Regaining Mana: When Culture Eats Automation and AI for Lunch

In this episode of the RBL Podcast, Norm Smallwood speaks with Roger Gray, CEO and Phil Doak, General Manager of People and Legal of the Port of Auckland about how the organization transformed from a deeply divided, underperforming workplace into a high-performance, high-engagement business. The conversation explores how a failed automation program, serious safety concerns, deteriorating union relationships, and a loss of trust had left the port struggling with productivity, profitability, and public confidence. Roger and Phil explain why cancelling the automation project was only the beginning, and how rebuilding trust with employees, unions, customers, the community, and the port’s government owner became central to the turnaround. Through a strategy focused on “regaining mana,” the leadership team created new structures for employee involvement, collaborative problem-solving, and ongoing union engagement. The episode highlights how giving the workforce a genuine voice unlocked operational knowledge, improved safety and productivity, reduced the cost of conflict, and helped quadruple profitability. It offers a powerful example of how culture, leadership, and stakeholder trust can create more value than technology alone.