Name: Marc Toumelin

Title: Managing Partner

Organisation: Marc Toumelin Consulting

Marc Toumelin holds an MBA from ESCP Business School in Paris and is a Certified Business Coach (RNCP Level 6). With over 30 years of experience in the Information Technology and FMCG sectors, Marc has held senior leadership positions at companies such as Danone, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, ANSYS, and Dassault Systèmes. As a seasoned expert in customer engagement, go-to-market (GTM) strategy, account planning, and sales enablement, Marc has driven success in CMO and sales leadership roles across Europe.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Marc's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

It's about building lasting relationships based on mutual confidence and collaboration. As a leader, you need to set the course and have the ability to inspire others while leaving room for constructive feedback and empowering your team when it comes to execution.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

These are quite fundamental to set a proper course and rally teams under the same flag. Vision is a future-oriented concept of the business. Forming a strategic vision is an exercise in thinking about where a company needs to head to be successful. A vision is a mental image of a possible and desirable future state of the organization.

The mission describes the purpose of the company – that is to say, explaining why the company exists and what positive contribution it can make to customers and society. A mission should be defined as broadly as possible, in order not to limit the company’s future possibilities.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

In an uncertain world, successful teams have the agility to adjust to new environments that rely on flexibility and team member commitment. Delegating execution accountability, while securing each team member's engagement, is pivotal for success

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

I was initially reluctant to have a business coach, but it turned out to be quite instrumental for the rest of my career. This occurred 15 years ago. I was reluctant to take a new job assignment, and my manager offered me to take an external coach. The coach did not advise me to take a predefined career path but helped me to make choices based on my own criteria and judgment. Given personal sense to my choices is what I learned to most from that experience.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Prioritize and do less with more

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

Very strict management of my time, 3 months ahead

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Be confident and try it, you will not regret it.