He is one of around 100 Vistry Group colleagues who are former or reservist armed forces members, and while many of us may look for ways to switch off after work, James says he and fellow volunteers from the military services have to face a more challenging shift in thinking. One week he may lead a team of recruits on a training exercise in Scotland; the next, he could lead a team of house builders.
James says the skills he has acquired during his Army career (he has been a full-time recruit and a reservist) have been valuable towards developing his leadership style.
“I'd say getting comfortable with challenging situations is one skill that can be applied to both of my roles – there is never going to be a shortage of these in house building that you find yourself in, so you need to be able to stay calm. I have to take a step back, think through a situation and consider how best to tackle it.”
James admits that when it comes to boundaries between the roles – it is difficult at times, and he’s ‘still trying to get his head around that’ even after four years of combining his roles. He says: “With the army, when leading a squadron or a company, it's slightly more about scale man management, and you work specifically on a central aim with decentralised execution. You give everyone the idea of what you want to do, and they go away and do it. But working in a land team of five people is a lot more intense and more about daily contact with everyone.”
As James is a company commander at Oxford University Officer Training Corps, he is experienced in mentoring up-and-coming officers. Equally, he has been involved in telling the Vistry story as to how the company continues to support ex-service personnel and how they have committed to this through being a long-term signatory of The Armed Forces Covenant, and retaining the gold standard. The company became the first major housebuilder to earn the Gold Award from the Ministry of Defence as part of its Employer Recognition Scheme in 2019. James has also been a recognised influence in encouraging recruits from the forces as part of the Vistry team that take part in careers fairs around the country.
James earned a Land Management degree at Reading University and has now returned to applying his degree to the housebuilding industry – right back in Reading. His career has brought him full circle but with a notable period spent with the Army in Germany, Afghanistan, the US and Canada where his trade was reconnaissance and surveillance in Scimitar tanks.
While army training builds resilience, James acknowledges that emotional intelligence is another critical skill vital for any leadership role. He explains: “Being empathy-aware is essential, especially dealing with younger soldiers, who are perhaps more vulnerable in an environment like the Army. They do need a bit of close care and attention, and the pastoral element is probably a bit more intense and a bit more than 9 to 5, like in the house-building industry.
Concerning Vistry’s approach to supporting armed forces personnel, James says: “I think we’re pretty good. I think what's tricky for anyone leaving a career, whether it's military or any other career, is trying to find out where to go next and what works for you as much as what works for an employer. I'm pleased that Vistry supports careers fairs across the country.”
“Our sites and business units fly the Armed Forces Covenant flag, and we are very proud of that and as some of our site managers and contracts managers are ex-forces, they’re proud of having the flags outside.
“There’s a site on the edge of High Wycombe, and I know that one of the residents has two children who are going through training in the Army at the moment, and so having that flag outside her house on the site… she certainly appreciates that.”
As well as being a Reservist and heading up the planning and land team for Home Counties West, James is also a dad to two small children. Would he recommend a career in the Army to them?
“Yes, I would recommend it,” he says. “And one is already keen to join – the other isn’t!”
If you would like to learn more about how Vistry supports ex-forces personnel click here: Vistry Careers