Forty years ago, Lance Vervoort took a job in local government as a trainee biosecurity officer and general inspector at Waitemata City Council, a job his Dad’s friend suggested and Lance thought sounded interesting enough to give it a go.
Today, he’s Chief Executive of Hamilton City Council, having worked his way through a range of local government roles from pest management and regional parks to community facilities and organisational leadership.
Along the way, he’s helped expand Auckland’s regional parks network, overseen thousands of boats on the Hauraki Gulf during America’s Cup regattas, and played a part in developing some of Hamilton’s best-loved community facilities.
It’s been a varied and interesting career, but certainly not one he could have mapped out when he first started.
Taking opportunities as they come
Lance has had plenty of challenges during his 40 year tenure including working through the 1989 local government reforms but he’s also had plenty of opportunities.
“I’ve always been about taking opportunities, stretching myself, encouraging others to stretch themselves as well. And I’ve never really worried about my job description.”
One of Lance’s most memorable projects came during his time managing Auckland’s regional parks, when he helped secure the gifting of a 2,000-acre property on the Kaipara Harbour.
The owners wanted to leave something lasting for New Zealanders, but needed confidence that their land would be well looked after.
Lance spent two years building a genuine relationship with the couple, showing them what the regional parks team could achieve. Eventually, they gifted the property, worth around $10 million, for the public to enjoy.
The work relationship became a lasting friendship, with Lance and his wife remaining close with the couple until their deaths.
After moving to Hamilton City Council, Lance found himself stepping into another new challenge. Just six months after joining as Parks and Gardens Manager, he was appointed General Manager of Community, responsible for everything from libraries and swimming pools to Hamilton Gardens, the zoo and major sporting facilities.
It was a big step outside his comfort zone, but one that reinforced an important lesson.
“If you’re a good leader and have good systems and processes and good people who know what they’re doing, you don’t need to be the technical expert.”
The rewards and realities of leadership
Lance went on to become Deputy Chief Executive before taking on the Chief Executive role in 2021, with his first 90 days coinciding with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
Throughout his career, he’s been guided by a desire to make things better, particularly for the people he works alongside.
He’s a strong believer in servant leadership, surrounding himself with people who bring different strengths and perspectives, and removing the roadblocks that prevent them doing their best work.
But after four decades, he’s also very aware of the personal cost that can come with leadership.
“If you want to be a leader, just be prepared that leadership is bloody hard,” he says.
Over the years, Lance has faced some incredibly difficult situations, including the loss of staff members, and navigating the legal and personal consequences of workplace tragedies.
The stress has taken a significant personal toll with Lance suffering a heart attack following a particularly difficult experience.
It’s a stark reminder of the pressures senior leaders can carry, often behind the scenes, and the emotional weight that comes with being responsible for people and organisations through their most difficult moments.
But alongside those experiences have been some of the most rewarding parts of his career, particularly watching others grow and succeed.
At Hamilton City Council, he’s championed a leadership development programme that has had around 180 staff through the course so far.
“What gives me a buzz is seeing other people doing really well. That’s the really cool part of leadership, actually being able to help others thrive.”
He’s watched people he’s coached and supported go on to become chief executives, general managers and leaders of significant projects around the country.
Looking back, and looking ahead
Having witnessed decades of change, Lance sees one particularly positive shift across local government: a greater willingness to collaborate.
When he first started, councils tended to operate more independently. Today, collaboration has become a much more natural part of how the sector works. While this shift has been driven in part by increasing financial pressures and the need to make resources go further, Lance sees it as a positive change. And with the challenges facing local government, he believes working together will only become more important.
For those looking to progress their own careers, his advice is to lift their heads beyond the day-to-day, seek out mentors and coaching, and take responsibility for their own development.
Plans won’t always work out as expected, but even unexpected challenges can bring opportunities to learn, build resilience and grow.
Switching off
Outside work, Lance swaps council meetings for life on a lifestyle block on the outskirts of Hamilton, where he and his wife enjoy the company of their three dogs, horses and a small herd of cattle.
He describes himself as a weekend farmer and enjoys the time he gets to spend on his tractor, fixing fences and looking after the property. It’s also where he does some of his best thinking.
He enjoys coastal walks, fishing and travelling with his wife, with a five-week African adventure planned for next year.
But it’s fishing with a friend or two that he describes as his happy place, when he can switch off and think about nothing else.
After 40 years of taking on new challenges, Lance remains enthusiastic about what else lies ahead in local government over the next few years and is keen to be involved in the transition to new larger Councils.
