Andrew Wadsworth: Twin goals, sustainability and balance

Hometown

Wellington-born and Whakatane-raised.

Hobbies and interests

My life changed dramatically on 29 December 2008, when I became a father of twins, Luke and Samantha. It is what takes up most of my time outside of work - it is tough but great fun, and puts life in perspective.

Sport is my other passion. In my younger days I played competitive cricket, squash and golf. Now my sport activities are generally confined to watching what appears on TV!

My companies and other roles

I am the Bayfair Shopping Centre Manager in Mount Maunganui. Most of my career has been in finance roles, but it is the management of and interaction with people that I enjoy most.

My favourite time of the day is, and why...

Walking in the door after work and seeing the kids smile and giggle.

I really enjoy...

My new family life, but also the peace and quiet when the twins are asleep.....this generally means dinner and a glass of wine.

How do you go about balancing the requirements of work, family and social life?

For me, family always comes first. I want to be involved in everything my kids do. I balance this with work by being contactable via mobile, taking my laptop home to check emails, and empowering my team to make decisions in my absence.

What does the recession mean to you? How are you responding to it personally and professionally?

The recession is a chance for everyone to take a step back and re-focus on what's important. As our household is now down to one income, this has meant a stronger focus on where our money is spent - nappies are not cheap! Professionally it has meant working even more closely with retailers to find win/win solutions during a major shift in retail market conditions.

List a few of your recent accomplishments that you are proud of:

· Taking leadership of a new management team when AMP purchased 50 per cent of Bayfair in late 2006.

· The team winning the Bay of Plenty Sustainable Awards, and being a finalist at the NZ Sustainable Awards.

· Bringing the NZ Squash Open to Bayfair (NZ Open has not been played for the last 12 years).

You are saving the equivalent weight in waste of 240,000 hamburgers each year. Does this not cost you extra?

No , It definitely saves us money. Over the last six years our annual waste bill has decreased by 44 per cent -a great result considering waste-to-landfill costs have increased by an average 7 per cent every year. My hat goes off to my Operations Manager Steve Ellingford - his passion for sustainability has generated some great results.

What drove you to become involved in your industry?

When I was in London I worked as a Property Accountant for Waterstone's Booksellers. It was my first retail role and just clicked with me. With retail, the element of change means there is never a dull day.

I knew I was onto something when:

I got the opportunity to move out of a finance role into a centre manager role, which is all about managing relationships. I always knew I had people skills and after six months in the role I knew I had found the job I'd always been looking for.

My secret for getting things done is to:

Empower my team to make decisions on their own. Not only is this rewarding for them personally, they may make mistakes along the way. This is the best way to learn.

My darkest hour was when:

Singapore Airport in 2000 - my now-wife Angela and I had been going out for six months and she was leaving for London. As a farewell we had a week's holiday in Singapore, and I returned to New Zealand. It could have been over, but I think we both knew that we were meant to be together .Let's just say there were a lot of tears.

I came through it by:

Making a change in my life and getting out of my comfort zone. I lived in Rotorua and had a comfortable lifestyle. However, I saved for four months and followed Angela to London - the rest is history!

What would do if you were not ...

I have always wanted to own a bar/restaurant. Don't ask me why - it may have just been all the great pubs we visited while in London and Europe!

What do you do to cope with stress?

Exercise and spend time with my family and friends. A quiet drink with my wife always helps.

How many hours do you work each week?

I don't see working long hours as always being productive. We get things done as a team, which generally means we can all keep to a standard 40-hour week.

What is the most important piece of advice you'd give to people who are struggling to create a positive change in their lives?

Be open to change and to be willing to listen to and take on other people's ideas and suggestions.

What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn in life?

Becoming a father - nothing can prepare for this and a simple thing like going to visit friends can become a mission.

What separates successful people from unsuccessful people?

Thinking outside the square, and being open to new things.

What are the three most important personal qualities you've had to develop to become a leader?

· Act-learn-act-learn approach - a failure is only a failure if you do not learn from it.

· Team orientation - value the contribution each part of the business makes to the success.

· Honesty and openness - seek to understand rather than to be understood.

Who inspires you the most and why?

My wife - staying at home and looking after the twins is something I'll always admire her for.

Do you have a formal goal-setting process?

Yes - as an employee of AMP Capital Investors I sit down every year with my manager and establish a performance management agreement and a personal development plan. This sets my objectives for the current year and also looks at the skills I need and want to develop.

Have you ever been scared to .........? What did you do about it?

I have always been scared of public speaking. I did a presentation course last year, which proved that I knew what I was doing and gave some great pointers in how to improve.

The parting shot:

Don't be scared of change - change can be good!

* Dwayne Alexander is founder of LiveMyGoals.