‘There’s something therapeutic about it’ – Ashton Turner opens up on his leadership journey

Ashton Turner. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Five and a half years ago, when Adam Voges retired from all formats of the game, Ashton Turner and Mitchell Marsh were shortlisted to become the next leaders of Western Australia. However, in the interview, Turner couldn’t justify his case as Marsh was appointed as the new captain of the side. Interestingly enough, recalling that, Turner mentioned how the ‘job interview’ apparently changed everything and made him a better leader.

While talking about the whole incident, Turner revealed that one had to sit and write down their thoughts on leadership and how they are going to manage a group of people. As per Turner, writing things down helped him to get a clear idea of what he stands for and how he’s going to lead his team.

“The actual act of sitting down, having to write down your thoughts on leadership, your thoughts on how you are going to manage a group of people and then being able to articulate that to other people in a group, that’s an amazing skill and a great learning opportunity. Up until that point (interview for WA captaincy role) in my career, I’d probably never been asked to do anything like that,” Turner stated.

“So I guess that lesson of me writing down my thoughts, being really clear on what I stood for, what I believed was important – that’s held me in good stead. And so as I evolve and get older and get asked to present or speak to groups of people, it’s always a great reflective piece for me to write down my thoughts to prepare and then articulate, and it’s probably something in professional sport that we don’t do a lot, and we probably don’t do enough,” Turner said on cricket.com.au’s Unplayable Podcast.

The 30-year-old also mentioned that there’s something therapeutic about the entire process and he has certainly grown and learnt a lot from the process.

“There’s something therapeutic about it … it’s like studying for an exam that prepares us for situations that we’re going to be in and I’ve certainly grown and learned a lot from that process,” the 30-year-old added.

It’s definitely a role that I’ve evolved into: Turner

Turner has been very influential as a leader and has won back-to-back Big Bash League titles with Perth Scorchers. He is also on the verge of winning his third Marsh Cup Trophy, as Western Australia is set to face South Australia in the finals of the competition at WACA on March 8.

Now, talking about his own captaincy, Turner stated that he has evolved into a leader as he has never imagined himself in a similar role previously.

“It’s definitely a role that I’ve evolved into; we’re never the finished product. If you’d seen me as a 16-year-old, would you necessarily point at me and say ‘he’s going to be a leader?’ Probably not,” the Perth-born further continued.

“And I don’t think I was a great leader as a junior, but no doubt I’m better in this role now than I was when I was younger and that’s really exciting for me because that means that we can’t pigeonhole anyone into a certain role and anyone that we’re able to come across and work with has potential beyond what they’re naturally given at birth,” Turner concluded.

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