The Changing face of Leadership - the Bravery of Leaders, with Emma Hardaker-Jones Group HR Director at Legal and General

Apprentices Bridge The Digital Skills Gap with Alison Galvin MBE

As it's National Apprenticeship Week in the UK, we have recorded a podcast to discuss and promote the value of Apprentices and Apprenticeships, with particular regard to Leading Business Change and bridging the Skills Gap in Digital Transformation.

Unlocking the Potential of Apprenticeships: A Journey with Alison Galvin MBE

Embark on a transformative voyage as we delve into the world of Apprenticeships with Alison Galvin, MBE, the visionary Chief People Officer at INV Group, a group of cutting-edge technology companies. Join us in this compelling podcast as Alison sheds light on the critical role apprenticeships play in bridging the digital skills gap, especially in the public sector where their impact is most needed.

Recent reports from Forbes highlight a staggering 93% of UK businesses grappling with an IT skills gap, with 42% attributing the challenge to the rapid pace of technological advancements. The ever evolving landscape of technology, encompassing artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cloud computing, underlines the urgency of addressing this gap. Training and development deficiencies are cited by 41% of businesses, while 37% identify the lack of relevant educational programs as contributing factors.

Against this backdrop, apprenticeships emerge as a powerful solution, presenting a viable strategy to cultivate a skilled workforce and bridge the divide. In this podcast, Alison Galvin shares her invaluable insights, drawing from her role as the driving force behind INV Group's apprenticeship program. Under her leadership, the program has produced a cadre of leaders, including board directors, creating a talent pipeline securing the group's future.

Alison's active engagement in the Government's South East 'Apprenticeship Ambassador Network,' her position on the Board of Surrey Chambers of Commerce, and her involvement in the Surrey Skills Leadership Forum and the Enterprise M3 Skills Advisory Panel position her at the nexus of business and government. This unique vantage point enables her to contribute meaningfully to addressing the skills shortage in Surrey across diverse sectors.

Tune in to my PJ Tips Podcast to discover Alison's philosophy on recruiting, training, and nurturing apprentices. Gain valuable insights into the culture, strategy, and leadership behaviours that empower apprentices and foster the success of apprenticeship programs. Explore the untapped potential of apprenticeships in the dynamic realm of digital and tech, where businesses struggle to keep pace with rapid change. Alison's firsthand experience includes nurturing senior managers and directors, including two Managing Directors, who ascended through the apprentice program.

Is engaging apprentices a sound business decision? According to Alison, the figures speak for themselves, highlighting the mutually beneficial relationship between apprentices and employers. As she unveils the symbiotic advantages, it becomes evident that apprenticeships not only make business sense but are integral to leading transformative business change. Join us in this podcast and unlock the full spectrum of possibilities that the Apprenticeship Scheme holds for both individuals and businesses.

#NationalApprenticeshipWeek

#NationalApprenticeWeek

#NationalApprenticeshipWeek2024 #Government

#ApprenticeshipScheme

#BuildBetterBusiness

#LeadingBusinessChange

#DigitalTransformation

#Technology

#SkillsGap

#Education

#TalentPool

#SuccessionPlanning

#Coaching

#Culture

#Leadership

#Strategy

#GrowthStrategy

Beyond Hybrid Working with Gwen Stirling Wilkie

In this PJ Tips Podcast on Leading Business Change, our guest Gwen Stirling Wilkie shares insights, stories and top tips on Beyond Hybrid Working.

Gwen has recently published a book Omni-Working, which talks a lot about the need and value of flexibility in work. Not just where we work, but how we work.

If you think Omni or Flexible working is tough to achieve in your world, imagine integrating Omni working into a Construction Firm on the building sites.

Over the last few years, I have worked with and spoken to many leaders and bosses who (excuse the expression) have their proverbial 'knickers in a twist' over whats right and wrong when it comes to flexible working.

Clients such as a Dubai Bank to UK Rail Co are wrestling with this topic. A Top Tip from Gwen is to 'experiment'. You'll hear her use this term a number of times in the conversation.

But, as we discuss, do you - and the business - have the leadership skills and underlying culture to encourage and support experimentation.

We usefully discuss two levels of Leadership :

The strategic level of leadership that vision and strategy for omni working, and

The second tier of leaders who have to try and implement the strategy.

One could argue there's a third level, and that's leadership of self to live the strategy honestly and effectively, not just in service of self, but in service of the project, team and overall purpose.

Given that, in the UK, figures for Performance and Productivity are (relatively) low, we need to upskill (or re-skill) leaders to Lead Business Change. Unfortunately change is most often difficult, expensive , emotional, time consuming .... and failure intensive.

How can Omni Working impact on Performance and Productivity? Listen in to hear Gwen's insights and practical tips for Leaders, leading this change.

