Name: Sohail Pedari

Title: CEO & Managing Partner

Organisation: Gulf Reps Ltd - Dubai branch

With a wealth of experience spanning 25+ years in hospitality, sales, and leadership coaching, Sohail Pedari has held senior roles at prestigious brands including Hilton, Marriott, and The Ritz-Carlton. In 2020, he launched his own leadership coaching company, working with top global organizations like PepsiCo, Amazon, and IKEA. Between 2021 - 2024, he led the commercial and cultural affairs office at the Consulate General of Italy in Dubai and served as an expert to build stronger relations between Italian and local U.A.E. organizations and government entities.

In mid-2024, he took the helm as CEO of Gulf Reps Ltd, where he has successfully repositioned the company, focusing on delivering high-value representation services in the GCC market. His leadership style is deeply influenced by his Swedish upbringing, where he was inspired by leaders like King Carl XVI Gustaf and Sven-Göran Eriksson.

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 Sohail'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?

I am not afraid of showing my vulnerability and acting transparently with my emotions towards team members, customers, and all stakeholders. I am an emotional being, and I don't tend to change that! Trust is built with transparency and authenticity, not politics and diplomacy!

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

Both need to be realistically connected to the CVP (Customer Value Proposition), or else they will be outdated and useless! A vision that is not serving a real purpose and has little value leads to the ground. A mission that cannot be flexible in the changing and dynamic world we live in might allow you to take off and navigate, but it will not allow you to land safely.

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

Start treating people like leaders and implement the co-active approach, which, in a nutshell, is seeing everyone naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. The individuals, regardless of their title or duties, are involved and engaged with them; they will naturally start taking the lead and show the way. Don't be the paved path, be the sign boards instead on the side instead, and people will read them when needed!

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 mentors who had an influence on me during my journey to date always reminded me to remember that a team is simply like the fingers on one hand! They all serve a very important, specific, and needed role, and at the same time, they all look very different, and the only thing that holds them together and to the rest of the body is the wrist. Don't look to change everyone to please your style, and be brave enough to be open to differences and approaches.

In conclusion, don't try changing anyone, and empower their authenticity and uniqueness!

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

I strongly implement The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity, by Franklin Covey, which is an approach focused on responding to important and not to urgent things! If everyone in the company/family works focused on what really needs to get done and by whom, then we will really get things done like never before.

And if we let ourselves get carried away by other people's urgencies that are not important for us, then we will forever be accomplishers but without reaching our own objectives, on time!

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?

Again, based on my 5 choices learning, I plan my week on Sundays when I sit down for 15 minutes in the evening and look at my Big Rocks (matters that I do not move for anyone and any reason i.e. planning time, reflection time, designing time and creative moments), and then look at matters like meetings with internal and external stakeholders, and similar tasks.

Then I sit at the end of my day (End of Day Closure ritual) and spend 5-10 minutes maximum reflecting on what I have done for others and myself that specific day, and close the day with a blessing!

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

Involve the person you are delegating to, and do not think that only because it is clear to you, it is clear to the other person. Delegating is easy when the objectives and goals are mutually accepted and agreed upon, with a mutual interest and not only for one party!