Category: Leadership

As yet another major shake-up appears on the horizon of the British political landscape, leadership and the qualities required to reach the top have understandably shifted to the forefront of the public consciousness. In the world of business, we tend to know an effective leader when we see one, but what exactly is it in their character and behaviour that has enabled them to rise through the ranks and flourish in their position of authority?

Leadership qualities can be elusive, and it’s not always easy to pinpoint what it is that marks someone out from the pack. People often over-intellectualise the notion of leadership and place too much focus and pressure on carving out a clear trajectory to top. Instead, aspiring leaders would do better to concentrate on inward reflection and uphold a simple but focused ethos towards one’s work and work relationships. Here are a few considerations drawing on my own experience:

Don’t showboat: While many people think they need to be constantly on the radar of the leadership team, this isn’t always the best way to get ahead. It’s not about being the loudest person in the room. Instead, you should be showcasing what you do well and, as they say, your reputation will take care of itself.

Balance emotional intelligence with pragmatism: A good leader is one that has empathy but doesn’t let it get in the way of doing what needs to be done: setting out clear instructions and expectations for team members. Balancing assertiveness with ensuring that colleagues feel emotionally supported can be a delicate art. It’s essential to know how your team members tick; understanding what drives them and how to then best communicate and motivate them accordingly.

Have humility: While, for many, confidence and leadership go hand in hand – and they often do –

individuals should make sure to keep their ego in check. As the saying goes, you should never be ‘a legend in your own lunch hour’ – do your job to the best of your ability, stay professional and let your success speak for itself. The inability to stay grounded will warp your perspective on things and ultimately could cause your work to suffer.

Give team members space: Any good leader should always have a ‘leading by example’ mantra for instilling a top-down work ethos. However, this should not be a call for employees to play copycat. Leading is not about producing ‘mini mes’ – workers should be allowed to breathe and be who they are. Successful teams thrive on diversity of views and methodology, therefore respecting an individual and allowing them to play to their strengths is vital for the success of everyone. You should never assume that your particular approach will work best for everyone. It’s about inspiration, not suffocation.

Roll with the punches: It’s pretty rare to go through your working life without experiencing a career low. There will likely be a point, or even several, where you’ve been knocked back. It could be that you’ve just landed the job of your dreams but when you get there, the nirvana role you were sold is really all smoke and mirrors – and resigning is the only option. Or, it could be that you lose out on a big promotion opportunity to a colleague. Regardless of the setback, it’s key to not lose faith. Remember: dust yourself down, rebuild your confidence and focus on what’s next.

Know your business: The more a person can understand the business, the better they are at their job and the easier it becomes to be noticed by your peers and the people in charge of career progression. It’s therefore vital to understand aspects of the company beyond your core role such as the impact of brand, profit and loss, and employee engagement. A true leader is one who goes above and beyond in living and breathing the values of their organisation.

Never stop working on yourself: As we see across the board, not just in business but also from great sports people or entertainers, it’s important to keep developing your skillset to get to the top of your game. Never presume that you’re at your best. There is always room for further personal development and there is never nothing left to learn. This is especially true when the rules of the game are constantly changing due to myriad factors, whether they be technological, economic or social.

Rising to the position of leader and performing the role successfully requires the ability to prioritise where to expend your energy. You should never lose sight of the ultimate goal of always delivering to the best of your ability and upholding the utmost respect for colleagues.

Richard Hilton is the MD EMEA of Miller Heiman Group, the leader in sales training, technology, consulting and research.

The use or abuse of alcohol and/or drugs may not be perceived as a significant risk factor in some organisations but it should always be considered good governance in any company to undertake a Risk Assessment to identify any such potential organisational vulnerability. The probability of an event happening, or the magnitude of such an event, should be risk assessed to ensure that any problems arising can be effectively managed. 

Risk Assessment procedures are used for identifying and managing the vulnerability of an organisation to external threats – such as the potential technological melt down caused by the New Year of 2000 or the impact of Brexit – or internal causes. Vulnerabilities can be due to possible economic impacts, accidents harming plant and/or people, human behaviour or health issues.   With the rapid dissemination of global news the corporate reputation of an organisation subject to any of the above can be severely and quickly impacted. To cite one recent example, human behaviour had a considerable impact on the reputation of American Airlines when a security officer forcibly removed a doctor from an overbooked flight.

Events can impact on an organisation in dramatic ways.  Share prices can plummet and make a company vulnerable to a takeover. A catastrophic event such as when the Exxon Valdez struck a reef off Alaska and the resultant catastrophic oil spill with severe environmental damage – possibly alcohol induced – or more recently the shipwreck of the Costa Concordia and the deaths that resulted – induced by human frailty – can turn a hostile spotlight on the reputation of companies once thought impregnable. 

Human frailty is always with us. But Alcohol and Drug problems may not immediately appear to head the list of significant risks to an organisation – however they may be the trigger for a major economic, accident- or safety-related event. It is often the accumulation of small factors and their interaction that results in a calamity.

