We are here to discuss with Mat Davies, HRD, Addison Lee, his vision regarding the conditions that enable talents thrive and the company flourish. We will talk about the importance of Co-designing the employee working environment, to not just attract, but keep the talented leaders in our business, help them create their career and contribute to their companies.
Q As an HR professional, what are you most passionate about in your role and in your company?
I love the variety, the complexity and the ambiguity of my role as an HR Director but, at its heart, I love being able to help people build a career as they help build a business.
Q Are there any challenges that you face at work? How do you approach them?
There are challenges on a daily basis; some small, some much more substantial. For us, it is about being practical and pragmatic. If we think about candidates in the marketplace for example, the reality is that candidates are making many more active choices; the challenge for many organizations is that candidates very often don’t choose those organizations who are not moving with the time. Candidates are much more willing and able to take their skills, talents and energy elsewhere if they aren’t getting the experiences and opportunities from one particular employer. For us, at Addison Lee Group, we are acutely aware that we are a talent organization – not just in the way we attract but how we retain; our job as leaders in our business, and my task as HR Director, is to create the conditions to enable our talents thrive, progress and do brilliant work each and every day. I don’t know whether I would call this an engagement strategy but if we aren’t doing some of the basics well enough – leadership, a great working environment, opportunity for growth – then we should not be surprised if candidates then decide to look elsewhere. This is not just an issue for my team; it’s an issue for all leaders in our business. This is a daily, weekly and monthly task that we have to apply ourselves to.
Q What are the natural traits of a born leader? And what traits come with practice?
I don’t subscribe to the idea that somehow leaders are born. I think there are skills that are central to being a good leader – listening skills, empathy, communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to take responsibility for your own decisions.
Q Manager OR Leader? Why?
A leader and a manager are not always one and the same. You can be a manager without being an effective leader. In the same way, you can lead and influence people without having a formal title that designates you as a manager or supervisor. I think the issue here is whether or not we need people in organizations to be both and I suspect in many ways we do. The challenge is in making the choice to lead. It’s about recognizing what this choice means, what it can accomplish and why it matters; that feels like an important but necessary distinction and it can occur anywhere in an organization; the issue is about making that choice.
Thank you, Mat, for answering our questions. We believe, your insights will be useful for a lot of people. We are looking forward to many more inspirational topics. Don’t miss our speakers sharing their valuable insights, experience, and tips at Attend our upcoming HR Vision event – register now!
