CHANNEL CHIEF
No bad employees,
only bad managers
With empathy for those who work with him, Claude Schuck
approaches work with two driving commitments, to work for
those around him and to be a good manager. By Arun Shankar.
Claude Schuck is Regional
Manager for Africa
at Veeam.
A
s the Regional Manager for
Africa at Veeam, Claude Schuck’s
current role is to head and lead a
team across Africa. This is for the growth
of Veeam and to strengthen its channel
market not only in South Africa but also
across the rest of the continent.
For Schuck, the best part of his job
is about working with people, solving
customer challenges and showing
customers that Veeam can deliver on its
promise. His work challenges include,
trying to remain in control of the overall
business across the continent and
managing his frequent travel plans.
The most exciting part of his job role
is watching people develop and grow, and
taking on more responsibility. “I have also
been privileged to have a hand in developing
them as individuals and developing their
individual careers as they move forward.”
On the reasons why, Schuck selected a
career in technology, he points out, is that
he stumbled upon the industry by mistake,
but has not regretted if for a moment. “I
was always going to be an accountant like
my dad, but during my studies I secured
a part-time job assembling computers. I
completed my studies, but the technology
bug bit and I worked my way up from
building PCs to installing PCs and
networks and finally into a sales role,”
Schuck explains at length.
Schuck’s crystal ball gazing prompts
him to point out that the software-defined
enterprise, that offers anything-as-a-
service to end-customers will be the hot
technology talking point in 2018. Such an
enterprise offers anything-as-a-service,
without any physical barriers through the
interaction, mixing and coming together
of all back-end services, whether it is
network, storage or application.
Schuck’s mature management style
revolves around two approaches in his work
life. The first approach in his work life, is
what he calls servient leadership, which is
selfless leadership. “I have a philosophy
that I work for you and not the other way
around, and it informs me how I treat every
individual and how I approach every day.”
His second approach in his work life
is his philosophy that there are no bad
Schuck creates
a flat and open
people structure,
which generates
mutual respect on
both sides.
employees, only bad managers. “As a
manager you have the ability to build and
grow a team around you. This means that
when you, as a manager, have done your job
correctly, there should not be a reason, why
you have someone that is not performing to
their best ability,” he points out.
Schuck also creates a flat and open
people structure, which generates mutual
respect on both sides. He feels this is the
role that leaders have, to make individuals
comfortable within an environment, so
that they can get on with their work and
flourish, without any barriers.
For Schuck, being physically active
is an important part of his life, as is
his family, and this helps to keep him
balanced. Schuck is active and enjoys most
forms of sport. He enjoys training, playing
golf, swimming and spending time with his
family, as well. “I believe that the more you
do, the more you get done. I start my day
early, at five in the morning, with an hour’s
exercise. This is my time to switch off
completely and not think about numbers
or quarters or weekly calls. It makes my
life more organised,” he explains.
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