In this blog series, we shine a spotlight on managers from our community. Being a manager is a tough job aaaaand it’s a really meaningful one. Some of us have been lucky enough to have a manager who changed the trajectory of our careers.
Join us in celebrating wins, hearing the hard stuff, and learning alongside our Mintable Managers. This month, we had the pleasure of speaking to Melbourne-based Henry Jones, National Implementation Manager at Melbourne SaaS startup, Fresho.
Enjoy
Michelle Yanez-Olivares: Tell me a bit about your background. What brought you to the role you’re in today?
Henry Jones: I studied and graduated from Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania whilst also playing college baseball. After returning from the US I landed at Fresho, a SaaS startup founded here in Melbourne.
I’ve now been working with the Fresho team for over three years and have made my way into a management position within our Launch (Implementation) Team.
I’ve really enjoyed my time at Fresho and all the challenges it has thrown at me. I’m super excited to be in the people management space and look forward to continuing to work in this area!
MYO: Tell me about a turning point in your management career – how did it change your management/leadership style?
HJ: I’ve definitely had a few! I think the biggest turning point for me was actually beginning as a people manager. You’re quite naive as to the challenges that managers face and the correct ways to handle these situations.
Being thrown in the deep end a little bit was the best thing for me and I definitely learnt a lot from managers I had worked with previously. Understanding what worked and didn’t work from those interactions really helped me be conscious of my management style when entering the people management space.
I also think being given the advice that ‘you don’t know everything’ has been crucially important for me. Always wanting to learn more and bounce ideas off different resources is incredibly important in the people management space and I’m extremely grateful I was handed this advice very early in my time.
MYO: What is your favorite leadership/ management book?
HJ: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink.
It’s a bit of an interesting one that isn’t technically about leadership/management but is all about understanding what motivates individuals. I’ve found it truly fascinating to understand what makes people tick and finding the best approach to getting the most out of our people. Not everyone is the same and many different things motivate us, so I think it’s really important to distill these motivations and allow our members to work in an environment that encourages their individual motivating factors.
MYO: Who is your favorite manager and why?
HJ: Bit of a cop out on this answer, but I truly believe Mum and Dad have been the biggest and best managers in my life! I’m not sure this is the correct answer or most common answer but they have really helped guide me on my people management journey.
I have been really lucky to have had their support through the ups and downs and they’ve always given really sound advice. They’ve both had their fair share of people management interactions in workplaces and have been able to pass on the extensive knowledge they have had to assist me in my journey.
MYO: Best tip or lesson that you've found beneficial from The Mintable so far?
HJ: I think the best advice/tip that I have received from the Mintable has been to be truly empathetic and understanding of those that work around you. At the end of the day we are all humans and want to enjoy the space we work in, so dumbing it down to being an empathetic person is really important. I feel if you make this your cornerstone in people management it allows you to really flourish in getting the most out of your reports.
MYO: Any final thoughts or comments you’d like to add?
HJ: I think The Mintable is a really great company that has a really great reason for existing! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the team as you’ve all been incredibly welcoming and kind.
People management is something I’m really passionate about and I know you all are too. Looking forward to the future and the new challenges on the horizon.
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Missed our last Manager Moment with iluminr’s VP of Engineering Praneeth Gedela? Read it here.
Discover more about The Mintable’s community and the training and tools we offer managers here.