Is It Time To Change Your Life?
Louisa Graham is doing that thing that many of us have dreamt about: stepping off the career treadmill to alter course and pursue a passion project. The former CEO of The Walkley Foundation, a non-profit that supports Australian journalism, tells us why she decided to change her life midstream.
I must have been about 10 years old when I declared to my mother that I wanted to be just like Caroline Jones, the ABC radio broadcaster. It was her authority and compassion that captured my imagination. I didn’t quite make it to the ABC, but I found myself working in media and the not-for-profit sector doing good. Living and working with compassion is where I have always wanted to be.
I’ve spent the last 10 years at the helm of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, first as general manager, then as CEO. It has been an extraordinary experience working with some of the country’s best journalists to ensure an industry benchmark for excellence and best practice. I’ve enjoyed every moment.
It wasn’t anything tangible, just a feeling. I had achieved a lot and had brought the organisation to a position where it was in good shape. There is a great team and infrastructure in place, and I thought, my work here is done, let’s see what someone else can do with this vital organisation.
It was a hard decision to leave the Foundation. In leadership, you make a commitment to the organisation and its purpose, you feel a deep connection to the staff and stakeholders, particularly in the not-for-profit sector. I felt that my identity was defined by the Foundation, but somehow that was no longer me.
With 20 years of part-time service as a non-executive board member in the not-for-profit sector under my belt, the next step is to turn that into a career. I’m passionate about leadership and just love to play a key role in the success of another company or person. It is hugely rewarding.
I’m excited by the evolution of the for-purpose sector, which is being driven not only by employees but by consumers. It is a growing movement and one where I feel I have the right skills to make a significant contribution in a new strategic leadership capacity.
The decision to pursue this next path was part evolution and part transformation. My executive career has seen me working in media, which is a complex environment experiencing significant disruption, and I have also been involved in social change campaigns such as White Ribbon and the Australian Republican Movement. After a while, the desire to make a difference and do good rubs off.
I’m very excited to be joining Tonic. We have some big ideas around supporting mid-life women, so watch this space.
I was struck by comments that I heard Anne Sherry AO make at an International Women’s Day event regarding her career. She partly attributed her success to being prepared to back herself and take risks. Those comments have stayed with me and inspired me to do just that.
Full disclosure, after 17 years living independently, I am embarking on my second marriage in my 50s. It is a time of change and new beginnings, so I felt why not go all the way.