Leading A Healthy Team

Barriers for women to progress into leadership roles remain frustratingly solid. Although sometimes we stand in our own way.

Research shows that when applying for a job, women feel they need to meet 100 per cent of the criteria while men usually apply after meeting about 60 per cent.

When the role of executive director of organisational development and improvement was advertised at Bendigo Health, Robyn Lindsay did not hesitate in applying, irrespective of how many boxes she could tick.

It was to be her first executive role and the first “real risk” she took in her career.

“It was a step out of managing the provision of health services, which I knew, and a move into an area that was historically held by someone with a human resources background,” says Robyn.

“The role was looking at building a more consistent culture across the health service in anticipation of the move to the new hospital.

“I thought, at the very least, I know our organisation well and I have great alignment with our values, and I could learn some of the technical aspects. So on that basis, I put myself forward.

“You can often fall into the trap of telling yourself, ‘I’m not quite ready for that. I haven’t got all the required experience or knowledge’.

“It does take a bit of disciple and self talk to say, ‘Look, I’m going to make that someone else’s decision. I’m not going to count myself out’.

“More often than not, putting myself forward has lead to the door being opened.”

Robyn came to Bendigo Health in 1997 to take up a clinical physiotherapy role and has moved through the ranks from chief physiotherapist, manager of sub-acute community services, director of allied health to her current role as executive director of clinical operations.

With over 20 years experience in the health sector, Robyn has established a history of developing successful and engaged teams.

“From a leadership perspective, playing sport throughout school gave me a good base on which to work,” says Robyn.

“There will be disappointments; you don’t get picked for every team you try out for, you don’t necessarily play the role that you want to play every time and you have to learn that there are lots of other roles to play. And sometimes it’s just as important to support others play their role than it is to be the GA (goal attack).

“The less ambiguity you can have in teams, the more engaged they are with each other and the more productive and happy they are.”

Robyn says it’s also important for leaders to hit and transmit the right emotional notes to effectively set, drive and respond to situations.

“You need to be aware of the emotion you’re bringing to the room by taking a helicopter view and asking yourself, ‘What do these people need from me now?’.

“That can be really hard if you’re feeling anxious yourself or you’ve had a bad day, and what you need to do is go in and pump up a team. All it takes is 30 seconds (at the door) to be mindful and decide on the right mix of strength and warmth.”

Taking a seat at the table of a number of boards and committees, Robyns admits it can still be a challenge to find your voice and be heard.

“Being around the table is one thing but being heard is still a challenge.”

“The first thing I do is be really self aware. I can be quite passionate so I need to be mindful of the emotional state I’m in before I contribute. Then I know when I do speak. I’ll be heard, and the way I articulate myself won’t be a distraction.

“I’ve also had to become really disciplined at listening to other people rather than while they’re talking, spending time thinking about what’s the next thing I’m going to say. If you are really listening, you can back yourself to pick the right moment to contribute.

“There is also something about the way you physically hold yourself in a room. At a board table I’ll ensure my chair is high and I’m holding my space.

“Once you’re there and you’ve got a little bit of experience, you recognise that you do bring a lot to the table and often it is relatively unique.”