Adolfo Salume or as he prefers to be called, Fito Salume, is the Chairman and CEO of more than twenty operating companies that are active primarily in the North and South American regions. Under the umbrella of Grupo Prologix, Fito has made his presence felt in finance, logistics, distribution, manufacturing, port operations, and clean technology. With decades of experience under his belt, Fito believes that communication remains one of the biggest challenges for every leader. We have categorized his insight into three sections - The What, The Why, and The How.
The What
"The world is built on the quality of communication. As the quality of communication evolved, the world became smaller or bigger, depending on how you see it. But the point is that it was our ability to convey and relay information to each other that determined what came out of action and collaboration."
"While it is clear as crystal to me that communication is the foundation on which everything is built, I am very well aware of the reasons that make good communication one of the hardest things to achieve. The number one reason is that human beings change daily - our knowledge, our biology, the chemicals inside us, even our geography - is in a constant state of movement. Leaders who are articulate in their communication keep up with the changes, or at least keep the changes in mind when making a point to their employees, customers, stakeholders, and even competitors."
The Why
"I feel clear communication has become extremely challenging because most employers don't take the first few months of their employees seriously. They wait for all new hires to get acquainted with the atmosphere, get used to the way things are done in the office, and simply get to work. While this may give you the time to pursue other immediate matters, it will also leave the employee to decide whatever he/she wants to do about the quality of work expected from them. If their understanding fails to match your expectations, it will complicate communication and result in a grand waste of time later."
The How
"In my chosen career, I have had the privilege to meet many leaders from different industries. I have observed that they do most of their talking with their ears! That has been the most fascinating discovery. All leaders, contrary to popular imagination, are acutely sharp listeners. I don't mean they listen to everyone or everything, but that when they do, they do it with a monk's focus. Attentive listening helps you separate the wheat from the chaff and make decisions on the go. As a leader, you will find that your ability to communicate with different people and their corresponding levels of understanding will go up a notch once you become better listeners."
Courage makes a leader and communication makes a man. According to Fito, it's the mark of a true leader to realize the importance of communication in their work-life, and the role that they, as leaders, play in the world.
