More a pragmatist than a perfectionist

ASSOCIATE professor Rosemary Aldrich, Ballarat Health Services’ Chief Medical Officer will be speaking at the Australian Women’s Leadership Forum, being held in Ballarat on Friday, 15 March.

Professor Aldrich, a journalist before qualifying as a doctor, then subsequently as a public health physician with specialty qualifications in medical leadership and management, will join four other Ballarat leaders in a panel discussion to assist forum delegates refresh their perspectives on leadership.

“I have a mnemonic I use which I think leadership is all about no matter who you are,” said Professor Aldrich.

“My five things are values, vision, strategy, support and shared resourcing, underpinned by personal principles of leading and managing people,” she said.

Professor Aldrich plans to elaborate on her basic leadership tenets at the forum.

“I believe my job at whatever level I am at is to help people do their job to the best of their ability with what resources and support I can provide,” she said. “I am much more a pragmatist than a perfectionist.”

Professor Aldrich believes as a leader, if you appoint the right person to a role the best thing is to get out of their way and let them get on with it with support and encouragement.

“They own it, they love it, they bring expertise, they feel valued, they see the fruits of their efforts and it is a way of helping people to become engaged, motivated and bring their best to the task at hand,” she said.

For more information on March’s Australian Women’s Leadership Forum to be held in Ballarat visit wla.edu.au/leadershipforum2019.html for more information and to book tickets.

A standard ticket to the event is $395 per person but the Ballarat Times News Group is offering a discounted ticket price for readers.

Enter the code BTIMES when booking online for a ticket price of $230 per person.