What does a day in your shoes feel like? And what are the key skills that can make or break a career in your field?

We’ve asked a diverse group of Apolitical members to share their career story with us and the tips they have for junior public servants. In this article, Paul Boston explains why it’s important to find your intrinsic motivators in their role as a business advisor.

What is your current job title?

Business Advisor, Leadership Development & Coaching

How do you spend most of your time on an average day?

I spend my days either in consultation meetings, facilitating workshops, conducting psychometric assessments feedback sessions, curating content and designing learning & development sessions and development tools. I always ensure to start my day off by reading, listening or watching something that sparks my professional imagination.

What did you do before?

I started my career off in advertising and marketing, but then found myself back in the world of leadership and organisational development. I studied organisational development in university, however when I was 13, I attended my first formal leadership development program in air cadets, and the officer who was the instructor is still one of my mentors.

What are the most important skills someone needs to excel in your field?

In leadership and organisational development, things change at a rapid pace, along with the evolution of psychology and neuroscience, so you always have to be curating content and being agile on your approaches towards developing leaders and organisations.

What's the best part of your job?

The people… I know you’ve heard it before, but when I leader faces a challenge in leading people and organisations and you are the one that helps them get unstuck, it's very rewarding.

What advice would you give to future public servants interested in a career in your field?

Find your intrinsic motivators. For me, it was a seed of leadership development that was placed in me at the age of 13. If leadership and organisational development is one of your intrinsic motivators, then let's chat!

📚 Want to learn more about this topic? Join this free email boot camp Build your leadership skills in the public service.

Want to share your own career story with the Apolitical community? Use this form to let us know about your job.

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