Building capacity to lead and implement regional transformation in the sugar industry : Final report CSR029

Abstract

This project arose from an emerging need to increase the capacity of leaders at all levels of the Australian Sugar Industry and its supporting communities. Specifically, the industry was going through a period of substantial change in technical and organisational systems in response to the need to build its international competitiveness and sustainability. New skill sets were seen to be necessary in order to achieve required changes in the organisation of sectors within the industry including changes to practices within individual organisations and developing new ways of working together with a whole of value chain approach.

Chief Executives of most organisations operating in CSR Sugar’s three regions were united in the belief that new leadership capabilities, developed in an industry-wide rather than sectoral format, could substantially contribute to the increased viability of the industry and the increased need for it to respond to change more speedily and effectively. A key aspect was seen to be the building of interpersonal leadership skills as well as increasing leaders’ capacity to plan and manage complex change initiatives.