'Courageous leadership' needed in sea of disruption, says exec

Avnet's ANZ HR director is encouraging courageous leadershipin today's era of hyperactivity and transformation.

In this role, Jennifer White is responsible for helping Avnet attract, engage, develop and reward a diverse and highly skilled team to support Avnet's business objectives.

She's a passionate HR business leader who believes that in this day and age, business leaders face the arduous tasks of navigating through a sea of disruption.

"The culture in many businesses is not the most ideal, with disengaged members of the organisation and employees not looking up to their leaders," she says.

In her presentation Leadership, Culture and Courage, White suggests that a lack of trust negatively affects the employee experience, leading to performance issues.

"For any company to be profitable, they must first create an engaged workforce who will provide an enhanced customer experience to their clients, advises White.

She explains that business leaders play an important role in influencing the employee experience and defining the company's culture.

To be successful in this arena, White suggests business leaders to be sharp in focus, set aside avoidance, surround themselves with great contributors, to be curious and to learn to say 'no'.

The Avnet HR leader explains that leadership is a choice that one makes.

"Culture will do what culture will do. It is up to us to manage it, or it will control us.

Throughout her career, White has been critical in creating and implementing strategies that have transformed organisational effectiveness.