Leadership for the Future sponsored by CIPD
The shortlist – click on a name to read their personal “Leadership Story”
Gary Clifford – (Director, Institute of Competition and Procurement Studies), Bangor University
Joyce Gervis – (Managing Director), Ty-Mawr Lime Ltd
Emma Richards – (Assistant CEO), CRC Wales
Steve Rush – (CEO), Improov Consulting
Gary Clifford
Role: Director, Institute for Competition & Procurement Studies
Organisation: Bangor University
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
As a born optimist, I believe anything is possible with enough hard work, drive, and determination!
I am the leader I am today because of family and friends. I was brought up in a vibrant Welsh family environment, and from an early age great friends surrounded me. These individuals, and the experiences we shared along the way, gave me confidence to approach the world of work in Wales, and the world itself, with gusto.
My immediate line managers have also been great role models for me. They have given me the entrepreneurial freedom necessary to fuel my ambitions and support my goals.
What have been the main highlights and challenges since taking up your leadership role with Bangor University?
I believe a good working environment delivers results. Richard Branson articulated this perfectly when he said, “If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients”. To that end, I work with some wonderful people at the Law School at Bangor University, who make working enjoyable.
In my current role, I can imagine the impossible and then know that, as a team, we can make it happen. For example, attracting 850 people, from 42 different countries, to attend a Procurement Week conference in Wales was particularly rewarding!
In terms of personal challenges, I have had the unfortunate experience of working/leading people who have been extremely challenging and divisive. Would I work with them again? You bet. But next time I would approach the situation a little differently.
What have been the most helpful things you have learnt from these highlights and challenges?
I intend to continue to be an authentic leader. A leader that is modest. A leader that tackles a challenge head on, an ambitious frontrunner that continues to generate more highs than lows, and a leading light than continues to inspire.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing leaders in Wales in 2016?
The biggest issue facing Welsh leaders in 2016 is the same at it has been for generations. Wales has the ability, and resources, to become financially independent. Inspirational leaders across Wales need to address this priority and promote confidence in their workforces, and capitalize on our nation’s strengths!
Which other leaders in Wales do you admire and why?
Prof. Dermot Cahill leads the Law School at Bangor University with so much energy, passion, and drive.
Huw Jenkins’ long-term strategy for national and international growth, and operational excellence at Swansea FC, has been phenomenal.
What is one word that sums up leadership for you?
Kaizen (continuous improvement)
Joyce Gervis
Role: Managing Director
Organisation: Ty-Mawr Lime Ltd
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I grew up on a Black Mountains hill farm, so saw the struggle my parents experienced in making a living from the land in one of the remotest parts of Wales. This background gives me my love of Wales, a passion to preserve our unique built heritage and the drive to succeed. Nothing gives me a greater sense of achievement than realizing how much we support and contribute to the local economy whilst building a business that ultimately improves the global environment and hence our futures. I co-founded the business aged just 25 so feel these years in establishing a business in a ‘new’ sector have had a huge influence in developing some unique skills.
What have been the main highlights and challenges since taking up your leadership role with Ty-Mawr Lime organisation?
Highlights include gaining the first accreditations, Royal visits, many innovation and environmental awards, purchasing our units but I think visiting St Teilos church, National Museum of Wales, a 13th century church reconstructed and decorated completely with our products and hearing the guide say, “rescuing and reconstructing this extraordinary church was only possible because of a company called Ty-Mawr Lime who started manufacturing traditional building materials in mid Wales thus reviving the Welsh lime industry!” Hearing, seeing and realising that we were making a difference will stay with me forever! The greatest challenge for me as a leader has been the process of creating a supportive organisational structure; transforming a small, flat, family business into one able to support and sustain growth whilst maintaining our organisation culture in a very dynamic, growing environment!
What have been the most helpful things you have learnt from these highlights and challenges?
The highlights over the years have reinforced our unshaken vision of the importance of what we are striving to achieve; slowly building confidence in our products, breaking down conventional building barriers and enormous pride in all that our business stands for. Challenges have helped me to better understand and truly value the culture of our business, as well as the importance of key people and developing their roles and responsibilities.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing leaders in Wales in 2016?
Leaders need to respond to and even champion a political framework and social will to ensure sustainability is at the core of everything that they/we do, from our packaging, clothes, food, house building, energy generation and transport to move towards a green nation which will ensure a proud and stable future for us all.
Which other leaders in Wales do you admire and why?
Rachel Rowlands, Rachel’s Organics is one leader I admire, diversifying a family business at a time of necessity which went on to put organic food firmly on the agenda, contributing to making it credible and establishing her brand as a household name. Also Laura Ashley, not just for her self-made business achievements after a £10 initial investment but for the way she also managed to genuinely care about her community, her staff and their families as well as the way in which she involved her entire family including her children, creating one of the most successful family businesses not only in Wales but the world.
What is one word that sums up leadership for you?
In the sector we are in at this time, leadership for me can be summed up with the word ‘pathfinder’ (and in fact my youngest son is named Cai – Welsh for Path Finder!)
