Central Today Magazine 76

Issue 76 | April/May 2017

Beneath the surface What makes worldrecord free diver William Trubridge tick

TAKING CHARGE Kieran Read’s role of a lifetime

5

signs you need an attitude adjustment

HOW TO BE A BETTER COLLEAGUE

10 traits

all good leaders have

DIGITAL AMNESIA How the internet is killing our memory

5 things great managers never say What to do when Facebook turns feral

News | Initiatives | Interviews | Personalities | Success | Profiles | Finance | Property | Sustainability | Export | Transport | Retail | Solutions | ISSN 1174-9520

Safe & Secure construction sites New regulations in the construction industry have brought about new health and safety rules regarding the use of scaffolding and temporary fencing.

house – like getting into gutters and completing simple roof repairs – may now require scaffolding.

Don’t be left in the dark – contact Securefence and scaffold for all your scaffolding and fencing needs and queries.

Securefence and scaffold at a glance:

About Securefence and scaffold Since its establishment five years ago, Securefence and scaffold has been heavily involved with the Canterbury rebuild. The New Zealand owned and operated company provides sturdy and safe temporary fencing and scaffolding for all residential and commercial projects.

Securefence’s portable fencing is designed to do just what the name suggests: secure locations. It keeps the masses out of construction zones and other hazardous work sites, as well as enclosing concert venues and the like.

The temporary fencing also proves an excellent advertising opportunity for the business savvy to hang their signage.

Our scaffolding enables clients to work safely at heights when constructing, renovating or repairing buildings. The scaffolds are assembled by qualified tradesmen with extensive construction knowledge that can safely – and literally – get your project off the ground.

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“

A great team; reliable, on time and their Secureguaranntee is second to none.

– Ainsworth Builders, Owner, Shane Ainsworth

“

One company that can help you understand and accommodate these changes is Securefence and scaffold – a Christchurch company that recently entered the Auckland, Rotoura and Wellington markets.

• • • • • •

Our teams are positioned to cater to projects nationwide.

Furthermore, they are just the people to seek advice from to help you understand and accommodate the H&S changes.

“

We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Secure team to any client due to the high quality of their work and how easy it is to do business with them.

– PlaceMakers Cranford St, Trade Manager, Peter Nisbit

New regulations now in place

“

Managing director Jason Houston insists on offering specialist and personalised guidance from the get-go, ensuring clients’ projects adhere to the appropriate industry regulations. “We understand local compliance issues, the importance of your deadlines, and we guarantee to be on time, every time,” says Jason.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 reform has bought about big changes to the way construction businesses and DIY aficionados currently operate – and the sooner you know about it the better.

The reform includes using scaffolding where previously a ladder would have done the job. This means that even menial tasks around the

Ask your builder if he’s using Securefence and scaffold – it will save you money.

WE ARE DEDICATED TO THE SAFETY OF YOUR STAFF, CONTRACTORS AND THE PUBLIC. With more than 50 years’ experience in the construction sector we are well aware of the needs of the industry.

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So, as a local company servicing New Zealanders in the construction industry, we are committed to the safety of your staff.

And when you deal with us you’re dealing with the owner, which means you receive a superior and speedy service – every time.

By using Securefence and scaffold you can relax knowing your safety, budget and deadlines are of paramount importance to us. - Managing Director, Jason Houston Our extensive construction knowledge ensures we understand local compliance issues and we realise how critical your deadlines are and we guarantee to be on time – check out our Secureguarantee.

All our equipment is rigorously tested to the highest of standards.

Our scaffolding covers all NEW Worksafe working height requirements providing fall protection for builders, painters, home handyman and roofers on new and existing home constructions.

0800 66 00 22 Part of the

www.securefence.co.nz | www.securescaffold.co.nz 336 Te Ngae Road, Rotorua 3010 | Level 6, 10 Scotia Place, Auckland, 1010 2 Ivan Jamieson Place, Christchurch Airport, Christchurch 8053, NZ

8

Viewpoints CENTRAL TODAY | ISSUE 176 APRIL/MAY 2017 HEAD OFFICE

2 Ivan Jamieson Place Christchurch Airport Christchurch 8053

AUCKLAND OFFICE Level 6 10 Scotia Place Auckland

MANAGING DIRECTOR Gary Collins

GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Kylie Palermo

NATIONAL SALES & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ADMINISTRATION Louise Keates Angela Barltrop Laura McLoed Lyn Wright Jo Pritchard Phone: (03) 961 5050 Fax: 0800 555 054 Email: admin@academy.net.nz

SALES & ADVERTISING Grant Williams Maxine Stewart Chris Graves Melissa Sinclair Keith Laidlaw William Stock

MEDIA CONSULTANTS

Phone: (03) 961 5176 Email: sales@academy.net.nz

NEWSROOM Jonathon Taylor EDITOR Lydia Truesdale JOURNALISTS Natalia Rietveld Marie Sherry Phone: (03) 961 5098 Email: editor@academy.net.nz

5 | Lifestyles Where to get the best bling for your buck

6 | An affordable second line of defence John Shingleton on how to minimise the potential implications of a health and safety prosecution

9 | Ten traits all good leaders have The distinct characteristics all notable leaders share

6 | When things don’t go to plan Martz Witty’s five steps to getting back on track if things take a turn for the worse

7 | Dealing with manipulation in the workplace Mary Casey’s guide to managing a manipulative staff member or co-worker

Phone: (03) 961 5077 | 0800 555 097 Email: production@academy.net.nz

Features

Pages 5-16

6 | The art of negotiating Kevin Vincent’s top sales negotiating tips

10 | Five things great managers never say Damaging phrases you shouldn’t say… even if you want to 11 | Five signs you need an attitude adjustment How not to become another statistic in the pity party pandemic 12 | Minding your manners How to be a better colleague

Pages 18-26 18 | Representing a $20 billion industry The Franchise Association of New Zealand has a significant duty of care to uphold best practice in a growing industry 20 | The stainless steel specialists Paramount Stainless is well-known in the stainless steel industry. The team knows stainless steel better than the back of their hands 21 | Helping make your workplace safer “Safety isn’t expensive, it’s priceless.” That’s the adage Safeworx lives by as a distributor of commercial safety and equipment supplies, thus ensuring clients the ultimate protection during their duties 24 | Commercial construction specialists Two recent projects highlight how Marra Construction is proudly adding to the region’s architectural landscape

13 | Digital amnesia How the Internet is killing our memory

7 | Create or innovate?

Debra Buckley on why business leaders should challenge themselves and their staff to be more creative

16

8 | When Facebook turns feral Michelle Hider on navigating your way through a social media minefield

25 | Helping build an industry As a vital part of our economy, the dairy industry relies heavily on those who can build and maintain its infrastructure – companies such as Don Chapman Waikato 26 | Inspired designs The team at bbc architects are a diverse team of architects and technicians who are there to help you realise that potential and bring your dreams to reality

8 | The deft art of delegation Robyn Pearce talks about the art and craft of delegation 8 | Events diary This is where you find out what’s on near you

14 | Beneath the surface What makes world-record free diver William Trubridge tick

Cover photo by Richard Robinson www.depth.co.nz

16 | Taking charge Kieran Read’s role of a lifetime

PRODUCTION Jarred Shakespeare ART DIRECTOR Carolynne Brown PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Sarah Betman DESIGNERS Olivia O'Callaghan Georgia Due

Management

Pages 6-8

7 | Understanding your strengths and weaknesses Liz Wotherspoon on what you need to know to ensure success

Clive Greenwood

24

14

FOR ALL ADVERTISING ENQUIRERS

Contact the sales team on (03) 961 5176 | sales@academy.net.nz

Disclaimer Scan this QR code to check us out at:

www.centraltoday.co.nz

This publication is provided on the basis that A-Mark Publishing is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in these articles, nor for any error or omission from these articles and that the firm is not hereby engaged in rendering advice or services. A-Mark Publishing expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility to any person in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done, by any such a person in reliance, whether wholly or partially upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication.

Advertising feature articles are classified as advertising content and as such, information contained in them is subject to the Advertising Standards Authority Codes of Practice. Contents Copyright 2013 by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.

Competition guidelines

12,552 ABC circulation as at 30/06/14

ISSN 1174-9520 (Print) | ISSN 2230-4991 (Online)

4 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Conditions of entry: One entry only per person and must be sent on the official entry form or as otherwise stated. Entry is free and open to all residents of New Zealand. All entrants must be over the age of 18, proof of identity and date of birth may be requested. Employees and their immediate families of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication are ineligible to enter. Winner(s) will be notified by email/phone. The judges’ decision is final, no correspondence will be entered into. No responsibility is accepted for late, lost or misdirected mail. Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss) or personal injury suffered or sustained, during the course of prize winning travel or in connection with any other prizes won. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication accept no responsibility for health, luggage, insurances, travel, personal expenses and transfers other than specified. Entries remain the property of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication and cannot be returned. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication reserves the right to photograph and publish winners. Entries may be used for further marketing purposes by Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication but are not made available to any third party.

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All mills utilise the Chain of Custody system to verify fibre source. The end product is recyclable.

All mills are ISO 14001 certified.

Management | Lifestyles

Lifestyles

1.

By Lydia Truesdale

2.

1. VPI Scout II turntable If it’s crisp, high quality sound you’re after, look no further than the VPI Scout turntable range from The Top Hi Fi Shop.

When it came out circa 2009, the Scout model became the industry standard as the best-reviewed turntable on the planet.

The popular Scout II model comes standard with the JMW 9T tonearm and the platter is made from 1 7/8” thick machined 6061 aluminium and is attached to a nonmagnetic 303 stainless steel damping plate, yielding a full and rich sound.

Speeds are 33 and 45 standard, while 78 is optional.

3.

RRP: $5,695 tophifi.co.nz

2. Samsonite Track&Go luggage tracker Samsonite is one of the world’s leading luggage brands and, excitingly, they’ve announced the introduction of tracking to their range. Track&Go is a sophisticated beacon device that can be built into Samsonite suitcases, allowing the case to be easily and privately tracked by its owner. The range will first be introduced into European markets at the end of 2016 before being offered to international markets. The days of wondering where in the world your luggage could be are numbered!

4.

RRP: POA www.samsonite.co.nz

3. Glerups indoor shoe Step aside, slippers, there’s a new indoor shoe on the scene.

Sumptuous, comfortable and wonderfully warm, these Danish designs are felted in 90-95 percent New Zealand wool and 5-10 percent Gotland wool for the ultimate in indoor footwear.

They come in five different colours, too.

RRP: $189 www.designdenmark.co.nz

4. Vegepod There’s really no excuse to not be growing your own vegetables – especially when there are low-maintenance designs available like this one from Vegepod NZ. There are three container garden sizes to choose between: a small 0.5m x 1m, a medium 1m x 1m, and a large 2m x 1m self-watering pod. Whether you simply want fresh strawberries or you want to be able to pop outside and pick seasonal, home-grown ingredients for your meal, these Vegepods are the answer.

5.

RRP: From $179 vegepod.co.nz

5. ONO 3D printer for smartphones The very first 3D printer for smartphones, ONO received more than $2million in pledges through its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, and with a very reasonable price tag of $129, this compact and clever device is revolutionising how the average Joe connects with the digital world.

RRP: $129 www.ono3d.net

www.centraltoday.co.nz April/May 2017 | 5

Management | Viewpoints

Kevin Vincent

John Shingleton

Martz Witty

Managing director of Vincent Consulting www.vincentconsulting.co.nz

Director of Onlinelawyers www.onlinelawyer.co.nz

Head of the Martz Group www.martz.co.nz

The art of negotiating

An affordable second line of defence

When things don’t go to plan

Sales negotiating affects all of us; whether we are a buyer or a seller. It happens when we buy our houses, cars or most things where the price is high or significant.

Since the passing of the health and safety legislation, many clients have sought advice on how to minimise the potential implications of a health and safety prosecution.

Sales negotiating is an important part of a sales process and often comes up at the end of the selling process. Negotiating is important and there are some first principles of sales negotiating that are true in theory and in practice.

In particular, directors of companies who are personally exposed under the “due diligence” provisions of the legislation are seeking how to protect their family assets.

So you’re in business and something isn’t quite going to plan, or has happened that you hadn’t budgeted for, or has struck from left field and caught you unaware. These all happen. But how are you dealing with them?

Sales negotiating is an integral part of the sales process and builds on skills we, as consumers or as sales professionals, may already have. It also means that whenever we buy or sell, we must be prepared to negotiate.

We are negotiating when value differences are intense enough to threaten the progress of the sales process or the harmony of a relationship. The more there is at stake - the higher the risk of potential loss or gain, conflict and tension - the greater the need for a viable strategy to resolve value differences amicably.

When asked, my first piece of advice is always to strive to be compliant with the legislation, and in particular the regulations.

But, accidents do happen and we do not live in a perfect world.

Because the new legislation provides for very hefty fines, depending on the gravity of the offending, there has been a renewed interest in Family Trusts.

Essentially, depending on whether you time and do it right, putting your family home into a family trust could protect your home against a successful Health and Safety prosecution.

Value differences may arise at any time during the sales process. This requires flexibility as well as preparation. Either party may initiate the need to negotiate. Nonetheless, it helps us to be able to lead our customers to win-win solutions through a productive negotiating process.

Till just recently, famaily trusts had become a great source of revenue for some traitional lawyers. By creating red tape under the pretext of a necessary perfectionist process, these lawyers have been able to justify significant fees without any real market accountability.

When negotiating one needs to consider: Who am I negotiating with - what is their role, are they the decision maker? What are the potential gains or losses that could arise from this negotiation? What do we agree on and/or where do we disagree?

Consequently, trust advice had become unattainable for many SMEs and micro businesses, due to an arbitrary high market price.

What would be the optimal outcome?

Good negotiations depend on both parties being able to discuss the value differences that exist, acknowledging a desire to resolve and seeking win-win solutions.

Here are some tips for negotiating sales and purchases: 1. Plan your negotiating. Planning is the single most important aspect of successful negotiating.

2. Stick to the parameters of your plan. You can always revisit later if you need to.

3. Don’t forget the buyer and seller are both at the table because they have something to gain from the sales and negotiation.

4. The seller must know the value of what is being sold and the issues that can be negotiated.

5. Sellers should be prepared to communicate the tangible worth of the negotiable issues.

No more. To paraphrase an American lawyer who was making a general comment about the state of the US legal market, “the party is over”.

There is a quiet revolution going on in the New Zealand market as new businesses emerge. Most of these businesses are taking advantage of the cloud and applying a more client-focussed practical approach.

One of the more exciting businesses is TrustWorks. I recommend all readers take the time to look at their website.

TrustWorks will, in my opinion, render obsolete some of the expensive trust administration teams run by some traditional lawyers. (By way of disclosure I have signed up to TrustWorks and am in the process of uploading a number of trusts).

There are also a number of lawyer and non-lawyer businesses offering to set up trusts at a fraction of the price charged by traditional lawyers. The common features seem to be value-based fixed prices and a focus on practical outcomes, rather than perfection.

So, with the market entry of these new businesses, I predict the costs of setting up and administering a family trust will drop to a more affordable level.

By affordable, I mean to a level where SME’s and microbusinesses see value for money.

The first typical reaction is knee jerk and panic, but this is seldom the correct course of action.

Instead I suggest grabbing a pen and paper and answering these questions that I learned years ago at a Dale Carnegie Course. It changed my life forever and is cited in Dale’s book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living”.

Of course, as with anything, the theory is one thing – you need to apply it: 1. What’s the problem? Try to itemise in measurable terms what is wrong, what’s happened, what is about to happen. At a fundamental level, anything we can measure, we can manage.

2. What’s the cause(s) of the problem? What has happened that led to this arising: is it a system fault or a human fault, who is that person, what is the system, when and how did it happen, when did it come to your attention?

3. What are the possible solutions? Okay now let your worry get out of the way here. No answer or possible solution is a crazy one, from the sublime to the ridiculous. List them, don’t stop at one or two – go for gold. I remember years ago I had a staff member who did this exercise about a failing computer system the company had at the time.

One of his possible solutions was to go to the roof of our building in Durham Street and throw the computers off. Yes it was a bit crazy, but the fundamental truth was that the entire system needed to go.

4. What is the best possible solution? Pick and choose; with a vast array of options from the three listed above, what can you glean, merge, pick and choose that will fix the problem?

5. Do it. Just do it. Now. It sounds so simple (and it is), but the challenge in business when facing a crisis or problem is we fail to stop and think, contemplate and act.

Perhaps you are too close to the action? Then find a friend, an advisor or a colleague and work through this together.

A fresh set of eyes will see things differently (perhaps less emotionally) than you do.

We often get called to undertake this exercise and the true power of the process is in the implementation.

Have you considered an affordable second line of defence?

MEDIA CONSULTANT/SALESPERSON We are one of the largest privately owned publishing companies in New Zealand and we need 2 dynamic sales people.

Academy Group produces a wide range of products, including business magazines and niche market magazines.

This is your opportunity to join a business that has vast experience in the publishing sector and has achieved success in the marketplace since 1980.

Various remuneration packages are available comprising of retainer plus commission and bonuses.

Contact: Clive Greenwood on: (03) 961 5176 or email clive@academy.net.nz | www.magazinestoday.co.nz 6 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Part of the

Management | Viewpoints

Liz Wotherspoon

Dr Mary Casey

Debra Buckley

Growth director at The Icehouse www.theicehouse.co.nz

Founder and CEO of the Casey Centre www.caseycentre.com.au

CEO of the New Zealand Institute of Management and Leadership www.nzimleadership.co.nz

Understanding your strengths and weaknesses

Dealing with workplace manipulation

Create or innovate?

There are 33,500 owner-managed businesses in New Zealand turning over more than $1m and employing more than five people. While many of these businesses are doing okay, most of them could be doing a lot better.

Conflict at work will occur from time to time. But if there is an ongoing conflict with one person, and when you walk away from every interaction feeling like you have been manipulated, it is highly likely you are being manipulated.

The power of flight is still something that I am in awe of; even after hundreds of flights around the globe I still see aviation as one of the greatest achievements of our lifetime. An interesting question I was recently asked was “do I see flight as creativity or innovation?”

When The Icehouse turned 10 in 2011 we committed, and then began our crusade, to deliver 1,000 Businesses of International Quality (BIQs) by 2020. Why? Because we recognised that this would have a material impact on New Zealand.

Many years ago, I became a target for a manipulator who worked for me. Over a long period of time I often felt sick, angry and constantly frustrated, simply because I was not aware that I was being manipulated.

SMEs form a very large part of our economy and enabling these businesses to perform to their potential takes both aspiration and competence. It means having these businesses lift their capability and capacity to handle growth at pace with their revenue line.

Although I am an independent, strong and intelligent person, I lacked personal boundaries. As a result, I allowed this person to make decisions and make changes - basically doing what she wanted.

If creativity is doing the same thing you’ve always done in a slightly new way, and innovation is doing something you didn’t know existed yesterday, then I would have to say creativity led Orville and Wilbur Wright to inventing, building and flying the world’s first successful aeroplane.

Whether the end goal is international growth or local market dominance - being a business of international quality matters.

New Zealand needs more businesses to understand what really contributes to this and be able to identify their strengths and where their opportunities are for improvement.

I did this because I thought that she was a great worker and motivated to grow the business. The truth was that this person was intimidated by anyone who was smart or assertive.

The Icehouse’s research-based BIQ framework allows business owners and entrepreneurs to hone in on six areas that we know make a real difference: leadership, offering, market, processes, capital and governance.

Feedback from hundreds of owners and managers participating in our development programmes tells us that being able to see the bigger picture perspective is incredibly valuable but often difficult to achieve.

Wanting to grow the business is only the start.

Having a specific set of goals, a clear strategy to achieve these goals, the right team and the ability to effectively lead them, a clear view of what differentiates the business, a deep understanding of the market the business participates in, systems and processes that enable the business to scale, the ability to fund growth, and a board or advisors that contribute to sound strategic decision-making are all critical factors to being an international quality firm.

The goal of a manipulator is to control and influence the behaviours and action of others. Because it’s about control, manipulation is prevalent in the workplace, which usually has a hierarchical structure. To control others, manipulators can abuse their positions, authority, or responsibilities, while not overstepping accepted boundaries in the workplace.

The control gestures manipulators use include emotional blackmail, dishonest yet persuasive language, discrediting others around them, deflecting the issue at hand when confronted, concealed threats, and lies or distortion of the facts. What’s interesting is most manipulators don’t realise they are doing this because their behaviour is fed by their own insecurities, or a view of life as a series of battles.

So how do you deal with manipulation when it’s your staff or co-worker? People do what they do because they can, so firstly, it’s important to define your limits and set boundaries by being assertive.

Moving as many established SMBs as possible from being merely good, to being truly great, is significant for them and significant for New Zealand.

As masters of the emotional game, manipulators will use any emotional reaction on your part as evidence that you are the abuser. So it’s very important that you always deal with the behaviour, not the person - this will ensure you disengage emotionally and think rationally – unemotional assertiveness is an attitude a manipulator cannot match.

Businesses where everyone has a clear understanding of the vision, strategy, goals and measures enjoy a 29 percent greater bottom line result than other businesses.

Dealing effectively with manipulation is, at its core, about thinking differently, which is very easy on a rational level, but daunting on an emotional level.

Sustainable and profitable growth matters. So does creating new and better ways of doing things that make a tangible difference to the owner and the business.

When you want to avoid hiring a manipulator in the first place, the first difficulty is spotting it when someone is in front of you for half an hour. I would suggest allowing the candidate to start working while monitoring their trial period very closely for negative behaviour. Another idea is to also get feedback from other staff.

Over summer make the time to reflect on where you’re at, what contributes to success, and how you could apply good advice and practical suggestions to your business in 2017.

The innovation of flight came well before 1903: people jumping off towers with bird-like wings strapped to their backs in the hope of staying off the ground, kites and hot air balloons.

All this demonstrated to the Wright brothers that something could defy gravity and fly. So, is innovation a word of our generation and as business leaders should we be challenging ourselves and our staff to be more creative?

Every organisation could gain immediate traction by making small improvements to the things they already do well. Just take a look at our Olympic athletes; they strive to gain a one percent increase which can be the difference between winning and not placing at all.

Most people are more creative than they give themselves credit for and given the time and opportunity to share ideas and insights, they often flourish. When someone is passionate and knowledgeable about a task or topic, they see new opportunities or a fresh way of doing something.

There is huge potential for us all to explore the “why didn’t we think of that before” moment in our working day. Many of us will underestimate an idea, believing that it’s too simple to be important.

In my view creativity in our organisations will be the difference between jumping off a building with wings strapped to our back and travelling from London to New York on an Airbus A380.

Encouraging your team to think differently and building creativity in the workplace is easier than you think and can be achieved in a number of ways: • Giving people time to explore their simple daily tasks • Constantly questioning yourself and your work practices • Encouraging group thinking • Acknowledging that not every idea will work • Investing in education.

Creativity costs far less than innovation, it doesn’t always demand an increase in capability or resources and it builds great culture. You don’t need to be the next Wright brothers to turn something simple into something amazing.

www.centraltoday.co.nz April/May 2017 | 7

Management | Viewpoints

EVENTS DIARY Michele Hider

Robyn Pearce

Director of Priority Communications www.prioritycomms.co.nz

Time management expert www.gettingagrip.com

What’s happening on the business and entertainment front

When Facebook turns feral

The deft art of delegation

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26-27

Social media is a great tool for encouraging two-way communication between businesses and the people they care about. But what do you do if it turns feral?

Delegation, or the lack of it, can make or break any business.

AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT - WELLINGTON This interactive and practical two-day training course will provide the important skills and knowledge to successfully incorporate Agile techniques into your organisation’s projects, offering the tools you need to revolutionise your management approach to propel your business’ success.

For more information, go to: www.liquidlearninggroup.com

As I work with both large and small companies in a very wide range of industries around the world, I constantly hear that many owners and managers struggle with delegation.

Your company’s Facebook page has been running smoothly for years – you’ve been posting great content and have plenty of followers – until a sudden stream of unpleasant posts are made by an anonymous troll. This cowardly individual’s intention is to sour the conversation on your page and damage the reputation of your company. What do you do?

The rules have been broken but no-one will really want to know.

A response from Facebook will likely take several days, and Police won’t be that interested if you can’t identify the troll and no-one has been threatened.

A successful defamation, harassment or breach of privacy claim requires the troll to be found; unfortunately tracking an IP address can be a long and expensive exercise.

From our experience, it’s not uncommon for trolls to take aim at company Facebook pages, although it’s often hard to work out why. These people may simply be haters wanting a fight, an aggrieved ex-employee, a vengeful ex-partner, or even the guy you accidentally cut off on your way to work that morning.

The key with any troll is to not care too much and certainly not to get into a fight.

Having said that, pause and make sure you are doing the right thing by your customers and contacts. Just because it’s anonymous doesn’t always mean that what that person has to say isn’t valid.

If you think there is a genuine problem, see if you can find out who they are and ask them to contact you directly.

Don’t let anonymous comments interfere with your business.

Anonymous Facebook haters are very easy to spot and the garbage they post will usually provoke positive responses from your Facebook followers. You also have the option of removing their posts – a good move if the posts are offensive to you, your staff or your company.

If you are worried about a potential troll on your Facebook page, you can tighten your security so that visitor posts have to be pre-approved. This stunts conversation to some degree, restricting the potential for positive feedback to your page - but may be worth it temporarily. Comments can’t be pre-approved; they can be removed, hidden or responded to with a post reflective of your business’ values.

Social media is a great tool for encouraging two-way communication between businesses and the people they care about. It’s not always plain sailing, but certainly worth the effort.

I’ve noticed two major mistakes made by many well-intentioned folk: 1. They’re available too much of the time to their staff.

2. When passing a task over, they give lots of unnecessary detail to competent staff.

Being available for staff isn’t of course an issue in small farming businesses, but for many business operators and owners, it can be. Do you have a lot of interruptions? Do you find that staff with queries, phone calls, drop-in visitors and emails regularly break your focus?

If you’ve said ‘yes’ to staff interruptions, consider this: We’ve come out of the dark ages where bosses communicated as little as possible to their underlings. People were expected to take instructions and just get on with the job.

During the last few decades there has been a change in management style. We’re now encouraged to communicate openly with our staff, to ‘empower’ them. However, there’s a downside. Many business owners feel they have to constantly ‘be there’ for their people.

So where does delegation fit in here? Being ‘there for your staff’ 100 percent of the time is not good management. In fact, it causes bottlenecks, frustration and low morale, and blocks your staff from learning and developing their own skills.

TUESDAY, MAY 2 INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS SEMINAR - NEW PLYMOUTH Starting a business? The this free IRD seminar is the perfect place to learn about working smarter with the IRD’s online services, business structures, income tax, expenses you can claim, GST, and more.

For more information, go to: www.ird.govt.nz

TUESDAY, MAY 9 GST WORKSHOP – TAURANGA This workshop is a hands-on interactive session where you learn to complete a mock cashbook and GST return. It is ideal for sole traders, partnerships and other small businesses. It covers what GST is, GST registration, record keeping, basic adjustments and GST filing and payment.

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Beware of good old human nature – the tendency to take the easy road. For many people, if they can get someone else to do their thinking, why wouldn’t they ask!

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If competent people keep interrupting you with questions they should be able to handle, ask them to come with two solutions every time they come with a question. Pretty soon you’ll reduce the questions.

And a solution for Point 2; if a staff member is competent don’t force your details on them. Instead, give them the big picture of what you want to achieve and see what they come up with.

Of course you’re willing to guide, coach and review, but beware of unnecessary detail. Often a good staff member will have a better way.

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Part of the

Management | Leadership

10 traits

all good leaders have

By Lydia Truesdale

There’s no easy answer for how to be a good leader. Different approaches work for different individuals, but if we look at some of the notable leaders of the past and present there is, unsurprisingly, distinct characteristics they all share.

1. Courage

The good news is that courage can be learned, according to author, speaker and CEO of Giant Leap Consulting, Bill Treasurer.

2. Curiosity Curiosity is not only a prelude to foresight, but also identifies threats and opportunity, and seeks out areas for improvement. It took curiosity for Alexander to explore and conquer Macedonia; for Sir Isaac Newton or Stephen Hawking to question the natural world around them and lead the way to understanding.

A strong work ethic and a good sense of humour are two of the most desirable leadership traits

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Aristotle spoke of courage as the first virtue. Many speak of it as the backbone of leadership. Leaders need to be decisive yet inclusive, innovative yet reasoned, selfless yet confident – all of which takes courage.

5. Decisiveness For better or worse, decisions shape history just as much as the people themselves do. Decision making would be easy had we all the time and resources to put into it, but in many situations decisions need to be made instantaneously and under pressure.

Good leaders possess the power to block out background noise and “interpret situations with rational and emotional intelligence” says Bill Treasurer.

6. Persistence

A good leader takes an active interest in the world around them.

A good leader is unremitting. That’s not to say they try the same They have an appetite for knowledge and are always asking questions, always learning, always experiencing, and as such are thing over and again or endlessly pursue dead ends, but rather try different approaches until they achieve what they set out to. always expanding their awareness.

Where others would be understood or even forgiven for backing out, good leaders keep at it.

3. Confident body language Communication expert Lisa Marshall notes that leaders aren’t always the most intelligent or strongest people in a group, rather those whose body language and charisma draws people in and have the ability to hold the attention of an entire room.

According to Gordon Tredgold of Leadership Principles, persistence “sets the tone of how our teams and departments react when facing adversity,” and therefore influences how many objectives become missions complete.

This very balance of demonstrating confidence not cockiness, while remaining approachable, is a tactic by leaders to encourage 7. Empowerment A leader must trust in their team’s capabilities. Empowerment others to take interest. is a less authoritarian style of leadership than delegation; it still encompasses assigning who to what role, but then it’s about 4. Humility trusting employees to perform their tasks. Team morale is Humility encompasses so much more than altruism; it’s heightened when individuals feel depended upon for their about having integrity, being accountable, honest, admitting unique responsibilities. when you’re wrong, and above all, making those around you feel valued.

A good leader understands that by practising humility themselves, others will be more willing to go beyond the call of duty knowing their efforts will be recognised and appreciated.

Ted Talk speaker and best selling author of Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek says those leaders willing to ‘eat last’ are rewarded with “deeply loyal colleagues who are driven to advance the desired vision.”

8. Passion Passion reveals itself in various forms, but the common denominator in every case is inexorable commitment. Forbes contributor and author of Leading So People Will Follow, Erika Anderson notes that “passion isn’t a wild, loud, take-noprisoners quality. True passion requires honestly committing to something about which you feel deeply, and staying committed through difficult circumstances.”

“

A good leader takes an active interest in the world around them. They have an appetite for knowledge and are always asking questions, always learning, always experiencing, and as such are always expanding their awareness.

”

9. Strong work ethic A good leader is a hard working leader who organises their time so as no second is wasted. They achieve higher productivity than the average worker - meeting benchmarks before anticipated and ticking off goals at an accelerated rate.

A leader’s work ethic also sets the benchmark for others.

10. A sense of humour It’s all very well to be serious about what you do, but a good leader recognises the need for humour, both inside the workplace and out.

Many people find comfort in humour and by appropriately using humour, a leader becomes more relatable, staff are more inclined to open up and any potential problems are likely detected in advance.

A study by Bell Leadership Institute found that a strong work ethic and a good sense of humour were the two most desirable traits in leaders.

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Management | Leadership

Five things great managers never say

By Laura Baker

But let’s face it, even as adults, sometimes things we didn’t mean to say just slip out. Unfortunately we no longer have the excuse of innocence or ignorance on our side to get us out of a sticky situation.

As a manger or team leader, the harm of saying an off-the-wall comment is compounded because people are looking to you as an example and an inspiration.

The most affective leaders are often the ones who know the right thing to say at the right time, but equally, know when to keep their mouth shut. The spoken word carries with it a lot of power affecting the hearts of minds of those around you – more than you may realise.

Here are five damaging phrases that shouldn’t pass through your lips as a leader: “I’ll do it myself” By taking a job off a staff member and doing it yourself implies that they’re not up to the task and they’re not good enough.

This sucks them of their self-worth, confidence and forces them to doubt their own abilities.

In the short term it may seem like doing a job yourself is quicker and easier, but in the long term you are setting your

“It’s not up for debate/discussion” Is your workplace a dictatorship or a democracy?

By declaring that an issue is not up for discussion and your decision is final, you risk alienating your staff and creating a dictatorship environment.

Unwillingness to hear out people’s ideas gives the impression that their thoughts aren’t valued within the company. Plus, by refusing to listen to their opinions, you miss out on potentially valuable ideas you may not have thought of yourself.

“I’m the boss” Of course you’re the boss, but saying so doesn’t make it so.By stating “I’m the boss” it instantly puts up a barrier between you and your staff, making it clear you view yourself as superior or separate. This can cause real damage to any collaborative team culture environment.

The most affective leaders are often the ones who know the right thing to say at the right time

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Comments that are demanding or demoralising have a detrimental impact on employees. Therefore it pays to think twice before you speak and if you’re not 100 percent sure how a comment will be received, you’re better off not saying it.

business up for failure. Focus on putting the right people in the right places and enable them to succeed.

“Don’t bring me any bad news” Ignorance may be bliss, but it sure isn’t going to solve any problems and it’s certainly not going to make them go away. By remaining wilfully ignorant to the problems in your business, it burdens your staff with the bad news and fills them with unnecessary worry.

“That’s not my fault.”

A leader who spreads the blame or throws others under the bus also fails to accept that he or she is ultimately the one in charge. The best leaders don’t just take responsibility for their own actions, but also the actions of their team. Their willingness to absorb the hit and accept personal accountability, rather than shifting the blame, especially during tough times, ultimately wins over the employees.

Hiding a problem will only make it get worse, so make a 180 degree turn on this comment by saying “If there’s any bad news, I want to be the first to know”. Great leaders want to know about issues that need immediate attention so they can be addressed.

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Management | Growing your business

5 signs you need an attitude adjustment A bad mood and a bad attitude are not the same thing, but the former is undoubtedly a precursor for the latter.

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Unsuccessful people tend to claim they are unlucky, but it’s more likely that a negative attitude is blocking them from making the most out of life’s serendipitous situations. The feeling that everyone else has it better than you is the gateway to negativity and a bad attitude.

A bad attitude develops gradually; we get into bad moods for various reasons and these bad vibes build upon each to develop a bad attitude.

Worse still, bad attitudes are contagious. Don’t become a statistic in the pity party pandemic – if you are experiencing some (or all) of the following symptoms, you could well be in need of an attitude adjustment.

1. Everything irritates you And by everything we mean everything: the grocery item you forgot to pick up; the family member asking a favour; the food joint that didn’t get your order right; the remote batteries dying… need we go on?

The solution: ask yourself whether this inconvenience will matter a year down the track. This is an easy way to gain perspective and put seemingly mammoth issues in their place.

2. You are jealous and bitter about others’ success Humans are, by nature, competitive. But we are also compassionate beings, and when competitiveness overrides compassion and deems you incapable of celebrating the successes of others, chances are you’re becoming (or have already become), resentful.

The solution: set your own goals and stop comparing yourself and your progress to those around you. Everyone has a skill set – some greater than others. Make the most of yours by focussing on effective ways to use your skills towards achieving your goals.

”

3. “But” becomes your best friend “I was going to… but something came up.” If the word “but” features frequently in your vocabulary, it’s very possible that excuses are stopping you from utilising your potential. Instead you’re probably wasting opportunities.

The solution: take note of how often you actually say “but” and you’ll realise how it allows your positivity and motivation to elude you. Make a conscious effort to end your sentence before using the “but” word.

4. You are ruminating, not reflecting After a difference in opinion you spend countless minutes going over what you should have said and what to say next – sound familiar? Endlessly replaying a negative scenario in your head is a clear sign that negativity dominates your thoughts.

The solution: the easiest way to move on is to keep busy.

Failing that, write a letter to the person which you don’t intend to send. Externalising your feelings this way allows you to shed anxiety without upsetting the other person, or further fuelling the disagreement.

5. You believe the universe is conspiring against you Unsuccessful people tend to claim they are unlucky, but it’s more likely that a negative attitude is blocking them from making the most out of life’s serendipitous situations. The feeling that everyone else has it better than you is the gateway to negativity and a bad attitude.

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Workplaces | Getting along

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Every office has one: the colleague you expediently time your lunch and coffee breaks to avoid.

Yep, who we work with can make all the difference between looking forward to stepping into the office and counting down the minutes until we leave.

But what exactly is it about colleagues that make them more enjoyable, or less tolerable?

And how can we make sure we ourselves are being the best colleague we can be?

Aside from the obvious etiquette – be ethical, be polite, be punctual, be honest, be respectful, avoid gossip – there are some behaviours that you can keep in check to ensure you aren’t becoming that colleague.

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“

Small gestures can have big impact. Simply listening is validation that you respect your colleagues’ opinions. Listening also indicates that you have an empathetic ear that can be of great support should anyone need it.

break up the day and make colleagues feel more comfortable around one other.

Small talk is not the time to dribble on about your personal problems outside the office, however. Keep topics light and non-invasive – think music, movies, travel, exercise, pets, hobbies, cuisine, weekend plans etc.

Be cheery – but not too cheery The axiom “a smile is infectious, you catch it like the flu” is no myth. A passing smile and a cheery salutation is an effortless way to put colleagues into good moods and show them that you: a) recognise their existence and, b) are happy to make time for them.

There is a line though – being too bubbly, especially when it means failing to notice that someone is having a bad day, can be interpreted as annoying and/or ignorant.

On the other hand, not smiling at all deems you somewhat unapproachable and is a guaranteed way to make people avoid (and quite possibly dislike) you.

Listen and learn Small gestures can have big impact. Simply listening is validation that you respect your colleagues’ opinions. Listening also indicates that you have an empathetic ear that can be of great support should anyone need it. Try to keep the ‘hear and be heard’ balance even (that is doing as much listening as you do speaking).

Compliment others – and give credit where credit’s due Whether it’s their latest project or something they’re wearing, there are many ways to compliment a colleague – and as long as it’s sincere it will be appreciated. Be sure to not overdo it or you’ll risk being seen as a greaser whose compliments aren’t genuine, rather agenda setting.

Master small talk Whether at the water cooler, in the break room or at your desk, intervals of small talk

Be ethical and diplomatic You can’t be completely sure of what your colleagues’ opinions are on every single matter,

12 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

”

so be tactful when voicing yours. For all you know they might have a relative, friend or partner that is subject to whatever you’re discussing and your opinion on the matter could be causing offence or stress, not to mention creating an air of awkwardness. An easy way to check yourself before you wreck yourself is to imagine you are talking to your boss or parent in law, or the likes.

Avoid gossip As tempting as it is, and as easy as it can be to fall into, conversations regarding gossip, negative or facetious opinions of others are dangerous territory and should undoubtedly be avoided, or stopped in their tracks when they surface. Whether you were being serious or not, your conversation is likely to make its way back to the person it concerned.

Show restraint This one’s wide reaching. Whether it’s the amount of cologne you spray each morning or the decision to not divulge every detail about the horrible thing that just happened to you, showing restraint is synonymous with showing respect.

Management | Life online

Digital amnesia

How the internet is killing our memory

By Terri Cluckie

I was once in a situation where I was out in the city, my phone battery had died and I somehow had to contact a friend to let them know where I was.

Now I know what you’re thinking, ‘Terri why didn’t you just find a payphone and call them from there?’

Aha… smart thinking that! Only I don’t store phone numbers in my head anymore, that’s what my phone is for. Or at least that’s what I’ve been subconsciously telling myself for the past 10 or so years since I’ve had a mobile phone.

The truth is - I couldn’t tell you any mobile or home telephone number of any close family member or friend. Not one. I could tell you my Grandparent’s old telephone number and my best friend’s number from when she was six like I was reading you my birth date… but beyond that I’m lost. And apparently I’m not the only one.

A 2015 study by cyber-security company, Kaspersky Lab, entitled "The rise and impact of digital amnesia: Why we need to protect what we no longer remember,” ultimately found that many of us struggle to recall memories that we store in digital devices. The evidence was found across all age groups and equally among both men and women.

It found that across Europe, more than half of adult consumers (up to 60 percent) could phone the house they lived in at aged 10, but not their children (53 percent) or the office (51 percent) without first looking up the number.

How many of you are nodding along? And how many of you are wondering what ‘digital amnesia’ is?

Kaspersky Lab defines it as “the experience of forgetting information that you trust a digital device to store and remember for you”.

The study further found that a quarter (or 24 percent) of participants would forget an online fact as soon as they had used it.

We may be living in the age of information, but if we can’t remember something right after we’ve read it, then what use is it?

If you store information in a digital device, there's a good chance you won't remember it

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The study, conducted by research firm Opinion Matters and commissioned by Kaspersky Lab, surveyed 6,000 consumers aged between 16 and 55+, split equally between male and female, with 1,000 from each of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Benelux.

Although we have knowledge at our fingertips, this study suggests that we’re not actually doing anything with it, and worse, we’re letting our memories down because we’re not actively asking it to remember anything.

On a more positive note though, it did find that two thirds (67 percent) of participants say they would ‘sometimes’ make a note of something they had found online. However, it also found one in three European consumers is happy to forget, or risk forgetting information they can easily find – or find again – online.

Similarly, a paper published in Science in 2011 by Harvard and the Universities of Columbia and Wisconsin, which looked at memory and Internet use, found that the way young people in the US remembered information was changing due to readily available information online.

The study termed the fact that participants retained fewer facts, but could readily recall where the information was stored, ‘the Google effect’.

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I don’t think these findings are surprising. Anybody with a mobile phone or access to the Internet has been there. Apparently 61 percent of participants say they need answers quickly and simply don’t have the time for libraries or books, an explanation which accurately reflects our impatience in a fast moving world; but at what cost?

The study (obviously) focuses more on the implications of a lack of IT security, given how much personal data and information is stored on digital devices, rather than the impact on human memory itself.

It does however, suggest that “we need to better understand the direction and long-term implications of this trend in order to protect the information we no longer store in our minds”.

Is switching off the answer? Perhaps not, but it will be interesting to find out what other studies come up with to determine the long-term impact the digital world has/will have on us in the future.

Let’s just hope we remember this conversation in the first place.

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Management | Cover story

Beneath the surface

By Lydia Truesdale

One hundred metres beneath the ocean surface would be a torturous place for many, but it’s where you’ll find William Trubridge in his element. It’s where he’s chosen to make his living.

Photo by Alex St Jean 14 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Management | Cover story

“

For me it’s the most pure form of free diving and it’s also the purest measure of human aquatic potential in the same way that a 100m sprint is the purest measure of human speed – we don’t think of human speed as someone on a bike or in a race car.

”

Natalia Molchanova, was still breaking records at 53 – and he hasn’t lost his motivation for training and competing so it will be a while yet before he hangs up his goggles.

so I do a lot of exercises similar to yoga, others are targeted at increasing the flexibility of the lungs.

“Mental training is really important as well as it’s a discipline that requires a lot of calm and composure, so we use a lot of techniques like visualisation, positive affirmation, mental anchors; those kinds of things,” he says. <

Image courtesy of TVNZ

Growing up in and around water leant to William the proclivity for the extreme, and the changes the human body experiences during a deep dive are nothing short of extraordinary.

Only a short time ago, any New Zealander representing their sport at a national or international level did so outside earning a primary income. Today, being a professional athlete is considered a fiscal profession like any other.

When we hold our breath, or when our face is cooled such as by diving into water, a set of Not to be deterred, William’s first successful internal reflexes take place enabling us to function world record attempt came in April the following on a lower level of oxygen. year, a depth of 81m in the constant weight These reflexes are more commonly known as without fins discipline. the mammalian diving reflex and they occur in all He’s since broken 17 further records, many of air-breathing vertebrates. Three main changes them his own, and the deepest he’s descended happen to the body: bradycardia, peripheral stands at 124m, last year in the successful free vasoconstriction and blood shift. immersion record attempt.

The heart rate slows up to 50 percent, blood He was the first free diver to descend to 100 vessels narrow, reducing blood flow to limbs metres on a single breath in the discipline of and instead directing it through a concentrated constant weight no fins, and in 2011 won the circuit to the heart and the brain, and blood World’s Absolute Freediver Award (WAFA), plasma and water pass through organs and naming him best all-round free diver. circulatory walls to the chest cavity to protect it from increased pressure. The lungs gradually While the records are a welcome recognition of fill with blood plasma which is then reabsorbed him and his team, they’re not the be all and end when pressure drops. all for William personally.

Not just successful by the accolades and sponsorship he’s received, but successful in that he’s created a life that’s provided for by doing what he loves.

The extreme sport of free diving consists of descending deep into the ocean on a single breath. There are nine competitive disciplines but William specialises in no-fins free diving.

Wearing only a wetsuit and goggles, and using only a rope to guide him to his target, he draws a single breath and plunges to depths of 100 plus metres on it.

“For me it’s the most pure form of free diving and it’s also the purest measure of human aquatic potential in the same way that a hundred metre sprint is the purest measure of human speed – we don’t think of human speed as someone on a bike or in a race car,” the 36-year old says.

It was at the age of 22, while in London studying for a bachelor of science in physiology and genetics, that William became aware of the sport of free diving. Having been long fond of recreational diving this titbit of information beckoned his attention.

“It’s not really so much about racking up that record tally, it’s more about exploring my own potential, trying to push my body and mind as deep as they’re capable of going and in that process defining human aquatic potential.”

“As you swim you’re going to build up CO2 in your body because you can’t off-gas that by breathing, so you need to develop a high tolerance to carbon dioxide and to lactic acid in the muscles,” William says.

Given that diving is unlike any other sport in that those bodily reflexes don’t occur anywhere else, the low-fatality statistics are a testament to the safety measures practiced by those involved.

“Flexibility is really important for both efficiency in movement and also for adaptation to pressure,

“I travelled to the Caribbean from where I was in London at the time to give it a go and from that moment I was hooked,” he says.

One decade and eighteen world records later, William continues to redefine what the human body can achieve.

This year is the free diving world championships in Honduras in August and this over record attempt is William’s priority right now.

“My main focus is to try and do well at world champs where it’s more about being consistent across all disciplines, so I’ll be training with fins this year.”

Speaking of fins, William feels strongly about ensuring the protection of our native species of dolphin: the Hector’s dolphin and their subspecies the Maui’s dolphin. He’s been advocating their protection since 2010 when he dived 100metres (one hectometre) as part of Project Hector.

“It’s really reached the eleventh hour for the Maui species. If nothing happens in the next year or two they will probably fall over the edge of a number they can’t recover from,” he says.

Maui’s numbers have been reduced to where they are now through by-catch from fishing, trawling and gill net setting in their territory.

“The problem is that the government has failed to put in place measures to protect them inside their territory – a pretty small strip of water down the west coast out to a depth contour of 100 metres.

William admits they’re still discovering what depth humans were capable of reaching, but he wittingly theorises, “More than the current world record!”

Somewhat similarly, he believes there isn’t an age humans shouldn’t dive past – the late female world champion and multiple record holder,

“For me it seems illogical – say we do render that species extinct and in 10 years you go out there and can’t find a single Maui dolphin, how does that look against NZ’s image of being a clean, green, eco-friendly country if we can’t even protect a species that lives in our own waters?

“That effect on our image would impact tourism which is a multi-billion dollar industry as compared to fishing which, especially for that strip of coastal water, probably amounts to a tiny percentage compared to tourism.

“But more than that, it’s about trying to maintain biodiversity of our species. Shutting down a few businesses and trying to find jobs for a small number of people is the smallest price you could pay to protect native species.”

One breath at a time You could swap William’s blood for sea water and he’d probably function just as well. Not because our blood contains a 98 percent similar chemical composition and almost the exact same PH as ocean water, but because that’s how innate being the in the water is to William.

Despite being born in the UK and now based in the Bahamas to be near Dean’s Blue Hole where he trains, William still calls New Zealand home and he loves the al fresco uniqueness it offers.

“The bush, the mountains, the sea – I love getting back there and I love the wilderness of it.

There’s something about it, it’s very different.”

Photography by Daan Verhoeven

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William’s family made the move from England to sunny Hawke’s Bay when he was just a young boy. Somewhat unconventionally, they sailed here, and as it so happens this was quite the influential voyage.

“I enjoy doing that, I enjoy the process, so it’s something I will definitely keep up after I stop competing,” he says.

In competitive diving, passing out within five seconds of surfacing renders the dive inadmissible.

Preparing for a deep sea free dive is understandably more complex than holding your breath – which William can do for eight minutes when static, though a competitive dive typically takes about half that time.

“The main components [of training] would be CO2 tolerance, hypoxia/low oxygen tolerance training, which is a lot of pool training, breathhold stuff.

Somewhere in the mix William has managed to become an Apnea Academy instructor and AIDA instructor and trainer, and establish a dive school in the Bahamas, Vertical Blue, through which he personally teaches two to three courses per year.

“The first record attempt I made was in May 2006 in the Red Sea in Egypt. I was just trying to calm the jitters more than anything else.

Ultimately that record attempt was unsuccessful – I blacked out just upon reaching the surface.”

“I have a relationship with the depths, they beckon me beyond my means, cold dark vacant pressure, forever night, endless dreams,” the world-record free diver scribed.

Speaking from his residence in the paradise that is the Bahamas, William Trubridge has forged a successful career as a professional free diver.

Looking to the future

It’s a paradise, it’s our paradise, and it sure would be a shame not to protect it. CNT www.centraltoday.co.nz April/May 2017 | 15

Interview | Kieran Read

TAKING CHARGE Ask any New Zealand boy what they want to be when they grow up and chances are they’ll say, ‘An All Black’.

It’s a noble dream shared by many youngsters throughout our nation including, circa 2000, Kieran Read, the man now at the helm of our men in black.

By Lydia Truesdale

16 ||April/May January/February 2017 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz www.canterburytoday.co.nz

Interview | Kieran Read

Of those off-field priorities is being the brand ambassador for plumbing merchants Plumbing World, a position Kieran has held since 2013 and is “really proud” of.

“

Winning in sport is how the public and fans judge a team and that success usually stems from the coach, just as business leadership in a company starts at the top.

- KIERAN READ

“It’s pretty awesome to have that kind of faith put in you,” Kieran said at the time.

“Plumbing World is a business that’s been around for ages – it’s a real Kiwi brand that’s owned by lots of real Kiwi plumbers. That kind of thing’s really important to me.”

”

The feeling is mutual. Plumbing World marketing manager Sarah Vining says Kieran’s down-to-earth attitude really struck a chord with Plumbing World executives who, at the time, were launching a new marketing direction to reflect the company’s ‘Kiwi roots’ and found Kieran to be the perfect fit.

“Kieran’s one of this generation’s best players.

He’s always looking to improve, to better himself, and that really fits with the way we run our business,” Sarah says.

Perhaps due to being a father or perhaps due to the good-sort nature he possesses, Kieran’s also an advocate for men’s health and often speaks publicly on his own accord.

In a post on his Facebook page, Kieran is clearly keen to raise awareness on mental health and bust the paradigms by which it exists in our society.

All Blacks' captain Kieran Read needs little introduction, but for the sake of it here’s one anyway.

Kieran is about as Kiwi as they come. Raised on the rural fringes of South Auckland, he’s described by those close to him as unassuming and down to earth, a real team player who is always looking to better himself, a sharp man whose actions speak louder than his words.

This is the fabric of a great Kiwi athlete and it’s certainly synonymous with the figure the nation has come to know and love. But there was once a time where we mightn’t have known Kieran in this light, or perhaps not even at all…

Small-town upbringing, global aspirations Kieran happens to be one of those people that is naturally good at everything – as academically endowed as he is physically talented.

He was offered a sports scholarship to one of the country’s most prestigious secondary schools, St Kentigerns College, and he duly accepted. But after a one-year interlude he returned to Rosehill College where, in his final year, he was made head boy and received Sportsman of the Year and Sports All-Rounder of the Year awards.

He has the brains in his head and feet in his shoes to steer himself any direction he chooses, and at one point it was looking like a life spent at the crease (he represented Northern Districts in age-group cricket and was selected for the New Zealand Under-17 tournament side in 2002).

He was certainly kept busy between cricket and rugby, where he also played for New Zealand Schools, New Zealand Under-19, New Zealand Under-21 and the Junior All Blacks.

But Kieran always felt a magnetism towards rugby and so, after an inspired pitch from Aussie McLean and Robbie Deans, he made the move to Canterbury and began his professional career in the Canterbury Development Squad.

“

If only men weren’t so reluctant to talk to a good mate or family when they’re going through tough times. We certainly need to out on the paddock when things aren’t going so well, so the same rules should apply off the field. C’mon men let’s start talking when times get tough.

- KIERAN READ

”

He simultaneously continued his academic studies, this time at the University of Canterbury with whom he shared his leadership philosophies, naturally, as he was studying for a degree in sports coaching.

“When leading, you need to be yourself and have very clear values that mirror and portray the way you lead,” Kieran told UC at the time.

“Outstanding coaches are also outstanding leaders, responsible for developing, nurturing and challenging people to consistently produce outstanding performance and with it – the right results.

“Winning in sport is how the public and fans judge a team and that success usually stems from the coach, just as business leadership in a company starts at the top.”

Though he began his senior representative year at blindside flanker, Kieran proved his versatility and has come to be known as a ‘master of the role of the modern number 8’.

In 2006 he played his first National Provincial Championship game for Canterbury; in 2008 he donned the All Blacks’ jersey for the first time; in 2010 he was named New Zealand Player of the Year by the 2010 Rugby Almanack of New Zealand; in 2011 he played in his first Rugby World Cup; and in 2013 he was the IRB’s (now World Rugby) National and International Player of the Year.

Appointed the All Blacks' captaincy in 2016, Kieran is also partially responsible for leading the All Blacks to their world record 18-consecutive test wins and 45-consecutive home wins, and he’s not even one full year into his captaincy.

“If only men weren’t so reluctant to talk to a good mate or family when they’re going through tough times. We certainly need to out on the paddock when things aren’t going so well, so the same rules should apply off the field. C’mon men let’s start talking when times get tough.”

Kieran embodies what it means to be an All Black. Dominant on the field and compassionate off it; this is what it means to be an All Black and this is why next-gen after next-gen continue to dream of pulling on that jersey. CNT

The role of a lifetime Former All Blacks' captain Richie McCaw left some big boots to fill – which other captain of a New Zealand sporting team can say a movie has been made and named after them – but Kieran has assumed the role, alongside the nation’s heart, with poise and ease.

“I believe in leading people by making sure that I have a connection with everyone I am involved with and giving them the trust and belief to do their job well,” Kieran told UC. “As players we have to perform and deliver everything we learned and trained for in order to get the results we want. I thrive on the role of playing my part to support, challenge and guide my teammates so we get over the line each time.

“While I have been lucky enough to win a few games over the years, I’ve also learned how to cope and grow from defeat. The burning feeling you suffer from a loss takes a long time to get over and the more you feel that pain, you can switch that energy into deeper determination to bounce back and reverse the result for the next game.”

Life off the field Now 31 and with a young family– wife Bridget, daughters Elle and Eden, and new-born son Rueben – Kieran’s priorities are shared between his on and off-field duties. www.centraltoday.co.nz April/May 2017 | 17

Franchising | Franchise Association of New Zealand

Representing a $20 billion industry If you are looking for a business opportunity or needing advice on franchising, our recommendation is that you don’t sign anything until you have asked the question: “Are you a member of the Franchise Association of New Zealand?”

FANZ executive director Graham Billings says “Members of the Franchise Association are the franchise professionals, committed to uphold ‘best practice in franchising’ and the association works hard to promote the benefits of dealing with members, both for those looking to purchase a franchise and also those who need to gain professional advice.”

The association also provides training opportunities for franchisors and franchisees, including the annual conference where national and international speakers provide valuable information and advice.

Congratulating the Supreme Franchisee of the Year are, from left: Brad Jacobs, Chairman of FANZ; Hon. Paul Goldsmith, Minister for Commerce & Consumer Affairs; Michael Ash of Mister Minit St Lukes, and Steve Atkinson, Westpac Head of Specialists Commercial

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As the peak body for the franchise community in New Zealand, the association makes representations to Government on issues of concern to franchisors and franchisees, including such issues as proposed legislation, new business support programmes and business taxation.

“

The fact that you are reading this feature shows there is a very good chance that your venture into owning your own business may well be one that is part of a franchise system.

Buying the right franchise can have many benefits over the stand-alone business, not least of which is that you can potentially purchase into a franchise system that has a proven track record and one where you will receive all the help you need to become successful.

The most recent survey carried out by Massey University found that franchise systems had grown to 423 and that there were 22,400 franchised units in the country. The number of people employed in franchising had increased to more than 100,000.

The franchise model is operated across all sectors of business. In New Zealand, franchising has comparatively fewer businesses in the retail sector compared with many other countries, but is comparatively stronger in home and business-to-business services.

Indicative of the entrepreneurial spirit of New Zealanders, approximately 70-75 percent of franchises operating here are home-grown "and despite the economic situation, there are some franchise systems that are still experiencing growth.

18 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

”

“As a prospective franchisee, an important part of your due diligence should be to establish whether or not the franchise you are considering is a member of FANZ. Don’t be misled by a statement such as, 'we are not members but we abide by their codes'.

There have been several reports of this in recent times where something has subsequently gone wrong in the relationship, but we have been unable to assist the franchisee, as we have no powers to intervene unless the franchise is actually a member.”

Of course, there are franchise systems that are not currently in membership, but who operate ethically and provide valuable business opportunities for the prospective franchisee. In all cases however, you should ask the franchisor to explain to you why they are not members.

For a franchisor to gain membership to the association requires that they submit their documentation for scrutiny to ensure their franchise agreements contain all the elements required under the association’s codes and rules. You can read these codes by visiting the association’s web site.

Signature Homes was named Supreme Franchise System of the Year. From left are: Brad Jacobs, Chairman of FANZ; Hon. Paul Goldsmith, Minister for Commerce & Consumer Affairs; Anneta and Gavin Hunt of Signature Homes; Steve Atkinson, Westpac Head of Specialists

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The franchise sector of the New Zealand economy is substantially larger than most people realise and on a per capita basis, New Zealand has the highest level of franchising as a business system of any country in the world, with a turnover of between $19 and $20 billion.

The fact that you are reading this feature shows there is a very good chance that your venture into owning your own business may well be one that is part of a franchise system.

The association’s independent scrutineer carries out compliance checks on a biennial basis to ensure that documentation maintains the standards that are required.

If your franchise system is in membership, you have the ability to make a formal complaint to the complaints panel if you believe that your franchisor is in breach of the association’s codes or rules. If your complaint is upheld, the franchisor can be required to rectify the situation or face a range of penalties that are contained within the association’s code of practice.

For more information or to find out more about the work of the association and the codes of practice, visit: www.franchiseassociation.org.nz If you are interested in franchising or the Franchise Association, contact the FANZ Christchurch branch co-ordinator, Jon Robertson at Staples Rodway Christchurch Limited by calling (03) 343 0599, or email jrobertson@srchch.co.nz CNT

Franchise Association of New Zealand Inc Unit 27 Bishop’s Gate Business Centre 2 Bishop Dunn Place Botany South Auckland T (09) 274 2901 E graham@franchise.org.nz www.franchiseassociation.org.nz — Advertising Feature

www.centraltoday.co.nz April/May 2017 | 19

Manufacturing | Paramount Stainless

The stainless steel specialists There is a good reason why food processing plants and most commercial kitchens in cafes, pubs and restaurants are made from stainless steel.

Paramount Stainless in a nutshell: • Stainless steel kitchen bench tops • Custom design • Commercial kitchen and restaurant fit outs • Commercial interior and exterior building fit outs • Industrial equipment

Stainless steel is hard-wearing, non-erosive and doesn’t absorb moisture, minimising bacteria and contamination risks. On top of all that, it requires very little maintenance.

• Food and beverage market • Residential home building fittings • Bottle handling systems from forming to filling.

There is also a good reason why people choose Paramount Stainless Ltd to fit out their kitchens and food processing plants.

Paramount Stainless is well-known in the stainless steel industry. The team knows stainless steel better than the back of their hands.

Richard admits it’s a competitive market but prefers to provide quality over price.

He runs his business by providing consistently exceptional workmanship and that consistency and quality is why Paramount is still thriving 55 years down the track.

Having been around for 55 years, Paramount has gained quite the reputation around Tauranga.

Mercer Interiors are manufacturers of Mercer Sinkware and the exclusive distributor of Wilsonart® High Pressure Laminate and Solid Surface in NZ.

When everyone else has put a job in the ‘too hard basket’ the team at Paramount goes out of their way and gets it done.

Over the years they have mastered the art of innovation.

Director Richard Arthur says the knowledge they have in stainless steel fabrication is something that can’t be taught, providing nothing but the best quality comes naturally to them.

“The guys who are making benches here have been making benches for 30 years, it’s not new to them and they’re very good at it.”

Ph: 0800 2 637 237 E: info@mercerinteriors.co.nz www.mercerinteriors.co.nz

He prides his team on their quality and finish and knows there isn’t a steel fabrication project out there that his team haven’t done before.

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20 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

“

The guys who are making benches here have been making benches for 30 years it’s not new to them and they’re very good at it.

– Director Richard Arthur

”

With the team not getting any younger and with industry knowledge coming out of their ears, Richard is hoping to pass a lot of that knowledge onto a new generation of tradesmen.

“Trying to find tradesmen out there that do what we do is very difficult - there’s a real shortage.”

Richard’s priority is to keep Paramount Stainless thriving. Training up new tradesmen is all part of that venture and they will continue to produce products that stand the test of time - like they have done since the 60’s. CNT

Primarily Paramount’s “bread and butter” comes from providing kitchen bench tops both residentially and commercially but it’s certainly not all they provide.

“We take on everything stainless steel. Exterior stainless fixings and features, guttering, downpipes and drain heads the list goes on and on,” Richard says.

Onsite fabrication and installation is no problem for the experienced team. They have at their disposal, project design capabilities, and a full computer-aided workshop drawing service.

Paramount Stainless Ltd 66 Koromiko Street Tauranga (07) 5782039 info@stainless.co.nz www.stainless.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

Health & Safety | Safeworx

Helping make your workplace safer “Safety isn’t expensive, it’s priceless.” That’s the adage Safeworx lives by as a distributor of commercial safety and equipment supplies, thus ensuring clients the ultimate protection during their duties.

Like many companies before it, Safeworx traces its beginnings to the New Zealand garage, when in the year 2000 its founder Dave Sextone and his wife Justine started the company with the Papakura family home as their base.

Clearly doing a good job of meeting market demand, six years later the Safeworx Wellington branch was established and today there are five branches in operation nationwide.

With a focus on the power industry but able to cater to many more, Safeworx provides a range of personal protection equipment (PPE) that is nothing less than the highest of commercial quality.

“Our conviction to ensure quality products for the end user has required us to be daring and innovative in producing new products and improving existing ones, across a range of applications,” Safeworx Wellington branch manager Alex Roberts says.

While health and safety is often seen as a compliance burden on businesses, it’s a very

necessary one, especially for the building and construction industry.

“In the areas of PPE management, Safeworx has a comprehensive range and the ability to develop personalised catalogues for its clients.

This allows streamlined ordering and delivery, especially if there are multiple sites.”

Safeworx’s staff bring many strengths to the company. Alex says they possess the invaluable ability to listen to customer requirements and translate them into products and services. And that is a handy ability to have when it comes to offering clients savings in both money and time.

It’s refreshing to see Safeworx restoring the notion that the old-fashion values of customer service are often lost when you deal with a corporate.

The company is owned by three families who all work in the business to one degree or another, and being somewhat smaller, the company prides itself on its malleability

and being able to change its stock levels in response to customer requirements, quicker than its opposition.

Safeworx is a distributer of commercial safety equipment and supplies including but not limited to:

Some staff have been in the industry for 20plus years and make it a priority to develop good relationships with both repeat clients and the international companies who supply the company, however where possible they look to source NZ made or developed products.

• Environmental safety • Height safety • Specialty clothing, workwear clothing, hi-visibility clothing

You really can’t put a price on safety, and for the ultimate in personalised protection equipment for the commercial, construction, power, transport, and emergency industries, you needn’t look past Safeworx. CNT

• Footwear • Eye protection • Respiratory protection, hand protection, head protection, hearing protection • Hygiene products

Safeworx (Wellington) 2/22 Waione St Petone (04) 586 6308 alex@safeworx.co.nz www.safeworx.co.nz

• Medical supplies • General equipment and supplies • Signage • Safety lockout/security equipment.

— Advertising Feature

www.centraltoday.co.nz April/May 2017 | 21

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Property& Construction | Marra Construction

Commercial construction specialists The new teaching block for Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Tauranga is the latest project Marra Construction Ltd is proud to have added to the region’s architectural landscape.

The modern building showcases perfectly the company’s expertise in delivering large-scale commercial builds.

Marra is a leading name in BOP commercial construction and specialises in the following:

It was a comprehensive project: Bay of Plenty Polytechnic merging with Waiariki Institute of Technology Rotorua, and Marra was excited to take it on.

• Design and build services • Commercial and retail • Community and recreation • Education and healthcare • Industrial buildings • Apartment complexes • Interior fit outs • Much, much more.

Building commenced in late 2015 and posed its fair share of challenges. Marra saw this as an opportunity to prove its professionalism and expertise across the board and deal with issues safely, efficiently and appropriately.

During excavation an archaeological discovery was made and The Historical Trust and local Iwi were called in to work closely alongside the team to document and monitor any further findings.

Add to this the particularly wet 2016 winter and the fact the company was working in a live campus environment, there were many hindering factors at play.

Through hard work, determination and support from the project management and design team, construction progressed well.

General manager Greg Johnston says that, most importantly, safety was paramount throughout the entire course of the project.

The result is an innovative, inviting and ergonomically comfortable space that inspires individuals to excel in their learning. The standard of finish is exceptional and lives up to the reputation Marra has built up over the last 40 years.

“Providing a high level of finish and quality product was priority and was successfully achieved,” Greg says.

“Marra is proud to have received very positive recognition and feedback during the course of construction and on handover from the client and design and management team.”

Marra specialises in construction throughout the commercial, industrial, education, retail, utilities and tourism industries. Greg notes the company particularly enjoys projects that add to the culture of the community, and they have been involved in many.

Greerton Library project The recent build of the Greerton Library in Tauranga was warmly welcomed by the community, who had been calling for such facilities for some time.

The new library is twice the size of the previous library and has the capacity to store 60,000 to 70,000 books. It offers dedicated spaces for various users including a community room and learning centre dedicated to IT and improving people’s digital literacy.

Commercial Air Conditioning Specialists P: 07 576 6760 E: enquiry@enviroair.co.nz W: www.EnviroAir.co.nz

Another project recently completed by Marra that enhanced the community’s offerings was the We have four fully equipped mobile workshops that travel Tauranga wide 24/7 & we supply all major lock brands & associated door hardware.

Proud to support Marra Construction

Design | Installation | Commissioning | Maintenance

But most importantly, the new library offers the community a warm, safe environment through which to cultivate their knowledge and literary and digital curiosity.

Zanden Locksmith & Security provide a fast, reliable & professional locksmithing service. www.zanden.co.nz | E: zanden@eol.co.nz

Zanden’s also have a workshop situated at 75 Newton Street that is open week days equipped with the latest key cutting technology and offer personal assistance.

T: (07) 575 7187 | F: (07) 574 8249

COMMERCIAL s INDUSTRIAL s RESIDENTIAL Proud to be associated with Marra Construction on the BOP Polytechnic Mass Project

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24 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Property& Construction | Marra Construction

Property& Construction | Don Chapman Waikato

Helping build an industry

Agriculture is New Zealand’s biggest industry. It generates 70 percent of NZ’s merchandise export earnings and 12 percent of our gross domestic product. A vital part of that industry, dairy relies heavily on those who can build and maintain its infrastructure.

Don Chapman Waikato (DCW), owner Shanan White has been building for over 20 years and specialising in dairy builds since first contracting to the company 10 years ago to build a 50-bail rotary on the Carter Holt development in Tokoroa.

a great team of people that have a wealth of experience and leading the well-established company into the future.

“Having worked with most of the team I knew the company had the current staff to continue the business successfully,” Shanan says.

Shanan was familiar with the company at the time, then known as Don Chapman Builders, through its stellar reputation, but after working closely alongside it and seeing first-hand the premium service it provided and the costeffective solutions it offered its clients, there was no hesitation on Shanan’s part when the opportunity to purchase the company arose years later.

His “terrific support staff” in the construction manager, quantity surveyor and office administrator are proven in helping ensure the smooth running of the company. And in a booming industry that’s crucial.

The transition was made seamless by retaining all the former staff, and with a few personal touches, Shanan is proud to be working with seismic and weather tightness upgrade of the High Performance Centre in Tauranga. This was a complex job however Marra, true to their reputation, completed it in a professional and timely manner.

A history of excellence Marra Construction was established in 2004 as part of Marra Holdings Ltd, which was established 30 years previously by Phil and Bev Marra.

Working closely with its sibling sector Marra Developments Ltd, which handles the development side of things including land procurement, Marra Construction has the advantageous ability of managing projects from concept to completion.

During the last four decades its personnel have been involved in some of the region’s largest construction projects. Clients are offered unlimited access to Marra’s extensive, collective wealth of knowledge to assist them in getting the most for their budget and keeping their project on track.

The majority of Marra’s staff are not contractors, rather they’re employed full time, and Greg notes that the loyalty, dedication and professionalism offered in return are invaluable attributes of which clients reap the benefits.

Greg also notes the company’s working relationships with extended personnel, including sub-contractors and suppliers, is of the utmost importance in achieving excellence across the board.

Of the greatest benefits to clients resulting from this, are having the foresight, resources and flexibility to mitigate issues, and being able to deliver a premium finish throughout.

When you choose to build with Marra, you’re choosing the finest in commercial construction throughout the Bay of Plenty, and can expect the finest of results. CNT

It comes as no surprise that Marra is the preferred contractor of choice for the Bay of Plenty commercial construction sector.

The privately-owned company consistently delivers on its strong company values of loyalty and excellence.

Marra Construction Ltd 6 Tangmere Place Tauranga (07) 543 0774 www.marraconstruction.co.nz — Advertising Feature

DCW: expert builders While it has grown to specialise in dairy-related work, specifically milking parlours, effluent systems and feed pads, Don Chapman Waikato’s expertise extends to and was previously well-established in residential and commercial builds.

The company still completes some residential work for existing clients and has worked on projects as unique as major earthquake-strengthening at the University of Waikato; this background perpetuating its ability to think outside the box and provide customised solutions for its clients.

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COMPANY PROFILE

The dairy industry tends to be a volatile market and as a result clients today are looking for their sheds to be cost-effective solutions that provide them with the functionality they require.

This is where a wealth of knowledge comes in particularly handy and DCW clients reap the benefits in the form of innovative, practical solutions delivered in an affordable and timely manner.

Dairy is New Zealand’s largest export sector and a vital part of our economy, exporting in excess of $12 billion worth of dairy products every year and accounting for three percent of the world’s dairy production.

By keeping farms in the dairy industry running, DCW in effect helps keep the country and its people running. CNT Don Chapman Waikato Morrinsville (07) 889 6168 shanan@donchapmanwaikato.co.nz www.donchapmanwaikato.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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SUPPORTING THE BUILDING COMMUNITY www.centraltoday.co.nz April/May 2017 | 25

Property& Construction | bbc architects

Inspired designs Realising the potential of your property is often easier said than done. The team at bbc architects are a diverse team of architects and technicians who are there to help you realise that potential and bring your dreams to reality.

Since its conception in 2001, bbc architects have covered a range of projects from home renovations and new builds to large scale community projects. Each project undertaken is produced with pride and enthusiasm and the client’s vision paramount.

Director and registered architect Amanda Bulman, alongside director and registered architect Denis Chin, believe in order to achieve the best results on any project you must work collaboratively from start to finish and respect the input of all those involved.

“We respect the knowledge and opinion of the consultants, builders and tradespeople we work with, and our clients trust in a process that is transparent and has open communication throughout,” Amanda says.

The work that bbc architects undertakes falls into two categories, Amanda explains, residential and community.

“We enjoy doing residential work, both renovation and new build projects, as this is the work that most intimately shapes the everyday lives of our clients.

Structural Design • 3D Static & Dynamic Structural Analyses • Seismic Assessment & Strengthening

Focus Engineering Consultants are excited to support BBC Architects on their successful projects Suite 3, 231 Thorndon Quay, Wellington

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26 |April/May 2017 www.centraltoday.co.nz

“The community work is driven by our own desire to be completing architecture work for those who might otherwise not experience the joy it can bring in their daily lives.”

“We enjoy what we do. We have been fortunate to have some amazing clients who also seem to enjoy the process and trust in us to exceed their expectations,” Amanda says.

Their exceptional work has not gone unnoticed, bbc architects have been graced with a number of residential awards from the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) and their projects have also received Master Builder Awards which they are extremely proud of.

Their most recent achievement however was a once in a lifetime experience.“The most recent accolade for us was the French Memorial Competition at Pukeahu, Wellington, which was an international competition to design a memorial to commemorate the unique bonds that tie France and New Zealand together.

“This was part of the First World War Centennial commemorations. We were part of a team, ‘Les Fleurs Sauvages’ that was shortlisted as one of four out of 43 entries, which was exciting and humbling.” CNT bbc architects Studio 104 28 Waterloo Quay Wellington (04) 473 9777 info@bbcarchitects.co.nz www.bbcarchitects.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

CHICKEN ‘n’ THINGS

Only the freshest New Zealand meat

Chicken ‘n’ Things (2012) Limited processing facilities are based in the picturesque surroundings of Whenuapai in West Auckland.

The factory has the capacity to process over 30 tonnes of fresh poultry, lamb and beef a week. Our own refrigerated transport and courier partners ensure that our products are delivered to our customers as fast as possible without sacrificing on quality.

We currently service the greater Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

We are a family-owned business which employs 15 full-time staff and specialise in portion control and have vast experience in servicing the hospitality industry.

Being a company with more of a hands-on approach, we are able to do fiddly little things and tailor our products and production schedules to specific customer needs.

We consider that the quality of the product supplied to our customers is of the utmost importance to the long term success and growth of our company.

We recognise that we must work as a team with all our customers, to provide the highest quality and value for money.

Every care and attention is taken to comply with all relevant New Zealand legal and safety requirements. To achieve this we have implemented a documented Food Safety and Quality Management System, incorporating all relevant food safety and qualitative standards.

This ensures that all employees are fully aware of the importance of the requirements within this document, to achieve this company’s and our customers’ goal of a consistent high-quality standard of product.

All our poultry is locally-sourced from New Zealand suppliers.

Our poultry products include barn-raised and corn-fed free range chickens. Fresh quality New Zealand lamb and beef also forms part of our product range.

Chicken ‘n’ Things is committed to providing the highest quality products and service to all our customers.

14 Brigham Creek Road, Whenuapai, West Auckland admin@chickennthings.co.nz | 09-416-5106 | www.chickennthings.co.nz

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