100.STEVEN PEARCE

Episode 100 — Do the Right Thing in the Right Moment | Steven Pearce AFSM

For the 100th episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series, Allan Sicard welcomes someone he has been trying to get onto the podcast since Episode 1 — Steven Pearce AFSM, CEO of Surf Life Saving NSW.

And the wait was worth it.

Steven has spent more than four decades in emergency services and public safety leadership, from a 25-year career in Fire & Rescue NSW, to senior executive leadership in the NSW State Emergency Service, to leading the transformation of Surf Life Saving NSW.

But this conversation is about much more than positions and achievements.

Steven talks candidly about the moments that shaped the leader he became.

He remembers a quiet firefighter in 1985 who stood up against the treatment of the first female firefighters joining the organisation — teaching Steven that leadership is not about rank, size or personality. Sometimes it is simply about having the courage to do the right thing in the right moment.

He discusses building formidable teams by trusting people, delegating authority and — critically — giving them permission to fail.

He reflects on one of the most difficult periods of his life, when a devastating reputational crisis threatened everything he had spent decades building, and why he made the conscious decision to play the long game rather than burn bridges.

Steven also speaks with extraordinary vulnerability about trauma, resilience and the personal impact of leadership following the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, including the moment his own people recognised that he had reached his limit and told him it was time to step away temporarily.

And he explains how Surf Life Saving NSW has continued to evolve — embracing innovation, drones, emergency management, diversity and inclusion while creating an organisation where there is a role for everyone.

Perhaps Steven's simplest leadership philosophy says it best:

“It’s not about you. It’s all about the team.”

For Episode 100, it is difficult to imagine a better conversation to represent what The Courage to Lead Interview Series has always been about:

Shining a light on leaders who empower others to create supportive and inclusive workplaces where people can do amazing things.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of operational trauma, post-traumatic stress and suicidal thoughts.

If this conversation raises concerns for you, Lifeline is available in Australia 24/7 on 13 11 14. If life is in immediate danger, call 000.

 

“You don't have to be a superhero.
You just need to do the right thing
in the right moment.”

 

An extraordinary conversation about Relationships, Reputation and Resilience — and what leadership looks like when it really matters.

Follow Allan Sicard on LinkedIn, Instagram and ALLANSICARD.COM.

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