INSPIRING
MANAGERS
Our aim is to build management
capability through membership,
development and research.
OUR FOCUS IS TO:
• Research leading management trends
and practice and promote a constantly
developing model of best management
capability for New Zealand.
• Enable managers and aspiring
managers to participate in learning
programmes, mentoring, and events
that provide the information and
experience they need to develop their
capability.
• Identify leading management role
models and provide awards that .
recognise the career and . organisations and areas of HR. I've worked in
educational achievements ^ various HR advisor, project and management roles
of managers. ' in public, private and not for profit organisations,
N Z I M Inc
CEO: Kevin Gaunt FNZIM, FAIM
Email kevin_gaunt@nzimnorfhern.co.nz
Auckland Offices
Contact: Tait Grindley
PO Box 6600, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141
Ph 0-9-303 9100, 0 8 0 0 800 NZIM
Email enquiries@nzimnorthern.co.nz
Website www.nzim.co.nz
Wellington Offices
Contact: Shaun Sheldrake
PO Box 11781, Wellington 6142
Ph 0-4-495 8300, 0 8 0 0 800 NZIM
Email enquiries@nzimcenfral.co.nz
Website www.nzim.co.nz
NZIM Southern
Regional Director: Michael Weusten FNZIM
CEO: Joseph Thomas AFNZIM
PO Box 13044, Christchurch 8141
Ph 0-3-379 2302, Fax 0-3-357 8003
Email admin@nzimsouthern.co.nz
Website www.nzimsouthern.co.nz
N Z I M
MEMBER PROFILE:
NÍCÍ Hammer
The HR partner at Healthcare NZ,
Nici Hammer is also chair of NZIM
Central's Young Professionals
group. She's passionate about
people, and helping them become
the best they can be.
I 've been really lucky throughout my career so
far, with managers who have supported me and
given me some fantastic opportunities. When I
graduated from Victoria with a B Comm in 2002,
I was working at IRD. Knowing my studies they
gave me a role in the HR training team, which kick
started my career before I even finished uni.
So although I'm only 31 I've been fortunate
to have a lot of experience through different
including Shell in Australia and in Malaysia, and
Wellington Zoo as the manager of people and
culture. That was when I came on board with
NZIM Central's Young Professionals.
I love working with people, that's my passion,
and working in coaching roles where I can help
people to reach their potential. In addition to
working as an HR partner at Healthcare NZ, I
am currently studying a Grad Diploma in Career
Development at AUT to learn more about career
development, with the ultimate goal of one day
working as a career counsellor.
Healthcare NZ is a national organisation. New
Zealand-owned, with about 6,500 dedicated and
innovative employees. We provide community-
based health and disability support, including
home based care for people of all ages and helping
those requiring injury related and disability support
to live with more independence, make their own
choices and do the things they enjoy. It's an area
that I'm really passionate about.
Our training needs are very diverse. Eighty
percent or more of our staff are on the ground
delivering a client focused service so we put
as much effort as we possibly can into them,
ensuring they have all the skills and knowledge to
provide excellent service including nursing and
clinical expertise and support. We also focus on
developing management and leadership capability
as we continue to grow the organisation.
I first came in contact with NZIM on a "Thinking
on your feet" course when I was working at DoC.
DoC was a member of NZIM, and we attended
a lot of NZIM events. I was still quite young and
for me the value was in the networks. Wellington
is really a village and I was learning that networks
are incredibly powerful. I made some very valuable
contacts through those events and this is a theme
that has continued throughout my career.
Following working overseas and returning to
Wellington, I worked for Wellington Zoo. As the
sole HR person, this is where I really appreciated
NZIM's networking events. Not only did I enjoy
meeting people, it was a great forum to link
with other managers and HR professionals, with
whom I could bounce ideas around and stay
in tune with the market place. That's when I
became involved with the Young Professionals
Network (YPN) as a committee member.
YPN is still growing. Our events attract new
people and younger graduates who are interested
in developing themselves in leadership and
management. We run at least five events a year,
aiming to bring people together from different
walks of life and provide them with opportunities
talk about the issues they have in common, because
regardless of whether you're in finance, marketing
or HR, many of the challenges are the same. We're
exploring those challenges and trying to expose
members to the skills they will need to be successful
in future management or leadership roles.
YPN focuses on people in the first 15 years of
their career, but we also want to build links between
them and the more experienced NZIM members,
who have so much fantastic knowledge to share.
In Wellington there are lots of other networking
groups but in the young professionals space a lot
of them are socially focused. The benefit of our
network is that because we are closely linked to
NZIM there's experience and structure to draw
on, and members can get exposure to courses and
other NZIM events.
Being part of the YPN and chairing the YPN
committee is fantastic development for me
personally. It fits with my interest in career
development plus the things our members want to
talk about are the things I want to hear about too.
Managers have been so influential in my career.
A bad manager can be bad but a good manager
can be amazing. I've really taken that on board
in the management roles I've had, and been
very conscious of the effect leadership can have
on other people's careers - and lives. My style of
management has always been more of a coach,
leading alongside people and fostering a team
environment. You don't need to be an expert in
everything to be a good manager. It's fine to hire
people who are more experienced in some areas
than you are... that's a sign of a good leader,
recognising people's skills and using them.
Reflecting on my career journey so far, I've learnt
that climbing the ladder isn't always the only way
to build your leadership/management skill base.
For me it's more than simply being in HR or in a
certain position, it's about being passionate about
what you do and working in an organisation that
will challenge your thinking and how you approach
i
things. Focusing your career this way will ensure
that you are not only always building on your
leadership capability but will have a much more
enjoyable journey.
Copyright of New Zealand Management is the property of Mediaweb Ltd and its content may
not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's
express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for
individual use.