Arriving Without Titles 

From arriving in Australia as a student cleaner to leading SKG, this journey reflects why the best leaders are shaped on the frontlines.

When I arrived in Australia more than 30 years ago, I did not come with a business plan or ambitions of becoming a CEO. Like many migrants, I came with hope, determination and a willingness to work hard for a better future. At the time, I was a student trying to build a life in a new country. To support myself, I took a part-time cleaning job. The work was physically demanding, often done late at night or early in the morning, and largely invisible to most people. But looking back now, those early years taught me more about leadership than any boardroom ever could.

Today, as Group CEO of SKG, I still carry many of the lessons I learned while cleaning offices, shopping centres and commercial buildings. In many ways, those experiences shaped the kind of leader I wanted to become. Too often, leadership is associated with titles, strategy presentations and executive decision-making. But real leadership begins much earlier than that, with understanding people, respecting hard work and never losing sight of the frontline realities that keep businesses running every day.

Lessons From the Frontline

One of the biggest lessons I learned as a cleaner was humility. Cleaning work teaches you quickly that no task is beneath you. You learn discipline, consistency and accountability because the standard of your work is immediately visible. If something is missed, people notice and there is no hiding behind hierarchy or corporate language. The job simply has to be done properly. That experience stayed with me throughout my career. 

As I moved into supervisory and management roles, I always believed leadership was about service rather than status. The best leaders are not those who sit furthest from the work; they are the ones who understand it deeply. When leaders have firsthand experience on the frontline, they make better decisions. They understand operational pressures, staffing challenges, customer expectations and the importance of culture in a very practical way. They also build trust more easily because employees know their leader genuinely understands their environment.

The Value of Frontline Work

In industries like cleaning and facilities management, frontline workers are often the face of the company. They interact with clients every day, maintain standards and solve problems in real time. Yet historically, these roles have not always received the recognition they deserve. The pandemic changed some of that perception. During COVID-19, cleaners and essential service workers became critical to keeping workplaces, hospitals and public spaces safe. For many Australians, it was the first time they truly recognised the importance of the industry and the people behind it. But for those of us who built our careers in the sector, that value had always been clear. One of the things I am proudest of at SKG is helping create pathways for people to grow within the business. I know firsthand how powerful opportunity can be when someone believes in your potential. Many people entering frontline roles are migrants, students or individuals simply looking for a chance to establish themselves. They may not initially see leadership in their future. I certainly did not. But talent exists everywhere when organisations are willing to invest in people.

Leadership as Service, Not Status

Research consistently shows that organisations with strong internal mobility and employee development programs perform better over the long term. Employees who feel valued and supported are more engaged, more productive and more likely to stay. Leadership development should not start at the executive level; it should start from day one. Some of the best leaders I have worked with over the years began in operational roles. What made them effective was not just technical skill, but empathy. They understood what it felt like to work long shifts, manage competing priorities and deliver results under pressure. That perspective changes how you lead people. It also changes how you define success. 

Early in my career, success meant stability. It meant being able to pay rent, continue my studies and build a future in Australia. Over time, my understanding of success evolved. Today, success is about creating opportunities for others, building sustainable businesses and leaving organisations stronger than you found them. One of the challenges many leaders face is becoming disconnected from the workforce as they progress through their careers. The further leadership moves away from frontline reality, the harder it becomes to build culture, trust and alignment.

Staying Connected to the Work

I have always tried to stay connected to the operational side of the business because that is where you learn the most. Frontline teams often identify issues before management does. They also understand customers in ways reports and dashboards cannot fully capture. Some of the most valuable conversations I have had in my career did not happen in executive meetings. They happened during site visits, shift changes and informal discussions with employees on the ground. Those moments provide honesty, perspective and insight that no leadership course can replicate. Australia has given me enormous opportunity over the past three decades, and I remain deeply grateful for that. Like many migrants, my journey involved uncertainty, sacrifice and resilience. But those experiences also taught me adaptability and perseverance - qualities that are increasingly important in today’s business environment. Leadership today is less about authority and more about authenticity. Employees want leaders who are approachable, credible and human, who understand challenges firsthand and who lead with empathy, accountability and purpose.

Remembering Where it All Began

For younger professionals starting out in their careers, my advice is simple, never underestimate the value of frontline experience. No job is ever wasted if you are willing to learn from it. Some of the most important skills in leadership are resilience, communication, teamwork and accountability and are often built long before someone reaches an executive position. And for business leaders, there is an equally important lesson, great organisations are not built from the top down alone. They are built by people across every level of the business working together with shared purpose and mutual respect.

My journey from part-time cleaner to Group CEO was never a straight line. It was built over many years through hard work, learning opportunities and the support of people who believed in me along the way.

But if there is one thing my career has taught me, it is that the best leaders never forget where they started.

 

About Prabin Shrestha

Prabin Shrestha is Group Chief Executive Officer of SKG Services, a national commercial cleaning, maintenance and security services company marking its 50th anniversary. He has more than 30 years of experience across frontline operations and executive leadership within the business, beginning his career as a part-time cleaner while studying accounting and finance. Since joining SKG, he has progressed through a range of operational and leadership roles, including Group COO, where he helped drive service integration, operational performance and national growth as the business expanded, leading more than 2,000 employees. Prabin now leads SKG Services’ overall strategy and growth agenda, with a focus on disciplined expansion, acquisitions, technology-enabled operations and building a strong people-first culture across the organisation. www.skg.net.au