Mal Connellan Afsm
Mal Connellan has been a coach and mentor for over 30 years and has a genuine interest in people reaching for and achieving their full potential both personally and professionally.
Mal offers invaluable insights and strategies to support organisations and individuals facing the many and varied challenges of leadership, drawing on his personal attributes and his long and meritorious career which culminated in his appointment as Deputy Commissioner and Executive Director of People and Culture for NSW Fire and Rescue (FRNSW). This crucial role saw him responsible for the welfare and career development of individuals on the emergency management platform and driving the organisation’s reform agenda for enhanced and sustainable leadership and culture.
““Mal is an outstanding executive; an empathetic, natural leader and a clear-thinking, highly ethical strategist. Mal is a natural teacher and has the ability to bring out the best in people through questioning and encouraging, rather than by simply providing answers”. ”
Throughout, Mal’s varied career, he has forged and managed relationships with community leaders, government agencies and businesses; collaborated with International bodies and represented at interstate and international forums.
Mal has learned how to manage upwards, sidewards and downwards, and in doing so he has confirmed the most important element is people - “How we treat people; respect and grow them, support them and bring them along is so important”. Mal is recognised for this philosophy and is known for his compassion and trusted and sage advice.
Background
Executive Director People and Culture is responsible for 4000 full time employees, 3200 On Call employees, 6500 Volunteers. His role led the functions of Professional Standards Branch, Recruitment, HR Advisory, Industrial Relations, Workers Compensation, Injury Management, Mental Health, Well being and Peer Teams, Medical Unit, Strategic and Operational Safety, Professional Development and Diversity and Inclusion.
“He brings to the table a working knowledge of how to rise to the challenge of building healthy workplace cultures which is informed by his experience of someone who has been there and done it.”
Mal was the change team lead for a relocation of the Organisations Head Office and shift to ‘activity based working’, introducing fitness standards and compulsory medical assessments for firefighters, oversaw the improvements and continuation of gender equity in recruitment, Indigenous recruitment program, introduced an Executive excellence program, talent identification program, improved pathways for promotion and progression as well as improved IT platforms integrating many legacy Health and Safety systems.
On a National front, Mal chaired the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) Mental Health and Wellbeing Group was a member of the Workforce Management and Employee Relations Groups.
““Mal is a good listener and with his vast and varied experience, was able to point me in the right direction”.”
Until 2022, he was still involved in a charity, as President, looking after firefighters who are suffering hardship.
He participated as a Mentor in the State Emergency Services leadership program, facilitated by Craig Farmer, Managing Director at Transform Leader Pty Ltd and completed an Executive Coaching course through Executive Central.
Mal holds a Graduate Certificate in Social Science (Emergency Services), is an accredited Execute Coach, has qualified as a Member of the Institute of Fire Engineers and has completed the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) Strategic Command Course.
““Mal has demonstrated all of the qualities I would like to emulate in my leadership”. ”
““ Mal looks for and nurtures the decency and potential in everyone he deals with and he has an innate ability and unwavering dedication to driving excellence in leadership”. ”