Friday 8 June 2007

2006 Winner Shares Awards Experience

As nominations for the 2007 Management Excellence Awards draw to a close, 2006 Young Manager of the Year Danae Jones, Managing Director, In Touch Media shares her Awards experience.

How would you describe a Young Manager of the Year?

I think every Young Manager of the Year is different, but I guess we all must have similar traits to be a winner. I know that being determined, forward thinking, enthusiastic and passionate about what we do and never willing to give up until the job is done would have to be all character qualities that we possess. I never thought I would be the Young Manager of the Year, but having won the award I feel honoured and humbled to think that I have been recognised in such a way. I don't think we sit back and see how far we've come often enough, especially at a young age I know I am so used to just getting on with the job I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe what I have accomplished in such a short space of time. A real dedication and a love of what I do does makes it easier to keep going though I must say, and having such a supportive team around me gives me strength and courage to undertake new ventures.

What challenges do you face as a Young Manager?

I know the biggest challenge I have faced so far in business is people believing that someone older is capable of doing the job better than me when more often than not, this isn't the case. I have been known to disguise my age so people think I am older than what I am so I avoid being judged. The other challenge as a Manager I face (regardless of age as we as Managers are all encountering this challenge), is the ability to retain, train and develop committed and skilled staff. People are at the epicentre of every business and it is the people that we need to spend most of our time working on to ensure they are not only skilled, meeting client expectations and following the values of the company, but that they are motivated, passionate and keen to stay with the company for the long term. Keeping people happy and nurtured I think is a Manager's biggest challenge of all, as without the right people a business is worthless.

How do you manage the generational differences in your staff?

The generational differences with my staff hasn't been that hard to manage at all to be honest, which has come as quite a surprise with the whole Gen Y vs Gen X debate being an ongoing one. I am lucky that I have secured a group of people of all ages who embrace the skill sets and experience of each other regardless of age. I have some staff who are only 19 and others who are 55 and above, all of whom respect one another's contribution to the team. I must admit I am one of these people who has always had friends of all ages and so I make it my business to foster a very inclusive' approach with my team as I would with my own friends not one person is better than the other. I am also of the old school of thought, that your elders are to be respected and their wisdom is not to be taken lightly and that younger people are to be trained and encouraged to ensure they get the best opportunity to achieve their dreams. This philosophy is something that all of my team hold dear to their hearts. Everyone has time to train the younger ones when they ask for help and everyone takes the more experienced ones amongst us opinions on board and respects their advice when it is given. This working together approach has meant the development of a very cohesive team environment.

Why did you decide to accept your nomination and enter the Management Excellence Awards?

I was a finalist in 2004 in this same category and came so close to winning and I really enjoyed being a part of the process as I learnt so much from it. When I was nominated for a second time I decided to give it another final go to see if I really had what it took to win and now looking back I am so glad I took up the challenge. Being a part of the MEA's has been extremely rewarding as I have learnt so much about my business, my management style, which I had never really sat back and assessed before and also about the people I have surrounded myself with in business. It's amazing when you take the time to reflect on your achievements in business, as I don't think we do it often enough, we are always tied up doing the next big thing and moving onto the next big project without taking the time to sit back and give ourselves a pat on the back and say well done. Being a part of the MEA's did that for me, it gave me the opportunity to realise how much I had accomplished and also to share my award with the people who matter most to me, my family, my team and my colleagues.

What has being a finalist/winner in your region meant for you as a Manager?

Being a Winner in my region has meant a long line of publicity which has been fabulous promotion for both myself professionally and the business as a whole. It has also meant I have been asked to speak at many events to tell of my management style and what it takes to be a successful Manager and Business Owner. What it has meant for the region I guess, is it has put the region on the map around the state as far as professional services and skilled people on offer go. We are often commended for our wonderful tourist attractions in FNQ, but not very often for the people who live and work in the region. I think winning this award meant the people in the southern areas sat up and took notice as it was a first for the Management Excellence Awards to have this category taken out by a loud and proud Far North Queenslander.

Besides winning, what was the most enjoyable part of being a participant in the Management Excellence Awards?

Meeting all of the other category finalists and winners would definitely be the highlight of being involved in the MEA's. There are so many amazing and talented people out there across the state and it was so nice to be able to share ideas views and talk with people on the same wave length. Being a part of the MEA's is an experience I will treasure always.

Would you recommend entering the Management Excellence Awards to other managers? Why?

Absolutely, it is an experience that managers of all levels and professions should be a part of. If you believe you are at the top of your game, then get involved and see how you shape up out there in the regional and statewide arena you might be surprised by how well you fair. The people who run the MEA's also are great people who are there every step of the way for the nominees and finalists which is always comforting to know.

What would be your advice to managers who are undecided about nominating for the Management Excellence Awards?

Just do it! You won't regret it, even if you don't win, the process is fantastic and you will learn a lot along the way. Winning is always the aim I know, but you have to be in it to win it as they say, so get crackin' on filling out that nomination form!

Nominate online or call 07 3227 4805.

Nominations close 30 June 2007.