speaker-0: Welcome to the Morrison Global Podcast, the show that brings you inspiring conversations from around the world. Along the way, we'll dive into the latest market insights, explore human topics like well-being and personal growth, and uncover trends shaping the accounting and finance industry. Whether you're looking to stay ahead in your field, gain fresh perspectives, or simply connect with stories that inspire, you're in the right place. So join us as we ignite change and connect communities across the globe. Hello and welcome to another podcast from Morrison Global. This is our Conversations With series, and this particular set of podcasts is about leadership. And we are spending time with senior leaders around the association. I'm delighted to say we have a lot of very excellent leaders, and we've got one of the best here with us today. For those of you that don't know me, my name's Ryan Piper, I'm the CEO of Morrison Global. Today I'm joined by Lionel, all the way from Guatemala. Although I think you might be recording in New York. But Lionel, for the benefit of our listeners, hello, welcome. Perhaps you can give a little bit of introduction about yourself.
speaker-1: Thank you, Ryan, for this great opportunity to share with you. My name is Janelle Viamar. I'm the managing partner of Acofi Villamara Sociales. We are a firm established in Guatemala since 35 years ago. We are a family business and we have been with Morrison for more than 10 years. So it's really a pleasure to be here with you today and to share this my experience getting to this managing partner position.
speaker-0: Excellent. Well, welcome Lionel. And I know for certain I'm really interested to hear your thoughts on leadership. Congratulations on the managing partner position. I know that's been ⁓ a really fun and interesting journey, as I understand it. I think the business is a hundred years old.
speaker-1: Yeah, actually it has a history of hundred years because the grandfather of my father was an accountant. So I'm the fourth generation of accountant in my family. So actually if you put all the experience together, we make it through hundred years experience in accounting. Yes.
speaker-0: Very cool. What we'll do is just have a conversation, I think, really on your thoughts on leadership. But if there's any bits that as we go along you want to add that I haven't ⁓ raised, please just jump in with those. 'Cause I know your experience spans quite a lot of different countries. You work a lot across the region that you're in, not just in Guatemala, ⁓ obviously overseas as well. And so your reference points, cultural nuance points will be really interesting for all of the people listening. So We'll start with a small question. ⁓ it's not really a small question, but in my mind it's a pretty big one. Let's start with how in your mind you would define leadership in today's world and how has that definition changed over your career?
speaker-1: Actually it's really interesting because I think one of the issues that have been shaping leadership in the last years is that the mix of generations that are working together in an office today. It was not like, for example, fifteen years ago where you only have millennials and boomers working together. No, you have C generation, X generation, I don't know how much more generations are. So I think The great challenge of leadership today is getting people to personally connect with the vision and the mission of the company. That's really, really important because you have to make it personal for each member of the team. So you have to connect with the vision and the mission, but especially with the values of the company, because that will be the drivers to get the goals done. And nowadays, I think having a strategic plan. It's very helpful because it gives you like a context where you can treat every person a different way, but involving that context of the strategic plan. So I think that is where leadership has been confronting today. This change of the generations working together is something that has shaped and have transformed the liberation way.
speaker-0: I agree you entirely. I think today's leadership is working with different generations with different needs compared to when you and I were starting our career. And that's not a long time ago. I mean, it's long enough. And yet things have changed greatly since you and I were starting our career in our twenties. I agree with you. The challenge with leaders now is trying to pick people up and having a strategic plan ⁓ is so crucial. That defined destination, bringing people through on that, I think is really, ⁓ really crucial. And I I know you've done a lot of work in your firm. to put a new strategy in place, which, as you say, allows people to be part of it. But within that, leadership is key. So what's your thoughts then around the characteristics of a leader? What's in your mind?
speaker-1: Actually, I don't think there is a closed or definite list. It's not like a checklist that you make in order to be a leader. My way of of seeing the my leadership, I think, is essential to have the ability to see every situation from the most positive perspective possible. Because war and the and job is actually complicated enough to make it more complicated through the leader. The ability to see the the situation from the most positive perspective possible and make decisions from that perspective is really important. Also, it's not just because being, ⁓ it's all good, it's all magic. No, it's just because you have to find always solution or alternative in order to help other people. And on addition, I think it's really important to be disciplined. That's really important in this day because you have a lot of noise around you, you know? You can see social media, you can see all around you, and it tells you one day go this way, another day go that way. So if you are not disciplined, you can go like stumbling all the way. So that's really important for me right these days.
