In the mind of Flavio Santos, Aftermarket Global Director of Strategy & Transformation, Husqvarna Forest & Garden division

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of being part of something that reminded me why I love what I do.  It wasn’t a product launch or a big presentation—it was the experience of building something from scratch with a group of people who genuinely cared. I am talking about the PandA Program - an initiative that combines innovation and customer focus to improve the entire journey from order to delivery. It reflects our commitment to excellence and our vision of creating a world-class after-market experience. 

At the beginning, it was just an idea, you could call it a spark. We knew very well that we had to do better for our customers, the current situation then was not good at all. “If we just could work differently—more openly, more cross-functionally, more boldly” – I thought. There was no formal mandate, no guaranteed resources. So we started within our own small team with a shared belief that the problem was worth solving.

What happened next was one of the most inspiring chapters of my career. More than 50 people from 15 different functions across the company came together—not because they had to, but because they wanted to. They brought their time, their energy, their ideas. They challenged each other, supported each other, and pushed the work forward. I especially think of those who joined first, who started to work on the problem even knowing that it was a very complex global problem to solve. But we carried on and suddenly we saw momentum building and more people wanted to join. A movement always starts with a first step.

So, for me the thing about proactivity is that it’s contagious. When someone takes the first step, others feel more comfortable to follow. When you show that you care, others start to care too. And when you create space for people to contribute, they often bring more than you ever expected.
Collaboration, in this context, wasn’t just about meetings or shared documents. It was about trust. It was about listening to understand, not just to respond. It was about letting go of ownership and embracing shared purpose, which worked. Senior management saw the momentum, the passion, and the potential—and they backed us. We got the support we needed to invest, recruit, and scale. 

Looking back, I realize how much this experience shaped me. It reminded me that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating the conditions for others to thrive. It’s about believing in people, even before the plan is fully formed. And it’s about staying close to the problem you’re trying to solve, because that’s where the energy comes from.

I’m proud of what we’ve built so far with the PandA Program. But more than that, I’m proud of how we built it—together, with purpose and with care. And I hope that wherever you are—whatever your team, your company, or your challenge—if you see something that could be better, you’ll feel empowered to take that first step. Because when you do, you might just find that others are ready to go with you.