Leadership in Action

Tasmanian Leaders offers a range of proven social impact initiatives which support the wider Tasmanian community to thrive. This is in line with our commitment to inspire and build a brighter future for our State.

In 2024, we launched Leadership in Action, a reinvigorated pillar of our work aimed at inspiring individuals to envision potential futures and take collective action. Focusing primarily on members within the Tasmanian Leaders Network, this initiative extends its impact to shape Tasmania’s future and beyond.

At its core, Leadership in Action is about generating collective action, and amplifying the adaptive capacity within our organisations and communities, with our graduates leading the charge. It is to help us think and act differently for the benefit of Tasmania.

This work will better enable us to seize unforeseen opportunities, adapt swiftly to change, and fortify ourselves against future challenges. This work is increasingly important as we deal with adaptive challenges that are difficult to foresee and even harder to solve such as the impacts of climate change, response and recovery to natural disaster, the impacts of dis-information and misinformation as well as increasing polarisation and societal tensions.

Leadership in Action is a key strategy to activate our network to positively impact Tasmania and cross connect our program cohorts.

Research and insights to inspire action

Building Belonging Through Leadership : A discussion paper for Tasmanian Leaders

When belonging is weak, wellbeing declines, innovation slows, and communities begin to fragment. 

Our latest discussion paper, Building Belonging Through Leadership : A discussion paper for Tasmanian Leaders authored by Dr Joseph Crawford reveals that belonging isn’t a soft sentiment, it is the foundation of effective leadership. It shows how leaders can create cultures of safety, trust and shared purpose that help people and organisations thrive. 

Key takeaways:

• Tasmania reports its highest digital connectivity, and yet faces its greatest level of social disconnection and loneliness, with workplaces often struggling to create environments where people feel valued, connected, and productive.
  
• Hybrid work, transactional organisational cultures, and limited investment in evidence-based approaches mean that belonging is often left to chance. Leaders report that strategies are fragmented, with little clarity on what belonging really is, or how to foster it.
  
• Building belonging must be recognised as an essential leadership capability. Workplaces can be more than sites of employment; they can become sites of connection, growth, and community strength. Leaders who embed belonging will not only enhance organisational outcomes but will also contribute to the broader social fabric of Tasmania.

Leading in Complexity 2024: An Initial Enquiry in Tasmania

Leading in Complexity 2024: An Initial Enquiry in Tasmania by complexity leadership expert Dr. Aiden M. A. Thornton delves into the distinctive challenges and opportunities for developing leadership within the Tasmanian context. Through an in-person workshop and survey, the report draws on the experiences of dozens of leaders across multiple sectors, to illustrate the challenges of leading productively and inclusively in today’s environment.

The report explores 14 essential complexity leadership skills ranging from self-awareness and resilience to systems thinking and digital competency. Recommendations include embedding these skills into educational and leadership programs, fostering collective leadership development, and establishing conflict resolution frameworks to address polarisation and competing priorities.

This work is more than an inquiry into complexity leadership—it is a call to action. Understanding the challenges Tasmanian leaders face and the skills they need is just the first step; real impact comes from applying these insights.

Key takeaways:

• Tasmanian leaders grapple with complex systems, entrenched structures and competing priorities in a tightly interconnected state
• Outdated systems, socio-economic disparities, and limited resources hinder bold and adaptive leadership
• Leaders must adopt systems thinking, collaboration, digital and technological competency, and innocation to effectively navigate complexity while balancing preservation and economic progress.

Leadership in Action is proudly supported by