Mark Pillay, CEO of Konica Minolta South Africa, admits that his work mode is in a 'always on' state, and it is difficult for him to maintain a healthy work-life balance. He notes that even while traveling, he uses his laptop to remain accessible and monitor progress, not for micromanagement.
For him, the concept of balance does not mean completely disconnecting from communication, but rather the ability to stay connected when an immediate response is required. Technology has made it easier for him to maintain constant contact, allowing him to work while his family sleeps or take calls outside the office.
Not Quite Me
However, Pillay has learned the lesson that not everyone works the same way he does. He was told: 'Don't expect people to be like you,' and he realized that one cannot expect others to share the same mindset, work ethic, or approach to tasks.
While some people are content with turning off work email on Friday and only checking it on Monday, Pillay does not belong to them. If a client or dealer contacts him on the weekend, he may not respond immediately, but he guarantees that he will get back to the matter.
The main takeaway for him is understanding the differences between people, and this does not make one approach right and another wrong. It is necessary to understand how people operate, what drives them, and what can reasonably be expected from them.
The Important Ten Percent
Pillay is not a big fan of fiction, but one book by former General Electric executive Jack Welch, 'From the Gut,' left a deep impression on him. He applies Welch's 70/20/10 principle to the company's employee approach.
According to him, 70% of employees perform their duties and achieve expected results. The next 20% he calls 'driftwood,' who need to be addressed because decreased productivity and negativity can negatively affect the business. The remaining 10% are people the company cannot afford to lose. They must be retained, provided with job satisfaction, a sense of belonging to the business, and recognition.
Despite the influence of Welch's book, Pillay believes that the idea that someone else's formula can simply be transplanted into your company is one of the most overrated business ideas. He emphasizes that to manage a business, one must 'put on other people's shoes' to truly understand how it functions.
For Pillay, leaders must know their business, people, market, and industry well, using external advice only if it is helpful. One cannot simply read a book and apply all its provisions as if they were written specifically for your business.
A Decision Made by Reason
Pillay is also not inclined to revise a decision after making it. Instead, he prepares thoroughly for the choice, considering possible consequences and outcomes before making a final decision.
He clarifies that this does not mean ignoring evidence when circumstances change, but he is convinced that the quality of the decision depends on the thought invested in it before taking the step. It is not always easy when the most serious business problems are beyond his control.
International events and uncertainty about how and when they will affect the business take up a lot of attention. The company also faces port delays, leading to late inventory arrivals and customer orders not always being fulfilled within the scheduled month. In such conditions, it is necessary to focus on controllable things and do everything possible to handle the situation successfully.
Fast Cars and Godchildren
Pillay also shares aspects of his personality that many colleagues might not notice. He says that he is a fairly ordinary and relaxed person, who enjoys motorsport, fast cars, and football.
Furthermore, there are more children in his circle than one might expect. He has two of his own children and nine godchildren, some of whom now live around the world. Since he was a parent figure to some of these children before they had their own, he has ended up with many children worldwide—some are currently in Japan and South Africa, and his daughter lives abroad.
This has earned him the unofficial title of 'favorite uncle,' which he likes. There is also travel and business he could build if this imaginary trust fund became a reality. Pillay describes life as a blank book, the pages of which are filled with places seen and people met. Therefore, if he had been born into a wealthy family with a large trust fund, he would probably just travel the world. But since that did not happen, he would likely be running his own venture, drawn by the flexibility and control over how he spends his time. So, for now, he gets his travels, and the laptop goes along with them.
