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Taggart Earthmoving constructs better leaders with Lumify Work

By Gerard Willems | 16 February 2024

Formed in the early 1950s by Ron Taggart, Taggart Earthmoving remains a family-owned business. It employs over 130 people, owns over 100 machines and runs nearly 40 trucks across three Christchurch depots.

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Taggart has played a role in some of Canterbury’s most significant construction projects and initiatives, contributing to multiple residential and commercial subdivisions, sports complexes, street reconstruction projects, and a host of important private developments.

Realising that continuing to grow the business means raising up leaders from within the team, they engaged with Lumify Work New Zealand (formerly known as Auldhouse) for leadership training.

Leading from the front

Paul Taggart, CEO of Taggart, firmly believes in the value of helping his team develop and consolidate their leadership skills.

“Leadership training not only adds value to our business but benefits the individual. No matter what industry you end up in, this kind of training will take your career further – especially given the shortage of candidates with well-developed soft skills at the management level.
“While leadership comes naturally to some people, many need help developing or refining their skills. It's exciting to see our people grow – training has been a real game changer for them and us.”

In 2022, Paul decided to invest in a major leadership training programme. Based on their reputation for excellence, Taggart contracted Lumify Work to deliver a one-year programme – which was later extended to 18 months.

A complete and comprehensive programme

Paul and Taggart's HR department identified the internal leadership skill gaps that needed to be addressed. The department then worked with Lumify Work to choose (and sometimes customise) the appropriate courses for the programme.

Lumify Work delivered weekly tailored training on 17 topics in two streams – one for Taggart’s junior leaders and the other for senior leaders. Throughout, junior leaders were mentored by senior leaders, who were, in turn, mentored by the more experienced management team.

Training topics included presentation skills, negotiation skills, managing difficult conversations, running effective meetings, assertiveness and self-confidence, time management, problem-solving and decision-making, HR and facilitation skills, people leadership and supervision, communication, and delivering constructive criticism.

Fabulous feedback

“The feedback from both the junior and senior groups throughout the programme was excellent,” says Paul. “They were all very excited about the training and took away some valuable learnings. At the end of the programme, they gave a very impressive presentation to me and the rest of the senior management team, showcasing their development.”

Paul says the scores from the Reach Profile questionnaire (psychometric reporting) at the beginning and end of the leadership training showed significant improvement. “The difference in the team is like night and day in terms of attitude, especially for the junior team, and the way they now work with those around them.

“On a personal basis, I get a buzz out of seeing people grow in their careers, doing things outside their comfort zone and seeing them achieve new goals.”

The leadership programme also received a big thumbs-up from attendees, many of whom commented that the programme made a massive contribution to their development as confident leaders and decision-makers while improving their ability to manage relationships within the business.

Taggart’s junior and senior leaders praised their trainer and her ability to engage, understand and motivate. Paul was likewise impressed with Lumify Work’s trainer, who he says was “amazing.” “She did an incredible job. She really understands what makes people tick and how to get the best out of them.”

A worthwhile investment

Paul says that Taggart’s trust in Lumify Work has paid off, and they plan to engage in more leadership training courses in NZ – again, customised to meet their needs. “Training is an investment in employee loyalty – it shows our people that we care about them and their futures.”

“The construction industry generally isn’t known for investing in professional leadership training. However, we take great pride in our reputation for professionalism and hold ourselves accountable for maintaining very high standards,” says Paul. “We see genuine value in the training Lumify Work delivered, from our people delivering good work to happier customers.”

Training up leaders with Lumify Work

Leadership training in NZ can help you empower your team and leaders from within the ranks. They help staff learn and practice soft skills for managing relationships with people – the wider team, clients, partners, or vendors.

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Programmes can be designed around your specific needs. Whatever course you choose, you will see instant results in your business. Featured partners include ENS and PD Training, as well as courses developed in-house by Nexacu and Lumify Work.

Lumify Work New Zealand (formerly Auldhouse) is ANZ’s leading provider of corporate IT and professional development training with partnerships from the world's top technology vendors.

Popular professional development courses from Lumify Work include:

AMA Certified Professional in Management® (AMA-CPM®)
Learn and practice foundational management skills and prepare for the AMA Certified Professional in Management (AMA-CPM) exam. Explore the skills required for well-rounded, successful managers in today’s business environment. These skills are based on the comprehensive Management Body of Knowledge (MBOK®).

Leadership Communication Styles
Uncover communication blind spots, identify your natural style and implement strategies to regulate emotions. This, in turn, creates a more harmonious and productive workplace.

Demystifying Vendor Management
This course is ideal for the Information Technology (IT) Professional who needs to achieve the best value from vendor and partner relationships.

Managing the Virtual Workplace
This course teaches managers and team leaders how to prepare employees for the virtual workplace, create telework programmes, build virtual teams, leverage technology, and overcome cultural barriers.

Presentation Skills (PDPRS)
Gain in-depth knowledge and skills in planning, preparing, and delivering genuinely engaging presentations. Learn how to use specific tools and techniques for presentation creation and delivery, enabling you to conduct powerful presentations that engage your audience every time.

Business Writing for the Digital Era
Learn how to create business documents in the modern workplace, which considers media like email and SMS, and how to best align your message with the proper documentation and device.

Coaching and Mentoring
This course teaches one how to properly implement essential personal and professional goal-setting techniques, develop career options, overcome personal obstacles, build trust and give critical feedback.

Dealing with Difficult People in the Workplace (PDDDP)
Learn how to discover the root causes of conflict, how certain behaviours impact others, and learn specific strategies to deal with difficult people appropriately. Whether it's a conflict involving customers, staff, or management, you'll be equipped with the tools and techniques to approach others, resolve, and prevent further issues.

Crafting your own leadership training programme in NZ

Lumify Work offers flexible learning solutions with Lumify Anywhere. We aim to make it easy for you and your teams to access the best learning solutions.

When you opt for in-person and classroom arrangements, you can visit one of our ten fully equipped training campuses (with 60 classrooms). Find our campuses in key business centres around Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines.

In New Zealand, you can visit us in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. If time or distance prevents you from coming to us, we can train your team on your premises or deliver state-of-the-art remote instructor-led training. Full HD video and audio create a virtual classroom experience and access to our expert instructors.

Delivery modalities provided by Lumify Anywhere include: