Welcome to the April edition of Leading Edge.
This month I want to reflect on the things that tie our community of managers and leaders together. Sports teams wear uniforms, and that is the physical representation of their ‘membership’. Apart from our post-nominals, we don’t have anything akin to a uniform. But what we do have are traits, attitudes and behaviours that identify us as Members of the Institute. I want to highlight those in this edition of Leading Edge.
Firstly, we are a community of professionals who should demonstrate the highest management and leadership standards — no question about it. Our Membership includes top managers in Australia and New Zealand who lead the region in expertise, experience and by example. It should be no surprise then that we would be a very sought-after group when it comes to recruiting the finest in our profession. That’s why the Institute has introduced a new service for our Members and others in the IML ANZ community – the IML ANZ Jobs Hub. This gives our Members the opportunity to apply for roles with businesses who value our professional excellence and for organisations to identify and hire top managers and leaders. Through this platform, you can post job ads or view existing ads for managers and leaders. You can enjoy discounts when you recruit using the platform (please use the code: IMLMEMDISC). I invite you to read the information included in this edition of the newsletter and explore the IML ANZ Jobs Hub.
Another defining quality of our community is that we genuinely care about the future of management and leadership. We demonstrate that through our top-rated mentoring program, Member Exchange. Cohort after cohort, our mentors and mentees form trusting, supportive mentoring relationships that ensure the voice of experience guides future leaders. In the past year, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of mentoring pairs. There is no stronger evidence of our care and concern for the profession of management and leadership than this commitment to supporting each other, especially when times are tough. If you haven’t been a mentor or mentee before, I encourage you to learn more about the program through the information in this month’s Leading Edge. I have personally found my role as a mentor on this program as a rewarding experience.
You can also identify an IML ANZ Member by their diverse professional network. Management is a unique profession in that we bond not through our technical knowledge but in our desire to further our ‘soft’ or people skills. Our Member networking events help us do just that. Not only do we interact with managers and leaders from a broad spectrum of technical fields, but we are united by the topics we discuss at these forums. Thus, we form connections that are unique in the professional world. I believe these events are truly invaluable and would love to see you at one of our upcoming networking events, whether that’s face-to-face or virtual. Please see this edition for more information on events near you.
Finally, we are defined by our expertise in management and leadership. Our Members are often respected experts in their field. We are always delighted to hear from our Members and create many opportunities to build their profiles as managers and leaders in the community. We could profile you in our Leadership Matters newsletter, feature your written contributions on crucial management topics on our blog, or you could even be a guest speaker at a networking event. If you want to build your professional profile or reach more of the IML ANZ Membership, please get in touch with us through the contact details included in this newsletter.
Although we don’t put on uniforms, our behaviours, actions, and attitude towards management and leadership mark us as Members of IML ANZ. Please keep identifying yourself in that way because the mark of great leadership always matters.
John Withers CMgr FIML
Chair of the Board
