Today, we celebrate a very special anniversary at Revolgy. It marks the 10th year since our beloved CEO, Miroslav Vlasák first joined our organization, and during that time, he has become an inspiring leader and a friend to everyone. As someone who has had the privilege of working with him, I can attest to his kind, easy-going nature, his unwavering commitment to our organization’s success, and his constant challenge to us to be better.
His journey from a project manager to a CEO is a great example and inspiration for all Revolgy employees, showcasing that any career opportunity is possible here if you are willing to make an impact. Taking advantage of this milestone anniversary, I had an enlightening conversation with Miro about his motivation, values, and advice to future leaders.
I started my journey here 10 years ago as a project manager, ensuring the successful delivery of projects within the Golden Triangle of project management: scope, time, and quality, and to satisfy the needs of the customer. Afterwards, I managed our professional services department focusing on change management and expectation alignment to drive better outcomes for our customers.
As I was always very much focused on customer satisfaction and needs, it was quite natural for me to also deep dive into the sales to increase the awareness about the potential impact of the solution, educate the customer and achieve the impact without delivery capabilities.
This experience prepared me for the role of CEO of Revolgy. I took on this role 5 years ago, and now I have a great honor of serving the whole company and enabling our people to grow and better serve our customers.
I believe there are several key qualities that every leader should possess. First and foremost, a leader should possess a strong system thinking approach. This means having the ability to understand and analyze complex systems, see the big picture and understand how interdependent parts of a system work together.
Secondly, a leader should be curious and open-minded, constantly seeking out new information and perspectives to improve their understanding of the business and the world around them.
Thirdly, a leader should have a hunger to serve better. They should be motivated by a desire to make a bigger impact for their customers, employees, stakeholders, and the wider community rather than simply seeking personal gain.
Fourthly, kindness is another important quality that leaders should possess. Treating others with respect, empathy, and compassion helps to create a positive work culture with loyalty and trust.
Finally, a leader should have a growth mindset and be committed to their own personal and professional development. This involves continuously learning, being open to feedback, willing to learn from mistakes, and embracing challenges as opportunities for growth.
Others may be better suited to comment on this question; however, I listen a lot, nudge, and try to inspire to crack things from unusual angles. I provide a great deal of freedom with the same amount of responsibility.
To stay ahead of the curve, I believe that long-life learning is key. I make a conscious effort to stay curious about the world, constantly seeking to understand how things work and why. I expose myself to different people, opinions, and business models to get inspiration and broaden my perspective.
My vision for Revolgy’s future is to serve customers globally with the best possible service. We focus on continuous improvement, ensuring that our customers receive exceptional service that exceeds their expectations. In order to meet the evolving needs of our customers, we must continue to grow and adapt our products and services. And to achieve this vision, I focus on continually developing the leaders within our organization.
To achieve this, I focus on continually developing and empowering our leadership team to be able to make decentralized decisions, while always keeping the global maximum for the company in mind.
Think big — Having a clear vision of where you want to go and what you want to achieve is essential for success as a leader. Have a big-picture mindset and think beyond the current status quo.
Be brave and focus on the customer needs — This is what will ultimately lead to success for your organization.
Do not lock your focus just into your home country — Thinking globally and understanding the cultural and economic differences in other markets will have a competitive advantage over those who limit their thinking to their home turf.
Never stop learning — Never stop seeking knowledge, and always strive to improve your skills and knowledge base. The business world is constantly changing and evolving, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends.
Be kind to yourself and to others — Being a leader can be a challenging and stressful job, so it is essential to take care of your own well-being, as well as treating yourself and others with respect and kindness.
Q1: What was the career path of Revolgy’s CEO, Miroslav Vlasák, within the company?
Miroslav Vlasák started at Revolgy 10 years ago as a project manager. He later managed the professional services department, where he focused on customer satisfaction and sales. He has been the CEO of Revolgy for the last five years.
Q2: According to the CEO, what are the five key qualities a leader should possess?
The five key qualities identified are:
Q3: How does Revolgy’s CEO describe his leadership style?
He describes his style as one where he listens intently, nudges people in the right direction, and inspires them to think about challenges from unconventional angles. He emphasizes providing a great deal of freedom, which is paired with an equal amount of responsibility.
Q4: How does the company’s leadership stay on top of industry trends?
The approach is rooted in lifelong learning and curiosity. The CEO makes a conscious effort to understand how things work by exposing himself to different people, diverse opinions, and various business models to gain inspiration and a broader perspective.
Q5: What is the vision for Revolgy’s future?
The vision is to serve customers globally with the best possible service through continuous improvement and by adapting products and services to meet the evolving needs of customers.
Q6: How does Revolgy plan to achieve its vision?
The strategy is to focus on continually developing and empowering the company’s internal leadership team. This allows for decentralized decision-making while always keeping the company’s overall goals in mind.
Q7: What advice does the CEO offer to young professionals aspiring to be leaders?
He gives five key pieces of advice:
Think big and have a clear vision.
Be brave and maintain a strong focus on customer needs.
Think globally and look beyond your home country.
Never stop learning to stay current with evolving trends.
Be kind to yourself and to others.