Comments Off on What have Gary Neville and Sue Unerman got in common you might wonder?
Is it that they have been extraordinarily loyal servants to essentially one organisation, with Gary propping up the right side of Manchester United’s defence and Sue weaving her magic across Mediacom and now EMX’s attacking line up? Or is it that both have created personal brands based on telling it how it is? All of that is true but it’s not the reason I’ve brought them together. Instead, I was struck by two articles they had written and published within a week of each other, last September. Sue was highlighting the importance of having a motivated workforce, pointing to us needing a purpose beyond simply financial reward. And Gary was reflecting on what drove him, David Beckham and Roy Keane in their personal and collective missions. Pursuing a ‘cause’ in your career can be incredibly powerful but it’s also highly personal and individual. Knowing what drives you is a hard thing to unpick but when you do, it can become your superpower. So we’ve created a unique tool to help you understand what makes you tick and what gets in the way of you being the very best version of yourself. It’s called Conker ID and it’s completely free to use. Complete the 10 minute questionnaire and you’re instantly rewarded with your very own bespoke report and coaching suggestions. To start the rest of your career today, Conker ID Survey Start
Do you know what drives you at work? What brings out the best in you? Or what might be holding you back? Conker has developed a new tool that delves into what makes you tick and helps to get you operating at peak performance. And the best part? It’s absolutely free. Click here Conker ID and start the rest of your career today.
Comments Off on Levelling the playing field by Roxanne Hobbs
Inclusive recruitment isn’t about recruiting a more diverse workforce. It’s about levelling the playing field and creating equality of opportunity. A more diverse workforce might well be an output of that but that’s not the over-arching perspective to hold for being more inclusive.
As we go into 2024, my wish and hope, is for everyone recruiting people into their teams, businesses or on behalf of a client, to take steps towards creating equality of opportunity. This is about positive action rather than positive discrimination, which is not legal in our country and something that can easily cause a backlash. We need to engage in positive action which is about recognising where you are under-represented and taking steps to create equality of opportunity for that group. At the Hobbs Consultancy we are passionate about supporting businesses in creating greater difference and belonging in their workplace. We recognise that creating and leading diverse workforces is not easy to do, so wanted to share some actions that can help you become a step closer to a more inclusive organisation.
Action One – Build robust data to demonstrate where certain groups are under-represented.
Action Two – Develop a robust and quantitative recruitment process so that you can objectively differentiate between your highest performing candidates. Avoid small talk to prevent any unconscious biases creeping in.
Action Three – Offer debriefs to everyone who has been for an interview in your organisation so you can get feedback on how the recruitment process worked for them, and understand the barriers that might be there.
Action Four – Ask ahead of the interview if there are any adjustments the candidate might need.
For the second year in a row, I’ve had the privilege to judge The Media Week Awards Top Rising Stars and it’s made me reflect on the rising stars of this industry when I started out, a whole generation ago.
The ambitious youth of yesteryear had one goal. Get to the top. Not in a ruthless way but the objective was to get as high up the ladder as you could manage. And you’d do that by working long hours, putting your hand up for everything, learning as much as you could and pushing yourself hard.
Fast forward to the rising stars of today and they are a completely different proposition. The ambition is still there, although perhaps not quite as overt. Instead, they have already identified a personal and professional calling which drives them as individuals. Some talk about mental health in the workplace, some about diversity in its broadest sense, and others about the environment. Whatever the subject, they all have a purpose. Now, I’m a seasoned, cynical judge who’s well-versed in the art of over-claiming but these young talents aren’t just talking the talk. They’ve created initiatives that are already changing their workplace and the lives of their colleagues.
Legacy is something we tend to start thinking about as we get older. I realised, with the help of a wonderful coach, that mine was about championing diverse talent to transform businesses and careers. Conker was created to deliver this, in an ethical and sustainable way. One of the things we did from the very beginning was planting trees as a symbol for every placement we made and we’re proud to have planted over 150 of them.
And trees are probably the best metaphors for this new generation of rising stars because these extraordinary organisms are exceptional role models. Not only do they remove the bad stuff from the environment and replace it with oxygen, they also behave as a community that takes care of one another. If you’ve stumbled across ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’ by Peter Wohlleben, you’ll have discovered that stronger trees nourish weaker ones, while some species protect their neighbours by emitting a scent to warn of approaching pests. They work as a team for the greater good because they need each other to survive and thrive.
This is what the rising stars of today are doing. But they aren’t just improving their own workplace, they’re actually doing their bit to change society and the planet for the better. That’s fantastic news for a world that’s crying out for meaning, authenticity and change. But it’s also a watch out for leaders that haven’t got a clear view about their company’s purpose and how it aligns with their own because these rising stars are demanding more and it won’t be long before they start creating their own forests.
Comments Off on Now official partner and proud sponsor of MEFA
We’re delighted to announce that Conker are now official partners of MEFA (Media For All). With an unrivalled track record in supporting and placing senior talent from under-represented groups, this further underpins our commitment to diversity and we look forward to developing our relationship with Naren and all of the MEFA Committee Members.