There are three elements that should be the cornerstones of any corporate alcohol and drug strategy: Risk Management; a Taking Care Alcohol and Drug Policy; and Rehabilitation back into the workplace. There are also many legal traps to be aware of, particularly in relation to testing and disciplinary procedures.

In relation to risk management addiction is too often not considered a disability nor suitable for ill-health retirement, and yet for the medical profession addiction is increasingly considered an illness. The WHO, International Classification of Diseases (ICD 10), and DSM5 use the term dependency since 1975. To align with the Human Rights Act it may be important to consider using the term dependency as well as addiction.

Abuse often infers misconduct, and corporate alcohol and drug policies invariably focus on misconduct, but dependency may not necessarily be abuse if it is considered an illness. If dependency were considered a disability under The Human Rights Act it would provide some protection for an employee coming forward to declare a problem.

I also believe, under an alcohol and drug policy, alcohol needs to be considered separately from drugs; alcohol is a legal substance and drugs are invariably illegal substances and there may be legal and organisational responsibilities if the use of drugs at work is identified.

Furthermore, there needs to be a differentiation between intoxication at work and dependency, as dependency is not categorically linked to intoxication at work. The latter is classed as misconduct, whereas dependency should be considered as a possible performance issue affecting work. All the above have legal implications.

What is the value in developing a ‘caring approach’ to dependency? Employees should feel that management can be trusted to support them in their illness either via Occupational Health or by their own line manager and should feel safe to declare they have a dependency problem.  Confidentiality is paramount and it is important a procedure is in place where managers and Occupational Health can liaise to perform a work-place risk assessment on an individual. Risk assessing the employee’s work would identify tasks that should be restricted if these tasks are considered at risk of causing accidents, damage or economic or reputational impact to the individual and/or the organisation. If this approach is applied employees will feel safer in coming forward and a significant problem may be avoided.

Lastly, if the organisation, via Occupational Health, can provide a suitable rehabilitation programme for dependency that should lead to more employees coming forward and a confidential declaration of the problem would then trigger a formal risk assessment followed by a suitable rehabilitation programme within a caring environment.

Is providing treatment for an alcohol or drug dependent employee good for both the organisation and for the employee? I believe yes to both. Why? Because providing support for an employee with a dependency problem gives someone a chance to rehabilitate and return to being a productive employee. In my experience employees given this opportunity are invariably grateful for the support they have been given by both the organisation and their line manager and usually become loyal employees – if the treatment has been successful.

The process for rehabilitation back into work is important and should involve Occupational Health monitoring the treatment programme. At appropriate stages meetings should be held with the line manager to progress towards a phased return to work. This needs to be based on a risk-assessment protocol which will include regular reviews by Occupational Health and on-going therapeutic meetings such as AA.

Relapses do occur and if properly managed these can be incorporated as part of the therapeutic process. Two important rules that must be adhered to: the employee must not turn up for work intoxicated and must immediately disclose to their line manager and/or Occupational Health that they have relapsed. The employee will not therefore attend work with the potential for incurring the penalties for intoxication at work and any possibility of denial is removed by the declaration they have relapsed. If a relapse is addressed immediately in this way it can provide negative reinforcement to strengthen the rehabilitation process.

What dependency rehabilitation treatment works? Best of all is residential care because it cuts off the individual completely from the social and work environment triggers that were part of the problem. This invariably also involves removing the employee’s mobile phone! And it always provides the most successful outcome. Too often day care treatment does not address the many factors that are contributing to the dependency such as dual pathology, family or work-related issues. Too often detoxification is the first and only treatment – and as a result, relapses are, in my experience, much more likely to happen (and continue happening).

The value to the organisation in retaining a valued experienced employee without the costs of re-hiring and retraining is obvious. Employees will acknowledge and be fully aware of such a caring approach, recognise the implications of intoxication at work that could potentially drive them down the misconduct route. Lastly, and most importantly, colleagues are also more likely to be supportive and encourage an employee to go forward to discuss any problem with their line manager or Occupational Health.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Michael McCann MB BCh MA DIH MD MFOM is a Member of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, and received a Doctorate in Medicine for his work on alcohol problems in the workplace. His latest book, “Alcohol, Drugs and Employment”, is designed to be a reference book for health professionals as well as management and human resources to assist them in dealing with the often-challenging cases of substance abuse which they may be faced with.  Dr McCann will be speaking at iCAAD London 2019; Europe’s leading conference on Behavioural, mental and Emotional Health. https://www.icaad.com/icaad-london-2019

Established in 2010, Absolute Communications Group is an integrated communications agency based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Named 2019’s PR Agency of the Year by CEO Monthly Magazine, we took some time to profile the firm and find out more about their dedication to innovative, client-centric communication solutions.

The greater communications industry has been forever changed by technology. Indeed, in many ways, it has paved the way for development and swift expansion as companies learn to cherish tools that allow for seamless connectivity. Effective communication, after all, is utterly crucial in this modern age of business, acting to bridge the gap between a company, their stakeholders and their clients.

Capitalising on this growing need, Absolute Communications have distinguished themselves early in a market which has always craved new solutions, new ideas and new approaches to tired business problems. With a client base that includes Nikon and Novo Nordisk, Absolute have, in many ways, harnessed an expertise that belies their relatively small size.

