NZ Management November 2010

The Director p59 • Professional Development Guide p39

In this issue:

management.co.nz

Xero to hero Rod Drury – wired to the world p26

Celebrating workplace diversity EEO Trust Awards p30

Old dogs & new tricks Ageism in the boardroom p59 Deloitte/ Management Magazine

TOP 2OO A Bold Spirit

IBM’s Jennifer Moxon.

NOVEMBER 2010 $7.10 INCL GST

9 421902 251030

PAGE 18

Innovation nation IBM’s NZ’s managing director on what we need to lead the world

Deloitte/ Management Magazine

TOP 2OO A Bold Spirit

MASTER OR SPECTATOR? Change is inevitable. How you respond will be the difference between standing out or disappearing into the background. If you can’t afford to be a spectator now is the time to take the lead and make an impact. Talk to us for some inspiration. www.deloitte.co.nz

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity.

Please see www.deloitte.com/nz/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms. © 2010 Deloitte. A member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.

WELCOME

www.management.co.nz

Number 8 wired

S

o – did an accident of geography make Kiwis inventive, innovative problemsolvers, able to take a piece of number eight wire and turn it into a high-tech electric fence?

Or are we dreamers to think that we can come up with world-beating ideas from these remote and sparsely populated islands at the bottom of the world? Are we special? Or have we just been lucky so far?

I like Bob van de Kuilen’s suggestion in this magazine in June 2008 (“Kiwi Competitiveness in the Global Economy”) that Bert Munro might have had the world’s fastest Indian, but he certainly didn’t have the world’s best team preparing him for his speed record – he failed to get a permit to race his motorbike on the salt flats and very nearly had to come home without racing at all.

Perhaps we are a nation of Bert Munros, appearing without warning in foreign countries with a great idea, a bright smile and our famous Kiwi optimism. She’ll be right. Katherine Corich, founder of international consultancy Sysdoc, who appears in our cover story certainly thinks so. She told me earlier this year: “It’s not enough to go in and say we’re new, we’re

Deloitte/ Management Magazine

TOP 2OO A Bold Spirit

innovative, we’re keen, you should love us, because that doesn’t have context in the problems of the host nation.”

She says companies need to integrate within the social context of the country, find out their issues and prove the new service or new technology will be of relevance to them.

IBM New Zealand’s managing director Jennifer Moxon, who appears on our cover this month says: “We will need to address some systemic issues if we are to maintain our reputation as an innovator – and keep enjoying the economic and social benefits that result.”

We may have the great ideas, but do we have the drive to achieve the successes of bigger and more prosperous nations? And, argues (asks?) American Roy Stager-Jacques, do we want the US lifestyle as our reward for changing our mindset from being one of the world’s little battlers to becoming one of ambition, long hours and exhausting schedules?

Finally, do we have the infrastructure to achieve at a worldclass level? Do we have the road and rail links ready to deliver our goods?

Do we arrive overseas prepared and ready to sell?

If we don’t, our cover story suggests, we may just be kidding ourselves. It will take more than a piece of number eight wire to take on the world.

A MEDIAWEB MAGAZINE EDITOR Brenda Ward 09-575 8830, editor@management.co.nz CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Reg Birchfield reg@rjmedia.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS Karyn Arkell, Colin James, Mark Brown, Richard Cathie, Kelvin Hussey, Ruth Le Pla, Iain McCormick, Judy McGregor, Peter Nielson, Tony Street, Peter Tynan ADVERTISING MANAGER Clara Iqbal 09-271 3711, 021-930 887, admanager@management.co.nz DESIGNER Rachel Walker COPY & WEB EDITOR Gill Prentice PRODUCTION MANAGER Fran Marshall franm@mediaweb.co.nz NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS www.management.co.nz/subscribe SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES subs@mediaweb.co.nz PUBLISHER Toni Myers

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Vol 57 No 10 • ISSN 1174-5339 (Print), 1179-3910 (Online)

Brenda Ward, editor NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 1

contents 18 COVER STORY

Understanding the new world

Innovation nation IBM NZ’s managing director on what we need to lead the world Could Kiwis’ have-a-go mindset be the very thing that holds us back from being a world-class centre of innovation and thinking? Ruth Le Pla analyses why New Zealand is falling behind in the innovation stakes.

THE TOP 200 CAMPAIGN

1

EDITOR’S LETTER

This year’s Deloitte/ Management Top

4

INBOX: News and views

10

AS I SEE IT: Kelvin Hussey, CallPlus

11

SUSTAINABILITY: The road to sustainability. Peter Neilson

14

NZIM: Now is the time for leadership. Reg Birchfield

55

FOCUS

56

EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT

57

EXECS ON THE MOVE

200 Companies campaign,‘Understanding the New World’, examines six major contemporary issues and opportunities for business. This month, how New Zealand can be a world-class centre of innovation.

OPINION

Deloitte/ Management Magazine

TOP 2OO A Bold Spirit

12

POLITICS: From the edge of the world. Colin James

13

THOUGHT LEADER: The way we work. Judy McGregor

ADVICE 52

EXEC HEALTH: A look under the hood. Peter Tynan

54

BOOKCASE: The CEO’s Boss: Tough Love in the Boardroom; Preparing for Take-off. Brenda Ward

58

EXEC 10 TIPS: Better internal communications. Karyn Arkell

november 2010 • Vol 57 No 10

features 24 Smart Company: The grass is greener From a complex in Palmerston North, Fonterra’s little-known research and development division is creating products that are the envy of the world, says Brenda Ward.

24

26 Face to Face: Rod Drury – wired to the world Technology innovator. CEO of Xero. Director of NZX. Part of the Pacific Fibre project. Husband and father. NZ Management finds that Rod Drury does everything ‘automagically’.

30 EEO Trust Awards: Get life into work Business, staff and families all benefit from workplace diversity initiatives, says EEO Trust CEO Philippa Reed.

Brenda Ward spoke to her about New Zealand’s top workplace performers.

34 Exporting: New frontiers in the Gulf New Zealand companies need to look at the United Arab Emirates as an export destination, say Richard Cathie and Mark Brown.

26

36 Exec driver: Lease business booming As trading conditions remain unstable, more companies are turning to car leases – and they’re buying smaller cars.

38 Voice: Personal space invaders Social media may start as an in-house social chat room, but it can turn into an amazing corporate tool, says Deloitte Australia’s Louise Denver.

39 Professional Development: Training in the real world Professional development courses are now available in subjects as varied as winning at office politics, how to be an entrepreneur, or overcoming a phobia of public speaking.

30

Plus: NZ Management’s Bi-annual Professional Development Guide

59 Old dogs and new tricks The upsides of ageing – ‘from warrior to wisdom’ – can give older boards distinct advantages, Iain McCormick suggests.

63 Capex scrutiny crucial part of good governance Systemised capex appraisal is vital to creating shareholder wealth, argues specialist consultant in the field Tony Street.

39

M

INBOX Where are the leaders?

N

ew Zealand businesses are struggling to find and nurture effective future leaders, despite increasingly investing in leadership development, says a new study.

The IBM Working Beyond Borders Study of senior human resources staff also found only one in four New Zealand and Australian executives believed their organisations excelled in leadership development.

And many companies are considering more use of outsourcing, part-timers and even bringing back retired staff to increase staff flexibility.

The study of 61 countries worldwide, including 31 respondents from New Zealand, concluded that organisations recognise the need for effective future leadership and are working to close the gap.

It found that even during the height of the global recession,

a surprising 45 percent of New Zealand companies surveyed still increased their investment in leadership development. But only a quarter considered their organisations adept at developing future leaders.

New Zealand leader of the study, Ross Pearce, says: “Organisations are struggling to find and nurture effective future leaders in Australia and New Zealand, and this is largely due to the fact that many of our organisations lack the infrastructure, such as common skills taxonomy and workforce analytics, to make factbased decisions regarding workforce allocation.

“With a lack of insight into what skills and capabilities they have at their disposal, organisations can make poor and often reactionary decisions.”

IBM’s Ross Pearce.

One of the participants was Wayne Peat, group HR director for Telecom. “Since June 2009, we have invested significantly in leadership development as a critical enabler to

help align our business and people transformation programme.

“We challenged ourselves to find new and dynamic ways to nurture and build effective leaders and are now implementing a robust programme dedicated to ensuring consistent, competency-based leadership for all our people.”

The study revealed that 11 percent of organisations in Australia and New Zealand plan to increase their headcount to drive operational efficiency. Over the next three years, over half of chief human resources officers in Australia and New Zealand plan to increase outsourcing, the use of part-time workers – and some even plan to bring back retired employees to inject greater flexibility into their workforces.

For the full study report, see www.ibm.com/chrostudy. M

New workplace laws

M

anagers need to be aware of two changes to employment law that may affect their workplaces.

The Employment Relations (Rest Breaks and Meal Breaks) Amendment Bill relaxes the provisions on rest and meal breaks for employees, while the Employment Relations (Workers’ Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill requires unions to hold a secret ballot of their members before taking strike action, says Simpson Grierson’s employment division.

In October last year the Employment Relations (Rest Breaks and Meal Breaks) Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament.

The Bill proposes significant changes to the existing rest and meal breaks régime, says Simpson Grierson. It removes the legislated minimums for rest and meal breaks and replaces them with a requirement for employers to either provide meal breaks and paid rest breaks, or take compensatory measures.

These changes aim to ease the current requirements on the timing, number and duration of breaks, to make the criteria for a

4 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

break more flexible.

Key features of the Bill include: • Employees are still entitled to rest and meal breaks; • The entitlement can be subject to certain restrictions, but only if the restrictions are reasonable and necessary given the nature of the employee’s work; • There are no default timings for rest and meal breaks – these must be agreed between the employee and employer; • Where there is no agreement, the employer can specify the times and durations of the breaks, but these must be reasonable; • An employer is not required to provide rest and meal breaks where the employer and employee agree that the employee will be provided with compensatory measures (defined in the Bill as including measures such as a later start time, earlier finish time, or time off in lieu).

The Select Committee has recommended the Bill be passed into law, with the Committee’s main amendments being that the entitlement to rest and meal breaks can be subject to

certain restrictions if they are reasonable and necessary, given the nature of the employee’s work or if they are reasonable and agreed to by the employer and employee; and where compensatory measures are provided instead of rest or meal breaks, they must be “reasonable”. The Bill will now be referred back to the House for its second reading.

The Select Committee also recommended passing the Employment Relations (Workers’ Secret Ballot for Strikes) Amendment Bill, which would require unions to hold a secret ballot before taking strike action. Secret ballots should be a means for individual union members to have their say on whether they want to go ahead with proposed strike action.

The Select Committee has amended the Bill to clarify that the question to be voted on in a secret ballot is whether the members of the union are in favour of the strike; and unions will have an obligation to inform their members of the outcome of the secret ballot as soon as reasonably practicable after the vote has taken place. M

Waikato University has run the sustainability survey three times.

Douglas Hudson.

Green divide

T

he economic downturn has created a growing sustainability divide, separating New Zealand businesses which “get” sustainability from those which see it as “nice to do”, says University of Waikato Management School’s Dr Eva Collins.

The university talked to more than 700 firms in the third in a series of surveys, making it one of the first studies in the world to track the impact of recession on sustainability practices with longitudinal data.

The previous surveys, conducted in 2003 and 2006, showed increasing uptake of sustainability practices, but the 2010 survey reveals a general decline, says Collins.

“Firm size was one of the best predictors of uptake of environmental practices,” says Collins. “In a recession, small businesses are hardest hit by the

Dr Eva Collins.

upfront costs of sustainability practices, and our survey shows they cut back the most.”

However, a small but significant group of firms have actually increased their uptake of environmental sustainability practices, such as recycling, reducing energy and water use, and environmental awareness.

“The recession shook out firms which had sustainability as an ‘add-on’,” says Collins. “For those firms, sustainability wasn’t aligned with their core business, so when things got tough they let it go.” M

On my iPod Douglas Hudson, CEO of Fullers Ferries, Auckland.

There are lots of oldies on my list, but some new ones too. I’m actually more likely to listen to music in my car.

1. UB40: Red, Red Wine. This is the first one that comes to mind.

2. Lily Allen: Not Fair. This one really shouldn’t be on the list for a man of my age... (laughs).

3. Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms.

4. Kings of Leon: Use Somebody. That’s off the 2008 Only By the Night album. M

Manage your Taxi Spend with Innovation and Technology

tel: 09 306 1790 email: enquiries@taxicharge.co.nz

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 5

M

INBOX The deep end

Cris Knell.

T

here’s a worrying lack of urgency in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake that means bureaucracy is slowing down the city’s commercial recovery, warns Chartis Insurance’s new CEO Cris Knell.

Knell says he believes it’s a real concern that urgency levels have dropped so far, so quickly.

“The urgency level is declining, yet we are only 20 percent through the recovery process. A lot of people have been suffering business interruption and cash flow is paramount. There’s still a lot of work to do.”

He says with upwards of 64,000

claims to process, his concern is that traditional approaches are too slow.

His preference is to settle claims quickly and get businesses working again. If losses turn out to be more extensive than first thought, they can be reimbursed later.

It’s been a heck of a start to a new job for Knell, who is fresh from senior manager roles in Europe and Asia, for American International Underwriters and the newly rebranded AIG. “It’s been interesting...” he laughs. “I guess in any new job you have to face challenges, but I have to say I wasn’t expecting an earthquake!”

Knell says because his company mainly deals with the commercial market and a lot of SMEs, with about 800 clients in the city, his team’s first priority was to get his customers’ businesses operational.

“Our mantra was to get assistance on the ground as soon as possible. We were lucky that we were able to reach out to

other regions who had had similar disasters: the fires in Australia, the tsunami in Singapore. A response team was set up by 3pm the day of the quake.”

Out of the experience, he’s learned that communications are key: “We wanted people to hear from their insurers.” And so was getting help arranged: “We had to make sure we had our resources lined up. People were clamouring for a limited number of resources.”

Knell says his next job is strategy for the coming year, both in the commercial and consumer markets where products include accident, health and travel insurance, and extended warranties. “‘It’s about making sure all our guys work closely with our customers and that they support a good client service.” M

Executive Pulse

U

sing public private partnerships (PPPs) to fund local government infrastructure projects faster is supported by 58.6% of senior business decision makers.

Some 47.8% of the public also support this financing option, the most popular when ranked with council bonds, a dedicated fuel tax and rate rises.

Which of the following would you support to raise finance to bring forward local government infrastructure projects?

ALL NEW ZEALAND Public Private Partnerships PPPs 47.8% Council issued bonds 34.8% A national motor fuel tax surcharge paid to councils 19.8% Higher rates 4.8% None of these 16.4% Don’t know 17.6%

BUSINESS DECISION MAKERS 58.6% 47.4% 26.8% 9.7% 11.4% 6.9%

Source: ShapeNZ August 2010 2,480 respondents, 651 business managers, proprietors, self employed and professionals. Maximum margin of error on the national sample +/- 1.6%. www. shapenz.org.nz, www.nzbcsd.org.nz. Shape NZ is operated by the NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development.

6 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

Open door for software

O

pen source software is now firmly embedded in the business world, says Clare Coulson of the New Zealand Open Source Society, and she says results for this year’s awards prove that.

Coulson says the largest number of entries for this year’s NZ Open Source Awards 2010 was in the Open Source Use in Business category, proving the growing popularity of free and open source software among company owners and managers.

Open source software offers the source code (the “blueprints” from which software is made), and the freedom to modify the software if businesses want to. These modified versions can be passed on to others.

“There were some high-calibre entrants,” says Coulson. “One was New Zealand-made SilverStripe, an open source content management system.”

Since open sourcing its code, it has been downloaded more than 325,000 times globally in less than four years.

Its CEO, Brian Colhoun, says: “We believe that having loads of happy customers is better for our business than relying on a restrictive licensing model.”

For more information, see www.nzoss.org.nz M

Funding whizz wins award

O

vercoming some of the toughest times for the economy, Sharon McCook was able to build partnerships for the Health Research Council of New Zealand that leveraged $3 for every $1 invested by the organisation.

For her work, the young Aucklander has been recognised as a finalist in the New Zealand Institute of Management’s Young Executive of the Year Award and winner for the Northern Region.

The funds helped maintain a national programme that enables a cross-sectoral approach to health and disability research.

McCook studied psychology and worked in the fashion and telecommunications industries before moving to the council, where her role is group manager of research partnerships.

“I oversee the allocation of a budget of approximately $6 million for a number of national and international programmes of health research.

Sharon McCook’s mantra is: “Never ask someone to do a task that I wouldn’t be prepared to do myself.”

“My role is developing and implementing high-quality research programmes that are participatory, where the individual partners jointly own the strategic direction of the work, set the agenda and encourage crosssectoral buy-in.”

She oversees around 100 research projects, with more than 35 partner organisations in the public and not-for-profit sectors.

McCook says her management mantra is: “Never ask someone to do a task that I wouldn’t be prepared to do myself,” and says her role is all about managing risk, communication, finance, staff and personal business skills.

Robyn Olds, CEO of the Health Research Council, nominated McCook and says she is outstanding in her ability to cultivate and turn relationships with potential partners into tangible gains for the organisation. M

Merry Christmas mix-up

T

his year, all the Christmas and New Year public holidays fall on weekend days, which creates extra problems for payroll offices across the nation. Jo Smith of the TimeFiler online staff management system says many employers found it hard last year with two of the four holidays falling on a weekend, but this year they have even more hurdles to overcome.

“Public holidays tend to significantly add to the workload in payroll offices across the country when calculating employees’ pay,” she says. “There is so much to consider – is today a ‘normal’ day of work for the employee and what is a ‘normal’ day anyway?”

Smith says Section 45 of the Holidays Act 2003 contains explicit instructions on transferring public holidays over the festive period. For normal Monday to Friday workers this won’t pose too much of a problem because the holidays are simply transferred to the following Monday and Tuesday, says Smith, but for employees working variable hours and days, payroll is trickier. One of the potential pitfalls is determining what exactly is a “normal, or working” day for the employee.

Smith says many companies choose this time to swap older payroll systems for electronic timesheets that automatically calculate all the complexities of the Christmas leave entitlements.

She says a Google search on timesheet software will offer hundreds of results for good systems, most of them extremely affordable. Some have been built with New Zealand conditions in mind. But don’t expect to make significant savings by choosing one of these products – unless your organisation’s pay requirements are very basic, she warns.

She recommends using the threat of this Christmas’ payroll chaos as a chance to review your organisation’s HR, payroll and financial systems.

Take a fresh look.

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 7

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M

INBOX A world of winners

J

ohn Brakenridge, of The New Zealand Merino Company, was named the outstanding leader at the New Zealand International Business Awards in Auckland on October 13.

The chief executive of The New Zealand Merino Company since it began in 1994, Brakenridge has helped grow new categories for merino wool, developed new high-end markets, and changed the way the wool moves along the value chain.

“Culture is key,” says Brakenridge. “It’s an alignment of people, an alignment of interests, and that brings about certain behaviours that make a difference for everyone collectively.”

Steve Wilson, managing director and majority owner of Christchurch’s Talbot Technologies,

won the Emerging International Business Leader award.

“Making technology work is about believing you can, believing you’re a winner, and it doesn’t matter how many reasons why something won’t work, you’re going to get it to work,” says Wilson.

NZTE chief executive Peter Chrisp said he was impressed with the calibre of businesses that won awards and the way they were making their mark internationally.

Awards judge, ANZ’s Graham Turley, said Brakenridge and Wilson had a genuine passion for New Zealand and wanted to see a strong, healthy economy.

OTHER WINNERS • Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business: Pumpkin Patch.

John Brakenridge – Outstanding Leader.

development in international business: Simcro.

• Best commercialisation of IP in international business: Grasslanz Technology.

• Best use of design in international business: Pumpkin Patch.

• Most innovative approach to international business: GMP Pharmaceuticals. M

• Best business operating internationally, under $10m: M-Com. • Best business operating internationally, $10m to $50m: Gallagher Security Management Systems.

• Best business operating internationally, over $50m: Pumpkin Patch.

• Best use of research and

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| management.co.nz | 9

M AS I SEE IT

Kelvin Hussey At a time when the telecommunications market in New Zealand is a battleground, Kelvin Hussey, the general manager of CallPlus, talks about his perspective on the business.

CallPlus is a Kiwi-owned telecommunications provider. What does that mean for the company?

It’s made up of a bunch of cool people, doing amazing things with technology to benefit New Zealand business. The main focus of our technology is to make things easy and solve those tricky little telecommunication problems, like being gouged by the big fellas.

What are the challenges in the telecommunications market?

There is only one challenge in the New Zealand telecommunications market and that’s getting a fair deal from the dominant players. However new technologies and advances in access methods mean it’s now possible to get into the local loop at a competitive rate. Though often criticised, the New Zealand Government created cracks in the dominance (don’t tell them I said so) and once we get in the front door of a business, we can now make something special happen.

What are the trends we should be looking out for on the horizon?

Mobility and cloud-based services. If you can get within range of a WiFi or a WiMax connection anywhere in the world, you can work, as it will all sit in the cloud.

How do you see New Zealand’s identity and our place in the world?

It took me one holiday here (and a Kiwi wife) to realise that this is where I want to live, however sometimes I think we underestimate ourselves.

We are one of the only westernised nations to have a Free Trade Agreement with China – we need to think big and act like it! M

10 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

PETER NEILSON MANAGING SUSTAINABLY M

The road to sustainability The new Super City gives us a chance to fix congestion sustainably, says Peter Neilson.

N

early eight out of 10 Aucklanders are concerned about traffic congestion. Now the new Super City gives us a change to manage it.

Congestion has to be fixed.

It’s not about rail versus roads, or cars and trucks versus public transport.

Cars and trucks have already won that debate hands-down.

The debate should be about how we use our constrained traffic corridors so that people and freight get more easily to where they have to go. We are literally running out of roads because of the way we manage their use.

It is estimated freight volumes will grow by 70 percent over the next 20 to 30 years, if we continue business as usual.

If we get serious about catching up with Australia, then we would have to grow our economy at two percent faster than Australia each year for 15 years, or one percent faster for 30 years. The only way we will grow that fast is if exports and imports grow even faster.

All the evidence suggests that when gross domestic product grows, freight volumes in New Zealand grow even faster.

To make progress in catching Australia, freight volumes will need to grow by more than 100 percent over the next 30 years. Given we are only planning to hold current congestion rates, we need a step change.

No city anywhere has been rich enough to build enough roads to avoid congestion. So the debate in the new Super City and elsewhere needs to also encompass not only maximising the investment in rail and public transport, but also our road network.

If we ran hotels like our roads they would be empty most of the time –

and you wouldn’t be able to get a bed during the peak holiday season. Hotels price low, off peak, and high during the peak. We must also look at charging for accessing roads at peak times, or at least for express lanes. This will provide many with the incentive to move road use to off-peak periods.

This works in other cities. In Stockholm, congestion pricing cut peak traffic volumes to the CBD by 25 percent.

Coordinated traffic lights, dedicated freight, or high-occupancy lanes and real-time traffic flow management can make a major difference to how we move people and freight.

A report from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation authority found traffic light synchronisation region-wide would be one of the most effective congestion reduction measures. However, it didn’t happen because it was felt to be politically impossible to get agreement across seven local authorities in Auckland. Now there is just one.

The city also needs to consider doorto-door mini bus systems which pick people up from home and take them to main bus and rail corridors. Mini buses are then used to complete their trip. Smart jitney bus systems, as they

are called, can move more people on congested corridors, and better meet the mobility needs of people in lowdensity cities.

Effective local schools, walking school buses, and staggered starting times for tertiary institutions could reduce peak period education-related traffic.

Better cooperation between all the current players could see regional hubs created on the fringe of the cities to switch some truck movements away from city streets.

We need a long-term commitment to a package of policies which will last beyond the terms of one government and one council.

A comprehensive sustainable approach will help tackle congestion – and deliver the step change needed to cope with 100 percent freight growth over the next 30 years. That in turn will be underpinning not only an economic improvement, but a better quality of life. M Peter Neilson is chief executive of the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development. The study on Creating a Sustainable Super City – How to Accelerate Auckland, is available at www.nzbcsd.org.nz

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 11

M POLITICS COLIN JAMES

From the edge of the world Calling all budding innovators and thinkers... New Zealand needs you now, says Colin James.

N

ew Zealand as a think tank? We’re 4.4 million at the bottom of the world specialising in exporting much of our best talent to more interesting and rewarding places.

We’re inventive. But our inventors mostly sell out to live the triple-B life plus offshore comforts. Governments have kept research funding below the OECD government average, thinking that they mustn’t pick winners (except for Sir Peter Jackson), that the point is early commercial wins, that this country is too small and that voters want the money spent on other things.

So we do cows and R&R. The wages aren’t great, but it’s a great place to bring up kids (then export them to where the wages are great).

Apply this thinking to 18th-century Scotland, backward, poor, small, on the outer fringe of Europe, dominated by next-door England – and home to David Hume, described as “the most important philosopher ever to write in English”, and Adam Smith, founder of modern economics, who between them created a better version of the Enlightenment than the populous, continental French.

Try small fifth-century BC Athens where Socrates, Plato and Aristotle revolutionised philosophy and Thucydides wrote the first serious history.

Now note today’s big global shift: the transformational combination of digital technology and globalisation, with nanotechnology and genetics starting to open wide new opportunities; the over-reach and collapse of much of the rich world’s finance sectors; the success (so far) of Chinese state-led capitalism and its growing military and political power; the pressure on water, food, oil and

12 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

Two New Zealanders made arguably the 20th century’s greatest game-changing leaps: Maurice Wilkins, co-discoverer of DNA and Lord Rutherford, the atom-splitter.

mineral resources; the looming end to the “population bonus” which part-fuelled the past six decades’ spectacular global economic growth.

Only with innovative analyses, theories and policy prescriptions will we make sense of and manage the resultant, very different, “new normal”.

There is a nascent library of books and articles on those points. None yet matches Smith or Lord Keynes or even Milton Friedman in economics, or Hume and Karl Marx in politics, as creators of new thinking for new times.

Can some 35-year-old do that from this outermost edge of humanity? We can invent things. Why not ideas?

In science we have. Two New Zealanders made arguably the 20th century’s greatest game-changing leaps: Lord Rutherford, the atom-splitter, and Maurice Wilkins, co-discoverer of DNA. But in economics and politics we have no Hume/Smith parallels, though we have generated nextlevel world-class thinkers, among them historians John Pocock and James Belich.

New Zealand has nevertheless, in bursts, invented and applied groundbreaking policy technologies: state-paid pensions and workplace conciliation and arbitration in the 1890s; social security in the 1930s; inflation targeting, long-range budgeting and state sector “managerialism” in the 1980s; and biculturalism in the 1990s.

The challenge is to do that again: to find “what works” in the “new normal”. It won’t be 1930s to 70s’ mixed-economy Keynesianism, reheated as some writers want, or the 1980s to 90s’ neoliberal/ neoclassical small state or the directionless 1990s to 2000s’“third way” of lost social democrats.

The traditional way this country has generated big policy innovations is to take ideas from abroad, mix in some local thinking and fit it to local conditions.

Conservative National is (for now at least) unlikely to be inventive enough. The Greens would say they have been waiting for us on the far side of the paradigmatic boundary. Young Labourites are beginning to see the point and opportunity.

If policy-makers here are to replicate our past game-changing policy innovations, they will need help. Where from? No academics are yet visibly above the safethinking peer-review parapet. Of the few, very variable, future-thinking “tanks”, the most pragmatically adventurous so far is the New Zealand Institute – but it has a way to go.

So can this country do an 1890s or 1930s or 1980s or 1990s again? Come back in 2020 for the answer. M Colin James is New Zealand’s leading political commentator and NZ Management’s regular political columnist. ColinJames@synapsis.co.nz

THOUGHT LEADER M

The way we work What do employers want to change about their workplaces?

That’s what hundreds were asked over two years by the Human Rights Commission. Dr Judy McGregor headed the project.

F

rom windswept Bluff to a Far North battling recession, we turned up as strangers but were made welcome in over 300 workplaces in industries as diverse as mining, IT, through to applepicking and sheep-shearing.

Called the National Conversation about Work, the EEO (Equal Employment Opportunities) project team from the Equal Employment Commission asked people from all walks of life – staff, managers, public and private sector businesses – what they thought would make a difference to the way they earned their daily bread.

The project began in good economic times and spanned the months when New Zealand felt the effects of economic recession and the pain of redundancy.

Why is this the Commission’s business?

Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights spells it out: Everyone has the right to work, the right to equal pay for equal work, and the right to a decent income and working conditions.

What did employers tell us?

Many were anxious about age at both ends of the spectrum and uncertain how to respond to the challenges presented by the young and the old in their workforce. Some employers admitted to a strong bias against young people because of their perceived attitudes to work and stereotypes about the lack of a youth work ethic. Some employers believed they have to make a much greater investment in younger people to get them up to speed.

Youth unemployment is generally

higher during periods of economic recession, but employers’ attitudes towards young people were a marked and worrying feature of the National Conversation about Work.

Many businesses admitted they had their head in the sand when it came to the implications of an aging workforce.

For small business-owners, this was reflected in a lack of succession planning.

In factories it showed itself as the failure to think through innovative practices around the transition to retirement for older workers.

Many employers said they needed to make more of mentoring so those with experience and skills could help younger workers come up to speed. For the workers themselves, the big issues were about whether or not there were alternatives to fulltime employment or retirement as mutually exclusive choices.

Many of the small to medium businesses in regional economies said they felt beleaguered by red tape. As one employer said, “There’s been lots of change in legislation recently (breastfeeding, flexi-working). It’s easier for big companies to respond to this. They have the resources, but smaller companies struggle to understand the legislation.

Government could provide more accessible information and advice.”

It was no surprise that employers beset by recession wanted greater employment flexibility. The majority were in favour of the 90-day trial period and some wanted to be able to roll over temporary contracts during the downturn because of the unpredictability of forward orders.

Many employers were upset at new immigration criteria involving migrants who were forced to reapply for residency, and while businesses could understand the desirability of “Kiwis first”, they relied on the skills and availability of migrants for production.

Dr Judy McGregor.

Both employers and employees raised a number of management issues. Universally workers identify superior management with good communication, personal knowledge of employees and high-trust workplaces.

Head office management being perceived as being remote from workplace issues was criticised by both middle management and employees.

There was a prevailing attitude among many managers, business owners and human resource specialists that there was a lack of innovation and forward thinking around employment issues in New Zealand.

We were impressed by the way many workplaces had reconciled employee desire for different work hours to accommodate family demands and employer needs relating to productivity and customer service. The vast majority of workplaces we visited were hightrust, high-engagement workplaces even when there was job insecurity on the horizon. Creating a good workplace does not require rocket science. As one employer said, “People don’t leave good jobs, they leave bad managers.” M Dr Judy McGregor is the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission.

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 13

NZIM

Now is the time

for leadership Organisational leadership and reputation – one plays a critical role in building the other. Reg Birchfield argues the case for effective leadership programmes.

T

he critically important role of organisational reputation is one of the most profound findings of September’s Most Reputable Organisations survey compiled for NZ Management magazine by global consultancy Hay Group.

The logic is understandable, given a world now saturated by cynicism at organisational and financial misbehaviour, and self-serving morality. What isn’t quite so obvious is how to respond to the new marketplace realities of distrust and its many manifestations.

Conventional wisdom suggests that reputation-building fits into the long-term goal of strategic thinking. Reputation undoubtedly grows the longer an organisation is perceived as “honourable” and “honest”, but times, priorities, pressures and opportunities are all changing.

The choice of Air New Zealand as the nation’s Most Reputable Organisation shows that obviously committed, focused and inspired team leadership can rebuild an organisation’s reputation in a staggeringly short time. Such is the power, effectiveness and pervasive influence of the media, both traditional and social, when it comes to communicating evidence of what the survey’s respondents perceived as the airline’s most outstanding characteristic: its “strong and effective leadership”.

It doesn’t take a library of academic

14 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

or experiential case studies to prove the link between effective leadership and organisational success. But it often takes some heavy hitting to convince organisations that first, investment in leadership development pays dividends and second, that commitment to the right kind of leadership is what pays most.

So what should organisations think about when developing or searching for a leadership development programme?

Start by considering where the leadership discussion is currently at. And the leadership gurus James Kouzes and Barry Posner, authors of the leadership genre classic The Leadership Challenge, provide a good starting point.

They have just published a new book, The Truth about Leadership. Its findings are based on their 30 years of research and the more than one million responses they’ve had to their leadership surveys. They have uncovered what they call, “10 truths about leadership” which suggest that, while context of leadership has changed dramatically, the content hasn’t.

“The fundamental behaviours, actions, and practices of leaders have remained essentially the same since we first began researching and writing about leadership over three decades ago,” they conclude. “Much has changed, but there is a whole lot more that has stayed the same.” And that is probably

the fundamental truth of leadership development.

The authors believe that each of their 10 truths have stood the test of time and “hold true globally and cross-generationally”. Their relevance and application is developed in the chapters devoted to each truth. They are: 1ST TRUTH: You make a difference.

Before individuals lead, they must believe they can have a positive impact on individuals. “When you believe you can make a difference, position yourself to hear the call to lead.”

2ND TRUTH: Credibility is the foundation of leadership. In other words, once individuals believe in themselves, others need to believe in them, otherwise they won’t willingly follow. “You must do what you say you are going to do. This means being so clear about your beliefs that you can live them every day.”

3RD TRUTH: Values drive commitment.

Individuals must know what they believe in. They can only fully commit to an organisation or cause when there is a good fit between their personal values and organisation’s values. “This is also true for the people you lead.”

4TH TRUTH: Focusing on the future sets leaders apart. Leaders must be forward looking. That is the quality that most differentiates leaders from individual contributors. They must spend time reflecting

Air New Zealand’s Rob Fyfe shows that inspired leadership can rebuild an organisation’s reputation in a staggeringly short time.

on the future. “Big dreams that resonate with others inspire and energise.”

5TH TRUTH: You can’t do it alone. Leadership is a team sport, and leaders must engage others in the cause. “You need to enable others to be even better than they already are.”

6TH TRUTH: Trust rules. Leaders need trust to enlist others. “Build mutual trust; you must trust others too.”

7TH TRUTH: Challenge is the crucible of greatness. Great achievements don’t happen when things are kept the same.

Change invariably involves challenge, and challenge tests leaders.

8TH TRUTH: Either lead by example or don’t lead at all. Leading means going first.

“That’s what it takes to get others to follow your lead.”

9TH TRUTH: The best leaders are the best learners. Learning is the master skill of leadership. “Leaders are constant improvement fanatics.”

10TH TRUTH: Leadership is an affair of the heart. Leaders love what they do and those they lead. “Leaders make others feel great about themselves and are gracious in showing appreciation.”

The 10 truths are, the authors believe, fundamental to successful leadership and should form the basis of any leadership development programme. Reflect on the leadership of Air New Zealand over the

past couple of years and you’ll see much of what they suggest in action. Chief executive Rob Fyfe exemplifies most of these truths.

Writing in the Financial Times earlier this year, columnist Michael Skapinker suggested that the purpose of business today is to “win respect”. The relationship between business, all organisations actually, and society must be re-thought.

“There is a deep unease about the way companies have been run and the role they play in communities,” he wrote.

His comment relates to another key finding of NZ Management’s Most Reputable survey. Respondents voted strongly for organisations that they perceived “contributed to the wider community”.

Think leadership development today, and organisations must identify and develop individuals with the vision to understand the importance of community to organisational reputation and acceptance.

Again, as Skapinker pointed out, shareholders’ interests are no longer the only interests boards and management should consider. And profits, while undeniably essential, won’t necessarily buy you love, particularly if they are earned at the community’s expense. Love, or its more prosaic equivalent – reputation, will rate higher in tomorrow’s more communitylinked world.

Enlightened and inspirational leadership is a prerequisite to organisational success. And that means leadership based on good and sustainable behaviours. Not, for example, the kind of leadership that recently led Hewlett Packard’s directors to pay their disgraced CEO Mark Hurd US$28 million in cash and stocks, plus other benefits, to “resign” after violating their ethical conduct code.

As Kouzes and Posner point out, leadership is about seeing problems and accepting personal responsibility for doing something about it. “It is about holding yourself accountable for the actions you take.” That is another consideration for a relevant leadership programme an organisation can take pride in. M Reg Birchfield is a Life Fellow of NZIM.

LEADERS BUILDING LEADERS Our aim is to build management capability through, Research, Learning, and Recognition Our focus is to: • Research leading management trends and practice and promote a constantly developing model of best management capability for New Zealand.

• Enable managers and aspiring managers to participate in learning programmes, mentoring, and events that provide the information and experience they need to develop their capability.

• To identify leading management role models and provide awards that recognise the career and educational achievements of managers.

NATIONAL BOARD PHILLIP MEYER FNZIM (CHAIRMAN) BRIAN SOUTAR AFNZIM GARY STURGESS LIFE FNZIM LLOYD DAVIES FNZIM JOHN SANDFORD FNZIM CHERYL DOIG FNZIM LYNDA CARROLL AFNZIM OFFICES NATIONAL OFFICE Acting CEO PHILLIP MEYER FNZIM Box 67, Wellington 6140 Ph 0-4-473 0470, Fax 0-4-473 0479 Email national_office@nzim.co.nz National website http://www.nzim.co.nz NORTHERN President: JOHN SANDFORD FNZIM CEO: KEVIN GAUNT FNZIM, FAIM Box 6600, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141 Ph 0-9-303 9100, Fax 0-9-303 9109 Email kevin_gaunt@nzimnorthern.co.nz Website www.nzimnorthern.co.nz CENTRAL President: PHILLIP MEYER FNZIM CEO: KARIN CALLAGHAN FNZIM, FIPAA Box 11781, Wellington 6142 Ph 0-4-495 8300, Fax 0-4-495 8301 Email karin_callaghan@nzimcentral.co.nz Website www.nzimcentral.co.nz SOUTHERN President: BRIAN SOUTAR AFNZIM CEO: JOSEPH THOMAS AFNZIM Box 13044, Christchurch 8141 Ph 0-3-379 2302, Fax 0-3-366 7069 Email joseph@nzimsouthern.co.nz Website www.nzimsouthern.co.nz

NZIM FOUNDATION CHAIRPERSON: DAVID MOLONEY FNZIM SECRETARY: JIM THOMSON PO BOX 67 WELLINGTON, PH 0-4-473 0470 NATIONAL_OFFICE@NZIM.CO.NZ

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 15

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW WORLD

NZ as a world-leading

innovator Could Kiwis’ No 8 wire mindset be the very thing that is holding us back from being a world-class centre of innovation and thinking? What does New Zealand need to do to become a global leader in the innovation stakes. Ruth Le Pla sought some answers.

A

s a country, we’re failing to capture our inventive fizz. In the past 12 months a slew of studies has shown we’re fair to middling in the international rankings when it comes to innovation.

Yet we continue to dine out on our number eight wire mentality. We laud the ‘She’ll be right’ hands-on heroes of garage-land. In one breath, we celebrate the good old inventive Kiwi battler. In the next, we fret over our diminishing role in an increasingly globalised world.

So how innovative are we really? And what do we need to do to lift our game as a nation?

Jennifer Moxon, managing director of IBM New Zealand, argues that while New Zealand is a regional force in innovation we could definitely do better.

“New Zealand rightly has a reputation as an innovative nation,” she says.

“Our distance from most of the world’s major markets has encouraged us to come up with creative solutions in fields as diverse as agriculture, manufacturing, education and media production.”

She points out that this year, two major studies ranked New Zealand among the world’s 10 most innovative countries. The Economist Intelligence 18 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

Unit rates economies on their ability to use information and communications technology (ICT) for economic and social benefit. This year’s Digital Economy Rankings rated New Zealand 10th – up one spot from last year..

International business school INSEAD’s third Global Innovation Index rated New Zealand the world’s ninth most innovative country. This makes us the third-highest ranked country in the Asia-Pacific region and well ahead of Australia, which was 18th, says Moxon.

According to INSEAD, New Zealand excels in investment in education, scientific outputs, and its government and regulatory environment.

Moxon believes that New Zealanders should be justifiably proud of these results so far, but there is still room for improvement.

“In particular, we will need to address some systemic issues if we are to maintain our reputation as an innovator – and keep enjoying the economic and social benefits that result.”

WHERE DO WE LOSE OUR WAY? Others point to studies which indicate a disconnect between individual Kiwi innovators – our garage heroes of old – and

an ability to turn that genius into viable, world-class businesses.

Rick Boven, director of The New Zealand Institute, cites the findings of his institute’s report ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Science’. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s chief economist Gareth Chaplin points to ‘Playing to Our Strengths: Creating value for Kiwi firms’, an NZTE-commissioned report by economic researcher Tony Smale.

Both studies, in different ways, show Kiwi inventiveness stumbles at the point where it could be commercialised.

“Our research last year suggests we are second in the world at early-stage initiation,” says Chaplin. “We have lots of very bright ideas and very good entrepreneurs. But we’re 26th out of 36 in this study in terms of execution. We’re fizzing with good ideas. But we can’t execute and we really struggle to move the idea from the lab or the prototype through to successful scale production and market. That’s the problem for our innovation system.”

It seems that the determined ‘do-ityourself ’ attitude behind Kiwi innovation is sometimes the very trait that stymies us economically.

Bob van de Kuilen, principal of Novo

INNOVATION

Management Consulting, reckons the ‘language games’ we play in our workplaces give us away. They strike at the core of who we are as Kiwis and how we see ourselves. He says it’s “distinctively New Zealand” to talk in the workplace about structure and innovation as two opposing forces.

“There’s a sense that people must choose between the two: that structure inhibits innovation.” Adding insult to injury, he says our number eight wire mentality makes us look like something out of an episode of MacGyver.

“What are we saying with this concept? That we don’t have the tools we should have to do a particular job? That what we have is less than optimal so we use something else at hand? It’s saying, ‘I’m not building this to be able to execute something particularly effectively or turn it into a viable proposition. In New Zealand workforces, planning is not a strong capability. So we see a lot of stuff done on the fly.”

Van de Kuilen has been working closely with author and organisational theorist Dr Roy Stager-Jacques to question the relationship between our folk image of ourselves and our place in the world economy. Most importantly, he questions whether in today’s commercial environment a MacGyver- type approach is a source of competitive advantage or a ball and chain around our necks.

GOOD MANAGEMENT He says that if we seriously want to talk about innovation, we need to honestly gauge the quality of New Zealand management skill. “Our management skill is not only derived from American textbooks – which have a totally different context – but also our cultural heritage: our behavioural DNA. So, when we talk about hot topics such as productivity and New Zealand’s lack of it, we shouldn’t look for an easy answer such as increasing capital investment as the silver bullet for fixing this. Productivity is a behavioural issue – and management is the art of getting

We will need to address some systemic issues if we are to maintain our reputation as an innovator.

JENNIFER MOXON NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 19

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW WORLD

We punch above our weight but the rest of the world isn't waiting for us to turn up. We've got to get out there.

CLAYTON KIMPTON

things done through other people. It’s behavioural too.”

What can Kiwi managers do to catch up on this score? Stager-Jacques reckons we can’t, “any more than I could catch up to Sarah Ulmer on a bicycle”. “And do we want to? Do we want to be as affluent as Americans at the expense of working like Americans? Do we want New Zealand to become Singapore or Hong Kong? I don’t think so.

DO WHAT WE DO DO WELL “We need to ask, first, what we as a nation want and, second, what we as a nation can do distinctively well. To do this, we need to stop relying on platitudes like ‘Kiwi ingenuity’ and ‘punching above our weight’.”

Stager-Jacques lists three things that would help us more effectively move into our future. First, he says, we should realistically assess what we do distinctively well, based on a global standard, and why, and then throw our weight behind that. He suggests fashion and film as examples.

Second, at the management level, we must recognise that people’s behaviour is based on feelings, not policies. “The mantra that Bob takes to his clients – ‘management is behavioural’ – is still radically new to most businesses here.

As long as our business common sense dictates that management is based only on strategy, policy, job descriptions, 20 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

personal development plans and contractual relationships, we are working with a 19th-century British model of colonial administration.

“The contemporary model for achieving high performance is based on organisations where employees have a high degree of discretion and the work is fluid, difficult to plan down to the last detail and globally competitive.”

Finally, Stager-Jacques suggests we discover what other countries learnt from industrialism. This, he says, may help us compete more effectively.

“I could quite regularly move a local business forward using principles that were discovered and applied during the systematic management movement in the United States, around 1870-1900.”

Kensington Swan chairman and partner Clayton Kimpton agrees that Kiwis can be very good at finding out what’s wrong and talking over the problem, but not seeking out a solution.

“We punch above our weight but the rest of the world isn’t waiting for us to turn up. We’ve got to get out there.”

NZTE’s Gareth Chaplin believes innovation failure centres around an organisation’s inability to specialise.

“The reasons are around scale, business capability and, in some respects, business culture and aspiration.”

Contrary to popular thinking, Chaplin says, latest McKinsey research shows that most innovation is happening in large mature companies. “We look at the fancy creative companies, but actually a very small number of them get deals away. Most of the innovation is happening in companies that have the ability to specialise, have an R&D func-

tion, employ people for those roles and have robust governance. These tend to be the ones that successfully commercialise their ideas.

“It looks as though the conditions for successful innovation are about how to commercialise and how to derive value in-market from the innovative idea or product.”

That piece of thinking, he concedes, tallies with the findings of the New Zealand Institute’s ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Science’ report. “This is a reasonably well-hoed road. We’re getting good at diagnosing the problem: we’re less good at doing something about it.”

HOW TO BECOME WORLD-CLASS PERFORMERS For its part, the New Zealand Institute’s report came up with five substantial topline changes necessary for New Zealand to achieve world-class performance.

We need to assess market needs earlier; lift the productivity of our science and commercialisation institutions; ensure we have enough talent and expansion capital available; establish a more supportive culture; and manage the innovation ecosystem as a whole.

To Boven, an integrated approach is vital. “I think of it like this,” he says.

“You have an invention. Then you have what I’d describe as commercialisation or business formation or offer formation. And then you have a third stage – if you’re talking about economic success – which is internationalisation. In New Zealand, we are best at invention, less good at commercialisation or offer formation, and not doing that well on internationalisation.

INNOVATION

“The lesson we’ve learnt from ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Science’ is we’re not managing the eco-system as an ecosystem. We’re managing the parts, but not the whole.

“The best analogy I can give is of a large industrial plant. We’ve got the various departments working well and the hand-off between the departments working okay but we don’t have anybody looking across the whole plant.”

This lack of an overview, he says, results in bottlenecks or choke points: primarily around human talent and capital for our internationalising firms. For some time now Boven has been calling for the establishment of an Innovation Council with a mandate to look across the entire eco-system, identify choke points and facilitate resource redeployment to get issues remedied.

He also sees the establishment of a Ministry of Science and Innovation as

a step in the right direction. “But in my view it doesn’t go far enough because it doesn’t bind in the universities.”

Boven struggles with New Zealand’s lack of focus on producing muchneeded talent, suggesting we consider differentiating our universities to enable some to specialise in international entrepreneurship, for example, while others might home in on operational effectiveness.

And he urges further consideration of the advantages of a cluster strategy that encourages organisations to colocate for mutual benefit. “New Zealand scores 56th in the world at the moment on clusters. That’s down from 35th place in 2001 – so we’re going backwards relatively.”

Katherine Corich is the New Zealand-raised founder and director of UK-based knowledge training and information management company

Sysdoc. On the one hand, she maintains her excitement for the “fantastic”, “innovative”, “entrepreneurial” New Zealand approach to business. On the other, she shares Boven’s understanding of a need for a join-the-dots coordinated system.

“We do the number eight wire really well, but we need to look at the whole farm a lot more. It’s not just about me fixing a fence on my own because I’m capable or entrepreneurial enough to figure out a way to do it. There’s a bigger picture. How do I look at the whole farm and what’s my five-year plan for it? How do I do rotation plantations, make sure the soil is well looked after, convert my streams to have full riparian rights and move the cattle out?”

To Corich, it’s about how we can adopt more formal processes without losing our entrepreneurial flair. In her view, “she’ll be right” doesn’t cut it.

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NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 21

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW WORLD

We must get into the race because we don’t want to fall further behind.

RICK BOVEN

IBM’s Jennifer Moxon points out that when, earlier this year, the University of Auckland and IBM published the first Innovation Index of New Zealand, it identified the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry as the nation’s leading innovator.

“This sector, responsible for 54 percent of our total export income, showed innovation almost double the national average,” she says. The study also identified above-average innovation in manufacturing, hospitality and communications services.

“However, innovation and productivity, when measured across all sectors of the New Zealand economy, have plateaued since the early 2000s.” If we want to understand this apparent contradiction, Moxon says we must look at areas where New Zealand performs poorly compared to the rest of the world. These will be the missing ingredients where we need to deliver stronger innovation and sustainable economic growth.

INSEAD’s Global Innovation Index identified three areas where New Zealand lags many countries: technology infrastructure, general infrastructure and business innovation. New Zealand rated 48th in business innovation, for example, compared with Australia’s ranking at 22.

Moxon points the finger at systemic issues in transport infrastructure, util22 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

ity networks and healthcare costs which, she says, are hampering our economy.“The answer in all three cases is to build more intelligence into these systems so they can turn data into information that will lead to greater productivity. For example, traffic congestion in Auckland is estimated to cost $1 billion every year. Rather than widening roads, I believe we can use smart technology to make our existing transport infrastructure more efficient.

“A dynamic road toll system in Stockholm, Sweden, has reduced traffic by 20 percent, decreased wait time by 25 percent and cut emissions by 12 percent. Locally, the New Zealand Transport Agency has implemented intelligent road signs on the state highway network, which give travellers advance warning of road closures, traffic incidents and bad weather. In addition, KiwiRail Network is using smart analytics to improve the maintenance of its rail infrastructure and increase the speed, safety and reliability of our national rail service.

“Our utility networks are also crying out for a smarter solution. Currently up to 10 percent of the energy we generate is wasted, as is nearly 20 percent of our water.”

Moxon says The Netherlands government is trialling smart electricity meters which allow householders in Amsterdam to check their energy usage online. It estimates this system will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 14 percent. “It’s good to see New Zealand’s power distribution companies are also trialling smart meters,” she says.

Today, 20 percent of total New Zealand government expenditure goes

towards healthcare, while preventable ‘adverse events’ cost the national health system almost $600 million every year, she says. Healthcare costs are growing, in real terms and as a proportion of our economy.

She says many governments are finding smarter ways out of this spending spiral. “In Denmark, patients can go online to view their medicine profiles, renew prescriptions, book appointments and have electronic consultations with GPs. This system saves the average Danish doctor 30 hours a week in administrative work.”

A year after the New Zealand Institute released ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Science’, Boven says choke points to innovation retain their hold. “We have a basic technological capability here. We have a labour cost advantage relative to the very wealthy countries and we ought to be able to exploit that to bootstrap ourselves up.”

To Boven’s mind, we must balance a sense of urgency with a need for patience. “We must get into the race because we don’t want to fall further behind. But these things take time, so don’t expect results in two, three or four years. Think more about five, six or seven years.”

On a positive note, he now sees much stronger recognition of how important innovation is to our future.

It’s firmly on the agenda. It’s being discussed. He remains optimistic that, ultimately, New Zealand will rise once again in the innovation rankings. “The obstacles are not insurmountable. If we have the will, we can do it.” M Ruth Le Pla, a former editor of NZ Management, is a freelance business journalist. ruth.lepla@xtra.co.nz

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The grass is greener World firsts in innovation are an everyday event at Fonterra’s Palmerston North research centre, says Brenda Ward.

H

alf of what goes on in the sprawling 10,000 square metre Fonterra Research Centre you won’t have heard about. And some of it you never will.

Secret patents mean Fonterra lowers a cone of silence on a whole wing of its research facilities to prevent competitors from discovering patents and launching rival technologies.

That makes Jeremy Hill’s job hard.

The research centre’s chief technology officer says he’d love to show people the innovations Fonterra is researching in its sealed laboratory, trialling in its pilot plant or testing in its sensory consumer division. But he can’t.

“We have some blockbusters,” is as much as he can reveal about a good part of the work they do. But there are some innovations that have been released and are public knowledge. In fact, one of

Fonterra’s chief technology officer Jeremy Hill.

them is so revered it was immortalised on an NZ Post stamp – spreadable butter, a breakfast-time hit around the world.

Fonterra’s Graeme Gillies in the rheology department.

24 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

And there are others you might see in media reports from time to time – medical advances and new food products – which add up to a major body of research from a centre that develops up to 300 prototypes a year.

Fonterra has quietly become a world leader in dairy research and development, often working in partnership with international joint ventures, like one with Dutch company FrieslandCampina. This pharmaceutical partnership provides much of the world’s lactose utilised to produce excipients used as carriers for the active ingredients in medication. In one example, lactose is being processed into a dry carrier enabling asthma medication to be taken further into the lungs.

These commercial relationships,

A taste of the future Among the Fonterra innovations are: • An award-winning low-salt savoury cheese.

• ReCharge, a nutritional ice cream for chemotherapy patients unable Fonterra’s ReCharge ice cream helps to eat a normal diet, produced in chemotherapy patients. a joint venture with the Auckland University Medical School.

• A crystal clear high protein sports drink developed out of whey protein.

• Whey chips with enhanced protein.

• Culinary cream for the food trade, which doesn’t separate as it heats.

• A dairy product that could save lives by helping prevent rotovirus-related diarrhoea.

• Probiotic yoghurt that alleviates eczema.

• Confectionery bars with reduced fat and sugar content that retain taste.

• A technology that shortens the time spent to make mozzarella cheese from months to hours. The cheese is used in commercial pizzas by Pizza Hut, Dominoes and Hell Pizza.

• Satellite milk concentration plants. Fully automated, they have cut tanker deliveries in some areas by half.

for items as varied as confectionery and products delivering enhanced levels of proteins, drag in millions of export dollars.

There are 350 scientists working on research at the four hectare site near Massey University, 100 with PhDs. Among them are food technologists, scientists and engineers. “It’s a community of world-leading scientific expertise in the commercial area, focused on creating millions of dollars worth of value for the New Zealand economy,” says Hill.

Investment in this centre for innovation is substantial, using machines you’d recognise more from medicine than research: x-ray, MRI and micro CT scan machines, a mass spectrometer and a spectacular confocal microscope that can recreate in 3D the molecular structure of a material.

Applied to dairy advances, these expensive machines analyse the story inside milk powders or explain the effects of different compounds on calcium in bone marrow.

Fonterra’s expertise, says Hill, lies in the marrying of the theories devised in the lab with practical production done in two pilot plants – one itself the size of a smallish dairy factory. “This is what differentiates us,” says Hill. “It’s not just a lab, we test and produce new processes. We call it from ‘PowerPoint to prototype’. We can produce finished dairy products, and we can then test the look, the feel and the sensory characteristics.”

Anne Abraham, head of consumer and sensory science, employs 60 parttime permanent staff members whose sole job is to taste and report on the qualities of the food products in development.

The company is also investing heavily in people, recruiting leading scientists from as far away as Zimbabwe and Iceland as it gathers expertise – and running its own year-long masterate in dairy science through Massey University, a “fast track for talent” that brings students into the business as they study. M

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FACE TO FACE

Rod Drury

Wired to the world

26 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

Technology innovator. CEO of Xero. Director of NZX. On the advisory board for Trade Me and NZ Trade & Enterprise’s Beachheads Programme. Part of the Pacific Fibre project. Husband and father. Is there anything this man cannot do? Brenda Ward finds that Rod Drury does everything ‘automagically’.

R

od Drury has had what he calls “good pay days”. The day he and partner Tony Stewart sold Glazier Systems to Advantage Group was a good pay day. And the day he sold AfterMail to Quest was another one.

And the good days keep coming.

Now, as he steers growing international accounting software firm Xero into another day of growth, every day is a good day because he is doing something he is passionate about. And he’s doing it from a place he’s passionate about.

Drury is talking to me by Skype from

Partners lounge in South Auckland, selling his socks off to a group of business customers. He is a CEO who sells just as passionately as any one of his sales consultants across the globe.

After leaping into many new technologies (sometimes too new) in his previous lives, his latest secret is an overlooked gap in the market – hot technology for small businesses. “In our consumer life, we’ve got really good technology, but not in business.”

Drury claims we’re entering the third generation of small business software.

When you sign up to Xero, the bank’s transactions ‘automagically’ appear, it’s a bit like a game of Tetris. his virtual office in the rural hamlet of Havelock North in Hawke’s Bay, where he and wife Anna are “absolutely loving” being in the provinces. When his three kids come running in, full of chatter, he has to shut the door. When he’s not overseas, this home office is where he will work remotely for most of the week, with a couple of days in the Wellington head office and a day a week in Auckland.

He’s the brains behind Xero, but he also rolls up his sleeves. Earlier the same week he was at a BNZ Business

The first was DOS computers and Lotus 1-2-3, then in the 1990s Microsoft Windows. Now we’re in the cloud. “But none of the really big software providers do anything for small businesses,” says Drury.

He quickly realised the big change was the internet, which fundamentally alters how you do business. He found small business owners were happy to pay a reasonable amount of money to make their lives easier and now has nearly 100 people working in the business around

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FACE TO FACE

His plan is audaciously big. It’s bigger than Xero. It’s about putting together all the technology pieces, so New Zealand could become a whole business network. Ultimately, you could be linked to all the other businesses in New Zealand – or the world. Already the banks are converts, with BNZ as a real supporter, allowing Drury to talk to customers around the country at BNZ Partners centres.

the globe and people in more than 50 countries using the software.

Drury is unashamedly proud of Xero.

“We have the best products in the world, we win global awards, all the big guys are watching us,” he tells the attendees at the gathering of South Auckland businesspeople. “We spoke to a whole lot of businesses and we found out that they all did the same sort of thing every day. What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Check your bank account, have a coffee, go online to see who paid overnight.” People nod.

But people rarely processed the data then. The horror was the catchup later.

More nods.

“So we thought, why don’t we go and get the billing data and put it in there for you? When you sign up to Xero, the bank’s transactions ‘automagically’ appear, it’s a bit like a game of Tetris, you go down the decks, you can write comments, code it, look at matches. The technology’s getting better and better.”

His sales pitch continues: GST changes were a doddle for Xero; Xero talks to your bank and updates your records every day; Xero can send out thousands of invoices at once; there’s a new Xero iPhone app so builders can follow up invoices while they’re on the job; NZ Post is working on virtual mailboxes to send out Xero invoices.

28 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

WORLD LEADERS “We’re leading the world. In New Zealand, Xero and the banks were the first to integrate online banking software into your accounting software. The NZ Post guys have just been to Copenhagen to see what they’re doing there. Our

so we persuaded the partners that we wanted to do software.”

He and Stewart started software development company Glazier Systems in 1995 then sold it to Advantage Group in 1999. Stewart later bought it back and continues to operate it as Intergen.

“A lot of other businesses came from that and I still work with a number of people from the Glazier days,” says Drury. “We got to travel through the US and benchmark ourselves with all the dot.com players over there, but we didn’t have capital to build sales teams and really go for it.”

After the sale of Glazier, Drury cofounded Context Connect and filed patents in the mobile directory space. Context Connect is still based in Boston, Massachusetts, with offices in Wellington.

When I go to the US and UK, it doesn’t matter any more where I come from. It’s about being able to do business from here. vision is that we don’t type in invoices any more.”

For all the salesmanship, Drury categorises himself not as a salesman, nor a CEO. “I’m a bit of a serial entrepreneur. I’ve started a number of businesses and each one builds more networks and capital.”

He started out with accounting firm Arthur Young as a fired-up young IT consultant. “We thought that software was really magical.” In 1989 the firm became Ernst & Young, and he and colleague Tony Stewart developed their skills in the newly merged organisation. “That’s where we learnt our craft through internal entrepreneurship. We wanted to work with things we enjoyed,

The company has developed a portfolio of intellectual property throughout the world focused on private, directorybased connectivity.

Then in the mid-2000s Drury decided he wanted to “build a world-class business in New Zealand” and started AfterMail. It works alongside Exchange (or any other email system) and loads all Enterprise email into a relational database. One of its benefits is providing a Flight Data Recorder for email, something the Microsoft and Enron trials had shown was essential.

It had expanded to nine countries and Drury says he had a choice of seeking venture capital funding or selling the business. Selling the business was the right option, he says. “It was nice getting

a pay day from Quest, and the product won the Best Exchange Product at Microsoft TechEd 2006 in Boston.”

After being part of Quest for a year, Drury went travelling around the world seeing how professional software companies operate. “I wanted to start a public company, building a long-term sustainable business, to be able to raise real money to do real things.”

Business for him has to be enjoyable and challenging and he says he saw Xero as “a whole lot of chess pieces”. “It was a really cool challenge. While it was a whole lot of fun, it was scary too – people can see the numbers. But we have the money to execute strategy.”

Drury sees himself as a part of an interconnected group of entrepreneurs, all bringing different experiences to New Zealand business. “I was on the board of TradeMe. That deal experience we got selling AfterMail helped, and TradeMe sold quickly [to Fairfax] and we got a clean deal. A lot of us know each other and some of the TradeMe people moved with me to Xero and Pacific Fibre. That’s led to David Kirk investing in Xero and he’s on the board. We grow strong business relationships, and keep building the network.”

BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE Working together, New Zealanders have the skills to create global businesses, says Drury.

“When I go to the US and UK, it doesn’t matter any more where I come from. It’s about being able to do business from here. We have Xero customers in 50 countries, and we’ve evolved from an export-focused business to being a global business.”

But a truly global business needs world-class communications and that’s where the Pacific Fibre project to link Australasia to the US started. “There’s a growing digital divide between New Zealand and the rest of the world, but we can close that gap,” he says. “Ultra-fast

broadband drives a lot of outcomes for education, for attracting businesses here, video conferencing around the world. It’s the most fundamental thing that we can do to help this country.

“We knew that the Government wasn’t going to do it. We used our New Zealandness, the capital that we needed to fund it to a certain point, and got really great people involved like Sir Stephen Tindall, Sam Morgan and the others. We’re going to pull it off and it feels really good.”

Drury says large projects are often easier than small ones, and Pacific Fibre has been simpler to put together than Xero. “We have the resources and energy to fix it, so that’s what we’re doing. It’s just good business; we’re helping out so many businesses.”

Whether it’s helping New Zealand business as a whole or making “the horrible accounting jobs easier for people”, projects like these make Drury feel good.

“Pacific Fibre is a great business – that’s what turns me on; it’s not about money, it’s about doing things you really enjoy, connecting New Zealand to the rest of the world and making us more nimble.”

So where to now for Drury, a member of New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame, who’s been the Hi-Tech Entrepreneur of the Year twice and winner of the Kea World Class New Zealander for ICT award in 2008? “I’m really enjoying Xero and we’re only just at the end of the beginning really. We’ve got a bestin-class product and the next phase is moving the goalposts. My goal is to get a billion-dollar company out of New Zealand. I’m hoping this is my last role.

