Many people who start reading this will think, “If you are the third generation of a family business, how easy it is to give advice”The reality is that my path to my current position as CEO was not easy.
I took on this role that I occupy today in the midst of a deep mourning. No one wants to be number one in a company if that means losing their father at 23 years old. In addition to this, I had an extra challenge that I hope no one else will have to face in our world history: facing a pandemic with the vital urgency of hospitals and nursing homes across the country, working for the health system.
What I can think today is that all of this challenging and complex thing left me many lessons. For this reason, I dare to offer, from a place that I plan to approach soon, which is that of teaching, some advice for people under 30 years of age who must or want to assume this role.
To begin with, it is necessary to have some experience, which is not always pleasant but necessary in high-pressure positions. It is essential to develop a certain resistance and tolerance in complex environments to become a successful manager. Having trouble sleeping when your workday ends can be a nuisance, but it is part of this process.
Of course, there is a need to learn from the experience of leaders from previous generations. In my case, sitting down to work with my father for a couple of years was indispensable, and today I continue to learn from my grandmother. More than ever, there are leaders in different industries willing to pass on their knowledge to those who wish to receive it.
Always train yourself constantly. Education should never stop. Postgraduate studies in the country and abroad and inspiring readings from role models like Richard Branson, who founded his first business at the age of 16, are just some of the tools to never stop training.
Without a doubt, those of us under 30 years old should look for a good mentor. Many of the high-level executives, who now hold management positions in the largest and most powerful companies in the world, confessed that they needed mentors to overcome different stages of their lives, both in their jobs and on a personal level.
For me, it was essential to choose the people who now make up my team. There is no good CEO without a suitable team; our predecessors were much more vertical. In these times, the dynamic is and must be with capable peers, with specialists, each in their area, who allow CEOs to think of strategies, trusting that each one does their job in the best way.
It is also essential to take advantage of this age to take risks. Changing structures, moving away from systems in which everything has to go through a general manager and re-establishing the idea of how a company should work. Taking a chance on new horizons, new ideas tied to current technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, going for interlocutors that our predecessors could not imagine, are all variables that a young CEO can take into account.
Finally, I strongly advise you to enjoy the journey. It doesn’t matter where you start or where you end up. Without passion for what you do, there is no success possible.
