Public Transport Authority’s Next Generation of Leaders Complete IPS Leadership Program

The Public Transport Authority’s latest cohort of emerging leaders have graduated from the IPS’s First Level Leadership Program, aimed at developing authentic, inclusive leadership across Western Australia’s transport network.

PTA Managing Director Elwyn Gearon told graduates that the journey of leadership was one of curiosity, growth and teamwork, not perfection.

“If you think you know everything, you won’t make a great leader,” he said.

“Leadership is about growing your teams, refining your skills and evolving into the best person you can.”

“Be open to learning, to feedback and to unexpected twists that shape your journey,” Elwyn said.

He encouraged participants to carry the lessons from the program into their daily work, adding that leadership “is not about having all the answers” but about building trust and collaboration.

“This organisation is growing rapidly, from 1,500 to more than 3,000 staff in just seven years and the future is bright for those willing to learn and lead together.”

IPS Co-Founder Damien Chalk reflected on the deeper meaning of leadership and the privilege it carries.
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“It’s not about telling people what to do, it’s about being curious, helping others achieve their goals and creating the conditions where people can thrive,” Damien said.

Photo: IPS co-founder Damien Chalk addresses the latest cohort of First Level Leadership Program graduates at Public Transport Authority.

Damien shared a moving personal story of his son’s premature birth, explaining how that experience shaped his leadership philosophy through empathy and courage.

“I saw people (in health care) working in true life-and-death circumstances, listening, adapting and including others in decision-making,” he said.

“That’s what great leadership looks like, not command and control, but compassion and collaboration.”

Damien praised the cohort for their commitment to learning and growth, noting that their progress was “observable and inspiring.”

“The service you provide to the people of Western Australia is world-class,” he said.

“You deal with extraordinary complexity every day, and you do it with heart.”
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“Every choice you make, how you respond, how you lead, shapes that culture.”

​Photo: Rashidah MacLeod, a Senior Transport and Land Use Planner at PTA.

​Rashidah MacLeod, a Senior Transport and Land Use Planner at PTA, said the program had given her both confidence and clarity in her own leadership style.

“Over my ten years at the PTA, I’ve seen all kinds of leadership styles,” Rashidah said.

“This course helped me define the kind of leader I want to be, someone who creates a supportive environment and handles difficult conversations in a constructive way.”

​​She said she had already started implementing what she learned, encouraging her team to complete personality assessments to better understand how to work together.
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The First Level Leadership Program, facilitated by IPS Management Consultants, is part of the PTA’s broader commitment to developing its workforce and fostering a culture of inclusion, collaboration and continuous improvement.