(L-R) Marie-Astrid Ottenhof (Growing Leader), Jacinta Fong (Growing Leader), Celia Van Sprang (Growing Leader), Jess Lye (AUSVEG), Sze Flett (Agriculture Victoria), Shayne Hyman (IDO — VegPRO), Steph Tabone (Growing Leader), Hannah McArdle (Growing Leader), Natalie O’Donnell (Growing Leader), Camilla Humphries (Growing Leader)

Eighteen budding young managers seized the chance to flourish by applying for the Growing Leaders program, which launched in March. Funded by Hort Innovation, the program is the only national leadership and development initiative tailored for the vegetable industry.

Content focuses on personal, business and industry change and management. During the six-month program, participants are exposed to a range of challenges including handling conflict, delivering effective communication, holding efficient meetings, high performance team building and managing change and members of the media. Workshops over the coming months offer the opportunity to step away from the everyday and take time to reflect. Here are some reflections from a recent Growing Leaders workshop.

“My life is so operational and fast — it is such a change of pace and great to sit in a room and think rather than solely being focused on ‘what is the next job’.”

“I am clear that at the next networking event I will be borrowing some more ‘extraversion’ — showing extrovert behaviours to ensure that I am seen and heard.”

For information about the program, contact [email protected]; www.affectusaus.com.au