Learning new ways to lead

26 April, 2012
Learning new ways to lead

Sport Waikato CEO Matthew Cooper graduates with a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies from the University of Waikato next week and he says his study has changed the way he leads his staff.

The former All Black and part-time Sky rugby commentator says he’s pleased to have completed the qualification which he admits was a timely challenge. “It was certainly no walk in the park. You need to be organised, sometimes even ruthless, to make time to do all the readings and assignments. Add that to a full-time job and family commitments – you could say I was busy. Now it’s done, I’ve been able to sit back, take stock and say it was definitely worth it.”

The Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies includes papers that cover a whole gamut of management disciplines - economics and finance, strategy, human resources and communication, and the content can easily be adapted to individual working environments.

At Sport Waikato, Cooper oversees a staff of 80 who are tasked with getting and keeping the people of the Waikato and Coromandel regions active; all 383,000 of them.

“While almost everything you learn on the programme is useful, I was probably most influenced by the leadership components. I have changed my leadership style as a result. I’m also more skilful handling problems and conflict than I used to be. I’m better at understanding human behaviour and using that to get good results. In effect the overall programme has taught me the art of listening and asking a lot more questions in my leadership role.”

The contacts he’s made have also been useful. “We were a diverse bunch who brought a variety of perspectives to class. We were forced to test our own thinking, and learned to think more broadly and I now have a whole network of highly qualified people I can consult when tackling difficult and unfamiliar issues.”

He thinks his decision to study sent a strong signal to his staff - and his children – that you need never stop learning. “So I hope they’ll be motivated to stick their hands up and take advantage of any professional development opportunities that come their way.”

Matthew Cooper will graduate on Wednesday morning at Founders Theatre in Hamilton

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