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Insights Insights from Bruce Holland's Favourite Managers

I see part of my role as being your resource for better management and for sharing positive stories. I admire the way the following managers operate and hope that their example will inspire you to follow their lead.

Rob Forlong

Rob Forlong is the CEO of the Environmental Protection Authority. His advice to someone aspiring to his position is to be very honest with themselves and self aware. He constantly questions his own biases and ways of thinking; and is open to others questioning them too. Over the years he has learnt things about himself that can cause issues with other people.

Geoff Bascand

Geoff Bascand is the Chief Executive of Statistics New Zealand. His advice to the next generation of Chief Executives includes being yourself, knowing yourself and being true to yourself. He sees himself as a conductor. His job is to get the most out of himself and out of others. He says to expect the role to be tough. It was tougher than he expected.

Mike Hollings

Mike Hollings is the Chief Executive of Te Kura -the Correspondence School. Mike's advice to someone aspiring to be a chief executive is: To know yourself. "Your people need to know you as a personality. Warts and all!" he says. Work to your strengths and make sure that other people know them too. Know your weaknesses and find people who compliment you. According to Mike, his success is largely due to his ability to recruit people who complement his skills.

Bryan Jackson

Bryan founded King Toyota; he has been the Chairman of Hutt Valley Health Corporation, and on the board of several organisations including Vehicle Testing New Zealand and Land Transport New Zealand. Bryan knows people perhaps better than any other business person I know. Bryan was brought up in the business school where the most important thing was customer satisfaction. Now he's changed his mind!

Pat Waite

Pat was the CEO Public Trust. I have always admired the way Pat operates and I hope that his example will inspire someone else to follow his lead. Read about it. B Holland

Elizabeth Valentine

Elizabeth Valentine was Chief Executive of the Aviation Tourism Travel Training Organisation. Elizabeth's main advice to someone aspiring to be a chief executive is: "You have to want to lead. Spend a lot of time examining your motives, because, if you only want it for the money, the status or the power, I don't think you will be a great leader."

Debbie Chin

Debbie Chin is Chief Executive of Standards New Zealand. When Debbie was asked to give her advice to someone aspiring to be a chief executive, she said: "Be true to yourself". it's interesting that these were exactly the same words used by Geoff Bascand to the same question and also close to Mike Hollings answer. We are starting to get a pattern! Debbie says, it's partly about knowing herself and doing things accordingly, then others will also act the same way.

Wes Brown

Wes Brown, as Chief Executive of Datamail, built the organisation from scratch into one of our most successful organisations. Wes talks about the importance of 1. Authenticity, 2. Optimism and 3. A shared vision of a desirable future.

Charlie Schell

Charlie Schell has something to be proud about. His small team at Crown Forestry is better than 98% of all the other organisations in Gallup's world-wide data base. It's all about collaboration.

Stephen Matthews

Stephen Matthews is the CEO of the Motor Trade Association. He is a "macro guy" who thinks that values are central to leadership. He does not like too much bureaucracy or politics but loads up his people, more than they are comfortable with and gets results.

Peter Adams

Peter was the CEO NZAID. In Peter's view the first priority of management is to manage oneself. "The one thing I have free is the attitude I get up with in the morning. I have the choice. I could decide to think too much about myself, be anxious and ambitious or I could take the ego out of it." Read about Peter's wisdom. B Holland.

Brian Pink

Brian Pink as Government Statistician had just taken his organisation through a major change process. Read about his lessons.