The ability to set ambitious business goals and achieve them is one of the main criteria that distinguish a good leader from a bad one. Raisa Polyakova, who headed the international KFC brand two years ago, has such a goal: to open 1000 brand restaurants in Russia and the CIS by 2020. In order to make her plans come true, she is sure, any manager must enlist the help and support of the 360-degree principle: managers, all employees in his company, franchisee partners and suppliers. One in the field is not a warrior. But above all, you need to believe in yourself. She tells Marie Claire readers how to do this.
About the aspirations of parents
I grew up in an academic family: my parents are anthropological scientists, professors, and my mother and father. Who I will be when I grow up was not even discussed: it seemed obvious that I would follow in their footsteps. I was often taken with me on archaeological expeditions. Since childhood, I have seen books, monuments, the text on which was written in a mysterious Arabic script. She fascinated me, I really wanted to read what was written there. Therefore, I decided to get higher education at the Oriental Faculty of Leningrad University - I studied Urdu, Farsi, Hindi. Despite the fact that my scientific career did not work out, for all the reasons that it did not work out for many who entered the labor market in the turning nineties for our country (science is science, and money somehow needs to be earned), study and upbringing instilled in me an interest in other cultures,peoples and taught to be open and respectful to all kinds of people. It helped a lot when, in 1997, I got a job at the international corporation Johnson & Johnson. I first worked as an Assistant General Manager and then moved on to the human resources business. The cultural understanding came in handy later when I worked at LG. The first task was, oddly enough, to tell Koreans about Russian culture, and Russians about how Korean business works - there were a lot of situations when two teams simply could not find a common language. And now, in my current work, knowing the context helps me to quickly build relationships in a company that, you will not believe, is present in 136 (!) Countries of the world.when in 1997 I got a job at the international corporation Johnson & Johnson. I first worked as an Assistant General Manager and then moved on to the human resources business. The cultural understanding came in handy later when I worked at LG. The first task was, oddly enough, to tell Koreans about Russian culture, and Russians about how Korean business works - there were a lot of situations when two teams simply could not find a common language. And now, in my current work, knowing the context helps me to quickly build relationships in a company that, you will not believe, is present in 136 (!) Countries of the world.when in 1997 I got a job at the international corporation Johnson & Johnson. I first worked as an Assistant General Manager and then moved on to the human resources business. The cultural understanding came in handy later when I worked at LG. The first task was, oddly enough, to tell Koreans about Russian culture, and Russians about how Korean business works - there were a lot of situations when two teams simply could not find a common language. And now, in my current work, knowing the context helps me to quickly build relationships in a company that, you won't believe, is present in 136 (!) Countries of the world.when I worked at LG. The first task was, oddly enough, to tell Koreans about Russian culture, and Russians about how Korean business works - there were a lot of situations when two teams simply could not find a common language. And now, in my current work, knowing the context helps me to quickly build relationships in a company that, you will not believe, is present in 136 (!) Countries of the world.when I worked at LG. The first task was, oddly enough, to tell Koreans about Russian culture, and Russians about how Korean business works - there were a lot of situations when two teams simply could not find a common language. And now, in my current work, knowing the context helps me to quickly build relationships in a company that, you will not believe, is present in 136 (!) Countries of the world.
About the beginning of a career
In the 1990s, few people in Russia understood why a company needed HR and how it differs from HR administration. Fortunately, my leader realized that the success of an organization depends on the right people who work for it. He was ready to support me in everything. The turning point when I realized that I was really good at my job was the episode with the corporate car. They were issued to all key managers - except HR, because this function was not taken seriously. I was given a corporate car with the words: "If not for Raisa, completely different people would work in our company."
About listening skills
Working with people involves constant communication. You need to be almost a psychologist: quickly and clearly determine who your interlocutor is, what his values are, communicate on topics of interest to him, figure out what motivates him. Communication is easy for extroverts, but I am an introvert by nature: deep immersion in other people requires a lot of strength from me and is quite exhausting. Therefore, at first I came home from work in the evening and … was silent. So she recovered, in peace and quiet. In general, the ability to keep quiet - more precisely, to actively listen to the interlocutor - is very important for any leader in principle. It helps me in negotiations with both suppliers and business partners. The better you listen, the more information you get. And the more information you have, the easier it is to understand how to use it to achieve a common goal.
