Richard Dickson - HR Director at James Cowper Kreston
When it comes to mastering the art of human resources, our guest on this episode of Leaders With Ambition invests above all in communication – and one facet in particular. Richard Dickson, HR director at James Cowper Kreston, emphasises to Host Nicky Acuna Ocana, the importance of teaching teams how to listen – truly absorb – the needs and experiences of those around them. It bridges gaps (especially intergenerationally) and promotes healthy workplace environments in which everyone feels they have a voice and valid lived experience.
You’ll also learn from Richard which tools have proved most critical as he has navigated a career full of change and challenge across multiple sectors – and helped others to do the same. He shares the ups and downs of managing through the pandemic (a focus on health and wellbeing proved key) as well as some of the personal highlights from a long, very robust career.
Effectively managing people, our guest says, comes down to staying human-centred and prioritising the common desires, differences and growth that we as individuals all share. Find out how mentorship from fellow leaders, a talent for leveraging processes and a passion for cultivating the best in others have formed the heart of an illustrious career.
Says Richard: “Having a culture of being friendly and treating everyone with respect goes a long way.”
If you enjoyed this discussion, please click here to find previous episodes of Leaders with Ambition.
Key Takeaways
Starting out
How having a variety of careers within his first job (in the insurance sector) enabled Richard to find and develop a spark for “personnel,” as the role was known in decades past.
Multi-faceted approach
Why experience combined with qualifications adds up to the strongest possible candidate for leadership roles in the HR space.
Irreplaceable influences
About the individuals who provided mentorship and guidance as Richard navigated professional choices and key career decision points.
Foundational skill
Where an early understanding of the importance of effectively working within processes came into play as Richard moved into the realm of human resources.
Pivoting in a new direction
About moving into professional services, adapting to a new role and acquiring expertise as a manager of teams in an agile environment.
Communication as key
Why knowing how to carry on complicated conversations is key to success when it comes to managing people through career challenges and growth.
Building bridges
How Richard managed his innate shyness early on and over time built a network of trusted mentors who supported his career growth and development.
Professional synergy
Why his experience within large corporate entities and alignment with the partners’ goals made Richard such a natural fit for the needs at James Cowper Kreston.
Community Commitment
About James Cowper Kreston’s foundation in support of social responsibility and a variety of charities close to the hearts of firm members.
Defining obstacles
How regrouping after setbacks, finding his footing and acquiring the skills necessary to advance have challenged Richard, whose greatest personal challenge by far has been the loss of his daughter to cancer.
Ongoing passion
Where Richard finds value in promoting equity, diversity and inclusion – and why it makes sense to bring people along with all their dimensionality and life experience.
Career highlights
Happening into a rich early job experience with Eagle Star Insurance and securing his current (very fulfilling) leadership role at James Cowper Kreston.
Intergenerational learning
What Richard is doing to foster understanding, communication and a healthy workplace environment across employees of different generations.
HR challenges
Talent attraction and retention; finding the balance with hybrid work.
Key Quotes:
“I guess what I do is coaching and helping people develop, build themselves up and get better – that’s what triggered an interest in me.”
“To listen to some of the options and career paths available and how other individuals have navigated the tricky world of work … gives you a broader perspective in terms of what is achievable.”
“From an HR perspective, it tends to be more ignorance as opposed to reluctance in terms of evolving (partners’) practices and approach to people.”
“It’s essential (in an HR role) to be able to talk to so many different people … and communication is a core skill set that you need.” (Nicky)
“I’m a quite shy individual so early on I found it quite difficult to know where to look, how to talk to people easily.”
“(ED&I) is about helping everyone develop. We forget sometimes that we do employ humans with their own wills, choices and passions. So why shouldn’t we tap into that? Their life experiences can be a big benefit to us.”
“Having a culture of being friendly and treating everyone with respect goes a long way to helping generations work together.”
“It’s great to be able to come into the office because that’s where a lot of learning and collaboration takes place, which is so essential.” (Nicky)
About Richard Dickson:
Richard joined James Cowper Kreston in 2016 and was made HR Director in 2018, supporting the Partnership with its people strategy and providing leadership to the HR team. He has over 20 years’ of experience in Human Resources, with experience in various HR disciplines and across various industries and sectors.
This has included large corporate organisations as well as SME’s and Partnerships across the UK and in London. However, a significant part of his experience has been within Financial Services and Professional Services.
About Nicky Acuna Ocana:
Nicky has led high-performing recruitment teams for over 25 years. As the Regional Managing Director of Ambition UK, Europe & US, she leads a team of highly-skilled recruitment consultants who specialise in Business Services functions within Professional Services and are experts in their niche specialist areas.
With an extensive network of senior and board-level contacts, she is also heavily involved in Executive Search, focusing on Director level appointments across Business Services for a range of Professional Services firms.
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