6 April 2022
They’re the go-to person in your ward, department or office and recently received an inspiring leadership pep talk from the ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM.
Eight worksite representatives from across the state were at ANMF headquarters in Ridleyton for their Level 3 WSR Training Session: Workplace Action Plans.
Natasha Billing from the Lyell McEwin Hospital described Ms Dabars as a “hero” and said the session was motivational.
“She (Ms Dabars) is inspirational. I love coming to do things like this, she makes me want to be a better union representative and help my work colleagues,” Natasha said.
“It’s educational, it makes me excited and pumped to put some things into action to help make things better for us and that’s what get from coming her and speaking to the other worksite reps as well.”
Nicky Kerr from Medstar – Emergency Medical Retrieval said Ms Dabars’ presentation made her more open to re-evaluating her style of leadership.
“I’m naturally more of a collaborative leader so I found the hero style of leadership and commander control as something I tend to look at negatively but whereas today it has been highlighted the usefulness of those styles in some areas for some issues,” she said.
“I’m a big fan of Elizabeth, not because she is our leader but because of the human being she is. I find her to be very empathetic, I find her a champion of nurses as in very proactive in promoting and celebrating nursing as a profession.
“I think she is a very strong advocate for us, she is very proactive in that respect but the main qualities that I admire about her is her willingness to be vulnerable and share her experiences, to give examples of how they’ve worked and how they haven’t worked.”
Robert Marcato has been a worksite representative at the Mount Gambier Hospital for several years and said the session helped build knowledge and skills in dealing with meeting, management and staff.
“It’s reaffirming what you are aware of and expanding on that and it’s also about building your confidence and being the approachable person in the workplace,” Robert said.
“At the end of the day we won’t be there forever and we’d like to see the new people to come through and entice others to become leaders.
“I’ve had a few meetings with Elizabeth Dabars, I’ve seen her in action sorting out conflicts withing a workplace, she is very, very capable a very impressive lady.”
To learn more about becoming a worksite representative, visit the ANMF (SA Branch) for more information.
Worksite Representatives