#sinextgen Meet The Coaches: René Carayol
René Carayol is CEO of the Inspired Leaders Network (ILN), an author and a public speaker with a focus on inspirational leadership and high performing cultures.
He is also one of the world’s leading executive coaches, working with some of the Fortune 500’s top CEO’s and their executive teams, and has previously been chairman, CEO and MD of blue chip businesses.
How would you summarise your leadership journey?
My leadership journey started from the most humble origins, with a very good fortune of joining a Blue Chip company, Marks & Spencer. My ten years at M&S also gave me the benefit of comprehensive training and development. However, it was only when I went to work for Pepsi that my real Leadership journey commenced. At M&S I was broadly fitting in to whom they wanted me to be, it was the complete opposite at Pepsi, they wanted me for all my strengths and obvious limitations. Working for a challenger brand like Pepsi, played to all of my strengths.
However, the most important parts of my leadership journey was the incredible support I have had from three very special mentors who gave me the confidence to reach out and become a leader. They never pulled any punches but they always cared.
I am not sure anyone ever reaches their full potential as a leader without the support of caring mentors.
In your experience, what is the most important quality in a leader in the sport industry, or any industry, today?
As I explain in my latest book, Spike, it’s all about focusing on your inherent strengths, not spending your time becoming obsessed with your limitations.
In many respects, sports teams have been practising this forever. Every member of the team has a position or a role that plays to their inherent strengths. We will all benefit so much more from fine tuning our strengths to the maximum and then identifying a role within an organisation that demands those specific strengths – we call them Spikes.
You’ve been a Sport Industry NextGen Coach since the programme’s inception two years ago, how did you find your time with the Sport Industry NextGen Leaders?
I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I have spent collectively and individually with the Sport Industry NextGen Leaders. They have been brilliantly selected, and through the meticulous process they acted in a way that honours both the process and the opportunity.
It has given them self-esteem and confidence, and not one of them that I have worked with has been prepared to miss out on the opportunity that it has afforded them.
If you’re looking for your Spikes, find a mentor.They can help you navigate your leadership path and hone your inherent strengths #spikebook
— René Carayol MBE (@renecarayol) August 4, 2017
A crucial part of this is the Development Afternoon (pictured below), with many of the Leaders and Coaches meeting for the first time. Are there any moments or stories from the Leaders that have inspired you?
The stand out memory for me of the Development Afternoon is just how much the individuals tangibly and demonstrably develop in just an afternoon. The brilliant ‘mutual mentoring’ happens without ever being orchestrated. They soon start learning from each other, supporting each other and finally pushing each other to achieve.
There is nothing more fulfilling than talented people finding the support to go that extra mile.
How important is ensuring the young people of the industry that have already shown leadership potential are given the support and network to flourish?
As I have mentioned before, it’s almost impossible for any individual to develop as a leader on their own. Mentors and coaches have an integral part to play, but the special addition of a peer network drives both ambition, performance and probably most of all collaboration. As we are all beginning to learn ‘Collaboration is the New Leadership’.
In your latest book, Spike, you ask your audience ‘what are you great at’? – on the basis that no one is a perfect all-rounder – do you think this is a philosophy that has been lost or forgotten across leadership in recent years?
I fundamentally believe that the push of our educational system, followed by the way business operates, we are all focused and measured to become fixated on our weaknesses and limitations. With the best will in the world, most of us will only ever get our limitations to a mediocre level. Who wants to be mediocre?
The Spike philosophy is leading the ‘Strengths based Revolution’. It is just so much more powerful knowing that you are going to school, university or your place of work to do the things you know you are great at. Importantly Spike is not about getting the best paid job, it’s about getting the best job for you.
Long live the revolution.
