Fulbright New Zealand

Successfully running a small organization requires communication skills, an ability to learn and, above all, common sense says Mele Wendt, Executive Director of Fulbright New Zealand. 

“I consider myself very lucky to have been appointed to lead Fulbright New Zealand because the other candidates were older and had more academic qualifications and experience.  That meant I had to learn very quickly on the job to justify my selection.  Working here has reinforced that a lot of managing is simply common sense.  That is not to say all managers accept that argument.  For me, if it doesn’t make sense, the chances are it is the wrong decision,” says Mele.

As a young, female, Pacific Island manager, she believes leaders need to trust their instincts and consistently model the behaviors they want to see in staff.  “It is also important to keep learning formally.  I took a university course to get the theory behind management.  You also need to take the time to constantly refresh your knowledge through professional development.  I don’t like to work in isolation.  I want to hear new approaches, advice and suggestions,” she says. 

Fulbright New Zealand’s mission is to promote international understanding through educational and cultural exchanges between the United States and New Zealand.  Created by respected American Senator J William Fulbright over 60 years ago, Fulbright offices exist all over the world. 

The key, says Mele, is that the organization’s mission is actually important to staff.  “It is very meaningful.  The people here realize that granting money for scholarships is not all they do.  They see their work in terms of people traveling to other countries, studying, making friends and, ultimately, getting a better understanding of each other.  There is a real depth of meaning in the job.”

It can be a busy role.  “In a small organization, the manager has to do the human resources, information technology, external and internal relationships and, of course, the core business.  If you want to hire someone, you do everything from writing the ad to signing the contracts.  This forces you to learn every aspect of how the business works.  Some people hate this.  I found a better approach was to enjoy the variety and appreciate gaining a whole new set of skills,” says Mele.

For organizations with a board, the relationship between the manager and the chair of the board is critical.  “The chair has a huge influence on how a board works.  We work with a high-powered board of New Zealanders and Americans who are volunteers.  I’ve made a deliberate effort to get to know all of the board and involve them more in the running of Fulbright New Zealand.  We invite them to events and selections.  I believe real commitment is based on emotional involvement and board buy-in,” she says. 

Her board is just one of the relationships Mele manages.  She also has to work on relationships with staff and external groups.  “The performance of an entire organization is often judged by people’s interactions with the chief executive.  What they see when they deal with the boss gives them a strong impression of the entire organization.  I think it is important to constantly work at building positive and engaged relationships.  You will find stakeholders you approach for partnerships or funding will be more supportive if you have already taken the time to build a relationship.  You don’t want the first time someone sees you to be because you want something from them,” she laughs.

“I have high expectations for myself and staff.  My aim is to create a relaxed, free, open and warm environment.  I adore hearing that staff love coming to work.  I always give positive reinforcement – because everyone likes to be thanked for a job well done - but I always look for improvements.  That involves documenting processes.  Reports recording what was done and what can be improved are vital for institutional memory.  You can’t have information just in people’s heads.  What if they forget?  Or leave?  It means we can always improve and new staff get a sense of continuity,” says Mele.

“We have created an office of generalists – staff can answer questions even when the lead person is away.  Everyone can help because they have a broad knowledge of all our programmes rather than just one or two.  It’s better customer service and reduces the risk to the business,” she says.
 
Mele has two final lessons from leading Fulbright New Zealand.  “Never put anything in the too-hard basket.  You have to be straight up and address issues rationally at the earliest opportunity.  They never go away by themselves.  Find a solution and then move on.  You also need to empower your staff by creating opportunities for them to come up with new ideas, solutions and enhancements.”

“The bottom is line is to be passionate in your work.  My passion is education and I know I’m lucky to be working in it,” says Mele.

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