Brian Doolan has always been passionate about the NFP sector.
His career has ranged from a political advisor in Canberra to an international development officer in Iraq and he received a medal of honour from the President of Vietnam.
Doolan’s determination and passion for the sector, especially for Aboriginal communities- lead him back to Australia to become the CEO of the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Third Sector spoke to Doolan to find out more about avoidable blindness, successful leadership and the foundations relationships with indigenous communities.
TS: How did meeting Fred Hollows in a pub, lead to your position as CEO of his foundation?
BD: I first met him at an adult education centre that we were building; Fred came over to help. As a result after work, we went down to the pub together and that’s where it all began! I went on and did a lot of other things before becoming the CEO of Fred Hollows. I became a political advisor in Canberra and then I moved overseas and moved into international development and lived in Iraq. I also worked in factory training for a while, which was sponsored by companies like Nike. I got a call when I was living in Bangkok and someone said the job is going for CEO of Fred Hollows. I ended up getting the job and moved back to Australia.
TS: What makes you so passionate about the Fred Hollows Foundation?
BD: I am passionate about change. The work of the Fred Hollows Foundation of restoring sight is absolutely incredible. The change has such a dramatic impact on people’s lives. It is such an amazing experience to see people after their [eye] operations and they can see properly for the first time. I am passionate about an organisation that people can trust with strong systems in place.
TS: What makes a successful leader?
BD: A successful team and to make sure the team knows that they are successful. I have been really lucky that I have been able to work with some really wonderful people. People bring to their work, their own personalities and their own experiences. Knowing how to manage your team and their needs is pretty fundamental to being a successful leader.
TS: What are the key strategies for a successful NFP?
BD: Having a good strategy and incorporating into that strategy, a business that needs to underpin the work you’re doing to make sure your paying as much attention to the systems that support your work as much as the outcomes. Putting key performance indicators in place. In the NFP sector, we need to be just as professional as any other business. It is also important that what we say we are going to do, we actually do.
TS: Do you think the government could do more to help NFPs?
BD: I don’t think NFPs should depend too much on the government. However, there are cases where it is great for governments and NFPs to work together. For instance in the area of disability, there are some wonderful organisations in Australia who are now involved with the NDIS. The government needs to recognise the different NFP services. I do wish Australia were more generous with its overseas assistance [of NFPs.] If the government wants to join us they are welcome but if they don’t, well, we are not waiting for them.
TS: What strategies has The Fred Hollows Foundation put in place to help prevent and end avoidable blindness?
BD: We have what we call a rolling 4-year strategy. It is focused on ending avoidable blindness as well as making sure Aboriginal communities receive the help they deserve and need. We need to know what the exact causes of blindness are. Our job is not to go and do the operations but our job is to make sure that [the countries that we help] have strong eye [medical] systems. Our job is to help develop those systems. It is when national governments fund their own systems that we will start to see the end to avoidable blindness.
TS: You have a very strong relationship with Indigenous communities could you tell me more about that?
BD: We have a strong relationship with a range of indigenous communities and that goes back to Fred. The reason Fred was so successful in the campaign was because he worked with a whole range of Aboriginal people and they assumed leadership of that initiative. When Fred came back he was part of establishing the first Aboriginal medical service. We follow that same model. We work with the Aboriginal communities and we listen to them and hear their plans about their own health needs. We need to not assume we know what they want, we need to listen to what they want and need.
TS: What are your hopes for the future of Fred Hollows?
BD: Our hope is to completely end avoidable blindness. No one should be needlessly blind.