valuing our similarities and differences in leadership

Valuing our Similarities and Differences in Leadership from Within Uniting Social Service Organisations

Rev. Peter McDonald (He/Him)Executive Advocacy and UCA Minister

2020

Andrew Robertson was the reason I organised the tour to Sydney. Andrew had just begun a new role at City View Uniting and I proposed that we should touch base with other leaders in social service during the start up phase of the role. It was after the visit to Graham Long at Wayside Chapel that Andrew said to me, “I have read much about Wayside, but that is not what I expected!” I have made it part of my role to invite colleagues to visit social service agencies beyond my own at Uniting Communities. I have hosted tours to many Uniting social service organisations throughout Australia. Conversations with leaders on their own turf is incredibly interesting. As a visitor we get to see, smell, and experience much of the colour and detail which cannot be conveyed in a case study. Our presence is a demonstration of our interest in the work of that particular leader - that we respect their work enough to make time to visit, stop, and listen. Many of these visits finish with words like, “I did not know we did this work”, “I had no idea that this was possible”, and “I think I’ll take some of this on at my place”. Reading journals and exploring academia for leadership models is an important component. And attending to a particular location should also be a routine part of our ongoing development - where we understand the context, theology, and culture of an organisation by attending.

Each visit gives participants the chance to expand our appreciation of the diversity of leadership that is within the Uniting Church family. So in this spirit I have prepared this paper for the Leadership Symposium in February 2020. It is a cross section of some of the social services sector of the UCA. I offer my thanks to those who participated and hope that this conveys some of the life, compassion, and complexity of that which is Uniting in social service ministry. I am confident that each participant in this paper would be more than happy for you to visit. Rev. Peter McDonald (he / him) Executive Advocacy and Minister Uniting Communities Inc.

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Introduction

APPENDIX A: Survey responses

Rev. Peter Armstong – UnitingCare Qld

Rev. Gavin Blakemore – Uniting Vic/Tas

Rev. John Clarke – Uniting Vic/Tas

Tony Engel – KOPWA NSW

Rev. Keith Garner AM – Wesley Mission Sydney

Colleen Geyer - UCA National Assembly

Rev. Keith Hamilton

Rev. Graham Long – Wayside Chapel

Bronwyn Pike – Uniting VICTAS

Claerwen Little – UnitingCare Australia

Doug Taylor - Uniting NSW & ACT

Rev. Peter McDonald – Uniting Communities Inc (SA)

Rev. Dr Les Underwood – Uniting SA

Robert Watson UnitingCare WA Forum

APPENDIX B: Questionnaire

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This paper is an anthology about leadership from a passionate group of current leaders who are connected to the Uniting Church and are working in a social service setting.

Introduction

Contributors understood that the purpose of the paper was to publish their full responses to each question - that it was not an anonymous survey. Each contributor was asked to describe their setting so you have a little information into size, shape, approach, and their role. This is to provide some insight into the context of each place. I believe this makes for a more valuable resource as you have an opportunity to appreciate the context from which these ideas come and an opportunity to follow them up if you wish.

In this way this paper aims to be a

positive and constructive contribution to the discussion. I’ve put four open questions about leadership to clearly identified current leaders. Unlike closed questions which only seek a yes or no, open questions have our contributors offering their thoughts and experience from social service settings which are part of the Uniting Church.

Let me draw a few general points from

the material before us.

This paper gives you an opportunity to encounter the passion and contemporary insights into leadership from a social service setting. I set about gaining this by asking the same four questions to all participants to draw out the variety of thoughts from people in social service leadership. I distributed the survey (Appendix B) to those in the Uniting Mission and Ministry Network. This is a collegiate and informal network of ministry practitioners working in social services.

Here is a summary of the four questions:

1. When you interview and appoint what qualities do you look for in a leader?

2. In what way does theology play a role in your values or principles of leadership?

3. Give us an example of a leadership decision (or ethical drama) that so worried you that it has kept you awake at night?

4. What would you want to say to those who are training current UCA leaders? What would you have them include or exclude in theology and or leadership training?

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A diversity of people, setting and states Within social services there is much diversity of organisational structure and approach to our

work from parish missions to seriously large agencies. We find both lay leaders and ordained clergy in leadership. Some are CEs and board members, while the remainder are in an Executive 2nd or 3rd tier management positions. Some of our organisations are closely aligned; some are controlled by the institutional church. We have others with incorporated distance and we have one with no structural connection at all. We have stories from across the nation. While we are missing a voice from our two territories, we have picked up voices from the national setting. I hope you appreciate the diversity of people and setting and geography that we managed to gain in a short period of time.

I hope that this paper helps you see and value our idiosyncrasies. It would be very easy to

lump all the texts together and assume we are on the same page.

