Great leaders can build great organisations. Professional, purposeful and collaborative leadership in the public sector is essential as we face rapidly changing times in South Australia. It is how we lead in times of change that can determine the ongoing success of our sector.

This dynamic forum engaged senior leaders across the public sector to raise awareness and provide insights into how to manage the challenges of leadership in times of complex change. It also explored how we can come together to achieve better outcomes for South Australians and continue to build a modern public sector.

Keynote speaker Professor Lisa Paul AO PSM, former Secretary of the Federal Department of Education and Training, drew from her experience and career in the Australian Government and public sector to share her approach to, and her definition of, successful leadership. Lisa also discussed her insights into maintaining a strong culture and how to motivate teams amidst complex change.

Professor Helen Sullivan, Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy, also unpacks some of the challenges, opportunities and benefits of collaborating across government in times of change.

SA’s Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, Erma Ranieri, and SA Health’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Paddy A Phillips, then joined both keynote speakers for a panel discussion.

2017 is fast upon us…
Do you know what our priorities are for the coming year? 
Do you know how to optimise your team to deliver?
Are you developing your team members to perform at their best?
The Talking Performance forum facilitates a strategic discussion about our performance over the last year, our priorities for 2017, and how meaningful performance management and development will help the public sector respond.

Why Attend?
Talking Performance is a unique opportunity to hear from key leaders in our Public Sector and a private sector organisation with challenges just like ours.

• Recognise the good work we have done for our state and the challenges that remain
• Hear the latest thinking on the direction and priorities of the South Australian Public Sector
• Acquire actionable insights for your department or team on how to lift performance
• Network with other public sector employees

MC
The Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, Erma Ranieri

Presenters
Our Premier, Jay Weatherill, shared his vision for a high performing public sector and why he has a renewed focus on performance management and development.

Chief Executive, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Kym Winter Dewhirst reported on how the public sector has performed over the last 12 months and how it will rise to meet our challenges over the next year.

Panel Discussion – Talking Performance: How can we realise our potential?

Panellists
Eva Balan Vnuk – State Director, South Australia, Microsoft
David Reynolds – Chief Executive/Under Treasurer, Department of Treasury and Finance
Vickie Kaminski – Interim Chief Executive, SA Health South Australia

The Don Dunstan Foundation second Social Capital Residencies Showcase was an opportunity to hear about successful initiatives by our partnering organisations and to meet others working in the purpose economy.

Following an economic briefing, there was a series of rapid fire presentations from local initiatives, start-ups, established businesses and others all working on creating jobs in the purpose economy.