Lockdown Thoughts

One of the best aspects of our current situation is the insight it gives us into the highest levels of leadership. Figures like Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield grace our screens regularly. If you listen carefully, the words they use are very carefully chosen. They stick with facts and avoid conjecture or sugar-coating the message. They make clear decisions and ensure the facts that support them are well explained. They also tag-team together and speak to their own areas of expertise. I think they are a great model for clear communication.

Clear use of language and good communication are not just leadership skills. These are the first skills I look for when hiring for any role because telling a clear story and getting a point across are such important things for all of us. I work on these skills constantly and I recommend you all do to. One of my favourite books is called “Leadership is Language” by L.David Marquet. Written by a former captain on a US Navy submarine he uses real world examples to pick apart the many common failings of leaders, such as talking too much and being inflexible to others ideas. It is a great read and one of the books I keep in stock if you are interested!

I learned my leadership style from a range of others managers that I worked for or with in the past. Each one of them taught me something new, and I thought I might highlight some of those learnings in future Lockdown Thoughts.

With todays news that we will stay in Level 4 until Tuesday night, I hope you can rely on myself and the SMT to keep you up to date with our plans and actions. As always I am open to feedback on how we are doing.

Ben Reed
Managing Director - HamiltonJet