Law to Construction: An Interview with a GM of Steel & Tube

The opportunities that arise in the Steel Roofing Industry can present themselves in multiple forms at any stage of our lives. We recently reached out to Anna Morris, the People & Culture General Manager of Steel & Tube after meeting her during a tour of the new Steel & Tube Hamilton Roofing Site to discuss her career journey, experiences, and insights into the steel industry. Here’s what Anna had to share:

Can you tell us about your journey and how you ended up in your current role?

I started work as an employment lawyer, working at Simpson Grierson here and then moved over to Australia while I was still practising law. I got the bug for construction when the chance came up to do some work on the Sydney and Melbourne desalination projects. I loved the teamwork, adrenaline, and pride in finishing these incredible projects. I’ve worked in construction ever since. Over time my role has changed, taking on responsibilities for safety, HR, and other things as the opportunities arose. I now look after Customer Experience and our People & Culture functions at Steel & Tube.

What unique experiences have you had in your career that have shaped your approach to work?

I’ve worked on some incredibly tough infrastructure projects – pressure on money, budget, and stakeholder relationships, some made national headlines for the challenges they were facing. In times of real adversity, often the superstars were not the ones with the most impressive titles or the ones with straight A’s who’d got every promotion. The superstars were the people who had experienced challenges and knock-backs already in their lives and were able to problem solve with a calm head, stay cool and dig in to tackle hard work when others found it too tough and left. Business doesn’t always go to plan, and these experiences taught me the value of seeking out people for our teams and businesses whose life experiences equip them for unforeseen and difficult situations.

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in roofing or the steel industry?

There’s something rewarding about taking a path less trodden. We see so many awesome examples of females doing incredibly well in our sector – I know it’s a generalisation but often females have strong communication and relationship-building skills which adds real value to our teams and our customers. It’s a great time to be part of the industry as changes happen – emerging technology, new team dynamics, and new and safer ways of working. If you’re curious about our sector, you’re on track with the right mindset – I’d recommend reaching out and speaking to someone working in roofing or steel about their experience, and if you don’t know anyone we’d love to talk to you!!

Can you share a story of a mentor or colleague who had a significant impact on your career?

I was lucky enough to have a boss in Australia who became one of my role models and mentors. He was brave, razor-sharp, and full of character. I loved his courage and even now I still find myself asking “What would he do if he were me right now?”. As a leader, he had a simple practice that made him awesome to work for. He would share praise in front of others (public kudos feel fantastic for those who deserve recognition) but kept any admonishments private and behind closed doors. It’s a simple practice but hard to do when you’re feeling cranky, or you’re rushing and forget to use the opportunity when people are together to recognise awesome work. I’ll always be grateful for his lessons, as well as the great culture I got to experience at an important time in my career.

What do you believe are the key factors to building strong relationships with clients and colleagues?

There’s so much more for all of us to learn with this topic. I don’t think there’s anything better than making old-fashioned human connections – knowing people beyond what it takes just to get the work done. It strikes me that, like friendships, the best work relationships get built over time by sharing interests, enjoying a laugh, listening, and recognising where you both have some common values. I would say though we all need to show a bit of EQ and not encroach too much if we sense there’s hesitation with sharing! It’s an enduring ethos that Māori have, to understand first where someone is from and their whakapapa, as one way of helping create common ground. I’d also encourage anyone reading this to attend some of the Women In Roofing events. They’re great for building networks for business, but also for sharing ideas and nuggets of wisdom from people with years and sometimes decades of experience.

Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your career?

Finishing the Sydney Desalination project was one of the most satisfying jobs I’ve worked on. I can say that nothing beats being able to drive past a project like that and say to your kids “Mum helped build that”.

What excites you the most about your current job and the industry you’re in?

Just over a year ago, I got the chance to take on the Customer Experience function in our business. I’m really excited about what we’re going to achieve in this area. We’re in the process of transforming this part of our company to create support for our customers and team that will be second to none. It’s an awesome opportunity and I’m grateful we’re getting to do it in the Steel sector. We know we can help make construction and manufacturing projects in NZ easier – our customers are operating to tight timeframes, with tight budgets, and this can create stress in one of our most critical industries. We’re determined to play a part in making life easier for them.

How do you balance work and personal life, and what hobbies or interests do you pursue outside of work?

I’m sure everyone reading this who has a family knows the pressures of juggling work, family and life. Days can be chaotic. I have arrived at work with odd shoes. I have taken work calls while doing finger painting as parent help. My husband and I have panicked calls about which one is picking up which child. But someone very wise once told me “You’ll never have it balanced all the time – sometimes you’ll have things weighted far too much to work, and other times personal and family, because you can’t control what happens in either. The main thing is that when you take a step back you know they’re broadly getting a similar amount of your presence and attention“. This has really helped me to get some perspective – our family considers things on a month-by-month basis rather than day-by-day. I also try and keep surrounded by good people who teach me things every day. Outside work we’re active relaxers, we all enjoy time up on the mountain, either coming down on the snow or bikes, and I‘m trying to learn squash as a middle-aged woman which is resulting in far too many injuries!