Fear of failure is something most people can relate to, but in our interview with Marcelo Biasia from Beirsdorf Indonesia, he raised the possibility of culture playing a part in how we deal with this fear. In our latest ‘View from the Top’ interview with Marcel, it’s clear that he believes in taking time to understand the culture you’re operating within, particularly as a leader.

Here’s a brief snapshot of our discussion:

What has been the most exciting aspect of your current role heading Beirsdorf Indonesia?

One of the most exciting parts of my role has been working to understand the market—both the customer and its culture. I aim never to judge the culture, but instead to try and understand it. Ultimately, I believe it is the ‘bridge’, which aligns the global strategy with the local. This alignment is important, but flexibility and adjustment is also essential—you must take time to consider the different culture of each country if you’re going to make the strategy work. One thing that I find quite interesting about Asian culture is the paradigm of ‘the fear to fail’. Especially when facing uncertainty, they are generally not proactive about asking questions. I’ve learned that what they need is reassurance from their leader.

What will be your strategy in facing the major issues of your industry today?

I believe it’s the right time to change the core of our business. It sounds radical, but we have the clear objective to build the right organization, with the right profiles. We will treat the organization itself as our asset. We will focus on Consumer Insight and deliver the products that will fulfill the market’s needs.

What do you do to inspire your staff to stay motivated and committed to the values, mission, vision and strategic direction that the company is taking?

I believe in the importance of teamwork. However, in the day-to-day implementation, I believe in:
• Ensuring the involvement of each team member in management by giving them accountability.
• Walking the talk: giving reassurance to employees and leading by example.

For more leadership insights, read the full interview with Marcelo and other leaders across Asia here.

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Photo Credit - Flickr®User - Maistora.