This month we chat with Matthew Crockett, group managing director at Craggs Energy Group.
“It’s important to surround yourself with talent.”
MATTHEW CROCKETT
Please give your career history in 25 words or fewer.
Great work ethics from my family saw me selling around the world. Worked in this industry for nearly 3 decades, successfully implementing change management and structured growth.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Dedicated. Delivers. Empathetic.
What were your childhood / early ambitions?
A stunt man which, I suppose, today I am by constantly manoeuvring obstacles and challenges but just in a non-life-threatening way! I aspired to become an architect and, whilst that never materialised, I’m still passionate about designing, creating, and constructing things for myself.
Describe your dream job (if you weren’t doing this?)
Own and run a restaurant, my passion for food and seeing people happy eating would certainly be rewarding mentally and emotionally.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?
Put the absolute best of the best people around you to work with, and ensure teams are aligned with the goals.
Share your top tips for business success.
Communication and collaboration. Do not over complicate the tasks in hand, and see each employee knows the organisation’s tone of voice internally, what the aspirations ahead are, and what the immediate goals and expectations are.
What’s your most recent business achievement of note?
It’s been a privilege to be part of a senior management team that in the last year has relinquished our shares over to the staff such that the company is now owned 100% by the employees.
Tell us your greatest fear.
Snakes…! But, day to day, within personal and work life balance, failure to deliver on behalf of others and the fear of letting family, friends, and work colleagues down.
Which is most important – ambition or talent?
Ambition is the driver and can take you far and underpins success – and I also believe it’s important to surround yourself with talent.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Working with great energised people, and the ability to work for a company that can make a difference and the chance to ease the world’s journey to clean energy.
Which is the quality that you most admire?
Graciousness and humbleness.
What are you most likely to say?
Whistle goes again tomorrow, same again please.
What are you least likely to say?
It’s ok not to hit budgets even with the unexpected challenges.
Describe your perfect day.
Get in the garden, chop away, and titivate the garden through the day, stoke up the outdoor kitchen, prep some nice food, welcome family and friends, pop the wine open and enjoy a long, chilled evening outside into the night with amazing food and wine watching the sun go down.
Do you have a favourite sports team?
I’m a rugby fan, and follow Leicester Tigers and, internationally, England.
What’s the biggest challenge of our time?
I would say the transition from fossil fuel usage to clean energy alternatives. It’s a journey everyone will have to take, and it’s important the world, and our industry, embraces this challenge. Which is why we are proud to transition from fossil fuel facilitators into green energy guides.
Cheese or chocolate?
That is not a fair question…both.
Share your greatest personal achievement.
It’s great to have been involved in setting up an Employee Ownership Trust for our colleagues. It’s been mentally rewarding and seeing the engagement on the back of doing this has been very fulfilling.
What’s your pet hate or biggest irritant?
People’s social awareness, and them not being aware of the landscape they are operating within which impacts many around them negatively.
If you were on ‘Mastermind’ what would your specialist subject be?
Sauvignon Blanc from around the world.
If your 20-year-old self saw you now what would they think?
Phew, still got your hair…and still loads to achieve.
What is number 1 on your bucket list?
Go to the Ice Hotel, with the one-off, bespoke designed rooms.
What 3 things would you take to a desert island?
Wine, music and a mirror – double up of course to use to light fires.
Tell us something about you that people would be very surprised by
Getting dirty gardening and growing my own vegetables and herbs.
Who would you most like to ask these questions of?
Jim Ratcliffe.
