The boardroom, the Beehive and the bizarre

Patrick Gower has spent more than 20 years interviewing people in high-profile leadership roles. He has seen political decision-making close up, questioned Donald Trump and moderated leaders’ debates for three general elections. 

He says one of the clearest lessons from those experiences is the power of really listening – deeply, genuinely and effectively.  

He will be sharing that, along with many observations from his career, as the after-dinner speaker at the IoD’s 2026 Leadership Conference in September. 

Gower – affectionately known to the nation as Paddy – will speak on the topic of The Power of Connection. He says it will include lessons for the boardroom, from what‘s learned about leadership from watching New Zealand’s decision-makers.   
“I’ve spent 26 years interviewing people pretty much every day of my working life and through that I’ve learned one of the most important skills anyone can have, in my view, is listening,” he says.  

“That offers lessons for the boardroom. Listening is very powerful. The most important part of an interview is not the question you ask, it’s the way you listen to the answer.  

“When you really listen, people recognise that, feel seen and open up to you more. It might seem simple but if you lock in and really listen while someone is talking in the moment, you get better outcomes.”  

He says that applies to high-pressure political situations.  

“I’ve moderated three leaders’ debates – Ardern and English in 2017, Ardern and Collins in 2020 and Hipkins and Luxon in 2023 – so I know a fair bit about speaking with leaders under pressure.  

“I have ‘Listen’ written in bold at the top of my list of questions. I listen intently, including for shifts in their language around policy. That depth of listening enables you to ask the right questions and get the best answers. I’ve trained myself to listen in that way and it’s a lesson I can pass on.”  

He is also experienced in the often-strange ways political decisions are reached.  

“I have seen a lot of that close up. Political decisions can defy logic. Audrey Young, former political editor at the Herald, had a saying, ‘Politics always wins’. Ultimately, when politicians come up against business, the law, economics or cold hard logic, politics will win out.”  

Having started his career at The New Zealand Herald, Gower went on become political editor and then national correspondent at 3 News/Newshub.

Since Newshub’s closure in 2024, he has worked for Stuff, done some radio presenting and continued to front current affairs programmes, such as Paddy Gower Has Issues.  

His memoir – This is the F#$%ing News: My Story, published in 2024 – outlines his career, pressures of reporting in Parliament and his recovery from a mental breakdown due to stress and burnout in 2017.  

Leadership pillars  

He also shares his personal experiences of overcoming adversity, offering his own four key pillars – connection, optimism, purpose, and change.  

“A good leader needs to be able to connect with people and have an optimistic vision they can get people to work towards with actionable steps.  

“They need a sense of purpose – a reason for doing something above the basics – and be able to lead others to change things and make a difference in whatever field they are in. People who can bring about change, whether in business, social change or in thinking, are something the world needs.”  

Alongside his media work, Gower has built on his motivational speaking over the past two years.  

“I’m proud of how much people laugh with me. I have some funny stories from inside Parliament and I’ll also be sharing how I went viral for standing up in a library and saying, ‘This is the f#$%ing news’.  

“It’s a great privilege to talk to people about things that are important to me, to give a lesson in my own vulnerability and share things that spark with people.”  

The IoD’s National Leadership Conference brings together more than 500 directors and business leaders for two days of governance discussion and networking. It will be held at Tākina Convention and Events Centre, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington, on 3-4 September.
 
Local and international speakers will discuss governance and leadership issues affecting Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider world. Register here.