Last night was a truly humbling experience for me. Lacy L., a Zone Readiness Officer from the Northern Rivers District of NSW State Emergency Service (SES), read my book, The Courage to Lead – Resilience and Compassion in Police Command, and was so moved by it that she asked her Commander, Gregory Swindells, if I could be the After Dinner Speaker at the NSW SES Zone Commanders Conference. The event took place at the Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour, and I had the honor of speaking to a room full of inspiring community leaders.
These leaders, many of them volunteers, were the same remarkable individuals who led the Northern Rivers region through two of the most unprecedented floods in NSW and Australia’s history. I have never felt so warmly welcomed as I shared stories from my experiences, including leading through the Mosman Collar Bomb and the first two hours of the Lindt Cafe Siege. More importantly, we discussed how to pay those lessons forward, ensuring our people, partner agencies, and communities are prepared for the next big challenge.
A key theme from my book and my talk is how to build a formidable leadership team that empowers others to foster a supportive, inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Thank you to Carlene York APM, Debbie Platz, and Sean Kearns ESM for trusting me with your incredible team of leaders. Our communities are fortunate to have such dedicated, agile, and experienced individuals, especially knowing that so many of these leaders are volunteers.
The NSW State Emergency Service is a premier organization, recognized at the national level, for its unwavering commitment and expertise in times of crisis.