Above: Emma Germano, Victorian Farmers Federation’s Group Horticulture and Industrial Association President. Photo: Jeanette Severs

Emma Germano was recently elected President of the Victorian Farmers Federation’s Industrial Association and is President of its Horticulture Group. She shares her thoughts on what makes a good leader.

“For me, leadership is the ability to create a vision and to inspire others — it’s about pushing the boundaries. While sometimes challenging, it is important to lead by example and establish and live by the values you are calling others to follow.

I see good leaders as people-oriented motivators who work to everyone’s strengths. You can’t do everything yourself; empowering others is really important. Leadership mostly requires humility, the true definition of being a leader is an attitude of servitude.

I think leadership success comes down to the ability to articulate your vision and what you are trying to achieve, and once you have that laid out, you then have some clear benchmarks and measures.

Leadership is something that can be learnt, though there’s no doubt that it comes more naturally to some than others. Observing and learning from people around you, finding a mentor or mentors, and working on self-awareness are all great strategies to enhance leadership traits.

Most importantly, you need to have a thick skin. Having a strong support base is essential and surrounding yourself with people who will challenge you by offering honest, constructive feedback ensures that you can strive for continuous improvement.”