Anna Bligh: Why Running Towards a Crisis Could Have the Best Outcome
Don’t waste a crisis, says the former Queensland premier, who is adept at running towards – and putting out – political and corporate fires.
Sometimes you have to run towards the fire
2017-present: CEO, Australian Banking Association
“There were plenty of eyebrows raised when I took on this role because banks were in real trouble reputationally, they were hotly contested politically, the Labor Party was calling for a royal commission and banks were rapidly losing community trust. Perversely, that’s what attracted me. Banks matter. They are the life blood of the economy. After the government, they pull some of the biggest economic levers in the country. So getting it right really matters and the opportunity to bring together all of the skills I’ve had the opportunity to learn through politics and other parts of my career was enormously attractive. It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster ride since 2017, with a royal commission, a huge legislative reform program, a lot of focus inside banks on fixing the problems of the past and then COVID. When I sit down with all of the CEOs of Australia’s banks, it’s a very powerful table but I feel I’m with a group of people who bring values and purpose to that table. I came in to it because I was drawn to the problem and the need for this problem to be fixed. I’ve found peace with the fact that I’m the person who likes to run towards the fire and derives personal and professional satisfaction from it.”
Fast and forceful isn’t always best
2014-2017: CEO, YWCA
“It’s not easy to step away from a premier’s office but moving to the YWCA felt like coming full circle and back to my community sector roots. At that time, the YWCA was full of terrific people doing great work but their ability to compete for funding and to influence decision-makers was hampered by the fact that there were nine small YWCAs around the country. So I embarked on a very ambitious idea to merge them all into one national body. After being in government – and in a very powerful position where I could make things happen simply by directing that they happen – I had to relearn some lessons. I was a bit of a bull in a china shop for a while and impatient with people who needed a lot more care and talking before they could be persuaded. A good thing to learn about yourself is that you can adapt.”
Never, ever waste a crisis
2007-2012: Premier of Queensland
“It’s often said that the hardest problems end up on the leader’s desk and that was certainly my experience. What that often means for a political leader is they’re dealing with crises and critical issues all day. They’re high-stakes decisions but I find personal satisfaction in working with or grappling with really gnarly, complicated problems and wrestling them to the ground. Most Australians would have encountered me during the floods in 2011 and I’m firmly of the view that leaders should never waste a crisis – there is an opportunity for change and reform. How do I take this problem and use it as a lesson, a trigger for change or a motivator to do something differently or better? If you’ve got a seat at the table, use it. One thing is certain in politics – it won’t last forever so you need to have a sense of urgency.”
Learn how to say no – quickly
2006-2007: State treasurer, Queensland
“I was the first Labor woman to be treasurer and I was only the second female treasurer. I was very conscious of having to establish myself as someone who had authority, who knew her stuff and could be relied on to get the jobs that needed to be done, done. It was also a period in which I had to become very conscious of exercising power and authority. You’re having to say, ‘No, I’m not going to fund that’ or ‘We need to spend more in this area than that area.’ I had to toughen up in the Treasury portfolio. People don’t like being told no – no-one does – but they do want decisions and they do value certainty. So one of the things I learnt is there’s no point in putting off ‘no’. They will respect you more if you’re decisive and you give them good reasons.”
Engage all of your stakeholders
2001-2005: Queensland education minister and leader of government parliamentary business
“When I became education minister, Queensland had one less year of schooling than other states. Our children started school younger and our school completion rates were lower. So I felt the agenda was very clear – we had to fix the structures and the whole shape of our education system – but these were groundbreaking reforms. On the day I announced the reforms I was in such a rush to get them out that I failed to appropriately consult with the Catholic education system, which educates a quarter of children in Queensland. It was a good lesson in how important every single stakeholder is – and I had a long morning tea with the Archbishop [smiles]. You cannot engage in transformation without spending a huge amount of time, effort and thought about how you bring everybody with you.”
Learn how to achieve consensus
1990-1995: Senior policy officer, Queensland Office of Cabinet, then Department of Employment, Vocational Education, Training and Industrial Relations
“The Queensland public service was absolutely critical to my political career because it gave me a rock-solid grounding in how to navigate complex bureaucracies. I don’t think you can ever overstate the importance of those navigational skills – being able to sit back and work out how the structures influence the outcomes, where the doorways for approvals are and how to get through them. Some people call them soft skills but being able to form relationships with the right people and drive consensus is often underestimated. In my first six months, I was frankly quite befuddled about how to get from A to B, how to make things progress, but I gradually learnt those skills. What sort of arguments are they going to find compelling? How to get through their door? I learnt a lot about negotiating and finding consensus.”
A sense of purpose is vital
1981-1983: Childcare worker, Women’s House
“I was facing very confronting circumstances – children with cigarette burns, children with serious developmental delays, children who were terrified of adults and manifesting that in all sorts of ways. Even though my primary responsibility was organising activities for the children, there were times when I was dealing directly with women who were coming into the refuge. You can’t hear all those stories without developing a burning sense of injustice. It was very hard work emotionally and it would have been easy to walk away. But purpose and passion are strong drivers; they keep you doing things that you often don’t want to do – things that are emotionally challenging and exhausting. If you’ve got a real sense of purpose and passion, that will get you through.”
Image credit: Nic Walker
