Peter left the Australian Public Service (APS) at the end of 2014. He is now drawing on his leadership experience and expertise, and his understanding of government and the APS, to provide insight and understanding to senior executives.
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While in practical terms, there are crossovers between coaching and mentoring, in essence I believe that a coaching relationship involves structured conversations with a defined outcome or outcomes in mind.
I take a client-centred approach. I consider that the “gold” is within the client and my task is help bring that out. As a coach, I consider that my counterpart is the expert about themselves. The counterpart has the wherewithal to find solutions to their issues. As a coach, I am there to listen carefully and question skilfully; seek to unlock understanding and help with the identification and removal of interferences that limit the expression of the counterpart’s potential. All my conversations with a counterpart are confidential.
I see coaching as a systematic, strengths based process of establishing where it is that the counterpart wants to go, what they want to achieve, and then working with them to develop and take the actions which will help achieve the desired outcomes. I am not about developing co-dependency. I strive to develop respectful, trusting and positive relationships in which our coaching conversation can take place. I am striving to help my counterpart achieve sustainable changes. As has been pointed out by Hilary Armstrong , the quality of the encounter between the coach and their counterpart is the crucible in which change and growth can occur.
As a mentor, I see my role as a sounding board; a guide; a source of non-judgemental information and support.
I seek to build a trusting and respectful relationship; listening carefully and questioning closely. I seek to encourage the examination of alternative approaches and possibilities.
I see myself as someone with whom a counterpart can discuss their career aspirations; help formulate goals and plans; and explore options for ongoing development.
I have had extensive experience in the Australian Public Service and I have worked closely over many years with executives from the private sector. I am someone with whom a counterpart can discuss workplace issues and problems; test ideas; and obtain feedback on approaches and strategies that are being considered by my counterpart. I have done this with executives from the public and the private sectors.
I seek to facilitate goal setting, planning and problem solving. I seek to give guidance but not direction.
As a mentor, I maintain confidentiality; make myself accessible and allow appropriate time for conversation. I see myself as a support and encourager for my counterpart.
My role as an adviser can take many shapes.
Leadership can be a lonely business. In some instances, I act as a confidante for the chief execective and her or his team. I can be a confidential sounding board who fundamentally is there to support and enable the executive to achieve their goals.
I have assisted with strategic planning; organisational restructures and change management strategies; leadership training and development.
Given my background in bilateral trade development; agriculture/biosecurity, and regional development, I have a unique blend of skills to assist with economic development strategies.
I consider a particular strength of mine is to get alongside a chief executive and their team; understand their circumstances; help formulate strategic plans; and then assist in building the team and the skills that can sustain the implementation of those plans.
Peter left the Australian Public Service (APS) at the end of 2014. He is now drawing on his leadership experience and expertise, and his understanding of government and the APS, to provide insight and understanding to senior executives. Since leaving Austrade and the APS, Peter has undertaken coaching and mentoring of APS and non APS executives and teams; been involved with leadership training for senior Defence service personnel; done workshops with major consulting companies; facilitated strategic planning sessions with company boards; and served for four years on the APSC Audit and Risk Committee.
Prior to joining Austrade as Deputy CEO and Executive Director in 2007, Peter held the positions of Deputy Secretary, Department of Transport and Regional Services (2000-2005) where he was responsible for aviation, transport security and regional policy and services issues; and Deputy Secretary, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (2005-2007), where he was also the Executive Director in charge of the then Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS).
Peter has worked in the former Departments of Trade (in its various forms), Primary Industries and Energy and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has shared responsibility variously for issues such as the development and negotiation of bilateral trade strategies and agreements with countries in Asia; working on the negotiation of Regional Forest Agreements in Australia; fisheries negotiations with Japan; bilateral agricultural and resource issues; and human resource management.
Peter was posted to the Australian Embassy in Seoul as Counsellor (Trade Policy) from 1989-1991. He was a Departmental Adviser in the Office of the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy in 1996-97. Peter was also the appointed Government Director to the Boards of three Government enterprises when he was in the APS.
Peter has a B.A. (Hons, First Class), University of New South Wales. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership (IECL). Peter also has completed training with Professor David Clutterbuck and Dr Tammy Turner on the ‘Foundations of Team Coaching’ and is accredited with the International Coaching Federation. Peter is currently a Non-executive Director of Australia 21, a not for profit, non-partisan think tank addressing some of the major challenges facing Australia in the 21st century. Peter is also a member of Benedictus Contemplative Church in Canberra and a member of its Council.
Peter is married to Elizabeth and they have two children, Andrew and Kathryn.