"We formulated the goals together." - Conversation with Gábor Wilheim Part II

Recently, our colleague, Ildikó Bali-Tóth, sat down for an inspiring conversation with Gábor Wilheim, CEO of Kanizsa Trend and former president of Fabunió, regarding the development of the DRWO4.0 project work, to learn about the defining stages of his career. We recommend their three-part conversation series to those who believe that lessons can always be learned from a successful professional life – whether it is about leadership principles, strategic decisions or the importance of self-development. Part II

Part I of the conversation can be read by CLICKING HERE .

Early in your career, you had an interesting experience: the then director of the Kanizsa Furniture Factory sent you on a tour of all the departments of the factory. What did you learn from this?

It was a defining experience. The director said, “I know you did well in college, but you don’t know anything.” And he was right. I spent a month in each department over a period of six months. During that time, I not only learned about the processes, but perhaps more importantly, I built personal relationships with the employees. Later, when I became a manager, these relationships and the practical knowledge I gained proved invaluable.

How is it possible to lead 450 people as “friends”? Doesn’t this come at the expense of professionalism?

Quite the opposite. I was very tough on goals and expectations, but I approached leadership in a humane way. Everyone had a specific, daily task. We formulated the goals together, and everyone knew exactly what was expected of them. The key was that we not only expected performance, but also helped them achieve it.

How did this work in practice?

I introduced a system where we made all activities measurable. Many people initially said that intellectual activity cannot be measured. Of course it can! For example, in the case of a foreign trader, the “product” is the daily paid orders. If we think about who has what “product” and how it contributes to the growth of the company, then very simple goals can be set.

What was the secret to the company's turnover rate being only 2%?

We built on three pillars: vision, mission and values. We not only formulated these, but also implemented them in everyday practice. When you enter the factory, our mission and vision are still on the wall, and every employee was given a little leaflet with them. If there was any problem, I asked: “Take it out, read it, see if you have followed it.”

How did you motivate your leadership team?

We attended leadership training at least once a year. We tried everything from the Zig Ziglar method to Dale Carnegie training. I am proud that we managed to build such an effective team that the company functioned perfectly even when I was not there.

How did you handle conflicts?

We always strived for consensus. If someone wasn't performing well, we first looked together to see if they needed to improve their skills or if they were working in the wrong place. We made decisions together. I had a colleague who eventually decided to leave on his own because he realized he couldn't perform – but that was also a consensus decision.

What do you consider to be your greatest leadership success?

That even today, when I go back to the factory, my colleagues wave to me from afar. Regardless of age or gender, everyone greets me as a friend. We managed to build a community where 500-550 people worked together like a family. This wouldn't have been possible without the management knowledge we've acquired over the years, but the most important thing was that we always treated each other like people.

What message would you give to today's leaders?

I consider three things important: First, dare to get close to people – but maintain professional rigor. Second, make everything measurable – but don't forget that there are people behind the numbers. Third, develop a set of values that don't just hang on the wall, but also live in everyday life.

We can read about the challenges and opportunities of the furniture industry in the next section...