Fundraising for Not-for-Profits


If you are involved with a small organisation dependent on raising funds from grants, donations, or events, how do you go about raising the money in an efficient and effective way that does not alienate existing and potential donors?

Below we list some resources that may assist you with fundraising along with those providing grants to  community and not-for-profit sectors.

Grants databases

With your Wellington City Libraries membership, you can access Generosity New Zealand‘s grants platform: Generosity NZ is the largest digital search facility for funding information in Aotearoa.  

givUS – for access to more than 1,200 grants and schemes for community groups.

givME – offers access to more than 4,000 scholarships and awards for individuals.

For both these resources users need to login with library registration details and create a further login with the Generosity site.

Strategic Grants helps build your non-profit’s capacity through our GEMS grants database, grant writing, grants training, grants workshops, program design and monitoring and evaluation frameworks and strategic planning for grants success.


LinkedIn Learning courses

(Accessible with library registration)

Nonprofit Fundraising: A Beginner’s Guide
It’s all about relationships.
1h 54m
Beginner
Released: 5/12/2022
Relationships are part of our daily lives, and focusing on them is a proven method for successful communication. To raise funds successfully, you need to aim for long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships. This starts by understanding the exponential growth of the non-profit world’s impact on donors. This course from Fundraising Academy explains how donor’s mindsets have changed with the development of watchdog organizations. Learn to embrace your selling persona and improve prospective and donor relationships with the Cause Selling Cycle. Explore ways to remain ethical in the gray areas, as well as the time management, organizational, and communication skills that you will need as prospective donors decide to partner with you and your cause.

Nonprofit Fundraising Tips
45m
Beginner
Released: 5/13/2022
Successful fundraising depends on a fundraiser’s ability to communicate knowledge about the organization effectively to current and prospective donors. In this course, the Fundraising Academy at National University offers you a wide variety of tips to incorporate into your fundraising presentation, including how to leverage technology and analyze data to develop a plan that will motivate your donors to invest. 

Cause Selling: The Secret to Nonprofit Donations
3h 55m
Beginner
Released: 5/13/2022
In fundraising, building relationships is an art form. You need a pragmatic mindset and ample preparation to succeed at identifying, approaching, and cultivating donor relationships. In this course, the Fundraising Academy teaches you how to prospect, manage prospect information, prepare for your first meeting with a potential donor, make a lasting first impression, and more. 

Book resources from WCL’s collections

Diversity and philanthropy : expanding the circle of giving / Wagner, Lilya
“A “one size fits all” strategy is not effective when it comes to philanthropy and fundraising in today’s diversified environment. This book enables non-profit leaders, board members, staff, and volunteers of non-profit organizations to better reach diverse populations and incorporate perspectives that increase success by surveying the cultural context for philanthropic action. Brings together a breadth of information on the cultural effects on philanthropy and fundraising in an approachable, practical, and readable manner–all in a single-volume resource. “– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Fundraising ideas : plan and run events to raise money for good causes / Russell, Molly
“This book is for anyone faced with the task of raising money, especially if it’s for the first time. In it, Molly Russell shares her advice and the ideas gained from a lifetime’s experience of organizing and running fundraising events. Covering all aspects from start to completion, it provides invaluable information that will lead you around the inevitable pitfalls, together with a list of ideas for events that have worked well, from a local coffee morning to a celebrity concert.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Relationship fundraising : a donor-based approach to the business of raising money / Burnett, Ken
“Internationally acclaimed fundraising consultant Ken Burnett has completely revised and updated his classic book Relationship Fundraising to offer fundraising professionals an invaluable resource for learning the techniques of effective communication with donors in the twenty-first century.” (Catalogue)

 

The complete fundraising handbook / Botting, Nina
“The new edition of this ever-popular title has been completely updated and also reorganised. It is now divided into three parts, covering:
* fundraising principles and strategies
* sources of funding – including individual donors, grant-making trusts, companies, central and local government
* fundraising techniques – from house-to-house collections and challenge events, to direct mail and capital appeals
Illustrated with case studies throughout, the book provides a wealth of practical advice on every aspect of fundraising for charity.” (Catalogue)

Fundraising for your school / Rowson, Pauline
“For both the beginner and those who wish to improve their fundraising techniques, this guide looks at how schools can organise their resources for effective fundraising.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Legacy fundraising : the art of seeking bequests
“This series aims to contribute to the development of fundraising theory and support the mobilization of resources for the non-profit sector worldwide.” (Catalogue)

 

 

250+ fundraising ideas for your charity, society, school and PTA : practical and simple money making ideas for anyone raising funds for charities, hospices, societies, clubs and schools / Robinson, Paige
“Containing over 250 practical and effective fundraising ideas, this is an essential book for anyone raising money for charities, hospices, societies, churches, clubs, as well as schools and their PTA. From the sublime (a sponsored blindfold) to the ridiculous (a baked bean welly race), there is something for every fundraiser in this book. Covering sponsorship ideas, raffles and lotteries, collections and donations, games and activities, things to sell as well as providing many different events and themes you can organise, this indispensable guide also looks at how to use outside businesses effectively as well as social networking sites and the internet.”–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The ask : how to ask anyone for any amount for any purpose / Fredricks, Laura
The Ask is a complete resource for teaching anyone–experienced in fundraising or not–how to ask individuals, in person, for a contribution to for a local non-profit or a special event or community project, an enhanced annual gift, a major or planned gift, or a challenging capital campaign gift. Written by fundraising expert Laura Fredricks, The Ask shows what it takes to prepare yourself and others to make an effective ask and includes over one hundred sample dialogues you can use and adapt. Step by step, the book reveals how to listen, what to say, and how to follow up on each and every ask until you receive a solid and definitive answer.” (Catalogue)

The fundraiser’s guide to irresistible communications : real-world, field-tested strategies for raising more money / Brooks, Jeff
The writing style of fundraising — The importance of being urgent — Make it easy to read — Long messages work better — Grammar for fundraisers — The content of fundraising — Persuade with story, not statistics — Keep it simple — Make it all about the donor — I have bad news and good news — Have a clear call to action — P.S. I love you — The design of fundraising — Design for older eyes — Don’t skimp on emphasis — Make images work for you — Plain, corny, and obvious — The mental game of fundraising — Self-centric fundraising — Three things you should know about donors — Three deadly fundraising myths — Proud to be a fundraiser. (Catalogue)

I’ll grant you that : a step-by-step guide to finding funds, designing winning projects, and writing powerful grant proposals / Burke, Jim
“Part book, part CD-ROM, I’ll Grant You That is an all-in-one resource for finding funds, designing winning projects, and writing powerful proposals.” (Catalogue)

 

Philanthropy revolution : how to inspire donors, build relationships and make a difference / Greer, Lisa
“In the first book on philanthropy written from a donor’s perspective, businesswoman and philanthropist Lisa Greer lifts the lid on our charitable sector, with an authentic account that describes exactly how outdated the sector has become and why it’s at risk of collapse.” (Catalogue)

 

Other resources

Funding HQ is a platform helping people build fundraising capability and capacity in an easy, cost-effective way. For its passionate founder Jenni Giblin it’s the culmination of an already highly successful fundraising career.

Fundraising Institute of New Zealand
Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ) is the professional body that represents fundraising in New Zealand. 

From Philanthropy New Zealand is Match Te Puna Taurite that aims to connect those with funds to those that seek them. If you are a charity you can sign up to the service to post funding requests and get in front of multiple funders with one action. 

Hui E! is a peak body organisation for the tangata whenua, community and voluntary sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Hoa Pūtea Moni Grant Writing Support programme matches skilled volunteers with community organisations that need support to apply for grants and funding.

As a not for profit there may also be helpful information available via the Community Net Aotearoa site.
Community Net provides An online hub of resources designed to strengthen organisations and communities.
 

If you would like further information please contact the Prosearch team at the library. We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources. All enquiries are treated in confidence.

International Women’s Day: Inspire Inclusion

International Women’s Day free IWD theme resources for IWDevents

Friday 8 March is International Women’s Day.  For 2024 the theme is ‘Inspire Inclusion’.

As the IWD website says: 

“When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world.
And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.”

We’ve collated a list of recent additions to the WCL collection on inspirational and influential women in leadership and business around the world.

Inspirational women in business : uplifting and motivational stories from extraordinary women / Evans, Dawn
Inspirational Women in Business is second in the series of empowering and inspirational books that was born out of Dawn Evans and Tracey Smolinski wanting to inspire, uplift and support women around the world during the pandemic and beyond. When you start reading through the chapters that all the fabulous co-authors have written, it will become clear that if ever you feel that you want to give up, your self-belief and determination can make anything possible. By having a ‘get up and go’ attitude, you can achieve anything. Life is a challenge: you need to grab it with both hands, with pure grit and determination, and you will see what can be achieved when you put your mind to it.” (Catalogue)

Leading women : 20 influential women share their secrets to leadership, business, and life / O’Reilly, Nancy D.
“Stop waiting around for the career-and life-that you deserve and start taking the reins! Leading Women shows you how to claim power and respect, conquer your internal barriers, and change the world by helping other women do the same.”  (Catalogue)

 

Real women, real leaders : surviving and succeeding in the business world
“Plan your path to leadership with insight from real women at the top. In Real Women, Real Leadership, twenty-four women leaders describe their personal journeys to the top, providing deep insight and a fascinating perspective on “making it” as a woman in the male-dominated business environment. They discuss their experiences and offer guidance on topics such as balancing family and career, building alliances, mentoring and being mentored, and overcoming obstacles in the business world which is still dominated by men in the senior levels of management. Drawn from a range of industries including higher education, technology, law, the military, politics, the media, and more, these stories provide the details that every ambitious woman needs to know. You’ll learn which skills, attributes, and relationships served these women best, how they overcame the obstacles thrown into their paths, and the people they credit as instrumental along the way.”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The courage to advance : real life resilience from the world’s most successful women in business / Hagemann, Bonnie
“A powerful collection of 36 stories about how the world’s most successful women have overcome some of life’s biggest challenges to reach the top of their professions. This is a book written for every current and aspiring leader, revealing the things that leaders rarely talk about; the behind the scenes struggles. The women in these stories are powerful, internationally diverse and have impressive leadership accomplishments… After reading this book you will be inspired to lead and make a difference for others whether it’s running a company or leading a division, team, project, community event or your family and home. You will discover that you already have all you need to succeed when it gets hard, to never give up, and how to keep going through life’s difficult and sometimes terrible challenges…”–books.google.com.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Women and leadership : real lives, real lessons / Gillard, Julia
“An inspirational and practical book written by two high-achieving women, sharing the experience and advice of some of our most extraordinary women leaders, in their own words. From their broad experience on the world stage in politics, economics and global not-for-profits, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Julia Gillard have some strong ideas about the impact of gender on the treatment of leaders. Women and Leadership takes a consistent and comprehensive approach to teasing out what is different for women leaders.  Women and Leadership presents a lively analysis of the influence of gender on women’s access to positions of leadership, the perceptions of them as leaders, the trajectory of their leadership and the circumstances in which it comes to an end, featuring Jacinda Ardern, Hillary Clinton, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Theresa May, Michelle Bachelet, Joyce Banda, Erna Solberg, Christine Lagarde and more.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

What I told my daughter : lessons from leaders on raising the next generation of empowered women
“A “diverse group of women–from Madeleine Albright To Ruth Bader Ginsburg, from Dr. Susan Love to Whoopi Goldberg and more…reflect on the best advice and counsel they have given their daughters either by example, throughout their lives, or in character-building, teachable moments between parent and child.”–Book jacket.” (Catalogue)

 

This is how we rise : reach your highest potential, empower women, lead change in the world / Chan, Claudia
“We live in a time of unprecedented opportunity for women. Yet despite centuries of progress, true equality remains out of reach. What will it take to bring us to a tipping point? To leadership expert and social entrepreneur Claudia Chan, the key is shifting to a “me for we” mindset, where individuals root their effort in a mission far bigger than personal success, and getting everyone–women and men–to work together for social change. By lifting others, we not only make the world better, but we can also discover our greatest meaning and achieve lasting fulfillment. In This Is How We Rise, Claudia encourages readers to join a new breed of leaders and become change makers for gender equality. Distilling wisdom and insights from her own personal and professional journey, she shares key lessons learned and offers a toolbox of thirteen foundational habits…” (adapted from Catalogue)

Women kind : unlocking the power of women supporting women / Ferguson, Kirstin
“Women are rallying together in a massive and unstoppable force to make their voices heard around the world in ways we have never seen before. When Dr Kirstin Ferguson, an Australian company director, decided she was fed up with the vicious online abuse of women, she turned the tables and used social media to create the #CelebratingWomen campaign, profiling two women from anywhere in the world and every walk of life, every day for a year. The response was overwhelming. In Women Kind, Ferguson joins Walkley award-winning journalist and leading commentator on women in the workplace, Catherine Fox, to examine how women’s shared clout is transforming communities, workplaces and leadership… Ferguson and Fox urge us to get on board and forget the old saying that when a woman climbs the corporate ladder, she needs to send it back down to help one other woman. What’s needed is a fishing net to bring up many women together, all supporting each other.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Me and my mentor : how mentoring supercharged the careers of 11 extraordinary women / Breekveldt, Norah
“How important is mentoring in accelerating my career success and helping me realise my potential? Why are men more likely to have mentors than women? How do I proactively pursue a mentoring relationship? What is more effective — formal mentoring programs or informal mentoring relationships? Me and My Mentor explores these and other questions mentors and mentees face in their working life. Eleven mentor and mentee couples talk openly about their experiences, the professional and personal friendships that evolved, the challenges they worked through, the career and learning opportunities that opened up for them and the mutual benefits they received from the relationship… If you’ve ever been curious about how mentoring can advance your career, or how you can apply mentoring to achieve true diversity in your workplace, then Me and My Mentor is a must read!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The Leadership Compass: The ultimate guide for women leaders to reach their full potential / Redfern, Michelle
“Diversity, equity and inclusion leader Michelle Redfern believes closing the gender leadership gap isn’t about fixing women. It’s about providing them with a human compass to navigate their way to leadership success. Rather than change their behaviour, they need to learn the skills and gain the confidence required to reach their potential.” (Catalogue)

The gender bias : the barriers that hold women back, and how to break them / Cohen-Hatton, Sabrina
“Two people do the same job and are both firefighters. When one is asked what they do for a living, their response is met with: ‘That’s amazing, you are so brave!’, while the other is asked: ‘Isn’t that dangerous? Aren’t you scared? What about your kids?’ Can you guess the difference between the two? These comments are the reality for Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton and many other women at work and in life. Gender biases stop women from succeeding – but why are certain qualities associated with success viewed less favourably for women? After leaving home at 15, going through extreme personal adversity and a period of homelessness, Sabrina gained first-hand experience of the hurdles women face to become successful. In The Gender Bias, she explores the everyday prejudices women experience through the prism of success. From leadership, to risk-taking, perception and failure, Sabrina exposes the invisible barriers that are holding women back. Through an analysis of studies and data, Sabrina unpicks why women are judged differently, examines why that matters and offers practical solutions on how we can tackle our biases and overcome sustained systems”–Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)

Glass half-broken : shattering the barriers that still hold women back at work / Ammerman, Colleen
“Why the gender gap persists and how we can close it. Women have made up roughly half of the college-educated workforce for years, and before the onset of the economic crisis of 2020, the gap between the percentage of women and the percentage of men in the labor force was the lowest on record. But women remain underrepresented in positions of power and status. The gender pay gap, for example, shows little movement, largely because high-paying jobs are the most gender-imbalanced. Even in areas where there are roughly equal numbers of men and women, or where women actually make up the majority, leadership ranks remain male-dominated. The endurance of these inequalities begs the question: Why haven’t we made more progress? A 2020 analysis by a team of sociologists affirms that progress, as measured by rates of women’s employment, earnings, and the types of fields and jobs they work in, has either stalled completely or slowed. With fifty years of sweeping reforms in educational and corporate policy, it’s tempting to think that any remaining gender imbalances reflect differences in individual merit or behavior, not organizational barriers. Much of the popular media supports this idea, with countless books and articles offering advice on what women should do to overcome challenges: lean in, speak up, do power poses, stop apologizing, and delegate more. Ammerman and Groysberg focus instead on the pervasive organizational obstacles and managerial actions that create gender imbalance. Bringing to light the key findings from the latest research in psychology, sociology, and economics, Glass Half-Broken shows that along their entire career path-from entry- to mid- to senior-level positions-women get pushed out of the leadership pipeline and, at each point, for different reasons. Presenting institutional and managerial strategies designed to overcome and mitigate these barriers at each step in the career path, Glass Half-Broken is the authoritative resource that managers and leaders at all levels can use to finally shatter the glass ceiling”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

What she said : the art of inspiring action through speech / Lunin, Monica
“Learn how spoken words can change a mind, a community and the world with this collection of remarkable speeches by women. What She Said is an inspiring collection of speeches from passionate and persuasive women from around the world and throughout history. The included speakers come from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, ages, and education levels, demonstrating how women from all walks of life can use the power of speech to bring change. Author Monica Lunin has curated and analysed 40 of the greatest speeches made by strong and empowering women from all around the world. — Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Not now, not ever : ten years on from the misogyny speech
“On 9 October 2012, Prime Minister Julia Gillard stood up and proceeded to make all present in Parliament House that day pay attention – and left many of them squirming in their seats. The incisive ‘misogyny speech’, as her words came to be known, challenged not only Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, on his words and actions but, over time, all of us. How had we come to condone the public and private behaviours of some very public men? With contributions from Mary Beard, Jess Hill, Jennifer Palmieri, Katharine Murphy and members of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Julia Gillard explores the history and culture of misogyny, tools in the patriarchy’s toolbox, intersectionality, and gender and misogyny in the media and politics… (Adapted from Catalogue)
Also available in the following formats: EAudiobook Libby and  EBook Libby

 

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Why leadership at the board level in the Not-for-Profit sector is essential. Guest blog

Today’s blog is reproduced with kind permission of Pierre Woolridge.

Pierre, Effective governance, has distilled his many years of experience in roles with not-for-profit organisations, along with his work in strategic and business planning, into the recently published Getting to grips with Not-For-Profit governance : a snappy new book for new directors of incorporated societies wanting to get up to speed quickly and with confidence.

“With 24, 000 incorporated societies registered in Aotearoa, involving an estimated half a million volunteers in governance roles, Pierre’s aim is for his book to provide those newly elected to a board or a committee to get up to speed quickly and with confidence”.

In this piece Pierre discusses why leadership is critical in the NFP sector.

Leadership at the board level is essential

Leadership is a critical component of any organisation, but it is especially important in the not-for-profit sector (NFP) with its numbers of volunteers. As a board member, you are responsible for help to set the direction of the organisation and ensuring that it is fulfilling its mission. This requires strong leadership skills, including the ability to inspire and motivate others, make tough decisions, and communicate effectively.

The importance of leadership at the board level in the not-for-profit sector

The importance of effective leadership in the not-for-profit sector cannot be overstated. Here are some reasons why:

  • First, not-for-profit organisations often have multiple stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, and the community. Effective leadership is essential to ensuring that all constituents are fully on board with the organisation’s mission, vision, and results. This requires strong communication skills, the ability to inspire and motivate others, and a deep understanding of the organisation’s mission and values.
  • Secondly, not-for-profit organisations often face unique challenges that require innovative solutions. This is particularly so, as the bulk of the NFPs have board members who are volunteers. Effective leadership is essential to identifying these challenges and developing creative solutions that meet the needs of the organisation and its stakeholders. This requires a willingness to take risks, think outside the box, and be open to new ideas and perspectives.
  • Thirdly, not-for-profit organisations are often under-resourced and face significant financial constraints. Effective leadership is essential to managing these constraints and ensuring that the organisation is making the most of its resources. This requires strong financial management skills, the ability to prioritise and make tough decisions, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.

In addition to these reasons, effective leadership in the not-for-profit sector is also essential for building trust and credibility with stakeholders, attracting and retaining top talent, and achieving the organisation’s mission and goals.

Balancing Stakeholder Demands with Mission and Values

One of the key challenges facing not-for-profit organisations is the need to balance the demands of stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, and the community, with the organisation’s mission and values. Effective leadership at the board level is essential to achieving this balance and ensuring that the organisation remains true to its purpose.

To be an effective leader in the not-for-profit sector, it is important to have a clear understanding of the organisation’s mission and values, as well as the needs and expectations of stakeholders. You should also be willing to listen to feedback and be open to new ideas and perspectives.

Qualities of Effective Leadership in the Not-for-Profit Sector

  • Understanding the organisation’s mission and values
  • Listening to feedback and being open to new ideas
  • Commitment to ongoing learning and development
  • Ability to inspire and motivate others
  • Making tough decisions
  • Communicating effectively

As a new or aspiring board member, it is important to recognise the importance of leadership in the not-for-profit sector and to take steps to develop your own leadership skills. By doing so, you can help ensure that your organisation is well-positioned to achieve its mission and make a positive impact in the community.

******************************************************************************

Watch Pierre’s interview with Brent Edwards from NBR, in which they delve into the book’s contents, exploring topics such as:
– Why join the board/committee of an incorporate society?
– Do your values to align with the organisation’s?
– What’s the board looking for in a new director?
– Problems with personal agendas
– Profits are a dirty word – surplus are just fine
– Added responsibilities with the Incorporated Societies Act 2022
– Are boards ready for the big impact?

Read:

Getting to grips with not-for-profit governence : a snappy book for new directors of incorporated societies wanting to get up to speed quickly and with confidence / Woodridge, Pierre
“This book provides essential guidance for new and aspiring committee and board directors. Getting to Grips with Non-for-Profit Governance is the first printed NZ-specific book on governance on sale to the public for years. The book has been published against the backdrop of the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022. Getting to Grips with Not-for-Profit Governance provides the basics you need to know as a new or aspiring director.” (Catalogue)

Learn:
Supporting community governance in Aotearoa
Te tautoko i ngā mana whakahaere hapori ki Aotearoa.
We’re here to support great governance of community organisations across Aotearoa.

Māori Governance Video Toolkit
Designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of Māori trustees.

Institute of Directors NZ
“The Institute of Directors is the professional body for directors and is at the heart of New Zealand’s governance community.
We support and enable directors to add value to their organisations and wider communities and prepare them to positively transform the future.”

Charities Services
“Charities Services, Ngā Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai, is part of the Department of Internal Affairs, Te Tari Taiwhenua, and administers the Charities Act 2005. We strive to be a modern, responsive, risk-based regulator focused on promoting public trust and confidence in the charitable sector and encouraging the effective use of charitable resources.”

About Pierre

Author Pierre Woolridge has based his new book on his decades of experience on the boards of not-for-profits.

His first board position was on a school board. Here he made use of his strategic planning, business planning, financial management, and economics background. He also attended a governance workshop or two run by the New Zealand School Trustees Association. Some years later he attended a UK based, six-month e-course for company board directors.

Prior to being on the school board, Pierre was a director and trustee in charge of investments of the BP and Europa Staff Credit Union.

He’s had the privilege of being elected onto several boards and invited to join or form a couple of brand-new finance (and risk and audit) committees, plus a strategy task force.

Getting to Grips with Non-for-Profit Governance is the first NZ-specific book on governance published for the public in many years.

The Incorporate Societies Act 202, requires all incorporated societies to re-register. They have from 5 October 2023 until April 2026 to do so. Getting to Grips with Not-for-Profit Governance provides the basics need for new directors and committee members.

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

 

 

Retail crime

via GIPHY

Once upon a time, if you were caught stealing from a market stall or shop in England you risked a one way passage to the penal colonies of Australia.

In the 21st century the penalties for theft are less severe but retail crime continues to plague, and cost, Te-Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington’s retail businesses.

Towards the end of 2023, in an interview with local retailer Mandy LaHatte of Indeja, she mentioned loss of stock from shelves.  While Mandy was alert to tactics used by groups of young women who ‘lifted’ small items from shelves, she had also “… had clothing stolen from the models on the street [at the shop doorway]. I don’t want to have to be anticipating that.  I have a business to run”.

Around the same time as we did that interview, local newspaper, The Post reported on an incident whereby a Featherston Street sushi retailer confronted someone stealing product placed near the doorway and ended up being physically assaulted.

A few weeks later the same paper reported a Miramar garden centre was broken into two nights in a row with a substantial amount of stock taken.

According to a 2023 Retail NZ crime report retail crime in New Zealand costs around $2.6 billion per annum.

Retail crime takes many forms and includes, but is not limited to, shoplifting, threatening behaviour, robbery, fraud (online, credit card etc) and cybercrime. It affects all retail business whether large chains or small independent businesses.

At the larger end of the scale, supermarket chain Woolworths NZ last year announced it was going to invest NZ$45 million over the next three years to increase security measures.  This came after an increase of more than 800% in security issues alongside an increase of over 300% in thefts.

Meanwhile Foodstuffs NZ began trialling Facial Recognition technology (FRT) this month, in an attempt to reduce retail crime.  “It follows 4719 incidents of retail crime reported across Foodstuffs stores in the last quarter of 2023, including 513 trespass breaches – up 52 percent on the previous quarter”.

Following a series of ramraids Michael Hill jewellery stores invested NZ$5 million in security including full time guards in some stores.

Increases in security measures and as well as increased insurance claims resulting in higher premiums for the retailer mean increases in overall product costs.  While retailers initially absorb increased costs the high cost of theft to these businesses means they are having to pass some of the costs along to the consumers.

 

 

via GIPHY

The most prevalent of retail crimes is shoplifting and the Retail NZ report showed that 82 percent of those surveyed had been affected by this form of theft.

Shoplifting has been recognised as a retail issue since sixteenth century England “…when shoplifters became so prevalent that retail merchants sought laws punishing those that stole their products.”

It is often said that shoplifting is a ‘victimless’ or petty crime.  However, whether it is kids ‘nicking’ a chocolate bar from the local dairy as a dare or a gang stealing product to order, theft of stock hurts businesses big and small.

Again, The Post has given coverage to this in a recent article, while in her recent op-ed piece, Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young outlined how retail crime “… presents an increasing health and safety risk to both employees and customers, as well as threatening the financial sustainability of retail businesses”.

While it is not the purpose of this blog to go into the reasons why people steal, it can be said that there is no ‘typical’ shoplifting offender and the reasons driving these behaviours are as varied and complex as the population.

In the UK, store theft has increased to a point whereby retailers are resorting to using dummy boxes of products, undercover security guards and body cameras on staff in an attempt to counter the rise in thefts.  In Aotearoa stores are resorting to keeping ‘desirable’ products in locked cabinets, behind the counter or in the case of some high end products like handbags, linked together with security wires.

Retail NZ offers members advice and resources  to combat retail crime along with benefits of sharing advice and experiences.  They also advocate on behalf of members with government on issues like retail crime and the need for more protection for retailers.

In the Wellington CBD the Eyes On programme runs in conjunction with Wellington City Council, NZ Police and Wellington NZ and works with retailers to reduce store theft as well as enhancing safety for the local retail community.

Here are some steps a small retailer can undertake to counter stock shrinkage:

Conduct a physical security assessment of the premises
Consider and limit entrance and exit points to the store
Design a clean store layout ensuring display heights and arrangement don’t create blindspots
Install good lighting
Install security cameras, mirrors and/or security gates.
Advertise the security measures in place

Develop a loss prevention policy and train all staff on its use
Undertake loss prevention awareness and de-escalation training for all staff, including those who are part time and/or temporary.
Emphasise customer service – encouraging staff to acknowledge all customers as they enter the store has been shown to reduce shoplifting.

Introduce electronic tracking of stock

Keep desirable products out of easy access such as in locked cabinets or behind the counter

Network with neighbouring businesses

In the event of stock loss, Carolyn Young of Retail NZ encourages retailers to report the incident to the police, providing as much detail as possible.  That way patterns are built up of the extent of the offending as well as profiles of recidivist offenders.

NZ Police operate an internal unit, National Retail Investigation Support Unit (NRISU) which “…partners with the retail sector and crime prevention organisations at a national level and works with Police staff at a district level to assist them to specifically target offenders causing the greatest harm to the retail sector, its staff, and customers.”  There are also resources and advice available via their Retail Crime Prevention Hub page.

However at the end of the day, Carolyn Young counsels “Don’t put product ahead of wellbeing“.  The health and safety of retailers and staff should always be paramount.

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

 

What might be possible if? Guest blog by Dan Lake

Today’s blog piece is an excerpt from A Good Leadership Book; a new book from Auckland-based leadership coach, Dan Lake from Lead-Coach-Release

It has been reproduced with Dan’s permission and copies of the book are available from Wellington City Libraries.

For thousands of years of human history, men and women stood out under the night sky, staring at the moon and the stars, wondering what it would be like to be ‘out there.’

In space. On the moon. Beyond the earth.

On November 21, 1783, two Frenchmen made history by coming the first men to lift off beyond the earth in an air balloon.

Not falling off a cliff, nor jumping up high. No springs or canons.

Defying the law of gravity – they rose upward toward the heavens.

In the roughly 240 years since then, we’ve made incredible strides in our ability to move beyond the confines of our own orbiting world.

Sustained heavier-than-air flight with the Wright brothers.

Breaking the speed of sound.

Sending the first object to orbit the earth fully – outside of our atmosphere.

The first man in space.

And perhaps most famously, “One small step for man, One giant leap for mankind.”

None of these events happened in isolation. They were, each and every one of them, combinations of people and breakthroughs and ideas and experiments.

At every juncture – all throughout history from the caveman staring into space to the International Space Station still orbiting Earth today – people have asked a crucial question: “What might be possible if?”

It is an innocuous question. Full of innocence and a smidge of humility.

It has all the hallmarks of a 4-year boy with a bicycle, two planks, and a quiet Saturday afternoon. There is guaranteed to be competition around how many toy cars can be jumped in one go!

For every little girl, it’s a question about hair and make-up and colored nails. The unlimited potential of the unknown and beautiful.

“What might be possible if?” is a question, that when asked with enough intentionality, with enough consistency, with enough dogmatic tenacity, and a hunger to find an answer, is a question that can change history.

Just ask Neil Armstrong. He walked on the moon.

Often well-meaning Managers, in the pursuit of doing things right, keep teams on a narrow path away from exploration and innovation. After all, mistake might be made. Time might be lost. Inconsistencies may occur.

But scale and growth and future-ready-transformation do not happen by doing the same things.

Google’s famous “20 Percent Time” is a great example of an organization making space to ask “What might be possible if?” Google profited hundreds of millions of dollars from “possible” innovations.
Both Adsense (the backbone of Google’s advertising revenue model) and Gmail grew out of developers asking “what might be possible if?”


As leaders, we must be asking “What might be possible if?”

What might be possible if we adjust some expectations for our team?

What might be possible if some resources were freed up for innovation?

What might be possible if more trust and responsibility were given out?

What might be possible if we said “Stop”? Or “Start”?

What might be possible if we took a step forward, toward our dream, one small step?

Stop saying No. Stop making excuses. Stop saying there are no resources (time, money, people, information, etc).

Start exploring what might be possible if you step out!

Start giving your team time to step out. To innovate. To transform processes and timing and work-flow.

Photo courtesy of author

About Dan
Dan Lake is a recognized authority in leadership and organizational development. Dan Lake has explored good leadership on five continents as a bungy jump instructor, team leader, business owner, and leadership consultant. Dan has extensive experience with emerging leaders and senior management teams covering operations, training, coaching, and development. He holds a Master’s in Leadership focused on engaging emerging leaders.

Photo courtesy of Dan Lake

A good leadership book : on clarity, culture & communication / Lake, Dan
“Where does good leadership begin? Today, more than ever, success hinges on clarity, culture, and communication. Filled with bite-sized tools, ideas, and frameworks, this book is a generous guide to personal and professional growth. Emerging leaders, seasoned executives, non-profit partners changing the world, and those seeking to make an impact will find inspiration and micro-adjustments to make a meaningful difference…” — Back cover.” (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Dealing with toxic work environments

A passing conversation with an acquaintance in the days before Christmas made me realise, once again, how pervasive and damaging a toxic work culture can be.

My acquaintance, in recounting her experiences, said sadly “When I set off for work each morning, I feel heavy.”  The pleasure she got from going to work and doing her job well has been sucked out of her life.  She finds this in turn impacts on the enjoyment she gets from interests outside of work.

In this case, the presence of one badly behaved and poorly managed individual has also taken its toll on the team.  People have left and the team is much reduced.  This has increased the workload on those who remain and adds to an already stressful situation.

via GIPHY

This article from Fast Company notes: If you are in a toxic workplace, chances are you will feel drained at the end of the day, so setting aside a little time to reset can help you not carry your toxic workplace into your home life. Then, it’s time to update your résumé and know what red flags to avoid at your next job.

The subjects of toxic work cultures and dealing with difficult people, be they employees, co-workers or customers/clients, have been addressed previously in these blogs. If you find yourself in a position where an individual is making you “feel heavy” – whether it’s a work, home or in a social situation, then we’ve listed some some resources that might help build your resilience.

From LinkedIn Learning
(Access to full courses are available with library registration)

Prevent Toxic Work Cultures as a Manager
The importance of a toxic-free workplace
According to recent studies, a toxic work culture is ten times more likely to cause employee attrition than other factors like compensation, job insecurity, and reorganisation. In this course, Francesca Gino teaches you how to identify and address the factors that contribute to toxic cultures and the specific actions you can take as a manager to build and sustain a healthy workplace. Learn how to tell if your workplace is toxic, the steps you can take to build a healthy work culture, and what you can do to ensure the sustainability of the culture you’ve built.

How to Handle Conflict and Toxicity for Happier Workdays
Respond with compassion, not contempt
In this audio-only course, communication expert Sam Horn explains how to adjust your language to deal with difficult people more effectively. Sam identifies three choices you can always make in a conflict and shows you how quickly agreeing, apologizing, and taking action lets you get straight to what’s important. Sam discusses how finding solutions will get you a lot farther than finding fault and points out the advantages of redirecting accusations. She discusses how being a coach, rather than a critic, and adopting a can-do attitude goes a long way toward making things right. Sam encourages you to remember that no one can make you angry without your consent, to focus on what you want to do to keep a level head, and to find strength in numbers and documented evidence. She also highlights the importance of standing up to bullies and knowing when to leave a toxic situation.

From the book collection

Wait, I’m working with who?!? : the essential guide to dealing with difficult coworkers, annoying managers, and other toxic personalities / Economy, Peter
“Who hasn’t had to deal with a jerk at work? Whether it’s a toxic team member who loves nothing better than to suck the life and excitement out of her colleagues or a bad boss who causes his employees to constantly dream of telling him to “Take this job and shove it!” or the difficult co-worker who isn’t happy unless the office is filled with mayhem and drama, we’ve all had to deal with people on the job we would rather not. Based on proven approaches and the latest research and advice of workplace experts, this book will provide readers with detailed and unambiguous advice on how to deal with and neutralize the negative people in their work lives”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Jerks at work : toxic coworkers and what to do about them / West, Tessa V.
“For anyone pulling their hair out over an irritating colleague who’s not technically breaking any rules, a hilarious guide to getting difficult people off your back from NYU psychology professor Tessa West. Ever watched a coworker charm the pants off management while showing a competitive, Machiavellian side to the lower ranks? The Kiss-Up/Kick-Down coworker doesn’t hesitate to throw peers under the bus, but their boss is oblivious to their bad behavior. What to do? In Jerks at Work, West draws on a decade of original research to profile classic workplace archetypes, including the Gaslighter, the Bulldozer, the Credit-Stealer, the Neglector, and the Micromanager, and gives advice to anyone who’s ever cried in a bathroom stall at the office. West digs deep into the inner workings of each bad apple, exploring their motivations and insecurities … and offers clever strategies for stopping each type of jerk in their tracks …Jerks at Work is the playbook that you wish you didn’t need but you’ll always turn to–and the answer to your endless “how to deal with a terrible boss” Google searches”– Provided by publisher.(Adapted from Catalogue)

Toxic : a guide to rebuilding respect and tolerance in a hostile workplace / Lewis, Clive
“An incisive insight into the prominence of ‘toxic’ workplaces, detailing the dramatic effect they have upon the workforce and productivity, before exploring applicable and adaptable solutions to this widespread crisis” (Catalogue)

 

 

You can’t talk to me that way! : stopping toxic language in the workplace / Bell, Arthur H.
“For anyone who is discouraged, withdrawn and isolated at work due to verbal attacks–or, just as often, has been provoked into shouting matches and verbal confrontations with his or her attacker–this book shows exactly what to say and do to end the humiliation and torment.” (Catalogue)

 

How to deal with toxic people : clever ways to handle manipulative, difficult, & sensitive people using emotional intelligence / Scott, Bob
“Toxic people are common in the workplace and even within family members. You might be in love with this person or be absolutely attached their personal deeds, but still be suffering from the infliction caused by their toxicity. These people are like virus and may destroy your sense of inspiration, leaving you feeling empty and powerless. It is unfortunate that we have to work with this people, and sometimes the only choice we have is to find subtle ways to deal with their toxicity.  This book has brought to light several ways of dealing with difficult, immature and toxic people. Social intelligence strategies revealed in this book will help you to deal with several traits accompanied with social toxicity. You will begin to manage your emotions and responses around toxic behaviors. You will thrive in your workspace and home without the need to be constantly on guard.” (Catalogue) (Ebook Libby format)

Toxic emotions at work : how compassionate managers handle pain and conflict / Frost, Peter J
“No matter where we work or volunteer our time, emotional pain is an unavoidable consequence of doing business. While the sources vary – abusive bosses, combative customers, heavy workloads, impossible deadlines, unexpected tragedies – the result is often the same: We disconnect from work, morale sinks, and performance drops.” “Peter Frost argues that what causes this potentially crippling scenario is not pain itself, but the ways in which organizations respond to pain. When pain is acknowledged and effectively managed, he says, it can be a constructive force for organizational change. But when ignored, pain can poison the workplace – resulting in everything from missed deadlines to an exodus of key staff to a battered bottom line.” “Based on an in-depth study of this pervasive phenomenon, Toxic Emotions at Work explores how organizations and their leaders cause emotional pain, how it affects performance, and what can be done to alleviate pain before it becomes toxic. Frost reveals the “behind-the-scenes” work performed by “toxin handlers” – self-appointed pain managers who help assuage the suffering of colleagues and enable them to refocus on their work. He illuminates the toll this work is taking on toxin handlers’ emotional and physical health, and argues that leaders must recognize and share this critical role if their organizations are to remain productive and vital.”–BOOK JACKET.” (Catalogue)

Toxic people : dealing with dysfunctional relationships / Cantopher, Tim
“Some people are so stressful, they can actually make us ill. Gameplayers, bullies, users and abusers – all pose a risk to our health and welfare if we don’t take action. This book presents the tools we need to deal with the toxic people in our lives who drain our energy. It explains how to make healthy relationship choices, set proper boundaries and recognize the red flags that should alert us to avoid certain people. Whether you are struggling with a narcissistic partner, or dealing with a bullying boss or a sociopathic colleague, there is practical advice that will help you not only to protect your mental wellbeing but also to thrive. You will understand the nature of the toxic workplace – how to avoid it and if necessary survive within it. If you’re surrounded by the takers of this world, read this book and gain the freedom to make your own choices and live your own life.” (Catalogue)

Toxic people : 10 ways of dealing with people who make your life miserable / Glass, Lillian
“”In Toxic People, Dr. Lillian Glass, a nationally known communications skills and self-image expert, explains how these toxic people operate in your life to harm your self-esteem. Using examples from her own practice, she illustrates the problems toxic people cause – physical, emotional, and mental. And she includes informative quizzes to help you identify the toxic people in your own life and the causes of this toxicity. The “Thirty Toxic Types” are included with their characteristics. And because not everyone finds the same people toxic to his or her well-being, Dr. Glass includes a quiz to determine what is toxic to you so you can avoid those types.”–BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved” (Catalogue)

Rising above a toxic workplace : taking care of yourself in an unhealthy environment / Chapman, Gary D.
“Offers accounts of workers in emotionally unhealthy work environments and how they coped with the situation or left it behind, with practical advice for readers who find themselves in toxic workplaces.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Difficult people made easy : your guide to solving people problems at work / Shakiba, Eleanor
“You’re a competent professional. You excel at the technical side of your work. But so far no-one has taught you how to handle difficult people or toxic team dynamics. That’s where this book comes in. Difficult People Made Easy explains how you need to think and speak when faced with a difficult colleague. Then it reveals specific words and actions you can use.” (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

 

Beating burnout

via GIPHY

Have you returned to work after the holiday period and feel a bit like this kid?  You’ve had a break yet you don’t feel rested and rejuvenated?  You certainly haven’t relished going back to work.  It feels like you’re on a merry-go-round you can’t get off.  It’s possible you could be at risk of burnout.

In a recent interview psychoanalyst Dr Josh Cohen explained “…that with burnout, the body collapses, so it is an involuntary rest…You feel you can’t move or do anything anymore but actually it’s accompanied by … a kind of overstimulation of the nervous system.”

Concerningly, the International SOS Risk Outlook Report 2024 published at the end of last year noted that “80% of surveyed global senior risk professionals predict burnout will have a significant impact on businesses in the next year. But only 41% of them feel that their organisations are equipped to deal with it.”

In the first few days of the new year media reported on a case where the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in favour of an employee who claimed work-induced burnout.  The employer, a large retail chain, was ordered to compensate the employee over $30,000.

Burnout, its causes and consequences have been covered in previous blogs.  You can read them and access the resources collated within them through these links:

Burnout, unfortunately, remains an ongoing workplace issue.  It has significant costs to a business as well as to individuals and society.  So as another year begins we have collated some updated library resources for you.

Whether you are self-employed, an employer or an employee there’s something below to help you balance work and life, and build resilience to ongoing work/life stresses.  Read on…


via GIPHY

Your Burnout Is Trying to Tell You Something
Kandi Wiens, HBR Online, January 16, 2024
Research has established that burnout is primarily the result of psychologically hazardous factors that occur at your workplace. Not being given the resources or time you need to manage your workload, for example, or working in an environment where you have insufficient control and autonomy, are known burnout triggers. No two experiences of burnout are exactly alike, and recovery requires that you pinpoint the unique workplace conditions that are contributing to your stress. One way to do this is to use your self-awareness skills to tune in and discover what your experience of burnout is trying to tell you — indeed, what it’s been trying to tell you all along. Here are some of the vital and lesser-known messages that burnout can reveal, and what to do about them.

From LinkedIn
(Access to full courses are available with library registration)

Managing Burnout
Hope in the face of burnout
For many professionals, remaining constantly connected and on task can feel like a requirement for success. Long hours and chronic exhaustion are normalized—if not celebrated—in many workplaces. A lack of boundaries between work and life can cause workers who previously felt fulfilled to feel resentful and unhappy. In this course, Melody Wilding teaches you how to spot the signs of burnout, complete an inventory to determine if you are burned out, and how to recognize the distinction between internal and external causes of burnout. Melody explains ways you can address behaviors, conditions, and mindsets that lead to burnout—including overworking, unproductive responses to stress, and negative thought patterns. Finally, she shows you how to craft a strategy to prevent burnout, focusing on creating more sustainable goals, setting boundaries, finding support, and understanding what self-care is and is not.

How to Beat Burnout, Exhaustion, and Stress
Burnout is often assumed to be the consequence of overwork. But this is only partially true—exhaustion is merely one facet of burnout. In this audio-only course, learn about the factors that cause these overwhelming feelings of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency; how you can prevent burnout from happening; and what you can do to recover from it. Dr. Jacinta M. Jiménez breaks down the key mismatches that usually cause burnout, as well as how to use the PULSE framework to guide your recovery. She also shares a few easy habits to help you build resilience, how helping others can help you heal your mind, and how to beat negative thinking with curiosity.

Burnout / Selhub, Eva M
“Chronic, unmanaged stress–at work, at home, or in other areas of life–can lead to burnout. Burnout For Dummies shows you the way toward understanding and overcoming this all-to-common condition of modern life. Many of us find ourselves living in a state of constant resignation, which sucks the joy out of life and can be detrimental to our physical health. The tips and exercises in this book can help you minimize stress, become more resilient and create a happier, healthier, and more satisfying life. Mindfulness and resilience guru Dr. Eva Selhub offers a science-based plan that you can use to destress, build inner resources and coping skills, and start enjoying life (and work) again.” (Catalogue)

All the gold stars : reimagining ambition and the ways we strive / Stauffer, Rainesford
All the Gold Stars looks at how the cultural, personal, and societal expectations around ambition are driving the burnout epidemic by funnelling our worth into productivity, limiting our imaginations, and pushing us further apart. Through the devastating personal narrative of her own ambition crisis, Stauffer discovers the common factors driving us all, peeling back layers of family expectations, capitalism, and self-esteem that dangerously tie up our worth in our output”– Provided by publisher” (Catalogue)  Also available as EAudiobook Libby

Slow Productivity : The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout / Newport, Cal
“… Long before the arrival of pinging inboxes and clogged schedules, history’s most creative and impactful philosophers, scientists, artists, and writers mastered the art of producing valuable work with staying power. In this timely and provocative book, Cal Newport harnesses the wisdom of these traditional knowledge workers to radically transform our modern jobs. Drawing from deep research on the habits and mindsets of a varied cast of storied thinkers … Newport lays out the key principles of “slow productivity,” a more sustainable alternative to the aimless overwhelm that defines our current moment. Combining cultural criticism with systematic pragmatism, Newport deconstructs the absurdities inherent in standard notions of productivity, and then provides step-by-step advice for cultivating a slower, more humane alternative. From the aggressive rethinking of workload management, to introducing seasonal variation, to shifting your performance toward long-term quality, Slow Productivity provides a roadmap for escaping overload and arriving instead at a more timeless approach to pursuing meaningful accomplishment. The world of work is due for a new revolution. Slow productivity is exactly what we need.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The book of burnout : what it is, why it happens, who gets it, and how to stop it before it stops you / Aisbett, Bev
“Australia’s bestselling anxiety and mental health author, Bev Aisbett, tackles a growing mental health emergency: burnout. Burnout happens when we take on too much, when we think we can do the impossible, at the cost of our wellbeing, our health and even our quality of life. Although the term is often casually tossed about, burnout is no joke – it can impact every area of your life and leave you depleted in every way. After two years of the pandemic and lockdowns, working from home, homeschooling, widespread stress and being on our computers and devices 24/7 and constantly available, the danger of burnout for so many of us is all too real. It can happen to anyone. Using humour, straightforward language and her signature illustrations, Bev clearly explains what burnout is, who is at risk, how to recognise the danger signs and, finally, how to step back from the brink, providing insight and techniques to ease burnout and stop yourself going up in smoke”–Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)  Also available as EAudiobook BorrowboxEBook BorrowboxEBook Libby

Dear work : something has to change / Ross, Sara
“… Do you find yourself striving for big goals but running on fumes? Are you ever stuck in the frustrating cycle of overworking and under-living? Do you love the work you do–or at least used to–but feel overwhelmed by it?
When it comes to work and our relationship with it, something has to change. This doesn’t mean you need to bound out of bed every day in love with your work, nor do you need to settle for dragging yourself out of bed surviving your way through it, but you can feel a greater sense of aliveness engaging in it. Dear Work transforms traditional advice by using the power of brain science to show you how to boost your Work Vitality Quotient so you stand out, bringing your best, most energized self–without burning out.
Sara Ross, chief vitality officer and leadership expert, will show you how to: Identify the four “success traps” that limit your potential by luring you into thinking you’re doing what it takes when really what you’re doing is taking from you. Adopt a “yes, and” mindset to work better with stress and feel fueled and fulfilled in the process. Expand your approach to self-care to strategically identify when slowing down is needed and when accelerating in a different direction is even better.
In a world that refuses to let up, reigniting your take-on-the-day vitality will be your competitive advantage at work and your path to pursuing a fully lived life outside of it as well.”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Balance your life and work : how to get the best from your job and still have a life
“There’s so much pressure to succeed at work that sometimes ‘real life’ tends to take a back seat. With the rise in flexible working and increased options to work from home, the boundaries have become even more blurred, and your relationships with friends, family, and children can all suffer as you try to cram everything into a ‘normal’ day. Whether you want to re-evaluate and improve your current situation, or opt for a complete change of scene with a career break, this book helps you figure out your own priorities and take positive action to make your life easier. It features:
Step-by-step guidance and actions plans;
Common mistakes and advice on how to avoid them;
Advice on how to identify flexible options in your life;
Ways to avoid stress and burnout;
Top tips and ideas to bear in mind for the future”–Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Over the edge: an interview with a city abseiler. Part 2

Last week, in Part 1 of our look at Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s abseilers, we talked to  Anaru Kerei and Beth Dugdale of Wellington Abseiling Maintenance (WAM) about their business.

This week we profile a former employee, Enzo Fantone, whose passion for climbing led him to undertake an abseiling course prior to finding work with WAM.

Photo courtesy of Enzo Fantone

Enzo Fantone loves to climb.  The 23 year old Frenchman came to Aotearoa on a working visa at the beginning of 2023.  He was picking fruit in Central Otago when a casual offer to go climbing introduced him to a sport that immediately hooked him.

“I’ve always been attracted to outdoor activities.  What I like about climbing is, first, the social abilities you develop.  Climbing is just the moment where you take time to understand the other.  It’s also really important because you have life between your hands so you have to be clear. You have to be 100 percent transparent in the way you talk and the way you understand the other.

“Then there is this body awareness that I really like too.  It’s a nice sport because its slow.  You don’t have to go fast.  It’s about one move after the other.  It’s a type of meditation when I go on the wall.

“It’s like playing chess on the rock.  And you’ve got four different points, and you place them in a different way.  And I think I really like this fact that you don’t have to rush.  You’ve got all the time you want and it’s just you, the rock and the person belaying you.”

On a climb one day Enzo “met this guy and he was like, in full gear, and looking really professional.  I started talking to him and I asked him what he did for a living.  He told me he was abseiling and was based in Christchurch.  We just started talking and I was fascinated by how much knowledge he had on climbing, through abseiling.”

“I was like “Oh, I want to get better at that”.  I want to get better at climbing and I want to explore also the rope access.  And also, getting paid for that is even better.”

When the fruit picking finished Enzo made his way north to Wellington, working hospitality jobs along the way, but still with a thought of how he could turn his passion for climbing into outdoor work.

Exploring Wellington’s CBD, he spotted a sign with an abseiler. Feeling he had nothing to lose by making enquiries about possible work opportunities, Enzo was fortunate to have the door answered by Anaru Kerei, owner of Wellington Abseiling Maintenance (WAM).

Image provided courtesy of WAM

Enzo explains, “Here in New Zealand you have IRATA.  It’s like a course that is possible to do everywhere in the world.  With IRATA you can work everywhere in the world.  When Anaru told me that I was like “Alright, I’m going to look for that”.  He told me about this course place that is based in Plimmerton – TARA”.

“They were offering a course that was costing $2400, so that’s a pretty big amount.  I really wanted to invest that type of money to try changing my way of living.  I’ve been travelling for five years and stopped studying at 18.  I’ve got hospitality experience so it was my gateway to the world, to earn money.  But it was also a place where I got a little bit stuck because it’s like the only big knowledge that I got.  So everywhere in the world where I was travelling, my source of revenue was hospitality.  I didn’t feel like I wanted to keep going in this way.  I realised I didn’t want to live this life forever”.

Enrolling in TARA’s Level 1 Rope Access Technician course Enzo learned “… how to be safe on a rope, how to go up, how to go down.  You learn [about] the specificity of the forces, all the angles you can do with your rope.  What’s bad for the ropes, what’s good for them.  Just a big aspect of being at heights and safe.”  After completing the week long course, Enzo returned to WAM.

“The first day I met Anaru I asked, “Are you searching for workers?” and he was like “Yeah, we’re a bit short of workers at the moment” (with two workers overseas on extended stays).

“So I think I was kind of a replacement for WAM.  A little bit shortened time.  So I ask him “If I did the course would you employ me after that?”  And he was like “Yeah, if you do the course I will definitely employ you and we will talk about it”.  I was quite happy when he told me that.  So I did the course at the beginning of August, finished on the 11th and began with WAM on the 14th”.

 WCL: Is this stage one of an ongoing qualification?

Enzo: It is. IRATA have a system of three different levels.  You’ve got level one.  That’s like dipping your toes.  Then if you want to pass your level two, you need to have a year of work in rope access, plus one thousand hours.

 WCL: So it’s like an apprenticeship?

Enzo: Yes, it’s definitely like that.  From what I know about Level 2 it’s like knowing a bit more about how to rescue people.  The more you go higher, the more you go on level 2, level 3, the more knowledge you will have for rescuing people in different cases.

 WCL: Are you going to go for your thousand hours?

Enzo: Oh yeah.

 WCL: You won’t be doing all that in your time here, so is the work you are doing now laying a base for when you return to France?

Enzo: I’ve got a plan when I go back to France, in May.  I’m going to work taking care of the trekking path where I live, in the French Alps.  They need an abseiler.  Basically what we’re going to do is like rigging from trees and taking care of the path, making sure that everything is safe in the mountain area.  I’m happy to discover this part of abseiling because it’s in nature.  It’s like different step.

When I started abseiling I was like “Oh wow! You can do a job that you like and it’s outdoors.  That’s cool!”  The next one is to do a job that I like, that’s in nature.  So it’s getting closer to climbing.  And yeah, I’m definitely going to go deeper into abseiling.

 WCL: Is this volunteer work or a paid position?

Enzo: It’s a paid position.  It’s like communal work.  And I think we’re working four days a week and it’s a team of ten people.  It goes from May through to September-October.

 WCL: Then what happens in the off season?  Would you travel or look at working a contract in another country?

Enzo: My plan as far as I can see, is to do this next summer in France.  Then I would like to do some more diverse work in abseiling.  And try to catch some good contracts.  I would like to travel a bit more with this work.  It is definitely an easy way to make money and travel and do something I like.

I also realise that, with the people I met lately in Wellington, how good it is to be invested in ecology. I would like to, later, keep doing abseiling but being more meaningful to the planet.  And do also work that I like, but also with value, with a meaning behind it.  Not just doing a job for earning money but being fulfilled in a way of being like “Oh, that was a nice day, I was outside.  I did physical exercise”

 WCL: Are you required to renew your qualifications every couple of years or will you need to do refresher courses?

Enzo: From what I remember, every three years if you don’t pass any new level, you need to do a refresh.  Because rules are changing quite often.  So yeah, every three years, if you didn’t upgrade your level of IRATA you need to do a refresh.  But if you do a course in between that, I think it’s all good.

Enzo a work above the Wellington CBD. Photo courtesy of WAM

WCL: What’s the tallest building you’ve been up?

Enzo: I would say the tallest building is 16 floors.  You do three metres per floor so it would be 50 metres.

WCL: What’s it like?  Tell me, as someone who doesn’t have a head for heights

Enzo: Actually when I go on high buildings like this I am always a bit scared.

WCL: But that’s a good thing, isn’t it?

Enzo: Yeah definitely.  I think it’s always scary when you arrive at a new building and it’s also scary to be trusting in the equipment.  People tell you “This is working, this is going to save your life” but in a human perspective you’re like, “You tell me this is going to save my life but I didn’t see that it can save my life”.

“You’ve got always this adrenaline coming through your body when you go to the edge and you go “That’s pretty high” 

Going to the edge is like, not always the hardest part, but the thing that you need to improve because sometime you go to the edge with a bucket of paint or a bucket of water and soap so you need to make it clean.  At the same time it’s like the scariest moment of your day.

Yeah, it is always scary to go for the first time of the day through the other side but it’s a nice feeling.  I like it.

Going over the edge. Photo courtesy of Enzo Fantone

WCL: What do you like about working for WAM?

Enzo: It is just like a great, small business.  A family business.  And Anaru is just an amazing human.  He understands everyone in the business.  He made it a place where everyone feel good.  It’s like a second home.  It’s just great.  I think he did a really nice picking of employees in the business.  He’s got a really good team.  Everyday at work is always different and always good.  There’s younger people and older people, it’s a good range between 19 and 35.  So everyone is understanding of each other, because everyone is always in a happy vibe.  Everyone is carrying each other.

It’s also great because most of the time we work in teams of two.  So it’s really nice if you want to start knowing someone.  One day you are on a job with someone and the next day you are on another job with another person. It’s nice to get to know each one of them through the days and through the weeks.

Also Beth is working with Anaru and she’s like really, really calm and peaceful and bringing something really nice to WAM.

There are two women working there – Beth and Lynette.  I really like what they bring to WAM.

WCL: Do you think abseiling is perceived as a male occupation? 

Enzo: I think women don’t see it particularly as a career choice but at the same time I understand that in this world, this tradie world, [it] is really masculine.  Sometimes it can be hard for a woman to say alright “I’m going to step into this world and make it happen for me”.  [Of his colleague, Lynette] “I think it’s good that she got the courage to start in abseiling. She impress me so much”.

WCL:  It also means WAM have given her that environment in which to develop and that says a lot about them and their culture.

Enzo: I would say that WAM is really open minded.  And they give a chance to people.  And everyone is so natural.  You don’t have that hard culture of tradie.  It’s just a good place where everyone feels good and talks about everything.  Like when you arrive in the morning, there’s always small talk and it’s like a family.  It’s really great like that.

WCL: Would you recommend this as a job to a someone else who might be wondering if this is the right thing for them?

Enzo: I think so, yeah.

I think this is a shortcut to a really nice job for people [like me] who left school early and don’t know what they want to do.  I think abseiling is really nice because it’s so diverse.  There are so many different jobs through abseiling and yeah, it’s just great… The more I’m going to travel, the more I’m going to spread this thing of “Oh, you don’t know what to do?  You can do this.  It’s great”

“Always since I started climbing I try to involve as much people into climbing.  I’m going to do the same with abseiling.  Definitely”.

A hard day in the office. Photo courtesy of Enzo Fantone

WCL would like to thank Enzo for his input into this blog piece along with the contribution of images.

For some library resources on climbing, see our list below.


Gripped: the climbing magazine (Available via the online platform Libby)
Gripped offers the international world of climbing through the highest quality journalism and incredible pictures

 

 

 

Vertical life (Available via the online platform Libby)
Vertical life is a climbing magazine in Australasia.  At Vertical life we love climbing, be it beanied bouldering, clip up sport climbing, old school daddy tradding, big-wall suffering, alpine extremism, spandex clad competition climbing, desperate times call for desperate measures buildering, the lot – if it involves monkey business we will cover it

 

 

 

Climbing : from gym to crag : building skills for real rock / Lewis, S. Peter
“This work aims to help indoor climbers safely make the transition from a controlled climbing environment, which requires few technical skills and presents no objective dangers, to the outdoor environment, where the risks and rewards require a well-honed set of basic skills and awareness.” (Catalogue)

 

Climbing : training for peak performance / Soles, Clyde
“*Climbing exercises to build strength, endurance, flexibility, and aerobic fitness
*Up-to-date nutritional information to power your climbing training
*Climbing fitness tips that prepares you both mentally and physically
Climbers at all levels benefit from working to build core strength, opening the door to higher levels of achievement. This important edition in the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert series covers everything you need to improve your climbing fitness in ways that takes your performance to the next level. There is even instruction on yoga, Pilates, and herbal supplements, as well as a section on core training. Climbing: Training for Peak Performance also contains information about rehabilitation after an injury, plus several new training programs.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Climbing manual : the essential guide to rock climbing / Shepherd, Nigel
“The Haynes Climbing Manual is a thoroughly modern introduction to this growing adventure sport, written by an experienced mountain guide, photographer and author. From getting started with equipment, clothing, fitness and basic skills through to advanced techniques and coping with tricky situations, this manual is packed with ……” (Catalogue)

 

The complete book of knots & ropework / Fry, Eric C.
“This guide demonstrates, step-by-step, how to tie 95 knots, hitches, plaits, bends, rope and wire splices, sennits and decorative ropework mats that should be useful to yachtsman and other outdoor sports enthusiasts. The nature of the rope and the lay are explained and uses suggested for each knot.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Alone on the wall / Honnold, Alex
“On June 3rd, 2017, Alex Honnold became the first person to free solo Yosemite’s El Capitan–to scale the wall without rope, a partner, or any protective gear–completing what was described as ‘the greatest feat of pure rock climbing in the history of the sport’ (National Geographic) and ‘one of the great athletic feats of any kind, ever’ (New York Times). Already one of the most famous adventure athletes in the world, Honnold has now been hailed as ‘the greatest climber of all time’ (Vertical magazine). Alone on the Wall recounts the most astonishing achievements of Honnold’s extraordinary life and career, brimming with lessons on living fearlessly, taking risks, and maintaining focus even in the face of extreme danger. Now Honnold tells, for the first time and in his own words, the story of his 3 hours and 56 minutes on the sheer face of El Cap, which Outside called ‘the moon landing of free soloing…a generation-defining climb. Bad ass and beyond words…one of the pinnacle sporting moments of all time.'”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Over the edge: an interview with a city abseiling business. Part 1

If you work in an office building in Wellington’s CBD you’ve probably seen them:  the guys who appear at the window, high above street level, suspended on ropes with squeegee in hand and bucket hanging off their harness.

The capital’s high rise window cleaners are a specialist group.  It takes nerve and a good head for heights, along with a conscientious concern for health and safety to abseil down a wall of concrete and glass, cleaning and maintaining as they go.  Then there’s the challenges brought about by the capital’s variable weather.

In this two part blog we delve deeper into what it takes to be one of those abseilers, interviewing Anaru Kerei and Beth Dugdale, directors of Wellington Abseiling Maintenance (WAM) along with a former WAM employee, Enzo Fantone.

Anaru Kerei, director of Wellington Abseiling Maintenance, at work on a city building. Photo courtesy of WAM

WCL:  Anaru, tell us a little about your background, your qualifications and your years in the industry.  How did you get started in abseiling?

Anaru:  My father owned a telecommunications rigging company so we used to build cell phone towers.  Me and my friends used to go out with him during the [school] holidays and help him work on the weekends.  From [age] 16 we were building 80 metre wind measuring towers out in Featherston.  Eventually with telecommunications, because of the way we use data now, they had to go onto high-rise buildings [and] we had to abseil to get there.  We naturally progressed from building towers to coming into town to put antennas on buildings.

Eventually I jumped into another abseil company where I learnt about the different aspects of abseil.

A lot of it was self-taught.  There’s a lot of “can-do” attitude in abseil.  So we just had to get out there and learn as much as we could. By working for a few different people and learning how they did things and learning how we wanted to do things.

WCL: Have you formalised that now with training and qualifications?  You mention your staff are all IRATA trained.

Anaru: IRATA training is purely a rope access qualification and that’s the only formal qualification that they have.

Beth:  They are like jack of all trades on ropes.  There’s a qualification for the rope access getting down the building but everything that you perform on the rope, it’s a learn as you go situation.

Even window cleaning – there’s an art to that that’s very underrated.

Anaru: Yeah, it’s under-appreciated.  I think one of the hardest things to do on ropes, to clean windows, because if the building has 800 windows and you get one wrong, there’s a chance you will need to go back and fix it. The expectation on window cleaning is huge.

Beth: We did a furniture removal from an apartment building in Oriental Bay.  A lady couldn’t get her couch out of her apartment and it had to be abseiled down the building.

Anaru:   It was only about five stories up.  We had to actually take the window out to get the couch out because they couldn’t get it through the door.

But we try to train our staff as much as we can.  Our staff are full-time and we need to find work for them to do when it’s raining so we try and train them on wet days with the different scopes of work we do.

We run teams of two, most of the time and we have one experienced and one green. We try and cycle the people around so they all get to learn from each other.

Beth:  It’s a good buddy system, we do send them on specialised courses. We put them through EWP – Elevated Work Platform training course, which they get a certificate for.  We also put them through an asbestos awareness training course, because there’s a lot of that around on the exterior of buildings.

And of course, first aid.  They all have their IRATA log book back at the office and get them signed so they can progress through their levels.

WCL: Why set up your own business and employ a team of people?

Anaru:  I always knew I wanted to be self-employed. I didn’t like working for other people and how they were doing things so we decided to do it ourselves.

Our philosophy is to employ good people and to teach them how to abseil.  You can teach just about anyone that’s willing, to abseil.  Or to do the work on the tools, but it’s very hard to train someone to have the right attitude.

I just want good people.  We want good people around us.  Good honest people.

Beth:  I’d say we’ve curated quite a unique and special team.  We’ve got a really professional and polite team.  A lot of the feedback we get from our customers is about how polite our team are.  We’re going into offices, and sometimes residential apartments, they’re always well presented, they’re tactful.  It’s really important how people come across when we interview them.

Anaru: Yeah, it is important for us.  We want to enjoy our time at work and you’re not going to enjoy it if you don’t enjoy the people you are working with. 

I was at the marae with all my whanau recently and I think a lot of it comes from how my family work on the marae.  That’s how I want my business to run.  Because they’re always looking ahead and doing everything they can do to help everyone, just trying to make it as easy as possible and as welcoming as possible. That’s a huge part of how I run a business and I didn’t really realise I did that because it just happens.  It’s natural.  It’s how I was brought up.  So that’s how we do things.

WCL: How big is your team?

Beth: Currently, with Enzo, there’s thirteen of us.  We’ve got three subcontractors and the rest are full time employees.

WCL: How hard is it to find the right people?

 Anaru: We’ve been lucky.  Because I’ve been in the industry for so long I know quite a few good people, or like Enzo, just turn up at the office and ask for a job. As our team grows, the network grows and we’ve recently had quite a few enquiries about work.

Beth:  We are visa accredited.  We have Lynette on the team.  She’s from Papua New Guinea, so she’s working towards her residency under us.  Although we are visa accredited we get really excited about being able to offer job opportunities to people and to young people in Wellington as well.  That’s a really cool thing to be able to do.  We’re really proud of that.  We definitely try to reach out locally, or through word of mouth.

WCL:  You mention Lynette.  How many women do you have?  Is she a rarity?

Beth:  I would say, yeah, there aren’t many females in the abseil industry so it’s always awesome when you get one apply.

[An earlier blog post on Women in trades may interest readers]

WCL: Is that because it’s seen as risky or macho?

Beth:  I don’t think there’s enough exposure to a career pathway.  I don’t think people look at it and [wonder] “Oh gosh, could I do that?  How long could I do that for?  Is it just going to be for a summer or is it something I could progress in?”

So we have a career progression chart we give people in their induction pack when they first start. It just shows that they can go from being a trainee rope technician all the way through to an operations manager.  We can take them through various avenues to teach them more the administration side, looking at how jobs are broken down and how they’re quoted and all sorts of stuff.  So they can actually see “I could stick with these people”.

WCL: You’re prepared to develop the right people?

Anaru:  We set aside a training allowance, per employee, per year, plus we pay for their time to do it.  It doesn’t have to necessarily be an abseil ticket.  If they want to learn something that’s going to help the business and progress their career then we will sort that out for them.

WCL:  Aside from a head for heights, what other qualities do people need?

Anaru:  Obviously someone who is adventurous and gets bored quickly.  Because people who get bored quickly learn quite quickly as well.  They’ll dive into one thing get passionate about it and then they’ll want to learn something else.  And I normally find that they’re the best abseilers because they’re always curious, always willing to learn.  That’s the sort of attitude we need because we are doing a wide scope of work.  So being able to take all that information in and being able to apply it properly is quite difficult.

A WAM employee on the job. Photo courtesy of Enzo Fantone

WCL You mention before about the weather providing you with down days to do training.  This is Wellington.  At what point do you assess a situation and think “No we won’t be working today”?

Anaru:  We leave it up to the staff.  It’s important for them to make sure they know when they can and can’t abseil. Obviously when it’s too windy I’ll say “Nope, you’re not getting on the ropes today” but it’s up to them to do their own risk assessment.

Beth:  There are workarounds.  You’d be surprised how few days we have to say “No. No-one can work today”.  Often there are a few jobs on the go and if there’s a nor’westerly then the southeast face is sheltered.

Anaru:  Or sheltered by nearby buildings.  Or there’s work outside Wellington we can pick up. We’ve got roof work as well.  There’s a difference between being too windy to be on a roof and too windy to be abseiling.

WCL: Do you also do emergency, safety, security work when it comes to roofs?

Anaru: We do emergency work.  If a flashing is going to blow off or something is going to come down and hurt somebody then we will look at it, if we can do it safely we will.

Beth:  Even just getting up there for an inspection puts people’s minds at ease.

Anaru:  It’s safer for us to get out there with ropes and put a couple of screws into something or whatever it takes to make sure its secure

WCL:  Do you still get scared?

Anaru:  Oh yeah. As I get older the fear definitely affects me more.  Because I haven’t been on the ropes much this year I’m more cautious about how I’m doing things.

WCL: Isn’t that a good thing?

Anaru:  If you’re not scared then you shouldn’t be on the rope.  You shouldn’t be an abseiler, because people like that will take way more unnecessary risks.

Beth:  You can’t get complacent.

Beth:  People often say “Isn’t it so scary?  Don’t you feel scared to do it?”  But Anaru said to me once, he feels safer on the ropes with someone he trusts one hundred percent than he would on a building site with 200 people with power tools. So in terms of accidents on the job, touch wood, there are very few.  You’re with that one person you trust, and they have your back, so there’s that culture as well.

Anaru:  It’s important to note that in abseil there’s not that many accidents.  What we are doing … people think it’s high risk, and it is high risk, but we have multiple safety systems in place so the likelihood of an accident is so low

We try to make safety as practical as possible.

WCL: You have to be adaptable and read the situation?

Anaru:  Yeah. I need someone that has the capability to deeply understand rope access, not just think they do.

Beth:  It’s quite nuanced.  You have to have initiative.

Logo provided courtesy of WAM

WCL Do you advertise?  Do you tender for maintenance contracts?  How do you get work?

Beth: We do invest in good sign writing on our vehicles that leads to a decent amount of work. There’s other work where people come directly to us.  We do have a website and that’s been a pretty good investment. Work comes through both of our networks. 17 years of hairdressing before I jumped on board to help Anaru with the office has given me a varied network.

We take a lot of pride looking after our clients and our stakeholders.

We go around at least once or twice a year and we take morning tea to our clients, sit down and update them on our goals and vision. We also ask what we can do better, it’s important to get feedback from customers. Normally a cake gets people talking. We also have a capability statement that we print out for new customers.

One of the WAM team at work. Photo courtesy of Enzo Fantone

A lot of people think abseil = window cleaning.  They don’t also know we can do glazing, painting, leak repairs, tiling, concrete repair, any issue with a high rise building we have repaired. 

So it’s good to have that face time to explain that, they really appreciate it.  That’s what sets us apart, that we’re just not on the other end of the email but we really try to make that effort to go and give people our time.

Anaru:  At this stage in our business, because of the size of it, I’m still over everything, so our customers know that I’m going to be directly involved in every job.   I’m always looking up at all my customers’ buildings, looking for things that need to be fixed.  And if we fix a leak, we follow up to make sure that it is fixed.  Because we care about what we’re doing.

Enzo walked in the door at the perfect time because we had a staff member going on a three month holiday and that worked out really well because he was looking for three months work.

Which is a bit risky for a business, to take someone on for a short period of time because you are literally just training that person [only to have them move on].

But I took him on a job, and I was watching how he did things, and I knew he was going to be able to do it in the time scale we had.

WCL:  Speaking of Enzo, his first day on the job wasn’t without incident.  Would you like to tell us about the water bottle and cherry picker and what was learned from that?

Anaru:  I was working up in the cherry picker because we were washing a building and Enzo put his drink bottle on the leg of it.  A cherry picker has legs that go out to stabilize and level it before we go up.  When we had to move it, the leg came in and crushed the drink bottle.  The drink bottle didn’t break at all, the drink bottle was fine, but it crushed the hydraulic lines on the cherry picker and hydraulic oil went everywhere.  I looked down at him and thought “What have I done?  What have I hired? Have I made a mistake?”

With stuff like that I’ve got to look at it and be like “Well, I never thought to tell him not to do that”.  It was his first day and he would have been under pressure, he would have been nervous.  These mistakes happen and it’s about making sure we include it in our health and safety systems.

Beth:  We say there’s no stupid questions because if someone feels like they are in an environment where they are too scared to ask you something then that’s unsafe as well.  That’s when accidents happen.

We’ve got him a replacement drink bottle for his leaving gift.

Anaru:  We look after each other, we trust each other.  I said to the team this morning that if you ever need to talk about anything it’s an open-door policy here.  You know you can say whatever you want and we will listen and implement whatever has to be implemented to make it work. We’re always trying to do that as much as we can.

WCL:  You started your business in 2019.  Then came Covid.  How were you impacted?

Anaru:  At the time it was only just me and one other.  We were really lucky with the whole Covid thing because we landed a huge job and got it 80 percent finished before the lockdown.  That carried us through without any real dramas.

There was all the PPE and all the Health and Safety stuff we needed to buy, that wasn’t really allowed for in any pricing but we got lucky.  Lockdowns gave us time to sit and reflect about what we wanted.

Beth:  The impact was more around keeping our staff safe going in and out of residential apartment buildings, masking up, sanitising everything.

WCL: Did you apply for the subsidies?

Beth:  Yeah we did, later on.  We initially thought we might be able to work during lockdowns but we weren’t essential workers.  So we got the subsidies and that definitely helped.

WCL:  Can you share your long term vision for the company with us?

Anaru:  We want to grow, but we are very careful about growth because of the impact it has on everything.  We’ve grown a little bit this year.

Going forward we are trying to grow inward and make sure our people are learning and doing as much as they can for their growth and ours.

We are starting up a new roofing business.  We’re going to get licensed for membrane roofs. If we have good people who want to start their own businesses we will help them as a subsidiary of WAM.  We haven’t got it all worked out yet, but I think it’s better, once you get to a certain size, to have one person with a bit of skin in the game. You retain quality as you grow.

If you have a smaller subsidiary and the guy at the top is only managing six to eight staff, he’s got a way better chance of making sure the people coming through are given enough time to learn.

Beth:  People feel a bit more looked after and special in those kinds of teams, rather than getting lost in a big thing.  We try and do lots of little touches for the team.  There’s a bonus each month if we meet our target, we bring the doggies and the kids during the school holidays. I always like to bring snacks and treats.  I think that goes a long way.

Anaru:  There’s a lot of good interactions between our staff, they’re really supportive of each other, they’re always looking out for each other.

Anaru:  We just want to hold on to that as much as we can.  The more numbers you get the harder it is to hold on to.  But it can be done.  That’s another reason why we want the subsidiaries, so the person at the top can make sure they’re looking after their culture and if they’ve got skin in the game, it’s better for everyone involved with that subsidiary, because they know the person at the top is getting something from it.

The WAM team. Photo courtesy of Enzo Fantone

WCL:  The culture of caring is definitely overlooked in many businesses.

Beth:  I started a Facebook and Instagram page and that wasn’t with the intention of gaining commercial abseiling customers because I don’t think they would look on social media for an abseiling company.  It was with the intention of showing “Hey, we’re a really good team”.  That’s what an employee would look for – they would look on Instagram or Facebook and think “Do I want to work for these people?” So we post bits now and then.  [The team] enjoy taking photos and sharing them.

Beth:  We’ve got two children and they asked that the team wear pink shirts and abseil in Wellington on Pink shirt day, the anti-bullying campaign.  Our daughter changed the sign from “Men working above” to “Persons working above”.  Little things like that go a really long way.

WCL:  What would you say to someone thinking this might be a suitable work choice?

Anaru:  If you’re thinking about getting into abseil just make sure you’re passionate about it because it can be seen when you walk through the door.  Make sure it’s something you want to do.

Beth:  I would say there is a career pathway there.  It doesn’t have to be something you think “Oh I’m going to do this for a year maybe, or a gap year or to fill in time”.  There can be steps to a career and that it is quite multi-faceted and it can take you into management positions.

Anaru:  Or offshore, overseas.

Beth:  The qualifications are internationally recognised so there’s opportunity there.

Anaru:  We want to try and get into a career expo and one of my long term goals is to try and get some sort of apprenticeship going somehow with abseil to try and formalise it a bit more because I think it’s important for the industry.

Anaru:  People were asking me at the weekend why I do it as well, and I think it’s like the fun-est trade job available.  Which is why most people get into it, because they are excited by it.

WCL: Why Wellington?

Anaru “It’s cool being in Wellington.  I grew up here and Mum’s family are from here.  We went to Wellington Zoo [with our kids] and there are some pieces of art done by one of my cousins.

There’s photos of my uncle in the Reserve Bank and there’s influences from my family around Wellington so it’s nice being there and seeing that.

Seeing my cousin’s art around the place. Another cousin owns a moving business.  My sister and her partner run a substantial bread run business.  A lot of my family and friends are self-employed and doing well.  They’re still connected with their Maoridom but they also run businesses. To get that balance right is so hard, I draw a lot of inspiration from them, knowing that they’re doing that, I’m proud that my family is putting a lot of positive reinforcement out there for Maori.

WCL would like to thank Anaru and Beth for their time and cooperation with this interview.  Next week we present an interview with former employee Enzo Fantone, and look at his journey into abseiling.

If you would like to learn more about the business concepts discussed in this piece have a look at these resources held by Wellington City Libraries.

