IAN ANDERSON
Being honest and having integrity builds trust with your people, the new MDA National chief tells Sean Smith.
Biggest career break?
The opportunity I had in 1988 to go and start up Perpetual’s office in South Australia. I was working here in WA but moved the family to Adelaide and spent just over four years building up the office and a profitable business. It was a great opportunity for me to use skills I didn’t know I had and to develop new skills, in terms of networking with people and promoting the organisation. So that was great.
Describe your leadership style.
Inclusive, with open and honest communication. I also like to give people the autonomy they deserve, so let them get on with their job and trust them to do it. To me, the honesty part is important because that builds integrity and trust, and people will follow you if they believe you’ve got integrity and can trust what you’re saying. Beyond that, leadership is situational and you need to adapt your behaviours to the circumstances and individuals you’re dealing with.
First or most unusual job?
The first and probably the most unusual was actually fitting tyres at a retread factory in Palmyra while I was still at school. It was dirty but interesting and they were good blokes to work with. But it taught me a little about process and quality control.
Best way to improve productivity?
I’ve been working in healthcare now for 20 years. And most of the people are in the industry because they care. And from what I’ve seen at MDA National, people there are absolutely the same. That means that in healthcare, there’s not a lot of need to motivate, but what they do need is direction and guidance. So the clarity of the communication and the guidance, coaching and mentoring will actually maximise the outcome. And that goes back to integrity and trust; if they believe what the organisation is doing is right, if they actually understand the decisions and the context in which they are made, that produces better outcomes.
Most influential mentors?
No individuals, I’ve always looked at my bosses as mentors, learning from them and how they do things. Beyond that, I was a member for many years of the Chief Executive Discussion Organisation, which was founded here in WA and lasted for 30 years. It created groups of like-minded people in similar circumstances, and we would meet regularly to talk about the issues we were facing from a work perspective.
Do you use social media?
I use LinkedIn, mainly to keep in touch with people, and Twitter and Clipboard for news. I’m very aware of what it (social media) does and how it can work in the community.
How do you spend your spare time?
I don’t have a lot. But I like to spend it with the family doing relatively mundane things. Beyond that, I don’t have a particular sport or passion that takes me away from the family on the weekend.
What was the last book you read?
The Accidental Connoisseur by Lawrence Osborne. I’ve had the pleasure of touring some of the great wineries in Australia and France and Italy, and he talks and writes about it in a very humorous way. It’s informative and entertaining.
Favourite holiday destination?
Locally, Dunsborough. As a family, we used to camp at Meelup Beach. You can’t do that any more, so I’ve very fond memories of that down there. And beyond that, it would be Europe, because I’m just fascinated by the history.
Your worst investment?
Nothing specific, but it would be equity investments, and then more to do with being in the market in October 1987.
What are the biggest challenges facing MDA National?
There are four players in the market in Australia, including one dominant group that can have a lot of influence on the other three players. So our challenge is to be well positioned to react and withstand whatever that dominant player may do. So that’s do to with our business model, our engagement with doctors and other insurance customers, and making sure that the organisation is secure and financially sustainable in the long term.
