KEY POINTS:
Brian Gibbons
CEO of The New Zealand Automobile Association
Your first job?
Office trainee for Todd Motors in Wellington. It was the late 60s and I recall proudly earning $45 per week. I was with Todd Motors for four years, progressing from office trainee to Todd Motor Industries' Financial Controller.
What did you learn?
Commitment and hard work. If you are going to do anything, do it well. Todd Motors put me through university part-time, in a record three years. With the desire to put in 100 per cent to my job during the day, invariably this meant a study regime commencing at 2am, finishing at sunrise.
What was your boss like?
Barry Sneddon was patient and supportive, especially making time available for me to attend lectures. I can't recall one instance of a raised voice.
Why did you leave?
With a young family, and having bought our first house, being offered the use of a company car and one as well for my wife was too tempting to resist. I left Todd Motors with a lot of regrets, and took up a role as the Finance Director for one of their leading dealerships.
Advice for someone starting out?
There is no substitute for hard work but the key advice is to develop interpersonal skills in the work place, and indeed life in general. I often cringe at how, within the same office, two individuals communicate by email when a more expedient way of achieving the dialogue is to get up from the screen and walk into the neighbouring office.
"Personality management" is about being honest, forthright and recognising that other people have sensitivities. Treat others as you would hope they would treat yourself; but again, you have to put in the hard yards if you want the remuneration rewards and the recognition that goes with success.
