The Forest Products Commission is now home to two graduates of the Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) pilot industry leadership program For Our Future. Source: Timberbiz
Senior Policy Officer Bronwen Williams and Operations Projects Officer Jane Charles both completed the intensive program and found it to be a hugely rewarding development opportunity, and think it will have a big impact on the future of the industry.
“We attended one intensive four-day residential session in WA, before coming together with the South Australia group for a five-day learning program in Melbourne in early June,” Ms Williams said.
“The intensive program was confronting at times, as participants were asked to reflect on how they handled different situations and gain greater insight into how others interpret the same situation,” Ms Charles said.
Other parts of the program included initial assessment and testing, different ways of framing issues, organisational dynamics, and conflict resolution.
“One of my most valuable takeaways from the program is that leadership is a set of skills, not a position, and that emotional intelligence is critical to understanding the root cause of the challenges we face in our professional and personal lives,” Ms Williams said.
Other participants in the program included Wespine, Wesbeam, Australian Bluegum Plantations, WA Plantation Resources, Bunbury Fibre Exports, and LV Dohnt & Co.
“We tackled an industry problem as a group, and organised field trips to each other’s operations which gave us a better understanding of each other’s business and the industry more broadly,” Ms Williams said.
“I believe the delivery of this program will provide long term benefit to the industry, building a platform of collaboration to support a vibrant and sustainable industry into the future, and we encourage the FWPA to support another program.”
