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During this episode, Stellar Recruitment’s Managing Director, Shaun McCambridge, sits down with John Holland Group’s Pre-Contracts Manager and multiple award-winning leader, Loren Hickey.
Shaun and Loren discuss her journey into the civil sector, what drives her to be the best version of herself and what her personal vision is for the industry moving forward. We also learn about time management, who has had the biggest impacts on Loren’s career and what her proudest career moments are.
0:53 - Loren’s journey into the civil sector
5:22 – What drives Loren to be the best version and the principles which are pivotal to her success
11:05 – Loren’s proudest career moments
13:50 - How Loren manages her busy schedule
28:05 - The biggest impacts on Loren’s career
34:15 - Rapid fire questions with Loren
37:39 – Loren’s personal vision for the industry moving forward
Loren’s journey into the civil sector
After graduating from university for sports management and realising it was quite a difficult space to land a job, Loren decided to branch out into the marketing space and found herself in a job within the construction and civil industry in a tier 3 company on the Gold Coast as their Marketing Coordinator. After being made redundant from her first construction role, Loren decided the construction industry was the one for her and applied to do her Civil Engineering degree to skyrocket her career. 5 years later, Loren moved into the business development and now, the pre-contracts space, and hasn’t looked back since due to the growth and success she has had.
What drives Loren to be the best version and the principles which are pivotal to her success
Since being young, what has always driven Loren is to work really hard and get really paid well - if an opportunity was given to Loren, she would work hard to support her and her family to live their best life. Loren was awarded employee of the year at John Holland in 2021 and via NAWIC, named as a winner for her achievements as a businesswoman. Loren finds fulfilment in these awards she has won and takes great pride in these achievements. The principles she has grown to employ is to be unapologetically yourself and to be confident within yourself and the work you do. After hearing a quote from Paul Hogan about taking your job seriously, but not yourself, Loren has started to live out those expectations within herself and her career.
Loren’s proudest career moments
Alongside the well-deserved NAWIC and John Holland awards, there has also been little moments along the way such as mentoring and being available, open and transparent within the construction industry, especially for other women and young people starting out, where she can give advice and help guide them in growing their careers.
How Loren manages her busy schedule
Wearing many different hats, Loren has a form of time management that works best for her - her family is very 50/50 in day-to-day jobs and has a great family support network around her to help her out in navigating parenthood. Being in construction, everything has a deadline, and the way Loren frames her time management around that is “self-sacrificing.” Another important thing is having a to-do list that includes both work and personal commitments, having a clear calendar and learning how to say no.
The biggest impacts on Loren’s career
Although Loren has had no “real” form of mentor, she has had a lot of people along the way who she has sought advice from and would seek advice from individual people for individual purposes. Thinking about where her career is and how it got to where it is, her parents had a big influence on the integrity of things of her career. Loren’s husband also plays a big part in the success of her career and the life they have built for themselves and their children, through his support of Loren being a “working mum.”
Rapid fire questions with Loren
What does Loren Hickey do to relaxNetflix – Especially Manifest
What are you currently reading?
Never read a book!
If you weren’t a civil leader what’s your dream job?
Property Developer
Hidden talent?
Being angry (according to her daughter LOL) and beer-skulling thanks to university
Greatest fear?
Messing her kids up, the dark, clowns and tsunamis
What advice would you pass on to an 18-year-old Loren Hickey?
Be unique and don’t waste time trying to fit it.
Loren’s personal vision for the industry moving forward
Right now, it is about how are we going to maintain productivity in these busy times. To maintain that productivity, the industry needs to be heavily involved in resourcing and finding those who want to come into the sector by making it attractive and breaking the stigma around certain issues within the industry. She also has a big vision to encourage women to get into the industry, by closing the pay gap and showing them there are major opportunities within the sector to be able to support themselves and their families.
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Stellar’s Managing Director, Shaun McCambridge, sits down with Dan Hunt, former professional rugby league player and founder of The Mental Health Movement. They discuss how The Mental Health Movement has created mentally healthy workplaces and the necessary steps to achieve this. Dan draws on past experiences and shares a wealth of knowledge on navigating towards a better mental head space.
Dan’s Highlights
1.00 - What partnerships with large scale organisations like BHP, Qantas, Glencore and many more generally entail
7:31 - How we can identify and understand mental health to the same capacity as physical fitness
12:12 - A proactive vs reactive organisation when it comes to achieving a mentally healthy workplace
18:10 - Dan’s best practices and tips for staying mentally well
24:15 - How to find the right person to help you on your journey
27:45 - The vision for The Mental Health Movement and the exciting plans ahead
31.35 - How to find The Mental Health Movement
What partnerships with large scale organisations like BHP, Qantas, Glencore and many more generally entail
Through collaborating with these organisations, ongoing relationships have been established. Through the different steps integrated throughout the Mental Health Movement’ s blueprint, many employees are now able to identify and understand how to reach out to someone who may be struggling with their mental health, ask the right questions and provide them with the support they require.
How we can identify and understand mental health to the same capacity as physical fitness.
It is important to recognise that it is not a diagnostic tool, it is a self-awareness tool that is not tangible. The Mental Health Movement have created the ‘Mental Health Continuum’ which integrates the traffic light system. We all have mental health; thus, we are on that continuum that can increase or decline at any hour, minute or second of the day. Having the continuum as a self- awareness tool will give some indication of what you need to put in place, and the support you may need to access to help you shift up in the continuum. It is important to take a proactive approach and use the continuum as a check-in tool. You do not have to do it on your own or suffer in silence.
A proactive vs reactive organisation when it comes to achieving a mentally healthy workplace.
An example of a proactive organisation is one who follows the guidelines in place by the Mental Health Movement, who has completed a mental health workplace audit, and formed a mental health committee that comprises of a mixture of individuals across all units. With the global pandemic and transition to work from home, we have seen the EAP uptake increase in 14%. Leaders who take part in the awareness and education training feel more confident in providing support to their crew. In turn, the crew members feel more confident to express how they are feeling because they are aware their leaders have had the training to provide valuable support. Some organisations take ADHOC approach, however from a business perspective, by taking a proactive approach, you will effectively retain staff members.
Dan’s best practices and tips for staying mentally well
Dan is Bipolar which means he is dealing with extremes. However, Dan states that it is all about balance and maintaining a structure and routine. There is no control over how you wake up on the continuum, but you can control the actions put in place for yourself. Some of the best practices Dan has followed are:
The recipe of 5 out of 7 days a week. Do specific actions 5 out of 7 days a week that can make Dan think or feel at least 5% better. Saltwater therapyWriting down three intentions at the start of the day and write three things you were grateful for the previous dayConnect with colleagues or your support network to check if they have noticed any particular changes or can provide some honest feedback If you feel yourself disconnecting, you must reconnect Reach out to a psychologist or another confidential forum who can assist with creating tools to navigate towards a better mental state.How to find the right person to help you on your journey
There are many outlets for accessing professional practitioners. Refer to the Mental Health Movement’s support network toolbox. Another outlet is Telehealth which has a platform called cyber clinic. Additionally, they have a personality questionnaire where the algorithm matches you with a practitioner who is suited to your personality. When looking to first start the support journey, you can go see your GP and ask to be referred to a specific person. It is highly recommended to get a mental health advocate. This person can assist with finding you the right professional and getting you the best support possible.
