“I am very lucky: I can get very upset, but it takes only a few hours, after that I forgot even its reason.”
TONICA: The image of the leader favors the company performance?
Anca Vlad: In the corporate world, companies have their lives independent of the shareholders. In our country, is still confused the founder for the management. But since we are already part of U.E., this image will dissociate because the team is what matters. It is true that the personality of the shareholder when is also the leader of the strategy may favor the company’s performance. My idol has long been Richard Branson – the owner of “Virgin” Company. Now I have a new idol whose name is Ion Tiriac.
I find it fantastic, as a Romanian in a country which lost its real values, how by simply the force of his thought, by simply applying sports tactics of tennis matches in the commercial and economic reality, was able to create economic performance for which to join in Forbes, and still not on the last places. There are families for hundreds of years producing performance. When I told my friends, i saw them surprised, because we have a habit of denying one’s performance when we cannot touch it. I educate my children to admire the winners, and to adopt their tactics.
TONICA: Is Romanian education prepared to educate and train young people to develop successful business in Romania?
Anca Vlad: I don’t know very well the Romanian education system. I preferred the British education for my children because I do not believe in “the memorization based” Latin system. I want them to become pragmatic because so is the world. Maybe I was wrong, because they now are vibrating less to the artistic beauty. I will try to develop this side on them personally.
TONICA: Can compete a 100% Romanian company, with a similar one of Western Europe?
Anca Vlad: I always believed in the Romanian ‘star’. I sincerely believe we can compete with international companies. Meanwhile, i try not to be “nationalist” because the world is opening and we must get “international” someday.
TONICA: Is there an organizational culture of your company?
Anca Vlad: There is a culture, i.e. a spirit of our company employing 79% women out of a total of 1600 employees. Sure the feminism left its mark on this culture, but we hope it is in its most constructive form: that which brings health and beauty.
TONICA: What are the characteristics of a successful leader, especially as a woman?
Anca Vlad: A successful leader must have self-confidence, because is being asked for quick decisions and also at the same time, a forward-thinking. As women, the intuition helps us a lot, but not with “feminine weapons” the commercial battle is won. I had to adopt more “manly” attitudes sometimes.
TONICA: Have reputation, success and money, produced changes in the structure of your personality?
Anca Vlad: Even if I do not recognize them I’m sure there are changes. I have become more demanding and maybe slightly whimsical. I’m not proud of this.
TONICA: Being a leader brings also negative/ inappropriate comments. How do you think a public figure must react to this type of external reactions?
Anca Vlad: A public figure should be, as we see on TV, impassive, unpredictable, smiling, happy of self. It’s not my case. I am bothered, teased, or i am truly enjoying something. Important for me is but the balance and the joy that we feel in the family, with my children and within the company, when we put dreams into practice. I believe that answering some stings or attacks of journalists validate them. I prefer to follow my path because there are also quality journalists and public as well, who understand the reality very well.
TONICA: What is the relationship between art, media and business?
Anca Vlad: Arts, media and business. Businesses are a professional accomplishment. Media is a form of communication. Art is my daily conditioner.
TONICA: How do you handle the existential crises?
Anca Vlad: I am very lucky: I can get very upset, but it takes only a few hours, after that i forgot even its reason.
Taken from tonica.ro