speaker-0: I agree with you completely. And the characteristics of a great leader are, as you say, being stretched all over the place with different views, different speeds and different perspectives. So then ⁓ if we take that definition of leadership and characteristics of a great leader, how would you describe your leadership style?
speaker-1: I like to create leaders. That's a nice way to resume it. I like to create leaders. So I actually like to teach. I think I have the ability to adapt to people and situations. And I like to generate trust and communications channels, you know. I think if we have to put it in one little phrase will be that I like to create other leaders. I feel great when I see my people empowering themselves. and making decisions and putting things together and going to the objectives after the objectives. So I really like to create layers.
speaker-0: That's a really interesting point 'cause one of my next questions was going to be, are leaders born or are they built? And taking your points, they're built or do you think some of them are actually born?
speaker-1: You can have some characteristics are intrinsic to you, that are like natural for you. But actually I think the leadership is something you have to create. I think anyone can be a leader, but there isn't a specific recipe. And like I said before, there's not a like checklist of things you have to be or you have to do to be a leader. I think it's easier to say what you don't have to do or why do you have to be. It's easier that way. Because when you think about it, for example, to be always reactive. To be like an emergency team. That is not a leadership way. You don't have to be a emergency team for only when things are crashing around. Okay? So to be always reactive is not a good way to be a leader. Also, for example, if you want to control every single decision. That's other important things that you don't have to do if you want to be a great leader. Make everything to rely on you to make you on this possible. That's really a great mistake in order to be a leader. If it is to not empower your team is also one of the things that you don't have to do, and to not have a defined plan. So this kind of stuff is easier to say what you don't have to do or whatever you have to be. Because if you have a strategic plan or a defined plan, if you like to empower your team, you like to learn how to delegate, if you learn how to make all the people compromise with the plan and with the objectives, then you don't have to have specific characteristics because you already have done what are the biggest mistakes of about leadership. It's easier to say what you don't have to do than say what you have to do.
speaker-0: Principle that you put forward about making it clear to people what they don't have to be. Similar to strategy, one of the biggest questions in strategy is what we are not going to be. We are not going to do these things. We are not going to be these things for these markets or people and so on. And I like that perspective from a leadership view. So then if we think about yourself, if anything at all, what has shaped or changed your approach to leadership? Was there a light bulb moment where you thought one day, ⁓ This is a different type of leadership and that's how I'll be, or have you always been fairly consistent in your management?
speaker-1: I have evolved for sure. Every single time that I have failed or I have had big difficulties, they are the best teachers in order to shape my leadership. But if I had to choose one specific moment, I would have to say one and a half years ago when I stepped into the managing partner position, when I put together the strategic plan. Because that gave me a new way to leader my team. Because it wasn't what I came to my mind today. It was a strategic plan. And that was something that really shaped my leadership in order. I don't have to create the objectives. They are already there. I just have to make people to compromise with this plan, with this path, in order to make things happen. I will have to say every single time I have fails and I have difficulties, they have shaped my leadership. You shouldn't fear them. You don't shouldn't fear to fail. And you have to learn for your failures. And that's what had been shaping my leadership through my history. But when a specific moment I would like to say, the moment that I realized I was leading a team with a strategic plan and with a defined objectives, that was much easier because you realize you have to only work to the people to make things happen.
speaker-0: I really like that point you made about learning through failure. I was talking with my brother recently and we were talking about how you learn far more with what you got wrong than what you got right. Which is a funny lesson to learn in some regards, isn't it? Because you just think, ⁓ it was right, I'll repeat it. But actually the circumstances of when you were right are often not repeated. You have to learn through challenging moments. So then tell me Lionel, what's your thoughts about misconceptions of leadership? What kind of misconceptions have you encountered? And how would you challenge those leadership misconceptions?
