One of the biggest things that gets missed is the importance of management itself. Too many people step into management roles by accident – they’re good at their jobs, so suddenly they’re responsible for others. That rarely prepares people for the reality of enabling a team to thrive.

I hear a lot about management not feeling aspirational. Recent studies show that over half the workforce would rather avoid being a manager, seeing it as more of a headache than an opportunity. Why? Because we’ve framed the job as being the person who supposedly knows it all, solves every issue, and juggles priorities endlessly.

But the real value in management comes from coaching, mentoring, and creating an environment where others can grow and perform with greater confidence. The question for any manager should become: What happens when I’m not here? If a team operates well, makes sound decisions, and feels empowered in your absence, that’s a sign the culture is healthy – not that you’re redundant.

We often forget that no business works in a vacuum. There are education systems, industry bodies, and economic drivers all interwoven with our ability to both attract and develop the people we need.

To be frank: there’s a disconnect between government targets, what’s taught in education, and what employers require. The forestry and environmental sector is a prime example – huge targets for tree planting, but unless that message filters down to schools and sparks an interest in young people, we won’t see enough talent for years to come.

True long-term capability requires collaboration across every level. It means going beyond filling roles and thinking about how we encourage interest and build potential right from childhood onwards.