The one of only ten women running FTSE 250 companies indicates how to
transform a company
One of the corporate world's most respected executive
believes that it requires a trim waistline, less sleep and daily exercise
to improve the bottom line of the company. This is true of the enterprise
requires sustainable and large-scale transformation of its business processes.
The primary component is not GRC, but hard work, long hours and being in
a good shape, fit for fight.
Harriet Green is the chief executive
of 173-year-old travel company Thomas Cook. She sleeps for three and a
half hours a night, exercises six days before going to the office. In
addition, she has a healthy diet of green tea for breakfast and soup and
salad for lunch.
Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman
After arriving at Thomas Cook two years ago, when the travel company was
in dire straits and had plummeted in value to £146 million, Ms Green
cut costs, closed high street shops and sold non-core brands. The company
is now worth almost £1.6 billion and the transformation she achieved
saw her named Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the year and multiple other
awards for being the best business person.
The recipe for success, therefore, is that in addition to GRC processes
you must eat less, sleep less and work out more. Like most mums, she believes
that the brats eat too much and laze too long in bed.
Extreme executive sportsmen
Ms Green, who works out three times a week with a former Marine. She says
that the results were achieved by teamwork and that it is no coincidence
that she numbers a triathlete, a marathon runner and a former national
level gymnast among her senior executives. This team is then resilient,
healthy and has a good regime. A severe management course to take.
Eat little, rest little
Manage, corporate life at those extremes, is perhaps also expected by
unhealthy obese candidate applying for a job. However, if they had proven
experience of delivering in an intense environment, were entirely comfortable
with their weight in travelling. We would probably hire them as an employee.
Therefore, most workers must have developed ways of keeping mentally and
physically fit. They are comfortable with themselves. They eat well; they
rest well; they do the things that allow them to stay the course.
Diversity speaks; it is not the focus on Good Governance, Risk Management
and Compliance (GRC) that produces results, but to cut down on food and
sleep and the policy of replying to own emails, is apparently the answer.
Source: The Times