speaker-1: It's easier to say that these days because where we were saying at the beginning, the mix of generations working together has exposed this kind of ⁓ misconception of the leadership. For example, you have to be extroverted to be a leader. It's not like that. You you can be introverted and you can still be a good leader because being leader is not a show. It's not to be a showman. So we say extroverted is one of the misconceptions of being a leader. Also, to be authoritative, also misconception of a leadership. This comes agreed from the boomers, you know, to be like the boss, I have the final decision, the five. So that's another misconception. That you have to be a great speaker, for example. It's not about doing great speaks, you know, it's about more than that. Or to be a perfect controller, to have control of every single detail. is also not about being a good leader, that. So I think that that kind of idea there is misconception of leadership.
speaker-0: I think there's loads of great points in early now. One that resonated with me was you don't have to be an extrovert to be a good leader. There's a great book out at the moment about being a leader, but whilst also being introverted, the concept of owning your seat doesn't necessarily mean being loud or being assertive in a very dominant way. Owning your seat can be quiet and can be measured and can be very sort of considered. So
speaker-1: I like to say it, you have to manage things with the left hand. When you are working with your left hand, if you're a right hander, for example, you make people to do what you wanna do, what you want them to do, convince that it's what they want.
speaker-0: I like that a lot. ⁓ management or leadership with your left hand. You're right. It is less certain and more gentle, yeah. I hadn't heard that one before, but I should definitely take that away and think about it.
speaker-1: That's an advice from my mom, you know? That's how she managed my dad. And all the family, you know.
speaker-0: When you faced a challenge, what sort of leadership qualities have been most helpful to see you through those challenges? ⁓
speaker-1: To say I have the ability to don't panic. And that's really helpful because you get confident to your team. Okay, a client have left. Don't worry. Don't panic. Maybe on my mind I I'm like falling apart, you know, like a I don't get panic. I know that everything in this life, in this game, everything passes. Good things, bad things, but everything passes. And something better comes after. So everything has a solution or at least an alternative. So with that in mind, I don't get panic. I make a poker phrase and I transmit calm to my team. That's what helped me to not make decisions on a rush or in a bad moment. You know, don't panic. Okay, you don't have the solution and the alternative right now. Well, look for then tomorrow. I will say that's the most important for that moment that are really difficult. really challenge you, don't panic. Stay calm.
speaker-0: You're right, showing to your team that it's not a moment for them to panic. But like you say, whilst in the back of your mind, you're it's racing very quickly to go into resolution fixing what do I do? But at the front is very calm and it's really important to keep your head in those moments. So then how do you measure success as a leader? What does that look like?
speaker-1: I would have to say that it's not something that you measure by numbers. It's something that you measure by sensations of the people who work with them, who work with the leader. And that's how I measure my leadership. You know, when you walk to an office, I have to speak for my experience, because in a coffee we have passed through different phases, yeah, in the last years. And I can say two years ago, you went inside the office and you feel like the environment was in really good, you know? You feel it. You see it in the people behaviors and how they act when where something was wrong. People leaving the office, ⁓ renouncing. So you you feel it. Since we decide to make this strategic plan, and since I have been managing partner, I can feel not because of me, because all the board perspective and everything, you can see how people are happy. of working in a coffee. And not because we are like paying like great salaries or it's not because of that. It's because you can feel them connected with a coffee. You can feel them empowering in a coffee. So I think it's difficult to measure leadership by numbers. Because you can get to the goals. You can get to the goals, to the objectives, to the numbers, to the sales, to the profits. But even you get to that doesn't mean that you are a great leader. It's about Something else.
speaker-0: Yeah. And I like your point about sensations, is how you make people feel. It's how people are actually engaging with you as a leader. So then do you have do you have any habits or daily practices that you've found helpful to stay effective as a leader if we're assuming that leadership is a muscle that we need to keep fit? How do you ⁓ how do you stay fit from a leadership perspective?
