This afternoon myself, Cameron, Olivia and Ruthie had the privilege of visiting the Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy’s house alongside other student leaders from Anglican schools to discover more about leadership.

We were split into three groups, and rotated through separate stations designed for us to discover more about what it means to be a leader. We had the opportunity to learn more about our personal style of leadership, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of that given style of leadership. I learnt that my primary style of leadership is a nurturer, and that my secondary style of leadership is a visionary. This was an extremely beneficial exercise for me, as it allowed me to explore more about the things that I need to be aware of when I am leading others.

We also that the opportunity to be presented with a reading from Father Bruce, and participated in a short mindfulness activity to remind us to be present in a world that is constantly reaching for our attention. Father Bruce reminded us that as leaders, it is important to remind people that they are loved, and that the greatest thing about them is not something that they can achieve or that they can have, but rather that it is who they are. He asked us the question, who am I? I enjoyed Father Bruce’s talk, as he highlighted the importance of being aware of other people, and summarised it in an excellent analogy involving fish. He spoke about how a person who is not constantly thinking about themselves and is stuck in their head notices more than others, and is able to hold the door open for a teacher who is struggling with a lot of books, or help a mother who is struggling with her children. He touched on “main character energy” and noted how in our modern world it is hard to focus on other people. His analogy involved two fish swimming alongside each other in water, when an older fish appears and asks “How’s the water?”. The two fish ignore the other fish and then continue swimming. After a while, one fish asks the other, “what’s water?”. This analogy really resonated with me as it stressed the importance of focusing on what is around you, and taking in the present moment.

Archbishop Kay led us in an activity in the chapel that is connected to the house, which provided us with the opportunity to reflect on how certain qualities impact our leadership ability and leadership style. We engaged in thought-provoking conversations about leadership and what we do as leaders.

To finish off the afternoon, we were spoken to by Mr Peter Lawrence, who spoke about his life and emphasised to us some of the things he learnt when he became a pilot. Aviate. Navigate. Communicate. He explained to us the importance of these three words, and how although they sound aviation specific, can actually be applied to any situation in life. Focus on the task at hand, gage your surroundings, and then communicate what you are doing with others.

This inspiring talk was followed by a delicious afternoon tea, followed by the opportunity to mingle with other students and to talk to some of the new friends we made. Personally the highlight of the day for me was meeting the wonderful student leaders at other schools, and being able to form close bonds with other like minded people in such a short period of time. This was a brilliant event and I am so grateful to Reverend Liz for providing myself and the other captains the opportunity to attend this wonderful event.