Ongoing Gender Bias

The social services sector is predominantly made by female staff. I’m surrounded by women in leadership in my setting. Yet most of the contributors to this paper are a white middle aged anglo men. It is striking that while the Uniting Church has a proactive feminist movement here, I am noting that it that the number of women in formal leadership and are connected to the UCA appears low. Now I didn’t set out to do an accurate quantitative survey so I don’t know the actual numbers. This must be part of the design of any leadership training or model needs to be positive and proactive about the role feminism plays in the approach and design of leadership, as well as the way feminism critiques use of power and control. It needs to include a robust and respectful understanding of the range of expressions of gender and identity in our communities and faith traditions. I sometimes encounter the view in our community that this is no longer necessary as it has been sorted. If any leadership model takes that view, then it will have little contribute to the social service development.

From our fourteen contributors we have three women who are all national contributors to their respective fields, Colleen Geyer, Clarewyn Little and Bronwyn Pike. I commend their thoughts to your attention.

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Values, Language and Flexibility

The role of organisational purpose and values can be found in a number of the responses to the survey. I am sure that if we were to compare them I think some many of our words would be in common with yours. Here is the statement from Uniting Communities.

“At Uniting Communities we build

compassionate communities and great lives.

People are at the heart of all we do. We will work alongside South Australians as they strive for a bright future and great lives, supporting them to overcome adversity and disadvantage. We will do this in a way that is non-judgemental, generous and supportive; that embraces diversity; and that values and promotes fairness, justice and the benefits of strong communities.”

We have five values which are Courage, Accountability, Respect, Growth and Teamwork.

Some of these words will be congruent

with words at your place. I know that all organisations have programmes which roll out our values into the workforce. We all go about ensuring that new staff understand our values at staff induction. We all go about thinking about how our values shapes the way we conduct ourselves as leaders.

We have much in common about the role values have in shaping organisations.

But we also have significant differences

in the way we use values in our respective organisations.

Work in any of the organisations for a while and you’ll find staff and people in ministry who have worked at more than one Uniting setting. Those I’ve encountered have a stories about the differences - not just differences regarding mundane processes, but deep differences of organisational culture.

One example is that of theology and language. Some of us still use religious language while others have set it aside. Our language shapes our culture and expectations of one another. Where fifty years ago there may have been consistent language around this now we have seen some organisations on significant journeys of change over time.

If I had an opportunity to redo the survey

I’d craft a question which asks about how we bring our organisational language and values into our behaviour. A question like: How flexible are your values? How flexible are you in living out those values? What is the place of flexibility in professional leadership/ministry? What is the role of language in your social service provision?

While our common language around

vision and values looks similar, I suspect that beneath this there are deep differences. But this is for another day.

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APPENDIX A: SURVEY RESPONSES

Uniting Care Qld

Primary focus of my role is the partnerships between Uniting Care Community Services and Congregations in Qld.

These partnerships can be defined in four ways:

Rev. Peter Armstong – UnitingCare Qld Associate Director of Mission – Community Partnerships Commenced December 2016 www.ucareqld.com.au

Contact is when Congregations have a knowledge about Uniting Care service/s that is limited to their location, type of service or contact details.

Connection is when Congregations have more than contact knowledge of the Uniting Care service/s and know either staff and/or volunteers or have experienced or made an ad-hoc contribution to the service.

Community is when Congregations have more than simple connections with Uniting Care service/s and share locations/property/staff/volunteers/programs/activities with Uniting Care.

Creating is when Congregations co-create service/s with Uniting Care through either staff and/or volunteers, facilities, programs and activities that serve the wider community.

CONTACT

CONNECTION

COMMUNITY

CREATING

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Qualities of Leadership When you interview and appoint what qualities do you look for in a leader?

• Humility • People smarts • Drive and vision • Past performance in team outcomes

The Role of Theology In what way does theology play a role in your values or principles of leadership?

It is central – founded and fueled by the person of Jesus.

That Which Leadership Demands Give us an example of a leadership decision (or ethical drama) that so worried you that it has kept you awake at night?

• Integrity issues • Community Conflict • Misuse and Abuse of Church processes

Training the Trainer What would you want to say to those who are training current UCA leaders> What would you have them include or exclude in theology and or leadership training?

• Conversational capacity • Relational capacity • Contextualising capacity • Experiential learning • Reflective practices • Jesus centred • Holy Spirit enabled • Holistic understanding • Contemporary Research and Development in leadership • Missional Innovative practices

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Uniting Vic Tas

Uniting Vic Tas provides community services across all ages and stages of life for people in Victoria and Tasmania. (Aged and Carer, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Business and Social Enterprises, Child, Youth and Families, Disability, Early Learning, Employment Services, Mental Health and Resilient Communities.)

