Leadership Analysis: Melbourne Market Relocation Project Case Study

This case study analyzes the Melbourne Market relocation project, focusing on the leadership challenges and successes encountered during the move from Docklands to Epping. The analysis identifies key leadership players, such as Chris Grafton, and examines the essential leadership attributes required for a successful project, including social intelligence, interpersonal skills, and effective communication. The study explores the impact of stakeholder perspectives, including financial discrepancies and concerns from traders, growers, and employees, and how leadership addressed these issues. Lessons learned from the project emphasize the importance of stability, authentic communication, and strong planning. The assignment also considers how these lessons align with leadership theories, highlighting the need for vision, confidence, and the ability to learn from others. The relocation involved many stakeholders and the case study highlights the importance of effective leadership in managing complex projects with diverse perspectives.

PROJECT LEADERSHIP

● Who were the key leading players for this project?
A very new start to the Melbourne market seems to be sustainable and it has really got
enough attention to bring out more opportunities for workers within the organisational area.
Strong leadership request is always required in order to make such volt decision and
redevelopment of any organisation. In the case of the Melbourne fruit market, such huge
steps taken by the leaders did attract the attention of many investors. A clear understanding of
the steps and proper evaluation of all the consequences for the relocation of a whole market
to a new place requires stability in understanding in planning. For successfully relocating the
market Chris Grafton played a key role in the project (Umowlai.com.au, 2019). The smooth
coordination and reaction between the architect, Consultant And contractor made sure that
the facility was located at a sustainable height with the fully operational facility.
● What were the key leadership attributes needed to make the relocation of the
market a successful project?
Every leader in society is unique in their way of determining how work is required to be
completed. Every manager, architect, the contractor are required to be kept in a single line to
ensure that every work reaches the ultimate goal of relocating the market to a new place. In
the case scenario of Melbourne fresh fruit market, the relocation to Epping was itself a strong
decision to be made. In which scenario the leader who acted to be the prime source of energy
showed their ultimate competency in social intelligence. The competency in social
intelligence helps them understand the social situation and the dynamic in and around the
suburb of Epping. Sensitivity towards the social situation, role play and effective leadership
towards broad consequence evaluation made the relocation somewhat easier than and what it
was thought to be. The interpersonal skill that was represented by the leaders it enabled the
contractor, managers and the architect to be in a situation of harmony. The soft-spoken skill
also represented their way out to understand the requirement that was presented by the
workers and other stakeholders who were related.
● What impact did stakeholder perspectives have on the project’s success? What
impact did project leadership have on stakeholders?
The certain changes that make due to the relocation of the market did have an impact on the
stakeholders and their issues from them to be heard efficiently. According to some of the

stakeholders, it was financially tough dealing with the uncertainty in the market location for
the past 10 years (Smh.com.au, 2019). One of the wholesale business and Grant Nichol
agreed to the situation of having financial discrepancies due to the unknown element of
traders and business location. Certain fall in financial condition was related to the situation
where many of the Businessmen have lost employees due to the relocation. On the other
hand, Flavorite had around 380 employees for the move but few small traders found it hard
to cope with the situation. Through the white elephant claim in 2005, there was a huge refrain
found where labour premium Steve Bracks fought tooth and nail to stop the relocation
(Smh.com.au, 2019). The body representing the vegetable growers across Australia had
issues related to transport as they indicated that the growers were facing issues in transporting
their fruit and vegetable to a streamlined facility (Smh.com.au, 2019). Some small growers
also drew line regarding their issues to be discussed. It was seen that many small traders
started leaving the industry as they were not supporting the protracting relocation of the
Melbourne wholesale market (Abc.net.au, 2019). Unfortunate events like underpayment also
so were raised in the situation of market relocation. Sea of the wholesaler state that the
Melbourne wholesale market old them $260,000 and $250,000 respectively
(Weeklytimesnow.com.au, 2019).
The leadership quality indicated by the leaders, who undertook the strong decision of
relocating the market made sure that there were properties of speaking element to discuss the
issues. With proper feedback initiated work, there was enough information found later on
that, the feedback form showed satisfaction among most of the vegetable growers to transport
their products to New Market (Smh.com.au, 2019). The proper communication skill indicated
from the leaders made sure that most of the traders understood the rise in the face at Epping
from that of scary to around 60% to 70% (Abc.net.au, 2019).
● In your view, what leadership lessons can be taken away from the delivery of this
major project? What would you do in a similar situation?
Knowledge can be gathered from every leadership activity and in case of relocating the
Melbourne wholesale fruit market to a new location the leadership quality. The knowledge
that was gathered from the leaders who undertook the decision was the stability in what the
thought was required to be done. The strong planning Process undertaken by leaders in order
to relocate a whole market to a new place is quite would be to be discussed in future for

further uses. Much of the knowledge was related to the authentic communication style and
interpersonal skill that did have a positive impact over the people around them.
If I was to face a similar situation I would have done nothing different that was shown by the
leaders of the Melbourne case. The vision through which the huge confidence was required is
still needed to be enhanced within me. The leadership quality according to me does not
always need to be cultivated from within but can also be gathered by observing people
around us as the ideal one.
● How well do these lessons reflect the concepts and theory that are introduced in
this subject?
The lesson has reflected in a positive manner to the concept and theories introduced in the
subject through positive leadership. The complex work and the swift leadership skill in the
relocation of the market did ensure that every detail is reflected.

References
Abc.net.au, (2019) ABC Retrieved from
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2014-08-22/melbourne-market-relocation-drags-
on/5690284?pfmredir=sm Retrieved on 15 April 2019
Smh.com.au, (2019) SMH Retrieved from
https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/fruit-and-vegetable-traders-put-
bruising-melbourne-market-battles-behind-them-20160104-glyogd.html Retrieved on
15 April 2019
Umowlai.com.au, (2019) UMOWLAI Retrieved from http://umowlai.com.au/a-fresh-new-
sustainable-start-for-the-melbourne-market/ Retrieved on 15 April 2019
Weeklytimesnow.com.au, (2019) WEEKLY Retrieved from
https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/agribusiness/we-paid-for-melbourne-market-
shift-growers-say/news-story/4c14fa375f089bff46850b34882bd231 Retrieved on 15
April 2019