The State of Organizations 2023 - Flipbook - Page 44
CHAPTER 2: LESSONS FROM LEADERS
Entrepreneurship
at all levels: How
Decathlon innovates
for the future
Decathlon CEO Barbara Martin Coppola
discusses how the global retailer cultivates
its entrepreneurial spirit and stays true
to its values in the face of disruption.
D
ecathlon is one of the world’s
largest sporting goods retailers,
with more than 108,000
employees in more than 70 countries.
Every one of those employees, known as
“Decathletes,” are encouraged to speak
up, innovate, and bring their ideas to the
table—all in service of the company’s
mission to democratize sport and have a
positive effect on people and the planet.
We spoke with Barbara Martin Coppola,
CEO of Decathlon, about how the
company embraces inclusive leadership
and bottom-up innovation to keep up
with a changing world.
What is the secret of Decathlon’s
success?
The key to Decathlon’s success has been,
and always will be, our passionate commitment to our teammates and our customers.
We believe that every person adds value.
We have a strong purpose and
values-based culture. Our mission
is to democratize sport so everyone
can experience its wonders on their
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own terms. This attracts employees
who are passionate about sport and
who want to make a difference. Once
they join, Decathlon offers a culture of
empowerment and entrepreneurship, so
people learn by doing and are entrusted
with large jobs that drive change from day
one. This creates a magical combination
of people centricity, a purpose larger
than oneself, and a culture of energy and
positivity. The thing I’m most proud of is
our collective effort to always innovate
and be better for people, societies, and
the planet. We have a clear vision and
mission for the future of the business, and
I know we are going to achieve amazing
things as a team.
How has Decathlon built leadership
capabilities and mindsets at all levels,
not just in the C-suite?
We lead with purpose—a North Star
we built together, as one team, to move
people through the wonders of sport.
A North Star that makes us wake up
every day with strong commitment,
determination, and passion, no matter
our level within the company.
The State of Organizations 2023
At Decathlon, we minimize hierarchical
structures to enable entrepreneurship at
all levels. We’re one team of passionate
people striving for a shared mission:
to have a positive impact on the global
population and on the planet. We want
people at every stage of the customer
journey to constantly look for better ways
of doing things. If someone notices an
area that could be improved or innovated
upon, they will receive the necessary
backing and support to make it happen.
This is true for all employees and
certainly is not reserved for the C-suite.
It is the teammates who deal with our
customers on a daily basis who have the
most direct access to our consumers, so
it is vital that we listen to colleagues no
matter their level. We foster leadership
qualities in all of our teammates, which is
also why we place such an emphasis on
hiring people who share our values.
Can you share more about Decathlon’s
commitment to environmental and
social responsibility?
As someone who has lived in nine
countries on three different continents,