Gary Maguire: The Power of Quiet Leadership

Gary Maguire didn’t start his career with a map in hand and a grand plan. He started with questions. About the land. About how we see it. And about how data can help us make better decisions.

“I’ve always had a passion for geography,” Gary explained. “I loved the science, but I was also very artistic. When I found cartography, it just resonated with me. It was a marriage between science, geography, and technology.”

Gary's early work exposed him to the artistic roots of Australian surveying—campfire sketches and hand-drawn landscape views that told stories from the field. That storytelling instinct has never left him.

“The best way I can describe GIS is telling stories with maps and data,” he said. “Maps hold emotion. They show time, place, and the people who’ve lived through both.”

His professional journey spans over 30 years in the South Australian public sector, non-profits, and now private industry. But his leadership style has always stayed the same: empower others. Whether it’s guiding a young intern to a role with the UN or helping introverted team members find their voice, Gary sees mentorship as more than a job perk. It’s a calling.

“I don’t get paid to do this,” he laughed, “but I really love watching people grow.”

When Gary joined his current organization, the GIS department was seen as a drafting unit—quietly plugging away in the background. Today, thanks to Gary’s vision, they’re a national data science team transforming how people think about location, service delivery, and digital mapping.

It didn’t happen overnight.

First came listening. Then came reflection. Gary introduced self-assessment tools like StrengthsFinder and trust-building exercises rooted in empathy and psychological safety.

“My job is to help the team believe in itself,” he said. “Give them the right space, the right leadership, and they will thrive.”

The impact was immediate. “I started seeing the quietest person in the room speak up,” he recalled. “The language changed. It went from ‘we thought’ to ‘I think.’ That’s confidence.”

His leadership philosophy isn’t just about team dynamics—it’s strategic. When faced with a fragmented workflow and scattered data requests, Gary helped implement a CRM and ticketing system, reducing a massive backlog to a manageable flow. “It wasn’t about fancy tech,” he said. “It was about solving the root problem and building trust with the customer.”

Still, Gary’s journey hasn’t been without doubt. “Some days are lonely,” he admitted. “But I’ve been lucky. I’ve had mentors. I’ve had a partner who understands GIS. And I’ve never lost that self-belief.”

That belief—that GIS can truly change the world—isn’t just talk for Gary. It’s visible in the way he lifts others up. “I don’t need to be at the front of the line,” he said. “Success comes from the team. I’m just privileged to help them realize what’s possible.”