“A lot of businesses have started up on the back of Xero, software companies, special applications – that’s a healthy and positive thing to see people make money out of our product. Now we’re starting to get viral, we’re seen as being best in class. I want to prove that we can build globally significant companies in New Zealand using our brains.” M

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EEO TRUST AWARDS

Get life into work Business, staff and families all benefit from workplace diversity initiatives, says EEO Trust CEO Philippa Reed.

Brenda Ward spoke to her about New Zealand’s top workplace performers.

The winning workplaces The winners and highly commended from EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2010 were: Work & Life/Diversity Initiative Award and Supreme Award Winner: The Warehouse.

Highly Commended: Chapman Tripp.

Workplace Work & Life Award Winner: ANZ New Zealand.

Highly Commended: Microsoft New Zealand.

Skills Highway Award Winner: Liddell Contracting.

Highly Commended: Canterbury Spinners, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, New Zealand Army.

Tomorrow’s Workforce Award Winner: OMEGA. Walk the Talk Award Winner: Henare Clarke, Downer New Zealand.

There was no winner in the Workplace Diversity section.

30 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

S

taff engagement translates into overall business performance, and this is proven by the success stories of winners from this year’s EEO Trust Work & Life Awards, says CEO Philippa Reed.

She says the awards are not just a feel-good celebration, but show that workplace initiatives do add to the bottom line of an organisation.

“As part of the review process, we consider both quantitative and qualitative criteria, and as judges we see commercial data companies would not publish,” Reed said on the eve of the trust’s annual Work & Life Awards dinner at the Auckland Museum on October 28. That data proves a strong link between engagement, a positive workplace culture and commercial success, she says.

“The winner, The Warehouse distribution division, is an example of how a business has to be judged not just on its entry, but on the sense of engagement of people across different parts of the organisation,” says Reed. “This was really exemplified there.”

The Warehouse won the Supreme Award for its fathering initiative, which became a booklet available in stores for Father’s Day (see box, right).

“When I went there, they were welcoming, friendly, and people were able to engage around complex personal family issues. The entry was well documented

and the evidence they gave, plus a sense of how it works, walking around, showed it has helped lift the performance of that business.”

EEO diversity practices include hiring based on merit, fairness at work, flexible working options and promotion based on talent. They relate to all aspects of employment including recruitment, pay and other rewards, career development and work conditions.

Since the EEO Trust was formed in 1992, there have been colossal changes in the way our working lives mesh with the rest of our lives, says Reed.

“Our role isn’t just about raising awareness of our incredibly diverse workforce, but all the challenges of working in that workforce – where there are more women working, the challenges of older and younger people, ethnic diversity and more immigrants in our workforce.

“We are still meeting challenges and adapting. There has been a very 20th century approach to working and living, and organisations are still being forced to adapt and change to the challenges that are going on. That’s what the awards are about.”

She says the awards have been through different phases, starting out as the “Work and Family Awards”.

“They have evolved as we’ve moved away from that emphasis, to looking at

SUPREME WINNER

Dads do it better Parenting workshops have encouraged The Warehouse workers to become better dads.

As a result of on-site parenting workshops held during work time, team members at The Warehouse distribution centres are now better parents and better connected with each other in an initiative that won the company the Supreme Award at the EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2010.

When it was looking for common elements amongst its diverse workforce, The Warehouse noted that one thing most men share is the experience of being a father.

Building on a strong family culture in its distribution centres, the company offered pilot parenting workshops developed by the Ministry of Social Development parenting project, SKIP (Strategies for Kids, Information for Parents) to male team members at its South Auckland distribution centre in 2008.

Eighty men attended the hour-long workshops during working time. They included fathers, grandfathers, uncles, intending fathers and men who wanted to share their experience of being a son.

SKIP provided practical parenting knowledge and skills based on non-physical discipline. The SKIP messages focus on what children need to be happy, such as love and warmth, limits and boundaries, and talking and listening.

To take the initiative a step further, a booklet, DIY Father – take time to be a dad, was published, featuring photos of some of the men and their children, as well as their comments about what it’s like to be a father. For example, one man said, “I promised myself I’d do it differently when I had kids, not miss out like my dad did with me.”

DIY Father was given away at The Warehouse stores on Father’s Day in 2008 and used at follow-up parenting sessions in the distribution centres in 2009. These sessions were so well received, that it prompted the female team members to ask for similar workshops.

More than 60 women attended the workshops last June and a similar booklet called Love being a Mum, it’s worth every moment! was published and distributed throughout The Warehouse stores on Mother’s Day. HR manager Kirsty Wooding says the distribution centres, which employ 270 people at four locations around the country, already had high team member retention and productivity, but wanted to build on the manager/team member relationships to grow a stronger sense of community.

“We have a predominantly European management team leading a diverse, multicultural, predominantly Maori and Pacific workforce,” she says. “There was poor understanding of each other; we needed to know what made each other tick, understand where we came from and how to further support and grow our people and our operation.”

Bringing team members and managers together to share their experiences of parenting was a critical element of the workshops.

The Warehouse’s initiative for dads won the distribution division the Supreme Award at the EEO Trust Work & Life Awards.

As one participant writes, “It’s nice to know that I can speak to my supervisor about my daughter… we’re all experiencing the same things.”

Wooding says the workshops were also a way to show team members that they were valued, by providing parenting tools and information at a time and place that suited them.

EEO Trust Work & Life Awards judge Chris Meade was particularly impressed that the workshops were offered during working hours.

Another judge, Dave Belesky, said The Warehouse project showed innovative thinking that took account of the whole person. “Team members have a family life outside work and that impacts on who they are when they come to work.”

As well as supporting local families and communities, the distribution centres experienced substantial business benefits from the parenting project. Overall, engagement scores went from 77.5 in 2008 to 88.9 in 2010 for the South Auckland distribution centre, a much bigger increase than across the wider organisation. Productivity also improved and absenteeism has decreased by almost two days per full-time equivalent staff member since 2008.

But this is only part of the story. “By trying something different, we’ve seen attitude changes to parenting amongst managers and team members alike,” says Wooding. “Typically we’ve supported the community with fundraising activities, but working with SKIP was a way to focus on our own community.”

One mother said, “Sharing thoughts really helped, how to be patient, looking after them and how to resolve issues... It’s like one big family here.” A father said, “I learned that if you want to keep your kids safe, make friends with them, talk to them.”

The Warehouse plans to extend the workshops to other team members at other distribution centres and its Store Support Office, and is working with SKIP to produce a toolkit for other employers.

“We’ll share what we’ve learnt: where to start, how to get buyin, and what the long-term bottom-line returns are,” says Wooding.

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 31

EEO TRUST AWARDS

ANZ a real sport ANZ’s flexible working arrangements helped Black Sticks’ Kyle Pontifex reach his goals.

PHOTOGRAPH: PHOTOSPORT

WORKPLACE WORK & LIFE AWARD

Systems engineer Kyle Pontifex is a striking example of how a flexible working approach allows staff to progress both a sporting and a business career.

Pontifex is goalkeeper for the Black Sticks New Zealand hockey team and thanks to his employer’s approach to flexibility, the double Kyle Pontifex’s goals cover both Olympian has been able to juggle his work and hockey and his career. his sporting career.

Pontifex’s example helped ANZ win the Workplace Work & Life Award by aiming to change people’s thinking about flexibility at all levels of the business.

Under the bank’s My Flexibility policy, launched in mid-2008, Pontifex has made use of options such as flexible working locations and flexible start and finish times so he can fit in practices, and special leave, including 12 months of leave without pay while he played professionally in Europe.

“It’s really important to me to continue my career progression while competing at an international level,” says Pontifex. “When I retire from international hockey, rather than starting with no work experience, I’ll be well-placed to continue my professional development.”

The bank’s My Flexibility policy applies to ANZ New Zealand’s 9000 employees “irrespective of how long they’ve worked for us and not just those with caring responsibilities”, says HR consultant Anna McCready.

Esther Consedine, organisational development consultant, ANZ New Zealand, says: “We worked hard to highlight that flexibility was about the results for employees and not about people being at their desk at certain hours.”

Parental leave return rates have increased and now 83 percent of employees who return from parental leave stay for more than 12 months, well above the bank’s target of 50 percent. Sick leave, absenteeism and turnover have all decreased and the average length of staff service is now eight years.

Judge Paul Hellyer says: “It’s not just for staff in positions where it’s relatively easy to offer; the business tries to make it work for everyone.”

how organisations are adapting to meet the new challenges of managing their businesses in a very difficult time. It’s about meeting the needs of their workforces, both financial and social, with a crossover into family needs.”

As society changes, we need different patterns and different ways of accommodating our lives at work and our lives outside work, she says.

The trust believes an inclusive and tolerant workplace motivates employees to perform to the best of their ability, 32 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

promoting understanding between people to create a stronger and more focused team.

It aims to help people balance their lives outside work with their responsibilities at work so they can be focused and creative. The awards celebrate organisations that embody these traits.

Reed says the trust wondered whether the global financial meltdown that hit businesses last year would affect the number and quality of entries, but that worry was unfounded.

“I don’t think the financial situation has affected the number of entries, which h were slightly down on the previous year w – but last year was a record year. The ffeedback we had from some companies was more that people didn’t have the w ttime and resources to prepare the entry tthat they wanted to.”

The Christchurch earthquake also aaffected some South Island entries in the llate stages of the process.

But entering the awards alone can be a positive experience for workplace b cculture, says Reed.

“Every organisation that enters says tthat it makes them aware of what good iinitiatives they do have. Entrants report a morale boost and say it puts the focus on the very concrete business benefits o aand people benefits of the initiatives.

IIt’s about taking stock, taking time to rreflect.”

There were 44 entries for this year’s awards, with the largest category being a the t Skills Highway Award, for workplace literacy and numeracy programmes. It is l sponsored by the Department of Labour, s which has run workshops on how to w enter – and that showed, says Reed. e Judging is complicated by awardwinners not being announced until the w awards dinner. “There is a challenge in a doing the preparation, interviewing, d seeking photographs and doing backs ground material without letting on, but g it i adds to the excitement on the night.”

Very often it’s not about the values statements that you see on the wall of a s business, says Reed. “It’s about how it’s b exemplifi ed in people’s behaviour. You e can watch the interaction between staff, between managers and staff, and how a CEO engages with people and that is a much better measure of the success of the initiative.”

Joining Reed on the judging panel this year were Paul Hellyer of IBM, David Stewart of the EEO Trust Board and Te Hopai Trust, Chris Mead of Downer (last year’s Skills Highway Award winner), Alison Quesnel of Blackmores and David Belesky of the Ministry of Social Development. M

WORKPLACE WORK & LIFE AWARD – HIGHLY COMMENDED

Microsoft as a Kiwi company Global software company Microsoft’s local subsidiary ensures that its culture reflects Kiwi workplace values.

Microsoft is known to most of us, but its 150-strong New Zealand company aims to maintain a “local employee experience”, says HR director Sally Doherty.

“It could be so easy to rest on the coattails of your parent company and hope that the corporate culture lands in your respective country,” she says. But Microsoft New Zealand (MSNZ) has invested time, energy and thought leadership into creating a local culture that will attract and retain the best employees. The approach has resulted in the company being Highly Commended in the Workplace Work & Life section of the EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2010.

A large part of Microsoft’s Kiwi culture is a flexible working policy for those who wish to work part-time, flexible hours or job-share.

“Employees are given the flexibility to work from home and can take time out during the day to go to the gym, watch their child play or simply leave at 3pm to pick their children up from school,” says Doherty.

“Some employees choose to come in later in the morning, some leave work earlier and others choose to work from home. Flexible working is

not just for parents, and the options are endless.”

Aucklander Kimarie Ramdhari, a licensing specialist, is one of those on the global Microsoft Academy for College Hires development programme. She is enjoying seminars to foster collaboration, workshops Kimarie Ramdhari, a licensing on business practice, career specialist, is on the global Microsoft coaching and the like.

Academy for College Hires development programme.

“I’ve honed my soft skills but most importantly, I’ve learned how to manage my time and prioritise responsibilities.”

Thanks to the supportive culture, staff turnover at Microsoft is low; the majority of people who leave transfer to overseas roles.

EEO Trust Work & Life Awards judge Philippa Reed says that on her visit to Microsoft, employees from throughout the organisation gave examples on how flexibility makes their lives easier. “Microsoft obviously has access to technology that enables flexibility but its workplace culture and attitude actually support and promote flexibility.”

TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE AWARD

Chances for new Kiwis Mentoring partnerships between Kiwi professionals and new migrants benefit both sides – and NZ Inc. Tomorrow’s workforce will be determined by what we do today, says Justin Treagus. He’s the CEO of OMEGA (Opportunities for Migrant Employment in Greater Auckland), whose mentoring programme is channelling skilled migrant talent into New Zealand companies.

To capitalise on his 16 years in IT in the Philippines, Ben Lim, right, was matched with mentor Scott Lord of Zintel Communications in Auckland.

The programme links recently arrived skilled migrants who are underemployed or jobless and professionals with similar skills and industry knowledge.

The idea is that mentors provide one-on-one support, advice and local knowledge to build migrants’ New Zealand job-search capability and confidence. The payback for the mentors is the chance to extend their leadership and coaching skills.

Although the New Zealand skills shortage is well documented, far too many migrants are struggling to get over the hurdle of lack of local experience. As document controller and former mentee Jonathan ‘Woody’ Ramirez puts it, “Getting a visa in the Philippines is not landing a job in New Zealand.”

As Treagus points out, nearly half of all skilled migrants to New Zealand are inactive, unemployed or in jobs for which they are overqualified – and that’s a lot of people given that 37 percent of Auckland residents are immigrants.

“It also accounts for the foreign lawyers and engineers cleaning and driving taxis, and amounts to an incredible waste of talent,” he says. OMEGA, based on a Canadian model, takes applications from internationally trained, professional immigrants who wish to work in non-regulated sectors. They undergo a thorough screening and interview process.

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 33

EXPORTING

New frontiers in

the Gulf New Zealand companies need to look at the United Arab Emirates as an export destination, say Richard Cathie and Mark Brown.

F

or those who have not visited the country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is likely to be an unknown quantity – similar to an Arabian epic novel of noble men in flowing robes, picturesque desert and perhaps the odd camel.

For those who have cursory knowledge of the UAE, its significant oil and gas reserves and Dubai’s recent debt troubles may be the first matters that come to mind. Whatever camp they fall in, New Zealand businesses looking for new markets may not get too excited about either the grand fiction or the narrow view of the UAE. But New Zealand business should get excited. The UAE is a country on a massive development path that has every intention of becoming an economy of importance.

With the recent announcement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully, that New Zealand is to open an embassy in the United Arab Emirates it would appear the New Zealand Government agrees. The announcement follows the trade delegation to the UAE in April this year, one of the largest trade missions ever sent from New Zealand to any country.

Trade statistics certainly support the

34 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

case for the new embassy. According to Statistics NZ’s “Global New Zealand – International Trade, Investment, and Travel Profile”, exports of goods to the UAE increased 140 percent between 2005 and 2009 and the UAE went from our 29th to 21st largest export market. Indeed, of the top 21 countries that New Zealand exports to, as at 31 December 2009, the UAE, Hong Kong and Taiwan were the only countries that do not have representation at an embassy or, for Commonwealth countries, high commission level.

So where do the export opportunities lie? The answer to that question is, in short, ‘it depends’.

The UAE is a federation of seven Emirates governed by its 1971 Constitution. The Constitution divides power between the Federal and Emirate governments leaving each Emirate wide scope to operate its economy. Consequently, the economic focus of each Emirate is different. A comparison of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the two largest economies, provides an illustration.

Abu Dhabi has outlined its economic blueprint in a policy document – Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 (imagine starting with a blank piece of paper and then detailing the creation of an economy

from the beginning with sufficient budget to fulfil every ambition).

One focus of future economic growth is on promoting industries that have high barriers to entry. With 90 percent of the UAE’s oil and gas wealth it can afford to invest where most other countries cannot. For example, it is investing US$10 billion in creating an aerospace manufacturing facility and US$3.4 billion in establishing a global high-tech semi-conductor business.

Abu Dhabi is also spending more than $500 billion on construction projects – building everything from a railway system, roads, and power plants to commercial and residential dwellings.

In comparison, Dubai has focused on tourism, finance and logistics, its unofficial goal to become both the Hong Kong and Singapore of the Middle East/North Africa region. Dubai’s success with tourism is the biggest advertisement for the UAE’s economic growth – many will know of or have flown with Emirates Airlines, the Dubai-owned carrier, sponsor of a myriad of sports teams and one of the few airlines to have generated a significant profit during the global downturn.

Dubai also owns the third largest ports terminal operator (DP World) and its

The city centre of Abu Dhabi is a busy commercial hub. The UAE is a country on a massive development path that has every intention of becoming an economy of importance.

airport is now the fourth busiest international airport in the world with plans to increase capacity to 160 million passengers over the next growth period. Contrast this to Heathrow, the current busiest with 66 million passengers in 2009. This growth has occurred from a practically nil base since the early 1980s. While Dubai’s much publicised debt concerns are a matter of worldwide record, internally it is viewed as a speed bump (albeit a significant one) on the path of economic growth.

These descriptions of the two largest Emirates illustrate the size of opportunity in the UAE. Yes, the numbers are very large, but New Zealand exporters are used to exporting to large and complex markets, for example, the US or more recently China.

The entire country is capacity building at a micro and macro level – so if your business has goods or services that can contribute then it should find a market here.

To date, New Zealand’s exports to the UAE have been from our traditional strengths where comparative advantage lies. Primary products constituted 84 percent of the exports in 2009. Milk powder exports, comprising almost 50 percent, increased 115 percent between 2008 and 2009 alone. With continuing UAE economic growth and good management by

the existing exporters further increases will no doubt continue.

However, Kensington Swan, which has been operating in the region for the past six years and opened its Abu Dhabi office in January this year, sees niche opportunities on a regular basis. For example: • Water conservation is a crucial issue as fresh water reserves are being depleted, problems of overuse occur and the country needs to rely on desalination and recycling.

• Farming is promoted by the government but occurs in a desert environment.

Accordingly, it requires expertise to assist with the promotion of farming in a more sustainable way.

• The Federal government has introduced new energy-efficiency standards which will require a substantial upgrade to airconditioning systems.

• New Zealand wine is greatly underrepresented in the hotels, which are permitted to sell alcohol in all of the Emirates except Sharjah.

Thus far, the export of New Zealand education services to the Gulf market has been a big success story.

To add some trans-Tasman rivalry into the mix – the Australians are here (they opened their embassy in Abu Dhabi

10 years ago), and in force. There are a number of Australian organisations and exports that are highly visible – from the writers’ casual observations. Australian beef is cheaper and more visible than New Zealand beef in supermarkets. Combine this with plenty of expats working in influential positions in government SOEs, Australians have become highly regarded.

Such is the opportunity, we would expect more New Zealand organisations to consider the UAE as an export destination. Indeed the opening of our embassy in Abu Dhabi may be a precursor to more New Zealand firms looking to do good business in the region.

Of course, there are particular issues a business must face before entering the UAE market and without thorough market research there can be challenges.

Understanding the challenges is vital for New Zealand firms hoping for economic success in the UAE and broader Middle East region. For those New Zealand businesses seeking adventure it’s never too early to start writing the first chapter in their Arabian novel. M Richard Cathie is a senior consultant and Mark Brown is an associate based in Kensington Swan’s Abu Dhabi branch. www.kensingtonswan.ae

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 35

EXECUTIVE DRIVER

Lease business booming As trading conditions remain unstable, more companies are turning to car leases – and they’re buying smaller cars.

O

f all the vehicles purchased

by New Zealand companies, around 40 percent are leased, but those involved in the industry are expecting business to boom as companies place more emphasis on effective use of capital.

In the US, more than 70 percent of business vehicles are leased, says Mitchel Booth, general manager for New Zealand of GE Capital’s fleet and equipment finance wing, so he believes there’s room to grow.

“Capital is precious, so businesses are looking for fleet efficiencies, in an attempt to drive down costs and focus on life-cycle management.”

Since the worst of the recession, the car industry has experienced a noticeable upswing, with Land Transport New Zealand figures showing new car registrations in the year to August 2010 up 13.8 percent on the same period in 2009.

While still behind new car registrations for 2007 and 2008, this shows a positive movement over last year.

Booth says since economic conditions have tightened, there has been a significant upturn in leasing activity as businesses gained more confidence.

“However we believe there may still be companies suffering from The Suzuki Swift.

36 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

the recent economic conditions, especially in light of the continuing issues in Europe.

“Throughout the recent economic downturn, many companies were more interested in having the flexibility of extending terms on their leases and reducing rentals than going to market. However 2010 has seen a shift in this stance with Custom Fleet participating in a number of new tender opportunities.”

He says the benefits of leasing over buying include that there is no capital outlay, just a monthly lease rate at a fixed rate that’s easy to budget for, no ownership risks, one monthly tax invoice for all vehicle-related costs, and often taxdeductible payments.

