Leadership on and off the field

Football has always been an important part of Josh Arnold’s life.

Currently a Site Manager with Fairbrother at the Brighton High School project, Josh started his football journey with Claremont before joining the Glenorchy Magpies in 2008. After four years in various assistant roles, he has been announced as the Senior Coach for the 2023 Tasmanian State League Season.

“Probably about four years ago I was given the chance to look after the backline, and I really enjoyed that experience,” He said. “After the first year I got asked to do it again, and then last year as Senior Assistant. This year I was approached by the club and asked if I was interested in taking the role on, and obviously said yes to help them out.”

Commencing as a trade assistant in 2009, Josh began his apprenticeship with Fairbrother a handful of months later and has spent the last thirteen years working for the company and progressing his career.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some great people and given some great opportunities, it’s been a great journey so far.”

A commitment to growth is something that he believes has assisted him throughout his career with Fairbrother and his sporting career. There is an understanding that maintaining commitment and dedication to the organisation will lead to opportunities to stand up and take the next step. In an industry where there are always new innovations and products becoming available, it’s a valuable insight.

“You’re always learning, there’s always something new, and there’s also older guys or other people who you can always seek feedback off and ask questions,” Josh said. “I think that’s really important – you can never just be content with what you know, you’ve got to continue to want to grow as a person, ask plenty of questions, and continue to learn.”

As his career moves forward, Josh has found himself as one of those experienced people who now has the position of responsibility with new, younger generations coming through. As a coach and as a Site Manager with Fairbrother, his attitude of growth and continual learning is something to pass on.

“There’s always plenty of eyes on you,” He said. “You know that they’ll copy what you do, so if you’re doing the right things in training and being a good role model, you hope that it sets a good message for them.”

With leadership comes a shift in perspective. As a footballer, the move into coaching has led to a shift in his perspective of the game, seeing the bigger picture and looking beyond his own role into a more holistic perspective and understanding how each player on the field needs to play their own role for the team to succeed. This translates back to his workplace perspective, with a solid understanding that each person on site has their own responsibility to see the project completed successfully.

“To succeed, it’s obviously going to be a part of the end goal, and that’s no different with the project,” He said. “You want guys to flourish in their roles and be able to help you get to the end result. That’s the ultimate goal, to start the job and to deliver a project on time, on budget, with a quality finish.”

Prioritising and fostering a strong team environment is a significant aspect of creating a positive and strong culture. In today’s fast-paced working environment, an emphasis on teamwork and a focus on team members can be influential in achieving success.