We asked Fred, Hyve’s VP of Sales & Business Development for Mining Indaba five leadership questions. Let’s hear his wisdom…
What do you think is the number one leadership quality?
There are certainly many important qualities that a leader must possess including vision, communication, courage, passion, decisiveness, and integrity, just to name a few. But I think I would rank the number one leadership quality as positivity. Why? It’s not just about having an optimistic outlook and spreading good vibes but it’s about helping my team to focus on their strengths rather than on their weaknesses, celebrating their wins and helping to bring solutions where there are challenges.
How do you plan to instil the ‘why’ within your team this year?
Like with every sales team, much of the “why” is pretty much tied to hitting a target. However, I consider myself quite fortunate to have a team that shares a unified vision and genuine concern about ensuring the long-term success and growth of Mining Indaba, which gives us a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I think that I can help to further instil that “why” or sense of purpose by communicating and demonstrating through my actions. I’ve always believed in leading by example…your excitement and passion becomes contagious to those around you.
If you could do any other job for a year, what would it be?
Hmm, probably get on my Harley and tour around the entire U.S. playing music gigs! Seriously, I truly love what I do and couldn’t see myself wanting to do any other job…plus, I get to work with some of the finest, hard-working and most professional colleagues that one could ever ask for.
What’s one question you always ask in interviews?
I always ask during interviews “What motivates you to give your best”. This gives me an opportunity to better understand how that candidate is aligned with our vision and mission…and what really drives them to succeed.
Which leaders do you look up to?
I’d say there are two that are at the top of my list…Bill Gates and Nelson Mandela. As a leader, Bill Gates encouraged and nurtured enormous creativity and innovation from his people and always made a point of recognizing achievements. As for Nelson Mandela, he was a man who embodied the true meaning of determination and patience.
