A few weeks ago I cycled The Ridgeway, an 87 miles long ancient trackway that runs from near Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire. My three friends and I completed it as a challenge and to raise money for Cancer Research. To put this challenge in context, the route is nearly all off road and last year, when the four of us decided to do it, we had barely set foot on mountain bikes before.
The new journey
Through the entire experience, the thing that stood out most to me about our Ridgeway adventure was the teamwork; motivating each other to get out for training rides (even in the weeks of lockdown when we couldn’t head out together) and then throughout the weekend, encouraging each other up the hills (and there were lots!). For all of us, it was a huge physical and mental challenge, and one we wouldn’t have got through without each other.
As it turns out, being buffeted by the wind all weekend provided an excellent opportunity for reflection and the challenge itself, in some way, drew a parallel to a recent conclusion I’d formed professionally. A few months ago, I was forced to start searching for a new role and in figuring out where next to take my career, I also had to evaluate what was truly important to me in joining a new business. One of the perks of recruitment is flexibility, so I was fortunate enough to have options to weigh; do I set up by myself, with a previous colleague, join another small boutique, or go back to a large global firm. What I realised during my search was, critical to my happiness is having a good team around me and, if the people and culture were right, the size/shape/specialism of the firm was less important.
Finding the ‘right fit’
Having worked in the recruitment industry for over 20 years, I’ve been a part of a wide range of teams, seen numerous leadership styles, and have even built my own. What’s clear, is that leaders who are able to foster the spirit of teamwork and collaboration see the benefits; increase innovation, high-performance, better creativity and lateral thinking, to name a few. The reason I chose to join Dartmouth Partners was that the spirit of integrity and teamwork are the heart of the business. In looking to take my own career forward and build out an Asset Management recruitment business, there was no doubt for me that this was the place to do it.
It’s this spirit of teamwork that over the years, I’ve grown adept at finding and fostering in the businesses I work with; both in existing teams and in creating ones anew. Firms in the investment management space, similarly to recruitment, come in all shapes and sizes, with cultures that are as unique as the business itself.
Over the last few years, we’ve spoken a lot about “fit” and its importance is well understood. What is also important, potentially even more so, is finding talent that is not only going to understand your culture but bring to the table the diversity of thought that will enable your team to make powerful decisions that are truly going to take your business forward. If you’re looking for support in building out your team, one that is diverse, high-performing, and contributes to your organisational sense of belonging, get in touch – I’d love to help.