Andy Dowdeswell – SAS Water Solutions

Peer mentoring connects business leaders who are all actively seeking to improve

‘As a Managing Director you try to pass on your skills in leadership however that is a long process. Being a part of the Key Executive program and having a supportive network helps executives develop quickly.’

Many CEOs or business leaders have experienced feelings of isolation while at the top of their organisation. Through Vistage’s dedicated community of like-minded empathetic leaders, they gain ideas and tools for betterment.

Investing in mentoring programs helps build solid leadership within an organisation, encouraging senior executives enhance their problem-solving strategies and provide long-term business benefits.

The KEY Executive Program offers an opportunity for senior executives to gain insights from other peers and learn about strategies for problem-solving and dealing with issues in a number of different ways.

Gain new perspectives with peer support

‘I’m a massive fan of Vistage and how they facilitate their peer mentoring groups each month. Having a network of people that are in the same boat and face similar issues to you as a leader helps to offer a new perspective.’

Having struggled with feeling like a ‘fish out of water’ prior to joining, Andy Dowdeswell, Managing Director of SAS Water Solutions, quickly realised the value a trusted network of like-minded peers could have on his business and his personal development.

He believed two of his executive leadership team could also gain value from surrounding themselves with other talented individuals, and facilitated them joining the KEY Executive program.

Andy believes membership has been instrumental in enhancing the problem-solving skills of his executive team.

Evolve your decision making

‘Vistage offers a safe space for leaders to consider the situation or issue they’re dealing with and identify what that key problem is. Through collaborative shared experiences, you can learn from one another and test out your problem-solving process.’

Andy feels ‘The solution path may be completely different to what you would have taken if you had thought about it on your own. That’s the real beauty of Vistage’.

It’s this understanding and perspective that Andy wanted to be passed onto his executive team.

‘I want my other team members to observe the same sort of thing. To learn how to provide solutions for a situation and have collaboration in the process so they know they’re doing the best they can for their customers and the organisation,’ says Andy.

Andy also credits Vistage with the ability to help leaders stop and think.

‘You learn how to stop and think more about situations before coming to a conclusion. You realise that you really need to take time to think before you jump into a response. It helps you become more mindful about your audience and reflect on how you need to communicate at every level,’ says Andy.

Thanks to membership, Andy believes his executive team have been able to gain diversity in their thinking to refine, reinforce and enrich their approach to decision-making.

Andy believes his team’s overall leadership skills have also improved.

‘I don’t have to step in as much and closely monitor my team. They’ve gained some great strategies from other members of their peer group. My team have benefited immensely from Vistage. They’re more resilient, understanding and ultimately have become better active listeners,’ says Andy.

According to Andy, the growth in himself and his team as a result of being part of Vistage has been extremely worthwhile.

‘There is real value and business benefits to Vistage. You couldn’t find a better bunch of compassionate people. Being part of peer mentoring helps you realise everybody is a human being and everybody’s got feelings, and everybody makes mistakes. Learning how to deal with problems and communicate better can lead to business success,’ concludes Andy.

About Andy Dowdeswell

Founder and Managing Director of SAS Water Solutions, Andy Dowdeswell, a former British Army Main Battle Tank Crewman is a true water industry veteran with over 30 years in the business. Driving results-focussed solutions across a diverse portfolio, Andy firmly believes in the power of continual improvement and growth.

His strategic expertise and unsurpassed client service skills set the bar for the entire company – and ensures that SAS Water Solutions remains the industry leader we see today.