Being available, honest and not afraid to tackle the tough discussions are key leadership principles that ensure Tommy Olofsen, Chief Marine Services Officer at global ship management company OSM Thome, can keep people his top priority.
“Success for me is that our seafarers who join ships, they come back home safe.”
In the second part of our Leadership Unlocked podcast series, Tommy speaks to Professor Bernd Vogel, Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, about the challenges of making the right decisions in an organisation where safety is the first priority and driving profitability and reducing costs come second.
Tommy talks about the importance of learning how to lead yourself before you can lead others and that there is no ‘fast track’ to success. He also discusses why being task focussed is not his style and that he leaves the ‘how’ for his team to decide.
“I can make people be their best I think, by giving them the best conditions to do that, and that's what I try to do. I don't tell people how to do their job. I tell people what they're responsible for achieving, and then I engage with them in finding the best way and solving the problems within that framework.”
‘Leadership Unlocked’ is a podcast from the Henley Centre for Leadership at Henley Business School. Hosted by Bernd Vogel, Professor in Leadership and Founding Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, the series explores what it means to become and be a senior leader today.
Throughout the series Bernd is joined by guests in senior leadership roles from all walks of life – including the media, retail, transport and governmental organisations – to share their leadership journeys, experiences, setbacks, learnings, and motivations, to inspire our audience.
Topics tackled throughout the series include: self-leadership and leadership as a platform; the importance of making tough choices; accepting and jumping on serendipity; the art of influencing; knowing when to get out of the way; the reality of self-doubt and setbacks; and questions around age and ego. Guests also share which leadership myths they would like to eradicate if they could, which produces some passionate responses.
Professor Bernd Vogel is a Professor in Leadership at Henley Business School. He is also Research Division Lead in Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation, Founding Director ofHenley Centre for Leadershipand Henley Centre for Leadership Africa and an executive coach.
Having worked for over 20 years with global companies, business schools and universities, he bridges academia and practice to guide people and organisations in leadership learning journeys.
He is an expert in strategic leadership for healthy organisational energy and performance, the future of work and leadership, positive leadership, organisational leadership capability, senior management teams, followership, change and culture, multidirectional leadership for transformation and leadership development. He publishes in top-tier journals, is a regular media contributor and has authored and edited several books, such asFully Charged: How Great Leaders Boost Their Organization's Energy and Ignite High Performance, published by Harvard Business Review Press.
Tommy Olofsen
Tommy Olofsen is the Chief Marine Services Officer at OSM Thome.