speaker-1: I don't have daily habits. What I I actually do every day, I like to avoid micromanagement and work culture. I'm close to my people. For example, I have meetings with all my leaders every week, one-on-one. What's on your mind? What's the plan for this week? I have management meetings with all the leaders once a month. And I have meetings once a month. with a leader and the specific team of each leader to see the monthly plan at work. So I had those kind of habits in order to stay connected with the people, but I don't have actually like a daily basis because that's the way I work. That's the way I function. I like to say that I like to lead myself in order to lead others. So I know what I have to do to lead myself. You always know what you have to do better. You cannot lie to yourself. It's not something that you do because it's a magic recipe. If what you need to make it better for yourself, first of all, I like to lead myself or I try to lead myself in order to lead another.
speaker-0: I like that connection point when you're ⁓ you're having your weekly leadership meetings. I think they're so important, not least as you say, then leading yourself. So if we round off then with one final question and it's I think sometimes a tricky question to ask, so good luck. But what advice would you give to someone stepping into leadership for the first time?
speaker-1: First of all, know yourself. You have to know yourself. You have to make some introspective in order to know what you have to do better for yourself. Okay? Work on yourself first, trust yourself, and then you can try to lead some other people. I think you can have different methods or different paths to work on yourself. You can read books, you can hear podcasts like this one. You can listen to audiobooks. You can do whatever you want to do. There is not a magic recipe. But you have to work on yourself first. That will be the first one. And the second one, make it with a plan. Don't throw it to the water without a plan. I would like to say a strategic plan, but if you don't have that kind of a reach, make a plan. Just make a plan. Don't go through that without a plan.
speaker-0: I think they're both really good pieces of advice, particularly that first one to sort of work on yourself, to know yourself. I think as you say, so many people turn up into leadership and they just assume their offer and that's it. But actually that looking inside is so important. Now, unfortunately now, that's all we have time for today. We I know you and I could speak for a great length on leadership and the great work that you've been doing, both in the coffee and and for the association. I mean, you're ⁓ obviously a board member as well. So thank you so much for your time today. I'm really grateful to you sparing some time to talk through your leadership views with us. And I will hopefully see you on the next one.
speaker-1: Thank you, Rand. It has been a pleasure. Really, it has been really interesting to talk about this because usually I don't do it, but you always get the opportunity to learn. Really thankful for you.
speaker-0: I agree entirely. But thank you so much, Lionel, and I shall look forward to learning from you on the next one. But appreciate your time. So that was one of our conversations with that was with Lionel from A Coffee. And that was our podcast in our leadership series. Join us for the next one. Thank you for tuning in to the Morrison Global podcast. We hope today's episode sparked new ideas, broadened your thinking, and offered a fresh perspective. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and stay with us as we continue exploring the insights and stories shaping our world. Until next time, stay curious, stay inspired, and keep the conversations going.
speaker-1: Thank you, Ryan, for this great opportunity to share with you. My name is Janelle Viamar. I'm the managing partner of Acofi Villamara Sociales. We are a firm established in Guatemala since 35 years ago. We are a family business and we have been with Morrison for more than 10 years. So it's really a pleasure to be here with you today and to share this my experience getting to this managing partner position.
speaker-0: Excellent. Well, welcome Lionel. And I know for certain I'm really interested to hear your thoughts on leadership. Congratulations on the managing partner position. I know that's been ⁓ a really fun and interesting journey, as I understand it. I think the business is a hundred years old.
speaker-1: Yeah, actually it has a history of hundred years because the grandfather of my father was an accountant. So I'm the fourth generation of accountant in my family. So actually if you put all the experience together, we make it through hundred years experience in accounting. Yes.
speaker-0: Very cool. What we'll do is just have a conversation, I think, really on your thoughts on leadership. But if there's any bits that as we go along you want to add that I haven't ⁓ raised, please just jump in with those. 'Cause I know your experience spans quite a lot of different countries. You work a lot across the region that you're in, not just in Guatemala, ⁓ obviously overseas as well. And so your reference points, cultural nuance points will be really interesting for all of the people listening. So We'll start with a small question. ⁓ it's not really a small question, but in my mind it's a pretty big one. Let's start with how in your mind you would define leadership in today's world and how has that definition changed over your career?
