To build strategic awareness and influencing skills to become a more rounded leader and lead Cadent through the transition to a greener future.
Cadent Gas is the UK’s largest gas distribution network. Brent Tattam, Head of Operate and Maintain (O&M) is a true specialist with an excellent understanding of how to operate Cadent’s London Network in accordance with their safety regulations and legislation. Brent’s function was going through significant change. He needed to navigate this change while motivating and driving his team to remain high-performing. He also wanted to influence the wider business to ensure London O&M were positioned to be the best achieving function.
Read situations more accurately
Get my point across faster and with more punch
Provide a clear vision to drive a high performing team
Use techniques learned to influence both my colleagues and the senior leadership team
Fully-understand my role as a leader and adopt a more rounded leadership style
Manage my time to achieve a better work/life balance
“It has helped me understand my role as a leader, in doing so allowing me to manage my time, ensuring a better work-life balance. It’s also been a discovery of my own personal beliefs… the main benefit for me is now understanding how to get the best out of individuals that in turn creates a highly motivated team. As a leader I can provide a clear vision to drive a high performing team, I also have techniques to influence my colleagues and the senior leadership team.”
Objectives
- To develop his self-awareness and strengthen his emotional intelligence
- To heighten his resilience when understanding how to deal with challenges and solving problems
- To articulate his message clearly and build his influencing toolkit to achieve the company vision
- To enhance his abilities and skills to lead, motivate and drive his high-performing team to successfully navigate change and remain high-performing
Our Approach
After an initial chemistry meeting with two of our coaches, Brent contracted to a programme of 12 hours of coaching support with Aziz coach Ian. The first and last session involved his line manager to agree and review his objectives. The coaching sessions focused on:
- Brent’s vision for Cadent Gas and his role in communicating this to others.
- Emotional intelligence to gain greater awareness of self and others and flex behaviours and approaches to include others with different personality preferences.
- Strengthening self-confidence by exploring drivers, growth mindset, beliefs, biases and behaviours – especially on stage and in exec meetings.
- Practising storytelling skills to influence the wider business, boosting connection and conviction in front of others.
- Increasing resilience by focusing on breathing, meditation and presence and addressing work-life balance issues.
- Discovering resources and perspectives to face challenges and move from having skills to having influence.
Outcomes
With a heightened awareness, Brent was more aware of his blind spots and discovered that his own personal beliefs and personality traits were impacting his leadership approach. He learnt:
- to better read situations and respond more considerately
- skills to get his point across faster and with more punch
- techniques to influence colleagues and the senior leader team
- to fully understand his role as a leader, providing a clear vision and driving a high-performing team
“It’s been a discovery of my own personal beliefs… the main benefit for me is now understanding how to get the best out of individuals that in turn creates a highly-motivated team.”
Brent Tattam, Head of O&M, Cadent Gas
“Brent was highly coachable, because he is ambitious but also open to new ways of thinking and collaborating with others – two characteristics that are not always correlated. Knowing that you don’t have all the answers, and demonstrating a willingness to try new approaches, are essential markers of modern leadership, where change, challenge and ambiguity are the only constants. I am confident Brent will be a great role model for others – inside and outside the business.”
Ian McKechnie, Influencing and Impact Executive Coach
