David Awards: Leadership guru a deserving winner in 2023

Pictured above: David Awards 2023 winner Glen Sharkey with trophy.

When popular business coach and training facilitator Glen Sharkey won the Supreme Award in the David Awards 2023, he admits to feeling totally “blown away”. He views it as an acknowledgement to hardworking business owners everywhere.

While watching the David Awards’ online winner announcement on October 16th, Glen recalls being “over the moon” to see he’d won the Solo Meo category for solopreneurs and contractors.

“My expectations were already so exceeded that I immediately turned the award ceremony off and went back to work,” he says.

“Then later that day I started wondering who had won the Supreme Award.”

When he saw that The Lifeworks Company had taken out the top gong, he was delighted.

“To have my business recognised in this way is an absolute honour.”

Glen loves the fact that the Davids exist purely to encourage smaller businesses. “Kiwis are renown for having an entrepreneurial, innovative, pioneering spirit. Hence our adage concerning number 8 wire.”

Glen recognised that same spirit within himself a number of years ago. “I was the most contracted leadership development facilitator

at New Zealand’s largest, privately- owned supplier. I really enjoyed the work but wanted to work directly with senior leaders to create team and leadership solutions, so I pioneered my own business.”

Glen now wishes he’d known about the Davids before stepping out on his own. “Because just simply reading through the awards’ criteria would’ve provided a blueprint for what my business could look like in terms of best practice.”

He attributes the success of his business to his determination to remain on a growth curve and improve each year in terms of products, technologies, clients, systems and marketing.

Glen spent “countless hours” researching and learning. To date he has published nine books, with three more in the pipeline. “If you want to gain greater understanding on a subject, write a book on it,” he says. “Publishing also enhances your credibility and makes you an easier hire for clients.”

Honing his marketing skills has been another priority in recent times, which was also recognised in last year’s David Awards when Glen took out the Marketing category.

“Remember, regardless of how good your product or service is, your business will only be as successful as your ability to communicate this with your target market.”

Another trigger for business success has been Glen’s ability to respond to market needs.

“For me that’s meant upskilling in terms of facilitating strategic planning within businesses,” he says, “and helping create corporate values as part of a blueprint for culture.

“With these extra offerings, I’m increasingly becoming a trusted advisor to businesses, particularly in relation to cultural transformation.”

Glen also puts his success down to developing systems and processes, which he says has potentially saved him a lot of pain. Getting his head around outsourcing contract work, such as book and video editing, content design and content management, has also been important.

Consistent R&D, upgrades and expansion of his offering has kept The Lifeworks Company at the cutting edge, he says.

Dealing with the challenges

Having worked with hundreds of businesses and business leaders over the years, Glen is acutely aware of the key challenges they face – particularly smaller businesses.

First, there’s the isolation. “It’s hard working on your own, especially if you’re an extrovert like me.

Joining the Professional Speakers Association of NZ was one of the best moves I’ve made for my business both in terms of gaining acumen, and supportive relationships.”

His advice is to join or find a tribe, even if it’s only a handful of people, and consciously build relationships. “The benefits will far outweigh the costs.”

Filling your knowledge gaps can be inherently problematic too, he adds. “Be prepared to be told by people you trust and respect that you should do things differently.”

At the same time, always work to your strengths. “Know your shortcomings and either hire or contract to those shortcomings, or develop yourself in those areas.

“There may be areas of your business that you avoid because they don’t excite you, but if you don’t pay attention to them they may hamstring your success.”

Becoming successful is all about growing, changing, evolving, making mistakes and reinventing your products and/or services, he explains. “Standing still won’t get you anywhere.”

Intentionally look after your own motivation, he adds. “As small business owners we have to monitor our own energy and motivation, and understand what levers we can pull in order to maintain or regain our mojo.”

Head and heart