Playing at a 'different level'

Two-time Olympian and former Black Sticks captain Chris Arthur says she has had to lift her game to meet the expectations of being a chair.

Being in the company of the 45 chairs in the governance community-building project made her realise the importance of the role and the impact for the sport. “It was like a boot up the backside, really. It made me think, ‘Wow, I’ve actually got to up my game,’” says Arthur, who is “giving back” as chair of Table Tennis New Zealand. “The more I got into it, the more enjoyable it became because you actually felt like you are making an impact and a difference.”

Arthur is Head of the Performance Life Coaching Team at Sport New Zealand. She has experience in leadership roles and on boards and committees, but says this is a “different level again”.

“It gave me permission to go hard to own it, to set the agenda and not just be a passenger, to hold other board members to account, to reflect on our performances, and to make sure we were totally aligned with our operations team – particularly with the CEO. I can’t speak highly enough about it – from increasing motivation to the whole networking aspect.”

Arthur says “suddenly having other people talking about the same struggles” made her realise she wasn’t alone and that it is right to trust your own instincts, and to push harder to get what you want.

“I’m someone that loves growing and learning. This is something I can get my teeth into and actually develop as a craft or skill set. Being an independent brings a different dimension too, because you can ask the naive inquiry questions. And you don’t necessarily have all the baggage.”

Table Tennis NZ is one of the smaller NSOs, but no less important. “I got the position by default, really. It wasn’t something I sought. I was shoulder-tapped,” she says. “But I can’t believe how much I’ve enjoyed it.” 

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