The vision for The Mental Health Movement and the exciting plans ahead
The Mental Health Movement will continue creating, developing, and maintaining as many mentally supportive workplaces as they possibly can and do it well. The Mental Health Movement aim to look after their team so they can then provide the best support and offering. In early March, the team are looking at launching their psychosocial hazard risk assessment training and support program. The Mental Health Movement digital academy launched at the beginning of the first COVID lockdown and has allowed the team to develop their blueprint in a digital modem.
How to find The Mental Health Movement
You can contact The Mental Health Movement and Dan Hunt on the below social platforms.
Website: Mentalhealthmovement.com.au
Email: [email protected]
Social media: mental_health_movement on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
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Stellar’s Managing Director, Shaun McCambridge, sits down with Dan Hunt, former professional rugby league player and founder of The Mental Health Movement. They discuss how The Mental Health Movement has created mentally healthy workplaces and the necessary steps to achieve this. Dan draws on past experiences and shares a wealth of knowledge on navigating towards a better mental head space.
Dan’s Highlights:
1:55 - Views on “Absenteeism” and “Presenteeism” and what needs to change to address this phenomenon
7:22 - How drug and alcohol abuse is used as escapism and the big reluctance of seeking help
12:50 - The reality lived during the height of Dan’s mental illness and how to navigate your way to a better head space.
23:05 - What a mentally healthy sustainable workplace looks like and the blueprint to achieve this.
Views on “Absenteeism” and “Presenteeism” and what needs to change to address this phenomenon
When looking at absenteeism and presenteeism in the workplace, it is not only about the psychosocial hazards in the workplace. There are external contributors like finances, pressures, upbringing, and expectations which affect a human being and will be brought into the workplace. There is no one answer to better manage absenteeism and presenteeism, but the findings from the commission have elements which can help create and develop a mentally healthy workplace. Assess your individual workplace and align to the best standard or practice for that workplace. If you are thinking better, feeling better and being better, you will want to come into the workplace.
How drug and alcohol abuse is used as escapism and the big reluctance of seeking help.
There are nine Australians who take their life each day. 76% of these individuals are male. Thus, 7 men are taking their life every day. Drug and substance usage can coexist with anxiety or depressive orders and can be used for escapism or as a coping strategy. However, these are not positive coping strategies. What defines a substance use disorder is when it starts to affect the law, health, work, relationships and can’t be cut back. People will self-medicate to numb the pain; however, it can only amplify situations.
The reality lived during the height of Dan’s mental illness and how to navigate your way to a better head space.
Leading into the struggle, Dan was a product of his own environment; full of anger, hated the world and everything in it. Professional rugby league gave a sense of identity, purpose and belonging to help get back on the straight and narrow. When that identity was taken away before the pinnacle of Dan’s career, it hit like a tonne of bricks. After reaching out to his support network, Dan realised it was okay to struggle and show vulnerability; you didn’t have to suffer in silence and do it on your own. Find your network to confide in and prepare to be vulnerable. People need to go through their own catalyst to get them to a point where the perception shifts. By adhering to the following three steps, you will be able to navigate your way to a better head space.
1. Knowing you don’t have to do it on your own.
2. Have a level of awareness to understand that what goes on in your life can affect the way you think, act, and feel.
3. Have awareness on how it affects how you think, act, and feel
4. Once the above steps are considered, you can then build out to better manage and cope.
This can be through exercise, mindfulness or even challenging your mindset.
What a mentally healthy sustainable workplace looks like and the blueprint to achieve this
Mental health it is not ADHOC. The best practice for creating a mentally healthy sustainable environment is measuring where the workplace is at. Having surveys which can help you understand the contributing factors, leadership capabilities and psychosocial hazards, will enable you to build your mental health framework or strategy.
If you have a brain in your head, you have mental health. A mentally healthy supportive workplace is one where you can build mental health literacy. In addition, integrating mental education across the workplace through the use of a blueprint and improving help seeking barriers are elements which will both build and sustain a positive mental environment. Consider what capabilities can be inherited by the leadership team and identify where the workplace is heading in relation to the ISO standard.
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During this podcast, Stellar Recruitment’s Managing Director, Shaun McCambridge, sits down with Specialist Fatigue Consultant, Naomi Rogers. They discuss the importance of sleep, particularly how it can impact on performance, along with tips on healthy sleeping habits. Naomi also shares valuable insights on measuring the quality of sleep, the science behind sleep and the benefits of meditation and mindfulness.
Naomi’s Highlights:
2:57 - How much is enough sleep?
4:33 - The downside of poor sleep
5:55 - Upside of taking time to get quality sleep
7:12 - Recommendations on measuring the quality of sleep
8:15 - The tangible impacts of sleep on our ability to operate machinery safely
13:08 - Circadian rhythms and whether sleep personalities are fixed
16:28 - Infrared light and its impact on circadian rhythm
20:12 - The impact of exercise, diet, alcohol, smoking, caffeine and sugar on sleep
22:14 - The best tips for a good sleep
24:06 - The science behind breaking the sleep pattern
28:05 - View or benefits of a power nap
30:27 - The power of meditation and mindfulness on sleep
How much is enough sleep?
Studies on performance have shown that in order to keep performing at high levels, a minimum of 8 hours of sleep is required. In addition, the study also indicated that having 6.5 hours of sleep can have long and short-term implications on health.
The downside of poor sleep
The short-term impacts derived from low quality sleep include an individual being lethargic and slow. The immune system is typically lower, particularly in winter. The long-term impacts include weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and various heart conditions.
Upside of taking time to get quality sleep
When you have had a long, fulfilling sleep, it can help with embracing the day and increasing overall performance. This includes memory retention, longer concentration levels, and quicker reflexes. If you are studying the night before a test, a good night’s sleep can help with retaining the information and performing better during the test.
Recommendations on measuring the quality of sleep
The best quality of sleep is one with routine. If you are going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time, you will have drive and energy to operate at your best capacity during the day.
The tangible impacts of sleep on our ability to operate machinery safely
When operating heavy vehicles or cars on the road with sleep deprivation, a range of performance is impacted. With limited sleep, micro-sleep tends to take over where the brain needs to shut off to make up for the lost sleep. This leads to decreased concentration and focus, resulting in high-impact fatigue accidents.
Circadian rhythms and whether sleep personalities are fixed
We generally have a 24-hour circadian rhythm. There are a variety of sleep personalities and individual sleep needs; some are morning people, and some are night people. 5% of the population are true short sleepers, 5% are true long sleepers and the rest fall within the average 8-hour rhythm. However, waking up when your body wants to rather than waking up to an alarm is the most beneficial for your circadian rhythm.
Infrared light and its impact on circadian rhythm
Early morning light is important for alerting the brain that it is time to start the day. The brain knows what time of day it is from light level. However, having heavy lights or screens on at the end of the day can trick the brain into thinking it is still daytime, limiting the ability to fall asleep easily.
The impact of exercise, diet, alcohol, smoking, caffeine and sugar on sleep
The more you exercise, the better-quality sleep you will get and the more you will have energy to exercise further throughout the day. Exercise, nutrition, and sleep are the three main pillars for a healthy lifestyle. Where possible, refrain from drinking caffeine as it will limit your ability to fall asleep easily. It is recommended to turn off devices 1 hour before going to bed and not eating within the 2 hours before bedtime.
