Leadership is a Journey, Not a Destination
Kaitiaki o Ara / SADD General Manager Donna Govorko recently had the privilege of speaking with Year 12 students at Rangitoto College, sharing lessons from her own leadership journey and encouraging young people to think about the kind of leaders they want to become.
Rather than focusing on job titles or traditional definitions of success, Donna shared a simple message: leadership is about people, character, choices, and how we respond when things do not go according to plan.
Drawing on a career that has taken her through the Royal New Zealand Air Force, teaching, recreation management, New Zealand Police and now leading SADD, Donna reflected on how each chapter contributed something different to her understanding of leadership. While the roles and organisations changed, the lessons—and ultimately her sense of purpose—continued to develop.
Your journey does not have to be a straight line
One of the key messages for students was particularly relevant as they begin thinking about life beyond school: you do not need to have your entire future figured out at 17.
Year 12 can bring pressure to decide what comes next—study, work, careers and future goals. Donna encouraged students to try things, take opportunities, stay true to their values, resist negative pressure while embracing positive influences, and be prepared to change direction.
Purpose is not always something we discover in a single moment. Sometimes it emerges through action, reflection and courage, as we experience life and begin to recognise the common thread connecting the things that matter to us.
Know your WHY
Using Simon Sinek's Golden Circle—WHY, HOW and WHAT
Donna encouraged students to think beyond what they might want to do and instead consider why they want to lead and make a difference.
Our what can change many times throughout our lives. Our why—our underlying purpose, beliefs and the things that matter most to us—can provide a much more consistent compass.
Looking back across her own career, Donna identified a consistent purpose: helping people become the best version of themselves, creating safer communities and making a difference.
The Air Force provided lessons in discipline and service; teaching created opportunities to help young people recognise their potential; Police provided the opportunity to protect and serve communities; and SADD provides the opportunity to work alongside rangatahi to prevent harm before it happens.
The what changed. The why didn't.
Leadership is about people
Perhaps the most important message of the presentation was that without people, you cannot lead.
Great leaders recognise that everyone brings different strengths, perspectives and experiences. Leadership is not about creating a team of people who think and behave exactly like you; it is about recognising people's strengths and creating opportunities for them to contribute.
It also requires listening. Active listening builds trust, helps us understand different perspectives and ensures people feel heard, valued and respected.
Leadership takes courage
Leadership is not always comfortable.
There will be times when leaders need to have difficult conversations, say no, make decisions others disagree with—or acknowledge when they have made the wrong decision.
Donna encouraged students to return to their values in those moments: understand your intentions, act with integrity, consider the people affected and have the courage to do what you believe is right. And when you get something wrong, own it, learn from it and use the experience to become a better leader.
You can lead now
The presentation also connected strongly with SADD's belief in the power of young people to create change.
Young people do not need to wait until adulthood or until someone gives them a leadership title. They already influence their friends, classmates, whānau and communities.
This is central to SADD's youth-led, peer-to-peer approach to road safety. Knowledge alone does not always determine behaviour. Our choices are also influenced by confidence, identity, social norms, friends and what the people around us consider acceptable. SADD helps rangatahi recognise that influence and use it positively to encourage safer road-user behaviours among their peers.
Lessons for all of us
While the presentation was created for Year 12 students, many of its messages are valuable reminders for leaders of any age:
Know your why – understand what matters to you and allow it to guide your choices.
Live your values – particularly when decisions are difficult.
Build trust – people choose to follow leaders they trust.
Practise discipline – motivation comes and goes; discipline keeps us moving.
Learn from adversity – difficult experiences can become powerful teachers.
Listen before judging – different perspectives can teach us a great deal.
Empower others – great leadership creates more leaders, not simply more followers.
Care for your people – without people, you cannot lead.
Make courageous decisions – leadership sometimes requires being uncomfortable.
Lead by example – behaviour speaks louder than a title.
Serve something bigger than yourself – ultimately, leadership is not about making yourself more important.
Donna finished by reminding students that their leadership journey has already begun.
Leadership does not suddenly start when someone gives you a title. It starts with the choices you make every day—how you treat people, how you respond to challenges, whether you stand by your values, and whether you are prepared to use your influence positively.
Lead with courage. Lead with humility. Lead with kindness. Lead with integrity.
And wherever your journey takes you, aim to leave the people and places you encounter a little better because you were there.