Shaping the Next Wave of Aquatic Leaders

"The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers." – Ralph Nader

We have just wrapped up our fourth and final Leadership Program for 2025, with 35 passionate participants joining us across our 2 and 3-day courses, including our dedicated Royal Life Saving Managers program.

Since the launch of our Leadership Programs in June 2022, Royal Life Saving has proudly delivered eleven courses, empowering over 100 individuals to step up as effective and confident leaders within their organisations and communities.

Feedback That Inspires Us

The feedback from our most recent programs has been nothing short of inspiring:

• “It was a great course! How does the industry not use this more?!”

• “Peter was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed the two days. Peter did extremely well with the information he put out to us. I definitely learnt a lot.”

• “Peter’s delivery of the course was outstanding.”

These reflections highlight not only the quality of the content but also the expertise of our facilitator.

Meet Our Facilitator: Peter Agnew

Our Leadership Programs are masterfully led by Peter Agnew, Director of People Development Australia. With over 25 years in senior management roles across government, commercial, and not-for-profit sectors—combined with his hands-on experience in the aquatic industry. Peter brings both wisdom and practical insight to every session. He is also a lead facilitator with the Australian Institute of Management and lectures at Masters level at UNSW and UNEP, making him a true authority in leadership development.

Tools That Transform Leaders

Our programs are enriched by the use of DiSC profiling systems—the world’s most trusted learning instrument, with over 40 million users globally. DiSC forms the foundation of many of our programs, giving participants powerful self-awareness and practical strategies for effective communication, collaboration, and leadership.

Leadership: An Industry-Wide Priority

The recently launched National Aquatic Industry Workforce Report 2025 reinforces just how critical leadership development is across the sector.

• While 57% of aquatic workers rate leadership in their workplace as high or very high, 15% describe it as low or very low, highlighting a clear inconsistency across the industry.

• Many frontline leaders are promoted from swim teaching or lifeguarding roles without sufficient preparation, leaving them without the tools, mentoring, or confidence needed to succeed.

• Workers identified better support for new managers, clearer career pathways, and more professional development opportunities as top priorities.

The Report’s findings confirm what we’ve long known—investment in leadership capability is not just an organisational advantage, but an industry-wide necessity. Consistent standards, mentoring, and structured development opportunities can lift leadership capability across facilities, improving safety, culture, and retention. Our leadership programs are the first and only Aquatic Leadership specific course of its kind!

National Aquatic Industry Workforce Report 2025 data

Looking Ahead: Exciting Developments

While our 2025 programs may have concluded, we’re already looking ahead with excitement. Plans are underway to make our Leadership Programs even more accessible, opening opportunities for more professionals to take part.

One of the most exciting additions coming soon is Catalyst—a personalised, on-demand learning platform that will be available to all our previous students and new students moving forward. Catalyst builds on your DiSC leadership training and brings learning to life with practical, everyday applications.

Some of the benefits Catalyst will provide include:

• Self-awareness and insight: Access your Everything DiSC profile in an interactive format to keep building on your leadership strengths.

• Real-time interaction tips: Compare your style with colleagues/other course participants and receive immediate strategies for improving communication and teamwork.

• On-demand learning: Revisit content anytime, explore videos, podcasts, and peer comparisons to keep your development active and relevant.

• Stronger collaboration and conflict resolution: Understand how others prefer to work and communicate, paving the way for smoother, more productive teamwork.

Join Us in 2026

Our Leadership Programs continue to shape the next generation of leaders in the aquatic industry—and we’re just getting started. With new tools, expanded offerings, and even more opportunities to grow, 2026 is shaping up to be our most exciting year yet.

For more information or to express your interest in our upcoming Leadership Programs, please contact us at events@royalnsw.com.au