Welcome to Alumni Insights, our series of conversations with leaders who have been through a Cranlana program.

Our aim is to understand the unique aspects of the Colloquium that stick with each leader as well as seek answers to the big questions like, how can leaders navigate the challenges of ethical decision-making and keep driving their organisations forward?

For Scott Young, a seasoned executive and CEO of the Ipswich Hospital Foundation, the Colloquium was the “missing piece” in his leadership journey.

It provided an opportunity to engage with timeless wisdom while planting it firmly in reality by applying it to contemporary dilemmas put forward by the leaders in the room and Scott himself.

For Scott, undertaking the Colloquium drove home the critical role of ethics in his spheres of influence and society at large.

In this reflection, you’ll find out what made an impression on Scott during the program, including:

1. The importance of self-reflection and challenging one’s own thinking
2. The value of diverse perspectives in decision-making
3. The need to balance legal obligations with moral considerations
4. The recognition that leadership is deeply personal and shaped by circumstance

Dr Yohan Chacko and Dr Johanne Neill from the Cardiac Cath Lab with Ipswich Hospital Foundation Chief Executive Officer Scott Young.

In conversation with Scott Young, alumnus of the Executive Colloquium, Brisbane 2024 and Cranlana’s Alumni and Community Manager, Stephanie.

Stephanie: Thank you for joining me, Scott. With your background in leadership, what drew you to Cranlana’s Executive Colloquium?

Scott: My postgraduate studies have been in executive leadership, I undertook a Graduate Certificate in Executive Leadership at the University of Queensland and completed my MBA at Torrens University. But afterwards, I realised I wanted more. I was seeking an experience that went beyond simply earning a degree or master’s. I wanted something truly different—an opportunity to engage actively with others, where I’d find myself in a room with people I might not typically encounter. The piece that intrigued me with the Colloquium was around ethics, morals, and the decision-making process for those grey decisions that you have to make, generally about people.

Stephanie: Fantastic. That’s something we hear a lot – our participants are drawn to the diversity in the room, and the opportunity to reflect deeply, not just on leadership, but on the ethical dimension of it.

Scott: That’s a great point, because I agree, it’s about self reflection. And it’s not just a chance to reflect on whether you would make a decision this way, or that way, but it poses that little person on your shoulders to say ‘hey, is there a better way?’ I’m actually facing a couple of challenges at the moment. I think the thing about this program is that it is about people. Ethics, moral agents, and so on, but that’s the real bonus about this; it’s the people you meet on the course and where this sends you in terms of broader thinking.

Stephanie: Absolutely. Scott, you mentioned currently facing some dilemmas. Do you think you will approach them differently after participating in the Executive Colloquium?

Scott: Well yes, I already have. For example, I have a scenario where a member of my team is not performing, and I think they really don’t want to be here. And what is the best way to handle that? There’s the legalistic way, where you sit down and say, “You’re not performing, so this is it.” But ethically, maybe the conversation should be, “Is this really the right place for you?” in a way that challenges this person’s thinking.

The Colloquium had a profound impact on me, revealing just how relevant ancient philosophical concepts remain in today’s world. The insights of thinkers like Plato and Aristotle are not just historical footnotes but offer valuable perspectives for modern leadership. What’s even more remarkable is that at no point during the course did I find myself disengaged, tired, or bored. This is particularly impressive because, as anyone who’s done an MBA or other postgraduate work knows, it’s easy to tune out at times—but that was never the case here.

Stephanie: So Scott, tell me a little about what leadership means to you – beyond just ethical leadership?

Scott: I think for me, in terms of my own leadership journey, this was the missing piece. I think leadership is a very personal thing. I don’t believe in “natural born leaders” – I believe leadership is a result of the experiences that you have, the places you visit, the people you meet, the places that you work, that make you a leader. I also believe that you can be a different type of leader in different situations. And the Colloquium reinforced this for me. You adapt your experiences to the organisation that you’re working for or leading.

Leadership isn’t always about leading from the front. In fact, sometimes the best leaders know when to step back and follow.

