Sebastien Locteau

 For over three decades, I have traversed the dynamic landscapes of business, sports, and the military, leaving a trail of success and impact in my wake. I am Sébastien Locteau, a seasoned product manager, program manager, and Olympic coach, driven by an unwavering passion for empowering individuals and organizations to achieve their full potential. My journey began in the French army, where I served as a Chief Nursing Officer, leading a team of dedicated medical professionals in the Special Rescue Operations unit. In this high-stakes environment, I honed my leadership and decision-making skills, navigating complex situations and providing critical care under immense pressure. My military service instilled in me a deep-rooted commitment to excellence, which I carried into the business world. As a Human Capital Management Global Product Manager at Specsavers, I spearheaded the implementation of SAP SuccessFactors suite across multiple countries and multinational corporations, transf...

What’s been your biggest learning as a manager so far? That there are different ways to achieve certain outcomes, or even better outcomes, than my way of working, and adapting my beliefs to others. I also change my ways of working at a fast pace, and prioritise what is important from ‘everything is important’. When I joined Specsavers, I learned the meaning of listening and understanding people rather than focusing on myself. It allowed me to bring people on the same journey rather than battling and isolating myself. I also established more honest communication channels to enable trust and confidence in people. I failed a few times myself, allowing my frustration of achieving at all costs to impair my judgement and see the bigger picture. I am lucky to have managers in Specsavers who trusted my ability to change and grow. I think this is key: bring people on your journey so they choose their own path, and potentially become great leaders themselves. How do you tailor your management st...