A leader worth following

Foodstuffs

True North Award | Dominic Quin, Foodstuffs

The True North Award recognising an exceptional people-leader who has improved their team’s health and wellbeing through positive leadership and by going above and beyond. They inspire, motivate, and drive meaningful change, cultivating a healthy, high performing workplace culture that delivers results.

Leadership: Dominic is a rare leader. One who genuinely cares about his team, with real investment in their growth and success. His key principles driving his commitment to people are: People-first, Teamwork makes the dream work; Leaders worth following.

Action: Dominic prioritises the wellbeing of others, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered. Dominic launched an internal marketing college to meet learning and development needs of the team; prioritises flexible working arrangements, and introduced summer hours for early Friday finishes and adaptable work from home policies. He believes performance is measured by outputs, not hours.

Challenges: In 2019, team engagement was low, necessitating immediate action. Dominic fostered a culture of listening and adaptability, establishing a working group, gathering employee feedback, and endorsing changes and policies – even when they were unconventional. Most recently, with a proposed merger, Dominic had to navigate his team through significant change and uncertainty and did so with a commitment to transparency and a sense of unity and purpose.

Impact: Dominic transformed his team from an outcomes-led business to a human-led business. His people-driven approach inspires and cultivates a strong sense of community and collaboration and a highly engaged workforce. Engagement scores have soared by 45% over the last five years.

Why Dominic at Foodstuffs NZ is a leader worth following

Foodstuffs NZ is a major supermarket cooperative that operates the New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square brands. Foodstuffs NZ is a centre of excellence that exists to ensure the best interests of their customers, supermarket owner operators and the business to aligned customer brands. Foodstuffs NZ is unique in that it operates as two regional cooperatives, jointly owned by Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island.

Dominic Quin, Group General Manager Marketing & Media for Foodstuffs NZ is a rare leader. One who genuinely cares about his team.  He believes in the importance of family and actively supports balancing these priorities, embodying the spirit of the Māori proverb: "He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata." (What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people.)

What truly sets Dominic apart is his ability to challenge ideas robustly while respecting and listening to different viewpoints. He fosters an environment where innovation flourishes and diverse opinions are valued. Leading from the front with charisma and charm, his resilience is second to none. He truly has his team’s back as a trusted and supportive leader. Dominic's leadership and character resonate far beyond his immediate team, his peers and partners consistently highlight his collaborative spirit, integrity, and dedication.

“Can we clone this leader?” – Executive Judge Dr Denise Quinlan

As a values-based leader Dominic’s first initiative six years ago, was to implement a team values framework. These values still act as North Star for his growing team and guide positive outcomes for the business.

This remarkable leadership style speaks volumes about Dominic’s character and vision. He leads with influence and empathy, reminding his team of the profound effect a supportive leader can have on an organisation. It’s a testament to his commitment to the business unit’s success.

“Dominic deeply believes "anyone can be a leader" and he coaches and inspires his team to engage in courageous conversations. He shifted the team from an outcomes-led business to a human-led business with stunning results. A truly high performing leader.” - Nick Astwick, Southern Cross Health Society CEO & Judging Convenor

Dominic's leadership has cultivated a highly engaged team with impressive results such as:

  • Internal marketing & media college with over 40 courses and 1,200 attendees in 24 months  
  • Mentoring programme launched with 31 mentees matched with suitable internal and external mentors in 24 months  
  • 680 values award nominations across team members since launch  
  • Leadership team with 100% engagement for five consecutive years
  • Team attrition rates have been remarkably low
  • The team has driven growth in revenue channels

“Dominic’s transformative leadership at Foodstuffs has been instrumental in elevating team engagement and fostering a culture of innovation. His approach really is a great example of effective leadership for others to follow.” – Executive Judge & inaugural True North Award winner Rob Holmes

For tangible results – like higher productivity, stronger engagement, and happier teams – request a callback today to learn how your organisation can lead the way too.

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