speaker-1: Actually it's really interesting because I think one of the issues that have been shaping leadership in the last years is that the mix of generations that are working together in an office today. It was not like, for example, fifteen years ago where you only have millennials and boomers working together. No, you have C generation, X generation, I don't know how much more generations are. So I think The great challenge of leadership today is getting people to personally connect with the vision and the mission of the company. That's really, really important because you have to make it personal for each member of the team. So you have to connect with the vision and the mission, but especially with the values of the company, because that will be the drivers to get the goals done. And nowadays, I think having a strategic plan. It's very helpful because it gives you like a context where you can treat every person a different way, but involving that context of the strategic plan. So I think that is where leadership has been confronting today. This change of the generations working together is something that has shaped and have transformed the liberation way.
speaker-0: I agree you entirely. I think today's leadership is working with different generations with different needs compared to when you and I were starting our career. And that's not a long time ago. I mean, it's long enough. And yet things have changed greatly since you and I were starting our career in our twenties. I agree with you. The challenge with leaders now is trying to pick people up and having a strategic plan ⁓ is so crucial. That defined destination, bringing people through on that, I think is really, ⁓ really crucial. And I I know you've done a lot of work in your firm. to put a new strategy in place, which, as you say, allows people to be part of it. But within that, leadership is key. So what's your thoughts then around the characteristics of a leader? What's in your mind?
speaker-1: Actually, I don't think there is a closed or definite list. It's not like a checklist that you make in order to be a leader. My way of of seeing the my leadership, I think, is essential to have the ability to see every situation from the most positive perspective possible. Because war and the and job is actually complicated enough to make it more complicated through the leader. The ability to see the the situation from the most positive perspective possible and make decisions from that perspective is really important. Also, it's not just because being, ⁓ it's all good, it's all magic. No, it's just because you have to find always solution or alternative in order to help other people. And on addition, I think it's really important to be disciplined. That's really important in this day because you have a lot of noise around you, you know? You can see social media, you can see all around you, and it tells you one day go this way, another day go that way. So if you are not disciplined, you can go like stumbling all the way. So that's really important for me right these days.
speaker-0: I agree with you completely. And the characteristics of a great leader are, as you say, being stretched all over the place with different views, different speeds and different perspectives. So then ⁓ if we take that definition of leadership and characteristics of a great leader, how would you describe your leadership style?
speaker-1: I like to create leaders. That's a nice way to resume it. I like to create leaders. So I actually like to teach. I think I have the ability to adapt to people and situations. And I like to generate trust and communications channels, you know. I think if we have to put it in one little phrase will be that I like to create other leaders. I feel great when I see my people empowering themselves. and making decisions and putting things together and going to the objectives after the objectives. So I really like to create layers.
speaker-0: That's a really interesting point 'cause one of my next questions was going to be, are leaders born or are they built? And taking your points, they're built or do you think some of them are actually born?
speaker-1: You can have some characteristics are intrinsic to you, that are like natural for you. But actually I think the leadership is something you have to create. I think anyone can be a leader, but there isn't a specific recipe. And like I said before, there's not a like checklist of things you have to be or you have to do to be a leader. I think it's easier to say what you don't have to do or why do you have to be. It's easier that way. Because when you think about it, for example, to be always reactive. To be like an emergency team. That is not a leadership way. You don't have to be a emergency team for only when things are crashing around. Okay? So to be always reactive is not a good way to be a leader. Also, for example, if you want to control every single decision. That's other important things that you don't have to do if you want to be a great leader. Make everything to rely on you to make you on this possible. That's really a great mistake in order to be a leader. If it is to not empower your team is also one of the things that you don't have to do, and to not have a defined plan. So this kind of stuff is easier to say what you don't have to do or whatever you have to be. Because if you have a strategic plan or a defined plan, if you like to empower your team, you like to learn how to delegate, if you learn how to make all the people compromise with the plan and with the objectives, then you don't have to have specific characteristics because you already have done what are the biggest mistakes of about leadership. It's easier to say what you don't have to do than say what you have to do.
speaker-0: Principle that you put forward about making it clear to people what they don't have to be. Similar to strategy, one of the biggest questions in strategy is what we are not going to be. We are not going to do these things. We are not going to be these things for these markets or people and so on. And I like that perspective from a leadership view. So then if we think about yourself, if anything at all, what has shaped or changed your approach to leadership? Was there a light bulb moment where you thought one day, ⁓ This is a different type of leadership and that's how I'll be, or have you always been fairly consistent in your management?
