“Leadership and Clever People”
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Introduction and Overview
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
What am I Doing?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
What am I Thinking About?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Did u Know?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Thinking About Change
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Thinking “How Did That Happen?”
Globalisation Eras
1. 1492-1800 Countries
2. 1800-2000 Multinationals
3. 2000 - Individuals
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Thinking “How Did That Happen?”
Berlin Wall 1989
Connectivity – Netscape
Work Flow Software
Uploading
Outsourcing
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Offshoring
Supply-Chaining
Insourcing
In-forming
The Steroids
Thinking about extracting value
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Thinking about what sort of people we need?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
The untouchables
Special or specialised
Localised and anchored
Middle –class jobs (at risk)
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
The New Middle Class
Great Collaborators &
Orchestrators
Great Synthesizers
Great Explainers
Great Leverages
Great Adapters
Green People
Passionate Personalizers
Math Lovers
Great Localizers
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Thinking are we developing these people?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
What would that look like?
Where do I learn how to learn?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
The Dream Factory - Kanazawa
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Thinking about how this might work
for Polson Higgs?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Vision Statement
“We will become the business advisor of choice through the creation of an environment
where we want to give of our best.”
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Mission Statement
“Polson Higgs has as its prime objective the provision of an integrated range of client
focused services that that will exceed our client’s expectations and assist them to improve
the profitability of their businesses.
We are committed to creating a client focused culture and supporting our staff to achieve the
firm’s prime objective.
Our professional and local communities are an integral part of our ability to deliver on this
mission”.
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Integrity
Care
Excellence
Honesty
Truthful
Fair
Act ethically
Open communication
Reliable
Belief you are doing the right
thing
Acting with good intentions
Consistency
Keeping promises
No surprises
Active listening
Involvement/participation
Saying what you think
Leadership
Being professional
Following up
Non judgemental
Commitment
Involvement
Communication
Support
Fun
Friendly
Genuine
Sense of team
Participation
Value staff
Client care
Community care
Personal care
Positive attitudes
Understanding people’s needs
Trust
Continual improvement
Personal leadership
Courage to challenge and be
challenged
Positive attitudes
Exceeding standards
Empowerment
Value staff
Client care
Be knowledgeable
Quality
Exceeding expectations
“Doing the right thing”
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
“Being there”
“Best Outcome”
Business Advisor of Choice
What does this mean (our clients say …..)
Up to date with business environment
Good relationship people
Deliver on time
Understand client business
Offer constructive business advice to improve profitability
Value for money
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
How do we deliver this?
Through our people who are …..
– Well trained
– Highly motivated
– Supported by strong systematised methodologies and teams
– Given time to understand the clients and industries
– Provided with the tools to deliver the products
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Where is the value we add?
Perhaps core business is
Advice
Relationships
This is where clients evaluate us
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
100% growth since 2003 so what's
holding us back?
– Access to our key resource – people

Demographics tell us this will only get harder
– Reluctance to change the way we do things

Mature industry/firm

Gen Y expectations (and others but they don’t speak up)
– Access to the best tools
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
How are we responding?
Compliance Accounting = India
Wealth Management = PlanB Perth
Credit Management = Australian IT systems
Psychometric Assessment = Saville Holdsworth
Human Resource Systems = Mercer
People Systems = Trakstar USA
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Knowledge workers in Coimbatore
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
How do you lead that?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Polson Higgs Service Lines

Business Services

Wealth Management

Tax

Credit Management

Audit

Strategic Design

Insolvency

Business Intelligence

Human Resources

Training

Organisational Design

IT
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Partners
Board
CEO
Exec Mgt Team
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Staff
Its not all about me!
But it helps to understand me!
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Prefer challenge of finding solution rather than implementing a solution
logical
objectively critical
analytical
Somewhat quiet and reserved
Adaptable to changing circumstances
Find principles underlying interesting ideas
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
curious
Work with autonomy
Values logic
“If the only tool you have is a hammer
you tend to see all problems as a nail”
“a ship in harbour is safe,
but that is not what ships are built for”
“if you don’t take a step you can’t fix it – do something”
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
What does it look like at Polson Higgs?
mentoring programmes
individual targets
deal with underperformers
variable remuneration
autonomy
ultimate circuit breaker - me
performance evaluation – courageous conversations
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
Thinking can we be successful?
Infrastructure
Vision
People
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009
What are you thinking?
Otago Polytechnic
September 2009