Rev. Gavin Blakemore – Uniting Vic/TasMission and Ethos Partner (Uniting Vic/Tas) Commenced nearly 7 years ago Oversight of church engagement, church partnerships, pastoral care and staff ethos for the eastern half of the Vic/Tas Synod.


• Emotional Intelligence• Clarity of thinking in response to complexity and challenges.• Thinking and practice that embraces gospel values• Enabler• Strategic thinking (outside of the box)• Collaborator• Encourager• Embraces community


• Theological foundation (as adopted with Uniting NSW/ACT)• Theological Reflection (Praxis as the foundation to a learning community)• Theology underpins good supervision• Our relationship with UAICC and work on RAP • Our commitment to person centred care• Our commitment to environmental sustainability and care of the planet

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$280mturn-over

3,800 staff

3,000 volunteers

Do you have any values/principles which don’t really have a theological connection?)

We have a principle of being a sustainable organisation which is often narrowly economic – I am not sure this is a theological principle as I see our sustenance being a relationship with God in community.


• When you find staff near burnout in a pastoral conversation – whether to contact management!• Trying to care for the wellbeing of staff and clients/consumers with less than minimal pastoral/

spiritual care offerings/staff

Training the Trainer What would you want to say to those who are training current UCA leaders? What would you have them include or exclude in theology and or leadership training?

• Clear understanding of polity and ethos of UCA• Basic ecclesial understanding (ordained, lay, etc)• Good understanding of UCA Basis Of Union, Constitution and Regulations• Skills need to build on a theological basis (biblical, systematic, historical studies, missiology)

but need to be broaderc• Reflective thinking on practice• Theological reflection• Grounded in their calling/vocation• Training in how to work in a team and awareness of team dynamics• Understanding of governance and decision making• Training in a Community Development Framework• How to engage with local/state/federal government• Media training (including social media)• Emotional Intelligence• Valuing supervision and spiritual direction

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Uniting Vic Tas

Uniting Vic Tas provides community services across all ages and stages of life for people in Victoria and Tasmania. (Aged and Carer, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Business and Social Enterprises, Child, Youth and Families, Disability, Early Learning, Employment Services, Mental Health and Resilient Communities.) Turnover approx. $300 mil; 3,000 staff; 3,000 volunteers.

Rev. John Clarke – Uniting Vic/TasDirector of Mission, Uniting Vic.Tas Commenced nearly 4 years ago Leading the UCA Mission and Ethos work


• UCA ethos understanding• Customer service experience• Strategic vision• Teamwork


• 3 years ago, Uniting Vic Tas adopted the vision and values of Uniting NSW/ACT which were based upon their theological rationale. Since then in collaboration with NSW/ACT we have renewed our missional framework which corresponds strongly to our vision and values which have remained unchanged.

• Our founding statement is, “Christ invites us to serve humanity by creating an inclusive, connected and just world.”

• We are still evolving our leadership development in conjunction with QLD and NSW. It will be based upon the above documents.

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$300m turn-over

3,000 staff

3,000 volunteers


Provision of sufficient spiritual and pastoral care to support our people and live out our point of difference as a UCA community services agency within strategic priorities and budget constraints at a time of unprecedented change.


Aim: Uniting Executives familiar with the Uniting Church in Australia, able to develop effective relationships across the UCA, understand how to work efficiently as part of the Church and in collaboration with other parts of the UCA and to embrace their unique leadership formation as part of the Uniting Church.

Organisational outcomes:

• Internal and external understanding of Uniting as part of the UCA• The value of Church relationships enhances the effectiveness of Uniting• Uniting adds value to the UCA• The potential of healthy Church relationships is maximised• Enhanced alignment of UCA and Uniting communications and activities• Leaders who embody Uniting’s values and the ethos of the UCA

Learning outcomes:

• Understanding of the history and theology of the UCA and Uniting• Understanding of the organisational complexity of the UCA, nationally and locally • Understanding of the ethos, vision, mission principles and priorities of the UCA Synod Vic/Tas• Understanding the tools available to facilitate UCA relationships• Understanding the significant relationships to be developed across the UCA• Development of a personal UCA relationship strategy• Ability to present a brief presentation on the history, heritage and current status of the UCA

and Uniting’s part within the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania• Understanding of Uniting’s missional framework as foundational to its foundation statement,

vision and values • Personal growth as a leader within the ethos of the UCA

Out of scope:

• Biblical literacy• Pre-cursor denominational differences

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KOPWA

KOPWA is a not-for-profit, community owned, secular, provider of aged care support services and accommodation to older people located in Roseville NSW. We operate a 58 bed, high-care aged care home, four independent living unit blocks housing 78 residents where access is means tested, around 75 home care packages and with the local council manage Meals of Wheels for the shires of Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai. We commenced operation 1957 as a community based organisation. Recognising the need for sustainability, we have just embarked on building a new 102 bed aged and dementia care hospice.