So excited to be launching our latest Conker Inside product. To find out more visit https://lnkd.in/ewJmbm3G and we’ll show you how we can now provide transformational insights into your leadership team
Comments Off on Former Amplifi North MD joins Conker to launch Northern office
Conker, the London-based executive search firm, has appointed Lindsey Cook to lead its new Northern-based office.
Based in the North West, the new Conker location will cover all regions outside the capital. Its opening follows a successful period for the business, which has tripled in size over the last year.
Lindsey Cook left Dentsu agency Amplifi North in February last year, not long after the departure of Dentsu North’s MD Rachel McDonald, who is now MD of Fearless Adventures.
Her career saw her lead a team of more than 100 media specialists, building centres of excellence in Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh, along with the largest programmatic team outside London.
“I am really excited to be joining Conker in the next stage of their journey,” said Lindsey Cook. “Liz [Jones], Daren [Rubins] and the team are incredibly impressive. Conker’s approach to finding diverse talent is so unique and, having built and run the largest media team outside of London, I recognise the critical importance of exceptional talent.”
Commenting on Conker’s expansion into the region, Co-founder Daren Rubins said: “The macro factors impacting business in the regions are so compelling, whether it’s the pandemic influencing where people and businesses want to be based, the acceleration of ecommerce or the levelling up of the economy, we’re seeing a huge demand for senior talent in the North.”
Comments Off on Who makes a better leader – CEO’s or Founder’s?
I’ll admit that, until now, I’ve never given this much thought, even though I’ve been lucky enough to hold both positions.
Intuitively, you would probably assume that they’re quite similar. Driven, smart, decisive (ok, I don’t necessarily fit the stereotype). Perhaps the CEO might be more corporate or polished? Maybe the Founder has a larger appetite for risk?
Last year, we launched Conker Inside, a unique leadership assessment tool that generates powerful insights into leadership traits. By analysing over 8,000 data points, we’re able to identify trends common to specific job roles, disciplines, levels of seniority and even individual companies.
So what does it tell us about CEOs and Founders? Surprisingly, they have more differences than similarities. For example;
CEOs are 80% more likely to be extraverted than Founders and are also much more likely to be directive, rather than empowering, with their teams
Conversely, Founders are not only more visionary than CEOs, they also make more effort to create a harmonious environment
This leads us to yet another ‘nature versus nurture’ debate. I would argue that both of these leaders develop more of their style as a consequence of their situation. CEO’s can’t escape from the reality that they have owners and shareholders to answer to. They are faced with tough, incessant challenges and targets that need to be addressed within a time-frame they usually can’t control. Founders, on the other hand, often treat their business as an extension of their family and are even more personally invested, which makes the highs higher and the lows even lower.
Conker is fortunate to have trusted relationships with hundreds of CEO’s and Founders and we are constantly struck by the symbiotic relationship between the two, where they’re often jealous of aspects of each other’s positions. The CEO craves the freedom and potential financial exit that Founders are sometimes able to realise and Founders crave the resources, perks and relative financial stability of a CEO.
Being a CEO is a great privilege but with it comes associated pressures and demands that can’t be under-estimated. In comparison, being a Founder is a luxury, where the biggest pressures you face are your own but also where the risks are far more tangible.
So, who makes the better leader? Inevitably, it’s the one who can blend the best of both worlds. It’s the CEO who has the passion to act as a business owner and it’s the Founder who has the discipline and rational mind of a CEO.
If you haven’t already taken part, click here (http://conkerwithus.com/conker-inside-intro) to view your leadership profile and take a step towards the leader you want to be.
What’s your superpower?
You are in an interview.
It’s going well.
Then it comes, the curveball “What’s your superpower”?
What do people actually want to hear in response to this question? That you really are the veritable unicorn they are looking for; strategic, commercial, empathetic, client-centric (deep digital knowledge goes without saying…)?
Or could it be that something which others could see as a barrier to success in fact defines you, makes you stand out and brings diversity of thinking to what you do and how you do it?
Last year Thomas Byrne commented here on an article in the Guardian about GCHQ (the UK’s surveillance agency) and the fact that their apprentices were four times more likely to have dyslexia, as those on other schemes. They have found that people with dyslexia have valuable skills which enable them to see the bigger picture, quickly, and they spot patterns in complex, multiple data sources, that others might miss. Tom says that his dyslexia IS his superpower although admits that he struggled with it when younger. In fact his parents were told by an educational psychologist (when he was seven) that he should learn carpentry, as he would not be able to succeed intellectually. Anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes in Tom’s company will now be smiling…!
In a previous post I wrote that being nosy was perhaps one of my superpowers as I like meeting and understanding people and remember (often unusual) things about them, which is quite useful in our business. Speed is another, I can process a lot, quickly, I have good time management skills and can multi-task but it is also something I have to be mindful of as I know it can be perceived as not being “in the moment” and can be an irritant to others as most of my team will corroborate.
Overall, I would say that what can come across as a trite question, is designed to move the candidate away from formulaic answers and encourage more creativity, freestyling. Superpowers have two sides, but it’s increasingly important to be authentic and vulnerable about who you really are.
Clearly if you are asked what actual superpower (in the superhero sense) you would choose if you could have any, that’s a completely different proposition and mine would definitely be invisibility so that I could eavesdrop on interesting conversations, which I suppose brings me right back to my nosiness, or “natural curiosity” as a good friend kindly called it!
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