Leadership inspo. Pooja Newman

Amanda Jones, Chief Marketing Officer at Mirus Australia has been sharing her own experiences and the importance of understanding your own leadership style as you lead others into the future of aged care at the LASA Next Gen events around Australia. In this series, Amanda interviews people whom she admires . . .

“Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple, and it is also that difficult.” – Warren Bennis

Please meet Dr. Pooja Newman, MBBS, and Clinical Director at Ananda Aged Care and founder of Globalaai.

Pooja was born into the health industry! She comes from a culture of caring for the elderly. She saw this in the extended family but then was also a part of setting up their families’ organisation and transitioning from an old home style offering into a purpose-built home with modern amenities.

“I feel like I’ve seen it all. Most of all I miss the old matron uniform ha!”

Did you ever feel like giving up Pooja and why?

“Yes, and when I find it hard to deliver the service and care standards I want to achieve because of the financial constraints of the industry. This constant juggle sometimes feels too tricky. When it’s increasingly difficult to reward my workforce for their efforts and when they have their morale affected by community perceptions, I find it a struggle to help hold it all together. It’s a time to go back to basics and focus on what matters the most and our loyal staff are what keeps me in the sector, that and the privilege of caring for the older generations that once served us.”

Pooja Newman. Clinical Director and Founder

Would you do it all again if you were starting today and why?

“Yes and no. I think being a provider comes with added responsibility and pitfalls that our country has not yet addressed. Being a supplier and having the chance to create functions that simplify and improve processes would be my passion if I had my time again, that and inspiring staff to be the best they can be to serve older Aussies. But something more creative with neon bright digital storytelling and modern, hip wording, oh and working on a tropical island also appeal to me!”

Amanda is a NED at Globalaai and Co-Creator of #Celebratingwomeinagedcare with Samantha Bowen who is the Principal Advisor for the LASA NEXT GEN initiative. Please connect with Amanda Jones on LinkedIn.