speaker-1: I have evolved for sure. Every single time that I have failed or I have had big difficulties, they are the best teachers in order to shape my leadership. But if I had to choose one specific moment, I would have to say one and a half years ago when I stepped into the managing partner position, when I put together the strategic plan. Because that gave me a new way to leader my team. Because it wasn't what I came to my mind today. It was a strategic plan. And that was something that really shaped my leadership in order. I don't have to create the objectives. They are already there. I just have to make people to compromise with this plan, with this path, in order to make things happen. I will have to say every single time I have fails and I have difficulties, they have shaped my leadership. You shouldn't fear them. You don't shouldn't fear to fail. And you have to learn for your failures. And that's what had been shaping my leadership through my history. But when a specific moment I would like to say, the moment that I realized I was leading a team with a strategic plan and with a defined objectives, that was much easier because you realize you have to only work to the people to make things happen.
speaker-0: I really like that point you made about learning through failure. I was talking with my brother recently and we were talking about how you learn far more with what you got wrong than what you got right. Which is a funny lesson to learn in some regards, isn't it? Because you just think, ⁓ it was right, I'll repeat it. But actually the circumstances of when you were right are often not repeated. You have to learn through challenging moments. So then tell me Lionel, what's your thoughts about misconceptions of leadership? What kind of misconceptions have you encountered? And how would you challenge those leadership misconceptions?
speaker-1: It's easier to say that these days because where we were saying at the beginning, the mix of generations working together has exposed this kind of ⁓ misconception of the leadership. For example, you have to be extroverted to be a leader. It's not like that. You you can be introverted and you can still be a good leader because being leader is not a show. It's not to be a showman. So we say extroverted is one of the misconceptions of being a leader. Also, to be authoritative, also misconception of a leadership. This comes agreed from the boomers, you know, to be like the boss, I have the final decision, the five. So that's another misconception. That you have to be a great speaker, for example. It's not about doing great speaks, you know, it's about more than that. Or to be a perfect controller, to have control of every single detail. is also not about being a good leader, that. So I think that that kind of idea there is misconception of leadership.
speaker-0: I think there's loads of great points in early now. One that resonated with me was you don't have to be an extrovert to be a good leader. There's a great book out at the moment about being a leader, but whilst also being introverted, the concept of owning your seat doesn't necessarily mean being loud or being assertive in a very dominant way. Owning your seat can be quiet and can be measured and can be very sort of considered. So
speaker-1: I like to say it, you have to manage things with the left hand. When you are working with your left hand, if you're a right hander, for example, you make people to do what you wanna do, what you want them to do, convince that it's what they want.
speaker-0: I like that a lot. ⁓ management or leadership with your left hand. You're right. It is less certain and more gentle, yeah. I hadn't heard that one before, but I should definitely take that away and think about it.
speaker-1: That's an advice from my mom, you know? That's how she managed my dad. And all the family, you know.
speaker-0: When you faced a challenge, what sort of leadership qualities have been most helpful to see you through those challenges? ⁓
speaker-1: To say I have the ability to don't panic. And that's really helpful because you get confident to your team. Okay, a client have left. Don't worry. Don't panic. Maybe on my mind I I'm like falling apart, you know, like a I don't get panic. I know that everything in this life, in this game, everything passes. Good things, bad things, but everything passes. And something better comes after. So everything has a solution or at least an alternative. So with that in mind, I don't get panic. I make a poker phrase and I transmit calm to my team. That's what helped me to not make decisions on a rush or in a bad moment. You know, don't panic. Okay, you don't have the solution and the alternative right now. Well, look for then tomorrow. I will say that's the most important for that moment that are really difficult. really challenge you, don't panic. Stay calm.
speaker-0: You're right, showing to your team that it's not a moment for them to panic. But like you say, whilst in the back of your mind, you're it's racing very quickly to go into resolution fixing what do I do? But at the front is very calm and it's really important to keep your head in those moments. So then how do you measure success as a leader? What does that look like?
