Name: Liz Gosling
Role and organisation: Chief Information Officer, AUT
Tell us briefly what your role involves: I’m responsible for all of the technology provision for AUT’s 30,000 staff and students. I lead a team of 140 people, a providing a wide range of technology services , including 6,500 + desktop and laptop computers, IT and digital plans, networking, audio visual services, innovation, contracts and software licensing, customer relationships and support services, as well as the development teams and infrastructure. We manage the balance between reliability and innovation, and enable AUT to fulfill its mission of “Great Graduates”.
What impact will technology have for all New Zealanders? Technology has already had a big impact on the lives of New Zealanders. A great many of us use apps to help manage our lives; from internet banking to finding our way to places, keeping in touch with our friends and families overseas via video calling, and accessing news, films and music. Looking forward, I hope that the positive impact of technology will enhance and support our more remote rural communities, and allow them to access the best education, health and specialist services.
What set you on the path to becoming a leader? I worked for some great leaders and some poor ones; and learnt from both. The great leaders showed me how you can lead people, and the poor ones taught me what not to do. It is vital to be authentic, and the only person you can be is you, so bring your whole self to work.
What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned? Listen to the team. No one person can ever have all the answers, but if a group of bright minds with diverse perspectives come together, many problems can be solved.
How do you motivate your team? Within AUT, we are all motivated by what our organisation delivers – a brighter future for our students. That’s a great advantage!
What inspires you? Knowing that the work we do at AUT makes a difference to our society.
Favourite productivity tip? Don’t procrastinate; sometimes getting started on things that you don’t much like to do is the hardest thing. Sort out your priorities and then start with the most important thing. Deal with email in allotted time slots, not all the time and then apply do, dump or delegate to each one.
Connect with Liz on LinkedIN.
