Sir Garry Hawkes - The man who believed in a growth mindset before it was a known concept

The name Sir Garry Hawkes only resonates with a certain age group, where this story delves in more detail to his life and the success we already know of. On the contrary, for emerging talent the name “Sir Garry Hawkes” is a blank canvas; that this story not only builds on but informs and instils important lessons that can be adopted to be successful in business.

So, what can be gained from this book that can’t be found elsewhere?

Sir Garry led Gardner Merchant to many years of success, but this was not done by focusing on figures and operations, it was both and much more. He cared about the people and the team behind Gardner Merchant. Internal communications were ahead of their time, where the businesses culture strived for open communications across all tiers of the business. The team were not afraid to fail; they felt secure in their role that they felt they could ‘reach for the stars’, and when you have a team who all feel this way, it makes for a unifying force that together strives for excellence.

Sir Garry thought outside the box. The investment of Kenley House as a learning and development hub for Gardner Merchant was another move denoting that Sir Garry led the business in ways that set it apart from other companies at the time. Kenley House sent an important message to employees that their development was paramount in the ethos of Gardner Merchant. Moreover, it was a powerful message for clients; it was often used as a place to hold important meetings with undoubtedly assisted in securing and maintaining contracts. If Kenley was a successful concept with clients as it was viewed to be, why don’t more companies place a greater focus on the importance of L&D not just internally but externally?

The power of a people approach to life and business is one that emanates throughout this book. Sir Garry had the ability to see talent in all people and knew how to get the best out of them. Sir Garry is a man of high moral values who has not forgotten his humble beginnings. From the success of Gardner Merchant through to his work for education, he fought for equality so there is the opportunity to succeed irrespective of your background. Social mobility in the UK is currently at its lowest ebb in 50 years, so what can we take home from Sir Garry’s story that can be of value to current and emerging leaders to tackle the social mobility problem?

As a leader, it is not uncommon to believe you hold all the answers and have gained all there is to know, but for Sir Garry this was not the case. He was self-made, determined and possessed a growth mindset before it was a known concept. As a leader, being open to hearing new ideas and gaining new knowledge continually is an invaluable trait when running a business and leading its people to success.

Sir Garry’s memoir will be available for purchase on Amazon later this week, any further information or queries, please contact: izzy.mchattie@epmagazine.co.uk