After a successful 25-year career in finance, a near-death experience gave Craig Connelly a life choice. After opening up to a friend about his personal experiences, Craig became the CEO of The Ian Potter Foundation – a philanthropic organisation with a vision for a fair, healthy, sustainable and vibrant Australia. Today, Craig has found his purpose as a leader and mentor, empowering people to help others. 

As a research analyst I was travelling three to six months a year. As a young father, I wasn’t home enough. I loved my work, but I had to choose between my family and my job. I set up a fund in 2004, with the idea to work four days a week, more flexible hours, with one day at home, but by 2005, nothing had changed, and I was still working too much. Around that time, our family went on a holiday to Alaska and Canada. While we were there, I was diagnosed with Leukemia. After receiving my last rights from a local catholic priest, being close to death on two occasions, and suffering multiple infections and complications, it took me nearly 17 months to recover. It shook me to the core, and I was lucky to be given a genuine life choice. 

I didn’t go back to work until mid-2007 and I left my business in 2012. I had fallen out of love with financial services and the financial markets. I reoriented my values; committing to my family, myself and my community. I was a bit lost for a couple of years, I started a couple of businesses and had a bit of fun, but I had no purpose. I opened up to one of my closest friends, who was a senior partner with PWC. I told him I was lost professionally and didn’t know what to do, but that I didn’t want to go back to corporate life. Three weeks later, Egon Zehnder contacted him looking for someone to fill the Potter CEO role. He gave them my name and after eight interviews, I was lucky enough to be offered the job. I started in October 2015. My wife reminded me that 15 years earlier I had said that one day I’d like to run a philanthropic organisation! 

Being a good mentor is about being a good listener. I used to like the sound of my own voice too much, so I didn’t listen properly. Listening allows you to really help someone and explore the issues relevant to them. 

As a mentor, I hope to offer a trusted space – you can’t be an effective mentor without an established relationship based on trust and mutual respect. As I’ve got older, I have a much greater respect for the wisdom of experience. I used to think someone in their 50s was ancient, but now I regard myself as a young 55-year-old who has had five years learning from my current Chairman who is an amazing person in his 80s. I learn from him every time I speak to him. As a mentor, you never stop learning. I’m very hopeful for the future because I am so impressed by today’s young people. They’re more worldly, more empathetic, more considerate of others and harder to mentor as a result because they are so well informed! I find it challenging in a good way to work out how I can help someone. One thing I have learnt is I am far better at genuinely respecting another person’s perspective, which is what’s missing in the world today. The world seems to be a shouty, competitive and aggressive place and I would like it to be less so.