38. Growth in business and leadership lessons with Michael Leighton

Building Doors with Lauren Karan

Michael is the Chief Operating Officer for McKenzie Group Consulting, an industry leader in regulatory and compliance advisory services to the building industry, and part of the Bureau Veritas Group – a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification services.

With a Bachelor of Applied Science in Construction Management from Queensland University of Technology and an Unrestricted Building Surveyor certification, Michael has been instrumental in delivering statutory and consulting services for some of the nation’s most significant construction projects since joining McKenzie Group in 2007.

His tenure includes a pivotal role as the QLD State Manager from 2016 to 2022, followed by his promotion to Chief Operating Officer in 2023.

In his current capacity, Michael spearheads a major restructure while overseeing the operations and 145 employees spread across the country.

In this episode, we delve into the journey of career progression with our guest Michael, who shares insightful perspectives on building a career through various stages within a business.

From unexpected career paths to the pivotal role of practical experience, Michael highlights the importance of ambition, flexibility, and resilience in achieving professional success.

We cover his rise from regional through to national leadership and discuss:

• Keeping an open mind in our career path
• How practical experience is the true indicator of career goals
• Why we should look beyond just a job
• Balancing ambition and family
• How we evolve as a leader through the growth and acquisition of a business
• How our childhood shapes our resilience in leadership

The challenge of addressing industry shortages

The podcast concludes with a discussion on self-compassion and learning from mistakes, emphasizing the importance of being kind to oneself and embracing growth opportunities in the construction industry.

Michael's journey offers valuable insights into navigating the intricacies of career growth, emphasizing the importance of resilience, ambition, and adaptability in achieving professional success.

You can connect with Michael on Linked In here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-leighton

About your host:

Lauren Karan, Director, and Founder of Karan & Co.

With over a decade of experience as a recruiter and development coach, Lauren Karan found that her priorities rapidly changed after the birth of her two children. In 2022 she founded Karan & Co flipping the out-dated recruitment model with a focus on retention through career coaching and development.

Lauren believes that If opportunity doesn’t knock, you have to build a door – and it’s this same philosophy that inspired her to create the Building Doors podcast.

The Building Doors podcast is for anyone undergoing a transformation in their life. Regardless of whether you feel stuck in your current role, need some inspiration on what steps to take next, want to learn how to level up as a business owner or simply want to listen to the experiences of successful entrepreneurs and industry professionals, the Building Doors podcast is all about unlocking your potential.

Help someone else Build Doors in their career.

💕 Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

🙏 Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Spotify

Get more help to Build Doors in your own life

🎬 Follow us on LinkedIn

📝 Building Doors newsletter: subscribe to that

Want to support the show?

1. Hit ‘Follow’.

2. Leave a 5-star rating.

3. Share this episode with a friend (this will help the podcast get discovered by more people so they can Build Doors in their lives too).

Thank you for your support! It truly means a lot. 💕

Time to stop waiting and start building…

In case you missed it:

You can listen to our previous episode #buildingdoorspodcast

👋 To say hello, provide feedback, or express interest in a guest appearance on The Building Doors Podcast get in touch with us at [e-mail].