Step into management
Ryan Jackson, Head of Gemini Parking Solutions, offers an insight into the people behind his company, and their roles, hopes and aspirations, by asking his managers to write their own personal profile.
He says, “Prabjit Gurm was given the role of Appeals Manager to cover maternity leave. I have always felt that Prabjit was capable of more than her previous role allowed her to do, so was glad to present this opportunity to her.”
In her own words, Prabjit describes her experience.
“My current role is Appeals / Customer Service Department Manager for Gemini Parking Solutions. I was given this opportunity by Ryan Jackson, for which I am truly grateful, and I have currently been engaged in this role for the past 3 months.
It has been a very challenging experience, managing a team, since it had been 3 years since I had been involved in any management role. To become a leader in this department, I had to let go of past experiences to embrace this new role. I found that setting my goals was the most challenging process, reflecting on my day-to-day and future work life.
With any new role, having a positive direction is vital. One of the inspiring aspects of Gemini Parking Solutions is that it provides opportunities to develop staff in challenging areas, where a positive push is needed. In my case, it was help in coming out of my comfort zone.
Within my first month in this new role, I was given the opportunity to be a part of Marianne Paige Manager’s Development Programme. This focuses on 6 different areas of personal development within my role. The modules I have been involved in, so far, are: becoming a leader, personal management system, and how to hire the right people for the team. Another element of the course has helped me to practise better time management techniques by learning how to prioritise my to-do lists and make better use of calendar and scheduling apps. After this, I find that I am able to get a lot more done, with much higher quality results. It has also helped me to embrace my fear of creating reports – through presenting them in simple ways with factual information, which are reviewed in weekly management meetings. This course has given me guidance to run my department effectively.
The skills I’ve learned in this new role have helped me to transfer the knowledge to my team – and the skills are also transferable outside my work life.
As a department, our sole focus is to execute our company core values in our day-to-day duties, providing knowledge, and always showing compassion – especially in any sensitive cases. Having regular team meetings helps to develop our team’s strengths and to find ways to resolve any problems that might arise.
Due to the variety within this role, I view my career as dynamic and diverse, with opportunities for challenge and growth. I see the people I encounter and work with as individuals I can learn from, and people I can help. Each day at Gemini Parking Solutions brings me another opportunity to better myself and to become the best version of myself.
My attitude defines who I am as a person. It helps me to achieve what I want from life. The personal development goals it has helped me to set are achievable goals that make me a better person. A positive mental attitude can move mountains for you.”
Ryan Jackson says, “Prabjit has worked extremely hard since taking on the new role and within a short space of time I have seen her grow significantly – especially in self-confidence. She now has a deeper belief in herself which is very important. I expect to see Prabjit grow even more, over the next few years.”
