Trailblazing leadership and innovation

By Kim Newth, Business North Magazine

Established 65 years ago, New Zealand’s first organisational psychology and executive recruitment practice, Sheffield, is an enduringly successful business leader in New Zealand’s human resources sector.

Key to Sheffield’s longevity is a sustained record of practical innovation coupled with a strong sense of purpose, summed up by its ethos Kākano Rangatira. Pua Anamata. Sourcing leaders. Shaping futures.

“We’ve created a culture internally that really believes in that purpose,” says Ian Taylor, Managing Director, Sheffield North Island, who first joined the practice in 1991.

“It’s fair to say that the level of professionalism in the business, a real care for purpose and a real care for candidates and their career journey as well as the client’s journey and the performance of their organisation as a whole really drives our business. We’re not a transactional business, unlike many in our sector that have come and gone through the years.”

Sheffield sees executive search practice, organisational development and remuneration as three interlinked elements, all vital in good decision-making.

As Ian observes, placement of talented leaders is just one component in a bigger performance picture involving how organisations are structured, how systems work and how people perform and are rewarded.

“Ultimately, the vision we share is to ensure that New Zealand is well led so that the standard of leadership practice, both in the public and private sector, is such that the country as a whole continues to progress.”

Sheffield founder Malcolm Sheffield launched the business that still bears his name in 1961, after completing a Master’s degree in Psychology and gaining experience in government departments where psychologists were part of the workforce.

He saw the value of bringing research and behavioural insights to bear in recruitment. Sheffield was one of the first in New Zealand to develop rigorous, competency-based assessment models, defining what success in a role required.

In the early 2000s, Sheffield was selected to represent DDI, then one of the world’s leading talent management consultancies as its exclusive New Zealand partner.

As Ian observes, no single evaluative tool can predict performance but the guesswork can be considerably reduced by carrying out well-conducted client and consultant interviews, psychometric and bio data assessments and well-structured reference checks aligned to the core competencies required for success in a particular role.

“If you are consistent in how you evaluate candidates based on your understanding of what ‘good’ looks like for the role you’re recruiting for, then you can be reasonably accurate in ensuring that the person who is chosen will perform in that role. At Sheffield, we’re very clear about what success looks like.”

Sheffield at 65 is respected nationwide as a trusted advisor on senior executive appointments for key government and private-sector organisations. The firm’s commitment to diversity is consistently upheld in its daily practice, spanning executive search, assessment, leadership advisory and governance.

For example, women made up almost half of all executive appointments in the past 12 months.

The firm’s commitment to candidate care is deeply grounded in manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.

Beyond its client work, Sheffield continues to invest in its wider leadership vision, for example through sponsorship of the Sheffield Emerging Leader of the Year Award at the LGFA Taituarā Local Government Excellence Awards.

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