We are thrilled that Sally Hines is starting as Leadership Victoria’s new CEO this week. Of course with COVID restrictions still in place in Melbourne, we aren’t able to meet in person just yet, so we asked Sally to say a few words and do a quick Q&A so you can get to know her.

Q: You are a Williamson alumna. What has stuck with you the most from your Williamson experience?

A: During my lockdown 1.0 Marie Kondo moment, I found the letter we had to write to ourselves at the start of Williamson. Amongst the many hopes and aspirations I had for myself included the desire to “think bigger, and without limits” and that is definitely what I hope to bring to LV.

Q: What do you see as your biggest leadership challenge?

A: I think my current challenge is about reimagining how I lead when I can’t rely on my standard toolkit. COVID has meant, that the way we do business, connect with others and achieve outcomes will be forever changed. Part of the challenge is getting beyond the disruption and seeing the opportunities that we can create together. For me as a leader, it means standing still is not an option- I need to be adaptable, flexible and continually innovating in order create meaningful impact and achieve my goals. This isn’t just in relation to COVID. Leadership always involves being able to see the bigger picture, the system, and finding ways to listen to others and bring them with you.

Q: Who – or what – inspires you?

A: Leaders who are brave and authentic- who are lead naturally and without pretence. It is not really the big names that I tend to gain inspiration from, but rather the quiet achievers, the people leading from within.

I’m reading Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s Women and Leadership at the moment and there is a chapter that talks about the power of role-modelling and working with mentors and coaches- for me, an inspirational leader is someone that is willing to continue to learn, to accept when they are wrong, to be open to alternate points of view and committed to devoting time to developing others.

Q: What are three things you are personally looking forward to post-lockdown?

A: Spending time with friends and family in places more than 5km from my house

Eating fancy food in a restaurant!

Take my daughter to school 😉 Homeschooling has been quite the experience…..