Leadership Across the Tasman: Insights from Australian Masterclass
Papamoa SLSC member Mat Bowling represented New Zealand recently at the National Leaders' Masterclass in Adelaide. The five-day course was delivered in partnership with Adelaide University and is designed to improve the capability of surf clubs across Australia and New Zealand.
The National Leaders' Masterclass is an annual leadership development programme for members aged 30 and over who hold senior leadership roles. It is designed to develop strategic thinking capabilities and strengthen leadership effectiveness within clubs. Participants are challenged intellectually and equipped with practical tools to lead, influence, and drive change.
Mat, who recently stepped into a chairperson role, saw the course as an opportunity to step away from short-term operational matters and focus on long-term strategy. The intensive programme provided exactly that, offering a deep dive into high-performance governance.
A major turning point during the week was a shift in how he viewed a surf club's core purpose. During a session with governance specialist Dr David White, attendees were challenged to think of themselves as being in the business of attracting and retaining volunteers, rather than just saving lives. Mat noted that successfully engaging volunteers naturally leads to the outcome of protecting the community and providing safe beaches.
The week featured a range of expert speakers and practical sessions. SLSA President Peter Agnew and CEO Adam Weir shared the organisation's strategic plan and discussed the value of being named the most trusted brand in Australia. Dr White also highlighted the importance of storytelling to build a sense of belonging and connection to the beach and the club. Looking at volunteer demographics, Adam Halliwell from Public Skills Australia presented research on youth volunteers, encouraging leaders to consider how they use social media tools to attract and retain young people. Driving these operational shifts was another focus, as Dr Marguerite Kolar facilitated discussions on the external and internal pressures that dictate whether change is implemented successfully.
Participants also enjoyed a practical visit to the West Beach SLSC to gather new ideas from a well-resourced club, before hearing from previous programme alumni who shared their stories and experiences of using their masterclass learnings in their own organisations.
Mat returned to New Zealand with numerous pages of notes and a fresh perspective on leadership. However, he is taking a measured approach to implementing these new ideas.
"I've come away flying with ideas, but the last thing you want to do is get back and change 80 things all at once," Mat said. "My immediate task is pulling it all together and working out the elements that are going to be best for us as a surf club".
The ultimate takeaway for Mat is the importance of tackling volunteer churn.
"Without attracting new volunteers, you're not going to be able to run your operations," he explained. "The biggest piece for us is making sure we actively invest time into our people, growing our volunteer base, and getting them to stay with us longer".
Surf Life Saving New Zealand would like to extend a sincere thank you to Surf Life Saving Australia for their continued partnership and for providing the opportunity to send a New Zealand candidate to this year's National Leaders' Masterclass. Collaborative initiatives like this are invaluable for sharing knowledge across the Tasman and strengthening our respective surf life saving communities.
By investing in courses like the National Leaders' Masterclass, Surf Life Saving New Zealand ensures that local clubs benefit from world-class strategic thinking and a stronger volunteer community.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Surf Life Saving Australia continue to strengthen trans-Tasman ties through shared learning and development.