Working primarily on three fronts; public relations, digital strategies, and live communications, Absolute have moved into markets that were ripe for the taking, realising that future business success hinges on an ability to capitalise on the opportunities these sectors bring to the table.

Of that triumvirate, public relations comprise the core part of Absolute’s portfolio – for the time being – and for good reason. Regardless of business size, good PR management remains important in this digital-centric environment. After all, people can access information easily, so it is essential that this information helps positively inform a potential client’s opinion, rather than divert them to competitors or peers. There’s a certain proactivity in today’s PR activities, so it is essential to have a PR firm that understands the ever-changing business landscape, reacts to it, and pounces on new opportunities when they arise. This is, ultimately, what Absolute Communications excels at.

On top of their more traditional PR services, Absolute Communications also engages in comprehensive digital marketing solutions. Described, suitably, by Absolute as the ‘innovative
powerhouse’ of the company, it serves to offer clients an array of options that are design from the ground up to grow their business in the most vital of arenas – the online space. From website design and development to search engine optimisation and social media marketing, Absolute have the talent and honed skill to ensure that their clients remain utterly up to date, and at the cutting edge of a sector that never stops moving forward.

For this, Absolute Communications Group was recognised as one of the best PR firms in the region, with a commitment to delivering results for their clients, to enable them to flourish despite economic uncertainty.

Company: Absolute Communications Group Address: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Website: http://www.absolutecg.net

Telephone: +971 564 241 999

Chipside, a specialist provider of digital parking and permitting services, has appointed Leighton Ponting as its new Business Development Manager. With more than three decades of experience in business sales and management, and 15 years involvement in the parking industry, Leighton will drive Chipside’s expansion into new markets in 2019.

Leighton has previously worked in sales and management for IT and manufacturing companies across the United Kingdom. He transitioned to parking in 2005 and has since built a highly respected network of industry contacts and professionals. In previous roles, Leighton has been responsible for the management and roll out of the latest technology in coin, card and contactless parking payments.

“A lot of Chipside’s successes can be credited to its people and we are thrilled Leighton Ponting will be dedicating his sales and business acumen to our team,” comments Chipside CEO, Paul Moorby OBE. “We are constantly looking at ways to introduce our innovation to markets we know will benefit from our digital parking and permitting services. Leighton’s consultancy experience, technical knowledge and impressive network in the parking industry will allow us to explore new opportunities with hospitals, universities and private parking in 2019.”

Leighton Ponting commented; “I was attracted to Chipside because of its unmatched reputation in the parking industry – both in terms of its innovation and customer service. Its 2025 company road map and strategy is industry leading, and I look forward to being a part of Chipside’s exciting future growth and development.”

In a spate of new hires, Gary Barnes comes on board as Ably’s new CCO.

Ably, the realtime data delivery platform, has recently onboarded Gary Barnes, previously Global Head of Sales at Thoughtworks, the global software and digital transformation consultancy.

As CCO, Gary leads Ably’s expanding sales and marketing division, paving the way for further uptake of Ably’s realtime data infrastructure. Over his 11-year tenure at Thoughtworks Gary performed in a number of sales leadership positions, helping to grow the business beyond $500m annual revenues through consistent percentage growth in the high teens. Thoughtworks currently has 40 offices spread across 14 countries.

Gary comments: “Twenty five years bringing to market developments in the software and digital services sector led me to recognize the rapidly increasing market for realtime infrastructure-as-a-service. I look forward to helping Ably grow its footprint, making live digital experiences the norm across a number of different sectors.”

Gary has experience leading high-performing sales and marketing teams through successful digital product launches and multi-million dollar revenue growth. At Ably, Gary introduces the Ably API Streamer to the realtime infrastructure market, the industry’s first realtime API management and distribution tool.

This is a universal message bus for businesses to syndicate realtime data to other businesses with wide application across every industry imaginable as realtime becomes part of the standard online experience. Ably’s current client base covers the sports and sports betting, aerospace, civil infrastructure, gaming, engagement and healthcare sectors, to name just a few. Ably currently serves 30m+ monthly end users.

Matthew O’Riordan, Ably’s Founder and CEO, commented:
“Gary’s appointment represents a significant step in Ably’s journey as it becomes recognized as the most serious, scalable serverless realtime infrastructure provider on the market.”
He adds: “Before launch in 2016 Ably’s data stream network spent three years in the R&D stages, with engineers dedicating 50,000+ hours anticipating and solving complex problems inherent in the data-streaming process. The past three years have established a firm client base and confirmed a ready, growing market for scalable realtime solutions. Gary leads us into the exciting next phase in Ably’s history as we expand our user base.”

Ashley Friedlein, Ably’s Chairman, adds:
“As the AI, ML and IoT revolutions move from conjecture to reality, we are witnessing an exponential growth in machine-to-machine communication and data exchange. We are now seeing exciting changes in Ably’s target market as businesses reorganize themselves around the realtime data economy. Gary is leading our push to become the go-to infrastructure provider in the new digital landscape”.