Matariki, the Māori New Year marked by the rising of the Pleiades star cluster, is traditionally a time for reflection, expressing gratitude, and setting intentions for the future. These guiding principles—looking back to learn, acknowledging present strengths, and planning for what lies ahead—offer valuable frameworks not just for personal growth, but for organisational development as well.

It is in this spirit of reflection and renewal that we spoke with our General Manager, Joanne – as we believe Matariki also provides an ideal backdrop for examining leadership during times of change and transformation.
As RTL navigates industry transformation, what key leadership principles are guiding your decision-making? How do these principles translate into organisational culture and team dynamics?
Right now I’m concentrating on 3 guiding principles – Adaptability, Communication and Resilience.  By openly communicating how we can adapt our strategy quickly and deftly, our team gets behind it, gives it their all and achieves what we’re aiming for. This in turn gives them the confidence to think, not bigger, but differently and proves what a resilient crew we are.  I’ve had more interaction with the entire squad over the last 6 months than ever before and it’s great to witness the excitement rather than fear of the unknown.

Every company faces difficult compromises during economic downturns. What core aspects of RTL have you absolutely refused to compromise on, despite financial pressures, and why are these elements essential to the company's identity? At RTL’s absolute core is our integrity. We will not compromise on our values of safety, quality and customer service.  We will not throw out our commitment to doing what is right by our team.  That can be very tough during such challenging economic times but it will stand us in very good stead going forward.  A big part of RTL’s identity is Family and that’s what will see us through.

Many companies view sustainability as expendable during financial constraints. How has RTL integrated environmental initiatives into its core business model in ways that enhance rather than detract from financial performance

We decided to push on with our Sustainable Strategy as we had come so far and it’s all too easy sometimes to use “time” or “money” as an excuse for not doing something.  We’re fully committed (and just a little bit dogged!) about things we believe in.  We’ve reduced our waste, recorded our carbon emissions, are about to launch an exciting new product to the market and are getting our hands dirty with the RTL Bee Garden.  It’s not about box-ticking in tender documents, it’s about setting ourselves apart and trying to be BETTER.  We all have to take a little bit more responsibility for our actions where we can and that’s the foundation for positive change.

RTL was recently approached by Seven Sharp regarding the road cone tip line initiative, but you recommended a TTM company speak instead. What guided this decision, and what does it reveal about RTL's approach to industry expertise and partnerships? We decided that rather than put ourselves in the limelight, so to speak, we would steer Seven Sharp in the right direction.  At the end of the day, we’re cozily tucked up in our offices, not out there on the roads, taking all manner of abuse from the public.  We’re the supplier but we’re not the end user so we felt it was more valuable for the TTM industry to have one of its own speak. They’re the ones with the worksite expertise, not us, so we need to back them to be able to put their side of the story forward and change the very biased narrative currently in the media.  We were more than happy to help in this small way.

RTL's  'Driven by safety, defined by service' speaks to two core pillars of the business. How has our commitment to manufacturing signs to the highest safety standards evolved alongside our service philosophy, and how do these elements work together to differentiate RTL in the marketplace?

When we make a road sign, we make it to last.  We don’t cut corners on quality.  This aligns with our commitment to service because we’re in it for the longhaul.  We firmly believe in standing by our products over their lifetime which not only aligns with our quality, safety and service values but also our sustainability principles of making things last.  The world doesn’t need more junk!  Like Warren Buffet said - “Price is what you pay; value is what you get.”

How is RTL celebrating Matariki this year? 

"You know, I'm fortunate to have such a proactive team here at RTL. The team is brilliant at honouring old traditions and creating new ones with enthusiasm and authenticity. As a leader, I find deep value in these cultural touchstones that bring us together and strengthen our connections. I'm genuinely proud of how our team embraces these traditions with such creativity and respect, weaving them thoughtfully into our RTL culture." This year we are  having a shared morning tea to come together, taking time to do both business and personal reflections and goal setting. We'll also be dressing up in the colours of the night sky in blue, gold, and silver.”