latrobe city council
executive leadership team and senior management team
leadership and HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM program
OrganisationAL Profile
Latrobe City Council is a key regional local government authority located in the Gippsland region of Victoria. It serves a diverse and dynamic community across major towns including Morwell, Traralgon, Moe/Newborough, and Churchill, as well as numerous smaller communities. As the economic and service hub of the region, Latrobe City Council plays a pivotal role in supporting local industry, energy transition, education, health, and innovation.
The Council is committed to delivering high-quality services, driving sustainable economic growth, and fostering liveable, resilient communities. With a strong focus on collaboration, strategic planning, and community engagement, Latrobe City Council continues to lead transformative initiatives that reflect the evolving needs and aspirations of its residents.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Latrobe City Council engaged the Australian Leadership Academy (ALA) to design and deliver a bespoke executive leadership and high-performing team program for its Executive Leadership Team and Senior Management Team. The program aimed to strengthen collective leadership capability, build cohesive and values-aligned leadership practices, and set the tone for a high-performance culture across the organisation.
The program leveraged ALA’s distinctive agenda-setting process, which enabled participants to identify and address the most complex and pressing adaptive leadership challenges facing the organisation. This co-created learning journey ensured the program was deeply relevant to the current organisational context and aligned to the Latrobe City Council Leadership Competency Framework.
Emphasis was placed on enhancing collective leadership through trust, clarity of roles, shared commitment, and a unified vision. The program supported leaders to strengthen collaboration across portfolios, lead with strategic intent, and model the behaviours needed to drive performance and innovation at all levels of the organisation.
Executive Leadership Team and Senior Management Team
Leadership and High-Performing Team Program
executive Leadership team
and
senior management team
Program Feedback
ALA’s leadership program was
motivational and challenging?
93% strongly Agree
ALA’s approach supported the needs of
the executive and senior leaders?
91% strongly Agree
The executive and senior leaders
actively participated in the program?
93% strongly Agree
ALA’s leadership facilitator was
credible and effective?
97% strongly Agree
“great stories
that resonate
and embed the
theory”
James Rouse
General Manager
Community Health and Wellbeing
“great use of
practical examples
to explain the theorY and how to apply it”
Tim Ellis
General Manager
Regional City Strategy and Transition
“this is the best professional development
i have ever done”
Scott Templeman
Manager, Business and Industry Development
Program outcomes:
To what extent would you recommend the Australian Leadership Academy?
94% STRONGLY AGREE
Leading Self with Strategic Impact
Executive and senior managers strengthened their self-awareness and reflected on how their leadership mindset, behaviours, and presence shape culture, performance, and strategic outcomes. There was a renewed commitment to role modelling the organisation’s values, demonstrating emotional intelligence, and leveraging feedback to continually evolve as leaders in complex and demanding environments.
Communicating with Influence
The program enhanced leaders’ ability to communicate with clarity, influence, and purpose. Moreover, it refined their skills in active listening, asking powerful questions, and adapting their communication style to suit different audiences.
Enabling High-Performing Teams
Leaders explored the essential conditions for high-performing teams; trust, healthy conflict, commitment, and collective accountability. They reflected on their leadership role in shaping a values-driven culture, enabling cross-functional collaboration, and empowering teams to take ownership of outcomes.
Coaching for Capability and Growth
The program supported leaders to adopt a coaching mindset as a core leadership capability. They identified opportunities to embed developmental conversations into daily leadership practice, promoting greater accountability, engagement, and empowerment across teams. This approach positions leaders to grow capability across the organisation while fostering a culture of trust and continuous learning.
Embedding Practice for Organisational Impact
Executive and senior managers applied new insights through peer collaboration, reflection, and real-time leadership challenges. They began integrating new behaviours into their leadership practice, contributing to stronger alignment, more cohesive teams, and enhanced organisational performance.
“great work”
Steve Piasente
Chief Executive Officer
“working witH our shared agenda, building stronger relationships, working together for team success”
Ronda Rathjen
Manager, Safe Communities
“great sessions,
I love how it all
ties in and also assists in retaining the language
and tools”
Kate Kerslake
Manager, Family Services
“A GREAT PROGRAM”
Erin Murnane
Manager, People & Culture