speaker-1: I would have to say that it's not something that you measure by numbers. It's something that you measure by sensations of the people who work with them, who work with the leader. And that's how I measure my leadership. You know, when you walk to an office, I have to speak for my experience, because in a coffee we have passed through different phases, yeah, in the last years. And I can say two years ago, you went inside the office and you feel like the environment was in really good, you know? You feel it. You see it in the people behaviors and how they act when where something was wrong. People leaving the office, ⁓ renouncing. So you you feel it. Since we decide to make this strategic plan, and since I have been managing partner, I can feel not because of me, because all the board perspective and everything, you can see how people are happy. of working in a coffee. And not because we are like paying like great salaries or it's not because of that. It's because you can feel them connected with a coffee. You can feel them empowering in a coffee. So I think it's difficult to measure leadership by numbers. Because you can get to the goals. You can get to the goals, to the objectives, to the numbers, to the sales, to the profits. But even you get to that doesn't mean that you are a great leader. It's about Something else.
speaker-0: Yeah. And I like your point about sensations, is how you make people feel. It's how people are actually engaging with you as a leader. So then do you have do you have any habits or daily practices that you've found helpful to stay effective as a leader if we're assuming that leadership is a muscle that we need to keep fit? How do you ⁓ how do you stay fit from a leadership perspective?
speaker-1: I don't have daily habits. What I I actually do every day, I like to avoid micromanagement and work culture. I'm close to my people. For example, I have meetings with all my leaders every week, one-on-one. What's on your mind? What's the plan for this week? I have management meetings with all the leaders once a month. And I have meetings once a month. with a leader and the specific team of each leader to see the monthly plan at work. So I had those kind of habits in order to stay connected with the people, but I don't have actually like a daily basis because that's the way I work. That's the way I function. I like to say that I like to lead myself in order to lead others. So I know what I have to do to lead myself. You always know what you have to do better. You cannot lie to yourself. It's not something that you do because it's a magic recipe. If what you need to make it better for yourself, first of all, I like to lead myself or I try to lead myself in order to lead another.
speaker-0: I like that connection point when you're ⁓ you're having your weekly leadership meetings. I think they're so important, not least as you say, then leading yourself. So if we round off then with one final question and it's I think sometimes a tricky question to ask, so good luck. But what advice would you give to someone stepping into leadership for the first time?
speaker-1: First of all, know yourself. You have to know yourself. You have to make some introspective in order to know what you have to do better for yourself. Okay? Work on yourself first, trust yourself, and then you can try to lead some other people. I think you can have different methods or different paths to work on yourself. You can read books, you can hear podcasts like this one. You can listen to audiobooks. You can do whatever you want to do. There is not a magic recipe. But you have to work on yourself first. That will be the first one. And the second one, make it with a plan. Don't throw it to the water without a plan. I would like to say a strategic plan, but if you don't have that kind of a reach, make a plan. Just make a plan. Don't go through that without a plan.
speaker-0: I think they're both really good pieces of advice, particularly that first one to sort of work on yourself, to know yourself. I think as you say, so many people turn up into leadership and they just assume their offer and that's it. But actually that looking inside is so important. Now, unfortunately now, that's all we have time for today. We I know you and I could speak for a great length on leadership and the great work that you've been doing, both in the coffee and and for the association. I mean, you're ⁓ obviously a board member as well. So thank you so much for your time today. I'm really grateful to you sparing some time to talk through your leadership views with us. And I will hopefully see you on the next one.
speaker-1: Thank you, Rand. It has been a pleasure. Really, it has been really interesting to talk about this because usually I don't do it, but you always get the opportunity to learn. Really thankful for you.
speaker-0: I agree entirely. But thank you so much, Lionel, and I shall look forward to learning from you on the next one. But appreciate your time. So that was one of our conversations with that was with Lionel from A Coffee. And that was our podcast in our leadership series. Join us for the next one. Thank you for tuning in to the Morrison Global podcast. We hope today's episode sparked new ideas, broadened your thinking, and offered a fresh perspective. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and stay with us as we continue exploring the insights and stories shaping our world. Until next time, stay curious, stay inspired, and keep the conversations going.