One side effect of the falling fortunes of many movers and shakers has been an increase in smart European cars ending up at auctions for a fraction of their usual cost.

At a recent Turners prestige car auction, the list read like the ‘who’s who’ of luxury motoring, says Graham Roberts of Turners.

While company owners may be tightening their belts and divesting themselves of high-value vehicles, in the fleet

Mitchel Booth.

market there is also a continuing trend toward smaller vehicles, says Booth.

“This started when fuel prices increased and the urgency grew for businesses to become more sustainable, though this was placed on hold at the onset of the global financial crisis in favour of reducing costs.

“While there is a strong shift away from large cars to medium and small, new engine technologies and pricing mean that the Commodore and Falcon still have a place in the New Zealand fleet,” says Booth.

Whilst Toyota Corolla still holds the top spot, closely followed by the Mazda 3, he says the company has noticed an increased interest in the Suzuki Swift in the small car space.

While the Government continues to deliberate on its strategy, the industry is not currently seeing a huge resurgence in the ‘green’ theme, he says.

“Should legislation be introduced to require offsetting for emissions, we believe this interest will again increase.”

And the CEOs favourite car? “European models are definitely in this group, along with the higher-spec SUV models.” M

How Custom Fleet caught the New Zealand Police.

With more than 3,000 vehicles, the New Zealand Police has one of the largest fleets in the country.

So when the management of this substantial fleet was put out to tender, Custom Fleet was able to successfully demonstrate outstanding fleet management capabilities. As a result, Custom Fleet will now be providing New Zealand Police with total fleet management services until 2017.

As Stan Pope, National Manager for Procurement at New Zealand Police explains, “We’ve found that Custom Fleet has been able to simplify the process, save us money and reduce our risk. They are able to do this while also managing the more than 60 contractual supplier relationships that exist to provide our nationwide service agent network.”

In New Zealand, we manage the fleets of nearly 3,000 businesses, including more than 40 of the top 100 companies*. As part of GE Capital, we are one of the world’s leading financial services and fleet management companies.

If you’re looking for a company with the experience and expertise to develop an integrated fleet management service, call Custom Fleet on 0800 4 LEASING (0800 453 274) or visit customfleet.co.nz

* Top 100 companies sourced from Kompass Business Directory at 21 September 2010.

BCG2 GEC0009/Police

VOICE / SOCIAL MEDIA

Personal space invaders Social media may start as an in-house social chat room, but it can turn into an amazing corporate tool, says Louise Denver.

Brenda Ward talked to the corporate networking expert.

S

ocial media isn’t necessarily about going to a particular place. It’s more about coming together, says Louise Denver, the director of corporate affairs and communications for Deloitte Australia.

Denver is a social media expert who will be in Auckland to speak at Social Media Junction, a conference in Auckland on November 16 and 17.

She says networking through emails, blogs, wikis, web, video and photo sites is about connecting in a “new, more equal and progressive way”.

“To be ‘best able to connect’ means to move away from a destination mindset and toward a distribution mindset, to be where people are and to participate in a way that speaks to them directly.”

What employees say A Deloitte Touche LLP survey in the US last year showed that: • 74 percent of surveyed employees say it’s easy to damage a company’s reputation on social media.

• However, only 22 percent of companies surveyed have formal social media policies.

• 61 percent of employees said that, even if their employers were monitoring their social networking sites, they wouldn’t change what they were doing online.

• 49 percent said a company policy wouldn’t change how they behave online.

38 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

To do that, says Denver, it means being in people’s personal environments – Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin, or Twitter.

Deloitte Australia embraced social media in a number of innovative ways, says Denver.

Towards the end of 2008, the firm’s innovation team discovered Yammer.com.

“We signed on to what has since become the best in-house sandpit available to shape, value and develop a way of being relevant to the firm as a whole.”

Like many ‘new ideas’, social media had its own tipping point, says Denver.

It occurred in Deloitte Australia when the Deloitte Digital CEO Peter Williams put out a voicemail for staff to sign up to Yammer and come up with videos and tag lines for a new advertising campaign, kknown within Deloitte Australia as the Green Dot campaign.

G Williams, says Denver, is a maverick aaccountant with a presentation style akin tto Gordon Ramsey, and is consistently vvoted one of the most inspiring partners iin the firm.

“Pete’s voicemail and the subsequent iinput from the CEO and the chief marketiing officer triggered more than a thousand new members of Deloitte Australia to join n Yammer, form 38 groups and create 1184 Y original concepts, including videos.” o Yammer is now the firm’s microb blogging tool of choice and is used for kknowledge sharing.

“It first started as a bit of an in-house ssocial chat room,” says Denver. “But it w wasn’t long before the imperatives of doing b business seeped into the conversation and tthe teams started to pose questions and

Louise Denver.

solve problems. It has proved to be a great way to seek input, test ideas and gather feedback quickly.”

Yammer quickly gained momentum and today more than 60 percent of Deloitte Australia’s 5000 staff have signed up.

She accepts not every corporate will embrace the technology immediately. “It is a challenge for a corporate to get comfortable with the potential anarchy of social media. To be able to balance permission to speak out and reach out to each other and to clients in a rich online channel, with all the associated risks, isn’t easy.”

To control how the technology is used, Deloitte Australia defaulted to one of its seven key values, ‘empower and trust’, says Denver.

“The counsel given to employees is to understand the difference between the personal and the professional, to be open, honest and respectful, and as professionals, to be responsible for both their own, and the company’s, reputation.” M • www.socialmediajunction.co.nz

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

GUIDE

NOVEMBER 2010 E D U C AT I O N & P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E LO P M E N T P R O G R A M M E S

Working in the real world Professional development courses are now available in subjects as varied as winning at office politics, how to be an entrepreneur, or overcoming a phobia of public speaking.

Brenda Ward reports.

I

f you can learn about being a manager, why shouldn’t you also learn about being a fantastic public speaker – or how to manipulate the media. These are just a few of the

courses available around the country.

When asked to describe office politics, most people come up with a long list of negatives, says Louisa Walker, who teaches a two-day course

in office politics at The Centre for Continuing Education at The University of Auckland.

“There are power plays, gossip, competition, backstabbing, hidden agendas, and outright sabotage,” she says.

Seeking power has become considered ‘shady’ and intrinsically immoral.

“But it is possible to harness power in the service of higher goals,” says Walker.

“It is an important responsibility to learn to gain and use personal political NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 39

power as a means to positive and principled ends.”

She says in any organisation, office politics really refers to the informal ways that things get done and her course teaches business people how to work within that structure.

For more information about Walker’s course, contact Anne Cave on 09 373 7599 ext 89541 or email a.cave@auckland.ac.nz.

THE NEW ZEALAND educational system is ill-suited to producing the entrepreneurs the country so desperately needs, according to business development adviser and author, Daniel Batten.

Batten, who runs a seminar series for business start-ups, says: “Most SME business people I come across do not suffer from a lack of information, but lack of application, and they still try to solve their business’ most challenging problems by getting more information.

“Yet maybe they should trust that they already have a wealth of knowledge that they just don’t use, and look instead to what they can apply, that they currently don’t?’

His seminars focus on topics such as entrepreneurial influence and aim to explain the communication mistakes that entrepreneurs make that slow down their business results. For upcoming seminars see www.beyondtheceiling.com.

WHAT’S YOUR REACTION when a journalist calls? Do you immediately experience shallow breathing, does your adrenaline start pumping and do you imagine yourself like a possum in the headlights when put under the media spotlight? Or do you calmly run through your check-list on how you need to prepare for an interview and what you want to say? Suzanne McNamara of Convergence Communications runs the University of Auckland Business School’s short course on media training and says many people fear the media, whether it’s being misquoted or they are just nervous at the thought of being recorded on camera. “The good news is there are media training courses with a range of techniques designed 40 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

It’s natural to be nervous about public speaking, says Write's Diana Burns.

specifically to help you gain the confidence you need to represent you and your company well.”

To find out more visit www.conv. co.nz, or contact Convergence Communications on 09 638 8331.

MANY PEOPLE SUFFER from CDD, ‘confidence deficit disorder’, or from glossophobia (a fear of public speaking), says Sally Mabelle, president of the National Speakers Association of New Zealand. But it can be cured.

Mabelle, who teaches short courses at the Centre for Continuing Education at The University of Auckland, says there are two basic emotions that keep us from being confident and connected.

“The first is shame. Were you ever told you weren’t good enough, you shouldn’t be a ‘tall poppy’ or a ‘skite’, or a ‘showoff ’? We learned to pull our head in and to not risk looking the fool.

“The other is arrogance. Did you ever feel that you were just a little bit better than other people, a bit less than everyone or a bit more than everyone else? Ideally we want to be right in the middle.”

There are some very basic things people can do to counteract the fears and Mabelle runs through them in her

courses. For more information, call Anne Cave on 373 7599 ext 89541.

NO MATTER WHO you are, you will almost certainly need to deliver a speech at some time in your life. Good speeches are all about knowing how to connect strongly with your audience, says Diana Burns of Write.

“It’s after lunch on Friday – you’ve been given the speaker’s death spot. How on earth are you going to engage people who seem to be sleepy, restless, or already thinking of their flight home at 4pm?”

It’s natural to be nervous about making a speech, says Burns, but learning some key skills in speech writing and delivery will help the nerves to disappear.

“You certainly won’t connect with your audience by inundating them with dense facts and figures. Yet that’s precisely what many speakers do.

“The people listening to you need a reason to listen to you. What’s in it for them? What benefit will they receive from giving you their attention?”

Diana Burns is delivering a workshop on speechwriting at The Centre for Continuing Education at the University of Auckland on November 19. For more information call Anne Cave on 09 373 7599 ext 89541 or email a.cave@auckland.ac.nz..

CONFERENZ / BRIGHT*STAR CONFERENCES & TRAINING Conferenz and Bright*Star are NZ’s largest and most respected conference and training company brands. We have been providing conferences and training for NZ’s corporates and public sector for almost 30 years.

Owned by Steve Scott, Conferenz and Bright*Star are proudly NZ-owned and operated. We are also proud to play a significant part in the NZ community through our charitable, environmental and sustainable initiatives.

Our goal is to provide your staff with high level, skill based training to help NZ organisations develop world class performance and best practice methodologies in business.

For a full list of training available please visit: www.conferenz.co.nz/training PO Box 31 506, Auckland 51 Apollo Drive, North Harbour, Auckland Email: register@conferenz.co.nz Website: www.conferenz.co.nz Ph: 09 912 3616, Fax: 09 912 3617

KEY PERSONNEL • Steve Scott (Owner/Managing Director), steve@conferenz.co.nz • Michael Earley (Business Manager – Training), 027 448 2780, mike@conferenz.co.nz • Mia Yee (Training Manager), mia@conferenz.co.nz

AMENITIES

Project Management Essentials

All training courses are offered in CBD locations, close to main transport hubs and accommodation facilities. Our courses are also available for in house training, on site for larger groups.

SUITABLE FOR: If you are involved in any kind of project, then this course is for you. If you operate in a project based industry, are a Project Manager, Team Leader, Marketing Manager, Technical Manager, Member of a Project Office or want to become a Project Manager, this is a must-attend.

COST: $1795-$2095 + GST DURATION: 2-day short course 1-2 November, Wellington; 1-2 June, Auckland; 2829 June, Wellington SPACES AVAILABLE: 25 max.

KEY TUTOR: Rod Gill FORMAT: The emphasis is on a practical, easy-tofollow process rather than a rigorous theoretical approach. This intensive two-day training programme will combine tutorial sessions with practical examples and course workbooks will be detailed so that participants can duplicate what is demonstrated at the seminar, back at their workplace.

DESCRIPTION: Including latest international trends and best practices in project management and for using MS Project.

This seminar has been designed to provide participants with an intensive two-day introduction to project management tools, techniques and methodologies. You will be taken through a project life cycle from project initiation to the close-out stage, with practical exercises reinforcing learning throughout.

COURSES Finance for Non Financial Managers / Managing the Numbers: Financial Skills for Non Financial Managers SUITABLE FOR: All managers with limited financial experience wanting to upskill.

COST: $1795-$2095 + GST DURATION: 2-day short course: 10-11 November, Auckland; 15-16 November, Wellington; 28 February-1 March, Auckland; 22-23 March, Wellington; 28-29 June, Auckland; 23-24 June, Wellington SPACES AVAILABLE: 25 max KEY TUTORS: Susan Hansen, Kevin Lee FORMAT: Interactive mix of tutorial and case studies DESCRIPTION: Finance for the Non Financial Manager is an in-depth and practical two-day course that demystifies financial concepts and provides tools for enhancing your effectiveness as a manager who is not left out of the game where financial data and interpretation is concerned.

The course covers fundamental issues within the accounting process in straightforward terms and explores the driving factors behind financial information in a way that will help you use your figures more profitably in the workplace.

Continued on page 42

With 150 executive training courses on offer, we have training to suit all professional development requirements

y r an o f ay h nd p d Marc re a r an iste efo Reg bruary urse b and Fe ng co 16th i r train cembe De ice ll pr u f he off t

0 0 3 $ E V SA Visit our Training Calendar to see our full range www.conferenz.co.nz

Management_Magazine.indd 1

NOVEMBER 2010

4/10/10 3:23:55 PM | 41 | management.co.nz

Conferenz / Bright*Star continued from page 41

Management Skills for New Managers SUITABLE FOR: All new managers, or managers wanting to improve their management skills.

COST: $1795-$2095 + GST DURATION: 2-day short course 7-8 March, Auckland; 21-22 March, Wellington KEY TUTOR: Elaine McMeeking DESCRIPTION: Management Skills for New Managers offers immediately applicable, practical training on the crucial areas of people, project and time management. It aims to give new team leaders, supervisors and line managers the skills they need to improve their management styles. The course’s emphasis is on building high achieving teams, dealing with an increased workload and developing the assertiveness and confidence necessary to be a competent business manager.

practical exercises and personality case studies throughout, allowing participants to gain first-hand experience of assertiveness skills and techniques for increased confidence.

DESCRIPTION: Achieving successful working relationships with colleagues is not always easy.

Many people fall into the trap of aggressive behaviour that results in antagonism. Others play a passive role and do not contribute with the confidence that is needed to reflect their talents.

However, there is a balance where you can attain the best from colleagues, earn their respect and create a more constructive working atmosphere. By taking this middle-ground you can learn to be more assertive and project a confident, positive self-image.

leadership abilities and potentially deliver a vastly more effective style of leadership.

Leadership Programme for High Potentials SUITABLE FOR: Level 3 & 4 high potential executives.

COST: $8900 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 5-day residential programme SPACES AVAILABLE: 25 per programme KEY TUTORS / FACULTY: Director, programme coordinators and executive coaches.

FORMAT: On-campus, Experiential DESCRIPTION: This 5-day intensive residential programme invites you to reflect on your current leadership style and learn how to develop your strategic leadership capabilities for more senior roles.

Clear Business Writing SUITABLE FOR: Anyone wishing to improve their business writing skills.

COST: $1195-$1295 DURATION: 1-day short course 23 February, Auckland; 2 March, Auckland SPACES AVAILABLE: Up to 25 KEY TUTOR: Coleen Trolove FORMAT: Mix of classroom, practical and case study exercises.

DESCRIPTION: Clear Business Writing is a practical course aimed at helping you sharpen and tighten up your writing skills, ensuring every sentence in your business documents meet the requirements of your target audience in minimal time.

INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP The Institute for Strategic Leadership specializes in developing strategic leaders at the director, chief executive and general manager levels. It also supports these executives develop their high potential middle managers (levels 3 & 4).

PO Box 105538 27th Floor, 188 Quay Street Auckland Central 1010 Ph: +64 9 366 1560, Fax: +64 9 336 1474 Email: enquiries@leadership.ac.nz Website: www.leadership.ac.nz

Contract Law For Non Lawyers SUITABLE FOR: Anyone looking to gain an understanding of contract law.

COST: $1795-$2095 DURATION: 2-day short course SPACES AVAILABLE: Up to 25 KEY TUTOR: Terry Reid (Australia) DESCRIPTION: Contract Law for Non Lawyers is an intensely practical guide through the essentials of contract law, exploring such details as when a contract will be required, when you have a contract (and don’t necessarily know it), what types of contracts exist and the effect of statutes on your contractual arrangements. It provides tips for understanding contractual material and looks at the traps and pitfalls of contracting and contract drafting.

Developing Assertiveness & Self Confidence at Work SUITABLE FOR: This training course has been designed for all those who want to raise their personal profile, improve their assertiveness skills and increase self-confidence at work.

COST: $1795-$2095 DURATION: 2-day short course 10-11 March, Auckland 23-24 February, Wellington KEY TUTOR: Keith McGregor FORMAT: This intensive two-day training programme will combine tutorial sessions with 42 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

KEY PERSONNEL • Geoff Lorigan (Director), +64 21 337 643, g.lorigan@leadership.ac.nz • Lindsay Somerville (Programme Coordinator), +64 21 848 159, l.somerville@leadership.ac.nz

AMENITIES Population of nearest main centre: 1.2 million Other amenities available: Our programmes are residential; the Strategic Leadership Programme is held at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown and the Leadership Programme for High Potentials is held at Peppers Resort in Clearwater, Christchurch.

MASSEY UNIVERSITY Massey offers high-quality and industry-relevant study for anyone needing to upgrade their qualifications.

Options include Graduate Diplomas, Bachelors, Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters and Doctoral degrees including the Massey MBA. Massey is New Zealand’s specialist and most experienced provider of universitylevel distance education; unparalleled in on and offcampus choice. Study options have been developed with busy professionals in mind.

• ALBANY CAMPUS: Albany Expressway, Albany, Auckland • MANAWATU CAMPUS: State Highway 57, Palmerston North • WELLINGTON CAMPUS: Wallace Street, Mt Cook, Wellington Ph: 0800 MASSEY (0800-627 739) Email: studybiz@massey.ac.nz Website: www.massey.ac.nz

KEY PERSONNEL • Professor Lawrence Rose (Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Business) L.C.Rose@massey.ac.nz

CERTIFICATION COURSES Strategic Leadership Programme SUITABLE FOR: Directors, chief executives and general managers.

COST: $15,900 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 6-day residential programme SPACES AVAILABLE: 25 per programme KEY TUTORS / FACULTY: Director, programme coordinator, executive coaches, and lifestyle coaches.

FORMAT: On-campus, Experiential DESCRIPTION: The 6-day intensive residential programme blends team-based learning with focused, one-on-one executive coaching. As a result, you’re able to hone your own innate

Certification agency: AACSB International, Association of MBAs (AMBA).

AMENITIES Proximity to public transport: Good Population of nearest main centre: Auckland 1.4 million, Palmerston North 80,000, Wellington 350,000 Accommodation: Available on-site and locally.

Other amenities available: Depending on campus – recreation centre, parking, child care, banking, bookshop, food outlets, library, students clubs, computer labs.

Continued on page 44

Since 1972, Massey University has produced more MBA Graduates than any other University in New Zealand.

“The Massey MBA impacted my advancement in the banking and finance industry enormously as the roles were not available to non-graduates.

Outside my working life I think the diverse range of people and personalities I met helped me develop better interpersonal skills.

I recommend the Massey University MBA course to anyone wanting to maximise their opportunities in life.”

Brent Knight, MBA (distinction) MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO, TOYOTA FINANCE NZ LTD

BUFFALO/MU1963

For more information call 0800 MASSEY or visit www.massey.ac.nz

Creating Leaders, Transforming Forever F orever d discovering iscBusiness. over ing

Massey University continued from page 42

SNAPSHOT OF COURSES

COURSES

NZIM Diploma in Front Line Management

Executive MBA SUITABLE FOR: Executive and managers/owners (corporate, public sector, SME, not-for-profit).

QUALIFICATION: MBA COST: $32,000 plus national and international travel NZQA REGISTERED: Yes OTHER ACCREDITATIONS: AACSB, AMBA AVAILABLE: Part time PREREQUISITES: Preferably 7-8 years in employment with 2-3 years in a management role and with a tertiary qualification; preference for degree holders; CV and interview required.

SPACES AVAILABLE: 70 for start in March 2011 FORMAT: Combination of on and off campus.

DESCRIPTION: Students are enrolled in national cohorts with regional study streams available in multiple New Zealand locations.

Structured tuition takes place every three to six weekends and in block mode over two years.

The programme objective is to create senior generalist leaders.

Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (with endorsement) SUITABLE FOR: Business managers who either need a formal qualification to enhance their career prospects, or those who simply recognise the importance of extending their knowledge of these essential business disciplines.

QUALIFICATION: Graduate Diploma NZQA REGISTERED: Yes. DURATION / ENROLMENT: 1 year full-time, 2-4 years part-time.

AVAILABLE: Full-time, Part-time, Distance.

PREREQUISITES: Programme entry requirements apply.

FORMAT: On and off campus options.

DESCRIPTION: This Diploma offers a concentration of endorsement papers similar to that obtained by students who graduate with a Bachelor of Business Studies with a major. Ideal for students with several years of experience in business but no formal qualifications.

Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Administration (with endorsement) SUITABLE FOR: Graduates in business or other disciplines wanting to enhance their existing business knowledge or develop skills in these areas.

