Leadership. There are many discussions and activities across the quarrying and mineral extractives sectors around the term, but what does it actually mean? And how is it best to deliver it within an organisation? There is no single right answer for showing leadership but a constant theme in all cases is the need for those in leadership positions to lead by example.
When Adrian Wilkinson and Adrian Charters, the directors of Land and Minerals Consulting Ltd (LMCL), took the decision to attend the Institute of Quarrying’s (IQ) Centenary Conference last year, little did they realise that within six months their business would be one of the lead adopters of IQ’s Centennial Pledge.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is one of those things in business that often forms part of a wider conversation. It is raised at annual reviews, explored as a means of enabling promotion or introduced as an incentive to keep staff onside. The reality is CPD is so much more; it is embedded in everyday working life, an invisible force that drives us onto bigger and better things in our careers.
Just over a year into his tenure, the Institute of Quarrying’s (IQ) chief executive officer is using the industry’s premiere biannual showcasing event, Hillhead 2018, as a platform from which to share his vision for IQ and what it should be delivering for its members and the wider industry.
The importance of continuing professional development (CPD) for employees in the mineral extractive sector should not be underestimated – it is a career-long obligation for practicing professionals and ensures continued professional competence and ‘fitness for purpose’.
James Thorne, newly in post as chief executive at the Institute of Quarrying (IQ) is clear about the importance of the Skills Wheel and why IQ is championing the benefits of continuous professional development to its members. He is equally clear about the importance of up-to-date knowledge and the application of innovation within the mineral extractives sector.