Culture and capability breeds success

Napier Port culture and capability manager Viv Bull is the winner of the Linden Estate Leadership Award at the Westpac HB Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

Napier Port staff were struggling to effect change needed for growth, says Napier Port Culture and Capability manager Viv Bull.

The winner of the Linden Estate Leadership Award at the Westpac Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Awards last year said when she was hired five years ago her brief for the new role was to grow a culture of engagement for growth.

"Engagement with staff to get them connected into the port, its vision and where management were taking it," she said.

She leads the management of human resource management at Napier Port, including talent development, employee well-being, safety and culture. She also oversees the port's communications, sponsorship and community engagement.

Past roles for the organisational psychologist and former HR manager included time with the Department of Corrections, KPMG and the State Services Commission.

She was experienced in organisational change and negotiating with unions, but she had a steep learning curve in her new work environment.

"I knew very little about the port's operational logistics environment, so it was a very new place for me.

"I went around and talked to people, saying I am available and could I just come in to have a chat about what you think about your job, what you think works really well here and what you think needs to work better.

"It was really about me understanding their environment and where they were at - seeing things through their eyes.

"It enabled me to look at all those different perspectives of the port and try to find some commonalities and themes - create a picture of where the port was at and where the priorities needed to be.

"What I found was people were very connected - very engaged with their roles. Many people had been there a very long time and were passionate about their jobs. The disconnect was more with management, the decisions being made and where the port was going.

"Divisions were across the port really, a classic case of silos. Engagement both vertically and horizontally needed to be a lot greater."

The port wasn't "change agile".

"Things would take longer. Change was happening but not as smoothly and efficiently as it could have - things weren't going to plan."

She said ports had a strong union tradition yet Napier Port didn't have a "proactive" union strategy, which she put in place "recognising the role of our unions and accepting the fact that they were there and important to our workplace".

"We have one very large collective employment, with smaller ones as well, all for a workforce at the time of 150 people that was quite complex, quite traditional. So there was quite a bit of work to do gaining trust, building relationship at a national and local level with our unions.

"I'm essentially the company's representative in those negotiations whereas prior to that the company outsourced the work - a company came in and was essentially the port's mouthpiece. So there was quite a shift in focus on how we did that.

"There used to be protracted and drawn-out conversations - arguing about rats and mice - and we now achieve settlement. Both parties walk away from the table feeling good about the process and the outcome. So I think it's been a definite shift in the way we deal with our unions that sends a signal to our people represented by those unions."

She said while there were a number of females at the port "a female in a senior position certainly was unusual".

"I guess I have a different perspective, so bringing my colleagues along with me has been a big part of this journey. It has been a six-year process so I think the relationships we enjoy in our senior team are positive."

She said changing culture to enable growth was a team effort but the people at the head of the port were the ones that have the greatest impact on their culture on a day to day basis.

An increasing number of people were visiting Napier Port "to see what we have done".
When asked for a challenge in her role she said supporting the use of the collaborative SharePoint application in the port's intranet was sometimes a struggle.

"That sounds like a simple one but it had been viewed as a technology project when actually it is more of a social project. It is a great opportunity for staff to engage with the port."

It would also help keep night shift staff "connected and engaged".

"A lot of my work is supporting other people to do things - giving a push here and a nudge there and a bit of dragging and pulling.

"SharePoint is one project that has taken a long time and we are at the point where we are going to implement it. Now people are wildly excited about it, whereas previously if you said the name of the project it would cause people's eyes to roll back in their head."

Aligning the port for growth has come at a good time - Napier Port is seeing significant volume growth thanks to earthquake damage at Wellington's Centreport. Napier Port could immediately respond to the extra cargo because it is geared to coping with the autumn spike in apple exports. The spike is fast approaching but chief executive Garth Cowie said he is confident the port will cope.

Ms Bull said growth was complex for a port because of the major up-front investment in infrastructure.

"The complexity of growth is a real challenge for our whole senior management team and board. Growing is complex. Downsizing is a straightforward process and not downsizing is quite straightforward - but growing is a lot more challenging for the company to be able to grow in a timely way and to grow sustainably.

"We can invest millions into cranes and forklifts and paving but it makes no difference if the people aren't using that technology, giving us their ideas, giving us their commitment and feeling like they are part of what is going on.

"People absolutely feel a part of what is going on and are passionate about the port and its future."

She said has worked in big and small companies, but always in main centres and noticed a marked regional difference.

"People are very connected into Hawke's Bay and therefore doubly connected into the port.

"Working here is an opportunity to work for a key enabler for our region. That makes the port different. You also have intergenerational staff here - grandfathers, fathers, daughters and people that have been here for a very long time. That makes it quite different."

The port's nomination of her for the Business Awards said she has led the transformation of Napier Port's culture "from a highly-formalised labour structure and segregated workforce to an open and totally engaged staff".

"She believes in the empowerment of people and has led the way in investing in training and development of individuals to improve the dynamic of the company. Her ability to get the best out of every one of 250-plus staff, to motivate them and to encourage them is without peer."

"Unlike too many senior executives in large corporates, she believes change must start at the top and filter throughout the company. She has worked tirelessly to educate both Board and Senior Management Team members to provide the framework for continued Health and Safety success.

With 526 lost-time injury-free days followed by another period of 650 days in her five years at the port her success was "evident and unquestionable".

She was also credited with being the driving force for the establishment of a state-of-the-art crane-training simulator facility at Napier Port, providing a unique national resource.

"Make no bones about it, the New Zealand waterfront is still dominated by white, middle-aged, middle and senior managers. Viv's ability to empower woman around her to achieve greater success and recognition is widely recognised within the industry. Within Napier Port, the calibre of women employed is of the highest standard and they are achieving more and more in leadership roles. Viv is an inspiration to many women in the industry."