b'A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWNYoung bloodBob carefully handpicked his Dixon & Haddon team, preferringto source employees through his sports network or existingemployees in the form of their friends and whnau. He also believed in taking on boys from the local schools.They typically needed a little time to get school out of their system, but the team quickly identified the keen ones, those who wantedto learn and better themselves. And training built loyalty.Bob would take advice from the older hands on the shop floor as to whether a new starter should stay or go. If they proved to be unreliable, they fell into the latter camp and hed shift them to the paint shop. There, under Lauries watch, they would only last aweek or two before leaving of their own accord.But if they stayed on, they were looked after and becamepart of the family. Loyalty is a very importantpart of the business. It comes down to valuing your employees, investing in them and showing them a trajectory.BOB HADDON22'