Tony Engel – KOPWA NSWBoard member from 2008 and Chair from 2015 until Oct 2019 of KOPWA Aged and Community Care – Roseville NSW Current member of the Assembly Finance Audit and Risk Committee


Leadership at interview is a talent that is difficult to bring to the surface. Attributes include all the “normal” management qualities, and the list can be argued, but would include humility and empathy. But, principally, you would be looking for someone with persuasive qualities that has the ability to inspire. To capture these qualities accurately at interview is a challenge, and requires a very deep understanding of behavioural interview techniques. Explain to me in this “situation” how you would enthuse your personnel to do “X”. Leading by example is always a good trait to flesh out and personal reference checking should be undertaken.


That is a hard one having no specific training or experience. And we are secular. Given that church leaders do not have the authority to force, they must rely on a well developed skill set whereby they influence and serve others to accomplish God’s purpose. On balance I would submit that there should be little difference in the values or principles of leadership between the church and the secular domain.

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In the church and in my organisation there are limited resources. When I joined the Board of KOPWA, we had a set of tired buildings and were not sustainable by any measure. We were looking after some 180 aged folk with some level of care or support. With the development of aged care there was a recognition that we had to rationalise our services and renew the most profitable if we were to survive. That meant reducing our self-care footprint and therefore folk that we would have otherwise supported would have to find others to assist. Not that we actively withdrew, we just did not replace. That decision process and then the practical application was harrowing. It was a survival decision, and the model that we need - the most modern facilities to look after our older folk irritates, but we must compete to survive. In the event we sold to a like organisation that had a legacy funding base; it was a good result.


There are a myriad of leadership models and training, done to death you could say. However, there are two cornerstones for leadership that I believe are mandatory. I would urge anyone with leadership aspirations to be involved in a team sport (i.e. one where the result is dependent on cohesion, the benefit is not measurable, but lessons learnt build the leader).

The second would be a role in a high-intensity work environment where there is a team structure and outcomes are reliant on members interacting and supporting each other. I am a strong advocate that leadership theory needs some practical application.

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Wesley Mission Sydney

Wesley Mission is a uniquely-shaped organisation which combines our Wesley Community Services and Wesley Congregational Life. The two are intricately bound together. It is important to recognise that the first is an Incorporated Body which is managed by a Board of which the CEO is a member – and the Congregational Life is managed by a Mission Council, of which the Superintendent (the other title used) is a member.

Wesley Mission covers a wide range of work and our Community Services employs in excess of 2,300 employees and has a turnover of $227m. The Congregational Life, though somewhat smaller, is still very significant in terms of size and has in excess of 25 staff and has a turnover of $6m. We are currently engaged in a five-year strategic growth plan and in the past year we achieved 10.9% revenue growth, with a total revenue of $227,195,000. We begin Year 4 now.

Our service delivery is wide-ranging from housing and accommodation to counselling, child and parenting support, education and training, including financial literacy, preventing suicide at a local level around the country, professional mental health services, aged care work, foster care and an extensive media ministry.

Our geographical reach is across the State of NSW, but also expanding across the country in terms of our Wesley LifeForce work. With an ageing population, homelessness on the increase and mental illness at epidemic levels, the demand for our services is greater than ever.

We continue to rejoice in the united witness demonstrated in Wesley Community Services and our Congregational Life.

Rev. Keith Garner AM – Wesley Mission SydneySuperintendent and Chief Executive Officer of Wesley Mission. In my fifteenth and final year in this particular role.


Our work is based upon strong and yet collaborative leadership and so there are times when the stress of such leadership means that we - rather than I - feel the pressure that such ministry and leadership brings. At a leadership level, I work with my Board to determine each year what our “risk appetite” is like. This outlines the level of risk that we, as an organisation, are willing to take in delivering our strategic objectives. By ensuring we actively minimise areas, we are held together very meaningfully, and yet are able to broaden our Word and deed mission in a considered yet robust manner. Leadership involves stepping out in ways that are courageous and there are times when we face the challenges of leading such a large team. But, for me, this is where our spiritual purpose is demonstrated.

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Leadership has always been important at Wesley Mission and the appointment of a Superintendent/CEO in the same person has made a great contribution to our work and our witness. For me, when I am involved in interviews, which I have to say is only at the very senior level, I am looking for people who are able to contribute to the vibrant spiritual heart of Wesley Mission. Our leadership needs to be closely aligned to the values which underpin Wesley Mission, which are Unfailing Integrity, Christlike Servanthood and Courageous Commitment. It is these values that have enabled us to grow, develop, and reach for the future in each and every generation. I would be looking for people who not only embrace these values, but also are able to serve as role models which call other people to be empowered in our on-going mission. The power of appointment, as far as I am concerned, is the most significant responsibility that lies within leadership. Since our earliest foundations, Wesley Mission has responded to the complex and changing needs of the most vulnerable in our community. Our strength is to be found in our ability to both listen to people and offer help in the name of Christ.


