Two weeks ago, I went to visit our team in Chennai to present our business numbers and ambitions, but probably more importantly, to introduce our new HR Director Paula Summers — a trip that reminded me of what truly drives our company forward: our people. In fact, and I truly believe this … (more on that later) people should drive every business forward and we must prioritise this.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am the numbers guy and having led the Sales team at Shipnet for over 10 years, sales and revenue are ingrained in me. They are still my laser focus, but as a new CEO, I understand more and more just how important the people within the business are. Trust is one of our values here at Shipnet, and as much as we need our customers to trust us to do the very best for their business, our colleagues need to trust that Shipnet has their best interests at heart. And to quote Patric Lencioni, “Trust is knowing that when a team member does push you, they're doing it because they care about the team.”
You will be hearing more from me over the coming months, as the new CEO here my marketing team is talking a lot about personal branding, and, as the number and sales guy … this doesn’t always sit well with me.
Do people really need to know I have 2 cats, a horse, 2 kids and a wife? Well no, it’s not going to make the business perform better, but it will make my colleagues - our Shipneters - know more about what drives me, the type of person I am, and ultimately the kind of business they work in. For example, I know that my Marketing Director prefers the bigger picture to a spreadsheet, so knowing more about what drives her enables me to get the very best from her.
I am not saying that I don’t make her do the spreadsheets too, not sorry Jenny….But knowing our colleagues, and promoting the people part of our business to the wider market, will give confidence to customers that they are not just a number either. We provide all these great solutions to solve the issues of the shipping industry, but we are all humans - so let’s be human. Point of note: AI was not used in the creation of this blog.
As a business, I am not going to say it’s been easy but we are getting there. The Shipping industry like many others is seeing some rapid changes and some global challenges. Our India team who are predominantly responsible for the R&D, Managed Services, and support functions are key to some of the changes we have implemented this year and will continue doing, this to enable us to provide our customers with the solutions and data insight that the market requires.
During my visit, I had the chance to meet many of our team members in person. I was struck by their passion, enthusiasm and commitment to Shipnet. Each conversation reinforced my belief that it’s the people that propel a business, that help grow a business.
I listened to stories of challenges overcome and personal growth achieved. I heard about the pride our team takes in their work and their connection to our company’s values. These interactions reminded me that our success is not just about what we achieve, but how we achieve it—through collaboration, respect, and a shared vision.
As CEOs, we are often consumed by the need to drive results, meet targets, and push the business. But in doing so, we must never lose sight of the fact that our greatest asset is our people. The numbers might tell us how we’re doing, but it’s the people who tell us why we’re doing it.
We must provide opportunities for growth, recognise their contributions, and ensure they feel valued and supported. It also means listening to them, understanding their needs, and fostering a culture of inclusion.
People-first leadership is not just a moral imperative—it’s a strategic one. A motivated, engaged workforce is more productive and more loyal. When employees feel cared for, they are more likely to care about the work they do and the company they do it for. This, in turn, drives the very results we seek to achieve. Again I would like to quote Patric Lencioni, “If you could get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time”
My visit to India was a powerful reminder that while the numbers are important, they are ultimately a reflection of the people who make them possible.
To my fellow CEOs: Let’s never forget that behind every successful company are individuals who bring their unique talents, passions, and perspectives to the table. Our role is to nurture that, to ensure they have everything they need to succeed.
Look, at the end of the day, I am still the numbers guy. The number one question I will always ask my team is “are you going to hit your forecast” and sometimes that answer will be no! (things happen and things change) but I have to trust the team to look at their dept plans, pivot, refocus and work as hard as they can to get us back on track.
Trust, therefore, is everything to me. No one can demand trust; you have to earn it. It's very important that I am trusted by the team, it works both ways, as I know they will all do their very best for the business – and when that trust is there - the tough times are always that bit easier.
Terje Kristiansen
CEO
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