Name: Hamid Salamat

Title: Senior Network/Security Architect

Organisation: Agriculture Bank of IRAN ( BKI)

An accomplished Lead Network Engineer and Architect, recognized for skillfully orchestrating optimal user experiences and designing intricate system architectures within extensive distributed network ecosystems. With expertise spanning over 16 years in the industry, including proficiency in cloud computing.

Click here to read Hamid's first written interview: 7 Questions on Leadership

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Hamid's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

Effective leaders face a demanding juggling act. They must champion "organizational goals" within the context of the market and industry, drive "team performance", and consider the individual "aspirations" of their team members. Fostering trust is key, and achieving it requires thoughtful decision-making that balances these often-competing priorities. To navigate this complex landscape, a leader needs a diverse skillset:

At the Organizational Level:

- Comprehending the organization's vision, mission, and overarching strategy.

- Possessing marketing and financial knowledge, adept at analyzing market trends and understanding customer needs.

- Grasping competitor strategies, strengths, and weaknesses.

At the Team Level:

- Understanding the organization's structure, the functions and strengths of other teams, and the dynamics within your own team.

- Navigating organizational policies and procedures, and understanding how different teams interact.

At the Individual Level:

- Recognizing career aspirations and personal goals of each team member.

-Understanding individual priorities, red lines, and unique strengths and weaknesses.

Armed with this multifaceted knowledge, a leader can build trust through concrete actions: - Giving full attention to the concerns and ideas of your team, customers, and stakeholders. - Expressing objectives and expectations transparently.

- Embodying the values and behaviors you advocate for.

- Acting with integrity and predictability.

- Involving team members in decision-making processes, fostering ownership and growth.

-Possessing the skills and knowledge to confidently lead.

- Holding yourself and others accountable for commitments and responsibilities.

- Actively understand and address the needs and concerns of your team, customers, and stakeholders.

- Delivering on commitments and celebrating successes.

- Expressing appreciation for individual and team efforts.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

The primary objective of any organization or company is to generate revenue and profit. To attain this objective, organizations must provide products or services. The attractiveness of an organization's product or service to customers lies in its ability to deliver value or solve a customer's problem.

Essentially, a company's mission can be encapsulated in a sentence that highlights the value its products create for customers or addresses the problems resolved by its products or services. On the other hand, the company's vision represents its long-term perception of its future status, envisioning where the company sees itself in 5 or 10 years.

Accurately defining the concepts of mission and vision provides leaders at all levels of the organization with a precise measuring tool. For instance, decisions to introduce a new product or discontinue a service can be based on how well they align with the organization's mission and vision.

Crucially, customers can assess the validity of a company's mission through its actions and decisions. Similarly, experts can evaluate the alignment of their personal and professional goals with the company's mission and vision, influencing their decision to work for the company. It's imperative for all units and teams within the company to make decisions and operate in accordance with the mission and vision.

Honesty in selecting and communicating the mission and vision, both at the organizational and team levels, is paramount. While deceptive advertising may temporarily mislead people, the ultimate clarity emerges when there is a contradiction between an organization's behavior and decisions and its stated mission and vision.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

The response to this question closely aligns with the answers provided for the initial question. Instead of reiterating the list of abilities previously outlined, I will approach the issue from a different perspective, using an example.

Imagine a small child who is exploring the house and appears poised to take their first steps within the next week. In such situations, parents typically take certain actions:

They prepare the surroundings to minimize the risk of injury if the child falls during their initial attempts. They offer encouragement while the child endeavors to stand and find balance. They observe without impeding the child's efforts. They motivate the child to take those first steps, perhaps by showcasing their favorite toy.

They provide modest assistance without overshadowing the child's efforts. Crucially, and most importantly, parents do not penalize the child for repeated failures during the learning process. In case of injury, they swiftly come to the child's aid. There is no instance where parents permanently prohibit standing or walking for the child just because the initial attempts at balance or steps were not successful.

