Third time’s the charm for UK national Paul Potrac (pictured here with his wife Susi and their children), who’s returning to Dunedin to take up the position of Dean of the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences after holding two previous roles in Aotearoa.
He may be a world expert in sports coaching, but it was a cancer diagnosis that changed the way Professor Paul Potrac – incoming Dean of the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences – approaches leadership.
“When I was diagnosed with testicular cancer I stepped down from an acting Head of Department role at the University of Hull to focus on surgery and treatment,” Paul says.
“The treatment, the surgery and the follow-up all went really well – but when I was living it, I’d never felt so vulnerable.
“After the surgery I remember sitting in a hospital waiting room, waiting to hear the results of a biopsy. Some people were coming out of the consultation rooms crying, and others were coming out with smiles on their faces. And I was sitting there with Susi, my wife, and our two little girls, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, what’s it going to be’?”
Paul’s surgery left him with a clean bill of health and a new outlook on life.
“I think it helps with leadership when you’ve been through things like that. I don’t mean that organisational issues and challenges become easy, because they're not easy, but it definitely helps give some perspective.
“I also think it helps generate a sense of empathy. You understand that some people’s reactions in the workplace might be more to do with worry and uncertainty about other things. People have hopes, fears, worries and goals, and what happens in the workplace can affect home life and vice versa.”
Paul, Susi and the girls – now teenagers – are embarking on a new adventure as they prepare to move from Newcastle, England, to New Zealand. And for Paul, third time’s the charm.
“When I was an awful lot younger, I got to spend two years as a lecturer in sports coaching at the University of Otago,” he says.
“That was an amazing experience. Otago opened my eyes about what a research-intensive university is, in terms of the quality of the research and the teaching. There are people in the school who are leaders in their field internationally, and to be around people of that quality was an experience that stayed with me.”
The sports fan also got his football boots muddy in Dunedin.
“I used to play for Caversham and Southland United, and I was an assistant coach for the University team for a bit. I was also involved in the youth football structure, which entailed coaching different age groups in the regional representative programme.”
Paul returned to England for family reasons, but he regretted leaving Otago the moment he stepped on the plane.
“I remember working in London and everything was fine, but I was dreaming about being down at the beach at St Clair, being back in Queenstown playing football, or being back at the Staff Club enjoying the sense of community and the incredible view.”
After two years at Brunel University of London, Paul moved back to New Zealand – this time, with new wife Susi in tow.
“I was a Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching at UNITEC, Auckland. We enjoyed that experience, but by then we were expecting our first child, and it made sense to look for something a bit nearer to home.”
Paul rose through the ranks at the University of Hull, Edge Hill University and Northumbria University, but the dream of moving back to Dunedin was never far from his mind.
“I always kept an eye on Otago’s job ads, and eventually this opportunity came up,” Paul says.
“I was fortunate enough to be invited to the campus. It was amazing, and all the way back on the plane, I was thinking, ‘I really do miss the University and the town – it would be great to come back’!”
Paul takes up his new position on 2 November, and he already knows how he’s going to spend his first weeks.
“I want to listen and understand the perspectives of the staff and students in the School, and begin to consider how we can work together to build on the School’s fantastic contribution to the University,” he says.
“I think if you’re willing to listen, it tends to lead to better outcomes. Partnerships often create a more enjoyable and high-performing environment.”
Paul may have been toughened up on the sports field, but he says he’ll bring his soft skills to bear in his role.
“Leadership is about collaboration, it's about being supportive, it's about being ambitious, and it's about caring for people.
“The people in the School already do excellent teaching and research, and I’ll be thinking about how we can further articulate our strengths, highlight the benefits of an Otago education for our students, and continue to connect our research and applied work with external organisations. Ultimately, it’s about how we can build on what we already do well and contribute to learning and wellbeing regionally, nationally and internationally.”
Around his University and family commitments, Paul also hopes to find some time for his first love – football.
“I'd be quite excited to go down and watch a game at Logan Park. And if an opportunity came up to play a bit of over 50s five-a-side, I’d love that. That said, my younger daughter wants to play touch rugby, volleyball and get back into swimming. So, I dare say, I’ll be pretty busy with that too!”
-Kōrero by Kathryn van Beek, Communications Advisor | Kaiarataki Pārokoroko
School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences
Consistently ranked in the world's top 25 and number one in Aotearoa New Zealand for sport-related subjects (QS World University Rankings by Subject), the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences is a global leader in teaching and research.
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