You can’t lead a village from behind a desk
I have always believed you cannot keep your finger on the pulse from behind a desk.
Reports, emails and video calls tell you part of the story. To understand what is happening across a retirement living business, leaders need to walk through communities, speak with the people doing the work and listen to the residents experiencing the decisions being made.
This applies particularly to operational and head office teams. Their decisions influence the workload of Village Managers, the experience of frontline staff and the daily lives of residents. The further those decision-makers are from village life, the easier it becomes to underestimate the practical impact of a policy, process or strategic priority.
It is refreshing to hear from Operators who embrace this, with RetireAustralia’s executive team leading from the front.
Three times a year, CEO Dr Brett Robinson and members of the Executive Leadership Team travel across Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia for the operator’s Business Review Forums.
The forums bring village, care and sales leaders together to discuss business performance, strategy, resident experiences and the issues confronting employees on the ground.
They also give frontline management and staff direct access to the executives making decisions that affect their communities.
“You can send an email or host a video call, but nothing replaces sitting in the same room as people, listening to their experiences and having honest conversations about what’s working and where we can improve,” Brett said.
“Our village, care and sales leaders shape the resident experience every day. If we’re serious about making good decisions for our residents and our business, we need to stay connected to the people delivering that experience on the ground.”
Connection cannot be delivered by email
The Business Review Forums combine company updates and discussions about future priorities with resident stories and open question-and-answer sessions.
For Village Managers, the value lies in being able to understand the thinking behind decisions, contribute their own experience and challenge ideas before they become detached from operational reality.
Lexi Connor, Village Manager at Boambee Gardens Retirement Village in Toormina on the NSW North Coast, said the direct contact helps employees feel part of RetireAustralia’s direction.
“The BRFs give us something that can’t be replicated through emails or video calls – genuine connection,” she said.
“Having direct access to Brett and the Executive Leadership Team allows us to hear first-hand where the business is heading, ask questions and feel part of the journey.”
The forums also give Village Managers from different regions an opportunity to exchange practical ideas. They return to their communities with initiatives that can support employees and improve the resident experience.
Keeping strategy grounded in village life
Maintaining this connection becomes more difficult as an operator grows. RetireAustralia operates across three states and is now owned by Invesco Real Estate. Its scale increases the importance of keeping senior leadership close to the communities it serves.
“It’s easy for strategy to become a document that sits on a shelf,” Brett said.
“The value of the BRFs is that they connect big-picture thinking with the real experiences of residents, employees and communities. They remind us why we do what we do.”
Face-to-face forums require more time and money than another online meeting. The return comes through better-informed decisions, stronger relationships and a workforce that has an opportunity to contribute rather than simply receive instructions.
“Our people want more than updates,” Brett said. “They want the opportunity to ask questions, challenge ideas and understand where we’re heading.”
Village professionals are often encouraged to be visible, accessible and connected to their residents. The same expectation should apply to every leader whose decisions shape what happens inside a community.
You can’t manage from behind a desk, or in an ivory tower.
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