The AGSM Emerging Managers Program is designed to transform new managers who are technically strong into compelling leaders, ready to focus and inspire teams.

This really resonated with Tristan Zhou, who attended the program in May 2014. “I was keen to attend the program, and as it worked out, I gained a great deal. It’s a brilliant program.”

Chief Financial Officer for Melbourne based Lignor Limited — a public company changing Australia’s sustainable timber industry — Tristan was looking for an opportunity to evaluate and build on his leadership skill set.

“In fact, the Emerging Leaders Program served me like a mirror – it gave me insights about where I am and about where I want to be in the future. The instructors very quickly picked up on my core skills and were able to identify areas for improvement while also giving me plenty of encouragement” he explains.

The Emerging Managers Program is an intensive experience; to maximise peer to peer learning and build a strong network, participants stay on-site at the AGSM. Tristan found this an important element of his experience. “You need time to get to know each other and bond - networking is so critical in this changing world.”

Choosing the AGSM for leadership development was easy; he graduated from the AGSM MBA in 2012 and was impressed with his experience. “I had no hesitation in going back to AGSM as the MBA program changed me for the better.”

Tristan found that the Emerging Managers Program reinforced and enhanced some of the management theories covered during his MBA but more importantly, the program fuelled his desire to become a more inspirational leader.

“I want to become a leader who inspires others to achieve more in their lives and the program certainly helped me. The director and the coaches are just so practical with the help they give you.” reflects Tristan.

Of the many engaging and thought-provoking sessions during the program, Tristan found the piece on coaching most memorable.

He says that probably because of his Chinese culture he would prefer his boss to simply tell him what the solution is rather than coach him. However, the program helped him discover that the benefits of coaching far outweigh the efficiency gained by giving directives.

Tristan found the program experience impacted on more than just his professional life.

“It is not only beneficial for work but more broadly for life in general. I highly recommend this program for new managers.”

About Lignor Limited

Lignor has adopted and patented stranding technology designed for softwoods to develop one of the world’s strongest portfolios of Engineered Wood Products (EWP) from sustainable and certified Eucalyptus hardwood.

Engineered wood products represent the sustainable future for the building and construction industry by replacing traditional building materials such as steel, concrete, bricks and aluminium in a range of industrial, commercial and domestic building applications.

Currently the building sector recognises that buildings and their ongoing costs are responsible for about 45% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and use about 40% of the world’s resources.

www.lignor.com