Effective leadership makes all the difference in the water sector. Interflow’s goal is to harness the leadership power of its people at every level of the business.
While many organisations focus their leadership programs on the upper and executive levels, Interflow Managing Director Daniel Weaver sees success, and the concept of leadership itself, in a different way.
“Leadership is not about rank, hierarchy or where you sit in the organisational structure,” he said. “It’s about creating a particular type of environment.”
“In that environment, the individual and anyone working with them are encouraged to be their best.”
And so, an effective leader has a powerful impact on the people around them. They feel good about going to work and are physically and emotionally safe. Leaders also create a positive environment for those affected by their work, such as the communities they serve.
With almost 700 people in the Interflow team, spread across various roles and numerous locations; Weaver believes each has a role in shaping the work environment. His passion is ensuring that every individual understands what it takes to be a great leader at Interflow and has the opportunities and tools to lead in their capacity.
“The potential of our people is limitless,” Weaver said. “It’s possible that some of them have not had leadership development opportunities in the past. Some of our best leaders right now are likely self-made.”
“I think, in terms of the people at Interflow, the best is yet to come. My goal is to help them reach their full potential.”
Leadership program shaped around everyone
Now in its second year, Interflow’s leadership program focuses on boosting the leadership capabilities of individuals at all levels, particularly those in field-based roles. It was developed after extensive research to better understand Interflow’s people and customers. The research convinced Weaver that the only way to ensure permanent and positive change is to empower those with the greatest capacity to shape the everyday work environment. Those people are out in the field, working on water projects across Australia and New Zealand.
What’s unique about Interflow’s program is that it was built by the team, for the team through a solution design process. They brought together people from every level of the business to understand what it means to be a great leader at Interflow.
It was clear from the design process that tools and approaches needed to be customised to the way people work and where they work, including challenging and high-risk environments for many.
It was also crucial that leadership be hardwired into every people process, policy and system so that it becomes simply ‘how we do things’ rather than an add-on. The resulting program centres around two-day workshops, which bring together around 25 current or potential leaders from across the organisation in Sydney to explore their leadership potential.
In the first year, Weaver rang each attendant to invite them, personally explaining the program’s purpose, goals and values. Although personally inviting each participant has become more difficult as the program has grown in scale, setting the tone was important in the first year.
Now, as there is a far-reaching understanding of how it works and why it exists, people are reaching out to be included.
“I would love to still be able to have those conversations, but it says more that I no longer need to,” Weaver said. “The ripple effect we’ve seen from people applying what they learn every day is that there’s now a real understanding of the importance of learning to be a great leader. It means people want to take part, and leaders want to support their people in taking part.”
Part of the value of having 25 people together in a room, all from different regions and with varying levels of seniority, is the group’s diversity of knowledge, experience, and ability to connect.
“If you put people in a room and they’re all from one team, you’ll get one common set of thinking,” he said. “But if you have people from different teams, it disrupts that groupthink. They connect with and learn from each other.
“They’re coming together to start or continue a journey of leadership, which is about the collective Interflow environment. But it’s also about developing the individual and connecting with and learning from peers from other places – people you didn’t previously know.”
Four circles of leadership
The leadership workshops are based on a model Weaver describes as “Four circles of leadership”. This model focuses on leading people and teams, leading work, and leading oneself.
Participants evaluate their strengths and growth potential in each area, introducing a potent mix of validation and self-awareness.
“For some, it’s that realisation of, ‘Aha, I do that. I do lead in a balanced way.’,” he said. “For others, they realise they’re spending 95 per cent of their time leading the work, leaving them with very little time to focus on their people or themselves.”
A work in progress
At the end of every two-day session, participants provide feedback on their experiences, and that informs enhancements for future programs.
“We are basically empowering the business to decide whether the program continues or not,” he said. “As long as the business says that this program is helping, it will continue.”
After just two years, Weaver said the program is already having tangible effects, including strengthening resolve around Interflow’s stated purpose – “to improve the lives of the people we work with, the communities we serve, and the environment we work in for generations to come” – as well as improvements in people engagement, retention and attracting the right types of people with the very best attitudes and approaches to work.
“I’ve always been a firm believer that the answers to all challenges lie within,” he said. “It has never ceased to amaze me what you can learn, solve, or create when you get 25 people from the business together.”
“70 to 80 per cent of our business is based in the field, so our people in the field can have an impact on the work we do, the people around them, and the local communities. They can all be leaders, and my goal is to give them the opportunity, mindset, and tools they need to do that.”
For more information, visit interflow.com.au
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