Interview with Stacey L. Mozzanica, HR Manager of Mozzanica
History has given us examples of great leaders who have achieved important goals, which was possible because of their choice of the right collaborators and excellent teamwork.
Here are some examples:
- Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar succeeded in expanding their kingdoms through their generals, who in turn organized armies, trained people, and introduced new battle techniques.
- As Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne relied on his palatium, a group of collaborators he employed to counsel and help him in his administration.
- To counter the attacks of the fearsome German V-2s, Winston Churchill contacted the best engineers, who used radar to locate most of the missiles and destroy them before they hit the ground.
If we talk about industry, how important were the people in entrepreneurs’ choices?
Here are two examples:
- Once he decided to no longer invest only in tractors, Ferruccio Lamborghini contacted and hired the best engineers at the time, from Giotto Bizzarini and Gian Paolo Dallara to Nuccio Bertone, with whom he built one of his greatest successes, the Lamborghini Miura.
- Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in his garage in 1994. In a short time the company began to expand and Bezos, as gifted as he was, understood that he had to hire new executives and administrators to better manage it.
We understand that success depends on the activity of a leader, but also on the people, the right people, who can guide the company to achieve great results.
But what value is given to people today?
As far as young people are concerned, it seems that getting an open-ended contract is an impossible undertaking.
And someone who is middle-aged is now "out of the game".
A manager sometimes finds himself working with a CEO who is more interested in profit than considering a motivational plan for the staff that would lead to excellent results.
If we look at Mozzanica, we see that one of the mottos is: "Mozzanica is a company of people".
Why?
To answer this question, we interviewed Stacey L. Mozzanica, HR Manager of the company.
Good morning Ms. Mozzanica, and thank you for seeing us. We would like to start immediately with a direct question, that is, why the motto "Mozzanica is a company of people"?
Our company has grown and consolidated over the years thanks to the people who work in it. We do not only sell products but a range of services, so for us, interpersonal relationships, collaboration and trust are extremely important: first and foremost between ourselves.
It is through our employees, from the salesperson to the maintenance technician in the field, that these values must reach both the customers and our suppliers and partners.
So for you, each employee represents a person to invest in?
Yes, absolutely. No matter the role they were hired for, from intern to manager, each of our employees is an investment to increase the business' potential.
What do you offer when looking for new staff?
We offer personal and professional growth at the same time as our business growth. We offer an industry-leading thirty-year-old company that values the candidate's skills and competencies in order to grow together on the market.
How willing are you to follow and support an employee, whether they are an apprentice or an executive?
The company invests resources and time in the continuous training of all employees. We try to make the most of everyone's contributions according to their role, while always keeping the long-term entrepreneurial objectives in mind.
Where possible, depending on work commitments, we try to support employees who are experiencing challenging personal circumstances.
This approach has proved very useful in this last year of the pandemic, where we have understood the difficulties experienced by Italian families and have tried to help our employees address the problems they face.
We also greatly appreciated the efforts of the personnel who continued to work on site even during the peak of the outbreak.
Why so much effort?
We want to retain our employees, as we are well aware that the company exists thanks to their contributions as well.
How much of a role does the collaboration of the other shareholders have? How about the other directors or managers?
It's fundamental. It is essential to collaborate so that what is decided "from the top" enters the DNA of the company and consequently of the staff. It is also essential to be able to have feedback "from below".
So you need a common goal and a unified vision?
Of course. The Mozzanica ship is only one and the collaboration with its various officers (shareholders, directors and managers) is very important, so that all departments cooperate in unison to stay on the charted course.
What could you suggest to someone who wants to expand their business and finds themselves choosing new employees or collaborators?
To invest a lot of time in selection, to dedicate at least 2-3 interviews before deciding to hire a candidate, to ask questions not only about their job training, but also and above all about their abilities, character and soft skills.
But the main suggestion that I have is to take on people who know how to work in a group and don't be afraid to hire staff who are smart, stimulating people, open to debate and feedback.
In fact, I believe that a good leader does not surround himself with "yes people", but with people who complement him in his skills and abilities and who stimulate him to make decisions.