The best tips for a good sleep
Look at your sleeping environment and what you are doing around bedtime. A room that is dark, quiet and is a good temperature will help shift worker’s sleep quality. Your body temperature tends to decrease in the evening and reaches a low point between 4-6am. For shift workers, the white noise from the aircon or fan can assist with falling asleep. A routine is a valuable tool for allowing the brain to get into thinking that it is time to shut off and sleep. Studies have shown that total amount of sleep is important for performance. Therefore, it is better to get up and do what you need to do if your sleep is broken and then have another nap before going into work.
The science behind breaking the sleep pattern
For those struggling to fall asleep or those with insomnia, it is recommended to not have a clock in the room. If you cannot fall asleep, sit on the edge of the bed, and don’t reach for a phone or anything that has a light source. After 10 minutes, climb into bed and you should be able to fall asleep.
View on benefits of a power nap
Power naps are great tool also known as sleep debts that pay off the lost sleep and help us get through the rest of the day. However, look at when you are having them. Typical sleep cycles last around 90 minutes with an additional 5-10 minutes after the nap to get rid of any sleep inertia.
The power of meditation and mindfulness on sleep
Meditation and mindfulness activities don’t take away sleep debt, however, assist the brain to transition into sleep mode and relaxes the brain for a more fulfilling sleep cycle.
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During this podcast we hear from Organisational Psychologist, Frank O’Connor, who played a major part in the development of the standard, and registered psychologist, Naomi Armitage. We learn about ISO 45003 and unpack this standard to better understand and manage how psychological health and safety can be improved within a working environment.
Frank & Naomi’s Highlights
2:45 - Identifying a Psychosocial Hazard
3:55 - Why the ISO Standard was Developed
6.48 - How Boards and Executives Should Look at Managing Psychological Safety Risk
9.05 - How the Standard was Developed
11.44 - How the Standard will Assist Organisations in Responding to Managing Psychosocial Risks
14.04 - The Challenges and most Efficient ways to Implement the Standard
19.00 - The Three Things Organisations Could Do Tomorrow to Start to Work Through the Standard
22.30 - The Key Factors that will Lead to the Successful Management of Psychological Health and Safety at Work
24.05 - The Benefits of Creating a Psychologically Safe Organisation
25.12 - What do Organisations who are Successful at Managing Psychosocial Risks Look Like?
Identifying a Psychosocial Hazard
Psychosocial hazards are things that reduce or decrease the mental healthiness of workers (or managers). In a work environment, you must look at the things that make you feel better about what you are doing. Focussing your thoughts to question what you do and whether you are doing a good job can impact your mental health. Identifying these psychosocial hazards and finding ways to manage them are crucial to any workplace.
Why the ISO Standard was Developed
Work capacity loss of more than 4% of GDP is caused by burnout, stress, depression, and other psychosocial sources. Depression is a major health problem which already exists in the workplace. This standard was developed as guidance in the mental and psychological space because health and safety has tended to be physical.
How Boards and Executives Should Look at Managing Psychological Safety Risk
Companies are already expressing interest. Some have made a good start. Queries are coming through from others. A systematic approach will be adapted to suit different situations as boards invest more into how they can successfully manage and improve psychological health and safety in the workplace.
How the Standard was Developed
Standards have grown in the different countries that are interested in them. As a timeline, the standard was proposed in June of 2018 and development was approved in August of 2018. Drafting of the standard started in January 2020 and finished in January 2021. It was published by the 8th of June 2021. The ISO 45003 is the work of hundreds of people in industry and academia, including the input of many Australians.
How the Standard will Assist Organisations in Responding to Managing Psychosocial Risks
Brings an organisational focus into managing psychosocial risks — it was predominately individually focussed. Feeds innovation - adaptation gets better because collaboration is easy where friction is lower. Working well together means thinking well together.ISO 45 003 gives examples and principles, but it doesn’t give solutions. It depends on the risk to the particular people and the work situation. Just like the risk of flooding at work depends of where you are and what work is done.The Challenges and most Efficient ways to Implement the Standard
The most efficient way to implement the standard is by taking a systematic
Approach: work through the standard and see what the company is already succeeding in, then identify any high-priority gaps. One of the main challenges of using the standard is that it could become a compliance exercise. At present, companies are light on the first step of hazard identification as they don’t know what to look for or what the common ones are. The standard helps here.
The Three Things Organisations Could Do Tomorrow to Start to Work Through the Standard
Look at Section 6 of ISO 45003. Have a look at the list of hazards and ask: “What are we doing around here that already does something about this?” You want to hang on to the things you are doing well. Learn what the likely hazards are and find the courage to do something about it if you find some that matter at your workplaces. Fatigue and sleep quality should be discussed more openly – they matter in most workplaces, and improvements can be quickly made.The Key Factors that will Lead to the Successful Management of Psychological Health and Safety at Work
Put psychological health under a safety lens. Treat it like any other physical hazard in your work environment. Look at what enables better decisions. How can your leaders facilitate action that improves psychological safety along with creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up about something that’s doing harm?
The Benefits of Creating a Psychologically Safe Organisation
One of the major benefits of creating a psychologically safe organisation is the high collaboration and business improvement processes it requires. By creating a psychologically safe organisation, you allow employees to feel more valued at work.
What do Organisations who are Successful at Managing Psychosocial Risks Look Like?
Large-scale organisations are curious, and they like to try things out. They are measuring and where it is working and considering where it could be working better. To measure this, we look at standard safety metrics and productivity returns from harm prevented. Despite taking a while to implement, moving towards a mental incident measure will ensure we are focussing on the good side, just as it has with firms who are now used to counting days without time lost to physical injuries.
Resources:
Indicator Tool for the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards, which predate ISO 45003 by some 15 years. https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/index.htm
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1:20: Inspiration Behind Choosing a Career in Mining
From growing up in a small town in North Colombia with one of the largest mine sites, Cerrejon, Diana was inspired by the impact of the community to not only study mining engineering but also complete a graduate program for that company.
2:30- The Career Journey- by Design or Guided by a Vision?
Diana looked at every career or lifestyle change she wanted to make and had the tenacity and perseverance to go after them. After applying for a particular role over 15 times, there was a clear vision for the direction she wanted to take and took the necessary steps to achieve this.
6:55- The Difference Between Working in Colombia as An Engineer Compared to Australia and the Inspiration Behind Moving to Australia.
Working within Colombia’s mining environment was evidently different 20 years ago. There is a significant difference in both the market and culture of the Australian and Colombian mining sector. In Colombia, there is no celebration of success whereby you will get replaced if you do not do your job well enough. The different employment environment and landscape coupled with the better quality of living were just some of the inspirations behind Diana’s decision to come to Australia.
10:30- Advice for Those Seeking to Take Their Careers from Engineering to a Managerial Position
Diana’s best advice for those seeking to progress their career from engineering to a managerial position is having a good mentor. It is critical to have people in your team who can back you up. Additionally, surround yourself with people who hold different opinions and viewpoints and provide you with the opportunity to continuously learn and have a growth mindset.
The Leadership and Career Philosophies Admired by DianaReceiving feedback from subordinates and understanding what can be improved has been Diana’s favourite career philosophy. Diana admires the ability to embrace openness and inclusivity alongside promoting diversity. Leadership is a social influence, and it should move more towards that.
The Best Career Advice Received, and the Best Career Move Made in RetrospectThe best career advice Diana received was “If you value what you have and what you have done, you will start seeing all the good things in life.” It is important to talk about the challenges you encounter both mentally and physically and break that stigma. The best career move for Diana was moving to Australia. The opportunities presented through this career move created immense gratitude.
