OTTO PUKK IN ÄRIPÄEV: SUCCESS COMES THANKS TO PEOPLE WHO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
President and CEO Otto Pukk shared his views on company growth with Estonian leading business magazine Äripäev and their editorial for Gasell, read by rapidly growing companies and startups.
The launch of a company’s growth as a rocket into space is often based on luck and coincidence. However, the decisive role remains on what choices are made and how people contribute.
FREEDOM OF CHOICE AS A MOTIVATOR
I believe that one of the important motivators for anyone who wants to grow is the opportunity of making decisions. We value the entrepreneurship of Incap’s employees and give them freedom of decision. Employees who have the opportunity and responsibility to make decisions clearly see their direct contribution and are more motivated.
Freedom of choice comes with responsibility, and it is important to understand that responsibility cannot be given – it can only be taken. Taking responsibility requires a person with strong discipline, professionalism and, in addition to personal responsibility, teamwork skills.
THE PERSON IN CHARGE REMAINS WITH THE ORGANISATION
Offering freedom of choice to our team will inevitably help us move towards a decentralised management model, which I very much support and which we also implement at Incap. The larger the organisation and the more complex the operating environment, the more it would be worthwhile to move towards decentralised management.
Of course, decentralised organisation management also has its own risks, but considering them from the very beginning, the necessary principles and processes can be agreed upon within the company to mitigate them. However, if decentralisation doesn’t work at some point, certain parts of the organisation can be centralised – but you don’t have to manage the whole system from the top down.
THE ROLE OF THE LEADER IN A GROWING COMPANY IS TO CREATE SUITABLE WORKING CONDITIONS
For the growth of an organisation that is decentralised and offers a freedom of decision-making, it is essential that the leader maintains a focus on strategy and goals, but also involves his or her people. The key is to get your team to work together and work towards a greater goal. Metrics for monitoring the results of your work should also be set together. The leader has an important role to play as a supporter, mentor and arbitrator.
And of course, this does not mean that the manager is no longer responsible and that only the employees are to blame for mistakes – certainly not. If the goal of growth is shining in front of your eyes, one must be “stubborn”, not give up, and move on to finally reach the goal you have set together.
Read the article in Äripäev (in Estonian):
