My Australia Story: Mr Ronald Mutambiranwa

Maggie John: Hello, welcome to my Australia story, I'm Maggie John. In this series, we celebrate the resilience and contributions of first-generation migrants who've made their mark on Australia's multicultural landscape. Today we're joined by Mr. Ronald Mutambitanwa, a leader in mining industry who brings over 30 years of experience across Africa and Australia. Ronald, thank you for being here and sharing your story with us.

Ronald Mutambitanwa: Thanks for having me, Maggie.

MJ: Ron, should we start by hearing a bit of your early life in Zimbabwe? What inspired you to pursue a career as a heavy duty fitter and focus on mobile mining equipment?

RM: My career started a long time ago. Um, I would say probably when I was about 10. So growing up as a young person, I, uh, all I knew was doctors, nurses, teachers, and bus drivers. And I was destined to go to university and get a degree and join one of those careers. But everything changed when I was about 12 years old and my dad took me to a mining show. That's where I was introduced to construction and mining equipment and I instantly fell in love with mining equipment, and I knew from that day on that I would pursue a career as an engineer or as a mechanic. And I was fortunate enough at 18 to be offered an apprenticeship with Caterpillar, which I did for four years. And that introduced me to the world of mining. And since then, I have held a number of roles, not only as a technical expert, but also as a leader in construction and mining over the last 30 years.

MJ: When did you arrive Australia?

RM: I arrived in Australia 20 years ago, and I had been a manager over in Zimbabwe, but when I came to Australia I actually had to start again and go back on the floor as a mechanic and really build my career from then.

MJ: Great. So how has this hands-on experience shaped the leader you are today?

RM: So as, as a mechanic you learn to, you know, practical problem solving skills. You learn the importance of safety, the importance of teamwork, but also as a mechanic, I learned about leadership through my own personal experiences, reporting to people that were leading me, but also observing their behaviors. And, um, and I learnt a lot probably from the poor leaders that I had, I learned more from, and I learned about the, uh, the effectiveness of being a leader is about having a clear vision, being able to articulate that vision to your followers, being able to set clear expectations, help the team along and ensure that the goals are clear.

MJ: Ron you've worked across Africa and Australia, can you share how your diverse experience has shaped or impacted on your approach to leadership and operations?

RM: So after I completed my apprenticeship, I actually worked in Zimbabwe for a few years before I moved to Botswana, and I worked there for about seven years before coming to Australia. Um, and I guess the differences between, uh, being a leader in Africa and being a leader in Australia is that, uh, most of my experiences in Africa, the leadership was focused on production. It was very production centric. It was about delivering results', about using processes and really getting, um, shareholder outcomes. And moving to Australia, um, and adapting to a different working environment, what shaped my leadership is really operating at that people centric process, uh, really being focused on people. So setting clear expectations, having a clear vision, being able to articulate that vision to my people, um, focusing on people's welfare, um, and ensuring that we bring systems and processes to support that work that we are doing.

MJ: Ron, you've held various roles over the years, can you share with us, how does the transition from your technical roles to the leadership roles today have prepared you for the challenges you're facing now?

RM: Yeah, so, so when I finished my apprenticeship, I was a technical expert for a very long time. Um, and I enjoyed being a technical expert. I loved being out by myself, fixing stuff. Um, I had very high standards and I really enjoyed, uh, just being out and about fixing stuff. And how I actually came into leadership, uh, I call it I came by accident because I returned to the workshop one day and the supervisor had resigned and the manager thought that I would be the best supervisor. So the one person that has really high standards, that likes working alone all of a sudden became a supervisor. And that was my first leadership role, and to be honest, I really struggled the first couple of years in the leadership role, I really struggled because I reverted back into being a technical expert and not a leader.

But what I've learned since then is that leadership is not about being technical, it's about being clear with your team, operating at the right level and operating at that strategic level. And over the years, I've moved from being a technical expert into a leader just based on what I'm really focusing on. Yeah.

MJ: Great. So Ron, in the work you do today are there any type of work that you felt challenging?

RM: Yeah, I'm a lifelong learner. Um, the environment we are operating in is consistently changing, uh, employee expectations, community expectations are changing all the time. And if as a leader you're not learning and building new skills, you will always struggle. So technology, we've introduced technology into the workplace that requires different sets of skills as, as a leader, so continuously, I'm always learning and learning to be a better leader all the time.

MJ: Thank you. Ron, in your current role as General Manager of maintenance, you oversee large scale projects. So are there any key challenges in managing such complex projects, and how do you maintain high safety standards?