A Message to Year 10-12 Students Who Might Be Considering a Career In MiningIt is immensely rewarding when you see something you have worked on come to life. Those coming into the mining industry are entering something like never before. These students will have the capability to innovate, design and explore. Mining companies like BHP are heavily involved with the community, supporting diversity, inclusivity and recognising the first nations. The mining industry wouldn’t exist unless society needed it.
How a Career in Mining Changed Diana’s Life for the BetterA career in mining has given Diana the chance to change other people life. Now that she is in a leader, she has been given the opportunity to develop both her team and herself.
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During this podcast we hear from two of Stellar’s very own (and successful) team members, Kymberly Tupai – Manager of New Zealand’s North Region and Georgia Mackie, Brisbane’s Corporate Services Manager. These two ladies are making bold moves in their space and are here to dive deeper into what it means for employers looking to attract and retain talent and how to stand out as employers in the hot market. We learn about visions within the company, career progression, shortlisting candidates, using brand ambassadors and more!
Kym & Georgia’s Highlights:
1:30 - Standing Out to Potential Employees
2:38 - Vision within a Company
4:24 - Career Progression and Development
6:45 - Shortlisted Applicants Connecting with Direct Leaders
7:54 - Using your Brand Ambassadors
9:49 - Candidate Experience During Recruitment Period Cycle.
Standing Out to Potential Employees
Employers must understand that the way people are working is different and what people care about has changed. It is up to companies to navigate how to offer potential employees benefits that aren’t money orientated. Flexibility has become a standard concept in many organisations. It is important for business leaders to stand back and discover other benefits outside of flexibility and monetary incentives.
Vision within a Company
As an employer brand, having a vision and taking future employees on a journey is critical to retaining staff. Throughout the recruitment process, know who you are as a leader and your strengths. The key to success is knowing the answers to the following questions.
What are your company’s core values?
Does your company have a mission statement?
What types of people lead your company?
What are the key attributes of a person that works for your company?
How does your company positively affect the community it exists in?
What is your company known for?
Career Progression and Development
As a business leader, having additional tools to further the skills and abilities of staff is a fundamental motivator for employees. This means extra training courses or on-site opportunities presented that they may not have experienced in the past. A vital aspect in progressing your careers is knowing your strengths as a business. You must determine what differentiates you in the eyes of the employees. This can be distinguished through the way you verbalise your value proposition; what makes your company unique in those offerings?
Shortlisted Applicants Connecting with Direct Leaders
When proceeding through a recruitment process, ensuring the shortlisted applicants converse with the manager they will be reporting to. People don’t leave businesses, they leave managers, so it is advantageous to meet your manager and establish a form of compatibility with them. This can allow the employee to gage how they will be managed, the expectations set, and getting a feel for the communication styles.
Using your Brand Ambassadors
Distinguish who your brand ambassadors are; look for the people who work for your company and champion the brand. The employees who enjoy telling everyone who will listen about their company are the biggest influential resources for attracting top talent applicants. It is underestimated how much research potential employees do before starting with a business.
Candidate Experience During Recruitment Period Cycle.
Make the recruitment process quick and lead with the best offer as you may not be presented with a second chance in the current competitive landscape.
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During this podcast we are lucky enough to have two inspirational mining engineering graduates who have gone on to build remarkable careers in mining. We hear how Douglas Thompson, an experienced mining executive and Darren Stralow from Northern Star Resources have built their careers in mining. They also shine a light on how rewarding the mining sector can be, provide valuable insights about the industry and how those interested can get their career start.
2:09 - Key Inspirations that led to their mining careers
7:23 - Career advice from Darren and Douglas
13:43 - Douglas’s Impressive and taking your career to the next level
21:10 - Northern Star Resources share price increase and what it meant for staff careers
26:05 - Diversity at Northern Star Resources
38:53 - WASM promoting the industry and success stories from within
45:45 - What Thiess looks for in people when recruiting
49:53 - Darren’s passion in creating career pathways into the mining industry
56:05 - A message to year 10-12 students considering a mining career
1 hr: A final note from Darren and Douglas about what a career in mining has given them and their families
Key Inspirations that led to their mining careers
Douglas: The inspiration for Douglas was a primary need to get into the industry and to follow in his family’s footsteps. People were also a primary attraction; he has found very passionate and likeminded people whilst in underground mining. Being able to scale and be involved in multiple disciplines was intoxicating to Douglas, and he loved the opportunities.
Darren: Mining is about the people, and the people are what make mining a great industry. Being able to work with different people and getting fast feedback was desirable to Darren, making it a great career choice for him. He also loves the practical, dynamic and interactive environment mining brings.
Career advice from Darren and Douglas
Darren: You don’t work for companies; you work for people. Once you get into the day-to-day life of the job, the people that have the biggest influence on yourself are the people around you. Find people who you can have a great two-way relationship with. You have to deliver for them, and they give back to you by giving you opportunities which is a huge driver for your own development.
Douglas: Leadership is a privilege, and it comes with accountability. You must serve others and give context and understanding why the common goal is the right goal which is fulfilling the purpose of being a leader. The best move Douglas has made is through Genesis joining the mining industry, it has offered so much. Being able to work internationally in his career has also been pivotal to his career, where learning from different cultures, seeing how different challenges are solved and learning how others think has been achieved.
Douglas’s Impressive growth and taking your career to the next level
The three key steps which contributed to Douglas’s career growth –
1. A willingness to follow- understand you work with multiple stakeholders and meet the needs with clear intention and strategies whilst serving the different stakeholders.
2. Have a clear state of mind where your purpose sits with that, think about “what do I bring to the table.” It is also important to be honest with yourself, work hard and find solutions to any problems.
3. There is a little touch of magic, luck and having a great support system behind you to push you into the opportunities you are striving for.
Douglas knew what he wanted to achieve both personally and professionally and he made it happen with support around him. You need to sacrifice but also balance your family and personal life whilst doing so. You need to be honest with yourself and look at the return on the investment on your career.
Northern Star Resources share price increase and what it meant for staff careers
It has been an interesting journey and sometimes you have to pinch yourself. The recapitalisation over 10 years ago was a huge factor, it was a risk, but we received a return. Reflecting on the business, it is important to look at the opportunity – NSR went from a couple of people in an office with an ambition to own mine sites to what it is today. The success is reliant on the people and NSR has a fundamental philosophy to give career opportunities to those performing well in the business as well. What is really pleasing has been to see the people grow alongside the business over the years.
Diversity at Northern Star Resources
When you have a firm development culture, it provides the opportunity to help others move up and attain higher roles. You have an obligation to those below you to backfill where you have come from and being supported by good people is important in a growth organisation. This is huge at Northern Star Resources and something they focus on heavily.
WASM promoting the industry and success stories from within (WASM - Western Australian School of Mines)
There are great stories everywhere such as small country town boys who have built massive Western Australian companies and forged great mining jobs, through WASM pathways. WASM teaches and inspires high school kids to start careers in mining and supports those students through industry interaction. Joining WASM is like joining a family!
What Thiess looks for in people when recruiting
The primary factor when recruiting is having people with open minds. This means having the ability to adapt and learn and be open to the ideas that there are other views that you can draw from and environments you can be exposed to. Recruits must have a willingness to be vulnerable, you can only learn from a situation is you fail or there is a shortcoming, it is and important lesson to grow and evolve. Work ethic is also an important, education is a backbone but a willingness to apply yourself and align with the business strategy are strong traits to have.
