Our incredible Management Team is made up of 7 amazing Swans. They are responsible for the day-to-day running of Indigo Swan, looking after our team of Swans as well putting together our business strategy and ensuring our business objectives are met. Some you may know already, others you may see less of, but today I want to introduce them all and tell you a little more about them.
As Managing Director, James (or Jimbo as he is also known) works on the strategic direction of the business, taking ultimate responsibility for our KPIs. He also plays a key role in implementing and maintaining our culture, alongside the rest of the Management Team, to help the Swans be the very best versions of themselves.
During lockdown he’s found maintaining our amazing Swan culture one of the biggest challenges. We’ve all been working remotely from home, which has meant at times it’s been hard to maintain our normal levels of engagement, compared to when we are all working alongside each other in the nest, but James believes it has brought us closer together in a lot of ways. “I am proud of how we have been able to do this over the last 6 months and the level of engagement we still have” James said.
One of the things James loves most about working at Indigo Swan is the sense of togetherness and the fact that he gets to work with an awesome bunch of people. His favourite value is ‘celebrate Individuality’. He said: “I love that we are all different, but we all get on so well. We are like a true family. We work because we embrace everyone’s strengths and work with each other to improve in the areas that need development. The one thing we have in common? We understand what it means to be a Swan.” I couldn’t agree more with this. Being a Swan is a way of life and something we are all very proud of. Much like James, I feel very lucky I get to work with an awesome bunch of people every day who make me smile and appreciate me for the person I am.
Otherwise known as Mr Hart, Lee’s role as Head of Knowhow is to keep the team and in turn our customers up to date with industry developments and energy market data. He is also in charge of developing and delivering our range of products.
When I asked Lee what he enjoys most about working at Indigo Swan he replied: “We have very high standards and are always looking to challenge how we work” which is very true. One of our values is ‘unflinching commitment to finding a better way’ which is all about not being limited by what we currently know and do. We like to think of ourselves as ambassadors for innovation and creativity, always looking for ways to improve.
For Lee being a good leader is being able to adjust management styles to get the best from individuals. “We are a very mixed bag of people, but we have the same common goal, which is to be exceptional.” Much like some of the other Swans Lee is looking forward to hopefully being able to have a holiday abroad next year free of concerns about Brexit and the coronavirus.
Halez joined the nest in 2018 and hasn’t looked back since. As Head of Finance she manages the financial reporting of the business. From day to day processes, monthly management accounts and year-end statutory preparation to assisting with strategic business decisions. Hayley loves the culture and support network we have at Indigo Swan. For her the Swans are more than just colleagues, they are friends.
One of the biggest challenges of lockdown for Hayley was not being surrounded by the Swans and working from her spare room. She said: “Being at home certainly has its perks of being around my boyfriend and stepdaughter more often and even though I am the same ‘me’ at home and in the office, I have struggled with not having that separation between the two environments. Despite the challenges I love that the Swans have stayed so connected and engaged, I am such a people person and am known in the nest for my love of hugs – I miss Swan hugs!”
Next year Hayley is looking forward to traveling more. She’s certainly made the most of local staycations when it’s been possible, but she can’t wait to venture further afield when the time is right. I thought Hayley’s favourite quote ‘Life is not a race; it is a journey. Enjoy every moment’ perfectly summed up her positive attitude and outlook on life. She always looks for the best in a situation and although she hasn’t been able to travel aboard this year, she’s enjoyed exploring new parts of the UK.
AK is one of our longest serving Swans having been with the company for 10 years. As Head of Operations he works closely with James to evaluate compliance issues and take appropriate actions to improve operational performance by developing and implementing actions to improve internal processes.
Like many, one of the things AK’s has struggled with the most during lockdown is being able to switch off from work and relax. At times it can be difficult enough to do this in a ‘normal’ working environment let alone when we are working from home, so it’s no surprise that one of the things he is looking forward to in 2021 is getting back into the office.
AK’s favourite quote is one by JF Kennedy and I thought it rang true about the way we operate at Indigo Swan: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.”
Tom is our Head of Client Services. It’s his role to ensure the Client Services team achieve a high level of service by ensuring they have the skills and processes in place to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Tom has been at the nest for just over 3 years and is looking forward to a bit of normality in 2021. Fingers crossed it isn’t too long until we are all back working in the nest together again, laughing and giving each other words of encouragement.
For Tom in order to be a good leader you should be prepared to learn about your teams interests so they can be treated as individuals – something you can tell is very important to him. He spends time both inside and away from the nest getting to know the rest of the Swans and shares his passions and interests with everyone.
Managing a team of 7 Swans remotely has had its challenges for Tom during lockdown but him and the rest of the team have taken on additional responsibilities and kept on top of workloads extremely well. When I asked Tom what he loved most about working at Indigo Swan he replied: “I love the fact that I have been given the opportunity to further my career by managing a team.”
Mrs K, also known as Coach K around the nest has been at Indigo Swan for 5 and a half years. Aimee looks after our team of Energy Contract Enthusiast’s whilst ensuring our clients always receive exceptional service. Part of her role is to work with some of our key accounts to develop their energy procurement strategy.
When I asked Aimee what her favourite Indigo Swan value was, she replied with ‘we celebrate individuality’ as in her eyes no Swan, supplier or client is the same and they all require individual attention and understanding to reach the best shared outcome. In her words: “Whether it is motivating Swans by knowing one Swan likes public praise, and another doesn’t, to having two clients in the same industry sector but with wildly different business models. It is my job to demonstrate the “one size fits all” approach isn’t effective at building valued and trusted relationships.”
For Aimee in order to be a good leader you need to be authentic. “If I was constantly chirpy and over-enthusiastic my team would think I had a lobotomy! By being ‘real’ with them and consistently letting them know when they’re doing well, or not so well, they will give you much more in return.”
Then lastly there’s me, Head of Marketing. It’s my job to make sure we have a strong, positive brand presence both online and offline as well as spreading the Swan word near and far. My role is very varied which I love. I get involved with everything from events to branding and much more. I’ve been at Indigo Swan for just over 2 years, which has flown past. Lot’s of amazing memories made and more still to come.
For me it’s the people I love most about working at Indigo Swan. I moved to Norwich and started my new role not really knowing anyone in the area and I feel very lucky to have been welcomed so warmly into an amazing workplace, doing a job I love with a fab bunch of people I am so pleased I can call my friends.
In order to be a good leader, I believe you need to have passion and a positive attitude. These two things combined aid in motivating others and help you work towards the same goals. With that being said, positivity should never be forced, more so that you should look for the positive in every situation even if at times it can be difficult to find.
There you have it! A little bit more about the 7 fantastic Swans who make up our Management Team.
