On the latest episode of the Best Boss Podcast, Diane Scott interviewed Elke Reichart, the Chief Digital and Sustainability Officer at Infineon Technologies. Elke’s leadership journey inspires and demonstrates how being a great leader is less about personal success and more about the team’s success.
In this interview, she discusses her philosophy on leadership and management, which she calls “Management as a Service” (MaaS). This transformative approach can unlock a team’s true potential.
Leadership as a Service: Empowering Teams for Success
Elke Reichart’s leadership journey began at Hewlett-Packard, where she was promoted to a management role just three years into her career. Reflecting on her early experiences, she notes how fortunate she was to have had great mentors and the opportunity to grow step by step. This experience shaped her philosophy, centered on team empowerment and leadership as a service.
One of her key realizations was that leadership isn’t about making the boss look good. Instead, it’s about flipping that script—helping the team thrive first and then achieving personal success as a byproduct. This “Management as a Service” approach focuses squarely on developing team members and creating a supportive environment where they can flourish.
Elke likens leadership to serving your team: “I’m here to serve the people, to make my team successful.” She emphasizes the importance of clear direction (the head), genuine care and empathy (the heart), and practical support (the hand). A leader can create a highly motivated and successful team by setting a clear strategy, understanding each person’s strengths and motivations, and removing obstacles.
Success Through Others: Flipping the Leadership Paradigm
One of the most powerful takeaways from Elke’s leadership success story is her belief in the multiplying effect of unlocking a team’s potential. When asked about her leadership theory, she explained how she began to see that her most significant asset wasn’t her capabilities but rather the collective strength of her team. By tapping into their potential, she witnessed how much faster they could achieve their goals, creating momentum that drove the entire organization forward.
This approach of leadership success through others has not only helped Elke become a top executive but also earned her the admiration and loyalty of her teams. As a leader, her success came from their success—directly reflecting her ability to inspire, guide, and empower.
The Role of Trust in Building Strong Teams
Building trust is another cornerstone of Elke Reichart’s leadership style. “Actions speak louder than words,” she reminds us. It’s not enough to set a vision or give advice—leaders need to follow through and be there for their teams when it matters most. Elke prioritizes removing obstacles for her team and remaining flexible in her availability, ensuring that they feel supported in real-time.
Her teams know they can rely on her, not just as a boss but as a partner in their journey. This trust has allowed her to unlock the full potential of those she leads, creating strong bonds and driving results that speak for themselves.
Best Bosses Know Their People
Throughout the interview, Elke stresses the importance of understanding the whole person. Leaders need to invest time in knowing their team members—not just professionally but also personally. Understanding their values, motivations, and challenges helps to align their strengths with the right opportunities. This also builds deeper connections, which, in turn, fosters a more cohesive and dedicated team.
She advocates for a strengths-based approach to leadership, where leaders identify what each person excels at and then place them in roles where they can truly shine. This maximizes the individual’s potential and enhances the team’s performance.
Leadership Success Stories: Early Mentors and Lasting Lessons
When asked about her best boss, Elke shared a leadership success story about one of her early managers. In her third job, a manager recognized her leadership potential early on and gave her the opportunity to shadow him, giving her invaluable insights into what it means to lead.
This experience shaped her career and influenced how she mentors others. For Elke, having someone believe in her before she fully believed in herself was pivotal in setting her on a path to leadership success. Now, as a leader herself, she tries to offer the same opportunities to those she manages, helping to nurture the next generation of leaders.
Conclusion to the Episode – Best Bosses Focus on People First
Elke Reichart’s leadership success story reminds us that the best bosses are those who focus on their people first. Through her Management as a Service philosophy, she has built strong, empowered teams capable of achieving extraordinary results. Her success, and the success of her teams, is a testament to the power of trust, empathy, and genuine care in leadership.Subscribe to our podcast to stay up to date with more episodes like this here: https://thebestboss.buzzsprout.com
