FIVE MINS WITH ...
DAVID JOOSTEN
AS REGIONAL DIRECTOR AMERICAS AND PARTNER MARKETS FOR VODAFONE , DAVID LEADS BOTH THE VODAFONE BUSINESS COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS IN THE US , CANADA AND LATIN AMERICA AND IN FRANCE , BELUX , NORDICS , RUSSIA , AUSTRIA , SWITZERLAND AND THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SECTOR .
Q . HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE ?
» I try to surround myself with the best people I can find , delegate authority , and don ' t interfere as long as the policy we ’ ve decided upon is being carried out . I ’ m pretty hands off but ensure I check in regularly with my team . I set standards very high and hold people accountable . I ’ m very approachable and appreciate honest and open feedback from every employee . I focus on listening and ensuring people get praised for doing a good job .
Q . WHAT QUALITIES MAKE A GREAT LEADER ?
» I believe a leader needs to show candor , integrity , humility and be an active listener across all levels of the organization . They need to be flexible and be fast at adapting to changes . That ’ s especially true this year , where we had to make fast decisions to adapt to the massive disruption but also had to be consistent and clear in our communications .
Q . HOW HAS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE CHANGED OVER THE LAST YEAR ?
» Last year , I had to adapt to leading people completely remotely and make fast changes to adapt to the challenges the pandemic brought with regards to supporting our customers