RM: Yeah, maintenance shutdowns are highly complex, um, high risk, and we utilize a transient workforce. So it comes with a lot of safety challenges, it comes with a lot of people management challenges. Um, so as a general manager for shutdowns, I need to make sure that we are managing safety and managing it very effectively and we are delivering the results that are required. So it's important for me to have the right sort of leadership and make sure that I've got capable leaders on the job. It's also very important for me to have the right systems and processes and procedures that people will follow to get the work done and having the right tools and people with the right qualifications to be able to do the work.

MJ: Can you share some of the achievements you are proud of in your current role Ron?

RM: So, so my current role is actually a brand new role. So, I've only been in this role for the last six months. Prior to that, I actually worked in human resources for three years. So in this role, um, I started off, um, as a team of one, six months ago. And since then I've been able to build this team and we now have 200 employees within my team. And we've managed to set systems up, have the right processes in place, and we are now talking to our contractors about how we integrate them into the work that we are doing. So really, really proud of the effort that the team and I have, uh, have done over the last six months and there's bigger and better things to be coming in the next year.

MJ: Great. Which is also a testament to your leadership skill Ron, well done. As immigrant from Zimbabwe, what opportunities and obstacles have you encountered in your career in this country?

RM: Coming to Australia, um, 20 years ago, I mean I was a manager from, um, Zimbabwe when I came from, but I had to go back and start on the floor again because I was perceived to not have Australian mining experience. Which was fine, I had to go back and prove myself. Um, I guess some of the challenges you face, um, if you're a minority, it doesn't matter what country you go to or what operation you're working in, there's always going to be some level of discrimination and that's standard everywhere. Um, you also face challenges of having to build a network, you know, having to start to build your network from, from the ground up. Um, I also faced, um, challenges of having to prove myself in a very competitive environment. Um, I was literally, literally like I was starting an apprenticeship again, but all those challenges that I faced actually became some of my strengths because since then I've built a massive network of people that are supportive. Um, I've been able to prove myself in the industry and be able to achieve, uh, what I've achieved so far. Um, and in terms of discrimination, I think, like I said, anywhere you go there's always going to be some people that don't think you should be there, but the majority of Australians are very supportive people and I've managed to build a network of amazing people that supports me up to today.

MJ: That's Great to hear. Sounds like it's a resilience building process. Um, also Ron do you think the multicultural background has impact on your opportunities in this country?

RM: It does. Um, you know, my vast experiences from Africa and other places, uh, have become very valuable to the organizations that I've worked for in Australia. Um, I bring a different perspective, I bring a different voice, I bring different thinking, and I bring different practical problem solving skills to the table. And having, um, I guess, having been subjected to some of the challenges that I was subjected to has helped me to build resilience, but it's also helped me to be a good human being because I understand the challenges that people face because I faced those challenges. And now it's very easy for me to be able to have an inclusive team and build diverse teams that are high performing.

MJ: That's great. So Australia has a diverse workforce Ron. What role do you think cultural sensitivity play in such a diverse workforce in Australia?

RM: Cultural diversity plays a very important role in, in any industry, even outside of mining, in that when you bring people that think differently, people that have different life experiences, people from different parts of the world, the richness in that in creating a team is just phenomenal. And it's not just about having a diverse workforce, it's also about ensuring that we have a workplace that encourages and is inclusive. And what I mean by that is if we have women in the workplace, do we have the right facilities and support for women to be, to thrive in those environments? If we have people from other parts of the world, do we have, do we understand their culture and cultural sensitivities and do we have systems and processes to support those people to allow their cultures to thrive in the workplace.

MJ: Thank you, Ron. So what do you think of the current level of cultural sensitivity in the workforce?

RM: I think it's, it's varied. Um, there are people in industry that really take an interest in other people's cultures to learn about different cultures and you get a small minority that, um, is not interested. But I think the majority of people are very open to understanding other people's cultures, learning about other people's cultures, and actually adapting to other people's cultures.

MJ: You are also a father and enjoy cycling and traveling, so how do you manage work-life balance?

RM: Yeah, so I'm an introvert by nature. So, you know, interviews, talking in public, uh, sometimes drains me and outside of work I need to build my energy and how I build my energy is cycling, walking, uh, I play a little bit of golf. I'm not really good at it, but I, uh, I love playing golf. Uh, it really energizes me. Um, I have two kids who have now left home, so I've got plenty of time to reflect. Uh, but I also love spending time with my kids and my wife. Um, and I really enjoy traveling. So my wife and I do a lot of travel and that's an opportunity for us to build energy. Uh, golf allows me to build networks and networks help me with my personal life and my professional life.

