The event consisted of an informal discussion section with Sara Venning, CEO of Northern Ireland Water, all about the company and some really helpful insighs into leadership (more on this later). There was then a presentation by Thomas Kelly, Operations Manager at NIW, all about what a successful Rising Star looks like (it's a lot of work to get the most out of the programme!). Next was a Westland House lab tour then a tour of Whitehouse Sewage Treatment Works. The day finished with Anthony Lynn, Head of NIW Communications and Corporate Affairs, delivering a presentation on the annual conference.
I wanted to share with you some things I learned from the event. In preparation for it, I did quite a bit of research about Northern Ireland Water as I knew it operates differently from the water utilities I am used to. Feel free to delve into this research here. Also, here's more on what I learned, specifically from Sara Venning.
The Leadership Advice of a CEO
- Be a finisher and a doer- someone who sees a project to completion
- You should be someone who reports on the progress of a project
- Do not be not afraid to volunteer
- If you want to be a leader, you have to be a person who likes people. You have to want to deal with them.
- Orgainsation is key
- Keep going, even when it’s hard and you’re busy. Even if it is just for 6 months, try it and see how it goes.
- Go to events that will be beneficial to you, that will be important to the company. Know why you are going.
In summary, my favourite bit of the event was meeting Sara. I would have quite happily spent all day doing an informal discussion with her and the others Rising Stars. She was very approachable and honest. I am really glad she is our programme lead for the year.
Here's my Belfast postcard from my second Rising Stars event 29/01/20.
