In this episode of The NFP CEO, we sit down with Ethne Irving, CEO of the Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons, for a refreshingly honest conversation about stepping into the top job.

Ethne didn’t come in cold—she spent over a decade as Deputy CEO at the Australian Dental Association and even stepped in as Interim CEO. But as she shares, nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise:

There’s no one else to turn to. The decision is yours.

One of the biggest shifts Ethne talks about is surprisingly simple—but significant.

As a deputy, you always have someone to bounce ideas off. Someone to sense-check. Someone to ultimately make the call.

As CEO?

You are that person.

Ethne describes missing those informal “chew the fat” moments—while also stepping into a new level of responsibility where every decision, big or small, lands with you.

Her approach hasn’t been to go it alone though. Instead, she leans into collaboration, constantly asking her team:

“What would you do if you were in my seat?”

Letting Go of the Detail (Even When It’s Uncomfortable)

Another big adjustment? Not knowing everything.

After years being deep in the detail, Ethne found herself needing to make decisions without having the full history or all the moving parts in her head.

And that’s the role.

With a strong leadership team in place, she’s had to shift from knowing everything to:

1. Asking better questions
2. Trusting others’ expertise
3. Getting just enough information to move forward

It’s a different kind of confidence.

If you’re stepping into a CEO role or thinking about it, this conversation is a grounded, honest reminder that:

1. You don’t need to have all the answers
2. You do need to ask better questions
3. Leadership is as much about presence as it is about strategy

And most importantly - You figure it out by doing the job.

If you’re navigating that step up into CEO, this is a very real, very practical conversation.

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