From Halfway House to Campaign Manager
Eighteen months of momentum and what I have learned about my ability to lead when even I didn't believe that I could
Recently, I was promoted at my company to Campaign Manager.
Crazy, I know, right?!
Me… leading and managing other human beings…
I mean, I knew this world was going a little crazy, but this might be a bridge too far, or at least that was my initial feeling about the step up in responsibility.
You see, it’s not that I didn’t believe I would figure it out; I just wasn’t sure that the respect would be there. I wasn’t entirely sure I would get the buy-in required from senior team members and agents more skilled than I.
I wasn’t sure I was, or could be, the guy.
That’s the fear that follows you into a new role—not whether you can perform, but whether you can lead.
In the space of a few short weeks, I have been able to silence the internal chatter.
I have by no means shot the lights out, but brick by brick and day by day, I am earning my own confidence and, in turn, the confidence of those relying on my leadership.
The movement has been fun, scary and exciting, but I’m here for all of it.
Let’s have a look at how we got here, how I’m doing and why I think I might just be a better leader than I give myself credit for…
A quick recap on how we got here…
Firstly, I will just say that a more in-depth recap of this period of time can be found in the newsletter I posted in January this year. You can read it here:
In late 2024, I ventured back to Melbourne after a stint in my hometown.
Within 2 weeks of my arrival, I had lost my job, and 2 weeks after that, I had not managed to find a suitable living arrangement.
In other words, I was homeless and broke.
In a spurt of desperation and survival, I took a commission-only cold call sales gig and, within the same week, scored a short-term lease at a halfway house in one of Melbourne’s least desirable areas.
My highly anticipated return to the 3K was not going to plan.
But I kept pushing; my self-belief didn’t waver as I began navigating my way through the treacherous terrain life had brought me to.
Then, within the blink of an eye, the upward spiral started to work its magic.
A chance interaction led to a job opportunity…
This led to the ability to secure a better standard of living…
Which led to security and months of hard work and overtime…
This led me to put myself in a position to be considered for promotion…
This enabled me to get a promotion and pay increase…
Which led to moving in with my partner to formally start our lives together…
Everything happened so quickly.
If you guys knew where my life was in a physical sense 18 months ago, it would be pretty hard to believe.
But we made it here, and here is what I would like to talk about.
What the job looks like…
I essentially took over my manager’s role.
He got promoted to a more senior management position, and I was chosen to step up and lead the team.
The day-to-day touch points look like this:
Team of 11 agents to manage
Rostering/coaching/KPIs/hiring/analytics
6 external stakeholders to communicate with
Reporting/forecasting
4 internal departments to work with
IT/compliance/partnerships/training
3 senior managers to report to
Team updates/changes in procedure/expectations
Elements of this I am used to and have been doing comfortably as an agent; other parts are completely foreign and are incurring a bit of a learning curve.
There is a lot of responsibility, but I own that—it’s all on me.
5 reasons I might be a better lead than I thought…
1. I’m ok with being wrong
One of the greatest skills I have developed over many years of studying my own mind is the comfortability to be wrong.
To say I don’t know.
To be the dumbest person in the room, but not only to be dumb, but to appear to look like I don’t know what is going on.
Stripping away the ego and being humbled by my imperfections.
We live in a world full of polarisation and absolutes. But not everything has to be absolutely correct, and not everything has to be perfect.
When you accept this, you leave space for learning.
You leave space for curiosity and wonder, you leave space for growth.
Being wrong doesn’t mean you are wrong forever; it just means that you are wrong until you find what is right.
Have you ever argued with someone willing to accept fault?
The answer should be no.
Because ‘argument’ insinuates a clash of ideas or emotions. A person willing to accept that they are or could be wrong doesn’t have anything to clash back with. The argument is over before it has begun.
Being wrong is not weakness. It is strength wrapped in humility.
2. My leadership style works
A few months back, I took a test for something called DiSC.
