Rather than solely focusing on titles, Leadership Ballarat and Western Region promotes leaders as those who make a positive difference in their community and in themselves to spark change.

LBWR Leaders' forum has more than 300 alumni. So,The Courier's MELANIE WHELAN put two key questions to some alumni to inspire you to also set the tone for how Ballarat responds amid the coronavirus pandemic.

What do you think is good leadership during this time of pandemic?

Good leadership in times like these is about honesty, clarity and being the calm head amid the crisis. It is really important as a leader to leave your personal views to the side and focus on getting the best advice and acting strategically and methodically, even if your actions are likely to have a detrimental impact on those you lead.

I believe the health and well-being of people must be put ahead of other considerations. As we have seen in some jurisdictions, the economic impact of this crisis is having just as much impact as the health impacts and governments are having real difficulty in managing the sometimes competing interests related to these aspects.

In my view, the government should be simplifying its policy and messaging. A national address every two days, in the morning, to provide a update with broad and repetitious messages which talks directly to the actions communities and individuals should be taking in regard to their own behaviour. Those messages could then be supported with the detail regarding travel, business closures and welfare support details through a consistent online, social media and mainstream media campaign.

What are you doing to help make a difference?

It's most crucial that leaders do what they say they will do - and let actions speak louder than words. We've taken steps to make sure staff and our supporters of The Ballarat Foundation are provided with regular updates on changes in messaging or directions, even though some of the decisions which sit behind those messages have been difficult or detrimental.

We are also supporting the broader message that now is a time to be kind and support those in need in our communities. At times like this, the risk to people who are already vulnerable or disadvantaged is increased.

What do you think is good leadership during this time of pandemic?

Decisive responses - We're making this decision for this reason and while you may not agree, we're doing this based on the information that we have at hand.

Transparent decision making - I don't blame anyone for not having all the answers. Even acknowledging and saying, 'I don't know but as soon as I do I will share it with you so we can all be on the same page'.

Compassion and consideration - I want, and admire leaders, that acknowledge that these types of decisions have massive flow on effects. I do believe we are witnessing compassionate leadership from sectors right across the country at the moment.

What are you doing to help make a difference?

I work in the tourism industry. The majority of our focus is on leisure travel, events and dining out. It's all based on discretionary spend. Every day I am talking to small business owners who are just shell-shocked, their entire livelihood is gone. No one is angry or disagreeing with the measures in place, but they just don't know what to do now. No amount of crisis planning would have foreseen a situation like this.

This means that on a daily basis I am sifting through the piles of emails, social media posts and press releases to find the information tourism operators need to keep them afloat and then making sure that information gets to the people who need it.

It's tough now as I have to work remotely so I can't drop in and visit people in person to let them know that I am there to help, but I have made it very clear that I am available on the phone to talk or assist. I am also working (with my colleagues) on what activity we can have in place once the restrictions are lifted to rebuild the industry right across the Grampians.

On a personal level - my contribution is small and you do feel a bit helpless. I offered up some excess fruit on one of our trees out to the neighbours, I have purchased takeaway food at a couple of local cafes in the last week, text my neighbour to check in, but mostly I feel that staying home is the best contribution I can make.

None of it is significant on its own, but I just figure if we all did the small stuff it would make life a little easier for everyone.

What do you think is good leadership during this time of pandemic?

The thing about good leadership that is difficult during a crisis or pandemic is you cannot just turn on leadership like it is a tap. Leadership is needed long before the crisis arrives, if you do try to just apply it as needed, it appears fake and is inconsistent with normal behaviours.

Leadership through challenging times is a tough task even if you started before the crisis arrives. There are always so many impacts and consequences to hard decisions.

Being decisive is a must. No good leader can just sit on the fence or not make tough decisions, it is critical to make decisions and clearly communicate the reasoning to the people impacted. Your decisions must be consistent and honest and then communicated well. A good leader will understand some people won't like the decisions and outcomes, what they must understand is how you react to the impacted people is as important as the decision itself.

What are you doing to help make a difference?

It seems as nothing I can do will make any difference but, when you think about it, everything you do is making a difference.

The first thing I actively decided to do is not be an contributor to the panic. Don't be selfish, look out for other people, smile, say hello, ask how are you and can I help.

Everyone is making a difference to this situation, like it or not your actions and reactions are all part of the bigger picture in this global situation.

