SHINE’ing the Spotlight on… Jeanette Allom-Hill

 

SHINE’ing the Spotlight on…
Jeanette Allom-Hill

 

Jeanette started her career as an ESL teacher in Bangkok and then went onto standing up the Learning and Development function for Optus. She then moved to the UK and spend 10 years with Microsoft concluding as the Head of Customer Service for EMEA. She has extensive experience in the public sector holding senior roles in NSW Treasury working with the Secretary and in NSW Transport accountable to the Ministers office for the Customer experience. She has also been the General Manager of Business and Portfolio Management for nbnco were she was responsible for the office of the Chief operating officer. Jeanette spent two years in consulting with BCG as an advisor on implementation and sustainable change working across multiple federal and state government organisations with senior leadership teams and ministers. She currently holds the role of Group Executive for Business Performance for the Sunshine Coast Council responsible for IT, Finance, HR, Procurement, Smart cities, Innovation and Property. She also manages an ePMO delivering SCCH City Hall, Program Activate and Outstanding Organisation projects. She is responsible for over 2000 staff and manages an $848million dollar budget.

She is considered an expert in transformational change having established and chaired the community of change professional for the public sector and often speaks on the subject at specialist conferences. Jeanette is a strength and value-based leader and is known for being a brave leader with heart who builds trust, is committed,  accountable and delivers measurable results.

 

Tell us a little bit about your role and portfolio, and what you love about what you do?

I am passionate about clearing a path for our women to be their best selves. I believe with great power comes great responsibility and it is my obligation as a senior leader to role model courage and drive positive change everyday and stand by my authentic self in everything I do.

The areas I am passionate about currently are:

  1. Senior leaders role modelling changes to policy

We have an Innovation agenda. We know from research that diverse teams are more creative teams, leading to better innovation and performance outcomes.

We are adopting a Capability Framework that sees fostering relationships more specifically valuing diversity and working collaboratively as a key behavioural requirement of all our people.

 

  1. Changing our Physical environment Council is in the process of designing a new City Hall.

The physical layout is designed to promote employee interactivity and connection In addition, we will be providing various amenities that will give clear signals of belonging such as catering for parental responsibilities and religious beliefs.We are establishing programs and resources that help employees identify and overcome bias.

 

  1. Bringing women together for support. We have established a Women’s network. We all know there is power in empowering others and that when we feel supported, we are more confident and more likely to bring our whole self in to the workplace leading to better business outcomes.

Most Importantly we are getting results over four years, the gender ratio of our senior leaders (Branch Managers) has climbed from 20% to 45%. We are now sitting in the 40/40/20 sweet spot where leadership comprises 40% men, 40% women and 20% of either.

 

What traits to you feel are important to be an effective leader?

The one foundational trait I have as a leader is to get the balance right between Grace and Grit.  Grace is the how I think, act and carry myself and how I am with my people, do I do the right thing, am I always respectful, confident, help other succeed and feel good about themselves. Grit is being brave, gusty, and courageous, knowing that with great power comes great responsibility, do I bring my true self am I resilient and recover quickly. Can I not walk past the behaviour I don’t accept?

More core traits are:

  • Be Brave but with Heart, speak up and challenge the status quo
  • Focus on strengths of your people and support them to find their soul work and do more of what they love
  • Build trust and integrity
  • Acknowledge and remove obstacles to inclusiveness.
  • Walk the talk. lead through our actions.
  • Reinforce diversity and inclusion as competitive growth advantages.

 

Tell us about the issues and items that you are passionate about and how you prioritise?

    • At a personal level I am passionate about understanding resilience and researching through my own personal experiences to understand what gives some people the strength to carry on and how do we bottle that to give people who are struggling to face life challenges a secret sauce on how to get through.
    • At a professional level I am passionate about being brave enough to show up every day as my true self and lead with passion. Role modelling authentic leaders and connecting to my business. Leading with my heart and being vulnerable, inspiring others to be more productive and focused. Showing compassion and stand up for others when you know it puts you at risk. Honouring and respecting the unique strengths and experiences you all bring, instilling true confidence and trust all the way through the workforce
    • At a community level I am passionate about using our collective voices and power as a community to change the conversations around bullying, suicide, domestic violence and homelessness. I know if we bring the power together of all the amazing women on the coast to focus on an issue then we will make a change for the better together.
    • I priorities by dividing my passion into three distinct categories – I focus on my personal passion on the weekends around my family’s needs , I focus on my professional passion when I am at work and I focus on my community passion once every three months as part of a senior women’s collective

 

You work long hours, having to attend numerous events and meetings outside of regular work hours, do you have time for self-care and how do you relax?

    • I love my job and the opportunity I get to spend with our amazing community, so events inspire and motivate me instead of draining me. I get my strength from others and their passion for making a difference. I have very strong boundaries on my time with my family I am a wife and mother first always and then a leader and then an employee. I take time to myself a couple of mornings a week by walking my dog and having regular massages and exploring this stunning region.

 

What decision changed your life?

    • The decision to not let my childhood trauma break me or define me, the decision to learn from falling over and to always get up, the decision to have a loud voice that is brave and true, the decision to trust that I am enough and the decision to show up as my true self in everything I do.

 

And what’s next on the agenda for Jeanette Allom-Hill?

    • I want to look up and out this year and support our community in solving some of the big issues we have.
    • I want to give back and join some NFP boards
    • I want to start studying again
    • I want a platform and have a voice that inspires
    • I want to start writing my story

 

Most interesting person that you have met?

I find our coast residents so interesting and inspiring  from Roz White’s voice on empowering  women to Kim Mccosker voice on true authenticity to Jennifer Swaine voice for our local businesses to Cindy Vogels voice for the arts to Mark and Gayle forbes  voice on eating disorders to Kerrie Athertons voice on Hope to Rachel popes voice on grief to Leon Stensholms voice on suicide to Fiona Berkins voice on child abuse to Tracey Morris and Annie Jones voice on Sexual abuse to Fiona Simpsons voice for our community to Caroline Terry Hutchinson’s voice on our radios We have the most interesting people right on our doorstep!

Favourite book?

On my bedside table at the moment I have a signed copy of You Inc by John McGrath (Thanks Amy Bennett) and Becoming by Michelle Obama and Dare to Lead by Brene Brown and the moment of lift by Melinda Gates. I am also loving and binging The loudest voice on Stan which is the true story of the fall of Roger Ailes the CEO of Fox news.

What do you love most about your role?

The people who work there, the breath, depth and variety of what I am responsible for, the opportunity to have a voice, the positive impact on the community, the beauty of the region we get to care for.

 

To connect with with Jeanette head to:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanetteallomhill/