curriculum into existing leadership development initiatives. As an organisation, SGN is committed to investing in its people, not only on a technical level, but also in terms of how leaders and individuals in teams interact with each other and ultimately with the end users of their service, SGN’s customers.
One of the main challenges the industry faces is one of perception. Public frustration with roads and pavements being excavated in the maintenance of a gas network is all too familiar a scene. Utilities are one of the most critical household and business requirements and yet are one of the more unpopular monthly expenditures. Given the nature of the industry and all of the restrictions for regulation and safety, one quickly finds that the public persona is not one that is immediately appreciated. There is thus a conscious effort on the part of SGN to make sure that not only do they get their service operating at the highest standard, but that each interaction with customers or members of the public is handled as efficiently as possible. Ralph shares that one of the unspoken Values by which the company operates is, “Do it well and do it right!”. It is in this regard that the Investment in Excellence®
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programme is extremely useful; helping leaders and managers to interact more effectively with their teams and each other, and working together more creatively and constructively to resolve problems.
I ALWAYS PICTURE THE SUCCESS, RATHER THAN THE PATH TO IT IIE® has been championed within SGN by several key members of the leadership team, many of whom have been drawn from SSE itself. These include the Chief Executive, John Morea, Director of Human Resources, Gary Barnes and Operations Director South, Peter Webster. Having experienced the curriculum with Ralph whilst still at SSE, they have benefitted from the concepts personally and professionally and know the value that IIE® offers. At present the programme is offered to leaders and managers and works on a nomination basis. What is notable is that in an organisation of around 5,000 employees, within the last 18 months, over 150 people have already experienced IIE® and this number is set to grow even further.
Adams and Kevin Barclay, are currently running several programmes on a regular basis at sites across the country. The feedback is overwhelmingly positive and this has helped spread the word within SSE, leading to even greater demand. Having all had more than ten years experience in delivering the programme, the facilitation team are really able to ensure that IIE® matches the concepts to the needs of the business and the result is a real alignment to both SGN’s and SSE’s aims and objectives. Ralph runs a regular follow-up process about six months after managers have experienced IIE® in SGN in order to assess the value of the programme. Asking a few straightforward questions that gathers their views on both personal and professional benefits, he aims to determine whether their thinking and actions have changed as a result. The answer is generally a positive one. Managers have provided concrete examples of how they have grown and developed, changed attitudes and helped others become ‘scotomabusters’ to directly benefit the business and its customers. One notable comment from one of the participants has been, “I always picture the success, rather than the path to it. As a result, in our local business unit, with the targets we have had to deliver, we have never seen the unit in a failed situation.” Positive thinking indeed!
Ralph, along with experienced senior colleague facilitators, Steve 11
Imprint | Autumn 2012