Name: Robert H Ficken

Title: CHRO

Organisation: ASK HR Consultancy

20+ years HR Leadership experience

10+ years COO experience

25+ years University Professor experience

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

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

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Sourcing and securing qualified applicants.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Started as HR professional, thanks to advice from my then CFO, I quickly learned cost-benefit analysis and ROI calculations, along with how to think and act like a CEO.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

0500-0600 Gym/workout

0600-0630 Shower

0630-0800 Return calls, emails and texts

0800-0900 Review latest metrics/reports

0900-0930 Quick meeting with leadership team

0930-1100 Walk around talking with and connecting

with every employee available.

1100-1200 Available in breakroom for any and all

1200-1215 Power shake with lean protein

1215-1300 Meditation

1300-1430 5-7 meeting with each department head

1430-1500 Financial Forecasting meeting with CFO

1500-1515 Meet with Social Media team

1515-1530 Meet with AI team

1530-1540 Brief break-return messages

1540-1600 Meet with Marketing Team

1600-1630 Meet with HR team

1630-1730 Brainstorming session

1730-1800 Return all messages

1830-2000 Return home. Dinner with family.

2000-2030 Review schedule for tomorrow

2030-2115 Listen to relaxing music

2130-0500 Sleep

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Leaders must make certain every employee feels valued, appreciated and cared about.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty: Powerful reminder to allocate your time to what you most value.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

You cannot make everyone happy, but you can make everyone feel important, appreciated, and valued.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

I once had an employee that I personally saw deliver outstanding customer service, yet that employee often received terrible reviews. I spoke with that employee and found out English was his second language. I found a free ESL class near his home, helped him enroll in it, and that employee went on to become one of my top managers.