Leadership and People Management the missing link for turf industry
Throughout my dealings with turf managers around the country and overseas, there is almost unanimous agreement that people management and communication skills are some of the most difficult aspects of any leadership position within the turf industry.
Whilst this issue is far from exclusive to the turf management, it’s particularly prevalent given that the idea of chairing meetings and conducting performance reviews is not what attracted many of us to the profession in the first place.
Compounding the problem is the lack of initial or ongoing training on offer to help improve these areas, making it a difficult area to address in any meaningful way.
However several workshops I have been involved with in the past on communication for turf managers have proved extremely popular, with the feedback being the industry needs more of this type of training.
One of these in particular that was delivered by David Bancroft-Turner (pictured above), the Joint Managing Director of the Academy of Political Intelligence, UK), and was a session I considered to be of particular benefit.
David’s workshop on ‘Change Management’ – where he provided insight into leading people through change in the workplace by explaining the “transition curve” – was a highly interesting concept, with enormous practical implications and take-aways for those in attendance..
Other themes of David’s workshop included:
- Recognising political activities and how to manage them more effectively
- Designing appropriate responses for positive outcomes
- Creating more productive and effective working relationships
- Reducing frustration, anxiety and stress
- Working productively with people you don’t like
- Getting things done in your organisation in spite of the ‘politics’
- Not becoming a ‘victim’
As well as being full of outstanding content, the delivery of David’s presentation was both entertaining and extremely informative, making it little wonder his sessions were again packed to the rafters.
The good news is that David will be back for the 2016 Australian Turfgrass Conference in Melbourne. I can’t recommend him highly enough.
Image Credit: Brett Robinson//AGCSA
