Don't Be Afraid to Fail, Say Britain's Top Leaders - Page 45

C2 Proficiency · Multiple Matching · Ready for C2 Proficiency Workbook, Macmillan

You are going to read a newspaper article about six award-winning business leaders. For questions 1–10, choose from the people (A-F). The people may be chosen more than once.

Tahlia Gray, Founder of Sheer Chemistry

When Tahlia Gray set about creating tights specifically for women of colour, 'there was no blueprint. I didn't have a fashion background, so finding a manufacturer, pricing, stock management, and dealing with buyers was all foreign to me,' Gray says. 'The most surprising thing is having to constantly learn and develop new skills,' she says. 'No two days are the same, which I love, but requires continuous development.' Her advice for would-be entrepreneurs? 'Surround yourself with mentors,' she says, whether they be experts with specific skills, those further along their start-up journey, or peers in the same boat. 'It's true when they say your net worth is your network.'

Gori Yahaya, Founder of Upskill Digital

'Failure is pretty synonymous with entrepreneurship,' says Gori Yahaya. Yahaya tried to take his business 'as far as it could go' on his own but hit a limit when he realised 'how much I needed to sharpen my financial acumen'. With all the demands placed on an entrepreneur's shoulders, there comes a point when the next vital step is hiring skilled people to fill out areas in which their knowledge is lacking. 'Ultimately, your first few hires, especially as a solo founder, can define the trajectory of your start-up,' says Yahaya, who admits a poor hiring decision in a key role set his company back in its early days.

Natalie Ojevah, MBE, Creator of the Barclays Black Founders Accelerator

To be a great leader you must first earn the trust of your team. That connection happens by 'authentically caring' about the people you manage, says Natalie Ojevah, MBE. 'If I think about the leaders who had an impact on my career … the first trait that springs straight to mind is being an empathic leader: truly understanding the individuals you work with.' Good leaders are not born, Ojevah argues, but instead are the result of serious self-reflection – not only on your strengths, but also your weaknesses. Ojevah believes there is a commercial advantage to hiring a broad range of people: 'In the simplest terms, having a more diverse workplace means that businesses can effectively market to a wider consumer market.'

Adesuyi Agbede, Chief Data Officer at Asset Manager Wellington Management

Far from ordering their teams around, Adesuyi Agbede believes leaders can deliver the best results by supporting their colleagues to fulfil their potential. Clear communication and empowering others are key to this success, while Agbede also encourages leaders to 'always question the status quo'. Diversity is key to fostering a strong culture by introducing a wider range of thinking and creativity. It also 'removes unwanted bias and can increase employee satisfaction and boost morale', according to Agbede. Hiring a wide range of people ensures organisations have flexible problem-solvers, because their staff will take different approaches informed by a variety of life experiences and attitudes.

Sean Alleyne, COO of Credit Suisse's London Branch

Sean Alleyne believes that you must 'create a culture of openness' underpinned by trust and fairness. 'Mistakes are essential for growth in your professional life. How you react to them and what you learn from them is key.' 'Diverse workforces are more innovative, make better decisions and are more effective at problem-solving,' he argues. Now is the time for the next generation of leaders to ensure their companies finally turn all the talk into action, according to Alleyne. 'Organisations need to be action-oriented and not just talk, and invest in creating an equitable environment where cognitive diversity is truly valued.'

Becky George-David, Head of Business Banking Partnerships at JP Morgan Chase

'Each mistake has led me down an alternative path through which I've uncovered new experiences and perspectives – leading me to the person that I am today. So long as you stick through it, there is a way out and things tend to work out in the longer term.' 'Organisations get carried away with the optics of what is popular, to the extent that reading through company values these days, everyone sounds the same.' Instead, 'culture is what happens when no one is looking', she says. 'Leaders owe it to their employees to not only be vocal about calling out dissident behaviours, but ensuring that all employees are empowered to do the same.'

implies that a gap in their skill set forced them to seek help?

feels that perseverance allows people to benefit from failure?

advocates learning from fellow businesspeople who are dealing with similar issues?

believes that having employees from different backgrounds enables businesses to reach more customers?

stresses the need to take concrete measures to respect differences?

praises the lack of predictability when building a business?

claims that recruitment decisions enable challenges to be tackled in unconventional ways?

criticises businesses that merely write about what they believe in?

emphasises the importance of challenging assumptions and conventional ways of working?

highlights a benefit of understanding what you can't do well?

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