Wesley Mission has always operated from an evangelical base that is able to combine a sense of identity with the need of people to know Christ and, at the same time, an eagerness to address issues of social justice. This people-focused approach is found in the ministry of Jesus Christ and our combination and partnership allows us to exercise our Word and deed ministry. Our people, both staff and a huge army of over 6,000 volunteers, are the “Christlike” hands and feet of our work in the community.


I personally find myself engaged in this whole area in terms of the mentoring relationship I have with my top team. The 16 top leaders meet with me once a month for half a day and the first hour of that meeting each month addresses major spiritual and theological challenges, underpinned by prayerful consideration. Each quarter, my top 80 managers meet with me and my senior leaders to empower each other to carry out the vision to offer the good news in Word and deed. We seek to foster a climate of innovation and continuous improvement. We need more and more leaders who are theologically literate and ordained of God, to provide leadership. The whole purpose of our Central Mission model is actively pursued at Wesley Mission. For myself, this grows from a Wesleyan understanding of the ministry of Jesus Christ. I would like to see this deeply embedded in the training of ministers and look at new ways in which we can expand our work through the local church. Far too often, we find ourselves separating our social dream for our society from our spiritual purpose. The two belong together and this has to be the model which drives us to carry out the John Wesley Rule to “Do all the good we can”.

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The Assembly is the National Council of the Uniting Church

Its work includes the Assembly Resourcing Unit, Assembly Support Unit and its three national agencies, Frontier Services, UnitingCare Australia and UnitingWorld. Its work is carried out across Australia and in the case of UnitingWorld also in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. The Assembly is also responsible for maintaining ecumenical relations on behalf of the church with global organisations such as the World Council of Churches, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the Christian Conference of Asia and the Pacific Council of Churches among others, as well as the National Council of Churches in Australia. In all our work we are cognisant that we are in a covenant relationship with First Peoples through the UAICC, we are a multicultural church, committed to ecumenism and oriented to justice.

Colleen Geyer - UCA National AssemblyGeneral Secretary UCA National Assembly (4 years in January) Previously Director of Mission, UnitingCare Qld and Blue Care; Associate Director, UnitingCare Australia; other roles.

Qualities of Leadership

When you interview and appoint what qualities do you look for in a leader?

• Expertise in the area they will be working Commitment to their area of expertise and to living out the values of the workplace

• Ability to work collaboratively and be part of a team • Openness to new ideas

The Role of Theology

In what way does theology play a role in your values or principles of leadership?

My understanding of God, of God’s church and the example of Jesus, of being a follower of Christ open to transformation and new life all impact my values and leadership. My faith provides strength in everything – the joyous times, the challenging times, the times we are trying to find the way through a tricky problem. As a Christian leader, this is key.

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That Which Leadership Demands

Give us an example of a leadership decision (or ethical drama) that so worried you that it has kept you awake at night?

I’m not sure I’d say worried exactly, but there’s often challenges that keep my mind working, considering them from all angles (e.g. finding a new way for a workplace to operate). Of course, the church’s response to Royal Commissions necessarily challenge us and should have us reflecting and working to be better.

Training the Trainer

What would you want to say to those who are training current UCA leaders? What would you have them include or exclude in theology and or leadership training?

• Remember who the UCA is (get inside it, understand it - don’t just think you know all about it), be aware of the breadth that is part of our DNA and represent it in the training and who offers that training and presents at it (the covenant, we’ve got thriving multicultural communities, we speak many languages, we worship in many different styles, we run many different businesses, our membership is varied and diverse)

• Don’t shy away from the many theological views that inform us and form us (including indigenous theology, feminist theology, theology from the southern hemisphere)

• Remember we need leaders for the future not for the church of today (they need to be bold, open, innovative and thoughtful, as well as people of deep faith and discipleship)

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Parramatta Mission

Parramatta Mission (PM) is a parish mission church and proudly part of the Uniting Church in Australia. PM is a church based community transforming lives, which was established since 1971, but history that dates back to 1815. It has a footprint across Greater Western Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and Mid-North Coast, in the areas of Pastoral care, Mental Health, Clinical, Housing, Hospitality and Community Services. It has three congregations who are the praying heart.

