Getting to know Chris Arnold, LV Alumni
Chris Arnold graduated from the second ever intake of the Williamson Community Leadership Program in 1991. Here LV Reporter Jamie Cooke helps us get to know Chris Arnold.
What makes a good leader?
So much has been written, it’s always a challenge to come up with something new. I guess I have a simple philosophy: A good leader involves the right skill set, experience and personality, some of that is simply being the right kind of person but it also means having the right fit with the organisation you’re involved in. It’s also about timing, being there at the right time, at the stage of life in the organisation where you are most suitable. The fact that CEOs generally last between three and seven years is a testament to this. You also have to realise when the fit is no longer right and move on, which is not always easy.
Leadership is usually attributed to CEOs and Government leaders, can you tell us about an ‘every day’ leader whom you admire?
Hayden Raysmith is Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Built Environment at RMIT. He’s a person with great leadership skills and has worked in a wide range of organisations across all sectors. Beryl Gregory, the Headmistress of Christ Church Grammar School, is also a good example. Both have achieved great things for the organisations they have led and are truly inspirational people who have drawn me to work with them, in voluntary capacities and for whom I would always gladly respond to a call for assistance or support.
What do you like about your job?
For the first time in my working life, I’m in transition. I have a part time appointment as Executive Director with a wonderful organisation, the Skin and Cancer Foundation- thanks to another LV Fellow, Kathryn Watt (WCLP ’05), who introduced me to the organisation- I also have my own consulting business in governance, mentoring and business advisory services. Working with the Skin and Cancer Foundation allows me to bring together multiple experiences from all my previous roles and hopefully benefit an organisation that has great potential. The consulting work is always exciting, new projects always bring new challenges. Over time, I plan to reduce the time I dedicate to the CEO role and increase the time I spend on consulting and eventually dedicate 2-3 days per week to a mix of consulting and community activities.
What do you love?
I love new challenges, starting something and seeing it through is very rewarding. I also love interesting people and dinner parties at home .
You graduated from WCLP in 1991, what attracted you to Leadership Victoria and what did you gain from your experience?
I undertook WCLP at age 30, soon after I was appointed to my first really senior management role. I was looking for perspectives on issues which affected the community. I was also keen to meet people in similar roles across a wide spectrum. I succeeded in these objectives and still have great friends from that year, and also from the time I spent chairing the LV Alumni Reference Group. The Williamson Community Leadership Development Program really launched a long history for me of working with not-for-profits, I’ve had eight board roles to date, along with numerous other projects I’ve been involved in. I also did my MBA part time, which really complemented the program.
Can you describe what you were like as a person when you started the program?
I think I was a bit naïve back then, a bit inexperienced but I was very eager to learn.
How has your leadership style evolved? What lessons have you learnt?
From six CEO roles, there are too many lessons to list here, some were learned easily, others the hard way. I have learnt that you need a balance between consultation and making decisions independently, or with limited consultation, that communication is very important, but varies, depending on the circumstances and that seeking out others in leadership roles to bounce ideas off is sometimes not possible within your organisation. Having a small, but trusted group who help in times of uncertainty or difficulty, who share equally in the good times is key.