QUALIFICATION: Postgraduate Diploma NZQA REGISTERED: Yes OTHER ACCREDITATION: AACSB DURATION / ENROLMENT: 1 year full-time, 2-4 years part-time.

AVAILABLE: Full-time, Part-time, Distance.

PREREQUISITES: Undergraduate degree and postgraduate admission.

FORMAT: On and off campus options.

DESCRIPTION: Non-business graduates can enhance their first degree by adding a postgraduate qualification. The flexibility of Massey extramural (distance) allows students to balance study with full-time employment.

New Zealand Institute of Management Inc LEADERS BUILDING LEADERS NATIONAL OFFICE PO Box 67, Wellington 6140 Level 9, Lumley House, 3-11 Hunter Street, Wellington Phone: 0-4-473 0470, Fax: 0-4-473 0479 Email: national_office@nzim.co.nz Website: www.nzim.co.nz • Victoria Purdie, victoria_purdie@nzim.co.nz

NORTHERN PO Box 6600, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141 DLA Phillips Fox Tower Level 4, 209 Queen Street, Auckland 1010 Freephone: 0800-800 694 Ph: 0-9-303 9100 Fax: 0-9-303 9109 Email: enquiries@nzimnorthern.co.nz Website: www.nzimnorthern.co.nz • Kevin Gaunt FNZIM (CEO Northern) • Tania Bailey, Tania_Bailey@nzimnorthern.co.nz • Tait Grindley, Tait_Grindley@nzimnorthern.co.nz

CENTRAL PO Box 11781, Manners Street, Wellington 6142 Level 7, Lumley House, 3-11 Hunter Street, Wellington Freephone: 0800-373 700 Ph: 0-4-495 8300 Fax: 0-4-495 8301 Email: enquiries@nzimcentral.co.nz Website: www.nzimcentral.co.nz • Karin Callaghan FNZIM FIPAA (CEO Central) • Susan Andrews MNZIM susan_andrews@nzimcentral.co.nz • Nick Patterson nick_patterson@nzimcentral.co.nz • Antony Zogg, antony_zogg@ nzimcentral.co.nz

SOUTHERN PO Box 13044, Armagh, Christchurch 8141 307 Madras Street, Christchurch Ph: 03 379 2302 Fax: 03 366 7069 Email: admin@managementsouth.co.nz Website: www.managementsouth.co.nz • Joseph Thomas (CEO Southern) joseph@nzimsouthern.co.nz • Keith Walker keith@nzimsouthern.co.nz • Lee Hughes lee@nzimsouthern.co.nz

44 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

SUITABLE FOR: Co-ordinators, team leaders, supervisors.

COST: NZIM members and corporate members $6500 +gst; Non members $7500 +gst AVAILABLE: Full-time, part-time. All NZIM regions.

SPACES AVAILABLE: 16 KEY TUTORS: Richard Miller, Jim Young, Tony Brindle, Barbara Morris FORMAT: Workshops and post workshop assessment.

DESCRIPTION: This Diploma is designed to enhance your overall business and management acumen and ability. NZIM Dip.FLM – Superior business results.

NZIM Diploma in Project Management SUITABLE FOR: Individuals who are involved in project management and want a qualification.

COST: NZIM members and corporate members $7000 +gst; Non members $8000 +gst DURATION: 8 days over 9 months.

AVAILABLE: Full-time, part-time.

SPACES AVAILABLE: 16 KEY TUTORS: Jim Young, Steve Bridges FORMAT: Workshops and post workshop assessments.

DESCRIPTION: NZIM Diploma in Project Management (Level 5) will provide you with the skills and applied knowledge for effective management of projects in a wide range of contexts.

Advanced Management Programme SUITABLE FOR: Those in senior leadership or management or aspiring to move into senior positions.

COST: $19,995 +gst DURATION: Two x 2 week segments commencing 19 June 2011 AVAILABLE: Full-time SPACES AVAILABLE: 25 KEY TUTORS: World class international faculty.

FORMAT: Seminar style in hotel setting.

DESCRIPTION: AMP takes a holistic view of leadership offering an invaluable opportunity to spend time with an international faculty exploring individual and organisational excellence.

NZIM Diploma in Management Advanced (Level 6) SUITABLE FOR: Managers preparing for senior roles.

COST: NZIM members and corporate members $9500 +gst; Non members $10,500 +gst DURATION: 12 months AVAILABLE: Part-time, Independent study PREREQUISITES: More than five years management experience.

SPACES AVAILABLE: 16 KEY TUTORS: Willem Knibbeler, Richard Millar FORMAT: Workshops and post workshop assessment DESCRIPTION: The NZIM Diploma in Management Advanced programme is an innovative, comprehensive programme designed to extend and

develop the potential of key managers and leaders within an organisation.

NZIM PUBLIC PROGRAMMES AND CUSTOMISED TRAINING & CONSULTANCY NZIM offers over 1000 workshops nationally and has over 50 years of experience in building management capability in New Zealand. NZIM regional training centres in Northern, Central and Southern offer training programmes to cater for the broad spectrum of managers – from Directors and CEOs to team leaders and frontline managers. Programmes range from half-day seminars to one-month residential. These include NZQA approved qualifications from level 4 to level 6 including courses such as the Diploma in Health and Safety Management (Level 6), NZIM Managerial Excellence (Level 6) and National Certificate (Level 4). NZIM also offers 1, 2, or 3-day programmes covering a wide range of requirements including executive development, operational management, sales and marketing, financial fundamentals and a wide range of essential business skills.

NZIM develops customised learning solutions which support organisational development and change. We partner with some of New Zealand’s leading organisations, to deliver high quality learning programmes, designed to meet specific organisational needs; these range from 2-hour learning sessions to half-day seminars to yearlong qualifications.

WHAT SETS NZIM APART? NZIM is a registered Private Training Establishment and a not-for-profit organisation with a proud history dating back to 1946.

• Facilitated by experienced practitioners • “Learning by doing” is the philosophy • Workshop participant numbers are restricted to ensure individual learning • An interactive environment where participant input is encouraged and welcomed • Up-to-date workshop content and comprehensive workbooks and reference manuals provided • Qualifications registered on the framework • Work with ITOs to gain funding.

PHILOSOPHY NZIM training and development programmes are at the forefront of management development today, developing the leaders and managers of tomorrow. NZIM can offer learning opportunities to people wanting to acquire new skills and knowledge in a world with no guaranteed career paths and emphasis on self-development and self-direction. NZIM studies overseas trends, monitors research and keeps a watchful eye on business development and techniques in order to offer a range of diverse programmes and services.

All these courses and other relevant information can be found on our website www.nzim.co.nz

OPEN POLYTECHNIC As New Zealand’s specialist provider of open and distance learning, we offer flexible study options for nationally and internationally recognised certificates, diplomas and degrees. Fit study around your life and open a world of possibilities.

Private Bag 31914, Lower Hutt 5040 3 Cleary Street, Lower Hutt 5011, Wellington Ph: 0508 650 200 Email: customerservices@openpolytechnic.ac.nz

AMENITIES Open Polytechnic services, including the Library, Online Campus and Student Support, are available online to all Open Polytechnic students in New Zealand and worldwide.

COURSES Bachelor of Business QUALIFICATION: BBus NZQA REGISTERED: Yes DESCRIPTION: With a Bachelor in Business from Open Polytechnic you can major in Management, Human Resources, Information Services and Technology and Accounting.

Continued on page 46

WHAT THEY DIDN’T TEACH YOU AT WORK

CONTACT US NOW to discuss our Compass course, an 8 day course to further develop the foundation skills required for success in the workplace. This is especially designed for 20-30 year old employees: How to work effectively with others to get the best result Develop the quality and confidence of your decision making Find new and innovative ways to deliver results in your role Take ownership of your role.

0800 OUTWARD (688 927) email us professional@outwardbound.co.nz

www.outwardbound.co.nz/professional

PROFESSIONAL

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 45

Outward Bound continued from page 45

New Zealand Diploma in Business QUALIFICATION: NZDipBus NZQA REGISTERED: Yes DESCRIPTION: The New Zealand Diploma in Business is a nationally recognised, broadly based business qualification which will qualify you for entry into a wide range of business careers.

Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management NZQA REGISTERED: Yes DESCRIPTION: The Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management is designed for people wanting to improve their skills, knowledge and attitudes to develop their ability to think and manage strategically.

Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management NZQA REGISTERED: Yes DESCRIPTION: The Graduate Diploma in HR Management is designed for people wanting to focus on the human resource area specifically in order to be able to participate effectively in an HR function within an organisation.

Compass (NEW) SUITABLE FOR: 20-30 year old employees (eg graduates, apprentices, and others this age).

COST: $2,226 +GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 8 days SPACES AVAILABLE: 14 per programme FORMAT: 30% classroom; 70% experiential DESCRIPTION: Finally, an eight day course for your 20-30 year old employees. This new course focuses on developing teamwork skills and confidence in the workplace. Decision making, initiative, responsibility and communication are key themes for this popular new course.

SUITABLE FOR: Organisations, teams & work groups.

COST: From $260 - $460 /person/day DURATION: 1- 21 days DESCRIPTION: We deliver many custom design courses for businesses throughout New Zealand. We are particularly good at delivering for teams of group managers who represent various business units or regions. Idyllic setting (Marlborough Sounds), talented facilitators, amazing experiences and lasting outcomes. Date options are often limited so early contact with us is recommended.

For close on 20 years Project Plus has maintained a passionate focus on our clients’ strategic success. Our training & certification workshops encompass all aspects of projectbased management through portfolios, programmes and projects. Our range and diversity of learning options is one of the largest in the world and is delivered globally.

We continue to develop our product range to meet market needs. Our facilitators are highly experienced business leaders, seasoned practitioners as well as adult training facilitators and thus provide learning and education that betters global smart practice.

Discovery Personal Development

COURSES

SUITABLE FOR: 27+ year-old employees COST: $1,930 +GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 8 days SPACES AVAILABLE: 14 per programme FORMAT: 100% experiential

Executive Skills Programme

Team Building and Custom Design

OUTWARD BOUND TRUST OF NEW ZEALAND PO Box 35274, Panama Street, Wellington Phone: 0800-688 927, Fax: 0-4-472 8059 Email: professional@outwardbound.co.nz Website: www.outwardbound.co.nz/professional

KEY PERSONNEL • Shane Wratt (Account Manager), professional@outwardbound.co.nz • Trevor Tayor (CEO), ttaylor@outwardbound.co.nz

COURSES Navigator Leadership SUITABLE FOR: Emerging and existing leaders, managers and influencers.

COST: $3,556 +GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 8 days SPACES AVAILABLE: 14 per programme FORMAT: 30% classroom; 70% experiential DESCRIPTION: Building leadership skills in individuals so they can make a difference in their organisation. Focus on managing self, managing relationships and influencing others. Integrates 360 workplace feedback and expert facilitation.

46 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

• Registered Education Provider (global status) with the Project Management Institute (PMI®).

• Preferred Supplier to many organisations in NZ and UK. • Public Training Schedule available at www.projectplusgroup.co.nz.

• Range of formal project management certification programmes also conducted including our successful NZQA based Certificate Series.

• All workshops and study programmes can be run in-house and be customised to meet your organisational needs.

PROJECT PLUS LTD PO Box 10515 L5, 44 Victoria Street, Wellington 6035 Ph: 04 495 9100, Fax: 04 495 9109 Email: training@projectplusgroup.co.nz Website: www.projectplusgroup.co.nz

KEY PERSONNEL: • Iain Fraser (Group Managing Director), 021 479 301, iain.fraser@projectplusgroup.com • Karen Clarke (GM, NZ Operations), 021 790 790, karen.clarke@projectplusgroup.co.nz • Anita L’Estrange (Training Coordinator), 027 255 0706, Anita.Lestrange@projectplusgroup.co.nz

SUITABLE FOR: Level 1-3 leaders DURATION/ENROLMENT: Refer to website PREREQUISITES: Interest in governance of project-based initiatives and in management of change.

FORMAT: Facilitated dialogue in classroom setting.

Some online elements.

DESCRIPTION: Designed for busy executives and senior leaders who require oversight on portfolio and/or programme management.

Choose from 4 distinct workshops that are business-based and designed to allow for optimal learning.

Specialist Skills Programme SUITABLE FOR: Level 2-4 leaders DURATION/ENROLMENT: Refer to website PREREQUISITES: An understanding of benefits that a project-based approach provides to the achievement of strategic objectives.

FORMAT: All classroom and facilitated dialogue.

DESCRIPTION: The learning products within this programme provide a wide range of options that allows for advanced knowledge and skills to be gained. Allows individuals to increase their contribution to their organisation through increased benefit.

CERTIFICATION Rating: ISO 9001 Certification agency: BVQI • NZQA Registered as a Private Training Establishment (PTE).

Continued on page 48

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Join our online meeting room at: www.takecontrol.ac.nz

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ENTERPRISE At The Graduate School of Enterprise at The University of Auckland Business School we believe strongly that executive business education involves both professional and personal development. Engagement in our graduate programmes provides an extraordinary learning opportunity for every individual as a decision maker and leader.

All our graduate programmes are designed to develop people for emerging decision-making roles whether they are self-employed, building a new business, managing in a small to medium-sized enterprise, employed in a large corporate, employed in not-forprofit agencies or in the public sector.

Our programmes begin by ensuring that you capture the fundamental disciplines of business study; you then build on these disciplines so you can think at advanced levels; and then apply such advanced thinking to decision making in complex real-world situations. You are exposed to learning in the company of other accomplished business and professional people, a peer network that demands high performance and which will benefit you throughout your career.

Private Bag 92019, Auckland 12 Grafton Road, Auckland Freephone: 0800-227 337, Fax: 09-373 7063 Email: gse@auckland.ac.nz Websites: www.gse.auckland.ac.nz www.mba.auckland.ac.nz

KEY PERSONNEL • Peter Withers (Director of Academic Programmes) • Donovan Breunig (Programme Manager) • Alison Craig (Programme Manager)

AMENITIES Proximity to public transport: Good Population of nearest main centre: 1.4 million (Auckland)

COURSES The Auckland MBA™ SUITABLE FOR: Those in executive management positions.

QUALIFICATION: MBA OTHER ACCREDITATIONS: Association of MBAs, EQUIS and AACSB DURATION / ENROLMENT: One year part-time after successful completion of the Postgraduate diploma or equivalent qualification.

AVAILABLE: Part-time PREREQUISITES: Includes Postgraduate Diploma in Business in Administration or equivalent qualification and interview with selection panel.

FORMAT: All on-campus at Grafton Road.

DESCRIPTION: The Auckland MBA offers an intense, challenging experience for individuals 48 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

seeking to move into the top levels of general management. It is designed to integrate knowledge of the functional areas of business into the overall management process and to further develop decision-making and leadership skills into a range of management contexts.

The New Zealand Executive MBA™ SUITABLE FOR: Senior level executives with an average of 15 years’ work experience.

QUALIFICATION: MBA OTHER ACCREDITATIONS: AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB DURATION / ENROLMENT: Two years part-time in block courses fortnightly on Fridays and Saturdays.

PREREQUISITES: A strong first degree or a PG Diploma in Business, plus several years’ full-time management experience. Applicants will be personally interviewed.

FORMAT: All on campus at Grafton Road.

DESCRIPTION: The emphasis is on the enhancement of thinking and high value decision making. The NZ Executive MBA attracts senior influencers and decision-makers from throughout New Zealand. It is an intense and demanding learning environment, focusing on peer dialogue and interaction facilitated by practitioner teachers with extensive academic backgrounds and business experience.

Master of Management SUITABLE FOR: Those in, or aspiring to, senior line management positions.

QUALIFICATION: MMgt DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 years part-time AVAILABLE: Part-time PREREQUISITES: Postgraduate Diploma in Business or equivalent qualification.

FORMAT: All on-campus at Grafton Road.

DESCRIPTION: The Master of Management is a challenging advanced degree that requires students to integrate research and evidence based management practice. The degree is at the forefront of business education and reflects current international trends toward best practice based on empirical evidence.

Postgraduate Diploma in Business SUITABLE FOR: Those in, or aspiring to senior management positions or self employment.

QUALIFICATION: Postgraduate Diploma in Business DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 years part-time AVAILABLE: Part-time FORMAT: Campus at Grafton Road.

DESCRIPTION: The Postgraduate Diploma in Business is specifically designed as a gateway to the Auckland MBA™and Master of Management programmes. It provides a solid grounding in general management skills and modern business practice. Graduates are recognised for their broad knowledge and versatility by employers in both the public and private sectors, in New Zealand and overseas. Options within this programme are Business Administration and (subject to numbers) Maori Development, Human Resource Management, and Health Management.

THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL SHORT COURSES The University of Auckland Business School offers nearly 300 2-day practical business and management Short Courses each year in four locations throughout New Zealand, as part of its commitment to “lifting the competency of the nation”. These Short Courses provide business and professional people from all walks of life opportunities to up-skill and re-skill. With over 40,000 people having attended a Short Course since 1996, they are well proven.

Short Courses also deliver an ever-growing number of In-house courses and Customised Programmes which are delivered specifically for an organisation, when they want and where they want, with the option to have the courses tailored specifically for that organisation.

The University of Auckland Business School Short Courses Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 Freephone: 0800-800 875, Fax: 0-9-308 2369 Email: shortcourses@auckland.ac.nz Website: www.shortcourses.ac.nz

KEY PERSONNEL • Darren Levy (Director), dl.levy@auckland.ac.nz • Lisa Hosker (Course Advisor) l.hosker@auckland.ac.nz • Emma Sullivan (Operations Co-ordinator) e.sullivan@auckland.ac.nz

AMENITIES Proximity to public transport: Good Accommodation: Available locally and at a reduced rate for attendees

COURSES Project Management COST: $1895 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Rob Verkerk On campus or in-house

Negotiation Skills COST: $1995 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Doug Robertson On campus or in-house

Managing People COST: $1895 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Nick Read On campus or in-house

Marketing Management COST: $1995 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days KEY TUTORS: Steve Bridges On campus or in-house

Influencing and Persuading Skills COST: $1895 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Roseann Gedye On campus or in-house

Strategic Planning COST: $1895 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Bryan Travers On campus or in-house

Motivation and Leadership COST: $1895 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Dr Lester Levy On campus or in-house

Business skills for New Managers COST: $1995 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Doug Robertson On campus or in-house

Finance for Non-Financial Managers COST: $1995 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Susan Hansen On campus or in-house

Mental Toughness COST: $1995 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Jamie Ford On campus or in-house

Presentation Skills COST: $1995 + GST DURATION / ENROLMENT: 2 days PRESENTER: Roseann Gedye On campus or in-house

THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO CENTRE FOR CORPORATE & EXECUTIVE EDUCATION Private Bag 3105, Hamilton Phone: 0-7-838 4198 Freephone: 0800-800 891 Fax: 0-7-838 4675 Email: execed@waikato.ac.nz Website: www.execed.ac.nz

KEY PERSONNEL • Dr Peter Sun (Associate Dean Enterprise) • Meshweyla MacDonald (Associate Director Operations) • Andrew Buchanan-Smart (Business Relations Manager)

CERTIFICATION • AMBA (International MBA accreditation, UK based) • EQUIS (International business school accreditation, based in Europe) • AACSB (International business school accreditation, based in North America) • ISO 9001 • The Waikato Management School is Triple Crown accredited

COURSES Master of Business Administration (MBA) SUITABLE FOR: Experienced middle managers, business owners, or functional and technical specialists looking to increase their general, strategic and leadership understanding of business.

QUALIFICATION: Master of Business Administration DURATION: 2 years part-time DESCRIPTION: The programme is designed to develop you as a value-based leader, and to show how you can increase your sphere of Influence.

It is also designed to provide participants with a broad base of current practice and applied research. It is taught by leading academics and industry professionals from NZ’s No. 1 Business School (2007 PBRF Rankings). It prepares participants for real-world senior management and leadership positions in national and international organisations. The MBA includes an international study tour in Part II of the programme.

Master of Business and Management (MBM)

programme requires a minimum of three years work experience. The 15-month programme is designed for those without any work experience.

Please contact 0800 800 891 for more details on entry criteria.

QUALIFICATION: Master of Business and Management DURATION: 12 months or 15 months (both full-time) DESCRIPTION: The programme provides a training in management that will complement your undergraduate degree and provide you with the core skills and knowledge required for a wide range of management and leadership roles in a modern economy. Significant emphasis will be placed on reflective learning, creative problem-solving and leadership placed in an international context.

Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies SUITABLE FOR: Business owners, middle managers or technical specialists looking to improve their understanding of the functional areas of business.

QUALIFICATION: Postgraduate Diploma DURATION: Part-time over 1-2 years offered in Hamilton and Tauranga. Schedule depends on location.

DESCRIPTION: The programme provides participants with a broad range of management skills and competencies. It is taught using an integrated approach with strong theoretical and practical components. Graduates of the programme are well equipped to improve performance in middle management roles through the use of strategic and value creation skills acquired in the programme.

Customised Corporate Programmes SUITABLE FOR: Managers and executives in medium to large organisations.

QUALIFICATION: Can be designed with Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma options.

FORMAT: Combination of workshops, action learning, work-based projects, simulations & assessment.

