EP270: Briony Platt, Founder of Lean Into Learning -Being a Billing manager is the TOUGHEST job in recruitment

Briony Platt, Founder and Director of Lean Into Learning, delves into the crucial yet challenging role of the billing manager in the recruitment industry. With her knowledge of 25 years in the recruitment industry, to now transitioned into a training development role, running her own business.

They discuss how a billing manager role is a delicate balance between managing people and driving revenue, making it one of the toughest positions in the field. Briony argues that separating these functions might not be feasible, as it could lead to fewer people willing to take on such responsibilities.

The conversation also touches on the fact that management roles are often more vulnerable during economic downturns, and emphasizes the need for a long-term approach to team development rather than focusing purely on short-term revenue generation.

The duo then explores the key attributes of successful billing managers. They highlight the importance of a blend of altruism and self-motivation, effective team management, and strong time management. Briony adds that having a growth mindset and the ability to delegate tasks is critical, while Lysha points out that billing managers often go unrecognized for the complexity of their role, suggesting that training should focus more on the leaders above them rather than the managers themselves.

Briony recounts her experience of feeling overwhelmed in a leadership role, which led her to seek support and training.

Succession planning and talent development are further discussed, expressing the importance of identifying future business needs and aligning team skills accordingly, stressing the need for continuous communication and regular talent reviews to ensure team members are developing in the right direction. A layered approach to role development, starting with candidate side exposure works best.

Wrapping the episode up with a conversation about adaptability and the evolution of business roles, in recruitment. Talking about the importance of recognising where individuals excel and how the 360 recruitment model may not suit everyone. Businesses should invest in their people, focusing on continuous learning and leadership development

Connect with Briony here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/briony-platt-lean-into-learning/

22 Steps to a Successful Start: Whether you’re planning for new managers and leaders you’re hiring over the coming weeks and months, or you want to see if there’s anything that was missed, last time someone was hired or promoted, then you’ll want this checklist! https://hello.leanintolearning.co.uk/22-steps-sign-up

Developing the Next Generation of Recruitment Leaders: Learning & Development had to take a back seat in many recruitment businesses in late 2023 and into 2024. Recruitment Leaders I was speaking to were curious about what others were planning to do around this topic in 2025. Over 120 Recruitment Leaders and Business Owners were involved in this research in early 2025. Get the results here: https://hello.leanintolearning.co.uk/next-gen-recruitment-leaders-sign-up

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