Local Government emerging leaders celebrated

Late last month Taituarā celebrated achievement with its annual Excellence Awards, recognising the mahi, innovation, and dedication of Aotearoa’s local government professionals.

AskYourTeam is proud of our partnerships with councils across the country, and we are committed to supporting the sector, and our clients to deliver great outcomes for their communities.

No other organisation has such a close and daily relationship with their customers and community as local government. With services like rubbish collection, libraries, pools, roading, three waters and infrastructure, parks, housing, consents, and environmental management, the touchpoints are many, varied, and frequent.

The sector can be a challenging, but it also offers the opportunity to make a significant difference to the lives of many and deliver transformational change. We know that the past two years have been challenging for council leaders to navigate COVID-19, continue to deliver services, as well as focus on the wellbeing of their people.

At AskYourTeam, we focus on helping leaders to develop their skills and connections with people, so they can become more effective, inspire trust, build organisational culture, and lift performance.

That’s why we are proud to support Taituarā, and celebrate success and potential in the sector, with the AskYourTeam Emerging Leader Award. This year there are two winners.

That’s why we are proud to support Taituarā, and celebrate success and potential in the sector, with the AskYourTeam Emerging Leader Award.

Please join us in congratulating Natasha Stubbing, Marketing and Engagement Manager, Northland Regional Council, and Shyamal Ram, General Manager Infrastructure Services, Waitomo District Council.

Natasha impressed the judges with her high performance, work ethic and commitment to her community. Described as a natural leader, she is an influencer and collaborator, focusing on what’s right for everyone. Her mahi demonstrates what can be achieved for the community with a combination of collaboration, creativity, and aroha. This mindset combined with her record of delivering results for both the organisation and community is behind Northland Regional Council’s nomination.

Shyamal was nominated for his outstanding work delivered for the communities of Ashburton and Waitomo district councils. He has a mature leadership style, promotes collaboration, and is always willing to share his knowledge and experience. During his career, he has delivered several complex projects, improvised systems, and fostered relationships with iwi and other stakeholders. Shyamal genuinely believes in serving the community, and one of his passions is to lead projects with multi-generational benefits, demonstrating his long-term commitment. His approach goes well beyond mere service delivery.

Later this year Natasha and Shyamal will travel with the Taituarā President and Chief Executive to the 108^th ICMA (International City/County Management Association) conference in Columbus, Ohio. It promises unparalleled leadership and professional development, networking, and best-in-class programming for the local government community.

We hope this experience will open many doors, and jump start the next stage of Natasha’s and Shyamal’s leadership journeys.