AT the very core of leading a team is the innate desire to “help others become better versions of themselves”, says Robert Scott. Scott, who has been the general manager at Lifespan Spring Water Company for the past four years, has been instructive in leading the charge on numerous projects and has worked with his team to bring home several accolades for the business. He has had to be extremely involved in day-to-day operations, project management and strategic planning, that includes the areas of production, quality, export, logistics, sales and marketing. But he was not always at the centre of the action — as a child he was shy and reserved.

“I was somewhat shy and reserved but had a real love for reading which allowed me to explore the world while sitting at home. I also had a love for swimming and this was a pastime that I shared with my father. I was also sports oriented, trying out for shot put in high school and later represented Jamaica in taekwondo,” Scott said.

The Kingston native is a graduate of Camperdown High School, The University of the West Indies and Manchester Business School.

“I am one of the Caribbean’s first certified international trade professional from the Canadian Forum for International Trade Training, and I am a certified trainer in the Services Go Global Exporter of Services programme,” Scott divulged.

“At my core I am a FMCG [fast moving consumer goods] guy. Shortly after leaving UWI I went into the life insurance business where I achieved the million-dollar round table in the first year but I had an interest in marketing so I went into brand management at HD Hopwood and one of my first brands was Gatorade, which I launched in Jamaica in 1992.

“A couple years later I moved over as a group sales manager for 3M Jamaica where I led the life sciences portfolio. I spent 10 years at Mars in the country manager role, thereafter as a vice-president at Jampro, and now I am back in FMCG as the general manager of Lifespan Spring Water. I have also had several consultancy/project management roles under my belt, where I was a member of the team [senior national trade advisor] that did the World Bank Group-funded Jamaica Trade Information Portal, the hugely successful Jamaica Manor at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, as well as conducting signature programmes in Vietnam and the Philippines,” he added.

Balancing work life and personal life is a challenge for many, but Scott lives by the formula, ‘work hard and play harder!’

“It also helps when you love what you do. Time management is critical, and part of this is my penchant for punctuality. This allows me to be stress free and being able to have all the energy I need to complete my several tasks,” Scott said.

Treating people with dignity and respect, commitment to the development of communities, and lifting people to a place they never thought possible are some of the values he holds important.

“Helping others to become a better version of themselves — as leaders we are able to provide opportunities for others to expand by mentorship, sharing from experiences, opening doors and sometimes just making a phone call,” he said.

“’I can’t be a success unless you are a success’ is my version of servant leadership, because my success as a leader, manager or business owner is dependent on my team being successful. I promote productivity in my team by devolving responsibility, trusting team members, giving persons the room to make mistakes, and stopping micro-managing. Their innovation will come to the forefront and they will achieve miraculous things. I have seen this time and time again,” Scott expressed.

For young persons seeking to become successful, Scott advocates for education.

“Go to school! The critical thinking skills developed will serve you in whatever sphere of activity you choose. As you develop your technical skills in whatever subject area, equally develop your leadership skills. Interact, Rotaract, Key Club, Toastmasters are all opportunities that are easily available for young people to develop and hone their leadership skills,” he said.

Some of the accomplishments that stand out for Scott and have helped to shape his journey include a Medal of Honour by the World Federation of Consuls in 2012, and serving as honorary consul general to the Republic of Latvia. Scott also is a knight in the Order of St George.

The hardest part of his job is making the difficult decision to separate a team member. Most times this involves costly behaviours such as theft that must be decisively addressed. Though considerations have to be made about the livelihood of the person in question, what is best for the company must be paramount.

In this fast-paced world, a leader has to stay in touch with the pulse of the people and up to date with trends. Scott reveals that he is a voracious reader and follows closely information provided by trade associations as well as the Fine Water Society, the international bottled water association of which Lifespan is a member. He also participates in meetings locally and internationally held by the International Trade Council as well as the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association.