Darren’s passion in creating career pathways into the mining industry
For those based in Western Australia in high school and looking towards getting a job within the mining industry, Northern Star Resources are hosting exciting events targeted towards high school students. This includes students in grades 10 who are keen to get on the pathway to enter the mining industry.
1st Event – Get into Resources – an interactive event at Metropolitan Tafe in Perth over three days at the end of June where attendees will hear from mining companies and find out more through interactive and practical demonstrations.
2nd Event – Resources Technology Showcase – Hosted at convention centre in the Perth City where all the technological resources within the industry are showcased.
Northern Star Resources also fund mining camps, and have done for many years, where they take people to visit the mines and WASM to see the team doing the groundwork. These camps have been successful in the past, and they look forward to funding more i...
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During this podcast we hear from former Olympian Toby Jenkins and world-leading Performance Psychologist Jonah Oliver, founders of North Framework, on the significance of values within companies in order to move beyond the hurdles of pressure and stress and achieve the live you want to live, both personally and professionally.
We learn more about candidates and their selective processes around values and leadership, the difference between goal setting vs “goal setting in the service of values” and how companies can apply values on a day-to-day basis.
1:32 - The Creation of North Framework and its Purpose
8:12 - The Difference Between Goal Setting vs “Goal Setting in the Service of Values”
9:58 - Values to Help Navigate Stress
14:18 - Candidates and their Selective Process Around Values & Leadership of Companies
26:40 - Normalising feelings as an adult
29:35 - Confidence vs Competence
31:55 – Alleviating Pressure and Getting Behaviours to Follow Values
44:05 - What stands between an organisation and an individual’s exhibiting more candour?
42:05 - Vision for Companies Applying Values Daily
46:30 - Stories of the shift seen in people when they get clear on their vision and values via North Frameworks Coaching
The Creation of North Framework and its Purpose
As an Olympic water polo player, the focus for Toby was ‘How good could I be?’ Then as the founder of Blue Wire Digital Marketing it shifted to ‘How good could this team be?’
Under significant stress both professionally and personally Toby reconnected with Jonah, who explained the importance of values; a cornerstone piece of work for people to live the lives they want especially when pressure is prominent.
Through acknowledging the myth of sacrifice vs choice; and knowing we have the choice of response – the mission of the North Framework was founded. It is to create conditions of high performance, through helping people change their relationship with pressure so they address their stresses and flip that switch to reconnect to what they have inside them (competences) and exercise them to full capacity.
The Difference Between Goal Setting vs “Goal Setting in the Service of Values”
Many people are successful through society metrics: high income, wife, gold medal, five-bedroom house, however if you look closely there is often low fulfilment and ill health.
As Jonah says you must architect your life; you can have it all and maintain high goals, however you need to be very intentional with what you do. Importantly, this is attainable when you understand what it’s all in the service of, ‘how do I do the things that matter, with the people that matter in a values-based way.’
Values to Help Navigate Stress
Toby was looking everywhere outside of himself for answers, however after doing the Domains profile with Jonah it was evident work was the aspect of his life that was deeply unsatisfying him and causing this ‘lost’ feeling.
Values create an anchor internally; you carry this with you all the time as values are a tool for moment-to-moment decision making, opposingly goals do not endure once succeeded they are ticked off. Furthermore, values are behaviours, once you understand how they look behaviourally, you can stop focusing on the pain or how hard something is and shift the focus to how important it is. Understand the difference between enjoyment and happiness; you want to aim for enjoyment – you don’t hear people saying they were laughing on their way up Mt Everest, but you hear people say they enjoyed that challenge. People that live interesting lives experience challenges and intense experiences and enjoy this journey.
Candidates and their Selective Process Around Values & Leadership of Companies
It is about value proposition - focus on the individual first and then the company values come to light.
Firstly, it is important to understand the company values don’t need to be your values, but it is important they somewhat align, and secondly it is vital that companies take the time to help workers find their values and then align them with the company’s values.
It is also important you understand what a value is - values are what you wake up in the morning and bring to the world, or how a friend would describe you when you’re not there. You’re not going to hire 300 people with the same values as the ones on your wall, however, that rich tapestry, of a group of people with their own value set that align with the company are more ethical and much better decision makers in this complex world.
It is so important to do the work and bring these values to life, not just have them as words on the wall.
Normalising feelings as an adult
Utopia of absolute happiness is somewhat false. In pursuit of what is important to you, it is normal to feel and experience a range of emotions. Children will see adults acting in a value congruent way and misinterpret this to believe that the adult had the ability to do this because they had unwavering self-belief, were calm and had confidence. However, the most enduring gifts you can give your children is normalising the feelings you have as an adult.
Confidence vs Competence
A young child looks up to a professional athlete and wishes they could be as confident as them, however, it is important to understand that these athletes do not attain a certain level of high confidence every day- this fluctuates on a daily basis. The one thing that is stable in the situation is their competence to perform.
Alleviating Pressure and Getting Behaviours to follow Values
The whole focus is to get to practice and lower the bar so you cannot fail. Values take time to connect with so unpacking the connection to see what sits deep within you is crucial to find how you can reflect this into your behaviour and find what you truly value individually.
Firstly, there is an 80/20 rule: 80% of values should be true of your current behaviours and 20% should be aspirational, secondly, they must be defined in a decision-making way as values are a tool for decision making. Therefore, you can reflect on situations and apply conscious feedback, this process is more beneficial when frequently discussed with a coach – we don’t get dressed in the dark, we use a mirror.
Vision for Companies applying Values daily
If people are stepping into values there is safety but greater discomfort; there is more challenging, critiquing work, feedback given, and saying no (which is extremely hard for many high performers).
It is not how hard something is, it is how important it is, hence if you want a high-performance work culture you have to dial up how important it is to have difficult conversations, providing real feedback, if this is celebrated employers will respond.
What stands between an organisation and an individual’s exhibiting more candour?
What stops that roadblock from happening? When stepping into a conversation with an employee, you must be very clear of the importance of the conversation and critique the work not the person. It’s not just portraying candour, but how can you do that in a value-based way within the workplace. ...
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During this episode Stellar’s Managing Director, sits down with Watkins Steel Managing Director, Des Watkins to discuss the business, the culture and the team members within.
They also dive deep into innovation and technology use within the business such as virtual reality and robotics and how they are creating opportunities within these spaces.
Des’s Highlights
1:22 – Growing Watkins Steel
5:24 – Innovation moving forward
8:04 – A family business with passion
9:23 – Proudest moments and achievements
12:10 – Staff retention and long-term opportunities
16:33 – Culture within Watkins Steel
19:56 – A drive to invest in technology
23:32 - Maintaining harmony away from work
25:23 - Client and staff attraction
27:25 - Key skills moving forward
Growing Watkins Steel
Operating since 1968, Watkins Steel has continued to transform and diversify. Every ten years, the company outgrows their factory space and doubles in size. Due to the competitive nature of the industry, Watkins Steel had to look at ways to offer unique services that created a point of difference to other competitors. Thus, 3D technology and advanced robotics were introduced into Watkin’s construction process.
Innovation moving forward
Due to the constant development in technology, Des believes there will be no end goal for Watkins Steel. Showing the sequential construction process using virtual reality will assist with tender submission and even Workplace Health and Safety. Despite having massive implications for the construction industry, robotics will completely transform the steel industry and generate more jobs.
