Top 30 Under 30
Posted on 10th November 2020 at 12:56
Every year, the Top 30 Under 30 Awards scout the Hull and Humber region in search of the young professionals that are making their mark on the city. Now in its third year, the awards showcase local talent and support them with invaluable training as they pursue their successful careers.
Employees are nominated either by their employer or by registering interest themselves, those fortunate enough are then shortlisted and notified.
Luke Byron, our Commercial Director at HI Commercial, was a part of the Top 30 Under 30 this year, including their LEAP programme. The programme aims to shed light on some of the core areas of business - coaching, communication and leadership - which are often overlooked. Sometimes in business “you get thrown in at the deep end”, as Luke notes, “and you’ve quickly got to learn how to swim” - these skills can be key to success.
The programme has clearly been a fulfilling experience for Luke: “I’ve enjoyed being in a room of like-minded people of a similar age, through a variety of different industries, all with different roles, but with a lot of responsibility. Picking their brains as well as the tutors’ has been really beneficial.”
“Simon, who runs the programme, has done such a fantastic job making sure that you’re not with the same people each session - it’s been good in a networking sense to meet new people, although it has been strange this year because of Covid - there’s normally social events planned as well that we haven’t been able to do.”
“There’s been so much to learn from a personal point of view - about yourself and how others perceive you. You don’t think about that on a day-to-day basis.” One of the topics focused on active listening for example, which Luke had previously believed he was proficient in, but has since discovered that he actually had plenty to learn!
Prior to becoming a Director of HI Commercial, Luke worked as a Personal Lines Insurance Advisor and Account Executive for the Business team at Hedon Insurance. The shift into leadership was a big change, but he is learning as he goes:
“As a leader, you need to go that extra mile. Not everybody reacts in the same way, so you’ve really got to understand the psychology - how people react to certain situations - and understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. I’m realising you need to listen more and probe colleagues to work the answer out for themselves rather than giving the answer and spoon-feeding all of the time, otherwise there’s no room for progression.”
Luke is already putting his new knowledge into action in the workplace, arguing “it’s little tweaks that lead to big changes, but the hard part is being consistent with it”. “I’ve been introducing little things already - I feel that it’s made an improvement but I’ve just got to keep going!”.
Nominations for 2021 are now open - another 30 exceptional individuals will be selected for the programme next year. These awards are a great opportunity to transition accomplished employees from colleagues, to the leaders and managers of the future. The accolade is just the beginning of a year-long journey of self discovery and improvement.
If you are not sure about your commercial insurance policies, please call HI Commercial on 01482 247 477 for peace of mind that you will be protected at all costs. At your service, at your side – commercial insurance with a personal touch.
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