Scott Chapman is CEO for the Royal Flying Doctors in Victoria for the last 14 years.
Scott has a massive CV which includes:
CURRENT
2023 Melbourne Achiever Award Committee for Melbourne
Chair Doutta Gala Aged Services (2015 – present)
Chair Dafydd Lewis Trust (2020 – present)
Chair Western Melbourne Tourism (2021 – present)
Chair McLaughlins Consolidated (2022-present)
Chair Enterprize Ship Trust (2021)
Chair Committee For Melbourne NFP Taskforce (2018 – present)
Deputy Chair Cottage By The Sea (2019 – present)
Director Male Bag Foundation (2022-present)
Director Awards Victoria Ltd (Duke of Edinburgh International Awards Victoria) (2021)
Life Member Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria
Life Member Australian Society of Sports Administrators
RECENT
Chair City Harvest (2014-2018)
Director Harmony Village Aged Care Shepparton (2013 – 2019)
Director Director Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (2009 – 2020) Dep. Chair (2017-2020)
Director Western Region Football League (2013 – 2018)
Member Melbourne Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board (2017 – 2019)
Member a Melbourne Day Committee (2016 – 2020)
Chair Outdoors Victoria (2012 – 2016)
Chair Anglesea Ambulance Auxiliary (2007 – 2015)
Director and Trustee Yarra Energy Foundation (2014-2015)
Chair Outdoor Education Group P/L (2006 – 2013)
Chair People and Parks Foundation (2008 – 2013)
Chair Vicsuper Murray Marathon (2009 – 2013)
Chair LMCT Grants Panel (Arts, Sport, Education) (2009 – 2012)
Chair Purchasing Australia (2006-2009)
Chair Destination Melbourne (2002-2008)
PROFESSIONAL
Fellow. Australian Institute of Company Directors
Fellow Governance Institute of Australia
Fellow Australian College of Health Service Management
Fellow Australian Society of Sport Administrators
Cranlana Centre for Ethics Alumni
Leadership Victoria (1994)
Scott’s CV is too big to read out in the podcast, a result of Scott’s self confessed ability to get excited about many things.
Scott has a passion for outdoor adventures and we will explore some of that in this interview. He abides by the saying – Feel blue touch green – nature, the sun, the rain or the cold.
People and Communities are his hot buttons and he believes in his core that people want to do the right thing.
SC hires on attitude but not skills.
He advised his people not to hire the best and smartest person but instead get person who is the best fit for the workplace otherwise you are managing the conflicts that people who don’t fit, bring with them.
His favourite mantra to his staff is “Don’t tell me why we can’t tell me how we can.”
Scott has built a career by doing things.
RFD of Victoria needed a chairman of fundraising. On his first day at work he met 5 part time people that he was in charge of.
14 years later RFD Victoria now have:
700 staff
Only one airplane
120 ambulances we will drive in rather than fly in.
Telehealth is now a major part of business.
SC proud to talk about the RFD Victoria culture and the fact that they have created 500 jobs in country Victoria and the impact that has on families and communities.
Scott’s two tips for leaders are:
1. Building strong relationships where you can have a genuine discussion depending on the depth of the relationship. There are 2 elements in a genuine conversation, your intention is pure and you believe at the time to be true.
2. The difference between a manager and a leader. A manager manages the known and a leader needs to be comfortable in the grey.
Scott has some wisdom for all of us at the end of the interview that comes from his parents.
Let’s try not to be perfect. Perfect gets in the way of excellence.Be excellent and be the best you can be.
Mums saying:
Good better best never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best not perfect just best. Be the best you can be not perfect.
Dads saying: 90% of what we worry about will never happen.
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