As New Zealand businesses started settling into this new reality, Mi9 reached to some local and global thought leaders to understand their level of optimism and their views on a future outlook. From Air New Zealand to JUCY, the insights have been intriguing.
Leeanne Langridge - Senior Management, Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the flag carrier airline of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 32 international destinations in 20 countries, primarily around and within the Pacific Rim. No one sector has been hit so hard by the pandemic than tourism and the airline industry, therefore the Mi9 team were privileged to speak to Air New Zealand General Manager Cabin Crew, Leeanne Langridge. Leeanne has travelled extensively, living in Canada, UK and Europe, returning to New Zealand to join Air New Zealand where she began her career as a flight attendant. Over her 35-year career with Air New Zealand, she has worked her way up the organisation through a variety of middle management roles and is now in a senior management position. Her most recent roles include General Manager Direct Sales which has responsibility for lounges, parking and valet, retail stores and contact centres and General Manager Cabin Crew which has accountability for Air New Zealand’s 3000 cabin crew.
We spoke to Leeanne on her thoughts about the future and we were blown away by her transparency, heart-warming and authentic update on the Air New Zealand brand, their leadership, trials and tribulations and how they remain inspired by their CEO and leader Greg Foran.
This video had us all inspired at Mi9. Enjoy it!
Ashley Andrew - Sales & Marketing Executive, JUCY
If you are an avid traveler and live in New Zealand you definitely know (and love), the JUCY brand. JUCY started in 2001 with 20 cars in Auckland and is now a global brand that has campervan and car hire across New Zealand, Australia and the USA. Plus, pod-style accommodation and cruises in New Zealand.
Mi9 spoke to Ashley Andrew who has been working for the JUCY Group over the past three and a half years. Ashley has over six years of experience in marketing and promotions. She has worked for iconic Kiwi and Australian brands leading their events, marketing and social media strategy. Currently she looks after the domestic marketing and sales for Australia. In her video, Ashley shares more about how the tourism brand, JUCY, have been operating during and post-COVID-19. Plus, how the future is looking bright!
To find out more about this iconic brand and what’s on their horizon Ashley’s video can be viewed here.
Cordelia Gaffar - Emotions Opener Transformation Strategist
Cordelia Gaffar is the Emotions Opener Transformation Strategist guiding woman leaders to use their darkest and most difficult emotions to show up powerfully. After leaving her corporate career as a controller for an IT start-up, she went on to become an author and coach. Cordelia is the Powerhouse Global Best Podcast Host of 2019 in the UK and the ACHI magazine Volunteer of the Year and finalist for Top Influencer and Orator of the Year. She is also the best-selling co-author of America’s Leading Ladies: who positively impact the world with several other dynamic women. So far in 2020, she has hit best seller again with the 1 Habit for Success SmartFem Edition by Lea Woodford and has been selected Ambassador of Peace by INSPAD and Director for the USA chapter. Her own book related to her Replenish Me Process will be released later in 2020.
So it made absolute sense that Mi9 would want to talk to this inspiring thought leader on what a bright future means for people post or during the COVID-19 crisis. Cordelia has shared her insights on how to stay positive, what companies or brands need to do more or less of to inspire their people and be attuned to their emotional well-being and provide support.
Cordelia says, “The past three months have revealed our true selves. Globally we have grieved, pivoted, redefined, strengthened and become more clear on our vision individually and as humanity. Companies who may have been resistant to remote working adjusted or folded. Brick and mortar companies found strategic ways to pivot. The solopreneurs were faced with a major work life balance reassessment. I’ve witnessed large companies in the United States where I live, offer open forums to discuss the challenges of suddenly being parent, employee and trapped at home all at once. Ultimately, companies are redefining their values and being more resourceful noticing higher productivity amongst employees working at home”.
Cordelia does state that to what extent this will all affect commercial real estate, since the need for office space is now in question, she cannot be certain, but she is optimistic for a bright future.
She further goes on to unpack how she arrived at this conclusion. “Because of the humanity that is surfacing; for example, in May another Black man was brutally killed by the police in America. In conversation with my connections from the UK, Europe as well as the States, for the first time the hearts of White men were affected. I spoke with no less than ten White men who admitted to crying on the heels of the 8:40 video circulating. I have also been in a number of community stop and listen type conversations to understand our collective human experiences. Why is this happening now? Finally we are still enough to see ourselves and by extension each other”
Cordelia is a firm believer that simple self-awareness can’t happen when you are constantly in motion. Her hope is that it has changed our default state to “pause for the cause” when something seems off rather than to return to our zombified state.
To read Cordelia’s full article visit https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/the-way-forward-in-healing/.
Her full video can also be seen on YouTube at https://youtu.be/VGLskBWPKKs
