Current Employer: John Deere
Position: Dealer Development Manager Hispanoamérica South
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Sometimes in the day to day of professional advancement we get derailed from leaving time for what makes you happy, your friends and family. In a comprehensive development program as PLD you get the chance to reflect and reevaluate priorities, and come out with self-awareness and the will to change.
1. How has the PLD Program changed you (personally/ professionally)?
On a personal level, the program was helpful to understand how to improve my personal life by focusing on the things that matter. Sometimes in the day to day of professional advancement we get derailed from leaving time for what makes you happy, your friends and family. In a comprehensive development program as PLD you get the chance to reflect and reevaluate priorities, and come out with self-awareness and the will to change.
As this is business school on a professional level, Harvard will provide the tools, concepts and top-level professors that will be available to guide you with whatever issue you are working through in your organization. However, for me the best part was the fact that you are constantly stimulated through the program and your peers to reflect on your role as a leader and the impact you have on your team and the broader organization. How you can encourage, engage people into putting their best effort forward, and consistently deliver results.
2. What are your chief takeaways from the program?
You will not walk away from PLD unchanged and the skills and connections you make during the program are extremely powerful when used.
I would say the main take away was to be a catalyst for change. You will not walk away from PLD unchanged and the skills and connections you make during the program are extremely powerful when used. Good things happen when you help people challenge themselves and understand the purpose and impact of their actions.
3. How do you exert your leadership in the role you have today?
Having regional responsibilities and working with a team that is spread over different regions generates certain challenges. People need to feel connected and you have to ensure that communication flows effectively.
As a leader I try to be as open and collaborative as possible and lead by example. I believe that is a great way to influence people, when you are able to be true to your values and be consistent in your actions.
As a leader I try to be as open and collaborative as possible and lead by example.
4. What motivates you most as a leader?
Nothing makes my day more than having a team member or colleague thank me for a good advice or having helped through improving a project/strategy.
If I was able to plant a tiny seed that will encourage you to want to be better, challenge and develop yourself that is definitely worth a smile.
5. Think of a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader — maybe someone who was a mentor to you. Why and how did this person impact your life?
I have had a couple of mentors, coaches through my career all of whom were very helpful at each step for my journey. I would say the one that had most impact is my current boss, Adrian, with whom I had worked before in a different role.
He is very objective- driven without losing touch with people. He has always encouraged me to take on new challenges and test my limits. He has also been key in helping me develop in the company.
6. What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?
There are a couple that come to mind but I believe empathy to be a must, since the higher you go the more you require to inspire people to do their job. And you will need to reach out to people in different ways. Knowing how to communicate with each person in the way they require, makes a huge difference.
7. What is the best piece of advice you have been given, and why?
Some years ago, I was working on an area of the company, which had a very particular culture, and was quite disengaging for me because I constantly struggled to have people work differently and not just as it had always been done or by reacting to an order.
At the time my mentor said “If you are going to stay, stay. However, do so with all your energy and conviction, be here 100%. Because if you are thinking of exit plan B or C you are already gone”.
I am extremely thankful for that advice and was able to focus on driving the changes that were required. And I think it applies to all areas in life, be there body and soul and give it your all.
8. What is one thing we’d never have guessed about you, even after reading your LinkedIn or Facebook profile?
I have a very wide range of music styles I like so it goes from David Guetta to Classical music, which my dad listens to on a daily basis. What most people wouldn´t know is my favorite, go to music for when I am stressed, need to reflect or study is Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.
I also have parachuting on my bucket list and I don´t know if you are allowed to wear headphones when you jump, but if I could, you already know what I would be listening to.
9. What is it the PLD community can do for you or help you with, in terms of your challenges, goals or needs?
I believe one of the advantages of PLD is the incredible array of talent and diversity that our community has. It enables you to reach out for advice to people with vast experience, extraordinary professionals and people who are overall passionate about sharing and helping peers. Whether you are searching for advice on a specific field, topic, or on overall leadership development you won´t be disappointed by the support you get form PLD community.
I recently had to reach out to a fellow PLD for advice and the response was incredible.
I believe one of the advantages of PLD is the incredible array of talent and diversity that our community has.
10. What is it you can give or how can you contribute to the PLD community? (Think of your skills, knowledge, ideas, initiatives etc.)
Professionally I can contribute in my area of expertise, which is distribution channels in Latin America. Therefore, anyone who needs to have a deeper understanding on how to operate in this region or requires any information I would be glad to help.
As I finish settling in Brazil, I am looking forward to collaborate more closely with our community here and their initiatives.
