Taking the top job early: authority comes from credibility, not seniority

When I was appointed CEO of PayByPhone UK in 2018 at 32, I didn’t spend much time thinking about my age. However, it quickly became clear that it was of interest to others, when a national newspaper ran a piece announcing my appointment.

My entire career up to that point had been spent inside a large corporate environment at BMW Group. Running a smaller, more agile business was going to be a very different challenge. One of the most important decisions I made early on was not to pretend I knew everything. I was very explicit about the gaps in my knowledge; I had never worked in an industry governed by public procurement, I didn’t understand the parking sector, and I’d never run a small business before. Trying to pretend I was an expert would have been fatal; people at all levels would have seen through that immediately.

What mattered more was being very clear about expectations. You don’t necessarily need to be an expert in everything, but you do need to clearly communicate what you expect and then follow up on that. Expectations that are unclear or unenforced create confusion and resentment. Clear, consistently applied expectations create trust, even if they’re uncomfortable.

That balance - humility about what you don’t know, paired with firmness about what you expect - is pivotal in establishing authority. Once people know that you are prepared to follow through on decisions and be held accountable for them, age fades into the background.

This approach becomes even more vital during periods of significant change. I joined PayByPhone shortly after its acquisition by Volkswagen Financial Services. Introducing change was necessary, but it was never going to be painless.

During that period, transparency was critical. I shared as much as I reasonably could about where we were going, why we were going there, and what it meant for both employees as well as shareholders. I was also honest about what wasn’t clear.

At the same time, I was open to feedback and I listened. I think one thing my team appreciated was that when I made a decision that was wrong - and I did, many times - they knew they could tell me.

I often think about a story told to me by a former military leader. His commander said to him: “If there are 50 tanks lined up, you’re tank number two and about to go behind enemy lines. The command comes through for tank number one to move forward, but nothing happens. What do you do?” The answer is: you put the tank in gear, press the accelerator, and drive around tank number one. Why? Because the other 48 tanks will follow you.

Philosophically, that really resonated with me. I would much rather make a clear, decisive decision and move forward, knowing that in 24 hours everything could change. Decisions are based on the facts we have today, tomorrow we may have new information. I work on the basis that out of ten decisions, six will probably be right. Two will be good enough and two will be wrong, but you can correct those.

Ultimately, leadership isn’t about age, titles, or even legacy because CEOs are replaceable. What matters is whether you’ve had a positive impact on the people around you. Have they learned something, grown, were they part of something successful that helped them in their careers.

I hope the people I work with recognise that while we are highly performance-oriented and take our work seriously, it isn’t life and death. My role goes beyond being a CEO. I’m a husband to my wife and a father to my children which is the most important role in my life.

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ABOUT PAYBYPHONE

PayByPhone is a global leader in mobile parking payments. We simplify journeys for millions of UK drivers with smart, intuitive technology and user-focused features. In addition to fast, secure parking payments, drivers can also locate nearby fuel stations and EV chargers – and pay for EV charging – all in the PayByPhone app. We work with over 1,300 cities and operators across the UK, North America, France, Germany, and Switzerland. More than 110 million drivers worldwide have downloaded the PayByPhone app to simplify their parking and vehicle payments to date. To discover how our products and services can elevate your driving experience, visit www.paybyphone.co.uk.