There are moments when a good leader will recognise that someone else on the team, with expertise they may not possess, is better suited to lead. Embracing this not only empowers that person but also strengthens the team as a whole. For example, when someone on the team is an expert in a particular area, it’s important to hand over the reins and say, ‘I trust you to lead this.’

I believe that culture is something that comes from within, and while leaders can serve as the moral compass, they aren’t the sole source. I always tell the people I work with that everyone on the team has leadership potential, even if they don’t realize it. Leadership isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach—it’s deeply personal. It can be aspirational, empathetic, or something else entirely, depending on the individual. I also don’t believe in the pursuit of perfection when it comes to leadership, or in life. Instead, I believe in striving for excellence. Perfection can set us up for failure, but excellence is a continuous, achievable journey

I don’t believe in “natural born leaders” – I believe leadership is a result of the experiences that you have, the places you visit, the people you meet, the things that happen in your life that make you a leader.

Stephanie: Thank you for sharing that with me, Scott. In a broader sense, how do you see ethical leadership fitting into the current climate?

Scott: After the Colloquium, I personally thought, where do I go now? I’m two years into this role of CEO. And you’ve probably seen this. People are becoming more and more difficult to lead. We’re dealing with a more entitled workforce and leaders have to navigate new rights that employees expect. COVID has changed the workplace, and leaders are now faced with ethical dilemmas they might not have encountered before—like how to handle remote work or respect employee boundaries. There’s also the challenge of getting people back into the office. It all makes ethical leadership essential.

Stephanie: I think that is a great point to have touched on, Scott. What would you then say to another Australian leader who is considering the next steps in their leadership journey?

Scott: I think this kind of discourse (offered in the Colloquium) is paramount. It’s the missing piece. This is not something that I’ve seen in any other offering. There have been little bits where it’s discussed, but with such intense, in-depth discussions.

Stephanie: I love that expression—the “missing piece.” Could you expand on that?

Scott – It’s the subjective, grey area of leadership where it’s not necessarily right or wrong, but I guess it’s the values part of leadership that we don’t always discuss. There’s an underlying tone here of the values of you as a person, the values of your organisation. But there’s also the values of society and the asking of that question, “what is morally right here?”

Stephanie: Were there any moments or key takeaways from the Colloquium that really stuck with you?

Scott: Absolutely. There were moments when I found the discussions uncomfortable. For instance, when we were talking about Indigenous Australia and the Voice, it felt morally challenging that no First Nations voices were present. Given my own lived experiences and friendships, I was surprised by how many people had never met an Indigenous person, which made me reflect deeply on what this country represents. It also highlighted for me that these difficult conversations are essential, even if they feel uncomfortable, because they’re crucial to shaping the future of our society.

Some of those philosophers we read about and discussed had views that I don’t believe fit in a contemporary society. But it is important that we study this content, because it helps us understand how we’ve evolved.

Stephanie: Yes, as you say, it’s an important part of this discourse to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. What did you think about the mix of people in the course?

Scott: The diversity was amazing. On our course, we had CEOs, board members, a Baptist minister and somebody from the Bureau of Meteorology. I was just thinking, wow, there’s not many programs you’re going to go on where you’ve got that kind of diversity.

Stephanie: Is there anything else that really stood out for you from the experience?

Scott: One aspect of our discussion that really stood out to me was about the unknowns in leadership—specifically, the dilemma around withholding information that’s deemed confidential. It made me reflect on the challenge leaders face when balancing confidentiality with moral responsibility. While certain information might be classified as confidential, there are situations where withholding it can impact crucial decisions, influence how you lead, and affect staff and organisational culture. This raises a moral question: should I, as a leader, share this confidential information with my board chair? Despite the confidentiality, there may be a moral obligation to share it if it’s critical to the organisation’s direction or well-being.

Stephanie: Thank you so much for sharing your insights, Scott. It’s been fascinating to hear about your experience with the Executive Colloquium and how it’s shaped your approach to leadership. Your reflections will be invaluable for other leaders considering this program.

Connect with Scott and keep up with his work here.