"Entrepreneurship has been and always will be the foundation of our company's success. We are committed to continue this tradition through personal accountability and being fully committed to developing our future leaders in order to safeguard this style. We must remember that to ensure the success of our Group, the organisational structure has to be based on broad freedom for the managers coupled with the appropriate financial controls and feedback controls."

What does a leader do?

We believe that everyone can be a leader and that leadership is not the exclusive domain of senior managers. Leadership is the combination of many acts which together motivates and drives team members towards our vision. There is not one style that is exclusive to a leader but the results are more often the same. Some key areas important to us are:

The "act" of establishing, sharing and communicating our vision and inspiring a team to have confidence in the company and in themselves.

The "art" of motivating others to understand and embrace our vision and the "care" to be held accountable.

The inner confidence to "share credit" or "shoulder blame" and give others the responsibility and opportunity for success.

The inner drive to "make things happen", to respond to a customer fast, on the spot and in "moments of truth" come through for the customer and the company.

The attitude is to consider themselves equal partners in a team effort to achieve our vision. When the team needs help, leaders pitch in just like everyone else. They're involved; they're hands on and available. They take personal ownership for a customer's problem and don't let go until that problem is solved. No one tells them to do it, they just do it.

Leaders as coaches

"The best leaders are the best coaches." They don't rely on authority or force of personality. They believe in the inherent knowledge and talent of every team member. They believe in our people, they empower them to develop ideas, test them, quantify the results, and then share the good ones with our other businesses and functions throughout the company.

Leaders connect to our vision. They share their passion and their discipline about how to make our vision come alive.