MBR_ISSUE 43_LOWRES

Malta Business Review
MANAGEMENT INTEVIEW
AN INTERVIEW WITH A MARKETING AND
BUSINESS LEADER
By Staff Writer
Marla Bace is an active speaker and moderator on a number of subjects, including business operations and customer
loyalty. She is currently the General Manager of Marketing and Operations at Circles, a division of Sodexo, providing
concierge services, even management, and customized rewards and experiences for customers and employees. We
recently had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Bace.
MBR: Tell me a little about
being an executive manager.
MB: The biggest difference between being
a manager and an executive manager is the
level of responsibility. As a manager, you
are solely responsible for the day-to-day
operation of a single function and your direct
reports. As a general manager or executive
manager, you are also responsible for the
organization, including ensuring that the
goals of the management committees are
executed and met, as well as developing
business plans and products to shape and
facilitate the future of the organization.
MBR: How do you and your
team define customer care?
MB: Customer care is the delivery of seamless
customer service before, during, and after a
transaction. When a customer experience is
significantly better than anything they could
have expected, you have a customer for life.
Maria Bace
MBR: How do you drive
strategic business changes?
MB: Collaboration. Being part of the
management team often requires a hard
look at all aspects of the business. This may
mean building out areas and in some cases
reducing resources in others. If one is not a
collaborator—forging bonds between people
and entire departments—the strategic
change necessary to grow the organization
will not occur.
MBR: What do you do to
mentor the individuals
on your team (men and
women)?
MB: This is the part of my career that I enjoy
the most. Each person on the team brings a
different strength to the table. As a manager,
I strive to recognize and leverage everyone’s
talents. Being an effective mentor also means
helping your employees identify personal
development opportunities, such as some
personal one-on-one career training with
another team member who has a particular
skill in spades.
MBR: You have been very
involved with mentoring
young ladies in your career,
whether through your career
positions or your affiliations
with non-profits like the NJ
Sharing Network or Liberty
Science Center. Why is this
important to you?
MB: I have only had male mentors throughout
my career, yet I believe women encounter
different challenges and have to address
situations with a different perspective
because of the many hats they wear—
career, home, and family. It’s 2013, and the
hot topic is should women “lean in” or not.
Young women need to know that they can be
themselves, enjoy work/life balance, and be
successful. I enjoy helping them realize and
achieve this.
MBR: Do you think that all
managers have the capability to
help others with their careers?
MB: When someone is coming up through
the management ranks rarely do they start
out as a perfect role model. This doesn’t
mean they can’t learn how, however. While
some will be better at it than others, all can
develop the capability, leading by example
and through nurturing.
MBR: What do you
consider your strongest
strengths in dealing with
staff workers, colleagues,
senior management, and
customers?
MB: The ability to draw awareness to
circumstances by identifying public opinion
and gathering other data and then facilitating
conversation to develop a plan and drive
results. In short, working with the team to
reach right solution to a business challenge.
I never leave the team to execute against a
deadline alone; we are always in it together.
MBR: As a woman, do you
believe it is easier to work
with co-workers, senior
management, or customers?
MB: I have found it both easier and harder. It
depends on the audience and the topic. If I
have a strong opinion and a hard conversation
with a male colleague, it is a “good” discussion.
The same discussion with a female colleague
could still be called a “cat fight” in some
quarters. We have come a long way in
business, but some stereotypes are still there.
You have to be aware of it and work around
them and in the process hold yourself to the
highest ethical and professional standards.
MBR: What skills would you
recommend other women
develop to help them
advance in their careers?
MB: A thorough grounding in whatever
field you are working in and the ability to
exude confidence, graciousness, optimism,
and ambition. And always have a good
sense of humour.
MBR
Creditline: Editor of Leader's Edge.
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