27 September 2020 |
The Leaders Matter podcast series features ECA Alumni speaking about the contemporary leadership experience…
For Superintendent Joe Jaramazovic, the experience of COVID-19 has reaffirmed that successful leadership is about being responsive to change.
“There was a point in time where I thought I knew leadership,” says Joe. “And then I came to realise that leadership is a life journey, continually evolving and changing over time. The pandemic has reminded me how adaptive we are.”
For a leader whose personal leadership practice is characterised by deep thought, reflection and keen observations of human behavior, leading through COVID-19 has given Joe much to think about.
Listen now to the fourth episode of Leaders Matter, featuring Superintendent Joe Jaramazovic.
Enrolments are now open for our 2021 Masterclass Series, commencing in February and exploring Public Purpose and Leadership and Futures Methodology. Find out more, or contact us to enquire.
As Superintendent Capability Development, Joe is responsible for Service policy and ICT Strategy and Planning in the Queensland Police Service. This includes responsibility for the admin and logistics capability for the State’s police operation centre. He was part of the police response that supported the larger Queensland government operation in response to COVID-19.
“I suspect that part of the reason why the Queensland Government has done well is because we have exercised disaster management arrangements,” says Joe.
“Over many years, by the nature of our environment, we have had to come together as a government across many departments and agencies, working hand in hand. And that’s assisted in role clarification and understanding command and control elements of disaster management, but it’s also brought in an element of agility and responsiveness.”
For Joe, many insights from leading through COVID-19 haven’t been light bulb moments, but rather small learnings and timely reminders about existing knowledge; trust in your team being foremost.
“Prior to the pandemic, many people would have questioned people’s productivity while working from home, even though there’s plenty of research that would suggest otherwise,” says Joe.
“But the pandemic has forced us to stretch our subconscious beliefs and come to realise that not only has it been very healthy, it is a contributing factor to our success at the moment, and I certainly have observed that productivity has been as good, if not better.”
Leaders are of course focused on their teams, but good leaders recognise that self-knowledge and self-care are fundamental.
“I tend to be a bit of an extrovert and I rely on social connectivity,” says Joe. “One thing that I have struggled with, and I’m sure others have, is having that hallway discussion, that one-to-one engagement with other people. That’s more difficult when you’re working from home.”
Technology has been a double edged sword. Digital platforms have enabled remote connection and built up people’s tech fluency and capability, even while taking away precious time for reflection. “I actually found myself quite fatigued at the end of a long day because I was involved in more meetings through the use of technology,” says Joe.
What has struck Joe is the collective response and courage demonstrated by all front line workers through this unique event.
“It’s a reminder of the respect due for those working at the front line in challenging conditions and circumstances,” he says. “And I’m not just talking about police officers. I’m also talking about healthcare workers. The uncertainty in the early stages involved many front line workers putting themselves in an increased space of risk, and many did it with great courage.”
And while individuals have shown great courage and adaptation, Joe sees the scope for change in how we work and lead into the future.
“Rightly so, there is a lot of discussion about cementing a new norm, and leveraging a lot of the gains that we’ve been able to achieve through this pandemic,” says Joe.
There’s certainly acknowledgement across government about the changing work conditions and new ways of working. That will require an element of leadership moving forward, both from employers and employees. That’s something that everyone will need to contribute to.”
The impact of purposeful cross sector collaboration is something that has stuck with Joe from the Executive Challenge Academy.
“I was lucky enough to be able to participate in the ECA Masterclass and go to The Hague, where our group really looked into diversity and how that’s managed in different environments,” he says. “Being able to learn from those experiences and apply them within my own setting is something that has really helped me.”
ECA offers more than just a one-off leadership program. It offers ongoing development for leaders at all levels. This mirrors Joe’s experience of leadership as a deeply personal and evolving lifelong journey.
“I remember earlier in my leadership journey, doing an MBA and undergraduate programs, I thought I knew what leadership was, that exercising leadership was about leading from the front and doing something different,” he says.
“What I’ve learned is that leadership is an evolving practice of continual learning. That is the value that ECA has provided me in my professional life. And I hope it doesn’t subside and doesn’t stop. I look forward to continuing my journey.”
Enrolments are now open for our 2021 Masterclass Series, commencing in February and exploring Public Purpose and Leadership and Futures Methodology. Find out more, or contact us to enquire.
Listen now to the fourth episode of Leaders Matter, featuring Superintendent Joe Jaramazovic.
About Joe Jaramazovic
As a Superintendent in the Queensland Police Service, Joe has enjoyed a vast policing career across many locations, since graduating as a sworn officer in 1991. He first served in general duties on the Gold Coast before becoming a detective in the Criminal Investigation Branch.
His career has crossed over into training and project management, before enjoying the challenges of being the Officer in Charge of one of the largest stations in the state, prior to being promoted to Commissioned Officer in 2011. Commissioned Officer duties involved Regional Duty Officer, Patrol Group and most recently as Superintendent Capability Development, being responsible for Service policy and ICT Strategy and Planning.
Throughout his career, Joe has completed both undergraduate and post-graduate studies, including a Master of Business Administration and Graduate Certificate in Applied Management, taking a keen interest in performance and leadership.
Joe has participated in Executive Challenge Academy programs as a leader, committed to his own ongoing growth and learning, but also to the ongoing development of others. In handing forward to others, he has built local networks of senior leaders, committed to supporting future leaders. He has been a sponsor, a learning partner and a presenter of his own leadership story.
