“What is one leadership lesson you’ve learned from a mentor or experience that you carry with you every day?”

At West Fraser, leadership is not just a title; it’s a cornerstone of our success and growth. Strong leadership drives innovation and ensures that we consistently deliver high-quality products while fostering a culture of collaboration and respect. On National Leadership Day, we reflect on the values that guide our leaders and the impact their decisions have on our business. In this piece, we’ll hear from four leaders within the company who share their insights, offering valuable leadership advice that continues to shape the future of West Fraser Europe Limited. Leadership, in its most effective form, is about more than just making decisions – it’s about inspiring others, nurturing potential, and cultivating a shared vision for success.

Nigel Morris – National Sales Manager

Nigel Morris – National Sales Manager, joined West Fraser in 2023 and leads our team of Business Development Managers.

“As a leader, firstly, I set a high standard for myself. Lead by example, set clear objectives and, where possible, ensure you keep it simple. You learn the most about managing people from the people you manage! Put yourself in their shoes and look at a different perspective, then offer guidance and support, but ensure we stay on track and move forward.”

Jennifer Docherty – Director of Finance and Operations Planning

Jennifer Docherty – Director of Finance & Operations Planning leads our accounting department, having started out as a Site financial controller in 2015. Over the past ten years, Jennifer has moved up through the business in various roles which has helped her to be open to learning and collaborating with her colleagues.

My answer would be “Never be afraid to say you don’t know”.  As a leader, saying you don’t know can be seen as a weakness, but I find the opposite.  When I say I don’t know, I often find it opens up opportunities to collaborate with colleagues, builds trust, creates proactive environments and helps me learn new things. 

Steve McTaggart – Health & Safety Manager

Steve McTaggart – HSEQ Manager (Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality) Looks after the quality team and is a leader in safety across the Inverness site. He joined us in 1986, starting out as a quality control technician, and has moved through the technical and quality department developing his management roles.

Be brilliant at the basics, don’t be afraid to fail, and lead by example.

John Maude – General Manager Inverness Site

John Maude – the General Manager at Inverness, having previously held this role in the South Molton site, now leads the Inverness team; he joined the company in 2017.

We lead people, we manage stuff, never confuse the two. Be the best version of you every day and encourage your team to be the best version of themselves every day.