Cheryl Edwardes, former State Government MP, gave a presentation titled Leadership and how to manage your own career success for the Leading Libraries function hosted by Public Libraries Australia and ALIAWest. The event was very successful with 44 attendees. Cheryl has a substantial CV and list of achievements which include:
Sixteen years service (four terms) as a member of Legislative Assembly for the Parliament of Western Australia (1989-2005), including eight years as a Cabinet Minister variously responsible for some 12 portfolio areas;
Qualified Barrister and Solicitor holding the distinction of being Western Australia's first female Attorney General; and
Cabinet and Parliamentary Committee appointments in a broad range of areas ranging from public sector management, justice, native title, budgetary matters, environment and heritage, anti-corruption, youth affairs, electoral reform, and parliamentary procedure.
Sixteen years service (four terms) as a member of Legislative Assembly for the Parliament of Western Australia (1989-2005), including eight years as a Cabinet Minister variously responsible for some 12 portfolio areas;
Qualified Barrister and Solicitor holding the distinction of being Western Australia's first female Attorney General; and
Cabinet and Parliamentary Committee appointments in a broad range of areas ranging from public sector management, justice, native title, budgetary matters, environment and heritage, anti-corruption, youth affairs, electoral reform, and parliamentary procedure.
Cheryl spoke about how she managed to have a successful career in politics and law whilst raising a family. Interestingly, she recounted her days of working at the University of Western Australia Library and spoke about how this was an ideal job whilst she was studying law as she was able to juggle her university attendance around her work.
Cheryl’s presentation covered how to build professional networks with colleagues and others with her stories taking on a personal touch, the art of management and delegation, and maintaining individual values, standards, ethics, and behaviours. She spoke of important personal traits such as care and consideration for fellow colleagues and taking an active interest in other people’s lives which she believes has helped her to achieve success. In regards to inspiring women, she mentioned that women have their own “feminine toughness” which so many women display through their public and personal roles as successful career women, mothers, and partners, and that this characteristic should encouraged. She said that women could be successful without sacrificing their identity or becoming "one of the boys".
ALIAWest and PLA are very grateful to Cheryl Edwardes for her inspirational presentation.