Rev. Keith HamiltonSenior Minister / CEO at Parramatta Mission Commenced 2008 Theological leadership


• Matters regarding financial sustainability and budget decisions • Occasions when I needed to deal with a conflicted situation, and working out how to do that and

what to say, etc.• When I have had to end a person’s employment; not the decision, but the way to do that and

what to say • Future planning of Parramatta Mission


Someone who embodies and is aligned with PM’s values of grace, inclusion, dignity, faith and hope in addition to meeting the other key criteria for the role.


Vision and values are an expression of a theological approach. Theology is the ground.

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• Developing a daily prayer life is absolutely critical to be faithful, to avoid burnout, and relational burnout

• The budget is the most theological document a congregation puts together because it sets out where energy is going to be expended in the forthcoming year. It can express theological values or other values. It is theological because it expresses a theology. So, all ministers and leaders should have training in finances and the theology of budgeting.

• Conflict management: it will happen as soon a change is sought, therefore be prepared with skills, knowledge and attitudes.

• Communication: An ability to think theologically about everything

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Wayside Chapel

Wayside Chapel has 130 staff over two locations (Kings Cross and Bondi). Various community services, dedicated facility for Aboriginal people, several social enterprises, employment project for long term unemployed youth, programme for long term mental health folk, drop in centres. Two Sunday congregations with high level involvement in wider ministries (approx. 70 people in KX and 40 in Bondi).

Rev. Graham Long – Wayside ChapelPastor Emeritus 14 years CEO/Pastor of The Wayside Chapel in Sydney’s Kings Cross


A leader – is someone who can get things done.


Salvation comes through the feet, not through the head. It doesn’t matter how well you understand the odds of a poker machine, you only get victory when your feet walk you away from the pub. Reflective theology is an impediment and a distraction from life.


Drama to lose sleep over: • with 90% of funding from private donors, much sleep is lost in the endless quest to raise new

money • confronting poor performing staff is always difficult, but it needs to be done


Dump the idea of consensus. It’s a way of giving power to the most cranky, and it’s miles away from effective, accountable leadership

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Uniting VICTAS

The largest multi service community services provider in Victoria and Tasmania, formed through the merger of 25 separate UnitingCare agencies and covering Child and Family Care, Disability, Employment ,Home Care, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol, Financial Counselling, Social Enterprises and other services.

Bronwyn Pike - Uniting VICTAS


• Closing services which are financially not viable • Making staff redundant


I think theological training is very valuable.


A passion for the work, to improve the life choices and chances for vulnerable people. An understanding of systemic injustice, support for the Uniting Church, humility and wisdom.


My work is strongly informed by Theology, as a lifelong member of the Uniting Church I was strongly influenced by liberation theology. My experience in politics grounds me in pragmatism!

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UnitingCare Australia UnitingCare Australia is the national body for the community services activities of the Uniting Church in Australia. We are an agency of the National Assembly, based in Canberra and work on advocacy and service development. We represent one of the largest networks of community services with over:

serving over 1.6 million Australians each year on issues that affect disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals, families and communities. We are a small team of 9, with a $1.8m turnover each year.

Claerwen Little – UnitingCare Australia Commenced 3 years ago Previous employment: a senior leader in delivering complex human services for over 35 years


Strength, vision, problem solving, ‘can do’ positive attitude, great communication skills, high level of emotional intelligence, depending on the role some content knowledge, an ability to bring people along in the journey, clarity of purpose and motivation.


As a Christian, I am driven by my beliefs in the love teachings of Jesus and the principles of justice, dignity and the protection of human rights. I think that any good leader needs to demonstrate these principles in the way that they treat others, whether they have a theological principle or just basic humanity in treating people as you would have them treat you. The Assembly has a set of values that we hold ourselves accountable to which are hope, respect, justice, compassion, integrity and innovation.

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50,000 staff

30,000 volunteers


One of the most difficult things I have had to deal with in my life as a leader are issues of staffing and teamwork. Teamwork is everything and when a team is not working well it can be all consuming, when the team is working well , magic happens. Addressing poor performance or behaviour with people who are passionate is the tough part of the role.


The role of our community services is an integral and fundamental part of the life of our church, and one of the largest activities to be proud of. I believe that we need to be including the role of advocacy, structural injustice, politics and the important role our agencies play in the world as a basic component of any training. The integration of our theology of social services ought to be a compulsory understanding of the leaders’ role in any part of the life of our church, its interfaces within our church, and how it can be better working together as one church in the world.

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Uniting NSW & ACT

Uniting NSW & ACT, community services and advocacy arm of the Synod. Broad array of services traversing aged care, housing and support for children, young people and families.

Doug Taylor - Uniting NSW & ACTDept ED (and mission, social impact and advocacy)

That Which Leadership Demands

Give us an example of a leadership decision (or ethical drama) that so worried you that it has kept you awake at night?

Every day… although many are more management orientated. I think my leadership reflections are more about to the degree to which the organisation is genuinely delivering on our mission and in particular in pursuing social justice, system change, and policy development.

