Built to lead: an interview with RME’s new Chief Operations Officer

We were lucky to sit down with the newest member of RME’s Chief Executive Team, Chief Operations Officer (COO), Geoff Wadsworth a week following the official announcement of his appointment to RME’s Chief Executive Team and role of Chief Operations Officer. 

His appointment, along with the transition of Cherylyn Russell to RME Holding’s Board and the appointment of Eddie Bosnjak as RME’s new Chief Customer Officer, is the result of careful succession planning and thoughtful investment in talent development over several years. 

Geoff’s leadership of RME’s manufacturing capability has been instrumental in RME's success. While navigating the complexities of a multi-stream manufacturing program for diverse product lines and their supply chains, Geoff has established resilient systems and driven continuous improvement to the benefit of RME and its Customer.

During our conversation, with characteristic generosity and humility, Geoff shared a winning formula for delivering value for Customers, recommendations for career growth and progression, and lessons he would have liked to learn earlier in his career. 

Fuelling career growth and progression

As someone who first joined RME as a Master Scheduler in 2018 and now joins the Chief Executive Team as COO, Geoff has experienced RME’s commitment to career growth firsthand. “As I look around the organisation there are a lot of people who have been given similar recognition and opportunities to move into new, more challenging roles. RME is definitely an organisation where you can grow. We want to reward our own people with new opportunities.”

Geoff says that finding an employer that recognises its people’s commitment, skills and values alignment is just the first step toward career growth. “Once you’re in the organisation, you have to do more. Your job description will say you have to do certain things, and that’s great, you have to do those things, and do them well, but then find something else to do. 

A place of integrity where innovation thrives

As RME approaches its 40th anniversary, it is celebrating 40 years of innovation, recognising the skills and dedication of its people, Customers and suppliers that have made RME the world's most trusted original equipment manufacturer of mill relining technologies.

“At RME, integrity is all about doing what we say we’re going to do. When we make a commitment, we follow through on that commitment, whether it’s delivering a product or service or improving our organisation in a particular way – our word is our commitment and we follow through on that.”

The steadfast commitment to integrity described by Geoff lays the foundation for innovation at RME. “How we then follow through is one of the ways innovation thrives at RME. As we go about our jobs and deliver on our commitments, we don’t have to do them the way it has always been done, how you did it in your last job or by the textbook, you can come up with the ‘RME way’ of doing it. That drive to set new standards helps innovation thrive.”    
 
The results of this innovation can be seen in the company’s products. 

The power of ‘juntos’

One of RME’s core values is ‘juntos’, meaning ‘together’ in Spanish. It captures the company’s belief that ‘not one of us is as smart as all of us’ and the importance of collaboration. It is a driving force behind the company’s success.

“A lot of organisations can be very siloed, where it’s all about ‘my department’. Especially when times are difficult, the safe space perhaps feels like ‘your department’.” 

Geoff said it’s an emphasis on collaboration that is key to delivering value for RME’s Customers. “We know that without collaboration we won’t be successful. We might have a successful department here or there, depending on the measures they’re using but the value stream, which will be a combination of departments, must work together to deliver value for the Customer. 

“It’s the combination of our departments and people collaborating across engineering, manufacturing, shipping, sales and other teams, including our suppliers – everyone working together in a collaborative way – that gets the outcomes we want for our Customers.”

Leading by empowering others

Geoff’s alignment with RME’s values is demonstrated by his leadership style. “There’s not much that I can do as an individual, in a day, that can move the dial. You must work through your people and work as a team. 

“It’s important for me to understand exactly where the organisation wants to go, and then ensure the plan I establish aligns with that. It’s my responsibility to set a consistent vision and then empower the team, so we’re all working toward the same outcomes. That’s what will move the dial, and the results will come.”

Geoff draws inspiration from Australian Rugby League football coach and former player, Wayne Bennett. “He said, ‘don’t focus on the score, focus on the team.’ 

“Meaning, focus on how they’re going to play, making sure you’re putting the best people on the field that understand the plan, that know what you need to achieve. You won’t know who you’re playing or what the conditions will be like, but if you put the best team on the field and they’re firing on the day, then you’re giving yourself the best chance to win. 

The importance of a clear vision and plan

Reflecting on lessons learned during his career, Geoff emphasised the critical importance of having a clear vision. “While creating a vision and plan may seem a bit fluffy, like something you do when you have some spare time, it’s actually very important.” 

It’s a lesson Geoff said he would have liked to learn earlier in his career and one that is front of mind as he joins RME’s Chief Executive Team. “You must invest time in documenting the vision and plan and in making sure it’s well understood. And equally, invest time in understanding each teams’ plan and how they will come together to support the vision. 

“As always, you can’t just take a departmental view, you must understand the sum of the value stream from across the whole business as that’s what the Customer will care about – the sum of the departments is ultimately what creates value for the Customer.”