September 2020 - 14

perspectives
BY ELIEN PIETERS
The Path to Leadership and Success
After earning the prestigious 'Womed Award' for female
Elien Pieters is
owner/director of
Gediflora and a
member of GPN's
40 Under 40 Class
of 2020. She can
be reached at elien.
pieters@gediflora.
be.
entrepreneurship and innovation in 2019, my immediate reaction
was: " This award is due to the extraordinary commitments made
by the entire Gediflora team. " In these challenging
times, my hope is that my leadership guides Gediflora
confidently into the future.
When did you start running the company?
I followed in my father's footsteps in 2013. In
2010, my father who was running the company at
that time had a serious automobile accident and,
because it took quite a time for him to recover from
his injuries, it was pretty clear that Gediflora would
be needing somebody new to head the company. So,
it didn't take me long to realize that it was time to
take on my responsibility and take over running our
family business.
How do you manage to get all your employees to
work as one team?
By working closely with our employees and by sharing
responsibilities with them. I dislike top-down management
systems. I believe in a more horizontally structured organization
where employees get involved in decision making. In this way,
you create responsible and self-managing teams. Regular
consultation with our teams is a priority for me; not in the
context of controlling them, but to see how we can support
them even more in achieving our targets.
Quite frankly, managing an organization is something I've
had to learn. I'm a born entrepreneur, but I'm also open to new
ideas. So, I read lots of books on management and leadership.
One thing I've already learned: everything starts with the
people you hire.
What's the most important thing your parents taught you?
Above all, they taught me to believe in myself. To have the
courage to make your dreams come true is something they've
always encouraged. They taught me at an early age that it's
more important to dare to do something than to be afraid
of failing. Therefore, our company's motto is not by chance:
" Dream. Discover. Dare. Do and Go on. " I've always known both
my parents to work with a lot of enthusiasm. For them, working
wasn't something they had to do, but something they were only
too happy to do.
Recently you received the Womed Award for Female
Entrepreneurship. How does that make you feel?
Obviously that recognition gives a fantastic feeling. I see it
as a milestone in what I, together with the entire team, have
achieved. The fact that we are where we are today is the result
of the hard work of all our employees. For me, the award is first
and foremost a feather in the cap of every Gediflora employee.
How does it feel as a woman to be at the helm of a
multinational company?
Well, I don't immediately distinguish between women and men
in that respect. Whether you're a man or a woman, it makes no
difference. I think it's mainly a matter of showing self-confidence
and knowing what you're talking about. Of course, the latter
requires commitment as a company. If you want to be at the top,
you not only have to keep up with what is happening worldwide,
but also invest continuously in optimizing and innovating your
product. Our R&D department, which consists of three highly
qualified bio-engineers, plays a crucial role in this respect.
Who inspires you?
I read quite a few autobiographies. As a result, I find people
like Richard Branson or Elon Musk quite inspiring. But also
Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga ... all belong to that
list of inspiring people. Their stories all prove how essential it
is to dare to go for your dreams. But the most inspiring person
for me remains my mother. Her enthusiasm and joy for life have
had a great impact on me. She taught me an important lesson:
" Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Practice makes perfect! "
She believed in my abilities. For my self-confidence that was
well worth its weight in gold.
How do you manage to maintain a healthy work-life
balance?
I'm very fortunate to have a husband who supports me.
Together we plan what needs to be done in the household.
That allows me time to fully focus on my job. However, I must
admit that there's still work to be done in terms of my worklife
balance. I want to improve my delegation skills so that I
can enjoy my leisure time more. That's why I started doing
yoga and work with a coach who practices with me at home. I
daresay I'm on the right track.
What would you say to women who are about to start up a
business, but are not sure if they want to take the step?
Any choice is a good choice, as long as you are prepared
to give your total commitment. Ask yourself whether starting
and running a business is really what you want and if you are
prepared to go all out for it. Above all, listen to your gut feeling.
Be honest with yourself. This will help you to make the right
choices. Don't forget that life is all about making the right
choices that match with who you really are. Stay honest with
yourself, that's the key to success.
14 SEPTEMBER 2020 GPNMAG.COM
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
September 2020

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