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Recipients announced for 2017 Clearwater Water Leader Scholarships

Clearwater is excited to announce our 2017 Clearwater Water Leader Scholarship recipients. Our five emerging water leaders from across the state will spend the next 9 months strengthening their leadership skills to influence, drive change and advance integrated water management. Congratulations to Catherine McInerney, Travis Riches, Anne Derriman, Anthony Burrell and Dean Phillips! Read on below to find out more about our scholarship recipients' motivations, challenges and expectations.

This is a fantastic opportunity and Clearwater is thrilled to be working with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and offer these scholarships to support the delivery of Water for Victoria, the Integrated Water Management Framework and associated IWM Forums.

 

Catherine McInerney, Environmental Water Resources Officer, North East Catchment Management Authority

What motivates you in your current role?
I am motivated by the fact that I have ability to be able to drive positive change in water management in Victoria through the environmental water and water resource management frameworks.

What major leadership challenges do you currently face?
I think my leadership skills can be hindered by the absence of confidence to employ them.

How do you think the Water Leadership Program will benefit you in your role?
I hope it will enhance my ability to influence stakeholders, as well as becoming more effective at delivering messages to groups or to stakeholders. I would like to develop my leadership skills to exert more influence on the private water industry, for Water Management Plan and Local Management Plan reviews within the North East region of Victoria. The Integrated Water Management framework recently launched in Victoria also provides opportunities to contribute and/or co-ordinate projects to enable livable and resilient towns and communities.

 

Travis Riches, Environment Coordinator, Colac Otway Shire Council

What motivates you in your current role?
I am passionate about protecting and enhancing our environmental assets, such as waterways, threatened species and biodiversity. I am fortunate to be in a role where I over see a variety of project that help to provide an environmental and community benefit, such as waterway restoration and urban planning (e.g. Integrated water management).

What major leaderships challenges do you currently face?
There are opportunities to integrate more environmental and IWM consideration into all aspects of the work that Council delivers, from strategic planning through to infrastructure upgrades. I don’t believe that Council takes full advantage of these opportunities and which is a major leadership challenge for me.

How do you think the Water Leadership Program will benefit you in your role?
It will help me to influence others to ensure that these opportunities are realised, which will have a whole raft of benefits for Council and the community.

 

Anne Derriman, Programs Area Lead (Waterways Asset Management), Melbourne Water

What motivates you in your current role?
I like to deliver and this role certainly provides this opportunity. My team is challenged with delivering something that hasn’t been done before. It is difficult and there are many stakeholders. 2018 will be very busy and we have a step change in the workload. It is going to be hard but fun.

What major leaderships challenges do you currently face?
I manage a small team of three and I have been in the role for just over a year. I am challenged by the difference in style of each individual, as well as ensuring they each perform to their potential. I am surprised by how much I need to be involved with every deliverable. I don’t want to micro manage, but I am a person with attention to detail, so it is a fine line to walk. I am working on providing better guidance and planning deliverables, to ensure I get the outcomes I desire. This will also help with optimising my own time to get a good work/life balance. Lastly our larger team is going to be included in a restructure and we have recently had a few openings in the team. This requires recruitment as well as upskilling and the timing is not great.

How do you think the Water Leadership Program will benefit you in your role?
I am envisaging I will have a set of ‘tools and tricks’ which I can apply in day to day management of people and also when difficult situations arise. I have always been good at managing upwards, but need to improve my skills in managing downwards. I am very dedicated to my work and need to learn how to switch off/turn down the emotions that are connected with this.

 

Anthony Burrell, Manager Strategic Assets, North East Water

What motivates you in your current role?
Embedding a system approach to Asset Management and building a collaborative partnership with customers.

What major leaderships challenges do you currently face?
Managing multiple teams along with influencing change whilst achieving the corporate objectives comes with challenges. By enhancing my ability as a leader in this environment will give me the skills to elevate my leadership impacts consistent with our strategies, learn how to engage others and other business units to deliver results that wouldn’t otherwise happen and expand my effectiveness in building a collaboration, accountability and performance team.

How do you think the Water Leadership Program will benefit you in your role?

  • Elevate my leadership impacts consistent with North East Waters strategies.
  • Learn new frameworks and tools for engaging others to deliver results that wouldn’t otherwise happen.
  • Expand my effectiveness in building an environment of collaboration, accountability and performance.


Dean Phillips, Asset Engineer, Western Water

What motivates you in your current role?
It is a challenging time where a lot is changing in the industry. Water corporations are being expected to do more with less.
In addition, in the context of Integrated Water Management, the issues we set out to solve are more complex which allows me to apply my analytical thinking skills.

What major leaderships challenges do you currently face?

  • With leadership comes more responsibility and a more varied work load. This presents the opportunity for me to refine my project management and organisation skills.
  • As an emerging leader, it is a steep learning curve. Being open to new ideas and challenges allows me to build confidence in areas outside of my comfort zone.
  • During busy periods it can be difficult to maintain focus, prioritise the most important tasks and resist the day-to-day disruptions that can delay timelines.

How do you think the Water Leadership Program will benefit you in your role?
The Water Leadership Program will benefit me by:

  • Giving me the skills to influence others through change management.
  • Helping me to prioritise and manage my time better