One to Watch – Morgan Lynch, assistant development and delivery manager at Home Group

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Being brought up in a sporty household, naturally I had the ‘unique’ dream of becoming a football player. I’m still in touch with this inner child, ever hopeful that Erik ten Hag just happens to walk by while I perform some magic at a seven-a-side game and I get a call-up from Manchester United.

What’s your proudest moment or biggest achievement so far?

Handing properties over is always a satisfying feeling. Getting to see happy customers move into a home that we have worked so hard to provide is a reminder of why we do what we do.

One personal proud moment I will always cherish is graduating from university this summer.

And what has been your hardest moment?

A large increase in responsibility came at the end of last year when I took on my own land-led scheme for the first time. Soon after, I was tasked with covering my line manager on our region’s sales project. This increased responsibility at work came at the same time as my university work ramped up and a dissertation deadline drew closer.

I’m happy to admit that I found it challenging and overwhelming, but it was also a great opportunity to reflect and learn.

Who has been the most important person in your career – and why?

There have been a number of influential people in these early stages of my career. Elsa Brailey, the head of the North West team, welcomed me into the industry, and since day one has supported me and guided me in the right direction.

When I joined in 2018, my line manager and mentor, David Armstrong, had the major task of training me up to become self-sufficient in my job. Over the five years, I have definitely learned a lot from David, and I don’t think I would be the same person I am today if I hadn’t met him.

What’s the best piece of work advice you’ve ever been given?

In and out of work, David has taught me plenty of good habits, practices and mantras. The most memorable was: “Remember who is the dog and who is the tail.”

If you could change one thing about the sector, what would it be?

We always hear there is a housing crisis and a large shortage of homes compared with demand. However, there are policies in place that seem to put up barriers to halt development. In Cumbria alone, nutrient neutrality is reportedly holding up 100,000 new homes.

Sometimes policies seem to be introduced before the measures are in place to deal with them. I would want to change this process and make it much more efficient.