Newsroom

8 December , 2003

Interview Transcript

Champions of the Bush Chairman John Brown ABC Statewide Victoria, Presenter Kathy Bedford.

Topic: Importance of leadership in country communities

Bedford: Right now, we want to talk about leadership. We hear a lot these days about the importance of leaders in regional communities.

In fact, Mark Latham, the new leader of the ALP has been talking about generational change in leadership a lot lately. So why is it so important and who are the leaders for regional Victoria?

We'd like to hear from you this morning if you can think of people in your community who are real leaders. Is it those who actually put their hands up and take a leadership role - like your local Mayor - or are there others who are doing it with less of a profile perhaps?

I'm keen to hear your views this morning - 1300 303 468 - what makes a good leader?

Well today I'm joined by one of the leaders from the north-east, John Brown from Brown Brothers at Milawa. John is not only Chairman of the family wine business, he's also Chairman of Champions of the Bush, and a member of the State Government's Regional Development Advisory Group.

Good morning John.

Brown: Good morning Kathy.

Bedford: John, you've been involved in setting up leadership courses in regional Victoria, why is leadership important?

Brown: I think leadership is very important Kathy. Leadership helps communities and organisations to adapt to change and achieve whatever their goals might be.

All the resources - the people, the skills and the ideas - might be available, but without someone taking a lead, not much will happen. People will lose a lot of energy talking about doing things but actually nothing comes together and happens.

So I think it's very important.

Bedford: Leadership, could we argue, is even more important in regional communities to make sure we do get a voice on the big city stage?

Brown: Well I think it is extremely important in regional communities and our regional communities are missing out a little bit on leadership I believe. There are a lot of young people who make their way to the city - the more mobile and perhaps more intelligent young people from the rural communities tend to drift off to the city where the high life and the good jobs are.

As well as that of course, young people go to university in the city and they tend to build their social networks there. When they finish their studies they usually get jobs in the city rather than return to the bush. So the cream of our leadership potential is drifting off in that direction.

Bedford: As I said, you've been involved in setting up leadership courses in regional Victoria, what sort of people are those courses targeted at?

Brown: There are two different types of groups Kathy. There's one group for business leaders - and I refer to the Victorian Regional Executive Group that's got two or three leadership programs going in regional Victoria now. That's aimed at the CEOs of the larger businesses in the regional communities and that helps those business leaders be better managers and better able to work with the people in their businesses.

It helps them to create a more harmonious work place and a more productive work place. In turn, they will be the ones that create more jobs. On the other hand there's the community leadership program which develops more along the lines of people to take on councillor roles in local government and the Landcare groups and perhaps chair kindergarten committees and things like that where there is a real demand for community leaders.

Bedford: Can you teach leadership John - isn't it something that you're born with?

Brown: I believe it is something you can teach Kathy. I think there are natural leaders, just like there are natural sports people. But you can learn a game of sport, even though you're not a natural. You may never reach the pinnacle of excellence but you can still make a big impression in that sport. I think the same thing occurs in leadership. If you learn the tools and have a network of people who can act as back-up for you, then certainly you can improve your performance.

Bedford: So what are the tools? What makes a great leader?

Brown: I think it's the ability to get other people to follow your vision. To find a vision in the first place, or an idea that a lot of people would feel they would like to develop, and then get those people all pulling in the same direction so that idea can be achieved.

If a leader doesn't come along and take an idea, the idea might bounce around among a lot of people. People tend to have heart disease and say 'they oughta do this and they oughta do that'. Actually in the end, nothing very much happens.

Bedford: So is it about communication skills? Being able to communicate what you strongly believe in?

Brown: Yes - that's one of the critical skills. I think a leader has a lot of skills to develop and communication of course is extremely important. That's the tool you use to get the others to share your vision and then get behind whatever it is you're trying to do and then go forward.

Bedford: What do you think is a good training ground for our leaders of tomorrow? You've obviously learnt from business, and your own family business of Brown Brothers Wines, but we see a lot of people probably learn the ropes by getting into Local Government. Or do you think industry and business is the best way to learn? Or is it being involved in community groups - perhaps volunteering?

Brown: I think perhaps all of those are important Kathy. I developed my leadership skills in a group in Melbourne. Over the 10 years I was of the CEO at Brown Brothers I was in a CEO's leadership development group and that helped me enormously in business.

I'm also aware of community leadership programs like the Williamson program that's run in Melbourne - it's more designed for the community-type leaders. Now in regional Victoria there are a few programs getting going that emulate those two styles but in a somewhat simpler form.

There's one here in north-east Victoria called the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program that has about 25 people a year doing the course. And those tend to be people who will find their roles in the community as Councillors or leaders in environmental issues and things like that.

There's also another group called the Victorian Regional Executive Group which I think now has three groups going - one in Horsham, one in Wangaratta and one in Wodonga. They are aimed at developing business leadership skills so that the businesses that those people run become more vibrant and more progressive and more profitable.

Bedford: Is it harder to be a leader in country town? Perhaps people might be reluctant to stand out from the crowd.

Brown: I don't think itÕs harder to be a leader in a country town. There's always lots of demand for leaders - in fact, there's more demand than there is leaders. There seems to be too few who are inclined to take on the task.

I think Ti's because they don't have the skills or the confidence to get up and do it.

Good leaders don't fear standing out from the crowd. Leaders who have had the development and have begun to prove their ability are not afraid of the crowd - they are pleased to be seen.

Bedford: But wouldn't there be a bit of fear with that tall poppy syndrome, knowing that you put yourself out there and there will be many who are just waiting to cut you down?

Brown: Well I think there is a little bit of that too. But again, good leaders can handle that. If you don't have strong leaders, perhaps they get knocked off their perch, and they feel that it's just all too hard.

Wouldn't it be great if we were to champion our leaders like we do our sportspeople and give them some support and confidence. I think it would make a great deal of difference to the prosperity and the lifestyle of the bush.

Bedford: Well I'm really just thrilled to hear about the courses - there's obviously some people out there already who are recognising the importance of if - but how can we do it even better? What can we do to encourage leadership development?

Brown: I'd like to see more of these courses available throughout regional Victoria. I'd like to see them available to everybody so that nobody has to travel too great a distance - because that makes it difficult for them to attend the meetings.

Also I think we should be doing more to champion our leaders - perhaps even have a leadership Emmys Award if you like.

Bedford: I like that. That's a great idea.

Brown: Something like that where leaders are chosen out of the community and put on a 'glamour stand' for a while. Give them real recognition for the work that they are doing. It might become something that people aspire to rather than renege on.

Bedford: Are these some ideas that you've actually been putting to the State Government's Regional Development Advisory Group that you're involved with John?

Brown: Well I have discussed it around the committee table but it needs to be developed further before it actually becomes a recommendation to Mr Brumby.

Bedford: Well best of luck with those projects and thankyou for joining us this morning.

Brown: You're welcome.

Bedford: That was John Brown who is the Chairman of Champions of the Bush. Darren Chester normally speaks to us at this time but he's handed over the reins to the Chairman of the group - and John Brown is also the Chairman of the family wine business and also a member of the State Government's Regional Development Advisory Group.

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