Leadership is above all a human responsibility

1. To begin with, could you tell us about your career path and explain what led you to place management and leadership at the heart of your profession? 

I chose to place management and leadership at the heart of my profession primarily because my entire career path naturally led me there. I have been fortunate to build my career around a common thread: a passion for my job and for teams. I started out in the kitchen, where I spent ten years learning the value of hard work, precision and teamwork. It's a demanding environment, but one that had a profound impact on me: you learn to push yourself, to work together and to never compromise on quality. Those years on the front line taught me that team performance depends above all on cohesion and trust.

I then moved on to a position as catering manager for seven years, during which time I was responsible for several sites with very different employee profiles. This experience allowed me to develop a truly comprehensive vision of operational and human resources management. During this period, I also obtained a federal certificate in team management, a training course that enabled me to refine my managerial skills and strengthen my leadership abilities. I discovered how management and communication can transform a team, and how collective success depends on trust, recognition and meaning in work.

Today, I am head of operations and mass retail at Léguriviera Groupe, the leading fruit and vegetable distributor in French-speaking Switzerland. It's a different sector, but the values remain the same: commitment, responsiveness and a sense of service. What drives me is giving meaning to what we do, helping teams grow and showing that you can lead with high standards, but also with kindness, respect and fairness.
For me, the management is not a job, it is a human responsibility, and it is this conviction that continues to guide and inspire me every day.

2. In your opinion, what distinguishes a good manager from a true leader? In other words, what qualities make the difference in everyday practice?

In my opinion, what distinguishes a good manager from a true leader is, above all, the nature of their impact on teams. I have often noticed that management and leadership, although complementary, are based on very different approaches in daily practice.

A good manager is, above all, someone who has mastered the managerial side of things. They know how to organise, plan, control and optimise. Their role is to ensure day-to-day performance: ensuring compliance with standards, coordinating teams, clarifying objectives and ensuring that everyone has the necessary resources to do their job well. Management is above all the art of making things work, here and now. In my past experiences, this has meant implementing schedules, quality standards and rigorous monitoring of performance indicators, among other things. (The list is far from exhaustive).

But beyond management, leadership brings a more human and inspiring dimension. Leaders don't just explain how to do things, they explain why. They influence, inspire and unite people around a common vision. For me, this is based on essential values: setting an example, kindness, respect and fairness. I am convinced that it is possible to lead with high standards while remaining human, attentive and fair. Valuing people as much as performance is, in my view, what makes all the difference.

On a daily basis, I try to combine these two approaches: establishing a solid, structured framework through management, then providing meaning and cohesion through leadership. Every day, I learn a little more about finding this balance, adapting, and helping both my teams and myself to grow.

3. The role of the manager has changed significantly in recent years, particularly with digitalisation and new expectations from employees. How do you perceive this transformation in modern leadership?

I see the transformation of modern leadership as a necessary and exciting development. The role of the manager has changed profoundly in recent years: it is no longer just about operational management, but about supporting change, between digitalisation, new employee expectations and generational diversity.

Digital transformation has revolutionised the way we work. Digital tools and the’artificial intelligence simplify repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing more time to be devoted to people. But this also means supporting teams through this transition, as we are at a crossroads between Generation X, who are sometimes less comfortable with technology, and Generation Z, who are naturally adept at using it. Today's managers must therefore build bridges between these worlds to maintain cohesion and collective efficiency.

At the same time, employees' expectations have changed significantly. The younger generations are looking for more meaning, transparency and flexibility, both in terms of working hours and work-life balance. I myself have had to adapt my management style, accepting that yesterday's motivational tools are no longer effective today.

For me, modern leadership is based above all on the ability to adapt: knowing how to take advantage of digital tools without losing human contact, understanding individual expectations while uniting people around a common vision, and promoting intergenerational transmission. It is this open, agile and caring approach that I try to embody on a daily basis, while continuing to learn and evolve every day myself.

4. In a context where teams are often hybrid or multicultural, what strategies do you recommend to maintain cohesion, motivation and trust within the group?

In this context, the manager's role is primarily to maintain cohesion, motivation and trust despite distance, diversity and differences in pace. 

To achieve this, I rely on three main strategies:

• Adapt your approach to individuals.
  Every employee has different needs: some seek a structured environment, while others want more autonomy. Situational leadership seems essential to me in this type of environment, as it allows managers to adapt their approach to each individual's level of maturity, culture or experience. This flexibility creates a sense of recognition and respect, which is essential for motivation.
  
  
• Promote mutual understanding and a shared vision.
  Cultural or generational differences can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. It is therefore essential to take the time to talk, listen and remind everyone of the collective meaning of the mission. This helps to transform diversity into a source of richness and strengthen cohesion around a shared goal.
  
  
• Building trust through fairness and recognition.
  Trust is based on transparency, fairness and setting an example. Everyone must feel that their specific characteristics are an asset, not a hindrance. In my role, I have always sought to be present on the ground, to explain my decisions when necessary and to encourage individual initiatives, because that is how motivation and commitment are built for the long term.

In summary, maintaining cohesion and motivation in hybrid or multicultural teams means striking the right balance between a clear framework, adaptation to individual profiles, and deeply human leadership. And as I write this, I realise that one of the most essential elements for the success of these strategies is simply the time spent with the teams. Being present, listening, with humility, is often where the strongest trust and cohesion are born.

5. Can leadership be learned, or is it more of an innate skill?

I believe that leadership is based both on innate interpersonal skills and on the ability to develop. Certain qualities, such as charisma, interpersonal intuition, or the ability to inspire, often come naturally to some individuals. But leadership is not limited to that: it is cultivated through experience, self-reflection, listening, and self-awareness. You can learn to communicate better, motivate others, manage conflicts, or give meaning to your actions, but you must already have a genuine desire to bring people together and help them grow. In short, I believe that leadership is not just a gift, but an attitude that is built, maintained, and refined over time and with humility.

6. Finally, if you had to give only one piece of advice to a manager who wants to become an inspiring leader, what would it be?

This is a subject that is particularly close to my heart, and it is difficult for me to name just one. Allow me to give two examples:

• Being present and attentive to your teams.
  An inspiring leader is forged in the field, through contact with people. It is by observing, listening and sharing their reality that we truly understand their needs and what motivates them.

• Be exemplary and give meaning.
  Leadership is based on consistency between what we say and what we do. Giving meaning also means reminding everyone why they are acting and how they contribute to collective success.

For me, these two attitudes, presence and exemplarity, are the foundations of humane and inspiring leadership.