MJ: So do you structurally leave some time for family time in your overall schedule?

RM: Yes. My kind of work starts between nine o'clock and three-thirty. Outside of those times is thinking time, creativity time. Um, as a leader I need to be thinking strategically and I really need to be focused. So it's important for me to spend reflective time, to spend time thinking about the strategy, to spend time thinking about the team and how we can continually improve the workplace.

MJ: Thank you. And um, how do you see the connection between personal interest and professional life?

RM: I think my life and my work are pretty much connected. I actually, I actually call it work life integration and not work life balance.

MJ: Yeah. And do you think the personal interest is enhancing your professional life?

RM: It definitely is, and my professional life is enhancing my personal life as well. Yep and I, um, I'm able to navigate between the two very well, you know, I, um, have a responsibility to look after 200 full-time employees plus 20 something thousand contractors. I cannot afford to totally switch off. I need to be able to balance my work and I need to be able to balance my life.

MJ: That's very impressive. Sounds like you have very good time management skills. Thank you. Um, so Ron, do you have any, any advice that you would like to give, um, to immigrants who will want to pursue a career in mining industry in Australia?

RM: Yes, I mean, the first thing I'll say is it is quite challenging, so you've got to work hard to be able to get there. Um, the first thing is just being a good, being a good human being, be a good human being. Someone that has empathy, someone that relates well to others, someone that is out to help other people. Um, the second thing I would say is, especially if you want to join mining, is that, do your research. There is more to mining than driving trucks or fixing them. There's a whole lot of other careers that sit in mining that will give people meaningful work and great opportunities in life. Follow impact. Do not look for a job and titles and money. Think about the impact that you can have on other people and then the money and the titles will come.

MJ: Thank you. Sounds like it's important for immigrants to understand the diversity of, um, mining jobs itself, isn't it?

RM: Yes.

MJ: Great, thank you. Looking back at your journey Ron, what is the most fulfilling part of your career so far?

RM: I think when I look at my career, the most fulfilling part of my career is having an impact on people, having an impact on communities. And what I mean by that is when I look at my employees, I don't see, uh, employees, I don't see numbers. I see dreams, I see hopes, I see aspirations, I see families. I see little boys and girls that are planning their futures. And the opportunity to be able to improve their lives and improve their potential and help them to achieve their goals is the most fulfilling thing for me. Every day when I wake up, I think about my team, I think about their families and how can I improve their lives. That's potentially the most fulfilling thing for me.

MJ: That's wonderful to hear. And can you share with us what's next for you to achieve?

RM: I'm on this journey to help other migrants. Um, I spend a lot of time, you know, sharing ideas with, um, international students. I do a lot of mentoring, um, of women, international women in mining. I do a lot of mentoring so, um, for me it's about how do I pass on my knowledge? How do I mentor and coach the next generation that is coming into mining so that they can have an impact and ongoing impact on the mining industry.

MJ: Thank you. Now Ron, finally, what do you think is the most important Australian spirit that has helped you with your success in Australia?

RM: So, there's probably two for me. Um, the, the spirit of mateship.

MJ: Mateship?

RM: Yeah. It's something that I learned when I got here to Australia. I mean, when, when we have a disaster in Australia, whether it's fires or, um, rain events or flooding, you notice the way communities come together to help each other. And I found that very interesting when I first came to Australia. And I've actually used that in my own career in just reaching out to people, um, for help. And there is a lot of people that want to help others. And to get to where I got to in my career was a result of me reaching out to people, building a network and having people help me. And the second one is this, um, idea of having a go. Just try things. You know, if you fail you get up and you try again. And that's something that's really helped me as well, um, is to have faith, just have a go at, at something. I, um, I ran a mining team, um, a few years ago. I'm not a mining engineer. I was offered a job to run a mining team. I gave it a go and I thought I actually did a reasonably good job and I was really successful at it that I got a promotion. So, so I've really embodied those two things of mateship and actually just having a go and getting things done.

MJ: Ron thank you so much for sharing your career journey with us today. Your experience spanning continents and leadership roles are true reflection of the strands that has shaped Australia's workforce today and we wish you continued success in your career and in all that you do.

RM: Thank you.

MJ: And to our viewers, thank you for joining us today on My Australian Story. We'll continue to celebrate the contributions of migrants who shape the nation's multicultural identity. See you next time.