DI. Mag. Ing. Michael Toth is the CEO of Wienerberger Bausysteme GmbH and Club-Carriere-Persönlichkeit.
The complete interview you can find with this LINK.
Mr. DI Toth, what was decisive for your success?
On the one hand, the people I work with, who are masters in their field, and on the other hand, human values, above all integrity and respect. These are the values I also live by, not only in my professional life but also in my private life, no matter how hard everyday life is, because at the „end of the day“ we are all human beings and even if you have a different opinion, you should treat the other person with respect.
What criteria do you use to select employees?
Personality has priority. The technical aspects can be learned. If in doubt, I look for another position for the applicant. Openness, initiative, and the willingness to take on responsibility should be present, and respectful treatment should be a matter of course for him/her.
How do you motivate your employees?
Leadership and motivation is a very exciting topic for me. During the time when I had to manage fifty-five employees as plant manager in Hennersdorf, my daughters were also born. Looking back, it was a good coincidence because there are many parallels; taking care of fellow human beings, helping them to develop and also convincing them that this or that is the right thing to do has the same significance for me as a manager on the one hand and as a family man on the other. Because in both roles you take responsibility for a person who has needs, strengths and also weaknesses.
What advice would you like to pass on to the next generation?
Regardless of the industry, I would like to pass on the advice that integrity and respectful treatment of fellow human beings, as well as openness to new things, are important points when tackling a career. When I worked for „Roland Berger Unternehmensberatung GmbH“, I got to know many different corporate cultures. The culture in the Wienerberger Group is certainly a special one and coincides with my values. Our globally active group has been around for over two hundred years, and flexibility and personal responsibility are our watchwords. We think about and address topics without any restrictions. Creativity is therefore in demand. I also got to know other cultures at multinational corporations, where there were templates for everything and anything. In my opinion, this „template-like behavior“ restricts and takes away employees‘ freedom and responsibility. Being flexible for new topics and reacting openly to them is always a priority in our Group.
