Gary Groves A leader shaped by service—and humility
In this episode of The Courage to Lead, I sit down with Gary Groves, CEO of ReachOut Australia, the national pioneer in digital youth mental health for 12–25-year-olds and their parents/carers. In our wide-ranging conversation, Gary shares how early life, policing, child protection reform, and the not-for-profit sector forged a leadership style grounded in openness, evidence, empathy, and action.
ReachOut in two minutes: prevention, access, and lived experience
Gary Groves elevator pitch is crisp: ReachOut delivers 24/7, anonymous, text-based and peer-supported services so young people can get help before crisis hits. Parents and carers get their own counselling and practical tools, recognising the ecosystem around every young person. It’s accessible, preventive care—built for the way young people communicate today.
“Young people want things yesterday. Our job is to make support immediate, human, and preventative.”
Gary Groves – The first spark: a 14-year-old and a trolley of newspapers
Gary Groves first leadership moment wasn’t a title—it was courage. At 14, he questioned an inefficient system for delivering newspapers, proposed a better way, and—ironically—did himself out of a job. The lesson stuck: see the system, say the truth, accept the consequences.
Takeaway: Leadership starts when you speak up for the better way, even when it costs you.
From directive to collaborative: unlearning and relearning leadership
Policing gave Gary Groves structure and decisiveness. But leading a multi-agency child wellbeing initiative (police, health, education, social work) rewired his approach. A social worker’s honest challenge—“you can’t run this like a command post”—pushed him to switch from telling to listening, co-creating, and humanising scripts and responses.
“You don’t pick up the phone and say ‘here’s what you do.’ You pick up the phone and ask, ‘How can I help?’”
Gary Groves – Cutting through the red tape: a room, a mannequin, and a hard truth
In a powerful workshop, teams traced one child’s journey across agencies with red tape—literally wrapping the mannequin until the child disappeared from view. The exercise exposed missed early-warning signs and fragmented accountability.
Lesson: If everyone owns the problem, often no one owns the outcome. Leaders must name responsibility and design joined-up systems.
Vulnerability as strength
Gary Groves is candid about his own mental health journey—depression and alcohol use in years when it wasn’t safe to say “I’m not OK.” The turning point came when someone finally asked—and he answered—honestly.
Why it matters: Vulnerability isn’t a soft add-on; it builds trust, permits honesty, and unlocks better decisions.
Emotional intelligence in the wild: reading the room, timing the ask
Gary Groves leadership now starts with EI: understand people, timing, and context. Know who decides best before lunch, who needs data or a story, and when silence beats speech. It’s not manipulation—it’s respectful design for constructive conversations.
“Some of the best answers come from frontline staff. My job is to make enough space for them to speak—and then really listen.”
Gary Groves “Fail fast” with purpose: evidence beats ego
Tasked to re-engineer early-intervention programs, Gary Groves adopted a fail-fast, test-and-learn approach:
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Does it work?
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Is it value for money?
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Is it improving outcomes for kids?
Programs continued if they hit two of three. Decisions were evidence-led, not personality-led, and experts (clinicians, data scientists) were brought into the room—not filtered out.
Shift: From “leader who knows” to “leader who convenes the people who know.”
The courageous career leap: leaving the badge, keeping the backbone
Leaving a safe, successful policing career for Family & Community Services—and later the CEO role at Jewish Care NSW—wasn’t a linear “five-year plan” move. It was guided by impact and values. Gary Groves discovered that being an outsider in a faith-based organisation demanded deeper listening, cultural intelligence (e.g., respecting Shabbat rhythms), and patient, real-world change.
Practical shift: He began writing to slow down thinking—making better, more culturally attuned decisions.
Habits that steady the leader
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Cold-water plunges & heat/ice cycles: a decade-plus ritual for clarity and resilience.
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Self-debrief on the drive home: out-loud reflection—“What went well? What didn’t? What’s tomorrow’s first move?”
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Mentors on speed dial: when the stakes are high, ask for wisdom.
Three pieces of advice Gary Groves would give any leader
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Say yes to stretch. Don’t wait to be fully “ready.” Growth lives in the deep end.
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Be an active listener. Real authority comes from understanding, not from volume.
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Ditch the rigid five-year plan. Stay open so opportunity can find you.
Pull-quotes to share
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“Leadership starts when you speak up—even if it costs you.”
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“Evidence beats ego. Bring experts into the room and decide together.”
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“Vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s the doorway to trust.”
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“If everyone owns the problem, no one owns the outcome.”
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“Don’t be a helicopter leader. Know your craft—or bring the people who do.”
Why this matters now
Youth mental health need is rising, and prevention is the smartest, most humane investment we can make. Gary’s story is a blueprint for modern leadership: courageous truth-telling, cross-agency collaboration, cultural intelligence, and evidence-based action—delivered with humility.
If you found Gary Groves journey helpful, share this post with a leader who’s navigating complex change—or a young person (or parent) who might benefit from ReachOut’s support.