Australia Awards WLI participant from Vanuatu Daisy Rose Sipiti (pictured) is “excited” to apply knowledge gained through a course on women’s leadership “to make a positive impact” in the human resources (HR) sector.
Through the Women’s Developmental Leadership Program, Daisy took part in a four-week ‘Women in HR Leadership Course’ to gain a better understanding of the unique strengths and influencing strategies women leaders bring to the HR sector.
After completing her on-Award studies, the Victoria University Bachelor of Business student plans to take what she has learned back to Vanuatu to empower of women and girls to recognise the skills and resources they already possess to exercise leadership.
According to Daisy, the four-week ‘Women in HR Leadership Course’ was coordinated by the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) and facilitated by Paula Rabeiro.
Targeted towards female HR professionals aspiring leadership, the “blended learning course” explored effective influencing strategies, the role of executive-level (or C-suite) HR, professional network building, and storytelling as a tool to influence decision-making.
Reflecting on highlights of the course, Daisy recalls “the opportunity to bridge theoretical knowledge from my degree with real-world applications shared by fellow participants during live sessions”.
She explains that while refreshing her understanding of various theories and models through the course was valuable, witnessing how these concepts manifest in the workforce through the experiences of other women leaders “added a practical dimension” to her learning.
This was particularly the case when it came to emphasising the unique skills and strengths women bring to HR leadership roles (including emotional intelligence, active listening and compassion) and the significance of leveraging these to "drive organisational success".
“Learning how to leverage these qualities effectively, including aligning communication styles with stakeholders, actively listening, and maintaining a strategic focus on supporting the work, workplace, and workers, was a significant takeaway,” she explains.
According to Daisy, participating in the four-week program not only “enriched” her understanding of HR leadership, but also empowered her to apply these insights in her own career journey and country.
“Upon my return [home to Vanuatu], I intend to share the valuable insights gained with my community, emphasising the importance of women's leadership and the utilisation of traits like emotional intelligence and compassion as assets in any leadership journey,” Daisy explains.
Diasy Rose believes that by “embodying” these traits, she can become "an asset” to her country and region within the HR industry.
“Ultimately, this knowledge and perspective contributes to the advancement and empowerment of individuals and communities in Vanuatu and the Pacific, especially in the HR Industry,” Daisy says.
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Through the Women's Developmental Leadership Program, participants and alumni like Daisy access professional development and workplace internship opportunities to build knowledge, skills and networks to lead and influence positive change in their careers and communities.
