Adopting the cooperative concept elevates your leadership to a special level.

This word is very incredible and already indicates that, in that place, people cooperate with each other, they have this sense of helping. There may even be a president in this cooperative, but there was no lack of values ​​of collaboration and unity to make things happen.

Your success is directly related to your team.

I believe in this so much that I encouraged the practice in my team, and I want to encourage it in more entrepreneurs, so that they implement this culture. Many of them ask how I can have such an engaged and committed team.

I’ll start by saying that the Living Tours Group is not just Rui Terroso’s. In fact, anyone who knows me never hears me speak in the first person, I always talk about us Living, our group of people who make things happen, so Living Tours is also one of those people, who maintain the business as a living organism. Today there is a lot of talk about employees having a “feeling of ownership” and we have always done this. More than just employees, we are looking for business partners.

In other words, there is Rui Terroso and there is a large community that lives the business in common, in various ways. The cooperation we have at Living Tours makes us more than a company. We created this story, because, in fact, no one builds anything alone. Many people helped me get to where I am.

I always say that I am part of this collective, bringing it more and more “into the game” of serving and welcoming our guests with affection, of innovations, of sales, of enchanting guests, of alerts to problems (which we come together to solve). ) and celebrations for achievements.

Several employees who work at Living Tours say: “Here, I'm not a badge” and “I came from a place where it was all me, myself, me and everyone against me, and here when I need it, everyone helps me”.

The affection and respect we have for our employees is real.

Without saying that we don't hinder each person's personality, we give them freedom to be the way they are. And when individuality is respected, freedom of verbal, bodily and cultural expression is given, it is impressive how this person gives twice as much and works happier and at peace with themselves.

It is no coincidence that the biggest compliments we receive are for our service, reception and Tour Expert teams who welcome our guests like no one else in destinations. I'm happy, because it's always been my goal that everyone could be who they are, cut their hair how they want, display their tattoos, showing what matters most: their work. And it's interesting how this attracts the public and partners and generates empathy with them today too.

For me, the greatest qualification of a professional is the sparkle in their eyes when carrying out a certain project or task.

But this cooperative management cannot be implemented without the example coming from the top, from the leadership. If, if it is just speech, it is fragile, it is not convincing, if it is stuck in a room, inaccessible, it is over. To be a fortress, this management must be built in detail. For example, in our celebrations, I always want as many people as possible to come to the stage, from directors, tour experts, destination experts, everyone can go on stage, give their feedback, give their message and be applauded. Each person feels a true sense of belonging: “I belong to all this”, “I am part of this story”.

Any business survives economic crises, liquidity problems and the like. No business survives the disenchantment of people, employees and customers. Just to remember when Living Tours was founded, the operators existing at that time and today, may not be more than 10 to 15% survivors. The rest died or shrank, largely because of this team issue.

My office has a door, but it's always open to the back, and when I'm there, someone comes and goes all day to talk to me. And we talk. I think it is essential to be an accessible manager, when asked, I try to get as close to the team as possible, because from this source come the best solutions and other contributions to the result.

Sometimes, it hurts a little to hear everything that hands-on people bring to the table on a daily basis, but leaving the channels open to absorb the reality of the business decides the future.

I don't have data to say that the various hierarchies and “castes” of leadership are increasingly disappearing, but I understand that the new generations are looking for proximity. And many leaders don't know how to deal with the scenario, because this more horizontal and collaborative management is something new. For me, it has always been natural to talk to everyone, listen to everyone, and be truly available and accessible to anyone on the team on a daily basis.

I want to encourage people and companies to exercise a relationship between leader and followers of exchange and partnership, not oppressive control. It's worth moving around the company, walking to areas, holding meetings in different sectors, constantly visiting stores, visiting the company's various business areas, following tours and above all listening to people.

On a normal day at Living Tours, I go to the areas, I go into the different rooms, I talk to people, I go person to person through the company's various departments, I greet them one by one, I ask if everything is ok, how they are, I show my face , general circle just like any other employee, and I understand what they are doing, creating, developing, budgeting, responding, in short it is super constructive and I learn every day from those on the ground supporting the Living group Tours, on the various aspects of the business.