Why build leadership skills?
Teaching notes:
Good leaders can be the difference between a successful season or a disaster for a group
and for the employers.
As a leader you need to balance so many things:
o Needs of the employers
o Needs of your group
o Needs of your family and community
o Needs of your government
o Your traditional customs as well as Palangi values
The table on the following page clearly shows the complexity of the role of group leader.
This leadership programme is designed to help you perform these roles better.
Vakameasina – Leadership Resources
© Fruition Horticulture (BOP) Ltd
Expectations of an RSE Group Leader
From their Group
Recommend a good
crew of people to
work with
Help me with my
paperwork prior to
departure
Sort out any
problems I have
Help me understand
the job I have to do
Help me understand
my payslip and basic
employment rights.
Help me out if I have
any problems to deal
with back home
Help deal with any
relationship issues
that occur at work or
in the
accommodation
facility
From
your From the Employer Of Themselves
Government
Recommend people Recommend a good
Recommend a good
for their group
crew of people
crew of people to
do the work
Ensure all the paper Keep the team
Handle all the
work is together
motivated
paperwork prior to
prior to departure
departure
Keep the team
Keep the team on
Keep the team
motivated
task
happy and focused
Keep the team
Deal with all the
Communicate work
together
‘trivial’ problems
issues between the
boss and the team
Deal with problems
Keep the
Deal with any issues
before they get out
accommodation
that arise
of hand
clean, tidy and in a
good state of repair
Know when a
Communicate
Professional
problem is too big
employers issues to
development
and get the right
the team
help
Raise any problems,
don’t hide it, alert
government officials
to any emerging
issues
Be an ambassador
for your country.
Develop emergent
leaders
THINK and DISCUSS:
Why do we want good leaders?
o
Good leaders are the link between the group and the employer
o
Good leaders keep the group focused on what is needed in the
workplace and outside of work
o
Good leaders maintain high standards
o
Good leaders are highly disciplined
Are leaders born or made?
o
Many skills of leadership can be learned
o
Good leaders are trained so that they can:

Exceed employer’s expectations

Exceed their government’s expectations

Be respected by the group

Be confident, capable and creative in order to enjoy their work
Why train leaders?
o
Good leaders are trained
o
Employers need good leaders
o
Our workers need good leaders
o
Good leaders seek chances to be trained.
Think about the importance of RSE schemes – who benefits from these
schemes?
As a leader of workers coming in to work in the New Zealand horticultural industries
it is important to think about all those who benefit from these two schemes. These
are discussed below. Your role as a leader of these groups of RSE workers
is key to the schemes’ success.
Your Home Country’s Economy
Money coming into your home country as a result of the RSE policy has two major
benefits; these are an increase in foreign exchange and assistance to those who
most need the money.
Increased Foreign Exchange
o
More than 20,000 Pacific workers have travelled to New Zealand to work since
RSE began.
Of the millions of New Zealand dollars earned in after tax and expenses income
for the first three seasons, a large percentage of it is remitted back to home.
This foreign exchange income allows the your home economy to purchase
valuable goods and services from off-shore.
o
Pro-poor policy
Many governments have aimed at selecting people for work in New Zealand and
from families who most need the money.
For example, a large survey of Tongans found that the scheme has succeeded
in opening up seasonal migration opportunities to poor, rural households in
Tonga.1
The majority of RSE applicants were not working in paid employment prior to
being selected for work off-shore.
Your Community Back Home
The communities from where the RSE workers are selected benefit in many ways
from the scheme. Many of these are easy to see and measure whereas some are
harder to measure.
“The money at a community level has helped to build houses, renovate
houses, buy new vehicles, pay school fees and fund church activities. We
are overcrowded; the RSE money is very helpful for those who don’t own
land.” Joe Tuiano, Town Officer, Kolomotua.
1
Gibson, J et al, CReAM Discussion Paper No 07/08
The old and the new – showing the new concrete block house built from money saved from working
in New Zealand during 2009 next to the old weather board home. ‘Eua, April 2010.
Workers also bring back new skills such as time management skills, English
language skills and a better work ethic.2 These skills can be used in their farms or
businesses back home.
Workers say that they come home with better money skills.
Workers Families
Most workers selected for the work come from poorer, rural families. As a result of
the money earned while working in New Zealand these families are able to live a
better life and, through education, set their children up for a better standard of
living.
“Until my brother went to New Zealand to work for Mr Apple, I was the only
one earning any money in our family. We have 6 people living here. I have
another brother living in the States but he is unemployed with his wife and
young child. Half of my salary went to pay our mortgage, the rest is spent
on food, school fees, water rates and other such things. Sometimes we
don’t have enough money for food. Now that my brother is working he has
started sending money home and it really helps.” Mina Faingata’a, ‘Eua.
2
Evalue Research, Final Evaluation Report of the Recognised Seasonal Employer Policy (2007 – 2009)
The Workers Themselves
Workers return from their time with more than just money. These workers come
back with their experience of life in New Zealand; sometimes good and sometimes
bad, and they return with new skills and knowledge.
“When I came back to Tonga last year I had 7,000 NZ dollars saved from my
work in Katikati. We have been able to spend this money on improving the
house and buying a vehicle but most importantly we have had money in the
bank for when we need to pay school fees or when other unexpected bills
come up.” Haniteli, RSE worker with Humes.
“I learned to improve my attitude towards timing…. I have learnt a lot from
the palangis’ way of life, especially here in the farm. They seem like rich
people but they work every day in and out, just attending to their farm, the
result – a good harvest. I’ve learnt to think about that in relation to how I
may be able to work my own farm at home. Hours mean dollars and also
mean every hour counts, not just the hours you want to work. It’s a work
culture I am hoping to be able to sustain and show my kids too so perhaps
they would be able to understand and appreciate the money I earn.” RSE
worker quoted in the Final Evaluation Report of the RSE Policy.
“I now find that those leadership skills I have got working as an RSE worker
have become a useful asset … in my role as a matai of my family and
village.” Samoan RSE worker quoted in the Final Evaluation Report of the
RSE Policy.
The New Zealand Horticulture Industry
In 2006 the New Zealand horticulture industry was in crisis. Below is a list of some
of the problems faced.
o Apple growers did not have the number of workers they needed to pick their
fruit crops so fruit was hanging on trees past its desired maturing date;
o Kiwifruit and wine growers did not have enough workers to prune their vines
while they were dormant and so were still pruning in spring when buds had
burst causing damage to emerging shoots;
o Asparagus growers didn’t have the workers to harvest the emerging
asparagus spears so the crop was either mown in or the product was
harvested with a much higher reject rate;
o Poor quality labour was cited as a reason for very high losses in coolstore in
the 2006 season for kiwifruit growers.
Use this space for notes, feedback and reflection