This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.

What was it all about?

The long term viability of the Australian horticulture industry was partially dependent on the availability of quality leaders at both industry and private business levels. Many industries were unable to fund a specific program to develop their leaders, so in 2012 Hort Innovation (which was then Horticulture Australia Limited) funded an Across Industry Leadership Training Project that was given the working title “Horticulture – the Next Generation”.

The purpose of the program was to improve the business and leadership skills of horticulture managers to give them the tools to take a larger role in the future growth and development of their industries. Russell Cummings from Strategic Business Development and project partners, Mindshop International, were selected to deliver the 2012 program.

This program engaged with 50 leaders from across horticulture and some supply chain partners in an intensive training program that focused on lifting business and leadership skills. Participants were provided with 2 x 2 day Training Workshops, individual Executive Coaching Support and access to a comprehensive online Resource Centre.

Training covered a wide range of topics including: strategy development, problem solving, sales, marketing, social media, personal branding, leadership and working with people. Face-to-face training was also reinforced through access to 9 online Training Courses through the Mindshop Resource Centre.

The program also sought to extend business and leadership development beyond the intensive workshop training to the wider industry. A dedicated website was established for the program providing business information in a variety of formats: blogs, video, webinars and newsletters.
Social media presences were also established on: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, in conjunction with a YouTube Channel for video, to increase exposure to the wider industry. Horticultural producers and Industry Development Officers were also offered access to online Training Courses in order to improve skills and knowledge in business and leadership.

Participants rated the program very highly with 85 per cent of participants rating their satisfaction at 9/10 or better. This was an excellent result for the initial program.

When asked to describe his experience with the program, Oliver Ward, Manager with Hop Products Australia, said “A myriad of simple tools that all point in the same direction – personal and professional success.” This feedback was similar to other leaders in the program.