Frontline Leader training has officially been delivered to 100 Ventia employees in New Zealand, with 14 sessions delivered over the past 10 months. 

Leaders including supervisors, leading hands, team leaders and project coordinators undertook, or are in the process of completing, the people management and leadership pillar consisting of four, 1-day modules. The majority of the group will have completed all four modules by the end of 2021.

The training sessions took place on or near Ventia sites in Kerikeri, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch from across Infrastructure Services, Telecommunications and Transport sectors. Defence and Social Infrastructure are in the process of rolling the program out within their sector next.

Tailored training aligned with company values

P&C Business Partner Agustin Rolon says that working with Human Synergistics to deliver this program has been key to its success.

"The training program offers a tailored approach to leading teams in the field, aligned with our company values," Agustin says. "Frontline staff are often promoted off the tools without any formal training. Providing them with skills to support and sustain their teams is crucial."

The modules cover topics like effective leadership, communication and coaching skills, problem-solving to resolve issues and how to build high performing teams.

Junior Project Manager Annabelle Fraser says that a key takeaway for her was the value of listening and what it means to be fully present.

"We discussed how listening involves many non-verbal clues and the importance of reflecting back on what people say," Annabelle says. "Also, not pre-forming a response in your mind before someone has stopped talking as this is when you stop truly listening."

I found the session interactive with many valuable takeaways to reflect and build on in both a working and personal environment.

James Brewer, a Stations Supervisor in Christchurch, says that the course highlights current issues and cultures in the workplace.

"At the same time though, it gives us the framework and building blocks to grow and resolve issues with practice," he notes.

Oil Laboratory Supervisor Rex Ong says he's looking forward to seeing this rolled out further, as the teachings reinforce what he'd seen in the best leaders he's worked with.

Supporting learning and development

General Manager Organisational Effectiveness Hanli Pretorius oversees the team that develops and delivers or facilitates delivery of our capability offering.

She says that we utilised the initial COVID lockdown period in 2020 to develop the program, in time for it to be up and running when in-person training was able to be delivered.

Hanli says that all of our programs are supported by on the job learning.

"We know that 70% of what we learn comes from on the job experience," Hanli says. "20% comes from our relationships with others, mentoring and networking. And the final 10% comes from the formal training or education we participate in."

Delivering training through Ventia's capability offering is a small but important part of the learning and development process.