Training the Trainer

What would you want to say to those who are training current UCA leaders? What would you have them include or exclude in theology and or leadership training?

Yes absolutely, we are working with others on an intentional formation strategy that will shape all leaders in different ways.

Qualities of Leadership

When you interview and appoint what qualities do you look for in a leader?

• The givens are the technical elements of a role • I will then try and differentiate between candidates based on values/attitude/mindset • I will look for a demonstrated ability to collaborate and adapt

The Role of Theology

In what way does theology play a role in your values or principles of leadership?

Not overtly, but implied in the decision making and depending on the role I will be using our Mission Principles, which has been adapted into this leadership framework.

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Rev. Peter McDonald – Uniting Communities IncExecutive Manager of Advocacy Unit


• A positive appreciation of the post modern world as well as its challenges• Someone who draws on tools, frameworks and models to elucidate their understanding of a

systems view of the world• A pragmatic bias toward risk taking action• Someone who seeks to be effective through learning and improvement• Has the characteristics required to hold a difficult conversation (eg emotional awareness)• Someone who values and can engaged in discussion across the diversity of political, morale,

ethical and religious experience in our community - as opposed to someone who just holds a position and fights to the death over an issue ‘due to their integrity’


Uniting Communities builds compassionate communities and great lives. Our values are courage, accountability, respect, growth and teamwork. We all know that some may not consider this theological.


I have had some difficult moments in my role. The most challenging of which was listening to many who were removed from their parents at birth by a predecessor organisation who conducted forced adoptions. But the most difficult part of my role is dealing with staff who find it difficult to change with the workplace. We are always changing, some find ways of getting on board with it, while others resist.

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I think we need people with a systems view of the world. When I went through training, I was taught systems only in theology, but not in anything else. Hopefully this has changed.Many of our current leaders seem to use command and control like it is the only way of getting stuff done. The ‘I have a vision and thou shalt follow’ pastor or minister.We need many more tools in the tool box for engaging with groups and making decisions.We have replaced traditional decision-making with consensus. Really, really sad when there are so many other ways to make decisions with groups. We have removed one god (traditional voting for decision-making) to replaced it with another - the orange and blue cards.

Our leadership has such limited capacity to understand what is happening in the contemporary world. Just last week I heard a church member lamenting that her pastor was able to get traditional marriage, pornography and abortion all into the one sermon, like there is nothing else to preach about. I suspect she will join the many who have left because her leader is fixated. The leadership theory he is using is unable to accommodate the positive influences of feminism and theories of identities, which is now a life-giving part of the world in which many of us live.

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Rev. Dr Les Underwood – Uniting SA


“Your position never gives the right to command. It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others can receive your orders without being humiliated.”- Dag Hammarskjold, “Markings” p.96, 1965

UnitingSA is an inclusive and non-discrimination employer, encouraging diversity and inclusion.

The qualities we look for in a leader include:• Commitment to promoting and living by our vision and values• Capacity to positively function and work collaboratively within teams including development and

maintenance of a positive and healthy culture• Possess the qualifications and skills necessary for the position or job specifications• Have a capacity and desire to participate in personal and professional growth and development• Grasp the dynamics and relationship between authority, accountability and responsibility.


While “theology” would have been a familiar term in the description and vocabulary of our earlier history, and in the shaping of our culture and values, it is not a term which we would now employ in the description of our philosophy and values. The Minister in placement with UnitingSA has a responsibility to maintain and enhance our relationship with the UCA, the wider church, and communities in a way which honours and maintains theological integrity. Our “Meaningful Ageing” wellness model “provides opportunities for people to build upon their physical, emotional and spiritual health with a focus on positive and meaningful experiences.”

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Training the Trainer What would you want to say to those who are training current UCA leaders?

To reframe our past, present, and future we often use “stories”. Most of our current stories are in the form of technical reports rich in theory and data, that imply authority and objectivity. However, the stories which have the most impact on us, particularly at gut level, are those that elicit feelings at that gut level, - that is feelings of fear, anxiety, compassion, hope, etc. Therefore, we need to be able to move from creating myths of uncertainty, to myths which embrace uncertainty. If we are so certain of things, then we have nothing to learn. Our facts are always the product of selective perceptions and beliefs, and these are always underpinned by emotions. If we focus only on facts, we are denying what is behind them.

“Social justice does not come from good intentions or noble theology but from the development of social policy which will change the distribution of power and goods as well as access to political decision making” - Walter Brueggemann p18

Leadership is not about what is done or achieving a list of tasks, but why something is done. Leadership is a quality similar in nature to integrity; leadership is inextricably linked to values.


