CEO series delves into the ‘new organic’ of leadership in New Zealand
It’s not unusual for some of New Zealand’s CEOs to find themselves in the media for all the wrong reasons – criticised
for their high salaries and scrutinised over performance – but a locally made online video series, Up-close-and-personal
with NZ’s leading, visionary CEOs by Auckland Inspiration and Communications Agency, Real-TV, is discovering a body of
leaders who are genuinely intent on making the world a better place, starting at home.
Since February, Real-TV has conducted interviews with Mike Bennetts, CEO Z Energy, Nick Astwick, CEO Southern Cross
Health Society, Vic Crone, CEO, Callaghan Innovation, Sam Stubbs, Managing Director Simplicity and Marc England, CEO
Genesis Energy amongst others
Real-tv director and the person fronting the ‘informal’ video interviews with some of New Zealand’s leading CEOs, Kim
Goodhart, said she was delighted to find a body of leaders who are self-aware, who care about doing something that is
good and who are led by a vision to build something that makes a positive difference.
“Everybody makes mistakes and experiences failure, but a common theme from the CEOs we have interviewed, is that it is
easier to keep these risks in perspective when they have a solid ‘why’ – a meaningful vision and purpose that they are
trying to achieve,” Goodhart said.
“We’re seeing a new generation of leaders who want to create, to build and to achieve something that makes the world a
better place, such as finding solutions to carbon emissions, dairy farming and housing shortages – some of the very real
challenges confronting New Zealand.”
For example, Genesis Energy CEO, Marc England, wants to change the way consumers interact with energy, by paying more
attention to how they use and manage their own energy consumption. Southern Cross Health Society CEO, Nick Astwick,
wants to build an organisation that is focused on health assurance, rather than insurance – with more emphasis on daily
health and wellbeing rather than just being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.
As preparation for the video series, Goodhart asked more than 4,500 people what they admired in a CEO. A common theme
that came out of the research was that people respond more positively to a CEO based on how they behave outside of work.
“If a CEO is good with his or her family, has a good work/life balance and was supportive of their people achieving the
same balance, they were more likely to be respected and liked by their people. Those CEOs who work hard to create
something that really benefits customers were also most likely to inspire their people.
“The CEOs themselves are most aware of the changing world we’re living in and none of them – so far – believe that the
old dictatorial style of leadership is relevant in today’s world; not when a company is trying to come up with new
solutions to current challenges,” Goodhart said.
CEOs and managers today have to make it their priority to bring out the best in people, where work is more closely
experienced as personal development rather than just work.
“The old mechanistic model of leadership was more about alpha males stomping around the organisation and telling people
what to do. A new breed of CEO is following a more organic model that is inclusive and takes greater advantage of
workplace diversity,” Goodhart said.
The video series, Up-close-and-personal with NZ’s leading, visionary CEOs featuring informal interviews with leading New
Zealand CEOs is expected to continue for between two and three years to capture real insights into how leadership is
evolving in New Zealand.
For more information, visit www.real-tv.co.nz
Or check out the video interviews at https://bit.ly/2QUj8yu
ABOUT REAL-TV
Real-TV is an inspiration and communication agency that partners with passionate leaders to help them turn their vision
into a reality.
Based in Auckland, the company works with organisations throughout New Zealand and abroad.
Director Kim Goodhart
Kim holds an MA (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Edinburgh. Kim became interested in the hero story while
studying screenwriting with UCLA.
Kim is particularly passionate about vision-led organisational transformation and culture change and has worked with
some iconic New Zealand companies in this area, including Southern Cross Healthcare and BNZ.
Director Reuben Pillsbury
Reuben's mission is to inspire and educate people through storytelling. He has directed and produced prime-time TV shows
and documentaries for the past 15 years. His work has screened in over 100 countries. He was a winner of the Best
Reality TV Series at the NZ Screen and TV awards.
Reuben's shows have been finalists at the awards several times, and he also judged various categories in the awards for
six years. A past board member of the NZ Screen Directors Guild, Reuben completed post-graduate studies in fine art at
the New York Studio School. He has a B.A. (first class) from Bard College.
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