Mi nuevo guru

De repente me veo trabajando 13 horas, sin pestanear,
Pero lo bueno es que también sé que acabo de cerrar mi semana, y contrariamente a mis experiencias anteriores, en los finales de semana, no pienso en los no tanto problemas que tengo en mi trabajo...

Adjunto trecho de la entrevista de mi nuevo guru,

Hay que ser idealista en esta vida.

Simplicity, coherence, determination; but also humbleness and open mindedness, and the ability to set an example to his collaborators. These are the qualities that a head of a company needs to have in order to be able to lead it in the ever more competitive global markets.

In an interview by Roger Abravanel* with Andrea Guerra, managing director of Luxottica Group.

Andrea Guerra, currently managing director of Luxottica Group, and before that of Merloni, is considered l’enfant prodige of the Italian top management, thanks to his outstanding qualities in management and leadership. In this interview, Mr Guerra sets out his ideas on leadership drawing from his past and present professional experiences.

What must a leader do? In what measure does leadership differ from good management?

Leadership differs from management in at least two aspects: firstly, in being able to set an example, both in every day «simple» matters and in more «intellectual» ones. Secondly, in terms of coherence and determination in the manner one carries out what is requested from everyday management. Management reviews for example, can be perceived in two radically different ways: the majority of management reviews dedicate 80% of the time to the past and 20% to the future. In the companies run by leaders the contrary occurs: 20% of the time is dedicated to understanding the variances with respect to the previous month, 30% to understanding the causes of these variances, for better or for worse, to be able to reach a full awareness of the problems – and 50% to resetting the rolling quarterly plans. I like it when we have problems to resolve, I do not like seeing numbers different to those planned. My collaborators need to be able to explain in detail «what lies behind the numbers». Leaders must not only be «high flyers», but have to be «hands on» and show they have the situation under control.

Does a leader have to make decisions or delegate?

A leader has to make decisions. The dream of all leaders is to create a situation where the decisions taken are somehow those «conceived» by him. It is not easy and it requires enormous listening skills and the capacity of interacting at all corporate levels. Furthermore, this process differs greatly depending on the culture of the country. In the US it is expected that a leader comes to a formal decision after a discussion. In Italy, where there is less hierarchy, the decision somehow comes to light after the discussion but it is not clear who has actually made it. A global leader needs to be able to adapt the decision-making process to the different cultures.

What are the characteristics of the current and potential leaders you are looking for in Luxottica?

We are seeking three very remarkable characteristics: broadmindedness, humbleness/simplicity, ability to identify with the company. We look for broadmindedness in professional and personal experience, in exposure to foreign conditions and cultures and in family background. Broadmindedness is important for us because leaders need to be able to exploit the enormous potential deriving from «diversity». The second characteristic we are looking for is humbleness which goes together with simplicity. To simplify complex problems is the task of every leader; arrogant people build their own power on that infrastructure necessary to manage complex matters. The third characteristic is the ability to identify with the company. A difficult but fundamental ability. Too often today I hear young and capable managers say “the company has to …”, as if the company were a separate entity. To fulfil this disconnection is fundamental: who does the company belong to if not to those who work there? To feel like an entrepreneur inside a company essentially means to feel like the company is your own.

Interview of Andrea Guerra with Harvard Business Review Italy