“I get it now”: Michelle Campbell on ANZSOG’s Executive Fellows Program
4 July 2022
● News and media
ANZSOG’s Executive Fellows Program (EFP) brings together a cohort of senior public sector executives from across agencies and jurisdictions, to reflect and develop their leadership skills under the guidance of expert academics and practitioners.
The result is a program that can be career-changing for participants, who leave with a deeper understanding of their personal leadership, a new ability to think strategically and navigate the complex modern public sector environment, as well as a network of peers from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Michelle Campbell, Executive Director Capability and Systems, with the Office of Project’s Victoria joined the public sector late in her career, and says the EFP had opened her eyes to the complexities of government and the different requirements for public sector leaders.
“I was new to government and I’d done a lot of training, I’d completed my senior corporate MBA study and worked in the corporate sector for many decades. For me the EFP was like: ‘I get it now, there’s that other dimension we don’t need to factor in in corporate”
“To bring the global thought leadership together to deliver the EFP in a seamless, professional and efficient way was just out of this world.”
“It introduced concepts and theories to put into my day-to-day work, and ways to shape my thinking. It crystallised everything for me. For example, understanding the ‘Big P’ – political dimension has changed how I work.”
Ms Campbell said she had made a purpose-driven decision to shift to the public sector because she wanted to serve the community and help government deliver.
She said the EFP experience had helped her to broaden her leadership style.
“My leadership style I’d probably describe as collaborative and at times as respectfully assertive. I think the EFP has slightly changed it in, and I’ve got other factors to bring into that assertiveness.”
She said that one of the challenges facing anyone in the public sector was keeping up with the rapid pace of change outside government – particularly issues of digitisation and private sector innovation – and that the EFP had given her a new understanding of that broader environment.
The amount of guest speakers who brought insights from different government, different economies and different perspectives was absolutely fantastic, with cross-cutting themes across all the subjects. To be so innovative and current for an academic institution was just amazing.”
Applications for the next ANZSOG’s Executive Fellows Program, commencing on 29 September and running until 6 December, are now open.
Find out more about ANZSOG’s Foundation Programs
Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA)
A part-time postgraduate qualification developed and delivered by ANZSOG exclusively for high-performing public sector managers.
Executive Fellows Program (EFP)
A program that challenges senior public service executives working in the public domain to develop new leadership perspectives in a contemporary and highly interactive setting.
Towards Strategic Leadership (TSL)
A unique program that helps public service leaders develop the qualities needed to thrive in a senior executive role: a strategic outlook, political astuteness, personal resilience and the ability to reflect and learn continuously.
A program designed for new Deputies in the public sector with a focus on frank conversations with practitioners and helping participants to grow their understanding of their leadership styles, their drivers and their aspirations – and building resilience to lead with integrity.