Evergreen by Tim Entwisle

Author:Tim Entwisle
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781760762971
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Australia Pty Ltd

THE SEVENTEENTH DIRECTOR

Apprenticeship

When Frank Howarth travelled overseas or took extended leave, I stood in as director. It was testing at times. On one occasion, a staff member threatened defamation action against me and the organisation, three staff reported stress-related injuries and, to top it off, we received a particularly bleak return from a staff attitude survey. I did wonder then who would want this job. Another time I took a call from Frank Sartor, then lord mayor of Sydney (and later, for a brief period, our Minister for the Environment), where he berated me about a contractual detail to do with the redevelopment of the Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool (run by the Council but on our land). As I learnt later, this was a typical call from Frank Sartor, peppered with expletives and more rant than resolution. At the end of the call we, or at least I, agreed to disagree.

I learnt from all this that, despite the angst, I liked being a director. You became part of the story of the organisation, and there were real decisions to be made. I also discovered it was better to ‘play to my strengths’ and not try to act like I thought a manager should act, or like Mr Sartor. I could get the same result, or better, by sticking to my own ethics and respectful behaviours. That approach has served me well.

In 2001, I accepted an offer from Frank Howarth to head up the Botanic Gardens and Public Programs branch of the Gardens for three months while we looked for a new branch director. I was a little hesitant at first to leave the safety of the science crowd, and my research interests, but as with the corporate plan writing at Melbourne, this was a valuable career move. I demonstrated I could manage more than just science and scientists. As it happened, I enjoyed the experience. I found the horticultural staff to be more direct than the scientists. There were exceptions, but issues among them seemed to crystalise more quickly with a fiery outburst, and then mostly we moved on.

At a dinner in late 2002, Minister Bob Debus leant across and told me that Frank Howarth’s renewal for another five years should be approved the following week. I worked well with Frank, so was happy for him, if a little disappointed for myself. My desire for the role was growing. Six months later, while I was in New Caledonia, I forwarded through to Frank an advertisement for the CEO of the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. I can’t remember if he mentioned to me his interest in this role or that he was looking for a change, or if I was simply feeding my ambition. In any case, Frank was short-listed and interviewed for the role in August 2003.

A month later, Frank called me to his office and asked me to stay flexible for the next week or two. I told him I could certainly be flexible, but that I was now also curious.

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