Emma Richards
Role: Assistant Chief Executive
Organisation: Community Rehabilitation Company Wales
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
Growing up in a working class family in the Valleys, I was always encouraged to study hard and be the best I could. My mum worked in a shop and never really achieved her full potential, so she wanted my sister and I to do well. Her motto was ‘don’t hide your light, you have to shine.” I followed her advice and was the first person in our family to graduate from university.
My parents also gave me a strong sense of social justice and equality, therefore a career in criminal justice was a natural choice.
Being naturally inquisitive, I want to know answers quickly, and this knowledge has shaped me into the type of leader I strive to be. I also encourage these qualities within my own team and reward them by seeing their innovative ideas put into action to develop and transform our service to achieve better outcomes for the communities we serve.
What have been the main highlights and challenges since taking up your leadership role with Wales Community Rehabilitation Company?
There have been many, but watching my team develop into successful and high-performers gives me great satisfaction.
Leading Wales CRC’s new Through The Gate resettlement services has been another highlight. In three months I created a new service that would provide tailor-made support packages for every offender leaving the six Welsh resettlement prisons to help them return to their communities. This required high levels of co-operation from Wales CRC leaders and our partners including The Prison Service, National Offender Management, our owners Working Links and third sector organisations who were commissioned to undertake the work.
Being part of the executive team behind the launch of the Cwm Taf Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) – Wales’ first specialist unit to improve the protection of vulnerable adults, children and young people – was another highlight.
What have been the most helpful things you have learnt from these highlights and challenges?
I am continually astounded by the resilience and commitment of our people in Wales CRC. Despite going through the backdrop of transformation and organisational restructure in recent years they have continued to put the service user at heart of the work they do, ensuring the rehabilitation of offenders, protection of their families and victims and making our communities safer places to live.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing leaders in Wales in 2016?
For organisations within the public sector, austerity has been a challenge. But it has also been an opportunity for organisations to challenge systems and structures to ensure they are efficient and effective. The result has been the alignment of statutory responsibilities and more collaboration across the sector. I passionately believe this has realised much better outcomes for service users and our communities.
Which other leaders in Wales do you admire and why?
Our Probation Director Dawn Blower is an inspiring leader, role model and mentor.
She has shown great resilience in the way she is leading our organisation through transformation. She inspires and innovates in a way that leaves a lasting impression. All of her work is underpinned by integrity, which I strive to achieve. On top of this she has a special talent for leading and inspiring others to improve the quality of life for our service users and those who wish to live safe and productive lives.
What is one word that sums up leadership for you?
Transparency – even if you don’t always have all the answers
Steve Rush
Role: CEO and Managing Director
Organisation: Improov Consulting Ltd
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I come from a humble working class background and had a loving and supporting family; but there were not many role model leaders during my childhood I could say influenced me. I saw Mum and Dad struggle financially and was adamant that I would not repeat history. Their education of me was key to my future leadership, providing me with strong centred values to do the right thing. These core values shaped my future leadership then, I just didn’t recognise that at the time, their behaviour was leadership.
What have been the main highlights and challenges since taking up your leadership role with Improov Consulting Ltd?
Since taking up the role at Improov Consulting, there have been many highlights including representing Wales in New York City, where I launched my book Leadership Cake with the support of the Welsh Government. My highlight was being independently recognised as a Leadership Expert and being published in Leader to Leader Journal – the most prestigious journal for leaders in the US. The biggest challenge has, and I suspect will continue to be thinking ahead and ensuring we can adapt before our client need us to. Keeping focused on what’s important vs. what’s desirable.
What have been the most helpful things you have learnt from these highlights and challenges?
Highlights – Take time out to recognise and enjoy the journey with those who helped you and ensure they can celebrate in our collective successes. Challenges – don’t get complacent. Our competitors and clients are changing constantly. If we stand still we can lose momentum rapidly.
What do you think is the biggest issue facing leaders in Wales in 2016?
Putting Wales on the map in the Leadership Space and developing home grown talent to be the future leaders. Many organisations relocate in to Wales to benefit from Government grants and a bright and flexible work force; most of them also migrate their senior team. We have a duty of care to ensure leaders of the future can fulfil their career aspirations without moving to large cities.
Which other leaders in Wales do you admire and why?
Aneurin Bevan. Delivering a global philosophy on health care, he faced significant challenges, but what’s a shame is I’m struggling to find any recent individuals who have inspired me and are associated as being from Wales. While I’m sure there are many, their profiles and visibility would support further that there this is even more reason we should promote leadership locally.
What is one word that sums up leadership for you?
Authenticity
Disclaimer: All details included in these leadership stories have been provided by the finalists themselves. All information has been accepted in good faith. Any references to individuals or circumstances have been relayed in the finalist’s own words and have not been verified by the Leading Wales Awards Directors or its Consortium. Any views expressed are those of the individuals concerned and are not necessarily the views of the Leading Wales Awards Directors or Consortium members.