“Create a culture where an argument is possible.”– Toto Wolff In the conclusion to the Leadership Lessons series Vinod Kumar, CEO & MD of Tata Communications, and Toto...
Leadership Lessons: Claire Williams on the importance of tenacity
3 mins read
With F1 season in full swing, Claire Williams shares her experiences on being resilient in the face of challenges.
A few months ago, Tata Communications became the Official Digital Transformation Partner of the ROKiT Williams Racing F1 team. Our partnership with one of the most iconic teams in the paddock is a further demonstration of our expertise in addressing the requirements of the world’s most technologically advanced sport. [caption id="attachment_8005" align="alignright" width="299"]
In F1 today, as an independent team, we operate on a budget of roughly a third of the teams supported by a major manufacturer. This is most tested in the development race which happens throughout each season as we look to bring new components to the car. That race puts an extraordinary amount of pressure on our people as we ask them to search for any incremental gain they can find; they have to be persistent and keep changing their approach until they succeed. [caption id="attachment_8019" align="alignleft" width="399"]"We recently undertook a survey which asked F1 fans what words they would associate with Williams. The top answer was courage."

I think the fact we never, ever give up can be a source of strength for others. That is certainly the case for our fans, and over the years we have received so many messages thanking the team for acting as a source of inspiration in difficult moments in their lives. The lovely thing is, the reverse is equally true. Emails and letters arrive every day with words of encouragement from our supporters that drive us forward and we are working hard to repay the faith they have shown in us. [caption id="attachment_7997" align="alignright" width="401"]"My message to the team is simple - when we next stand on the top step of the podium, it will mean so much more for the effort we have had to put in to get there."

The way we maintain our culture – which we sometimes refer to as our racing spirit, has changed dramatically in recent years. In the early days, the team was of a size where the culture grew organically under the day to day leadership of Frank and (Sir) Patrick Head. Today, with over 1000 people based at our factory in Grove, we have a dedicated programme called NextGen Williams, which defines our identity, our vision and our values. It should come as no surprise that one of those values is determination! [caption id="attachment_8006" align="alignleft" width="401"]"A key part of our culture is regularly communicating with our team - so everyone understands our objectives and our progress towards those objectives. We find when people know how their contribution fits into the wider plan, they are more engaged and able to sustain their motivation through the entire season."

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