A participant in the Leadership Illawarra Program, run by RDA Illawarra in partnership with the University of Wollongong's Sydney Business School and the Illawarra Connection, Ms Dron put down prior to meeting her mentor Karen Burdett, CEO of disability service provider the Cram Foundation, her hopes and aspirations as an emerging Illawarra business leader.

"I just dumped a whole lot of stuff in an email," Ms Dron said.

"Where my head is, what I want out of the program, where I feel vulnerable and what my goals are."

Being part of the sixth iteration of the program so far, Ms Dron has teamed up with an old hand in the mentor-mentee part of the program.

Ms Dron is Ms Burdett's fourth mentor who she has shepherded through the program, and Ms Burdett said the value of the program cut both ways.

"I've just really found the mentoring experience to be extremely beneficial on both sides of the fence," she said.

While the program targets a participant's professional career, success in this came from bringing one's whole self to the initiative, Ms Burdett said.

READ THE FULL THINK LOCAL FEATURE HERE

"The best part of their mentor-mentee relationship is that questioning, and real reflection, having that vulnerability, and interest with who you're talking to, to really be able to sort of dig deep on some specific issues."

While Ms Burdett and Ms Dron come from adjacent industries, Ms Dron said across the program as a whole she is connecting with those from a variety of industries to develop her leadership skills.

"We just went to BlueScope Steel, and there's something that I haven't even engaged in before and being able to go in there and see what they have to offer and hear about the leadership styles was really good," she said.

"Connecting on a personal level is what I'm getting out of it and reflecting on my practices and what I can do to become better and grow."

In a tight knit business community such as the Illawarra, both mentor and mentee acknowledge the value of a program such as this to grow participants' networks across industries, while also increasing the talent pool available to local organisations.

"As a region, the Illawarra has an enormous amount of collaboration across organisations and businesses, both within like minded sectors, but also different sectors and government," Ms Burdett said. "I think that's a unique strength in our region, and so this mentor-mentee program adds into that, in terms of, building strength for our economy in our region."

Having gone from the first email to meetings face to face, Ms Dron said the vulnerabilities she first typed out are what she is using to drive herself further.

"By the time we come out at the end, I know that I'll be 100 per cent different."

Program reaches milestone

The Leadership Illawarra Program, now in its 11th year, is a partnership between RDA Illawarra, The Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong and The Illawarra Connection.

The 2023-24 program draws future leaders from businesses as diverse as Wests Illawarra, Mercer, BlueScope, IMB Bank, not-for-profit organisations, local government, small business and the community sector.

The mentors include retired Illawarra senior leaders, current leaders of large organisations, business directors and board members.

RDA Illawarra CEO Debra Murphy said the role of mentors is to encourage growth of a resilient community.

READ THE FULL THINK LOCAL FEATURE HERE