“Leadership is humbling, and it is an honour to lead people.” UNSW graduate reflects on her first Learn to Lead program.

For UNSW Business and Technology graduate Michele Owen, a Program Change Manager at the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA), the program has offered transformative insights into modern leadership.

Michele joined the Learn to Lead program for the first time this year, driven by a recent role change and the intriguing topics on offer. “I have a deep love of learning to keep myself current and saw this opportunity to refresh and renew my perception of leadership.”

And she’s not alone. This year over 3,600 alumni, staff and students enrolled in the course and rated it an overall 8.5 out of 10.

As an organisational change manager, Michele reflected on this year's program theme of "progress needs resilient leaders" and remarked that she found the course content highly applicable to her work. “In my role as an organisational change manager, I am immersed in delivering change every day,” she explains. “What was helpful in these topics was the refreshing look into today’s science, research, and thinking. I was able to reflect on what was known in the 80s and 90s, what has been in place so far, what’s worked and what hasn’t. It was helpful to hear how those theories have evolved over time and more research on those studies has shed light on new understanding”.

For Michele, the course reinforced the multifaceted nature of effective leadership. “Defining a great leader is a challenging ask,” she reflects. “This course reminded me that leadership comes in many forms, depending on the environment, the situation, and the outcome that you are looking to lead.”

Michele also acknowledged the challenges faced by leaders, particularly in managing change. “I was reminded of the challenges that leaders face, when change is needed but the impacted audience is growling at the prospect of having to face another change,” she says. “How do you hold yourself up every day and hope that this will be better than expected, knowing that it is tough for everyone, including the leader? Leadership is humbling and it is an honour to lead people.”

When asked about the value of continual learning offered through the Learn to Lead program, Michele shared that she values the opportunity to periodically recalibrate her leadership approach. “I would do the program again,” she affirms. “It reminded me of the value of taking a few weeks out each year to sharpen your thinking and perspective. As it can be so easy to get stuck in your own rut.”

Armed with newfound knowledge and skills, Michele expressed her commitment to continue implementing the learnings from Learn to Lead in her workplace. And she’s not the only one, 93% of respondents thought that the course has enriched their understanding of how to lead with resilience in a constantly changing landscape and 91% said they would recommend the program to a colleague. 

As the leadership landscape continues to evolve, UNSW’s Learn to Lead program remains a key resource for graduates like Michele Owen, helping them to stay ahead and lead with confidence and insight.

Here is what some other learners had to say about the program this year:

“Wonderful initiative and grateful as an alumni to be able to get this kind of ongoing development at a level higher than most professional organisations.” says Social Sciences graduate Maryann.      

“These free bite-sized lessons are always a good reminder that education is a crucial key in life.” says Commerce graduate David         

“I am a repeat learner to this course and have now participated over a number of years.  The course topic was extremely relevant this year and very useful for my professional and personal life.  Please keep running this course as it brings so much value to the alumni!” says Commerce graduate Cora.

As the world progresses, Learn to Lead will continue to equip UNSW graduates with the skills they need to tackle future leadership challenges head-on.

If you’re a UNSW graduate and interested in enrolling in next year’s Learn to Lead program, make sure your details are up to date so you don’t miss out on this, and other exclusive alumni benefits.