For more insights on Omni Working, connect with Gwen Stirling-Wilkie on LinkedIn and Twitter, and her book is available online : Omni-Working: Work effectively in all ways, from all places.

For more insights and top tips on Leading Business Challenge, connect with me PJ Stevens #PJTips

#leadingbusinesschange

#omniworking

#beyondhybridworking

#performance

#productivity

#culture

The new playbook for 21st century brand building with Neil Barrie

In this PJ Tips podcast on Leading Business Change, Neil Barrie talks us through the new playbook for 21st century brand building, and shares his purpose to 'challenge leaders to create a positive cultural legacy’.

Its a high energy ride, so hang on. It so worth it!

Neil was CSO of Chiat Day Los Angeles from 2014-2018, and spent most of his time working on Airbnb. Here he met up with Jonathan Mildenhall and they worked together when Airbnb was just a squiggly logo and helped grow it to the global travel brand we know it as today.

Having left in 2018, they decided to create a business together. A business that would utilise their incredible knowledge of Brand Building for good. TwentyFirstCenturyBrand was born with the mission to launch, build and scale the most influence brands of our time.

After 5 years growing their business and helping others do the same, they joined up with Common Interest who now have a 51% stake in the business.

Neil openly discusses why they created 21stCenturyBrand, the good work its done and will do as part of the Common Interest collective.

When talking with Neil on this PJ Tips Podcast I got the overwhelming sense of Human, of being Human and Human interest. Indeed, Neil tells us about their core value ‘Ambush with Humanity’, meaning they go out of our way to create a safe space for people to be vulnerable, creative and challenging, both internally and with clients. Neil says it’s so important that people are themselves, not who they think they ‘should’ be.

This bears out in his views on ‘discuss the undiscussable’ and how to create a safe space for leaders to do this.

Purpose flows through the conversation. When asked about TwentyFirstCenturyPurpose, Neil offers surprising insights. He talks about seeking a deeper purpose above that of their vision, and that they went away for a few days with the team who decided on ‘Challenging leaders to create a positive cultural legacy’ as their leading purpose.

I had heard people use the term ‘explosion of creativity’ and I was buzzing with energy talking to Neil, which makes more sense when you hear why sold shares to Common Interest and join the collective. Its all about partnering with other businesses with a common interest and services that combined can add more value.

The term collective brilliance springs to mind. By working with Common Interest they can expand services whilst remaining true to themselves, their skills and brand.

I referred to it as a merger in the conversation, and it’s not that. It’s more of a purposeful coming together.

Given the successes Neil and the team have enjoyed to date, one can only imagine the good they can do in the next period.

Here’s some of the questions that Neil answers in this podcast:

• What is brand and what isn’t it

• Definition of brands

• How do you build a brand with particular regard to people and behaviours

• How does a brand help you in tougher economic times and pressures

#LeadingBusinessChange

#PurposeLedBrands

#BusinessForGood

#Failure

#GrowthStrategy

#CollectiveBrilliance

#Brand

#BrandBuilding

#21stCenturyBrands

#Culture

#CultureChange

#Legacy

Henry Staelens - The World's Greenest CEO - talks leadership, sustainability and sport on this PJ Tips Podcast

In this PJ Tips podcast, I talk Sport, Leadership and Sustainability with the World's Greenest CEO, Henry Staelens.

Having sold a couple of businesses, Henry became the youngest football club CEO when he took over at Forest Green Rovers.

Henry has very clear views on leadership and sustainability, and since recording this, has started a new challenging role as CEO at Ice Hockey UK - why, because of the massive potential he sees.

Forest Green Rovers were once described as the hippie club everybody hated, but the world has moved on and Forest Green Rovers are a global phenomenon leading the way in sustainability in football, and are 'everyone's second favourite club'. Hundreds of Clubs and Businesses have been to see FGR, ho are a model for change, even Wimbledon has been to visit the tiny Gloucester Club. In the conversation Henry talks about Wimbledon's famous Strawberries and Cream, and their trial of Strawberries and Vegan Cream. The results might surprise you. Check out their Green Code work.

Henry believes in leadership and accountability, not micromanagement and establishes a 'belief system that’s bigger than just on the pitch'. He's highly motivated, purpose led and had a very clear mission & strategy at FGR. It was about being the Worlds First where they could, such as having the worlds first vegan/organic pitch. They believe in the notion of do it first, then tell people you’ve done it! Rather than tell them about ideas or plans you have to XYZ in 2030 and then fail to execute.

You can feel the innovation and intention in Henry's comments and insights.  So does this mean other Football Clubs are typically lazy or slow to change?

FGR does more with less – they are over achievers by their own admittance and in the nicest possible sense.  They have bigger audience than any club of its size. Indeed they have 120 international fan clubs. Made profit every year including Covid; Hospitality has grown 300%  and fan numbers grown by 400%. This impacts on the fan experience, income, sponsors and merchandise.

