James Macmillan
I enjoyed an adventurous and dynamic career in banking and finance across Australia, the UK and the USA. Prior to banking, I began professional life as a chartered accountant.
In addition to being a CA I hold an MBA from Melbourne Business School, a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and I’m a Fellow of FinSia. I currently serve as Vice President of Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.
The mechanical, structured skills I developed throughout my career saw me promoted to senior leadership roles. In fulfilling those leadership roles, I soon learned of the importance and the opportunity to leverage team performance by a strong focus on the dynamics of team culture.
In 2009, I began working as a client of Leading Teams Australia in both the senior Big 4 bank role I held and in the community role I held as president of an A-Grade Amateur Football Club.
I’m delighted to have come full circle now and be a facilitator at Leading Teams Australia
How would you like to be described by your family, friends, and clients?
A trusted, honest, loyal, and helpful family man, friend, advisor and colleague.
My long term personal values are Agreement, Partnership, Accountability Results and Trust form the acronym APART which is the name I gave to the Trustee Company of my family trust.
What is your favourite piece of leadership advice, or quote?
There are three that have lived my life with me:
- “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve” – Napoleon Hill.
- “Never burn a bridge” – my dad.
- “You only get what you give.”
What does success look like with a client?
Success with a client looks like an enduring and strong relationship where time spent together creates an enduring benefit for both the client’s leaders, culture and team performance, and also for LTA.
Tell us about your culture and leadership experience?
I’ve had the opportunity to build, develop lead and influence change in teams in Australia, the UK and the USA through my earlier career in banking. Then, on my return to Melbourne, in 2008 I had the good fortune to be a client of Leading Teams Australia and to work with teams to create high performing teams and leaders using the Performance Improvement Program. This occurred as I served as an administrator in a football club and in my professional role as a senior banking executive.
Specifically in my banking team the Performance Improvement Program enabled the whole team to develop a purpose, values and agreed behaviours. These enabled our team to outperform on the mechanics of our business and financial KPIs but, most importantly, it provided the safe environment for all members of the team to find their voice, contribute and influence our performance positively and profoundly. A key take-away from that team has been the enduring strong professional and personal relationships that were created and continue to exist more than a decade after we undertook the PIP.
I’m now delighted to be a Partner with Leading Teams Australia and to be able to share the benefits of our programs with clients.