“Leadership should feel like you’re walking alongside your team, not directing them from the front.”

Juanita Allison’s leadership philosophy is simple but powerful: meet people where they are at and help them move forward.

Her early leadership experience in South Africa’s fast-paced, male-dominated environment was demanding and highly competitive. Managing a large team in a results-driven setting built resilience, but it also revealed the limitations of directive leadership.

“It was very much about telling people what to do,” she reflects. “But that doesn’t build strong leaders. You have to give people the space to think, try and learn for themselves.”

Leading alongside, not ahead

Today, as General Manager Operations & Grants at the Foundation for the WA Museum, her focus is on enabling others to succeed. Rather than positioning herself at the front, she sees leadership as something done alongside her team.

“Our responsibility is to bring people on the journey with us, not drag them behind us,” she says.

Grounded in empathy and pragmatism, her approach centres on understanding each individual’s strengths, challenges and motivations. From there, she supports them to build confidence and grow over time.

“I tell my team members, I’ll meet you where you’re at,” she explains. “But I’m not leaving you there. We move forward together.”

Creating accountability through trust

At the core of this approach is accountability, not as control, but as a way to build ownership and self-belief. She encourages her team to make decisions, take responsibility and learn from the outcomes.

“I want my team to back themselves,” she says. “To be creative, bold, and accountable for their decisions, whatever the outcome.”

This requires trust. While the responsibility ultimately sits with her, Juanita believes leaders must step back and give their team ownership, knowing she will back them even if things don’t go to plan.

She also challenges the idea of comparison in the workplace, encouraging her team members to focus on their own growth rather than measuring themselves against others.

“Leadership, for me, is not a competition with anyone else. The only competition is with yourself. Just be better today than you were yesterday.”

Permission to fail, and room to grow

A defining principle in Juanita’s leadership is “permission to fail”, shaped by an influential mentor early in her career.

“There’s no such thing as a stupid idea,” she says. “But take a considered risk. Think it through, plan it, and then go for it.”

When things don’t go as planned, the focus is on reflection and improvement.

“That’s where creativity and strength come from, trying something new, learning from it, and doing it better next time.”

In this way, leadership becomes both a guide and a safety net, giving people the confidence to step forward.

Lessons from the Rising Leadership Program

In 2024, Juanita completed Leadership WA’s Rising Leadership Program, an experience that helped refine and strengthen her leadership approach.

“The Program brought all the puzzle pieces together,” she says. “The experiential learning was far more impactful than traditional methods, and I could apply it straight away in a practical, meaningful way.”

A key takeaway was the importance of vulnerability, being open, authentic and willing to have honest conversations.

“You can have courageous conversations without being harsh. But you have to be willing to have them.”

The Program also reinforced the importance of consistency and deepened her understanding of team dynamics.

“Nothing works when it stands on its own. Everything needs a support structure,” she says.

Since then, she has focused on building strong, connected teams where people feel supported, aligned and confident to contribute.

“The more you want to grow your impact, the more you need to invest in your team,” she explains.

Recognising that people are motivated and communicate in different ways, she works to adapt her leadership style to suit each team member.

“It should always be leadership meeting their team where they are at, not the other way around.”

Creating space to think and recharge

Rising also shaped how Juanita approaches energy and performance in the workplace. Through the Program, she was introduced to the concept of “brain breaks”, which she has since implemented with her team at the Foundation. These simple but intentional moments allow staff to step away and recharge through creative activities or quiet reflection.

“You can’t expect people to think clearly for hours on end,” she says. “Some of the best ideas come when you step away for a few minutes.”

These moments have led to stronger collaboration, fresh thinking and renewed energy.

“It’s about trusting your people. Give them the time, and they come back better.”

Leadership as a shared journey

For Juanita, leadership is ultimately about enabling others to succeed, by teaching, challenging and supporting them along the way.

Her advice to emerging leaders is simple:

“Lead alongside your team, support them, stand with them and help them grow into their best, because they are tomorrow’s leaders.”

Because, as Juanita sees it, leadership is not about standing apart, it is about moving forward together.

For those considering the Rising Leadership Program, she adds:

“Just step into it. The experience of learning alongside peers in a hands-on environment is invaluable.”

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Connect with Juanita on LinkedIn.

To learn more and apply for the Rising Leadership Program, click here.