Marc-Emmanuel Vives, General Manager of BSGV, believes that good personal relations are the base of successful business. He also tells us about other important values which help him to create the productive atmosphere in his company.
1. Could you recall of any example of going into details of the business?
When we had a very big crisis in Argentina in 2001-2002 which was comparable not to the crisis we have now but to the one Russia had in 1998, we came to the conclusion that we had to reduce the cost base of the bank, the business model was changed completely, income base was completely destroyed by the economic policy of the government at that time. A decision was made to devaluate, and we revised the business portfolio and tried to see how we could get the additional sources of the income to avoid the complete destruction of the income base. But had to reduce the cost base of the bank to the 30-40%, and it's impossible to do it if you don't reduce the cost of the staff. It was very interesting to see how involving the whole management team we reviewed in details what should be done. At the same time we didn't want to lose the best elements. We wanted to keep capacity to take advantage of the rebounds that we knew would come after one or two years, and not to lose from sight the general policy of the bank which was directed towards showing respect for people.
2. How should the leader show respect for people?
Showing respect for people is not easy when you're in the middle of the crisis, you have to take very tough decisions, fire some people, and reduce salaries and so on. And that is the thing that we really managed to do without any problems in terms of social reaction just because we were able as the organization to take a collective decision but to apply it in a very individual way. It was a success because the situation of each person that was impacted by the decision had been taken into consideration. I think that was the only decision we could take, it was difficult to apply, but by looking at the personal situation from the start, it was implemented correctly and without any negative consequences, only obtaining the results that we wanted to achieve. I think it could be applied in many cases, but the hardest thing you can do in the crisis situation is to reduce the salaries of people, but benefits can be transformed into something that at the end of the day is rather positive.
3. How do you personally show the respect for people?
I have a very participative approach to work, it really helps managers and not only them. Even being a general manager I always have contact with the employees of different levels, and I think it's important for a lot of different reasons. As I've said before, it's one of the ways to make sure that you keep contact with reality and that you have the roots feeding you permanently with other people's feelings and views. The second thing is that it's the key to motivate people just because they see that they can propose things, discuss them, you're open to that. And it's very important for your relationship with those people and it's important as a sort of example that you're giving to them regarding the way you should work. It's not the boss isolated in his ivory castle and making decisions for them to apply, it's something that interacts you, and if needed you can make a decision.
4. What is the third thing important here?
And the last thing that is important in some countries more than in others, it's important in Russia, it was important in Argentina before - it's a personal contact with people. We are in the countries where relationship is the essence of business and it's the same inside the company, it's not only with clients which want to know you and to feel personally who you are before entering or going deeper into business, it's also with the employees, with the staff. Building personal relationship helps to contribute to the efficiency of the company.
5. Does it come from birth or is it acquired?
If it comes from birth or if it's acquired - I don't know, but I think it's in my personal identity - that's for sure. There's something that comes with the general process of education and the way you look at the world. But, anyway, I'm sure it can be grown, you can train on that, once again, if you are interested. I think it says everything - you have to feel it, you have to feel the need for it. If you do it just because of compromise or because it's fine to do or it's fine to say that you're doing that - it will not work.
6. Which particular actions helped you to create this atmosphere?
I would say it's difficult to give elements because it's a very personal way to do it and it's something that you develop all the time, because it's not the message that you can give to your manager. When you're in the culture where you have to be more participative, it would be easier because they expect that from you as a top manager, and you don't have to convince them. When you come to Russia then you have to convince them because it's not natural for most of the people to work that way. It's more like: "I'll listen what the boss says and I will apply orders". When you want to put it completely the other way round it takes time. One of the first things that you can do with people which come to you and ask for your opinion is not to give them your opinion. You ask them their opinion. It's a very simple thing, but it helped a lot of people I've seen here. It's for real - you want their opinion and you really want them to commit for their opinion. That's the only small trick that you can have and it works for many different people. The rest is just the question of giving time to evolution - people will see that you're doing the same thing constantly and they will believe it at the end of the day.
