Thank you to Adam Nabozny, Managing Director, Legal Services, NAHL Group plc for this interview. He is someone who is ‘walking the talk’ with the Nine Habits of Trust and is a valued member of our Trusted Executive Fellowship Board:–
Adam’s been with NAHL Group for two and a half years and is proud to work within a business that puts values at the heart of what it does. Along with a CEO that is happy to evangelise about the importance of strong values. For Adam, the Trusted Executive fits with the broader messaging and supports not only delivering in your day to day role but doing it in a way that aligns with the company ethos and value set. Adam spoke to us about the habit of consistency (Habit No.3) and the importance of this in his area of the business and among his team. Providing a grounding to deliver against business objectives and a platform for personal development.
Not just a box-ticking exercise
“To me, being consistent in approach is of crucial importance in a values-led organisation. Personal values shouldn’t, and in my case can’t, be switched on or off. Values help guide how we act both professionally and out of work and shape who we are and what we do. It’s no use being driven 80% of the time or being ‘unified’ on Tuesdays and Fridays, but not on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday. It’s challenging to be a little bit ‘curious,’ or partially ‘passionate,’ but as leaders, adopting a consistent approach enables people to know where they are and what to expect. It helps to engender trust in the working environment. An example of how I try to apply consistency in practice is in the structure and systems I adopt within my team. There is a focus on feedback, collaboration, and face to face discussions. Although often being physically away from the office, I still sit down with each of my team weekly to discuss the issues of the day. I feel this sort of interaction is essential in fostering good working relationships and helping to drive towards a common goal.”
Internal and external: it works both ways
“Another example is in the relationships I manage with our partner firms. Being consistent in how we approach and interact with our customers and partners is quite a simple thing to do, yet powerful in developing trust and good relationships. Straightforward basics such as responding quickly to queries, getting out and seeing people regularly and being open and honest are all factors that, applied consistently, help forge strong partnerships. While we all have our off days, I like to think I try my very best to live by my values and be as consistent as I can in my approach. This business isn’t like other organisations. Our approach to leadership isn’t about ticking boxes – we say what we intend to do, and we take the time to think about it and reinforce it with our teams. We advocate it at every level of the organisation. Part of the reason we’re driving success as a business is because of the team we have. We’re fortunate to have a group of people that believe in investing in its people, and people that are willing to embrace the culture and show belief in the direction we’re heading.”
If you’ve been inspired to understand your values and observe other leaders ‘walking the talk’ as Trusted Executives, find out more about our CEO community. As a first step on the journey of trust, individual and organisational trust surveys based on the nine habits are available. Please email info@trustedexecutive.com for further information.
[ First posted on johnblakey.co.uk ]
