Finding room for fun in a 24-hour money market

What makes your day at work?


The work environment I am in is results-driven.

We need to secure the cash as it moves through a series of overseas bank accounts and values driven by global markets, and shareholders notice whether or not we manage foreign exchange exposures -- so we can't make any errors. So a good day for me is a good results day.

How did you get where you are today?


Everybody needs a bit of good luck. I never realised it at the time, but the Government of the late 1980s helped people of my age in that deregulation of the NZ finance sector created a commercial demand for people that, as a matter of need, were given relatively high levels of authority.

Results were quickly apparent and the sink or swim environment favoured confident attitudes -- I think this suited me.

What are most the important lessons you learned on your way up?

Behaviours are the key to progressing -- how you resolve conflict, how you work within a team, and how you communicate across a wide range of audiences.

We only have 400 [Dairy Board] people in New Zealand, another 6000 work offshore. We are not a bunch of New Zealanders sitting in a room in Wellington. The type of environment we have, with a range of people and cultures to work with, highlights [our] need for effective communication.

How have you dealt with any pitfalls in your career?


Working in a results environment and in a high-risk growth area means by definition, some outcomes will not be positive.

For example, the South-east Asian crisis in late 1998 was a significant event for us because we earn more than 25 per cent [of our total] from the region, so it affected us immediately.

I was pleased the way we dealt with that problem, because rather than holding a post-mortem, we worked on how we would move to manage risks.

The only way to deal with a crisis is to draw on reserves of self-esteem -- and put failures into context. I often feel ashamed when, in the business world, people talk of stress when we are well rewarded. Real stress should be reserved for people who are sick or dealt an injustice.

What advice would you give to a young person starting out on a business career?


For most people I think performance, fun and, therefore, self-esteem are all related -- don't get too hung on rewards as they will necessarily come with performance.

Don't let an organisation retain you in a dumb job -- it will make you dumb as well. You aren't going to work for one organisation for long, so make sure you have opportunities for personal and professional development that are transportable.

What is the biggest challenge for your organisation in the present environment?


We are a global food company and while we may be New Zealand's biggest company, we are relatively small in the global food business.

Our challenge is to quickly grow and become an ingrained part of defendable distribution channels.

We need to do this quickly while clearly delivering results that immediately add to shareholder value.

If there is one thing you could have done differently in your business life, what would it have been?


Nothing. There was one decision that was a big one for me and that was whether or not to take an offshore position. Personally, I'm happy that I made a personal commitment to New Zealand.

What ambitions do you have?


I hope the next 15 years mean a progression to leadership, as opposed to a management role.

How do you relax?

Treasury goes for 24 hours a day and I am married with three young children, so I think you are kidding yourself if you can make a complete distinction between your personal time and work-time when you go home. I relax by having fun at work.

Geoff Taylor spoke with Dita De Boni.


GEOFF TAYLOR


Position:Global Manager, treasury and corporate finance, NZ Dairy Board.

Age:35