DESCRIPTION: The new “L3” leadership programme has the capability to meet an organisation’s expectations in developing Tomorrow’s Leaders. It is about ‘Leading Self and Others’ where legitimacy to lead is conferred to those leaders who lead by value.

It is about ‘Leading Ambidextrously’ which focuses on the rate and complexity of change and what new avenues have to be explored and what existing processes and practices have to be exploited, where ‘Leading Strategically’ requires leaders to set the right strategic directions and to provide clarity where there is complexity. Finally an ‘Action Research Project’ which focuses on “defining organisational issues” and gives an ROI to the organisation. We partner with medium to large organisations to create tailored modules, intensive programmes or ongoing executive development initiatives. Our customised programmes ensure a balance between the development needs of the individuals involved while delivering value to

SUITABLE FOR: Students with an undergraduate degree in any discipline. The 12-month fast track

Continued on page 50

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 49

The University of Waikato continued from page 49

PROGRAMMES

the organisation. These programmes have been tried, tested and proven by some of New Zealand’s largest organisations. Contact us to discuss your needs.

SUITABLE FOR: Experienced professionals looking to develop their general management skills and to build a foundation for a lifetime of leadership.

COST (*2011 fees, subject to change in 2012, GST inclusive): New Zealand citizens and permanent residents: NZ$30,000*. International candidates: NZ$45,340*. Does not include the application fee (NZ$60) or acceptance fee (NZ$600).

QUALIFICATION: MBA ACCREDITATION: Association of MBAs (AMBA) Duration: 15 months full-time, 21⁄2 to 5 years part-time PREREQUISITES: Minimum of 5 years relevant work experience, undergraduate degree.

International applicants need to provide IELTS/ TOEFL and GMAT scores.

SPACES AVAILABLE: 35 KEY TUTORS / FACULTY: Dr Peter Cammock, MBA Director FORMAT: On-campus (Christchurch) DESCRIPTION: UC’s internationally accredited, world-class MBA programme places emphasis on the development of responsible leadership founded on sound business acumen, a strategic perspective and innovation. The programme supports individuals who want to make the transition into significant and contributing leadership roles.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 26 November 2010

Postgraduate Certificate in Business Research SUITABLE FOR: MBA or Masters graduates who wish to undertake advanced business research or proceed to doctoral study.

QUALIFICATION: Postgraduate Certificate DURATION: 10-12 months part-time FORMAT: Combination of on-campus delivery and online support.

DESCRIPTION: A comprehensive programme that explores quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and provides an excellent understanding of the principles and techniques associated with advanced business research.

UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS The University of Canterbury is ranked within the top 200 universities in the world. In 2006, the College of Business and Economics celebrated the centenary of NZ’s oldest Bachelor of Commerce degree and 2009 marked the 25th anniversary of UC’s internationally accredited MBA programme. UC is committed to offering you the opportunity to gain an internationally recognised qualification with courses underpinned by leading-edge research in a vibrant learning environment.

College of Business and Economics, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140 Commerce Building, Corner of Arts and Forestry Roads, University of Canterbury, Ilam, Christchurch Phone: +64 3 364 2316, Fax: +64 3 364 2745 Email: bsec@canterbury.ac.nz Website: www.bsec.canterbury.ac.nz

KEY PERSONNEL • Professor Nigel Healey (Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Commerce,), +64 3 364 3113, nigel.healey@canterbury.ac.nz • Dr Peter Cammock (MBA Director), +64 3 364 2657, peter.cammock@canterbury.ac.nz • Associate Professor David Fortin (MBM Director) +64 3 364 2987 ext 7026, david.fortin@canterbury.ac.nz 50 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

University of Canterbury MBA

Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GradDipBA) SUITABLE FOR: Technical and professional people looking to develop their leadership and management abilities. The GradDipBA is particularly suitable for those who do not have an undergraduate degree as it provides a pathway to the UC MBA programme.

COST: (*2011 fees, subject to change in 2012, GST inclusive): New Zealand citizens and permanent residents: NZ$15,000*. International students: NZ$22,670*.

Does not include the application fee (NZ$60) or acceptance fee (NZ$600).

QUALIFICATION: GradDipBA NZQA REGISTERED: Yes DURATION: 8 months full-time, 20 months to 4 years part-time PREREQUISITES: Minimum of 5 years relevant work experience, undergraduate degree (those without an undergraduate degree may be considered in consultation with the MBA Director).

International applicants need to provide IELTS/ TOEFL and GMAT scores.

SPACES AVAILABLE: 35 KEY TUTORS / FACULTY: Dr Peter Cammock, MBA Director FORMAT: On-campus (Christchurch) DESCRIPTION: The GradDipBA is designed to enable busy professionals to continue their learning and development while remaining in full-time employment.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 26 November 2010

Master of Business Management (MBM) SUITABLE FOR: Graduates from non-commerce disciplines looking to learn how to effectively apply their existing knowledge within a business or management context.

COST (*2011 fees, subject to change in 2012, GST inclusive): New Zealand citizens and permanent residents: NZ$7,210 per year*. International students: NZ$19,095 per year*. Does not include the application fee (NZ$60) or acceptance fee (NZ$250).

QUALIFICATION: MBM NZVCC CUAP REGISTERED: Yes DURATION: 2 years full-time, up to 5 years part-time PREREQUISITES: An undergraduate degree with at least a B grade average in 300 level courses.

International applicants need to provide IELTS/ TOEFL scores.

SPACES AVAILABLE: 45 Key tutors / faculty: Associate Professor David Fortin, MBM Director FORMAT: On-campus (Christchurch) DESCRIPTION: UC’s MBM programme provides management knowledge that will complement your existing undergraduate degree in Science, Engineering, Arts, Education or Law. You will explore contemporary issues relevant to industry professionals and it is the ideal stepping-stone for those looking to transition into, and advance within, the global business environment.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 13 December 2010

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON Victoria University provides high quality learning experiences from university preparation courses through to post experience study and ongoing professional development for people in business.

We are located in the central business district of Wellington, literally across the road from Parliament and adjacent to the major business and public sector organisations of Wellington and the city’s shopping and entertainment precincts.

PO Box 600, Wellington Campus 1: Kelburn Parade, Kelburn, Wellington Campus 2: Rutherford House, 23 Lambton Quay, Thorndon, Wellington Phone: 0800 VICTORIA (0800 842 867) option 2 Fax: 0-4-463 5193 Email: course-advice@vuw.ac.nz Website: www.victoria.ac.nz

KEY PERSONNEL • Jeff Ashford (Manager, Professional and Executive Development), jeff.ashford@vuw.ac.nz • Linda Walker (Senior Administrator, Post Experience Programmes), linda.walker@vuw.ac.nz

Continued on page 52

KTD1756H/10/10

Is the big chair your number one focus?

Are leaders defined by hierarchy? Is leadership about power or is it about influence? Leaders of tomorrow will influence through values rather than hierarchy. We offer you an opportunity to develop as a value laden leader, and an opportunity for personal growth and enrichment.

Why settle for ordinary? Why not transform your future with a University of Waikato MBA? Programme commences April 2011.

For more information phone 0800 800 891, email execed@waikato.ac.nz or visit execed.ac.nz

“I really appreciated the lecturers’ strong emphasis on practical experience, and I found I was applying my learning in my work environment pretty much all the way through.

From an employer’s perspective I was providing a return on investment from day one.”

Miles McConway Group Manager, Environment BOP

Victoria University Of Wellington continued from page 50

COURSES Professional and Executive Short Courses SUITABLE FOR: Courses are targeted at different levels from senior leaders to those aspiring to improve their work skills.

COST: Varied DURATION: Most are one or two-day programmes.

SPACES AVAILABLE: Short course programmes are usually for groups of 15-20.

KEY FACULTY: Professional and executive short courses are offered by a wide range of faculties from across the university.

FORMAT: Day workshops, interactive learning and onsite coaching.

DESCRIPTION: A wide range of practical and relevant professional development short courses are offered by the Professional and Executive Development team at Victoria University. Topics include management and leadership; public policy; people and performance; finance; project management; workplace communication; marketing; the role of the Treaty of Waitangi and Maori culture in business and more.

Certificate in Management Studies SUITABLE FOR: Those currently employed in an administrative or managerial role who wish to maximise their all-round managerial skills and/or accelerate career progress.

QUALIFICATION: CertMS NZQA REGISTERED: Yes DURATION/ENROLMENT: A comprehensive 9 month, two trimester programme.

AVAILABLE: Part-time PREREQUISITES: At least three years appropriate practical experience in a managerial or administrative role, and satisfy the programme director that you have the necessary ability and commitment to successfully complete the programme.

FORMAT: Lectures are held in the evening, to make it easy to integrate study with full-time employment.

DESCRIPTION: The course combines theoretical perspective with practical applications. The

course work focuses on group exercises and project teamwork. This provides a supportive and collegial atmosphere which enables you to tap into the collective knowledge of other participants who come from a wide range of backgrounds.

Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing SUITABLE FOR: Those currently employed in a managerial or senior administrative role who wish to maximise their all-round managerial skills and/or accelerate career progress.

QUALIFICATIONS: PGDipBA, PGDip HRM, PGDipMkt DURATION/ENROLMENT: A comprehensive 18 month, four trimester programme.

PREREQUISITES: Qualified for admission to a degree or award of a postgraduate diploma from a New Zealand university, or produced evidence of extensive practical, professional or scholarly experience of an appropriate kind, or completed the requirements for the Certificate in Management Studies with an average of B or better across all four courses, and satisfy the programme director that you have the necessary ability and commitment to successfully complete the programme. Candidates who have met the requirements for the Certificate in Management Studies will gain credit for the equivalent courses in the Postgraduate Diploma.

FORMAT: Lectures are held in the evening, to make it easy to integrate study with full-time employment. The programmes feature a variety of interactive learning activities, including group discussions, workshops, seminars and project teamwork.

DESCRIPTION: The course combines conceptual thinking with practice maintaining a strong practical focus, so you’ll be able to put everything that you learn to good use in the ‘real’ business world.

Master of Business Administration SUITABLE FOR: The MBA at Victoria is a

Keep ahead of the times…

NZ Management readers can now also receive weekly updates tess oon te n the he la latest est iin management thinking, trends and practices within New Zealand globally alland nd aandd glo l ba b ly l through Executive Update, a weekly e-newsletter sent to your ouur In I Box Box every ev ry Friday.

Fr day.

If you’re not receiving Executive Update and would like to join oin iitss ggrowing oi rowi g database of thought leaders email db@executiveupdate.co.nz. .nnzz.

For advertising enquiries or more information contact Clara IIqbal b l aatt admanager@executiveupdate.co.nz or phone (09) 271 3711 orr 021 21 9930 0 88 887.

7

52 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

prestigious stamp of success and a fitting challenge for those planning on going to the top in management.

QUALIFICATION: MBA NZQA REGISTERED: Yes ACCREDITATION: AMBA DURATION/ENROLMENT: 16 months full-time or up to 32 months part-time.

PREREQUISITES: Undergraduate degree and or demonstrated managerial experience and impressive work history, subject to interview with director together with admissions test, and English language requirements for international students.

FORMAT: Lectures are held in the evenings and are supported with a commitment to class discussion and debate. All courses involve 24 hours teaching contact time. Learning interaction includes working after class in study groups and completing applied projects and assignments based on real business organisations. Students are also required to attend six days of professional development from a selection of weekend workshop topics including: executive presentation skills, cross-cultural management, leadership, academic skills, career management and job search skills, stress management skills, and coaching skills. These workshops are designed to develop lifelong career skills and enhance career opportunities upon completion of your study.

DESCRIPTION: The Victoria MBA meets the needs of both public sector and private sector managers, producing graduates with conceptual depth and the ability to integrate theory and practice over a wide range of managerial situations.

For professional and executive short courses, see our website for a full listing of courses. www.victoria.ac.nz/profdev Professional and Executive Development programmes can be customised to meet your organisation’s specific needs and objectives.

Meet with our programme advisors to develop a customised programme to suit your organisation’s development needs. Email ceed@vuw.ac.nz or ph 0-4-463 6556.

For Certificates, Diplomas and the Master of Business Administration, see our website for a full listing of courses. www.victoria.ac.nz/mba Email PE-management@vuw.ac.nz or ph 0-4-463 5367.

EXEC HEALTH

A look under the hood ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is one of the oldest, yet most important, sayings in the health book, says Peter Tynan.

T

here’s no doubt that putting our health under the microscope can be uncomfortable.

However, there’s plenty of evidence that momentary discomfort can prevent ongoing health problems, hospitalisation or even save your life.

Many of us associate going for a medical check up with being ill. But for some life-threatening illnesses, physical symptoms may only appear at a very advanced stage. In fact, what many people don’t realise is that in a third of cardiovascular disease cases, the first symptom is death.

That’s why taking time out for a thorough heath check, assessment or ‘warrant of fitness’ might be the best decision you ever made. A comprehensive health assessment will not only check for lumps, bumps and anything ‘out of the ordinary’, but will also include a discussion of the lifestyle factors that may pose a risk to your future good health.

There are enormous benefits from switching our focus from treatment to early intervention and preventative measures.

A 2006 study found that 31 percent of admissions to Christchurch Hospital in 2003 were potentially avoidable.

Examples included lung disease, cervi-

cal and breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases, early detection and excision of melanomas, and effective glycaemic control in people with diabetes.

However, there are instances when serious illness, such as cancer, can strike even those with the healthiest of lifestyles. For many cancers, early detection dramatically improves survival rates.

For women under 50, regular screening reduces the chance of developing breast cancer by around 20 percent. Between ages 50-65, this rises to 30 percent.

Bowel cancer is New Zealand’s second biggest cause of cancer-related death – in part because it is most often not detected until an advanced stage.

Yet if discovered early, the survival rate is around 80 percent.

We spend a good portion of our waking hours in the workplace, so it makes sense that lifestyle changes in this environment can have a significant impact on our health. What’s more, research has shown that healthier employees are more engaged in their work, have fewer absentee days and are more productive.

But where do you start? Options for health and wellness initiatives are many and varied – from something as simple as a weekly yoga class to more comprehensive long-term programmes. However,

more than ever, employers need to see a clear return on investment – not simply in monetary terms, but in the time and goodwill invested by staff.

That’s why one of the best places to kick off is by offering a health check.

The baseline data gathered from the first health check will enable employees to monitor progress towards their own health goals. Over time, employers can track this data against measurements such as staff engagement surveys, productivity levels or absentee days to monitor whether the investment in a healthier workforce is also providing a healthy return for the business. M Peter Tynan is chief executive of Southern Cross Health Society.

The best way to keep staff happy since wages.

The activa card is a simple, fun way to attract, retain, and inspire your staff. You set the annual amount, then your staff use their activa card to enhance their health and wellbeing. It’s what you’d call a healthy incentive. To find out more about the benefits of activa for your staff talk to Southern Cross on 0800 323 555 now or visit www.healthybusiness.co.nz. activa is brought to you by Activa Health Limited. The activa Account and related banking services are provided by ASB Bank Limited. Activa Health Limited receives services fees from ASB Bank Limited and Southern Cross Medical Care Society. Neither Activa Health Limited nor the Southern Cross Medical Care Society is a registered bank. A copy of ASB’s disclosure statement is available free of charge at www.asb.co.nz.

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 53

M BOOKCASE

The right CEO for the job THE CEO’S BOSS: Tough Love in the Boardroom

By William M Klepper • Columbia Business School Publishing • RRP: $54.95

The dynamic between company directors and the CEO is a crucial part of an organisation’s success, as they share responsibility for driving it to success and profitability (or failure and legal action). But, sometimes, dysfunctional relationships between the two are due to factors that could have been quickly controlled and corrected, says executive educator William M Klepper.

One question that can be asked after the high-profile failure of Lehman Brothers during the global financial crisis is: where was the board? In the wake of this travesty, where a board let its CEO linger on too long in power when all the signs were red flags, Klepper analyses the functions of boards – and when they should step in.

He spends some time on what he calls the ‘social contract’ that exists between the two, offering examples of successful credos that result in transparent and productive partnerships. Then comes the fun.

Tough love, says Klepper, is a board’s job. You need to match the needs of the company with the right leadership, and if there isn’t a match, the board needs to step in – and fast.

Behavioural styles are the key to knowing

if the CEO has the right skills to manage this business at this time, he says. He argues that companies progress in stages and the driving and entrepreneurial styles of leadership that work for a start-up may not be the right skills as a company moves through an S-curve to a ‘rising success’ stage, to a growing (middle) stage, then on to peak success.

He uses case studies many will have heard of to illustrate the pitfalls of board complacency.

At Coke, Doug Ivester was seen as a natural successor to Roberto Goizueta, as his No 2, but no one realised their skills were complementary and they needed each other. The board was shocked to find Ivester wasn’t a clone for his boss’ skills and had never been groomed for the job. He had to go.

At JetBlue, brilliant young founder David Neeleman rocketed his new airline into the US aviation stratosphere, but he realised his skills weren’t right to take the company to the next stage of growth and when the board confronted him about it, they jointly agreed he would be replaced as CEO. Matching the organisation’s needs with the skills of the CEO is the key to successful board/CEO relationships, says Klepper.

He offers many useful insights in this brutally honest look at how boards should function. – Brenda Ward

PREPARING FOR TAKE-OFF

By Bruce Russell • Wired Internet Group • Free on request

Either this is a very clever marketing ploy or it’s the best free book I’ve ever read.

Starting a car is as easy as turning the key and hearing the motor start. Using a website should be the same, argues ‘user experience’ consultant Bruce Russell.

This guide to getting a return on your online investment is a smart little hardcover book that explains so many things you wondered about.

Like: Why should your IT department set up your website? “Managing information online is not actually about computers, it’s about communicating clearly, purposefully and effectively.�

Like: Why maintain two different sets of business information – one for customers and one for staff (your intranet)?

Like: Why is TradeMe so easy to use and other websites so hard? It’s because TradeMe has an unbeatable user experience.

If you’re about to set up or relaunch a website, this is a book you need to read. – Brenda Ward

SPECIALFEATURES s "OOMERS VERSUS 'EN 9 s $OING BUSINESS IN 7ELLINGTON s #ONFERENCES AND %VENTS &OR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT #LARA )QBAL ON s 3MART 4ECHNOLOGY n LAPTOPS MOBILES PRINTERS ETC OR EMAIL ADMANAGER MANAGEMENT CO NZ

54 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

ADVERTISING BOOKING DEADLINE 13 DECEMBER

FEBRUARY 2011

FOCUS M

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The Agri-Women’s Development Trust’s Escalator programme was launched at Parliament on September 16: 1 From left, Agri-Women’s Development Trust members Sue Yerex, Mavis Mullins (Patron), Lindy Nelson (Chair) and Jane White with Agriculture Minister Hon David Carter.

The Independent Schools of New Zealand Excellence in Teaching Awards were held in Queenstown late August: 2 Award-winner Catherine Syms (left) of Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland, with Julie Carter of Distinction. 3 Award-winner Dr Jan Giffney of St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland, with Janet Morgans-Lea of Spacific Yearbooks.

4 Award-winner Jill Pears of Selwyn House School, Christchurch, with Simon Higgins of Cambridge International Examinations.

The first New Zealand Business Breakfast was held at the ArtHouse Gallery in Christchurch on September 13: 5 (Clockwise from left) Suzanne Baker (Eventionz), Thomas Rummel (Emirates), Trish Scott (Confab Conference and Event Consultants), Suzanne Carson (Wedding Professionals and Conference and Event Professionals), Amanda Hall (Business Events Australia), Susan Lilly and Maria Gumina (Qantas), Liz Maxwell (ESP Ventures). 6 (From left) Amanda Hall (Business Events Australia), Liz Maxwell (ESP Ventures), Thomas Rummel (Emirates).

The EEO Trust ‘s Women on Boards Getting Ahead seminar was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Auckland, on September 24: 7 Anouska Longford (Eastern Quay) and Tofa Suafole Gush (CYFS).

8 Fiona Shand (Shand & Associates), Janine Smith (The Boardroom Practice) and Giselle McLachlan (Clear Counsel) 9 Pam Elgar (Nexus), Tonia Cawood (Tonia Cawood & Associates) and Robyn Scott-Vincent (Attitude Pictures). 10 MP Pansy Wong and Hilary Sumpter (YWCA). 11 Robyn Galloway (Innovative Travel Company), Fiona Shand Shand & Associates), Denise Aldous (Women on Boards).

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NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 55

M EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT Sponsored by The University of Auckland Business School Short Courses www.shortcourses.ac.nz 0800 800 875

November 7-12 COMPANY DIRECTORS’ COURSE. Auckland. Institute of Directors. www.iod.org.nz 8-9 MANAGING MULTIPLE PROJECTS. Auckland. Conferenz. www.conferenz.co.nz 8-9 PROBEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING. NZIM Central. www.nzimcentral.co.nz 8-9 BUSINESS CASE DEVELOPMENT. Auckland. University of Auckland Short Courses. www.shortcourses.ac.nz 8-9 PROJECT MANAGEMENT. Auckland.

University of Auckland Short Courses. www.shortcourses.ac.nz 8-10 NEGOTIATION. Auckland. David Forman. www.davidforman.co.nz 9 NOT-FOR-PROFIT GOVERNANCE ESSENTIALS. Hamilton. Institute of Directors. www.iod.org.nz 9 PROJECT PLANNING AND CONTROL. Wellington. Project Plus. www.projectplusgroup.com 9-10 PRACTICAL PEOPLE SKILLS. Christchurch. NZIM Southern. www.nzimsouthern.co.nz

15-16 MANAGING PEOPLE. Auckland.

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Institute of Directors. www.iod.org.nz 17-18 CONTRACT AND PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT. NZIM Central. www.nzimcentral.co.nz

22-24 FRANKLINCOVEY: THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE. Auckland. David Forman. www.davidforman.co.nz 24 EFFECTIVE AUDIT COMMITTEES. Christchurch. Institute of Directors. www.iod.org.nz 24-25 CHANGE MANAGEMENT. Auckland. University of Auckland Short Courses. www.shortcourses.ac.nz 25-26 NEEDS ANALYSIS AND PROGRAMME DESIGN. NZIM Central. www.nzimcentral.co.nz 28-Dec 3 COMPANY DIRECTORS’ COURSE. Wellington. Institute of Directors. www.iod.org.nz

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56 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

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EXECS ON THE MOVE M

Paul Boshoff

Bruce Irvine New Zealand’s new ‘heartland bank’ has appointed Irvine as chairman of the board of directors.

Building Society Holdings (BSHL) is the new entity which will be the listed holding company of the group formed by merging Pyne Gould Corporation (PGC), MARAC, CBS Canterbury (CBS) and Southern Cross Building Society (SCBS) into a new New Zealand bank.

Irvine is chairman of PGC and its subsidiaries, including MARAC and Perpetual Trust. He is also a director of listed companies Rakon and PGG Wrightson, and a number of private companies including House

Martin Smith, Sharon Grant, Evan Mayson GHD, a global engineering, architectural and environmental consulting company, has appointed Smith, previously general manager of infrastructure at Manukau Water, as business group manager for Central-Southern NZ. Grant joins GHD as people manager; her previous role was manager – culture, engagement and diversity at the Bank of New Zealand. And Mayson, who joined GHD four years ago, is now business

Boshoff joins HP New Zealand’s Personal Systems Group (PSG) from HP’s South African office. Appointed as country general manager, he replaces Brent Kendrick who has transferred to HP Singapore.

Pete Boyle Intellectual property law firm A J Park has appointed Boyle as its chief executive. A chartered accountant, he has worked extensively as a management consultant, was a partner in the corporate finance and management solutions team at Deloitte, formed Acuity Partners and was most recently group manager business development of NZ Defence ForceDefence Shared Services.

of Travel Group, Market Gardeners, Godfrey Hirst NZ, Skope Industries and Scenic Hotels. group manager for Northern.

Andrew Donaldson

Justin Boyes

Smartpay has appointed Donaldson as chief financial officer. Most recently managing director of Brightstar New Zealand, his past experience also includes four years with Telecom New Zealand and extensive experience in senior management and finance roles in the UK as well as New Zealand.

HRV has appointed Boyes to the newly created position general manager of marketing. He has over 15 years’ experience in all areas of marketing and promotions.

of

Quentin Christie Scientific software company Biomatters has appointed Christie as general manager. He brings over 15 years of senior management experience in a range of international ICT businesses, including Davanti Consulting (a division of Gen-i), Telecom, Telstra and Zeacom.

Albert Naffah Most recently MasterCard’s vice president of strategy, business development and corporate affairs, Naffah has been promoted to country manager New Zealand with overall responsibility for corporate positioning.

Plan, Do, Sustain – The Essence of Change The use of project-based management approaches to advance and succeed in change is seen as vital nowadays. At Project Plus we relate change and project initiatives to the achievement of organisational benefits. Get in touch for more.

www.projectplusgroup.co.nz

NOVEMBER 2010

| management.co.nz | 57

M EXEC 10 TIPS

Better internal communications Internal communications is the lynchpin of your business’ employee engagement strategy, says Karyn Arkell, general manager of Acumen Republic.

I

t’s often difficult to measure the impact internal communications has on business performance. In tough times this activity is often first to go. As the recovery gains momentum and job opportunities return, retaining staff will fast become a priority again, so it’s vital that your internal communications gets back on track. Here are some tips to consider:

marketing manager may want different information from a different channel than a factory worker.

internal and 4 Integrate external comms

There must be a fit between what you are telling your staff and what you are telling your customers, shareholders and the public. Staff feel valued if they know important company news first – don’t make them read about it in the local paper.

5

Karyn Arkell.

Get staff feedback

use of new media 8 Encourage

1 Lead from the top

Effective communications need senior managers’ commitment and endorsement. A ‘vision statement’ is great in theory, but behaviour is what counts.

Managers must behave consistently with the ethos they promote.

Surveying staff and adding their ideas into your programme is an effective way to improve workplace culture. Staff have a different perspective to you and they often know where the system needs improving. Address any big issues or problems upfront and don’t take responses at face value – read between the lines. Share the results with the team to see if they think it has hit the nail on the head.

2

6 Form a staff panel

ignore the grapevine 9 Don’t

Remain transparent and genuine

Employees can typically sense when changes are afoot. Keeping bad news to yourself can lead to rampant speculation, rumours and lost productivity. Be upfront and warn employees of changes such as layoffs, so they can prepare emotionally and financially.

3 Know your audience

Equal opportunity regulations should always be followed, but you should anticipate the different needs and expectations of individual employees before you communicate with them. Consider who they are, the level of information they have about the subject and the context in which they’ll be receiving the information – a 58 | management.co.nz | NOVEMBER 2010

Staff panels that meet regularly generate better ideas on improving culture and communications than one-off surveys. The panel should be made up of a representative pool of staff who agree to be surveyed occasionally, complete questionnaires and attend focus groups. This is cost-effective and shows a long-term commitment to staff.

7 Encourage freedom of speech

If you have an intranet or an internal company blog, think of it as the competition to the newspapers, blogs and broadcast outlets that cover your company.

Employees should be encouraged to constructively criticise via these mediums without career consequences.

Facebook, Twitter or YouTube can open the lines of communication between employees and employers and create a strong sense of community in a workplace. Instead of blocking Facebook, set up pages and groups to inspire and engage your employees. This will position you as a cutting-edge, caring and fair enterprise.

The water-cooler is a critical source of employee reaction and emotion, so if rumours start to circulate, listen to them. Provide managers with Q&As for important internal communications announcements that they can use in both informal conversations and team meetings.

10 Remain consistent

Avoid following fashion and tinkering. If you try to improve communications and then fail because your messages are inconsistent or ‘token efforts’, your workplace will remain unsettled. M Karyn Arkell is general manager of Acumen Republic.

VOL 8 NO 5

Old dogs and new tricks The upsides of ageing – ‘from warrior to wisdom’ – can give older boards distinct advantages, Iain McCormick suggests.

NOVEMBER 2010

THE DIRECTOR

he average age of today’s US corporate director at a large company is about 60, according to research from executive compensation firm Pearl Meyer & Partners and the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).

And 62 percent of non-profit sector directors are 50 or more years of age, according to the Governance Index published by the information service BoardSource.

A 2007 Korn/Ferry Board Study of 8000 directors in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America found that the average mandatory retirement age was 69 in Europe, while in North America the average mandated retirement was at age 72. So are the boardrooms of the world filled with directors who are past it, over the hill and well beyond their use-by dates?

It is well known that ageing causes deterioration in a number of brain functions, particularly memory. There are many factors that cause ageing brains to experience changes in their ability to retain and retrieve information. First the hippocampus is very vulnerable to age-related deterioration. It is a part of the limbic system in the brain that plays a range of important roles in long-term memory, so that can affect how well you retain information.

There is a loss of neurons with age, which can affect the activity of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and their receptors.

An older person often experiences decreased blood flow to the brain, which means less efficient brain activity compared to that of a younger person. These changes can cause problems with brain functions.

The older person might have trouble remembering details of a show or movie they saw recently or directions to a new shop or restaurant. It might take them longer to recall names, faces, and locations, even if you’ve seen them before. They might get flustered if they have to pay attention to more than one thing at a time. Not only does memory deteriorate, but surely so do energy, enthusiasm and motivation?

These views reflect a powerful myth that ageing is a process of steady and inevitable deterioration and decline. Gene Cohen, director of the Center on Ageing, Health and Humani-

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THE DIRECTOR | NOVEMBER 2010

ties at George Washington University in his book The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain suggests otherwise.

There are many older people who show poor cognitive ability, but Cohen suggests that is primarily due to diseases such as dementia, while the other major contributing factors are lack of mental and physical fitness.

Drawing on a wide range of research into human ageing, Cohen suggests that as the healthy and fit human brain ages, it goes through a series of developmental stages that bring highly valuable perspectives and insights to bear on issues. He suggests that there are four phases in ‘old age’: • Re-evaluation: This can take place any time between the mid-30s to the mid-60s,

where there is a realisation of mortality and reconsideration of life decisions. In the governance context, this phase often enables directors to think more about legacy issues, carefully managing balance sheet risk and taking a long-term perspective on growth and profit.

• Liberation: This stage often takes place between the mid-50s and the mid-70s, where the question is ‘If not now, when?’ as people experiment with new ways. Directors who have reached this phase are often more willing to forego ego issues and take smart risks to help develop new innovative products or services.

• Summing up: This takes place from the late 60s through the 80s, where people seek to share, give something back and complete un-

finished business. In this phase, directors can often thoughtfully focus on philanthropy and the setting up of foundations or other ways to encourage human and social development.

• Encore: From the late 70s onwards, major life themes are re-stated and re-affirmed.

This last phase tends to have less relevance in the governance context.

Cohen suggests that there are a range of reasons why the older person can function very well. He finds that older brains can produce new brain cells to compensate for the death of some cells. The brain can also draw on underused areas, so compensating for the effects of ageing. Cohen suggests that the brain’s information processing centre achieves its greatest density and reach between the ages of 60 and 80 years.

Here in New Zealand, we have clear local evidence of what Cohen is saying.

There are a wide range of older New Zealand directors close to or in their 70s who have shown a remarkable ability to deal with highly complex and difficult issues.

These include: • Jim Bolger, who is still a very active chair of Kiwibank and has currently been grappling with issues such as capital raising for the bank.

• Dame Margaret Bazley, chairperson of the NZ Fire Service Commission, registrar of the Pecuniary Interests of Members of Parliament, a member of the Waitangi Tribunal, chair of the Fundamental Review of the Legal Aid System and recently appointed to chair of the commissioners who are to oversee Environment Canterbury and fix the region’s significant water issues.

• Sir Tipene O’Regan, an eminent kaumatua, academic and business leader, the first assistant vice-chancellor (Maori) at the University of Canterbury.

Older directors often have different and interesting perspectives. This is so for John Groom, the 63-year-old deputy chairman of the not-for-profit anti-violence NGO Man Alive. He uses the phrase “from warrior to wisdom” to describe the types of changes he has seen in directors he has known and worked with over the past decade.

Older directors are able to show ‘eldership’ – the wisdom that comes with age.

Groom believes that they are better able to understand and constructively manage their negative emotions and more likely to emphasise the positive than their younger counterparts.

He feels older directors are better able to synthesise disparate or opposing views or sources and information and make constructive sense of them. These directors are more able to see the forest for the trees, to pull back from an idea or situation and see it in a broader context.

What can the ageing director do to keep up with the play? Cohen identifies five activities to sustain power, clarity and subtlety of mind, all of which are directly relevant to the ageing director.

• Exercise mentally Many people see physical exercise as important, but exercising mental abilities is just as important.

With regular mental challenges such as dealing with complex governance issues, the individual is likely to remain alert and an effective problem solver.

• Exercise physically This helps to maintain bone density, muscle tone and weight and it also improves cardiovascular fitness and brain functioning.

• Take up challenging leisure activities Learning to play a musical instrument or painting can greatly improve mental functioning. The 2009 international documentary I

Remember Better When I Paint is a film about the positive impact of art and other creative therapies in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

The film shows the way creativity helps individuals sidestep some of the affected areas of the brain caused by dementia disorders such as Alzheimer’s and how they can strengthen their imaginations through therapeutic art.

An interesting YouTube video is available if you search on I Remember Better When I Paint.

• Achieve mastery Cohen suggests that research on ageing has uncovered a key variable in mental health that he has called a “sense of control”. He indicates that from middle age onward, people who have a sense of control or mastery stay healthier than those who don’t. It appears that mastery can not only improve the mental state but also strengthen the immune system too.

• Establish strong social networks Cohen claims that many studies have linked active social networking and connection to better mental and physical health and lower death rates. Older socially connected individuals enjoy significantly lower blood pressure, which in turn reduces the risk of stroke and its resulting brain damage. They also have low stress levels, including less anxiety and depression.

So there’s no cause for concern if your board comprises mainly superannuitants. Older board members often have superior abilities to deal with complex interconnected issues.

As we grow older our brains mature and so do our knowledge, our emotions and our expressive abilities. Directors who look after themselves physically, emotionally and mentally can make a very valuable contribution well into their 60s and 70s.

Iain McCormick PhD heads DirectorEvaluation.com – www.directorevaluation.com.

Contact Carrie Hobson or Stephen Leavy Auckland Office T +64 (9) 379 2224 PO Box 362, Auckland 1140 Level 3, Shortland Chambers, 70 Shortland Street, Auckland 1140

Wellington Office

www.hobsonleavy.com

T +64 (4) 460 5244 Level 16, Vodafone on the Quay, 157 Lambton Quay, Wellington

NOVEMBER 2010 | THE DIRECTOR |

61

Capex scrutiny crucial part of good governance Many board members do not see their role as challenging the value of capital investment proposals. Yet systemised capex appraisal is vital to creating shareholder wealth, argues specialist consultant in the field Tony Street. t should have been a winner. Instead a company’s $69-million investment in new manufacturing facilities missed the target by a country mile. The targeted Net Present Value was to have been $20 million.

In the event with all the costs in, the NPV was just $500,000.

It’s just one of many unreported New Zealand horror stories that paint the perils of failing to do robust value analysis of capital expenditure (capex) proposals and business acquisitions. Simple accounting mistakes led to the downfall. Capital outlays were not accounted for in the correct period and interest costs during construction were overlooked.

The company also ignored the cost of future “must do” upgrades.

Sadly, such oversights are common among New Zealand corporates. Management and financial officers widely fail to objectively assess the real long-term costs of capital expenditure.

So today, more than ever, directors must ask the hard questions management often does not ask itself.

Frankly, profit and loss measures such as NOPAT, EBIT and EBITDA are not enough.

They cannot track the true costs of capital expenditure because they ignore the cost of shareholders’ equity. Today, many companies are 20 to 40 percent geared and capex is often funded from retained earnings. And here’s the rub. Management typically assesses capex on a “business case” basis, using accounting

I

measures that show a lift to the bottom line.

However, by failing to fully account for the cost of using shareholder funds, it risks destroying them in the process.

The lesson should have been learned back in 2000 when the ANZ Bank last put companies’ ERC (Economic Return on Capital) and EVA (Economic Value Added) under the microscope. Then Stock Exchange chairman Eion Edgar voiced concern that New Zealand’s 500 biggest companies had destroyed $6.5 billion in shareholder value in 1998 alone. A third had not even covered their cost of capital.

In 2002, in his book Corporate Governance and Wealth Creation in NZ, ANZ head of regional investment banking Joseph Healy observed that CEO compensation and incentives are seldom aligned to the creation of EVA for shareholders. Fixing the problem was (and is) a top priority, he said, “because performance measures are encouraging executives to build bigger businesses – even if it means destroying shareholder wealth”. Clearly this is a fundamental board responsibility.

Healy pinpointed poorly specified or non-existent return on capital objectives and failure to ensure capital was placed where it could produce the required returns. He also identified an unwelcome dominance of ‘compliance based’ accounting and legal control over the rigorous economic thinking, risk taking and entrepreneurial flair needed for business innovation.

In August 2002 NZ Management magazine highlighted the issue in a feature entitled How EVA exposes non-performers – Top executives destroy corporate wealth.

EFFECT OF STRATEGIC CAPEX REALLOCATION OF $2M/ANNUM ON EBIT AND NOPAT

NOVEMBER 2010 | THE DIRECTOR |

63

and carefully analyse true value often falls through a crack in the floor. Management also generally lacks motivation to put in place objective priority setting systems. With many prospective “must do” capital jobs to prioritise, they should have objective systems to ensure that ‘needs’ are met before ‘wants’.

It’s a pity they don’t because shareholders and lenders would expect that systems – of worldclass calibre – are used to allocate their scarce capex resources.

Amazingly, although capital investment is a make-or-break decision, management rarely rates it important enough to warrant software to systemise the appraisal process and thus guard against bad investment. The common approach instead is to plump for false economy by knocking together in-house spreadsheets – a

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the link between the providers of capital (shareholders) and the company officers who use that capital to create value (management).

Shareholders invest their financial resources to gain a return commensurate with the risks that they are taking. So directors must bear in mind that their primary objective is long-term prosperity of the company.

Shareholder value focused companies accept the need to outperform the competition through a vibrant and sustainable competitive advantage. This needs to be combined with an innovation-based culture which anticipates market changes and rapidly exploits new opportunities. Innovation ensures enduring growth in shareholder value and therefore first-rate strategic thinking is crucial. So board members must realise that strategy and share-

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Detailing results surveyed by international management consultants Stern Stewart, the article said that “when it comes to creating wealth for the companies that employ them, our top managers are not top performers”.

Martin Concannon, Stern Stewart’s then managing director Australasia, was quoted as saying, “the trouble is that while capital management has become more popular in recent years, many businesses still treat shareholder funds as if they are free”. In the same article Kerry McDonald, Comalco’s CEO at the time, charged that “what’s lacking is effective management infrastructures – a lack of commitment to developing the tools, practices and processes that let good managers and leaders achieve the best results”.

Internationally, there is very clear evidence that good corporate governance achieves a triple win: it attracts capital; it increases the share price and it can reduce the cost of capital. It is a powerful risk management safeguard for shareholders. For example, a study by McKinsey & Co surveyed 200 institutional investors. A stunning 75 percent said that good governance practices (commitment to shareholder value, majority of independent directors and transparent reporting) were at least as important as financial performance when evaluating investments. It also found that institutional investors are willing to pay a premium for good governance – as much as 20 percent.

Having helped many New Zealand corporates over the years, I have identified a huge gulf between management and accountants in taking responsibility for implementing best practice systems to ensure an overall return from capex programmes. When preparing capex proposals, the need to evaluate alternatives, test assumptions, fully assess risks

The need to evaluate alternatives, test assumptions, fully assess risks and carefully analyse true value often falls through a crack in the floor. far cry from providing a robust capex infrastructure. Normally built ‘on the fly’, they are prone to errors – as occurred in the example at the start of the article.

The whole point of evaluating capital expenditure investment is to create sustainable shareholder wealth. Directors have a fiduciary responsibility, as agents for shareholders, to monitor management’s performance. Should deviations occur, the board is responsible for taking corrective action. Poor or even average performance warrants confrontation. So at board level, social niceties must not take priority over the need for constructive debate and decision making.

A key function of the board is to provide

holder value is intrinsically linked.

As an example, the graph on page 63 demonstrates a spectacular compounding financial impact where a company gains 20 percent better value from its $10 million per annum capital spend. It then uses the expenditure avoided to re-invest in ‘business case’ capex with three-year payback periods. By year eight, EBIT increases by almost $5.2 million per annum. This is an example of good growth through capex that magnifies shareholder wealth creation.

Tony Street is a director of Capex Systems (CSL) – a capital planning consultancy and software development company. (www.capex.co)

The authority on capital expenditure management systems Capex Systems Ltd is New Zealand s premier supplier of systems for maximising value from capital expenditure and corporate investment programs.

Our corporate partners include leading New Zealand companies that have used our systems on a weekly basis for the past decade. They have gained by growing economic value for shareholders while meeting their stakeholder responsibilities.

Visit us at : www.capex.co or email us today at enquiries@capex.co or phone 07 8383 945

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THE DIRECTOR | NOVEMBER 2010

The EEO Trust Work & Life Awards celebrate employers who lead the way in making the most of our increasingly diverse workforce. Their businesses are growing because their

employees are too. They look after the people they employ and create engaging environments where everyone thrives. On the 28th of October, the EEO Trust announced the winners.

SUPREME AWARD WINNER

The Warehouse SKILLS HIGHWAY AWARD WINNER

Liddell Contracting HIGHLY COMMENDED

Canterbury Spinners, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, New Zealand Army

WORK & LIFE/DIVERSITY INITIATIVE AWARD

WALK THE TALK AWARD

WINNER

Henare Clarke of Downer New Zealand

The Warehouse HIGHLY COMMENDED

WINNER

Chapman Tripp

TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE AWARD

WORKPLACE WORK & LIFE AWARD

WINNER

WINNER

ANZ New Zealand HIGHLY COMMENDED

Microsoft New Zealand

Read their stories to find out how they are building flexible, productive workplaces. www.eeotrust.org.nz

OMEGA