This month's personality is Burkhard Grensemann , the newly appointed country sales director for the Bosch Power Tool division at Robert Bosch in Midrand. After 24 years with Bosch, Burkhard's success is tied to the fact that he is a champion of the brand and passionate about marketing.
A strategic thinker, Burkhard identifies his vision for the company, articulates this concept to the sales team and inspires them to work together towards a common goal. He motivates his team by empowering them with appropriate strategies, guiding without controlling and leading by example. A great communicator and facilitator, Burkhard inspires respect by 'walking the talk'.
Sparks: Where were you educated?
BG: I studied at the University of Applied Sciences Pforzheim in the state of Baden Wuerttemberg , near to Stuttgart, Germany.
Sparks: How long have you been involved in the electrical industry?
BG: I have worked for the Bosch Power Tool division in Germany and in South Africa for 24 years in various marketing and sales positions.
Sparks: When and where did you start your career?
BG: In 1992, I started my career at the Bosch Power Tool headquarters in Leinfelden-Echterdingen 10 km south of Stuttgart.
Sparks: What are the greatest changes you have seen over the years?
BG: The greatest changes have been the rapid technological progress and the development of social media platforms. The 'Internet of Things' is fast changing the world as we know it. Smart devices allow interconnected communication between machines, objects or humans, and are able to trigger automated responses – providing challenges as well as significant commercial opportunities. This significantly impacts all major industries and a mind shift and process change is needed to deal with this phenomenon. I believe this is not an evolution but a revolution.
Sparks: What major projects have you worked on and what is your greatest accomplishment?
BG: In Germany, I was responsible for the global marketing activities within the Bosch Lawn and Garden product portfolio. A major project was developing the concept for the company's participation at the GAFA fair in Cologne, which is one of the biggest garden and tool fairs in the world. I worked with the Bosch advertising agency to develop a new global marketing campaign for our electric garden tool range, which included TV, print and point-of-sale (POS) activities. I have enjoyed working with a team of top class professionals to successfully drive sales growth in southern Africa.
Sparks: Have you won any awards?
BG: The Power Tool division evaluates quarterly submissions from all marketing and sales divisions globally. The competition is tough, however, the South African team has won a number of awards for outstanding sales growth, new customer acquisitions and creative sales concepts.
Sparks: Who has been your inspiration or have you had a mentor who has influenced your career?
BG: I consider Derick Dreyer as my mentor. He was the power tool sales director for many years and retired 2008. In a nutshell, people and actions inspire me: from ordinary people and great leaders to strong competitors and colleagues as well as my wife and children.
Sparks: What, to your mind, is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry at this time?
BG: I would say that the lack of accountability is a major challenge.
Sparks: What do you enjoy most about your job?
BG: It sounds like a cliché but it's really about people. I enjoy playing a part in improving our internal competencies and being able to experience the personal growth of individuals in the Bosch team while achieving success by matching products, service and excellence with customer expectations and user requirements.
Sparks: How do you motivate your staff?
BG: I motivate the staff by caring about them, showing appreciation for work well done and taking the time to actively coach people.
Sparks: If you could 'do it all again', would you change anything? If so, what would that be?
BG: As a global company, Bosch is active in numerous markets and offers many opportunities and, especially in the early stages of my career, I would have consciously used those opportunities to broaden my experience by working in different divisions.
Sparks: Would you advise a person leaving school to enter the electrical industry? And why?
BG: I believe that a career in the electrical industry should be on top of the list of employment options because this industry offers a wide range of career opportunities.
Sparks: What is your advice to electrical contractors and/or electrical engineers?
BG: Use professional power tools.
Sparks: What is your favourite quote?
BG: "It always seems impossible until it's done." - Nelson Mandela.
Sparks: Name three things on your 'bucket list' (things you want to do before you 'kick the bucket').
BG: I am not a bucket list type of guy. Nevertheless, I do have plans to spend a romantic holiday in Venice with my wife (the kids stay at home!); and to retire and relocate to one of South Africa's beautiful coastal regions. I'll keep the third space open because wish lists change as life moves you along.