Leaders Must Have Faith in Their Own Vision

October, 2022

Mathew Magno
CEO and Founder of Japa, Inc

What makes a leader?

• It is a mix of a lot of things, but the most important would be that a leader has to have faith in their own belief or vision. Then a leader must be able to know how to build a team and have them believe in their vision as much as they do. Mix in emotional intelligence and the ability to make quick and hard choices. That is the making of a great leader. 

What is the difference between the leader and a manager?

• The main difference between leaders and managers is that leaders have people follow them while managers have people who work for them. A manager is someone who looks at their work as a job. A leader is someone who will do whatever it takes to get the job done because they believe in it. 

How do you motivate yourself to see things anew every day?

• I live a pretty healthy and active lifestyle to keep me motivated and I am always eager to learn. I try to define clear goals throughout each day to guide myself and I never forget to celebrate the little accomplishments. So everyday excites me. 

What are the biggest challenges you face today in 2022 as a leader?

• The biggest challenges come in a couple of different forms. From people management and building great culture to inflation and covid recovery. There are a lot of new challenges happening these days, it is really about how you navigate and iterate through these tough times to continually keep growing. 

Do the C titles make a difference and if so, how?

• No, not at the stage that we are at. Although, the Founder title makes a huge difference. It is the person that knows the most about the product and has been through it all to get to where the company is at today. 

From historical figures to people in public eye, who would you want to be your leader/CEO?

• Steve Jobs. He saw the world differently and would have made even more of an impact on this world. 

What are the essential ingredients for a successful team?

• Same vision and passion towards our goals, being transparent and likable, and having a knowledgeable team. That is what I believe to be the keys to success. 

What is your dream job?

• I am doing it right now. CEO & Founder of Japa, Inc. 

How to you re-invent yourself daily to avoid being complacent?

• I try to fail often and learn from my mistakes. This would allow me to create new habits for myself and challenge myself to do new things. I like to set goals, whether long term or short term, and keep myself accountable for my own actions. This way I will always be learning what not to do and how to be more successful.

Mathew Magno is the CEO and Founder of Japa, Inc