Project Description
“The Water Leadership Program (WLP) is an award-winning program that helps emerging leaders to develop the ability to exert influence, drive change and advance challenging integrated water management projects – abilities associated with the most effective integrated water management leaders.
The WLP is a feedback-intensive, 10-month professional development program, underpinned by a contemporary definition of leadership, commonly known as the DAC Framework. The DAC Framework views leadership as a process of influence that accomplishes three outcomes:
– direction: a shared understanding of common goals and strategy (e.g. a shared vision for a new water management project or team)
– alignment: the joint coordination of resources and activities (e.g. aligning people, projects, funding and research in a team to deliver a shared vision)
– commitment: a commitment to collective success (e.g. motivating and inspiring others to achieve mutual interests).”
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
Emerging water leaders across all aspects of the water industry in Australia.
Outcomes to Date
“29 Participants are completing the 2023 cohort of the Water Leadership Program. These participants taken newfound leadership skills back into their workplace, with many participants receiving promotions or stepping into higher level positions on completion of the program.
Examples of typical annual evaluation results include:
– Strongly positive participant feedback.
– Strong evidence of behavioural change during the program.
– Strong evidence that a positive role can be expected in less than a year following the program assuming participants fully to commit to the program.
Participants consistently state that they have significantly improved their abilities to lead others in developing sustainable and inclusive outcomes for the water industry”
Project Significance
Effective water leadership is a key component to successfully achieve SDG 6 Water and Sanitation: The course is aimed at emerging leaders in the water industry; SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities: many participants are directly involved in delivering safe and sustainable water supply to communities and the course promotes an inclusive and sustainable approach to delivering these services; SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: The course promotes ethical and inclusive leadership that can lead to strengthened institutions.