International Men's Day 2020: Interview with Del Connolly
Posted by on 19/11/2020
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This year for International Men’s Day we conducted a series of interviews with some of the male leaders within LHi Group. Next up was our ‘King of the North’, Senior Director, Del Connolly.
1. What has your journey as a leader been like at LHi?
Challenging, enjoyable, rewarding, inspiring, fulfilling. I’m fortunate to work alongside some exceptional people across the group. I always say how lucky I am to work with, not just passionate and driven people, but also talented and conscientious professionals, both inside and outside of work. People who make the challenges easier to overcome and the rewards more meaningful when you achieve something great.
2. As a role model in the group now, what advice would you give to your ‘Younger You’?
For me, it’s to take the small setbacks in your stride as best you can. I used to wear some of the disappointment’s recruitment would throw at you, and they can get you down, they can make you feel low at times, when in the grand scheme of things, you can use these to fuel your personal development and make you a better recruiter. In addition, losing a deal or suffering a setback is such a minor thing in the grand scheme of your career. Sure, it hurts in the moment. But take the lessons out of situations where possible and look forward positively. Do not dwell. Do not seek to blame. Keep it positive.
3. How do you think the culture has changed at LHi to improve health and wellbeing?
When I joined in 2015, the culture was very different. Back then, it still had a great feel, but it was work hard, play hard, and I know that can still be found in our business, if that is what you want. But we have become far more aware and more diverse in our way of operating now. We have put our “good human” concept at the heart of what makes a great recruiter. The best stories about people when I joined were largely about nights out and amazing trips, which I loved. But now you see people doing amazing things for great causes, such as Ed Bevans and his amazing Scipro team raising £5000 for the WizzyBug campaign. But it doesn’t have to be all about raising money. It’s the focus on communicating with each other. The support and safe community we have across the business. We still have much more to do, but the transition to where we were in 2015 to 2020 is palpable and a credit to everybody.