destinations and accommodation are at participants’ expense.

Interested growers and industry members can log onto The Right Mind’s website for more details and to access the application form.

Applications close Friday 27 March.