A family business with passion
It has been a family-run business for centuries. Des’s passion stems from the various opportunities present in the field. At the rates that the industry is changing, there will be various diversified functions that will change the shape of the construction environment even further and create diverse opportunities.
Proudest moments and achievements
There is no particular moment, it is more about the process itself. The construction process along with embracing the staff are amongst some of Des’s proudest achievements. The opportunity for staff to ‘Surprise and Delight’ where they have the platform to suggest different ideas and perspectives is another proud aspect for Watkins Steel.
Staff retention and long-term opportunities
Des strongly believes that you don’t need to be the best in the business, you just have to be above average. If you are able to understand the supply chain, you are able to tap into other evolving markets that provide you with a wealth of opportunities. Continuity in the work and providing staff with the time to invest in their training not only increases retention but also sustains relationships.
Culture within Watkins Steel
Agility would be the best way to describe the leadership style. Giving staff ownership over their ability to learn and determine the best study or training to complete for their own benefit is one of the most valuable opportunities to provide. If you are passionate about the work you are doing, you will see the signs of development and embrace the culture of change.
A drive to invest in technology
Shaking up the industry is the main point of drive for Des. The Blacksmith industry has gone centuries without any innovation until recent years. The introduction of digital transformation which merges a lot of industries together is inspiring to be apart of and integrate into Watkins Steel.
Maintaining harmony away from work
A great release from the busy work environment is physical exercise. Despite a love for running, Des will always find himself back in the office on the weekends.
Client and staff attraction
The construction and manufacturing industry is transient. Many job seekers are transitioning from one company to another. Building and sustaining relationships with people is fundamental to retaining and attracting the right kind of candidates. There has never been a greater opportunity than there is right now.
Key skills moving forward
With the industry carrying through with various technological changes, recruitment and retention of the right staff is vital. As we look towards a digitalised future, adapting technology that enhances robotic and augmented reality along with hiring individuals with skills in animation is something that will be highly considered.
Let’s go on an inspiring journey by listening, learning and taking key actions from our own recruitment experts as well as industry leaders and inspirational individuals.
Together, each month, we unpack key actions on how we can all learn from others’ experiences and industry knowledge; unlocking our own transformative change, so that we can all become the best version of ourselves.
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During this episode, Shaun McCambridge, Stellar’s Managing Director, sits down with Gary Georgiou, Executive General Manager of Georgiou. We learn how Gary has built a successful Civil Engineering career and gain an insight into Georgiou, a business with a great company culture and pipeline of projects in the works, that he now leads as General Manager.
Gary’s Highlights
1:12 - Gary’s journey to study Engineering
2:39 - Career moments to be proud of
5:10 - Shifting from engineering to leadership
7:31 - Challenging moments faced as a leader
10:34 - How to develop strong communication & EQ skills
13:16 - Most influential person on his career journey
15:50 - The drive for self-development
18:16 - Leadership philosophies
20:20 - Switching off outside of work
24:01 – Company culture at Georgiou
29:16 - Georgiou’s business outlook
32:15 - Tips for aspiring engineers or project managers
Gary’s journey to study EngineeringWithout a clear vision Gary was unsure on what he wanted to do when he was in high school, but he knew he liked drawing and building. Through gaining work experience it became clear he didn’t want to spend his days on Excel, but rather doing something he enjoyed. This gave him an idea of what career path he wanted to take.
Career moments to be proud of
As a project manager it was the rush of delivering a successful project, but now as the General Manager Gary has many project outcomes at different times – which has contributed to the impressive growth on the East Coast over the last five years. Additionally, watching staff succeed and grow with the business and in their personal lives is something Gary loves – some employees have been at Georgiou since they were graduates.
Shifting from engineering to leadership
As many engineers are technical people it is difficult getting into people management, however leadership is learned. Hence through taking ownership of his own career and thinking about the next role and the skills required Gary developed his leadership skills. Through exposure and taking on the responsibilities of delivering more direct reports Gary prepared himself for a management role. When he was still a project manager, he would read the business reports, take notes, and then meet with the CEO, CFO, and pre-contract managers to ask lots of questions. This shows the proactiveness towards his career goals and development.
Challenging moments faced as a leader
The ongoing challenge is keeping staff motivated and employed – Georgiou is not a business that hires and fires, hence they put a lot of effort into making sure they understand staff members’ goals and keep moving the business forward to provide staff with enough opportunity to support growth and encourage culture within the company.
How to develop strong communication & emotional Intelligence skills
Gary is an introvert however communication is one of his strengths. Without communication nothing would work, it is about being authentic and asking questions and giving information plays a big part in this. Many engineers are introverts, but Gary is a testament that this does not affect your leadership capabilities, through pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and always being honest and authentic you can evolve into a very impressive communicator. When dealing with clients, ask many questions specifically about what is important to them, and ensure the communication is constant and a clear alignment is there to support the relationship.
Most influential person on career journey
Many people have been influential in Gary’s career path where he has learnt many things form these influences, but a standout is Brian Riggall, Ex CEO of Seymour Whyte, who pushed Gary throughout his career, including promoting him from Project Manager to General Manager. Brian has exceptional leadership skills where there is a core focus to treat everyone as equals, respect different views and maintains composure during stressful periods, which is something Gary emanates to this day.
The drive for self-development
Gary is self admittedly very competitive. He finds goal setting very important for working towards long term goals; ticking tasks off helps him to be more productive and seek new opportunities. Some of his greatest development has been when he is out of his comfort zone, significantly taking part in the Harvard Business School President Manager’s course with 140 very successful businesspeople from around the world.
Leadership philosophies
Being authentic is very important to Gary who regularly says, “you can’t fake the genuine care for people and their development.” He also believes that who you surround yourself with helps to shape your career, and acknowledges his success is partly due to the people around him which have succeeded and helped him to grow. Gary places a lot of importance on seeking ideas from different people but also in being decisive. Sometimes you must take a risk to move on, and although it may not be right, employees can see sometimes things don’t go to plan, but it can be worked around.
Switching off outside of work
Gary lives by the moto ‘work smart not hard,’ and acknowledges that to perform at your best year after year you must be sustainable and demonstrate this to staff. This means first in office and last out is not admirable anymore. When his thoughts aren’t clear he finds taking himself out of the office, switching off the phone and exercising helps to get ideas flowing and distractions eliminated.
Company culture at Georgiou
At Georgiou they are not precious about their roles, Gary explains it’s like a family, you just get in and help wherever you are needed. There is a genuine care for staff, they acknowledge one size doesn’t fit all and work hard to meet different staff needs which Gary finds rewarding and this also assists with staff retention. At Georgiou there is a big focus on working hard, playing hard, hosting many social events, and including team members’ families.
Georgiou’s business outlook
As the East Coast continues to grow very strongly, Gary’s focus for Georgiou is ensuring they select the right projects, that suit the business’ strategy and staff development. Currently Georgiou is working on more and more complex and larger jobs, but also smaller jobs which suit young engineers’ growth. As Georgiou is small enough to know individuals’ strengths and weaknesses, they focus on pushing young engineers out of their comfort zone - if you want to advance to Project Manager, we will give you work in an area of your weakness.
Tips for aspiring engineers or project managers
Be proactive about your own development - be responsible for yourselfGet yourself as much exposure to new opportunities as you can and ask for extra work that is outside of your role and useful for where you ... -
Let’s go on an inspiring journey by listening, learning and taking key actions from our own recruitment experts as well as industry leaders and inspirational individuals.
