Uncertainty has become a constant in automotive aftermarket circles this year, presenting challenges to leaders throughout.
At this year’s MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers Vision Conference in Chicago, top executives from industry-leading companies explained how they’re steering their organizations through turbulent times.
The session, Leading Through Change: A CEO Council Panel Discussion, revealed a common thread: Successful leadership is about adaptability, clear communication and maintaining focus on long-term goals, even when the path forward seems uncertain.
Kelly Sadler from Sensata Technologies emphasized the importance of adaptive leadership.
“Leadership is something that you have to adapt,” she explained. “It’s sort of situational where it depends on what the current situation is.”
Stefan Feder from Continental brought a philosophical approach to handling challenges.
“It’s important to create balance and be the calm within the storm,” he observed, adding that he views external challenges like tariffs as just another factor to navigate, stressing the need to “see how the die fall, and then we just adapt.”
Houman Kashanipour, CEO of Alliant Power, highlighted the critical role of organizational culture.
“The guiding light has become our culture,” he said. “And it took me a while and the team to figure out, ‘what is culture?’ And, to simply put this, how do you get things done?”
The executives all agreed that communication is key during uncertain times.
“If they don’t have information, they’ll make assumptions,” Kashanipour noted, emphasizing the importance of transparency.
Each leader stressed the need to remain forward-thinking, even when dealing with immediate challenges.
“Making sure that you’re not totally distracted by the crisis of the day,” Sadler noted, is crucial to maintaining strategic vision.
Image credit: Depositphotos.com
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