About women in business
Women building a career in business not only have to do their job perfectly, but also constantly prove that they are capable of the same as men - make difficult decisions, unite like-minded people around them, lead and inspire. The topic of women's leadership is of great concern to me: a year ago, on the initiative of KFC, the Women's Leadership Committee was created in the Association of Managers. I am very pleased that in recent years more and more women are taking the lead in Russian business. Positive examples confirm that stereotypes are being gradually overcome. But the gender imbalance still exists, and it is in our power to create conditions in which women can massively develop their leadership competencies. This can be done in different ways - with the help of corporate trainings, the institute of mentoring, volunteer programs. But first of all, you need to believe in your own strength. I believe it is extremely important to help every woman develop the necessary skills for promotion and career growth: to teach initiative, strategic thinking, work with conflicts and other social skills. Leaders of organizations play a huge role here. Specifically in my situation, this is the active support of my direct manager, and the general policy of the corporation. So, for example, in the near future I will participate in the global Seat at CEO table development program, which is led by the President and Board of Directors of Yum! Brands (the parent company that owns the KFC brand).work with conflicts and other social skills. And here the leaders of the organizations play a huge role. Specifically in my situation, this is the active support of my direct manager, and the general policy of the corporation. So, for example, in the near future I will participate in the global Seat at CEO table development program, which is led by the President and Board of Directors of Yum! Brands (the parent company that owns the KFC brand).work with conflicts and other social skills. Leaders of organizations play a huge role here. Specifically in my situation, this is the active support of my direct manager, and the general policy of the corporation. So, for example, in the near future I will participate in the global Seat at CEO table development program, which is led by the President and Board of Directors of Yum! Brands (the parent company that owns the KFC brand).
When it is necessary and not necessary to change
My advice to women (and not only women) aiming at a career as a top manager: get ready to change. Which way depends a lot on your business and the people around you. It is useful to have a mentor who could evaluate your movement vector from the outside and suggest what needs to be changed, tweaked, what missing skills to pump. I was very lucky with the leaders, despite the fact that they were all different, from each of them I received not only the necessary knowledge and support, but also an impetus, in which direction to move, what to change. But at the same time, you need to clearly understand what your core values are - and never betray them. There are things that you will never compromise on, even for a high career and big money. For me, this is pride in the product that you sell, work in an organization,where respect for each other is the main principle of interaction, and honesty in work, in every sense of the word. Moreover, if I see that a good team and business starts to fall apart due to management errors, I will try to intervene and influence the situation, even if it does not concern me directly. Just recently I signed up for a personal appointment with the head physician of the clinic where I am being treated in order to draw his attention to the very high turnover and demotivation of doctors. By the way, I was not asked to go out the door and not interfere in other matters. Just recently I signed up for a personal appointment with the head physician of the clinic where I am being treated in order to draw his attention to the very high turnover and demotivation of doctors. By the way, I was not asked to go out the door and not interfere in other matters. Just recently I signed up for a personal appointment with the head physician of the clinic where I am being treated in order to draw his attention to the very high turnover and demotivation of doctors. By the way, I was not asked to go out the door and not interfere in other matters.
The most important thing in working with people
In any organization, the most important thing is mutual respect. First of all, it should come from the leader. In many companies, I often observe an authoritarian management style: many believe that fear is the best motivator. Bullying may be a short-term success, but such a tactic will never help you build strong, long-term relationships (both to you personally, to your company, to your brand) and to increase employee loyalty. This principle is true both in business and in friendship, in personal life, within the family. Calm, measured behavior is not at all synonymous with weakness or lack of drive. Mutual respect, recognition, support, free exchange of experience, new ideas - values that are maintained in KFC at the corporate level. Over the past two years, we have opened almost 300 new KFC restaurants in Russia and the CIS, hired several thousand employees, found new suppliers and partners, won the love of consumers - this means that these settings are correct.
Photo: archives of press services
Related materials
- Tatiana Bakalchuk: "My husband and I are a real dream team"
- How to Break All Business Rules and Become Successful: The Story of Mary Kay Ash
- Google Russia Director Julia Solovieva: "The crisis is opportunities"
- Margaret Thatcher: the path from grocer's daughter to the Iron Lady