Together, each month, we unpack key actions on how we can all learn from others’ experiences and industry knowledge; unlocking our own transformative change, so that we can all become the best version of ourselves.
During this episode, Shaun McCambridge, Stellar’s Managing Director, sits down with Andrew Boyd, a well-regarded Mining Executive. Andrew has vast experience in the mining and construction sectors, where his qualities of leadership and directorship are highly regarded within the industries. Andrew’s values, attitudes and beliefs connected to the mining, mining services and construction sectors have created success with outstanding outcomes. His managerial traits are centred around well-developed communication skills, passion for the sector and a key understanding of not only the operational aspects of the business, but the corporate perspective. Consequently, these traits have led a plethora of contemporary mining companies to achieve great success.
Andrew’s Highlights
5:00 The Three Chapters of Career
12:00 Proudest Moments of Career
15:00 Most Challenging Aspects of Career
17:30 The Intersection Between EQ and IQ
20:00 Importance of Communication in Leadership
22:30 How to Communicate as a Leader
23:05 Impactful Leaders
25:45 Relaxing Away from Work
29:40 Personal Philosophy
31:40 Vision for Future
The Three Chapters of Career
After studying mining engineering at university, Andrew landed a job with MIM as a graduate mining engineer. From here, Andrew went from being a site engineer to an operations manager at Thiess where he was responsible for some of the Thiess’ largest projects in Queensland. In order to advance his career direction, Andrew joined a new venture which built the portfolio of mining service companies through private equity backing. Andrew is now a well-regarded executive in the mining industry.
Proudest Moments of Career
Achieving outstanding results with stakeholders is one of Andrew’s main accomplishments. From leading bids to acquiring and listing businesses on the ASX, there was no such thing as overnight success.
Most Challenging Aspects of Career
Like any industry, various challenges arise. Aspects such as legal setbacks and the New Acland approvals highlighted some challenges faced. However, these challenges also emphasised the importance of communication and bringing employees along for the journey even when its bad news.
The Intersection Between EQ and IQ
Both EQ and IQ are fundamental elements to any company. Integrity, energy and intelligence are the three critical factors that sustain feasibility.
Importance of Communication in Leadership
Self-awareness is critical to fostering great communication across all leadership styles. Building relationships with internal stakeholders must be achieved through personal interpretation and must be founded on the basis of understanding what works and does not work for your individual company.
How to Communicate as a Leader
Seeking feedback from employees and other vital stakeholders within the company, planning the key message and taking the opportunity to diverge from the familiar will reflect on successful communication levels.
Impactful Leaders
Brian McDonald and Michael Rosengren’s inquisitive and intelligent qualities significantly impacted on the hallmarks of Andrew’s career.
Relaxing Away from Work
The generalised concept of work-life balance is flawed. It is imperative to find the time and commit to opportunities that reflect your internal passions. Providing context and communicating the ‘why’ allows others to share the journey.
Personal Philosophy
To be a great leader, you need followers. There are two key elements involved within great leadership. Firstly, leaders must gain and sustain trust with their followers to create a viable relationship.
Secondly, articulate that you are going somewhere exciting so that the followers want to be a part of the journey.
Vision for Future
The lack of awareness on the mining, mining services and construction sector has inspired Andrew to actively advocate and promote the mining industry and the enormous opportunities it presents for people and communities located within these industries.
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During this episode, Shaun McCambridge, Stellar’s Managing Director, sits down with Denise Kaitu, Stellar’s Team Leader for the Australian East Coast Trades and Labour team. Being in the industry since 2015, Denise has a wealth of mining experience; she has delivered diversified workforce solutions including ‘New to Industry’ and ‘Upskilling’ programs when businesses need access to talent during candidate tight markets. These solutions in turn provide job seekers with life changing opportunities to enter the mining industry.
Denise’s Highlights
0:26 Demand and Outlook for Operators
1:00 New to Industry Operator projects
2:00 The Process of New to Industry
2:40 Mining Operators & Trades Ideal for New to Industry Projects
3:00 Benefits of New to Industry
4:40 Upskilling Programs
6:00 Success Stories around the Candidates
Demand and Outlook for Operators
There is a lot of demand for operators in the mining market and not a lot of experience in the market.
New to Industry Operator projects
With a high demand for experienced candidates her team have developed and delivered an alternative ‘New to Industry’ programs to a handful of clients across multiple sites since 2017.
We have coordinated assessment centres where we invite people to come in and do group activities. During these sessions we are able to assess how people work in teams and as individuals including safety exercises.
We have also set up recruitment days where people can see if they are the right match to transfer from other industries and fit the site’s culture.
The Process of New to Industry
During the first couple of weeks they undergo predominantly classroom based courses including an introductory to mining; during this time they can be a passenger in a truck or a assimilator.
After 4-6 weeks they are able to drive the truck themselves with another person and shortly after that they are able to drive the truck solo.
Mining Operators & Trades Ideal for New to Industry Projects
Similar initiatives are also offered on the mining trades side including auto electricians, diesel fitters, high voltage electrician from industrial, lite vehicle, heavy transport, army, marine, and agri sectors.
Benefits of New to Industry
New to Industry programs offer others in their current workforce to upskill that in turn allows more room for truck operators to start; it boosts staff morale with new people and a different set of eyes on things.
There are also great cultural upsides and most new to industry candidates are excited to start their career in mining who have longer retention periods.
Businesses who have participated have also been able to add diversity to their sites, focusing particularly on females and Aboriginal & Torres strait islanders.
Upskilling Programs
We have also had interest in upskilling other workers from alternative industries e.g. construction operators and transferring those skills to mine sized machinery. It is a lot quicker compared to New to Industry because they understand the basics of operation; it is more about the upskilling in spacial awareness and getting to know the bigger gear.
Success Stories around the Job Seekers
There have been great Job Seeker successes where it has had a major impact including spending more time with family, buying houses and starting families earlier, transferring to civilian life and new employment opportunities are needed to name a few.
With the market as tight as what it is and border restrictions etc still in play, upskilling programs can enable businesses to continue to grow as well as be life changing for the candidates.
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During this episode, Shaun McCambridge, Stellar’s Managing Director, sits down with Martin Moore, Founder of Your CEO Mentor and former Chief Executive Office of CS Energy. Martin with his daughter Emma have created Your CEO mentor, - a place where leaders learn the things that they don’t teach at business school. He shares all of his hard-earned leadership experience and learning to good use; mentoring leaders around the globe with practical, no bullshit leadership strategies that will catapult their careers and help them create high performing, results-driven, winning teams.
Martin’s Highlights
4:00 Martin’s early years
5:44 His own Resilience Journey
7:10 Techniques for Resilience
9:10 A time of personal resilience building for Martin
12:00 Techniques that Martin has used
13:55 Leaders during COVID
18:05 Creating brain space for leaders
20:45 Remote leadership
24:26 Creating/continuing a healthy culture during COVID
29:15 Enabling others to meet expectations with all the external factors
49:35 What is next for Martin?
Martin’s early years
Parents greatly valued education and enrolled him at St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill.
After school he went to university to study law, where he found himself in an unstructured environment compared to the highly structured one in his early education. As a result, he took time to regain his balance and go back to the values that he had learnt early on.
His own Resilience Journey
Never one to dwell on failure or falling short, he always doubled down even from a very young age.
It was always about giving his very personal best and he always seeked to do better than the day before.
He realised that one could make big mistakes that weren’t fatal; having no fear from failing is a very important element to being resilient.
