Meet the new President Stephen Liew

With over 10 years of experience on boards, this recipient of the Australian Outstanding Young Dentist Award is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors with Order of Merit, the HWA Health Sector Leadership Program and is a member of the Australasian Society of Association Executives. A dentist with experience in the public and private sectors, he has volunteered in a variety of programs in locations such as Nepal, Central Australian Aboriginal communities and rural Victoria. Clinically, he is a partner at Camberwell Dental Group and Monash University Health Services, leading a team of 27 staff.
 

You have been an active member of the ADA since the very beginning of your membership. What, do you think, has most led you to finally taking the top role?

As mentioned in my inaugural column (President’s message, page 3), the skills I gained in ADA governance – first in Victoria then federally and via Australian Institute of Company Directors training – are not native to our dental qualifications. I think dentists are thirsty for knowledge; we enjoy learning new skills. The ADA allows me to combine that with the fantastic feeling of being able to assist many more patients than I could in daily practice – both in Australia and internationally, by influencing policies and people for the better. This forms an addictive combination of contributing to the greater good, and personal growth. Both of these concepts are considered vital to a purposeful, satisfying life (according to more learned people than myself, for example in the Japanese concept of ikigai).
 

How has mentorship played a part in your career, both as a dental professional and within the ADA? How important do you think it is for us to inspire young leaders?

Mentorship is vital. As a young practitioner I was lucky to have public and private system mentors that pushed me just far enough to expand my comfort zone without danger, and were always there to assist as required. After joining ADA boards, the Presidents and Councillors around me were consistently welcoming and taught much via their behaviour and a quiet word of advice. Beyond this, wise words from many others in business, regulatory, medical and other fields were invaluable.

Young leaders are the future of the ADA. Without renewal we will lose new ideas, diversity of views and up-to-date knowledge. An issue the ADA has had is the perceived age required to get to a position such as the Federal President. Along my journey, past federal leaders have been incredibly supportive at every turn, inspiring me to continue to this point and break the myth that you must be near retirement to consider the role. It is not that the ADA does not want young leaders, but that we haven’t been open enough to show them the way. I hope to assist in this regard.
 

The last two-year presidential term was very much a ‘COVID-themed’ one. What do you plan or hope will be the theme for the next two years?

Rebuilding and growth, unification and encouraging future-focused initiatives. We are experiencing collective post-traumatic stress as a society. It is very clear that the ‘return to normal’ is actually a reset of what is considered normal. This has caused upheaval in every sector, but particularly in health. The ADA federation has worked hard to build a strong, psychologically safe culture in the last few years so that we can leverage the great skills and services found across the country for the benefit of all members in the post-COVID environment. We need to look at maximum effectiveness and effciency for our members, avoid duplication, and do this without egos blocking initiatives that utilise best-practice governance, innovative investments and cutting-edge technology.
 

You are very active on social media and have a well-defined public profile. How will this inform your approach to your role in the ADA?

One key fact that struck me when I first got involved with ADA leadership was that we aren’t great at spreading the word about the value we provide. Many members only learn about what the ADA can do for them in a crisis, despite the fact we’ve been here the whole time as the backbone of their professional lives. It is part of our role as leaders to ensure members understand the work ADA leaders and staff perform on their behalf, to make their lives easier and improve the oral health of Australians. In addition, the public and stakeholders can misunderstand the profession and ADA at times – utilising contemporary communication methods like social media is key to reversing this.
 

How does teamwork play a part in the leadership of the ADA? What have you learned from your time as Vice-President in the Federal Executive, that you can now apply as President?

Let me start by congratulating Mark Hutton on his challenging term, which he led with grace, collegiality and calmness at all times. Mark and I agreed to perform as a team across a multi-tenure Presidency – one which crosses over in a way where, should I be privileged enough to be elected after him, I had a clear idea of very long-term goals for the ADA that I could continue with, and pass on to those that follow. The role of president crosses into so many skillsets and levels of confidentiality that it occupies the mind 24 hours a day. I learned the best thing you can do is surround yourself with intelligent people that provide measured, educated opinions to guide you toward the most beneficial consensus, then trust your management team to execute without getting too deep into the weeds of how it’s done. Finally, that compartmentalisation is different to and far more effective than multi-tasking.

You have a wide range of interests that demonstrate great work-life balance. Tell us about this?

I am very open about my history of being diagnosed and successfully treated for depression. It is possible to separate the physiological feeling associated with this from your sense of self and demeanour, although it can sometimes be diffcult. I discovered the best way to achieve this is to find ‘flow state’ activities; for me it’s music, photography, outdoor adventures, meditation, the intellectual challenge of board and committee leadership, performing dental procedures and the Jenga-like task of looking after staff at our practices. Thankfully my wife Susie understands and believes in all of this: we don’t try to achieve work-life balance, but to slip from flow state to flow state in a way that you never get over-burdened with one aspect of life, and lose perspective. It seems to work, and is a key reason I am driven to support our members with their mental health after these diffcult years – something we can dive into another time.
 

If you had to choose, what five quotes or thoughts would you stand by most, as influencing your path?

- Hiking to enjoy a view free of man-made objects is the greatest antidote to burn out.

- Spend more time with people more knowledgeable than yourself.

- Lead by planting a seed, not throwing a plant pot.

- Keep the universe in mind when considering if things are a real issue.

- True leadership is when the desired outcome is achieved but someone else received the credit.