Dagfinn Ringås has a slightly unusual success strategy
On the 27th of March 2020, Computerworld published a portrait of our CEO Dagfinn Ringås. «Our vision at SYSCO is to build a legendary company. A company people talk about and want to work for. The key to achieve that is to create an unstoppable culture», he says.
Read a small excerpt from the interview below:
«At SYSCO there is only us: people and culture. There are no machines or tools that determine our success. We are the ones who shape the strategy.»
Dagfinn Ringås
You have full responsibility of your own decisions, at all times. There is no one to blame if something goes wrong, and you do not have unlimited support to keep you up. However, Ringås has an ace up his sleeve. A strategy and a metaphor he stole from the American company Southwest Airlines. It is a growth strategy, a kind of photosynthesis that he refers to as unstoppable culture.
«If you ask me, corporate culture is not about sitting together singing Kumbaya My Lord or walking on hot coals. It’s that photosynthesis. If you are to make something grow, the same applies for a company as in the fields. First and foremost, you need nutritious soil.»
Dagfinn Ringås
The soil is the feeling around your workplace. It is a meaningful vision and leaders that truly see their people. It is the pride you have in your workplace, and values that actually matter.
Ringås advocates the need for a management that plants the right seeds. The right focus, a clear strategy and competent people are important factors here. This, of course, needs watering. This is done through informing the employees about the current situation, including evaluations of both the company and the employees. It also includes inspiring goals, training and development.
And then comes the sun. It is a celebration of success stories and great achievements and leaders that give the employees energy.
Finally, Ringås explain the weeds. Because to achieve a successful photosynthesis, you also need to get rid of the weeds as they block the sun and steal nutrients. Weeds are gossip, trash-talk and constant negativity. By all means, disagree and get angry, but it is not okay to stay negative all the time. That drains energy from both colleagues and the company. I do not need to pay people to find problems – that I can manage myself. I need people that find solutions. Occasionally you must get rid of weeds in the field.
In the article you can also read about how Dagfinn Ringås entered the IT industry, how he is as a leader, what he is a master of, about the importance of meaningful work and what, although a little untraditional, interest he has.
