Leanne Chin, EO Athletics NT

Alex Mednis & Cass Simonetti, Australian Sports Professional Association
Leanne Chin, Athletics NT

Bonus content

Each CEO has bonus content available to ASPA members that is not found in the book. The philosophies below are sourced directly from the interview, however each interview contained so much great content we had to put together an excerpt. Note that the content of the interview differs than the philosophies.

Interview

How did you get into Athletics?

I started with Athletics NT in December of 2015 as a casual officer. Hours went up and down from there as the need required, from casual or ‘general dog's body’ as I liked to call myself at that time. (laughs). Hasn't changed very much!

I found myself in event management as well. I became the event director for the ‘Mother's Day Classic’, which was a huge learning curve. I had never volunteered and assisted Athletics NT prior to starting work with them – and then became the event manager for that event which led to full-time.  That role was as the Project Manager for remote community programs.

Then in June of 2019, I progressed into the role as Executive Officer for Athletics NT. The Board felt that I was well-positioned to do that, with the people that I knew in government and the community. They felt that I was well-positioned to have a crack at that role.

With their support, it's been a great 12 months, and a huge learning curve
 

When you started, Leanne, were you nervous, or have any trepidation? Or did you also feel like you were well-positioned for the role and you were excited to get into it?

Oh, definitely not! (laughs)

My background, prior to having children, was in children's services and working in early learning centres. I was a team leader of a zero to 18 month old room and so children were my thing. 

Now, working in sport, maybe, (laughs), that is actually works, because sometimes adults can behave like children too.

(laughs) Every administrator reading this later will crack a wry smile I bet.

No doubt. 

In short though, I didn’t feel as well positioned at the time, no. I felt out of my depth, which I think a lot of new Executive Officers and managers do. 

I flip-flopped a lot in the first sort of six months, saying to myself, "I can do it. No, I can't. Yes, I can. No, I can't." It took about six months to really get into that rhythm, and it has been a huge learning curve.

During the course of these interviews, the initial ‘flip-flop’ when starting out as a CEO is a common theme.

It’s a tough gig, because you suddenly realise the buck stops with you. Everything is on your shoulders, especially in a small, quiet office. 

Going from early learning, where you've got a room full of energy and kids to go to that quiet office, how have you found that transition?

I really enjoy it, actually. I am still the only full-time employee with Athletics in the Territory. The only other person that we have is our Finance Manager and she works one day a week. I still am ‘general dog's body’, when the need requires. I clean the toilets and rake the long-jump pit when it needs raking. All that sort of stuff.

I do enjoy the solitude though. I've recently had an international business student for six weeks, and it was nice having someone in there, but I think I'm now in the groove being used to my own voice (laughs). 

How did you find having an intern in? Was it a lot of conversation or straight to getting work done while you had the opportunity?

I do expect that once I task someone with a job, that I do expect for them to just get on and do it, and ask questions if required. I don't like micro-managing, definitely. That's not my style. It was straight to business, I think!

It's often said that the CEO is the loneliest role. It's quite ironic, when you're the only one there at the office! How does that sit with you?

it is lonely at the top, and when I am the only one, there's nobody else to blame when it hits the fan, but me.

Why do you think that the position is lonely, other than the obvious lack of other people in the office?

People in sport will quite often go on the attack, because sport is full of a lot of very passionate people. When they don't feel that the management are doing the right thing, they can really get quite harsh.

I've learnt to own it. And I'm still coming to terms with not taking things personally. I think it comes with the role. I get to talk to the other CEOs in both my sport and others, and it’s something we all have to own, and we all take home sometimes. 

There's almost some sort of sick ‘rite of passage’ of clubs, that if you don't hate the state or territory organisation at some point in your life cycle, you're not doing your job as a club.

(Laughs) I think they forget that they're real people sometimes, behind the management.

What strategies did you take to really start to feel comfortable? With time, that develops naturally, but even something like positive self-talk and anything like that. Did you consciously make any strategies towards that?

No. I definitely did not. Coming in to the role, at times I felt I was the wrong person for the role, that I didn't deserve to be there.

‘Imposter syndrome’ is common to a lot of new leaders.

Absolutely, yes. It has been time that has built up my confidence and knowledge to a place where I now feel comfortable. 

To support you, what kind of volunteer base do you have? And especially during this time of COVID, how do you corral them and still keep them engaged?

Volunteers are so thin on the ground, it's not funny. There appear to be a lot of passionate people about my sport, until you say, "Could you give me a hand? I need help."

Then, there's nobody. (laughs). 

I have probably five or six people that I know I can rely on. People, even parents, sitting in the stairs, don't want to get off their backside and come out and stand there with a...

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