Techniques for Resilience
There are a few techniques on how to build personal resilience.
Focusing on Elements one can control
Not getting too caught up in elements that you can’t control and instead spending time on things that you can makes a huge difference; Martin refers to the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey
Perspective
Having the perspective on what is going on, no matter how bad the circumstance gets with the pandemic, we will look back 10 years from now and there will be some good learnings and changes.
A time of personal resilience building for Martin
Martin experienced personal resilience building about 20 years ago. During this time he experienced a period of sustained pressure; he first moved to QLD, had taken on C-level role, was studying for an Executive MBA; during a hostile takeover and he had to handle all of elements at once.
What he initially thought of doing was to take off one of those elements; however, he wanted to further his career into a more demanding C level role and if couldn’t sustain this, he wouldn’t be able to in the future. Having a reminder that this sustained period of pressure is what future roles would have helped him continue on. At end of it, he had a tremendous amount of confidence knowing that he could step into any situation and handle it.
Techniques that Martin used
He was in survival mode at times and used 15 minutes to reset.
He also spent time working on hard constraints and then allowed some elements to be more flexible.
Leaders during COVID
At the moment leaderships skills are being put to the test. The key is to look into outputs, not inputs; concentrating on the value and value alone.
Leaders need to define and articulate what adds value; companies often lose sight of this. It is the leader’s role to eliminate the non-value items and focus on items that will make a difference.
Example: One of the organisations that he worked with had a team that created processes and procedures; the problem was that there was virtually no impact on the outcome; there was a real disconnect.
In every team needs to be outcome driven such as the processes/procedures need to reduce time, save money etc.
Creating brain space for leaders
Martin refers to “The Leadership Pipeline: How to build the leadership powered company” by Ram Charan, Steve Dotter and Jim Noel
Leaders need to have brain space to do their jobs; the below Leadership pipeline book breaks down different levels of businesses and giving each level clarification of what they should be concentrating on.
Many leaders/managers are overcompensating and drilling down too deep for their level which takes away from the role that they should be doing.Remote leadership
Prior and during COVID leaders are still managing people and to do this successfully you need to provide the following framework:
1) Clear Expectations
2) How they are tracking based on those expectations
3) What their future holds
Usually, you can rely on the micro conversations to further clarify or obtain feedback but COVID has challenged the relationships that rely on this; if you have completed the three above elements it enables flowing leadership conversations.
Creating/continuing a healthy culture during COVID
COVID has added the complexity of different circumstances for each individual e.g. working from home environments
It is about making people aware of the following elements:
- The company’s why and linking the purpose
- What creates value for the company as a whole
- What is the strategy in the long term
- What are tactics the we will use
- What the company needs from you today
Every layer of a business then communicates the above but it can potentially change the message from the top, down; so it is really important that one sets the expectation on oneself and check-ins to see how others interpret that day to day.
Enabling others to meet expectations with all the external factors
It comes to down to understanding humans.
If we have open conversations with people and finding a bridge between their personal circumstances and what the organisation needs
It is ultimately a give and take relationship.
Making the decision to pursue your purpose
About 14 years ago he realised that what he was put on this pla...
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During this episode, Shaun McCambridge, Stellar’s Managing Director, sits down with Warren Crowther, General Manager of JF Hull Holdings. We delve into how Warren has built a successful Civil Engineering career and gain an insight into JF Hull Holdings, a business that he now leads as General Manager.
Warren’s Highlights
1:15 Warren’s journey to becoming a Civil Engineer
3:11 JF Hull the company
6:05 The team & culture
7:50 Leaders of JF Hull
10:00 Warren’s own career and strategies
14:30 Career transitioning
17:00 Vision moving forward
19:15 Warren’s personal drivers
21:20 Future of civil engineering
24:20 Warren’s downtime
26:20 Elevator pitch of JF Hull
Warren’s journey to becoming a Civil Engineer
From a very early age, Warren wanted to become an engineer and went on to complete a Civil Engineering degree. However, it wasn’t until building a bridge in Cape York 3 years after university that it all came together. During this project he had the responsibility of leading a high performing team where he saw it come to life and was able to leave something behind; it was a game changing moment for him.
JF Hull the company
Started in 1977 started by John Hull; from his own home and the workshop in the garage. He was. Always focussed on looking after people and engineering excellence was a driver for him.
These really were the values that the business derived from.
Ever since John started the business there was a focus on integrity and our commitment to customers and partners. The key is that we always put focus on the long-term view, not the short-term; reality is that there is still a commercial element but our approach is long-term; where it is best to take a hit short team rather than damage the partnerships down the track; by doing this, in time you do get a competitive advantage in the market but you must continually come back to it.
The team & culture
We have many longstanding team members with some 10,20,30+ years of service.
Over the years people have really enjoyed the leadership of John Hull, Founder & Chairman and Bruce Graham, Executive Director; they have built a lot of staff loyalty.
The leaders of JF Hull
Together, both John Hull and Graham have been the driving force behind the business.
As highlighted previously, John focussed on people relationships and engineering solutions; Bruce in contrast is the key person on how to run an efficient and competitive contracting business; different but similar in how they are both very strategic and take risks.
Together with two younger long-term employees and myself in the executive board team.
Warren’s own career and strategies
Warren has always had senior people within and outside the civil engineering field that he has been inspired by; those who maintained their integrity, principles and character; people who had the reputation that his “handshake is as good as a contract” and that is few and far between in the competitive civil engineering sector.
Career transitioning
After working at a Tier One company for 15 years on big projects with high profiles, he realised that even though there were great leaders within the company, he wasn’t the same as them. What I perceived as my strengths; others saw it as a weakness.
After 1 year at JF Hull, Warren appreciates being trusted by clients and partners; that the trust is there in the market already. He also enjoys the concentration of highly skilled people as well as working with systems and processes that is based on the KISS principle and that there is a real laser focus on finding the smartest engineering solutions.
Vision moving forward
Consolidate the place that the business has in the market already, which is to be the leading structural specialist in Queensland.
Many people ask Warren if the plan is to grow the business; to this, Warren answers yes and no. If the opportunity is there, then yes but if it isn’t then definitely not; he doesn’t want to be caught in the race to the bottom.
Warren’s personal drivers
His motivation completing an MBA was to differentiate himself from his peers that he was competing against for promotions. Ultimately, he doesn’t feel like it accelerated him but he did learn a lot from the studies; for him, when he compared to what he learnt on the job it was probably minor.
He is a firm believer that what you get out of an MBA is what you put in and he most probably didn’t put enough in with competing family and work priorities.Future of Civil Engineering
In the short-term situation with COVID, where many people faced economic and health impacts, the reality is that Governments’ during a recession highlight the civil engineering sector as a winner with announcements of projects and initiatives; so there is a very bright and exciting future.
In the long-term there will always be a need for engineering even with emerging technologies such as AI. Apart from the continuing need, the sector itself is embracing diversity, and technology; enabling it to move with the times.
Warren’s downtime
Warren loves road and mountain biking as well as reading.
Best book at the moment is Milkman by Anna Burns; Set in North Belfast, a book with resilience, family and enabled him to reflect on how well we have it now.
Elevator pitch of JF Hull
The business takes practical common sense with specialised tech know how that produces the magical dust; this brings us as business the opportunity for us to work on the most exciting projects with the best partners and clients in Queensland.
Our reason for being is looking after people; and this enables us to provide great career opportunities in an exciting environment.
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