Strong leadership is, without a doubt, an essential element of ComAp’s success worldwide. Great leaders provide our teams with clarity and purpose. They inspire us to be our best, support our development, offer guidance, and make important, often challenging decisions. As a company that values leadership, we recognise and celebrate our standout leaders each year with the Leadership Award, presented at the annual ComAp Awards. This year, ComAp’s Leadership Award was presented to František Poupě, our Global TSUP and Training Manager, who has demonstrated his leadership not only in his role within the company but also in his free time through his support of charities and social initiatives. We spoke to František to learn about his experiences as a leader and to find out what it takes to be successful in a leadership role.

Congratulations on winning the Leadership Award! What does this recognition mean to you?

Thank you! After I got over the initial and really unexpected surprise, I felt happy for a moment. But then I realised I would have been even happier to receive a Teamwork and Collaboration Award, which would better reflect what we achieved and include my team and the local pioneers who were crucial to the whole project. Without them, there wouldn’t be any award at all.

Can you share a bit about your journey at ComAp? How did you get to where you are today?

Yeah, it’s been a long journey! I started as a PMC (Product Manager and Coordinator), handling technical support and leading the development of the first InteliVision display. Then, I spent a year in the US office to help develop the subsidiary. After I returned, I took care of Global Accounts and provided specialised technical support, including customised development. In 2011, I decided to take over our Technical Support Team, and that’s where my current exciting journey began.

What values or principles guide your leadership style?

Trust. That is definitely the most important thing and the foundation on which our TSUP is built.

Common sense. It is essential everywhere, as the world is not black and white, especially in support, where you need to balance between desperate customers and busy colleagues. You must find ways to reach a solution and "survive." Common sense then serves as a kind of compass, guiding you towards the (re)solution.

And responsibility. Once a customer contacts you with a request, they rely on you, the person in the support team, and you represent the whole company. Personal responsibility is essential to ensure that the request is resolved and does not "fall asleep" somewhere, ultimately contributing to ComAp’s success and a happy customer. 

Leadership often involves overcoming challenges. Can you share a particularly tough moment in your career and how you navigated it?

Actually, the moment I want to share doesn’t seem like a challenge in hindsight, but at the time, it certainly was. It was the realisation of the right direction for my career. At a certain point, I was striving for a position that seemed more prestigious, but it was far from the area where I could bring the most value. Once I realised that it was okay to choose a position that didn’t have the same status but was a much better fit for both the company and what truly mattered to me, I found peace of mind. It also made it much easier to take on the challenges that came with my new managerial role. I would also like to say that my wife played a significant role in helping me realise that!

You’ve played a key role in ComAp’s global technical support expansion in India and Latin America. What was the most challenging aspect about this? And how did you overcome it?

That would definitely be integrating remote teams into our core TSUP group at HQ, especially given the geographical distance and time differences. We had three separate teams, two of them built within the local structure, and it wasn’t easy for them to start relying on someone they didn’t know, who hadn’t supported them in the past and wasn’t personally present. I am proud of the progress we made within a year, but it wouldn’t have been possible without great people on both sides!

Another aspect that helped us overcome, or rather prevent, potential issues was having a strong vision from the start. It was provided from the top but also naturally emerged from the bottom, based on our experience with the pilot project in APAC.

You’ve also been deeply involved in social initiatives at ComAp. What drives you to take on these projects?

It happened naturally, step by step. Many years ago, I started participating in a floorball tournament where ComAp supports SKV – Prague Wheelchair Sport Club. There, I realised how incredible these people are, how difficult life can be for them, and that they deserve attention and support from those of us who don’t have to face such obstacles. Also, my childhood friend leads the endowment fund Pecovatel, and she gave me a little push at the beginning. Over the years, I’ve realised that helping others who haven’t had the same luck in life makes me feel better as well.

What is the most important lesson that you’ve personally learnt about leadership?

I’ll have to repeat myself, but the most important lesson is that you can’t achieve anything without good teammates. That said, it is also crucial to receive the right balance of support and breathing room from your own superiors to empower you to perform at your best.

If you could describe your leadership philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?

That is not easy, and this question forces me to think a bit… It is a lot about the team you work with. If you can, you should choose people you can trust and rely on, and once you find them, you need to take care of them, respect them, and provide as much support as possible.

There’s a famous quote on leadership that states: "The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things." How do you empower people to do great things?

It is through mutual trust. If you trust your people and they trust you, you can rely on them and give them the space they need. This way, they can realise themselves, develop, and contribute to the company’s success.

What advice would you give to colleagues aspiring to leadership roles at ComAp?

Do not think about leadership or yourself, but about the people you work with, the ones you will be responsible for, and the best way you can support them.