So what am I doing? Thinking about my actions and reactions, considering the impact I am having on everyone around me, following hygiene and behavioural expectations and looking out for others who may need some help. It is a pretty easy action and I think it is making a positive difference.

What do you think is good leadership during this time of pandemic?

More than ever, leadership right now is about collaboration and compassion. No one is in this alone, and we need to pull together and work together.

Good listening, communication and empathy will be key, but there are also opportunities for lateral thinking and innovation, and it is important to be open to change and adaptable, as the situation changes day by day.

I am seeing this happening in the Ballarat community already, and this has been wonderful to witness.

What are you doing to help make a difference?

We have been working on a number of ways in which we can help through Plate Up Ballarat and Eat Drink West.

Our producers - helping consumers access clean, fresh healthy produce; advocating for our region to to support our farmers, wine makers, butchers, bakers, brewers and other producers; and ,taking the lead to collaborate with key organisations, which is vital to ensure our food chain can supply the demand.

Our hospitality venues - owners are thinking outside the box to offer new initiatives like take-home meals, pay it forward vouchers and distribution pick up points. We have taken on the role to coordinate a live market place for our cafes, bars and restaurant owners to connect with our community. Some people may like to send a meal to someone in need.

I have been really inspired how our community has come together to support other businesses. We were already living in a fast-paced world, and now that things are changing dramatically, the need to support each other is more important than ever. This is a time we can share stories of our people and become our city's own ambassadors.

What do you think is good leadership during this time of pandemic?

Good leadership is leading by example; explaining the journey thoroughly as well as the destination to bring people along.

Leadership is earned, never given, and it is earned every second of every day with every decision and move made.

At this stage it is about clear articulation, calming panic with truth and empathy - admission that you as well as everyone is unclear about what happens next but that together we get through. Above all it is about using your voice for the voiceless.

What are you doing to help make a difference?

Trades Hall is using our organising skills, people and resources to phone bank people who register with us to check well-being, mental health and supplies. These phone calls can just be chats to normalise things.

We are also looking to live stream bands to keep some of our arts community ticking over and give audiences something to watch in isolation.

We are also fielding calls from workers to explain legal rights and provide advice.

What do you think is good leadership during this time of pandemic?

We've all seen toilet paper hoarding and other irrational behaviours that have come with this virus.

Where information is lacking, people tend to fill the gaps themselves and do strange things, just for that sense of feeling prepared. In a crisis, leaders need to be out front early, with honest, accurate and easily-digestible messages.

Confused or conflicting messages, particularly from different sources, leads to confused audiences (who then start hoarding toilet paper). People need a voice they can trust and have faith in, and who they know is on their side.

What are you doing to help make a difference?

Staying positive is critical. I'm ignoring a lot of the "noise" (particularly on social media) and focusing on facts and actions.

Being cooped up at home is testing for us all, but I am going out of my way to maintain virtual contact with the important people in my life - family, friends, colleagues - to ensure we maintain social connection.

I'm touching base with neighbours (from an appropriate distance, of course) to see if they need support.

Coronavirus spreads fast, but so do smiles. Any opportunity we can take to put a smile on someone's face, we should do it.

(Oh, I am NOT hoarding or shopping for things we don't need.)

What do you think is good leadership during this time of pandemic?

Good leadership requires compassion, empathy and a focus on the ongoing physical and psychological safety of community. It requires transparent communication, with kindness at its core, a basis of clear, factual advice from experts with integrity.

The messages our leaders are conveying in such dire circumstances are bound to be hard to give and to receive, which makes listening and communicating all the more vital. Think: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and ABC health expert Norman Swan.

What are you doing to help make a difference?

We listen and that has to continue. We're not the experts here and new information is emerging all the time. As we hear what's required, we work out how our skills and expertise could help right.

Flattening the curve looks different in different workplace contexts. People want to know how to put safety at the core of their response; how to stay in work, and keep others in work, and where that simply isn't possible, how to explain that and get through this together and offer our help however we can until we can all rebuild in different (hopefully better, safer) ways.

People also want help on how to put safety at the core of our community responses, especially for those who are vulnerable. We're using our social media channels to convey messages about safety and kindness, and providing practical help and information: doing the shopping for others; self-quarantining; being transparent and kind to one another; and checking on anyone vulnerable and not making assumptions about who that might be.

So we help by listening, and then acting in big, small, personal and professional ways on the advice of experts who lead us with integrity and transparency.

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