• Destructive and fractured relationships• Unhappy staff • Erosion or undermining of our culture• Government tenders offering us participations in programmes which we consider would be

contrary to our values and the wellbeing of people. We have declined such offers.• Funding pressures requiring the termination of staff or withdrawal of services to vulnerable

persons

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What would you have them include or exclude in theology and or leadership training?

The Basis of Union of the UCA is a document framed and expressed with theological rigour and clear deliberate intention. That same attention to theological rationale and consideration is less obvious in the decision-making processes of the church currently.

Leadership is not mentioned in the Basis of Union, but it could be inferred that leadership was a dimension of ministry, especially in light of the former Methodist model where the minister was virtually the managing director of the congregation.

The UCA model for the Minister of the Word was that of an enabler or resource person “to equip the saints for ministry”. Initially this resulted in significant role confusion and role expectations not only for ministers but also congregations.

As the church seeks to live out its life and mission in the constancy of change, I would suggest that attention needs to be given to the following areas in relation to leadership:

• Nature and Theology or ORDINATION• The mutual commitment of the church and ministers at the time of union was seen as the church

providing a full time placement, housing, a stipend and beneficiary fund. Part time work, even in an approved occupation was frowned upon and discouraged. Today there are fewer full time placements, and the church has little interest in how ordained ministers support themselves and their families in terms of how they earn an income and find accommodation outside the limited placement process. Dynamics of the Beneficiary Fund.

• In another denomination where ordination is seen as functional, once ministers retire and are no longer in placement, their entitlement to conduct marriages is withdrawn and if they are not active in a worshiping congregation they are no longer entitled to call themselves Reverend. They are known as former ministers.

• Have ordained ministers been incorrect in believing that ordination is for life• Understanding and clarifying the dynamics and characteristics of LEADERSHIP, POWER,

CONTROL, INFLUENCE, MANAGEMENT and MANIPULATION • We need to know the questions before we seek answers• We confuse power and control• Power is the ability to influence• Management is not manipulation• Language is constantly changing• We once spoke of “gifts and graces” we now speak of Skills and competencies and focus on

“Performance Appraisals”

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Robert Watson UnitingCare WA ForumEx ModeratorFormer Mission Development LeaderDirector – UCA Redress LtdChair – UnitingCare WA ForumFormer CEO of a number of community service organisations


• The importance of story and ritual in the life of an organisation • Understanding the Uniting Church • What is integrity?• How agencies interface with congregations


• That their values, at the very least, align with those of the organisation • That they have the skill set required by the organisation • That they have a good understanding of the role of management and the Board in good

leadership


• Assuming we are talking about a Uniting Church organisation, the person should not only have a willingness to work within the ethos of the Uniting Church, they should also fully understand the ethos and be able to “talk the talk, and walk the walk.”

• It would seem counter productive to appoint an “evangelical atheist’ to a leadership role • While we can ascribe to some basic values that are embraced across all religions and most

cultures (e.g. the golden rule) at the end of the day we must own that Jesus of Nazareth informs us and is our inspiration


As the CEO of an out-of-home care organisation, I was approached by the State Government’s department to urgently establish a short-stay respite facility while the contract was still being drawn up. A facility was purchased and staff recruited. The staff had moved from other well remunerated positions and were inducted. At the last minute the department withdrew – no contract no money. I had to tell each individual staff member they were being retrenched - a lesson learned the hard way. There are limits to trust sometimes.

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APPENDIX B: QUESTIONNAIRE

Personal InfoName, Title, # years in position, and description of your roles.

SettingA brief (3-4 sentence) description of your organisation for those who don’t have any idea of what sort of setting you are in. Consider including social areas, $ turnover, # FTE, and geographic reach. Qualities of Leadership1: When you interview and appoint what qualities do you look for in a leader? The role of theology2: In what way does theology play a role in your values or principles of leadership? (Consider how much weight does theology have? Do you have any values/principles which don’t really have a theological connection?) That which leadership demands3: Give us an example of a leadership decision (or ethical drama) that so worried you that it has kept you awake at night? Training the trainer4: What would you want to say to those who are training current UCA leaders? What would you have them include or exclude in theology and or leadership training?

Questionnaire

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Peter manages the social justice advocacy of Uniting Communities where he brings to it his expertise in models of change.Peter is a current member of the national Assembly Finance Audit and Risk committee.He is also a member of the Church of Christ SA NT professional standards body.Peter has recently had his first work published “Market-driven welfare successes: the contribution of neoliberalism to social cohesion and care for the poor and the earth” in Uniting Church Studies – Neoliberalism, Civil Society and the UCA, Vol22. No 1. June 2019

This paper does not reflect the views of Uniting Communities

Rev. Peter McDonald (he / him)Executive Advocacy & UCA MinisterUniting Communities [email protected]

valuing our similarities and differences in leadership

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