This example serves as a guide for navigating the journey to gaining experience and confidence in humans. In both our personal and professional lives, we should strive to create supportive conditions for our loved ones at every stage, ensuring they progress without causing harm to themselves or others while encountering failures and gaining experience. It's vital not to condemn, humiliate, or punish to an extent that discourages them from continuing on their journey.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

One of the most influential mentors and guides in my career journey has been, and continues to be, Mr. Amir Tahanian. Working on the team led by this remarkable, experienced, kind, and compassionate individual provided me with invaluable lessons in both humanity and management. It was truly a stroke of luck to be part of his team during the early years of my professional career.

Several instances of his behaviors and words have left a lasting imprint on my mind and shaped my conduct for over two decades:

I cannot recall ever witnessing an angry expression or uncontrolled behavior from him. Even in challenging and unfair working conditions, I never heard a negative or offensive word from his mouth. In all his decisions and actions, it was evident that, before reaching a conclusion on any matter, he not only weighed the impact on the group's objectives but also took into account the effect on each individual member of the group. His decisions consistently aligned with both the collective and individual goals of the group.

The most impactful statement that continues to guide me through difficult times is his belief that "there is always a third way." He shared this wisdom during a period when our group was grappling with a seemingly unsolvable problem. True to his words, I discovered that there was indeed always an alternative solution. I take this moment to express my heartfelt wishes for Mr. Amir Tahanian's health and happiness throughout his life.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Avoiding an exclusive focus on personal goals and interests is paramount for a leader. Additionally, steering clear of micromanagement, insults, inappropriate rewards or punishments, and comparing team members to others is crucial.

Key strategies for maintaining focus encompass:

Building Trust: Establishing relationships based on respect and trust is fundamental. This not only saves time that would otherwise be spent verifying team members' words and actions but also fosters a positive and cohesive work environment.

Developing Team Skills: Elevating the confidence and technical proficiency of team members enables a leader to purposefully delegate tasks. This planned delegation contributes to a more efficient and harmonized team dynamic.

Mentoring Successors: Proactively mentoring future leaders reduces organizational concerns and ensures a smooth transition in leadership.

Constructive Handling of Tensions: Instead of suppressing disagreements within the team, a leader should use tensions in a principled manner. Leveraging disagreements can enhance camaraderie among team members, elevate their awareness, wisdom, and critical thinking skills. A mature and wise team is better poised to stay focused on shared goals. Work-Life Balance: Recognizing the impact of work-life balance on focus is crucial for both leaders and team members. Striking a balance between professional responsibilities and personal life significantly influences overall focus in the workplace.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

The quote "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" resonates with me, but it's crucial to dispel a common misconception about planning. Many fall into the trap of assuming that conditions during plan execution will mirror those at the planning stage. The mistake lies in neglecting the dynamic nature of situations.

Planning entails a thorough examination of the current scenario, anticipating potential challenges, and envisioning the desired outcome. This involves three distinct situations:

1. Current Situation: Drawing an accurate picture of the present requires access to unbiased information and reliable statistics.

2. Desired Situation: Envisioning the future involves aligning with the organization's mission and vision, closely monitoring market dynamics, and understanding evolving customer needs. In fast-paced industries, this demands high intelligence and a broad perspective.

3. Potential Situations: The most challenging aspect to depict, that it's impossible to predict all possibilities accurately. Acknowledging this reality is crucial during the planning process.

The world thrives on change, and humans, as integral components of this world, embody the greatest potential for change. Therefore, any plan devoid of the ability to predict, adapt, and pivot in response to potential changes is destined for failure.

Even without potential changes, pursuing significant goals without a plan diminishes the likelihood of success. The essence of these insights is that a plan must be ever-present, continually assessing and adapting to internal and external organizational environments. Flexibility and the capacity for correction should be inherent in the plan from its inception.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

"Here are the key considerations that come to mind regarding effective and appropriate delegation:

- Continuous Personal and Professional Development

- Exemplify Coaching Through Actions

- Instill Confidence - Inclusive Decision-Making

- Encourage Expression of Opinions

- Promote Dialogue and Challenges

- Comprehensive Understanding

- Transparent Decision Explanation

- Establish Measurable Metrics

- Delegated Responsibility to Others

Most importantly, remember that delegating authority does not absolve you of responsibility. You remain accountable for your team's outcomes. Even after delegation, monitor team members, offer support without interfering, and uphold their confidence in their work. "