Women in Local Government Leadership Summit 2024

Written Communication 101 

- Explore a range of communication styles and how it will help when using written communication 

- Understanding and segmenting your audience

- Creating key messages and incorporating them into your communication

- Defining the best written media for your communication

Writing for different local Government channels and message formats 

- The basic structure of agendas, emails, letters, ministerial proposals and reports

- The importance of grammar and punctuation

- Government writing Do’s and Don'ts - email etiquette

- Using clear, concise and inclusive language with the right tone of voice 

Writing for impact and influence

- How to communicate with your reader in mind for impactful engagement 

- Set clear objectives and build a logical structure 

- The importance of planning, drafting, editing and proofreading 

- Communicate key messages with the right level of detail

Writing for different purposes 

- How to respond to get what you want from to stakeholders 

- How to handle difficult complaints and communications 

- Writing in practice: Interactive practical exercise application of skills learned

Join Liquid Learning for this kick-off session as we prepare for two days of incredible speakers, senior leaders, expert deep-dives and unmissable panel discussions!

When we bring our whole selves to work, we don't differentiate between our professional and personal personas, allowing us to take the lessons that we learn in life and apply them to our leadership journeys. In this session, Tilla reflects on the challenges she has overcome running ultra-distance trail adventure races and how she has applied this to her leadership journey in local government.

- Find learning opportunities from your hobbies and apply them to your career

- Approach challenges with a life long learner mindset

- Pave your way to success

Transitioning into local government leadership presents its own set of challenges. Now, imagine being the first woman to lead your division in a predominantly male industry. Join us as we delve into this journey with Samantha. Discover her insights on navigating this transition and driving impactful change.

- Uncover the intricacies of leading in a new environment

- Identify strategies for fostering inclusivity and innovation

- Gain inspiration to empower yourself and others in local government leadership

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments.

Having clear aims and outcomes is the first step in achieving your career goals. Setting smaller, achievable stepping-stone targets creates a pathway to help you navigate towards your overall epic career goal. In this session, join your chair, Rebecca to understand the key to creating goals that will motivate, energise and direct your career trajectory.

- Create your personalised action plan

- Prioritise your event experience

- Get started on achieving your goals TODAY!

Building a successful team is never easy. Add more people to the mix and achieving high performance can be even harder to reach. So how do you define high performance and ensure you maintain this as your team grows in numbers? Join Gail as she shares her strategies for leading large teams across local government and her passion for high performance.

- Explore the complexities of different personalities in large teams

- Understand your current team dynamics and identify where you want to get to

- Gain strategies for maintaining success with large teams

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

Why did you start working in local government? With staff turnover rates remaining at a pre-pandemic high, it's vital that we advocate the reasons that people stay and support progression within our organisations. In this panel discussion, hear from seasoned leaders on how they are tackling this in their world.

- Create diversity of thought through recruiting a variety of experiences and backgrounds

- Identify different avenues for development and progression within your council

- Put recruitment processes under the microscope and attract top talent

Resilience - it's more than just bouncing back from setbacks, its adapting to the constant changing world, coping with disruption and, as a leader it's being a stable presence for your team. So how can you strengthen your resilience as a leader? Join Tennille in this session as she reflects on the times she's relied on her resilience throughout her career and how she works to strengthen this as a leader.

- Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks

- Regulate your emotions, maintain focus and remain calm amongst the chaos

- Be a beacon of stability for your team

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders. Enjoy a light refreshment before finishing your conference experience.

Saying “no” is tough. High-achievers are programmed to accept challenges, seize opportunities, and pursue success relentlessly. Yet, overcommitting and stretching yourself too thin can quickly become counterproductive. In this session, Jo delves into setting healthy, respectful boundaries and shares strategies to help you define and communicate your priorities.

- Explore practical steps to redefine your relationship with boundaries

- Confidently communicate your expectations to achieve your well-being aspirations

- Lead with clarity, unwavering purpose, and authentic power

Join us for our end of day one networking. Enjoy canapés and drinks whilst getting to know your peers further, build ongoing relationships, and share your highlights of the day.

We're back! Another day and a whole lot more learning to come - time to check back in with your fellow leaders.

Tick off any goals you scored on Day One, develop an implementation plan for your new goals and set yourself up for another exciting day!

