That is nice to hear. We are highly motivated to maintain our great partnership, too.
Let’s change the topic. Christopher, you had leading positions for years. Being a leader in today’s VUCA world can be quite a task. What characteristics make a successful leader, in your point of view?
The ability to adapt to change! Change is a constant. Today’s world is afflicted by instabilities from conflicts to pandemics, war and environmental crises et cetera. Flexibility is the answer to change.
My situation requires a lot of flexibility, in how I work, too. Half of my team is based in Mexico, the other half in Europe. Keeping a virtual team together and engaged can be challenging, among other reasons because of the time difference of eight hours. I keep a flexible schedule and base my leadership on trust, i.e. I am results-driven rather than controlling every move. We are all rated by our team outcome, so we all have to deliver.
Sounds like a challenge, indeed. How does a day in your agenda look like?
My afternoons and evenings are usually pretty booked. But my family and friends are aware of that. It is all a question of organization and communication; and I compensate for it, like by doing sports in the morning. It is important to maintain a healthy work-life-balance, which for me includes tennis to clear my head.
Again, flexibility is key! Learn how to adapt to given situations. There are many ways to skin a cat. Keep your goals in mind, check all external factors and then go for it.
How did you learn that?
I was lucky enough to have lived in different cultures. That forces you to adapt and to keep an open mind. I always recommend young people who are in their studies and without family yet to work and travel in other countries as much as possible. Those experiences come in handy, also later in life.
An example: Working in a Latin company but being based in Europe comes with some challenges. The understanding of “punctuality” is quite different – while Europeans consider the scheduled time sharp, in Mexico it rather means “around this time”.
Moreover, it is common to have important meetings over lunch in Latin countries. They want to get to know each other over a meal, to have a normal conversation. That is when many deals struck.
My message here is: Flexibility refers to understanding and accepting differences! In all aspects of life.
Thank you for sharing this advice. Let’s turn the tables: What is the best leadership advice you ever received?
Treat people the way you want people to treat you! That mindset has shaped my younger self and my whole career.
The key is to see the human across from you, not “the CEO”, “the worker” or “some employee”. To be humble and to show everyone the same respect is what makes leaders special.
That skill is not a given. You learn how to do that by observing people you admire. Then you go out, try to replicate what they do, and you walk the talk!
It is exactly what Chris and Denise do. Whether as employees at a large enterprise or whilst running their very own agency – they are still the same person. Kind, funny, and caring. Their values have not changed with their success and that reveals true personality. They have no exclusive “corner office”, for example, and that sends a clear message. It is why we, Cemex, but also me, Chris, appreciate this collaboration so much. Because it is a partnership.
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