High Performance in the Human Way – #OneTeam

By Heike Virmond, Chief People Officer

I have always been a believer in creating high-performance environments. From an organizational point of view, this makes sense as we rely on high-performing talent for success. But, equally, it matters for us as individuals as well – imagine a world where we all live the best version of ourselves. The impact on performance, internal satisfaction, and happiness levels would be huge. Living our best version doesn’t mean we all should strive to become CEOs; it’s about realizing our strengths, playing to them, and expanding them. 

Before my arrival at Kitopi, I already had this mission in mind. During my time at Kitopi, I realized that it matters to ALL employees, whether they work in the office or are our frontliners on the ground.  

Why High-Performance Matters for Business 

At Kitopi, our mission is to satisfy the world’s appetite by creating joy. If we want to bring joy to our customers, it starts with our employees being joyful and happy. It’s a simple equation: “happy employees = happy customers.” And “happy” means a life of growth, enjoyment in work, and positive working relationships.  

Fostering High Performance at All Levels 

1. Listen to Understand (don’t pretend to know): We often assume we know what others need, with the best of intentions, but we must establish channels of communication where people can raise their voices in a psychologically safe environment. At Kitopi, we organize Frontliner Networks, which are completely anonymous, to hear from our frontliners about their needs and find ways to solve them.  

1. Same Principles But “Not One Size Fits All”: Different populations have different needs. We apply the same processes, for example performance management or compensation reviews across the board but ensure that we follow guiding principles that respect individual differences and fairness. 

1. Data, Data, and Again, Data: Clear goals, tracking engagement, and satisfaction are crucial for making sure we are on the right track as one team. 

Personal Tips for Young Female Leaders: It's Not About “Either Or” 

My career often placed me in male-dominated environments, which led to some confusion about how to shape my own path. My reflections stem from my own experiences, and these recommendations are driven by my own preferences, journey and the people I’ve met on this journey: 

1. Know Your Passion and Pursue It: Initially, I studied Finance & Economics for rational reasons, not from the heart. It was only in my early 30s that I allowed myself to reflect on who I am, what I’m passionate about, and the impact I want to create. Interestingly, once I realized this, my career developed much faster. 

1. Be Curious and Don’t Over Plan: In the MBTI framework, I’m a super “J” – for those not familiar - people with a “J”-preference like to plan everything. With this mindset, in my world, I tried to plan everything; be it in my career, my personal life, or my life perspective on being a mom. And somehow, I do admit it, I looked down on all the “P”-people who always went with the flow, with little to no planning. I still like to plan but I realized that life happens, that we need to allow ourselves to accept and be open to all the wonders that life has to offer. I’m quite sure that without that change of perspective, I wouldn’t have dared into the biggest adventure of life: being a mom 😊  

1. Be Authentic and Vulnerable: Not sure whether this is related to age, but I’ve learnt that being authentic, not pretending but rather being vulnerable, was and remains, a key enabler for me to connect with people – and through these true connections to feel even more seen and recognized. 

Continuing the Journey 

Realizing that the adventure of life and growth doesn’t stop at a certain age is vital. The magical journey continues if we remain open to what life has to offer.