EMPLOYER PERSPECTIVE - New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE)
Our Employer Perspective series spotlights organisations committed to delivering leadership excellence through their relationship with Leadership NZ and its Signature Programmes.
How did NZTE’s relationship with Leadership NZ start?
Way back in 2006, I joined the second-ever Leadership NZ cohort when I was employed at New Zealand Post. Since then, I have championed The NZ Leadership Programme. In 2011, when I joined NZTE as a General Manager, I recommended Leadership NZ. Our first NZTE candidate joined the 2013 Programme, and we have been able to support an employee onto the Programme every year since then. We’ve maintained that relationship even as we ramped up our investment in internal programmes to develop all of our leaders over the past two years.
Why has NZTE invested in Leadership NZ?
We’re here to grow companies internationally – bigger, better, faster – for the good of New Zealand. We know that the more we understand the breadth and diversity of our nation, the better we can understand and relate to our customers. Also, our diversity is our strength - we are an organisation of 600 people, based in 50 locations, working across 24 time zones and in 40 different languages. Obviously, the more culturally aware and more proficient we become cross-culturally, the more we can help our customers. The Leadership NZ Programme complements our internal leadership development work and provides our people with opportunities to engage with a diverse group of fellow leaders and learners, as well as gain exposure to the important conversations of the day for New Zealand.
What shifts in perspective have you noticed with those you place on the Programme?
The NZ Leadership Programme helps our people to properly understand their own values and drivers, thus creating a real connection to our customers. What we see is leaders demonstrating empathy, who are more outwardly oriented and who have a real understanding of diversity and inclusion. These traits are important to us as an organisation, and we have been fortunate to retain our candidates - even attract new ones! As we continue to build our culture around our organisational characters (Ambition drives us; Adventure teaches us; Honesty frees us; Trust binds us; and Manaaki is us), we make ourselves better for our customers - and better for New Zealand.
In what ways has The NZ Leadership Programme opened up more compelling internal engagement?
When I think about internal engagement, I reflect on how we are shaping leadership at NZTE. We want our customers to benefit from our diversity of thought and ideas. To do this, we are embracing and developing an inclusive culture. At its heart, The NZ Leadership Programme creates authentic, resilient and purposeful leaders that care for the future of our country. Our people emerge from the Programme exhausted, challenged and sure of themselves. This is great for our people and, in turn, will be great for our customers.
Peter Fenton is Head of Transformation at New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Alumnus (2006), The NZ Leadership Programme.
💡 Are you a mid-level, senior executive or community leader in New Zealand who cares for the future of our nation? Do you know someone who is?
APPLY NOW for our 2021 Signature Programme:https://www.leadershipnz.co.nz/nz-leadership-programme-applications-faqs