Viktor Wagner

To be successful in business, there are three key attributes one must possess: character, knowledge, and diligence. That’s according to Viktor Wagner, the CEO of Reiwag Facility Services, who believes any leader lacking one or more of these qualities will struggle to reach their full potential, and fail to get the most out of their team. Viktor chats to The CEO Magazine about what else he believes makes a good leader in today’s fast-paced environment. He also shares some of Reiwag’s recent successes, and his thoughts on entrepreneurial collaboration.

The CEO Magazine: How can you tell a good leader apart from a bad one?

Viktor: Leading executives have an influence on the lives of their employees and their families. They are the foundation and as such, a key to the success of a business. The leading executive has to be permanently aware of his or her great responsibility. Thereby, under no circumstances can there be a lack of entrepreneurial thinking.

Entrepreneurial thinking is characterised by having a medium- to long-term effect. The opposite of that is a quarterly pursuit of a personal result which operates only short term and is bonus-oriented. One of the most important tasks of a leading executive is the continuous support and encouragement of his or her employees.

The continuity in corporate management usually creates the most positive impact and, at the same time, enhances a greater trust in the enterprise from clients. In addition, one should also ensure they have an adequate mix of ages at various levels of senior management. Experienced, leading executives who have gained valuable experience through mistakes made in the past (as one knows, experience equals the sum of mistakes made) may exchange their opinions and experiences with younger managers to achieve creative results.