ARCS CEO talks trust and transparency as essential traits for today’s effective leaders

Leadership & Management: Welcome to Health Industry Hub’s Women in Leadership Series – connecting, engaging and empowering women in the Pharma, MedTech and Biotech sectors by celebrating and sharing the journey of inspirational and passionate women leaders in the industry.

In an interview with Health Industry Hub, Dr Shanny Dyer, CEO of ARCS Australia, shares her inspirational leadership journey.

In this episode, we dive into how the COVID-19 crisis has strengthened the focus and priority of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Shanny also discusses the barriers she overcame along her career journey, her bravest career moment, and the most important traits we need in a leader today.

Shanny said “It [DEI] has had to become a priority. It makes our businesses better to bring inclusivity and all points of view. The fact that we have to work on policies to ensure inclusivity and managing diversity shows that businesses have struggled with it.

she added “I have been confronted with discrimination and sexual harassment. When I reflect back on my career, I realise that I have been dealing with all of these issues because it is that kind of environment where if you grow up with that all around you, it becomes the norm.

“I often use the example that if you come into the office and you walk past a big pile of rubbish in the middle of the floor that is both messy, dirty and a safety hazard, the moment that you walk past that and do nothing about it is the moment you accept it. The same goes to any issue around racism or discrimination. The moment you have an occasion when that happens and you let it happen, you have accepted it.

“To be a good leader you need to put yourself in a position that people will trust you. Trust and transparency means that when I am talking with people they know what I am saying is right because they trust me. Building trust in this environment is really important. We have seen examples where there has not been transparency, where you lose that trust. For example, how the government been dealing with the COVID vaccine rollout and the detrimental impact that has had on people.

“The reason that you need that trust and transparency is because to work in a team they need to trust that you are going in the right direction because they are following you, and transparency in the decisions you are making so that they can be brought along in the journey.

“I’m excited that women in leadership in our sector are in positions of leadership and a showing the qualities that I think women bring to the table, and diversity also brings to the table, of seeing things from a slightly different angle and being able to juggle a whole number of different issues, weigh them up and come to a decision about what needs to be done in a particular circumstance,” Shanny commented.