Richard Vaughan: managing change
After 15 years at Zipform Digital and more than 8 years at the helm, leading an organisation through a transition from primarily print to more digital based operations, requires intricate understanding of the costs and benefits to this move. Richard Vaughan – General Manager at Zipform Digital – shared just what it takes in a leader to make this transition.
Richard Vaughan is a driven man. On any average week you’ll not only find him in operational briefings with production, tech support and development, but also taking client meetings, staff meetings, walking the production area and putting out fires (figuratively speaking).
That’s in between contract negotiations, strategic planning, and of course client and supplier meetings. It’s no wonder that he has attracted some of Australia’s best talent to create a formidable team who are all leaders in their respective fields. .
What do you think the biggest challenge is for leaders right now?
Managing change and risk both for employees and clients. I come across fear of change and negative perceptions around risk every single day. A good part of any leader is to manage change and risk internally and externally by working with key leaders and having a planned approach and strategy to mitigate.
I’ve found that some staff have been apprehensive about returning to the office after so long working in a mostly remote arrangement during the past two years; it’s about having a plan and creating a supportive culture to reignite the office culture again.
We also know that our clients are operating in this environment as well. The more we can do as a team to mitigate the perception of risk by developing a supportive and honest relationship in conjunction with delivering solutions with a structured change plan, creates a positive environment for both us and our clients.
As a leader, I need to ensure that I’m always learning so that I can pass this knowledge on my team and building open, trust-based relationships with our people. For me, that’s the most enjoyable part of working at Zipform Digital.
With such a busy job, how do you find work/life balance?
My family are everything to me. But I also manage to combine family time with cross fit, mountain biking, motorbikes, gardening, and a great glass of wine at the end of the day. I’m a big believer of everything in moderation and making time for hobbies.
Richard Vaughan has spent more than seven years as General Manager at Zipform Digital and takes a hands-on approach when it comes to building a top performing team and ground-breaking technology to deliver results for clients.
Over more than 20 years, he has developed an exceptional understanding of the latest trends and innovations in various markets such as Retail Energy and Local Government, which are reflected in the solutions designed and delivered by the in-house team of experts he has brought together at Zipform Digital.
Connect with Richard on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-vaughan-b38b7129/)