A DiSC report is the result of a behavioural assessment used to measure an individual's natural communication preferences, work habits, and reactions to stress or conflict. It is commonly used in workplaces to improve teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal relationships.
The test revealed my natural style to be predominantly influence with a touch of steadiness.
However, my work adjusted style resulted in high i or high influence.
Basically, meaning my energy, enthusiasm and ability to take people with me was/is my biggest defining feature of what would become my leadership style.
All the things that came naturally to me would now be the tools I would use in the work environment as a leader. The ability to engage and interact, encourage and instruct, make people feel seen, remain optimistic in challenging circumstances, etc.
I like people, I like engaging with people, I like connecting with people.
Leadership is the management of people, and management is just all of the above, with a sprinkling of authority and guidance mixed in.
3. I’m comfortable with tough conversations
Learning to build my self-belief from the inside out has given me an amazing foundation for all interactions with other humans.
I’m comfortable and do not shy from any type of interaction:
Fun
Light
Insightful
Optimistic
Philosophical
And even the tough ones…
I’m here for all of it.
My leadership style (influence) means that getting people to follow me will come naturally, but reprimanding or cracking down will not, because I like to be liked.
Based on the DiSC report, having tough conversations was flagged as something I needed to be wary of, and I will continue to be, but I am also acutely aware of the necessity of said conversations.
Without vulnerable, honest participation in conversation, there can be no growth.
My evolution as a man has seen me remove the ego and fear that stopped these conversations in my past. I hold myself to a high standard, and I am very comfortable with letting them be known and leading others toward higher standards for themselves.
Tough conversations doesn’t mean telling people they haven’t been good enough.
It just means being transparent, radically transparent. Seeing something you think is harming the greater good and calling it out.
Simply saying ‘I fucked up’ and not making excuses, bringing selfish behaviour to someone’s attention, letting someone know that their journey with your team has come to an end or saying the thing that no one wants to say simply because it is the right thing to say.
These conversations come in many forms.
I’m here for all of them.
4. I’m resourceful
When I was younger, I used to offload all responsibility to other family members.
If the TV remote didn’t work…
Or I couldn’t get the internet set up…
Or we needed to organise a family event…
I opted out. Always.
Anytime I had to think, I decided that this was not for me; I was not prepared to learn or figure it out.
Over time, and alongside my development of self-belief, I have removed this thinking.
Slowly, but surely, I have built a level of resourcefulness and an ability to find a solution or find someone who could show me the solution.
Building tools
Self-education
Trying new platforms
Learning technologies
Thinking outside of the box
Sometimes called the FITFO factor…
Figure It The Fuck Outedness
If I don’t know, I’ll find out. I’ll ask questions until I understand something. Basically, I will do what I have to do to figure it out.
Being a lifelong all-rounder means I don’t have a set method for operating.
That means everything is open to me at all times. To me, there is no right or wrong way; there is only the way.
And the way, is to move forward by any means necessary.
5. The work is the work is the work is the work
I have trained my mind to do the work.
Waking up early, going to bed late, working on the weekends, it doesn’t matter.
If work is due, if I know I need to get it done, I will get it done.
If I need to sacrifice another part of my life for the short-term to prioritise something time-sensitive, then I will do that.
This is not something I have always known.
This is something I have trained and repped out over and over again. Through my work on podcasting and content, showing up every day with no certainty of success. As well as my martial arts training, doing the 1% when no one is watching because that is what is required.
The work is the work, and the work cannot be automated or offloaded.
The hard work will show, somewhere, somehow, it will show.
A final thought
This leadership journey has just begun, but I feel like I am ready to meet the moment.
Not initially, but now, now I do.
I’m happy to be here, it’s good to see my progress, and I am excited for what this new chapter is going to teach me about myself.
It’s funny how the universe can do its work when you leave space for it.
I’m leaving space, trusting the process and consciously choosing my steps toward my greatest future self.
Alright, that’s from me this week, gang.
With gratitude,
SAV
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