Francesco Pastore: Failure is Not the Devil

In this episode of "Gratitude Through Hard Times," host Chris Schembra welcomes Francesco Pastore, the Chief Marketing & Sales Officer and Corporate Communication Director of the global paper leader, Sofidel.

Francesco discusses the concept of a "portfolio career," emphasizing the importance of diverse experiences, continuous learning, and adaptability. He shares his strategy for balancing short-term business results with long-term personal and professional growth, using a blend of strategic focus and the Pareto principle (80% execution, 20% learning).

The conversation delves into the significance of soft skills in leadership, with Francesco stressing the importance of humility, vulnerability, and communication. He shares his approach to inspiring his team, especially those early in their careers, to invest in their long-term growth.

A key takeaway from Francesco's leadership philosophy is the importance of creating space for failure and learning. He highlights how AI can facilitate rapid testing and learning, enabling leaders to fail fast and small, which ultimately drives innovation and growth.

Chris and Francesco discuss the role of gratitude in leadership, with Francesco expressing his deep gratitude for his wife, Paola, and how her support has been crucial throughout his career. This moment underscores the personal side of leadership and the power of acknowledging those who support us.

In closing, Francesco shares a powerful quote about treating people as they could be, not just as they are, emphasizing the impact of a future-focused leadership approach. Chris echoes this sentiment, reflecting on how envisioning and supporting people's growth can lead to remarkable business outcomes.

Join Chris and Francesco in this insightful conversation on leadership, growth, and the power of gratitude.

Quotes:

1. "If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be." – Francesco Pastore
2. "Live as if you were going to die tomorrow, learn as if you were going to live forever." – Francesco Pastore's LinkedIn header
3. "When you have space, you can fail more." – Francesco Pastore
4. "Strategy is the ability to say no." – Francesco Pastore
5. "Leadership is not a framework. Leadership is adaptable and you have to programmatically deliver your style of leadership based on what the person needs in the moment." – Francesco Pastore
6. "Soft skills are crucial in this new world of work." – Francesco Pastore
7. "AI helps us fail in a much more healthy way." – Francesco Pastore
8. "You need to test more things. Otherwise, you will just copycat the other and doing marginally better. You want to be much, much better than the other." – Francesco Pastore
9. "You can't chase two rabbits at the same time; they'll both get away. Focus equals growth." – Chris Schembra quoting Dave Lindsey
10. "It's important to fail fast and fail small on a continual basis to achieve the long-term growth in the future." – Chris Schembra
11. "For me, a portfolio career has two directions: one is the core experiences you have had, and the other is the balance between soft skills and hard skills." – Francesco Pastore
12. "Learning agility is the key to navigating different roles, companies, and cultures successfully." – Francesco Pastore
13. "The ability to say no is linked to clear strategy and prioritization. Without this, everything becomes equally important, which means nothing is important." – Francesco Pastore
14. "To me, failure is not the devil. Failure is learning." – Francesco Pastore
15. "A good strategy means building the organization and building the business. You need to know how to build both for long-term success." – Francesco Pastore
16. "Theory seems easy, but execution is what brings the theory to life." – Francesco Pastore
17. "Connecting the dots backwards is easy, but doing it forward requires adaptability and a focus on continuous improvement." – Francesco Pastore
18. "Communication and visioning are essential to help people understand that there's more beyond short-term results." – Francesco Pastore
19. "In any job, always secure 20% of your time for learning or growing as a person and leader." – Francesco Pastore
20. "Leadership is about being humble and honest, showing vulnerability, and leading by example." – Francesco Pastore

5 Key Takeaways from the Episode:

1. Importance of a Portfolio Career:
2. Balancing Short-term and Long-term Goals:
3. Significance of Soft Skills in Leadership:
4. Embracing Failure for Growth:
5. Gratitude in Leadership:

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Francesco Pastore is a seasoned and dynamic leader, holding a degree in Economics from Pisa, earned in 1996. His portfolio career journey began at Procter & Gamble, where he honed his fundamental skills in sales and marketing. After departing from P&G in 2004 in Geneva, Francesco continued to cultivate his international career, initially at Bain & Company, and later at leading consumer goods companies such as Coca-Cola and Coty.

In 2019, Francesco took on a pivotal role at Sofidel, where he oversees the European market as the Chief Marketing & Sales Officer. Since December, he has also assumed the role of Corporate Communication Director, showcasing his versatility and ability to manage diverse business areas.

With a longstanding passion for digital, his expertise lies in general management, sales, and consulting. Thanks to Sofidel, he has gained significant experience in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues.

ABOUT OUR HOST:

Chris Schembra is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Gratitude Through Hard Times and Gratitude and Pasta. USA Today calls him their "Gratitude Guru", he's a Founding Member of Rolling Stone Magazine's Culture Council, and he sits on the Executive Board at Fast Company Magazine.

He is the Founder and Chief Question Asker of the 7:47 Gratitude Experience™ — an evidence-based framework used to strengthen client and team relationships in profound ways. He's used the principles of gratitude to spark thousands of relationships within the workplace.

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