Reflections on Dr Liz Walker: From Surviving to Thriving

Leadership and Wellbeing

In our previous episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Liz Walker, CEO of RSPCA Victoria. We discussed her journey as a successful CEO and her ability to balance the various aspects of life whilst seeking to maintain wellbeing. Today, I reflect on our conversation and share my thoughts on the key insights she had to offer, including the strategies that take her from merely surviving, to thriving as a leader.
An important topic Liz and I discussed was the concept of achieving more by doing less, an idea presented by Tiffany Dufu in her book Drop The Ball. With this idea in mind, letting go of perfection and finding a balance that works for you can release some of the pressure that comes with being a high performing leader. This idea is especially relevant for female leaders in business who often face the challenge of juggling multiple responsibilities.
I believe great leaders have the ability to deeply reflect on themselves in order to continue improving and become the best leaders they can be. Self-reflection is something that Liz highly values, and her dedication to being vulnerable in order to achieve this is admirable. I dive a little deeper and discuss the four quadrants of the Johari Window, a framework used to improve self-awareness and understanding of others.
Another key topic Liz and I discussed was adaptive leadership, which includes building a supportive team in order to enhance wellbeing. Liz shared her strategies for creating problem solvers rather than continually stepping in to resolve conflicts, and how this helps to prevent burnout for both her and her team. I discuss what Liz shared around creating a flexible working environment and fostering openness around mental health in the workplace.
There’s a huge amount of research that shows simply being grateful enhances one’s wellbeing and happiness. I talk about Liz’s methods for cultivating gratitude, such as finding small moments of joy in everyday life and appreciating the little things. I also discuss my own gratitude practices and how this helps to maintain a positive mindset, even amidst life’s challenges.
My conversation with Liz was highly interesting in that it provided a slightly different perspective on life and leadership to her male counterparts. And while her insights are particularly valuable for female leaders, I believe the wisdom she shared will benefit anyone seeking to find balance in work, relationships and parenthood.
LINKS:

Book mentioned: Drop the Ball: Achieving More By Doing Less by Tiffany Dufu

Connect with Hayden:

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- APS College of Organisational Psychologists

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