FGR have some amazing sponsors. Henry talks about Quorn who were their biggest sponsors and who are now middle tier as new sponsors have come onboard. This has happened as sponsors have bought into the vision and purpose.

There's no greenwashing at FGR. And they have been careful with new sponsors, checking their green behaviours and governance. So with this in mind, I ask about their relationship with Innocent Smoothies, owned by Coca Cola. The response might surprise you.

So what does sustainability mean and does it make good business sense.  Sustainability takes a culture, decisions and investment. But it seems that at FGR it does indeed make great business sense. People (fans) buy into consistency and authenticity. So dont just have one Carbon Neutral Game and then revert to BAU, make sustainability BAU.

Is Forest Green Rovers a Football Club or Small business? The main product is still football. They have a green stadium, but its still about football. However they are nimble, agile and able to make fast decisions. When Henry joined there was great potential to do more with what they had. The combination of Leadership and Change , was brought about in 2010 when FGR nearly went bust, and Dale Vince invested. He realised it needed more than money, it needed leadership and to be run properly and sustainably.

Culture plays an important part in any committed change. And the overall role of Culture, on and off the pitch is key in FGR. So if FGR can change and become 'green', why cant the likes of Newcastle? Henry talk about football have a wonderful opportunity to lead sustainability in Sport.

We talk about Culture, how to build and create and we talk about managing people, personalities and roles, including the relationships with Owners and Managers and how that helps or hinders Clubs.   

Henry's Top Tip: Change can feel hard and cumbersome. However – do the right thing, and change and commercial value will come.

The Changing face of Leadership - the Bravery of Leaders, with Emma Hardaker-Jones Group HR Director at Legal and General

“As a leader, it’s about the actions you take, not the words you use.”

This was one of the references that Emma Hardaker-Jones makes in the podcast. Its big and brave as are many of the other insights and information she shares about herself as leader, the business and the changing face of leadership today.

Emma is Group HR Director at Legal & General, though her title might better be described as Chief of Stuff. Since joining Legal & General in 2017, her role has expanded to include internal communications, sustainability, real estate investments as well as sitting on the board of the housing business that L&G bought in 2018. 

How does she manage all the projects whilst keeping her health, sanity and effectiveness high - she reveals all in our chat.

In the podcast, Emma talks to us about the bravery of leaders today, the changes required in leaders and leadership, and gives some insights into the changing leadership at the top at L&G as Chief Executive of Legal & General, Nigel Wilson, is to retire after more than a decade leading Britain’s largest asset manager and insurance group. L&G, which manages £1.5tn worth of assets for clients, including workplace pension schemes, is now on the hunt for a successor. Will Emma be that successor - I ask the question.

Presumably there's a bunch of in-fighting from people in the business who want that CEO job? And how will the business manage if an 'outsider' is recruited into the most senior leadership role. Imagine trying to follow Nigel Wilson. Emma gives an authentic overview of this situation, how to manage the business, protect people's investments and lead Changing Leadership.

Emma offers some wonderfully personal and professional insights, such as why she joined L&G, how its purpose from 1836 of creating a better society lives in todays culture, and where they are today and why they will exist in the future? Today L&G are a leading financial services group and major global investor, safeguarding people's financial futures around the world with over 10,000 staff and £1.5TRN AUM

So what does leadership and the Bravery of a Leader mean to Emma - and how does she live it. 2021 was a tough year for Emma and she talks through the realisation and changes that had to be made, and how well she and the business maturely embraced this. Her insights include how to and why to make space for self and the importance of self maintenance. This level of leadership has proved a benefit to L&G and had a positive impact on her family.

It takes courage to change and one of Emma's top tips, which she heard elsewhere is that Leaders need to ‘’watch the feet, not the lips’’. What are people doing, not just saying - are they staying in the business or exiting to pastures new? She is clear on what did leaders do well in pandemic,  what behaviours do we want to preserve and will this help. The notion of 'we may not get it right' is inspiring.

Emma talks openly about the ebb and flow of Engagement, and lessons hey learned about to treat people and importance or power of listening.

As a result of extensive listening - and an increase in staff engagement - Emma and the team at three key points to work on: 

• Work life balance       
• Tech
• Get things done easily

The first two may be more obvious in this day and sage, but what about the third? Getting things more easily is perhaps common sense, but then again, does it happen, or are too many of us making things more complicated, more difficult than needs be. I can name some businesses where people thrive on making things tough, to look important and valuable for their own purposes. Emma shares what this means to L&G and broader community.

Finally we look at how not only do Leaders need to drive and lead change in organisation, but how to create and maintain shifts in culture and behaviours. The landscape is constantly shifting

 Thanks to Emma and Legal & General.

#Leadership #LeadingBusinessChange #Bravery #Change #Culture #ChangingLeadership