The importance of authentic leadership with Jane Pickering
Throughout her 25-year leadership career, Jane Pickering, Eldercare鈥檚 Chief Executive, has remained true to her values and committed to maintaining her femininity 鈥� even when boardrooms were dominated by men.
Beginning her working life as a registered nurse and midwife, Jane progressed into nursing administration roles in public and private hospitals before joining the 鈥楥-Suite鈥�.
Now, having spent 10-years at the helm of one of South Australia鈥檚 largest aged care providers, Jane is responsible for leading more than 1,800 staff, working across 20 locations, to provide care for 1,200 older South Australians.
As a recent guest on the Levelling up: Your leadership podcast, Jane had an open, heartfelt and honest chat with host Ali Clarke about the immense privilege 鈥� and pressure 鈥� that comes with holding such a title, the importance of gender equality and her journey to becoming an authentic leader.
Eldercare Chief Executive, Jane Pickering
Privilege and pressure
The enormity of the job 鈥� caring for 1,200 of South Australia鈥檚 most vulnerable people 鈥� is not lost on Jane, who describes being a CEO in aged care as "a particularly privileged position to hold".
"We鈥檝e got 1,200 residents that have contributed enormous amounts to our society鈥hey鈥檝e seen a lot happen over the past 100 years, and they鈥檝e created a society that makes it much easier and more comfortable for us, so they deserve to be looked after," she said.
"It鈥檚 important to remember that they鈥檙e also incredibly vulnerable people, with families, friends and the community鈥o, if we stuff up, or if we do something wrong with an older person living in one of our homes, it鈥檚 not just one person that has an impact on, it鈥檚 the whole community sometimes."
On gender equality
Working in a female-dominated field and experiencing gender inequality first-hand, Jane has always been determined to use her position of influence as a force for good. She鈥檚 now Chair of SA Leaders for Gender Equity, and a member of the South Australian Gender Pay Gap Taskforce.
According to the Australian Government鈥檚 , in 2022, 79 per cent of employees in the health care and social assistance industry were female, with the industry experiencing a gender pay gap of 22.2 per cent 鈥� well above the national average of 14.1 per cent.
"When I was nursing, you were very sub-servient to the doctors鈥nd that just pissed me off," she said.
"There weren鈥檛 many men in nursing at all when I started, so that鈥檚 when I began to realise that gee, this is a gender thing.
"Once I became a Chief Executive, even a Director of Nursing, I could see the real difference in the way women were treated in management roles than men.
"I thought, as soon as I get into a position of power of position of influence, I鈥檓 going to use it for this, and I decided that early on in my career."
Another decision Jane made early on in her career was to be an authentic leader, and true to herself as a person 鈥� and woman.
"There are some very distinct characteristics of females that make them good leaders鈥eing gentle, and firm when I need it, being kind and caring and understanding, and being fair and listening to both sides of the story," she said.
"I鈥檝e always said I鈥檓 going to be myself, I鈥檓 going to be authentic and I鈥檓 going to be kind and look after people, and use my role to actually genuinely care for people rather than tread all over them to get what I need and to progress my career."
Experiencing the journey
As Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, once said: "change is the only constant in life." And this couldn鈥檛 be truer for Jane鈥檚 leadership journey, and the industry she鈥檚 chosen as her own.
"Particularly in the last four or five years, I鈥檝e seen confidence in my own ability grow, and I don鈥檛 worry so much about what people are thinking of me or how they鈥檙e judging me for doing my job," she said.
"In the sector, there鈥檚 been so much change in the last 10, 20 years鈥ut I think we鈥檙e in a really good position now.
"I鈥檓 feeling more confident and optimistic about the future of aged care right now than I ever had previously."
As for lessons she鈥檇 like to pass down to new leaders, or future leaders, Jane鈥檚 advice is simple:
"Don鈥檛 be so caught up in being successful.
"Just go on the journey, enjoy each day, and celebrate your achievements along the way."
Level up your leadership like Jane by enrolling in a Professional and Continuing Education course or program at 91自拍 鈥� or listening to Jane鈥檚 episode of Levelling-up: Your leadership podcast.