A recent Scaling Up workshop involving Laing+Simmons’ principals has reinforced the network’s renewed focus on collaboration.
Laing+Simmons’ principals, owners and members of the corporate team gathered at the new Taronga Zoo Wildlife Retreat for the workshop and while the focus was planning for growth, the difference was the spirit of collective growth.
The workshop, based on the methodology of internationally renowned business growth expert Verne Harnish, jolted many principals to stand back and consider their vision and values with a view to formalising their long-term growth goals.
The event addressed the sentiment of many that, in the day-to-day frenzy of listing, selling and leasing, long term business planning was taking a back seat.
“This was not a conference but a truly interactive workshop in which all principals opened their individual businesses up to collaborative scrutiny,” Laing+Simmons CEO Leanne Pilkington said.
“The objective for each was to formalise their growth goals, business vision and core values, and then establish long-term plans to achieve these.”
Ms Pilkington noted in some cases, business plans were tinkered with and in others, they were overhauled.
“There were plenty of watershed moments, hard truths were revealed, and epiphanies were realised,” she reflected.
“But overwhelmingly, what we realised was that planning for tomorrow was being superseded in priority by the immediate needs of today.
“The lesson for everyone became clear: irrespective of the frenetic nature of a hot market, businesses must establish an appropriate path that will deliver their own individual definition of long-term success.
“This will be achieved in individual businesses through better engagement between the team, setting a long-term vision, understanding and articulating the values and culture, and ultimately, making time to plan and benchmark progress.
“The willingness to share ideas, strategies and even mistakes among the principals will support the growth of each individual business as well as the collective group. This is the collaboration we wanted to foster when we assumed the ownership of Laing+Simmons,” Ms Pilkington said.
