Reflections from the Institute of Managers and Leaders leadership event with Northern Territory Chief Minister The Honourable Lia Finocchiaro by IML CEO Sam Bell FIML.
Returning to Darwin after several years was a breath of fresh air — the city’s energy and renewed optimism were palpable. This vibrant atmosphere was only amplified by meeting the Territory’s new leader, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro.
Her historic rise to power in August 2024, following a resounding victory by the Country Liberal Party (CLP), marks a pivotal moment for the Northern Territory. As the first woman from a non-Labor party to hold the position and the second-youngest Chief Minister in its history, Ms Finocchiaro symbolizes a significant shift in the region’s political landscape.
At the sold-out event, Unlock the Secrets to Leadership Success, Ms Finocchiaro discussed her career through a very personal lens to an audience of Darwin Members and advocates, including IML Chair Marie-Louise Pearson FIML Life.
Ms Finocchiaro shared her journey from the highs of being elected to Parliament, to the lows of being reduced to one of two parliamentary members at the 2016 election, and all the personal challenges in between. Aged 39, she embodies the strength and resilience that future leaders can aspire to, especially young leaders balancing family and leadership responsibilities.
Reflecting on the session, I found that these themes in quotes from the Chief Minister really resonated with the aspirations and ambitions of the best managers and leaders.
1. It’s the small gestures that count. Don’t underestimate your ability to inspire those around you.
“I think it’s a really big part of having a leadership mindset is knowing that in the smallest thing you’ve done that day, you could actually be leaving a very long-lasting impression on someone. And you never get to know when that moment in your life will be or who it is that you’ve impacted. And so the responsibility on you as a leader or a manager is really profound. And I think that’s what positive influence looks like to me. The ability in a gesture, whether it’s writing a letter, or having that wave with a child, or as simple as a satchel, being able to instil determination and belief in others is very, very powerful.”
2. Have pride and passion in what you pursue.
“As a third-generation migrant, I carry with me the resilience and the hope of my grandparents who arrived in the Northern Territory with little more than ambition in their hearts and determination in their hands. My parents instilled in me a very strong work ethic and sense of community and determination, but most of all, that pride in being a Territorian.”
3. Back yourself. It’s one thing to have the strong support of family and friends, but in the end, you need to go out there and do it for yourself.
“If you don’t make it for yourself, no amount of support will get you over the line. I just trusted that voice inside me that said now is the time and I knew inside me that if I didn’t take that opportunity, I might never get another chance and I wasn’t willing to risk that. I wasn’t willing to risk it. And I think that’s important. You have to believe in yourself and back yourself. If it feels right, back yourself – you can’t think that the opportunity is going to be there forever. Often an opportunity is only a point in time. So I backed myself and took the opportunity.”
4. You can’t trick yourself. Put in the work and leave nothing in the tank.
“You can’t trick yourself. I genuinely believe that. You know, the brain is a powerful thing. You can talk to yourself all day long and convince yourself of many things, but you genuinely can’t trick yourself. And so you must then leave nothing in the tank and that’s the approach I take to everything. I knew that on that election night, win, draw or lose, I could look at myself in the mirror proud, not because I gave it a go, not because I tried. It was because I could accept the outcome because I had left nothing in the tank. And if people didn’t like me despite me giving them my all, then I could accept that or I mustn’t be very likable. If I’m not meeting people’s aspirations or expectations despite giving it my all, then I could live with that. So again, that is one of the important things that resonate with me – leave nothing in the tank.”
5. Life is a cascade of escalating challenges. The hard times prepare you for the greater challenges ahead.
“I genuinely believe that hard times prepare you for the greater challenges ahead and life is a cascade of escalating challenges, whether they’re in your personal life or in your professional life. And every time you take a hit, it’s just preparing you for whatever that next hit looks like. It’s arming you for what the future brings. And so I never let those setbacks define me. I use them to learn and to build my resilience and I take that mindset going forward, that this challenge is just a really important preparation for whatever is coming next.”
6. Move fast and take action when given an opportunity.
“I’ve declared this year our year of action, certainty and security and it’s the Lunar New Year, the year of a snake. And just like the snake, 2025 is a year of shedding skin and transforming. We’re moving as fast as we can to deliver reform for the Territory and while we’ve made significant progress in just six months, there’s so much work to do. I know some people aren’t used to this pace. I know everyone is thinking slow down. But we won’t slow down. I have a finite opportunity and we’ve got to do everything we can to wake up every day and rebuild the Territory as we promised the community that we would. We’ve been given this opportunity for a reason, I’ve been given this opportunity for a reason.”
7. Leadership requires learning and self-belief.
“My journey has shown me that leadership requires great patience and perseverance, and in the hard times is where your skills and experiences are formed. But above everything else, you must believe in yourself, believe that you can do it. And that’s exactly what I’ll continue to do while I get the opportunity to serve in the Territory at the highest level.”
At our sold-out Unlock the Secrets to Leadership Success event, Northern Territory Chief Minister The Honourable Lia Finocchiaro shared the many leadership skills she’s learned during her time in parliament and explained how other leaders can use her learnings and these skills to enhance their leadership styles. At the Institute of Managers and Leaders, we host many memorable and valuable events throughout the year to help individuals from all walks of life improve their leadership skills. Our next event will be a virtual event for Member Professional Support Network on May 1 2025, where you can join us to learn how to build strong relationships with your peers.