The retention revolution : 7 surprising (and very human!) ways to keep employees connected to your company / Keswin, Erica
“Build a business with relationships at the center, and you will seize the competitive edge in today’s volatile job/or talent market.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Team habits : how small actions lead to extraordinary results / Gilkey, Charlie
“Charlie Gilkey, an internationally known thought leader on productivity, planning, strategy, and leadership for creative people, explains how changing our team’s habits can change our company’s culture since that culture is always just an aggregation of its various teams’ work habits.
We all know how important habits are for personal effectiveness, success, and happiness. We can apply many of the same principles and insights about personal habits to our teams. When we do, not only do we accrue the personal benefits for ourselves, but we accrue them with and for our team. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The power of company culture : how any business can build a culture that improves productivity, performance and profits / Dyer, Chris
“Create and maintain an exceptional company culture to improve engagement, productivity, performance and profits. Structured around the seven pillars of culture success, The Power of Company Culture shows how to develop a company culture that improves productivity, performance, staff retention, company reputation and profits.” (Catalogue)

 

Work-based learning : bridging knowledge and action in the workplace / Raelin, Joseph A.
Work-based learning is Joe Raelin’s unique way of incorporating a number of action strategies – such as action learning, action science, and communities of practice – into a comprehensive framework to help people learn collectively with others. In this thoroughly updated and revised edition, he demonstrates how to engage our reflective powers to challenge those taken-for-granted assumptions that unwittingly hold us back from questioning standard ways of operating!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Employee experience strategy : design an effective EX strategy to improve employee performance and drive business results / Whitter, Ben
“Designing and implementing an exceptional employee experience strategy is crucial for business success. From a leading figure in the EX field, this book provides everything needed to succeed. Employee Experience Strategy explains how to assess the needs of the organization and its employees, define and build an effective employee experience (EX) strategy and embed it successfully in the business… this is an essential book for all senior talent professionals needing to build, embed and sustain an effective EX strategy.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Experience, inc. : why companies that uncover purpose, create connection, and celebrate their people will triumph / Popelka, Jill
“The “worker-first experience” is not just a new trend, but the evolution of what it means to work and be part of an organization, and recent power shifts within it. What can leaders, managers, and CHROs, do to position their companies to thrive in the new world? There are many issues for the C-Suiter to navigate — yet they’re all united by the need to focus on employee – human — experience. A flexible, versatile workforce will help your business overcome current challenges and define your future. The successful organizations are making the employee experience more central. This book will give you, the leader, insights about how to think about and outfit your company, in a way that works for your firm, your sector, and your industry” (Catalogue)

Above the line : how to create a company culture that engages employees, delights customers and delivers results / Henderson, Michael
Above the Line… offers all leaders a handbook for leveraging an organisation’s culture to engage staff, increase customer satisfaction and streamline business performance. A ground-breaking work, this book reveals what it takes to achieve optimum results from your organisational culture without employing the use of external consultants. This organic, in-house approach to company culture transformation saves both time and money. Step-by-step, author Michael Henderson illustrates how to create a culture in which employees and leaders delight those outside the company-customers, shareholder, employees’ families, suppliers and the board of directors-and anyone else who may benefit from an association with the organisation.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Skin in the game : hidden asymmetries of daily life / Taleb, Nassim Nicholas
“In his inimitable, pugnacious style, Nassim Nicholas Taleb shows that skin in the game applies to all aspects of our lives. It’s about having something to lose and taking a risk. Citizens, lab experimenters, artisans, political activists and hedge fund traders all have skin in the game. Policy wonks, corporate executives, theoreticians, bankers and most journalists don’t. As Taleb says, “The symmetry of skin in the game is a simple rule that’s necessary for fairness and justice, and the ultimate BS-buster,” and “Never trust anyone who doesn’t have skin in the game. Without it, fools and crooks will benefit, and their mistakes will never come back to haunt them”.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Bids, tenders & proposals : winning business through best practice / Lewis, Harold
“Expert guidance on the entire process of tendering in the three key areas of public sector procurement, contracts for private sector clients and applications for research funding.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Tendering and contracting guidelines / Taee, Ahkam AL
“This book is explained and covered, but not limited, the followings; – The content of the tender invitation package. – How to evaluate the bids technically and commercially. – The Concepts of a contract. – The elements of enforceable contract. – Types of Contracts. – Allocating liability and risk in contracts. – The Contract Management tasks and responsibilities. – Explain FIDIC contract forms. – Discuss the risk spectrum in construction. – Gives in Chapter 3, seven attachments form samples of different materials needed in contracts. The book is useful tool to whom are working in supply chain management and contracts departments, this book has been prepared to provide practical guidance in general terms in relation to various public services, it is not a legal textbook but practical guidance tool for business. (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.

Summer reading: New additions to the business collection

via GIPHY

If you have some time on your hands and are relaxing in the sun or under a tree, how about kicking off your new year reading with one of the recent business focused additions to our collection?

You’ll find all these and much, much more in Wellington City Libraries’ catalogue

The retention revolution : 7 surprising (and very human!) ways to keep employees connected to your company / Keswin, Erica
“Build a business with relationships at the center, and you will seize the competitive edge in today’s volatile job/or talent market”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Staying the distance : the lessons from sport that business leaders have been missing / Baker, Catherine
“Business leaders are very familiar with drawing lessons from elite sport, particularly around teams, leadership and high performance. But we have all been missing a trick. Day in, day out, sport has been showing us not only how to improve, perform and achieve, but how to do so on a sustained basis, consistently delivering results when it matters. This book shines a light on these unseen lessons, and provides a clear and practical roadmap for how to deploy them in the reader’s own leadership practices. “– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Thriving leaders thriving teams / Parsons, Lauren
“Feeling flat, tired or overwhelmed? Concerned you or your colleagues are headed for burnout? Poor health and mental distress are on the rise globally. People are suffering in silence. The talent shortage makes it critical workplaces set themselves apart as desirable employers, to attract and retain great people. Not enough leaders understand how to create true workplace wellbeing. Unfortunately, too many organisations – often inadvertently – treat people as ‘assets’ or ‘resources’ to be used rather than human beings to be nurtured, motivated and celebrated. This needs to change. A complete guide, packed with the latest research, inspiring stories, and practical tools to help you boost your wellbeing, energy and vitality, even if you’re busy and “don’t have time”; be a better leader and help others thrive, no matter what your role; cultivate a positive, energised workplace culture. Thriving Leaders, Thriving Teams is for anyone, from aspiring leaders through to CEOs. Just as master gardeners create the right environment for plants to thrive, leaders must cultivate the ideal environment for their people to flourish. This book shows you how.” Publisher.” (Catalogue)

The art of winning : 10 lessons in leadership, purpose and potential / Carter, Dan
“Ten timeless truths on leadership, purpose and potential – from the unique culture of the All Blacks, and the mind of a living legend”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)
Also available as EAudiobook Libby

 

Big bets : how large-scale change really happens / Shah, Rajiv Janardan
“Rajiv J. Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation and former administrator of President Barack Obama’s United States Agency for International Development, shares a dynamic new model for creating large scale change, inspired by his own involvements with some of the largest humanitarian projects of our time”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

 

Team habits : how small actions lead to extraordinary results / Gilkey, Charlie
“We all know how important habits are for personal effectiveness, success, and happiness. We can apply many of the same principles and insights about personal habits to our teams. When we do, not only do we accrue the personal benefits for ourselves, but we accrue them with and for our team. If small habit changes lead to powerful results for individuals, imagine what it can do for teams. Focusing on improving how people work together at the team level means there’s no need for a top-down initiative or sign-off by the higher-ups to start making our working lives better…Gilkey offers tips on Communication (“What needs to be communicated NOW versus what can wait”), Meetings (“The ultimate question to determine whether your meeting was worth it”), Belonging (“Why getting your teammate coffee isn’t about the coffee”), and much more”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Python for data science / Mueller, John
Python for Data Science For Dummies lets you get your hands dirty with data using one of the top programming languages. This beginner’s guide takes you step by step through getting started, performing data analysis, understanding datasets and example code, working with Google Colab, sampling data, and beyond. Coding your data analysis tasks will make your life easier, make you more in-demand as an employee, and open the door to valuable knowledge and insights. This new edition is updated for the latest version of Python and includes current, relevant data examples”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Faking it : artificial intelligence in a human world / Walsh, Toby
“A prescient analysis of what makes artificial intelligence so … artificial. The brave new world of faking it … Artificial intelligence is, as the name suggests, artificial and fundamentally different to human intelligence. Yet often the goal of AI is to fake human intelligence. This deceit has been there from the very beginning. We’ve been trying to fake it since Alan Turing answered the question ‘Can machines think?’ by proposing that machines pretend to be humans. Now we are starting to build AI that truly deceives us. Powerful AIs such as ChatGPT can convince us they are intelligent and blur the distinction between what is real and what is simulated. In reality, they lack true understanding, sentience and common sense. But this doesn’t mean they can’t change the world. Can AI systems ever be creative? Can they be moral? What can we do to ensure they are not harmful?” (Catalogue)

The key to creativity : the science behind ideas and how daydreaming can change the world / Østby, Hilde
“In The Key to Creativity, Østby takes readers on a deep-dive into why we are creative and what conditions must be present in order for us to make our best work: whether that be a painting, a piece of writing, or simply a good email. Using characters from Alice in Wonderland for inspiration, Østby investigates why we have ideas that seemingly come out of nowhere, like the Cheshire Cat, and how we can quiet our inner critic, like the rule-obsessed Queen of Hearts. Along the way, she speaks with artists of all stripes and interviews psychiatrists and neurologists who specialize in understanding what happens in the brain when we are at our most creative…This engaging and ground-breaking book debunks the myth that you need to be a genius in order to be an artist or inventor. All you need is an idea and the tools to make your creative dream come true”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Hidden potential : the science of achieving greater things / Grant, Adam
“This book illuminates how we can elevate ourselves and others to unexpected heights…Hidden Potential offers a new framework for raising aspirations and exceeding expectations. Adam Grant weaves together ground-breaking evidence, surprising insights, and vivid storytelling that takes us from the classroom to the boardroom, the playground to the Olympics, and underground to outer space. He shows that progress depends less on how hard you work than how well you learn. Growth is not about the genius you possess-it’s about the character you develop. Grant explores how to build the character skills and motivational structures to realize our own potential, and how to design systems that create opportunities for those who have been underrated and overlooked.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The art of explanation : how to communicate with clarity and confidence / Atkins, Ros
“Do you worry about holding people’s attention during presentations? Are you unsure where to start when faced with writing an essay or report? Are you preparing for an interview and wondering how to get all your points across? Explanation – identifying and communicating what we want to say – is an art. … BBC presenter and journalist Ros Atkins, … shares the secrets he has learned from years of working in high-pressure newsrooms, identifying the ten elements of a good explanation and the seven steps you need to take to express yourself with clarity and impact. Whether at work, school, university or home, we all benefit from being able to articulate ourselves clearly. Filled with practical examples, The Art of Explanation is a must-read for anyone who wants to sharpen their communication skills.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Why listen to, work with and follow you? : the 3 qualities of true leaders / Robertson, Larry
“Whether setting out on your career or already ensconced in the boardroom, you will not succeed on your own. You need others to choose to listen, buy into and come with you.  Global leadership expert Larry Robertson highlights communication as the most critical yet least well practised aspect of leadership, using his 3 Qualities of True Leadership: Authenticity (AQ), Empathy (EQ) and Intent (IQ).  WHY YOU? is packed with stories, examples and tools to help you lift your game holistically, both as a true leader and a better person”. –Publisher.” (Catalogue)

My brain has too many tabs open : untangle your relationship with tech / Goodin, Tanya
“Digital detox expert and tech therapist Tanya Goodin is on a mission to help us have a healthier relationship with our electronics. Here, she collects hours of conversations to form a fascinating compendium of everyday problems we all struggle with, plus solutions to stop them taking over lives.” (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.