Like many career pathways, navigating the world of local government doesn't come without challenges but it can be an extremely rewarding career choice when you learn to face challenges head on. In this session Jenny reflects on her journey through local government and how she has finetuned her skills to communicate effectively and embrace being a woman in leadership.

- Learn from a seasoned professional and translate her learnings into your world

- Leverage your womanhood to be a successful leader

- Elevate your leadership and inspire those around you

Working in local government comes with constant change, especially when approaching elections or dealing with new councillors. In this session, Sally shares her top tips for navigating transitioning relationships and succeeding in turbulent election landscapes.

- Understand the values of your councillors

- Navigate changing priorities and timeframes

- Build trust quickly with new councillors

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments.

Imagine a world in which we were always confident in what we were doing. Where we didn't second guess our abilities, question if it was the right career move or what someone else might think of us. As leaders we are looked up to by the people around us but sometimes we struggle to see the superhero that they see. Join Bron in this session to take control of your destiny and drive your own achievements.

- Discover your superpowers and take control of your career

- Identify your motivations and drivers and embrace your strengths

- Develop the art of self-reflection with honesty and courage

From accelerating self-development to progressing in your career, there are so many benefits to mentoring for both parties in the relationship. Finding the right mentor can help guide you through your career and expose you to new perspectives and opportunities. In this session, Rebecca shares her experiences of utilising mentors throughout her career and how she pays it forward by mentoring others.

- Identify possible mentors and explore how to initiate a new mentoring relationship

- Understand the difference between mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship

- Seek support with taking the next step in your career

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

Flexible working is about rethinking where, how and when we work to support healthier work/life management and engagement of your teams. But its not a one size fits all approach, so what does flexible working look like in local government and how do we, as leaders ensure that new arrangements work for both council and its employees? In this panel discussion we delve into the benefits and considerations of everything that comes with flexible working arrangements.

- Find the balance and communicate your expectations clearly

- Reap the benefits flexibility can bring to your team

- Understand individual needs and circumstances to find the best fit for everyone

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that communication skills are one of the most important things to develop as a leader, especially in local government. Where negotiating policy, influencing and advocating for the community is the norm. This can be challenging enough when English is your first language so how as leaders do we support our people who may have English as an additional language? In this session we hear from Dr Zelinda Sherlock, the first woman of non-European heritage to win a seat on Hobart City Council, on her leadership journey and how she supports the development of English language services within Hobart City Council.

- Finetune your language to communicate effectively

- Explore how you can support your multilingual team members

- Negotiate your way through a successful leadership career

We wrap up our two days of insight and inspiration with this interactive roundtable session. This is your chance to table any topic or trend for a final group discussion. Network with your peers, reflect on your journey so far and create an action plan to carry you forward!

- Reflect on your key takeaways from the Summit

- Identify opportunities for career progression and growth

- Create an action plan for your leadership journey

Develop self-awareness and authenticity

- Values-based leadership: what it means to be an authentic leader

- Identify personal strengths and potential de-railers as a leader

- Determined the most effective way to utilise your optimal leadership style within the context of your organisation

High level communication, influence and negotiation skills

- Manage emotions for positive and assertive communication and relationships

- Develop effective techniques of persuasion, negotiation and influence using coaching skills and “conversational intelligence”

- Build confidence to prepare for and successfully navigate difficult conversations 

Develop self and others with “reflective leadership”

- Understand the benefits of reflective practice 

- Develop skills to engage in reflective practice

- Using reflective practice to improve organisational culture and relationships 

Strategic career progression

- Everyday career management practices and creating a personal leadership plan

- Maximise relationships and build new ones for professional opportunities

- Manage personal branding and visibility effectively

Transformational leadership strategies to accelerate team performance

- Leverage team dynamics to optimise performance

- Challenge, support and empower others to excel 

- Develop strategies to manage uncooperative team members

Drive change and innovation as a leader

- Recognise and overcome obstacles to change

- Learn to trust your intuition, take risks and step outside your comfort zone

- Create a culture of positive change 

Remain productive in a crisis

- Build resilience to thrive under pressure

- Support your team and engage others to deliver

- Debrief after crisis - Provide and accept feedback

Action planning for leadership

- Develop a personalised approach to development that spans short and long-term goals

- Identify and understand personal and organisational challenges 

- Share approaches to move your career forward