Asked what skills were needed to lead a team, he said: “I look at myself as the person that needs to paint the vision and drive the company, and then I take on this role of almost a lead Sherpa.”
Keratsis said it was his role to help them “climb the mountain”, a hands-on task he relished.
“I don’t know the path you’re going to take, but I’m going to do whatever I can to help you navigate. Based on that, you’ll become the next leader, or at least get you to the point where you want to stop climbing that mountain and be satisfied with that,” he said.
An advocate of being open in a work environment at a time when being direct is often misconstrued as a negative trait, Keratsis said communication was becoming “a bit of a lost art”.
He said: “Transparent communication that might actually offend someone’s process is challenging, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea to push those challenges, because ultimately you’re trying to get to a greater good, and you can’t do that unless you are clear.