Discovering Your Leadership Potential
As a senior officer in Australia's Queensland Police Service, Virginia Nelson understands the challenges of leadership. She also understands that, despite her vast experience and insight, there's much about leadership that she has yet to learn. To help close the knowledge gap and gain a more global perspective, she applied, with the support of a scholarship from her country's Chief Executive Women organization, to attend the Authentic Leader Development (ALD) program at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education. She shares a few thoughts about her time in the program.
What are the biggest challenges facing your organization, and how has this program helped you tackle them?
In my view the biggest challenges are in security environment, as well as diversity both in the community and internally within our organization. I was surprised to learn from people in Turkey, Russia, America, Brazil, the UAE, and many other counties how they are experiencing the challenges of a changing security environment. What I learned gives me insight from a cultural perspective—especially how to see things through a different lens as a leader.
In terms of diversity, Australia is growing as a multicultural nation, and gender equality is emerging as the social issue of our time. As a senior officer in the Queensland Police Service, I am among the top 2.7 percent. Several external reviews of other law enforcement agencies have found systemic sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination within their organizations. My organization accepts that we are experiencing the same issues. Therefore, the challenge before us is to shift to an inclusive culture that is diverse, that represents our community, and that provides equal opportunities as well as the best leadership and decision-making for the community we serve. This program enabled me to see more clearly how I lead, how I can contribute to shaping the strategic direction of my organization, and how I can influence change in a positive way.
How did the participant mix contribute to your learning experience?
Although my work is focused on law enforcement in Australia, international terrorism has created a more global focus. The mix of participants—142 individuals from 44 countries—definitely contributed to my understanding of this global impact. Their diversity across experiences, industries, and businesses was astounding and a highlight of the program. Their insights and the challenges they face provided me with a better understanding and an international perspective.
What surprised you most about the on-campus experience?
I was most surprised by the relationships I was able to build in a very short time. The program is only a week long, and yet within a few days we were all sharing personal stories about who we are, as well as our challenges, our failures, our families, our leadership successes, and our motivations. The closeness we developed in such a short period of time—despite cultural, ethnic, and professional differences—enabled me to explore my own limitations and opportunities, my own successes and failures, and my potential as a senior leader in my organization as well as my career in law enforcement.
How would you describe the program's value?
ALD is perhaps the greatest highlight of my career. I have had a 28-year career in law enforcement, including many years in senior leadership and commissioned roles. But it was this program that shaped the future of my leadership, enabled me to discover my potential, and strengthened my resilience.
How has your approach to leadership changed since you returned from the program?
Today I see things through a completely different lens—one that is broader, more well rounded, and more mature. I am more thoughtful in my leadership. It is humbling to recognize how much I have learned about leadership and how much more I still have to learn. At the same time, I now have a greater desire to learn. I know now that I am capable of so much more, that I have so much to give, that I have not yet reached my potential, and that I want to drive change. I have greater clarity around my leadership purpose, and this program was invaluable in helping me see that.