Simon Averill from CP Wool has recently completed our Leadership Development Programme. We asked him a few questions about his experience on the programme and what the key takeaways were for him.
Did you have a ‘nail in the coffin’ moment? What was happening in your business that made you decide to take on the Leadership Development Programme (LDP)?
We were reviewing our current Rep team and analysing areas across New Zealand - looking at where we need to recruit and develop how we manage areas better. I needed a programme that would give me the tools and advice to develop short and long term strategies which will future-proof our business.
Having just finished the last programme block in June, what have been some of the key results you’ve experienced?
We have realigned our management structure to better suit lifting our reps performance to grow our client base, and created a programme to train and develop the new people we bring into the organisation. We also have put steps in place to ensure succession and risk mitigating against high performing reps, and are providing more tools to enhance our rep’s offerings.
How impactful has the programme been in taking CP Wool to the frontline of the industry?
The Leadership Development Programme helped me to develop a growth strategy alongside our Board of Directors and leadership team that we have been able to share with the rest of our people. This I believe will lay the foundations and set the direction of our company for the years to come.
How do you think you’ve developed personally from the Leadership Development Programme?
It’s helped me think more strategically, and has given me a better understanding and capacity to implement and action our growth plan. I now also understand my weaknesses and strengths, which will guide me in my decision making, and how to best manage high performance teams and why it is so important. Also, the importance of knowing our customers (thinking about our customers, where they are focused and what their perspective is).
What would be your advice to other business owners thinking of sending their senior managers on the programme?
Don’t hesitate, it is well worth it. The programme will expose your managers to top of the line business mentors who have achieved in business themselves, and can offer second to none advice and direction.
Can you tell us about the project you completed as part of your LDP, and what sort of benefit it bought to your business?
My project was presented to the CP Wool Board of Directors and has now largely been completed with obvious ongoing objectives that require updating and refocusing on a regular basis. The LDP project was hugely beneficial and was a key ingredient in our long and short term strategies going forward.
The Objectives Include:
- Review current field rep team, analyse areas across NZ looking at areas we need to recruit, and develop how we manage areas geographically better.
- Re align our management structure to better suit lifting our reps performance to grow our client base.
- Review performance per rep.
- Create a plan on how to increase low performing reps and develop their expected KPI’s.
- Create a programme or tools that will better train and develop our people and new people we bring into the organisation.
- Create a plan to ensure succession and risk mitigating against high performance reps.
- Provide tools to enhance our reps offerings.
