Andy Crane, Leading the Corporate and BOLA

What were the challenges of your journey as CEO of Australia’s biggest co-operative organisation--the $4 billion turnover and 1200 employees Co-operative Bulk Handling??

How were the supplier relationships with SMEs conducted?

What of the contrast with the past 6 years as Chancellor of Curtin University--WA’s biggest?

These were some of the questions Band of Leaders Australia (BOLA) members and guests posed for Dr Andy Crane.

Andy led a conversation for members and guests entitled Leading the Corporate, during the May meeting at Caffé Casa Nostra in Osborne Park.

BOLA is a peer membership group for business owners and chief executives.? We seek to take our members beyond achievement to success—the essence of leadership.? Inviting Guest Conversations is a key activity in our group meeting and on this occasion, we had 3.?

Mike House, of Thrive and Adapt, led a conversation after lunch on a topic entitled Fraught Feedback.? Alan Nelson and Mihir Nasa from The Outsource Pro led a conversation on Avoiding Outsourcing Pitfalls to wind up the day.

In an in-depth conversation, Andy said that his CEO challenges focused on three areas; leadership of the business, leadership of the team and leadership of self. In leading the business it was important to be very clear on the true purpose of the organisation (“What value are we creating and for whom?”) and the strategy (created jointly by the Board and management team and boiled down to a single page). The latter involved articulating and defending the values, taking personal responsibility for the big issues (e.g. workplace safety) and recognising outstanding achievement.? Patience was always needed as real change in culture takes time, he said.

Given the BOLA audience of SME leaders, Andy outlined relationships with the suppliers within the corporate community.? He said that large organisations tend to ‘layer up’ and ‘calcify’ over time making it difficult for SME’s to be ‘heard’ or true value created. Professional procurement functions will want to break down the supplier’s offering to and easily compared commodity, suppliers need to position themselves accordingly.

As Chancellor of Curtin University, Andy said that the 3-term appointment had been a delight and a great learning experience.? This had included interaction with the four overseas campuses and involvement in the major works program on the Bentley campus amongst many other engaging initiatives.

In his transition from CEO to director, Andy said that the role of a Non-Executive Director requires a large dose of humility. You are there to focus on compliance and performance but not tell the CEO how to run the business day to day. The role of the Chair of the Board was like being a director on steroids--he said that a good Chair will encourage input from all directors and will be the last one to speak.? If there are opposing points of view, the Chair will try to seek consensus--often by asking “What would it take you get your agreement?”? He says he is not a fan of voting as it feels not enough time has been put to understanding the recommendation and ensuring it is the best possible action.

Andy also has non-executive director roles on two Macquarie Bank infrastructure boards, RAC Holdings in WA and the ASX-listed SunRice board.?

He has also begun a philanthropic project in the rice-growing highlands of East Timor.

Overall, Andy said that leadership of the business, teams and self had provided the biggest challenges and rewards. “Understanding myself, understanding others and then adapting your leadership style to get the best out of the business and team is a career long project of learning,” he said.

BOLA members will meet next on Friday 21 June ?when we return to the single Guest Conversation format.?

Typically, our agenda also includes the processing of strategic opportunities raised within the group and leadership development tools and activities.? Our June Guest Conversation with be with Simon Stewart, CEO and Founder of Stewart & Heaton Clothing Co.

Prospective members and referrers are invited on request, as Paul Manning is continuing to build his BOLA Growth group.

In the meantime, each member will have a monthly coaching session with their BOLA Chair, Jeff.

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Next week:? Run for the Top

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About the Author

Jeff Bell?is Principal of executive consultancy ResultsWise in Perth, WA.?To boost your leadership, ask Jeff about Band of Leaders Australia (BOLA) [email protected] and his consulting, coaching and strategy facilitation, or his Advanced Leadership Course [email protected] Mobile 0439 988 662.