Our new contract manager shares his success with others

Tiago Leao is our newly appointed contract manager at The Lanes Shopping Centre in Carlisle. Here he tells us what makes him happy and how he shares his success with others.

Can you describe the job you do at AMSG?
Since I started working for AM Services Group in 2013, I have progressed from cleaning supervisor to contract manager. My role is very varied, from being in the office, looking after all aspects of managing the cleaning and security team, to supporting the team on the ground. I help cover security shifts and support them with their daily tasks, and also the cleaning team with duties like high level cleaning on the cherry picker, polishing floors, and grounds maintenance.

I help the shopping centre’s maintenance team too by getting involved in preparation for events.

All of this makes my role very exciting.

What aspect of your new role do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy the variety of jobs that I do, and also working in an environment where I get to deal with customers and contractors.

Every day is different and brings different challenges. I enjoy being able to make a difference to my colleagues’ day. I like being in a position now where I can make changes for the better and create quality time for the team both inside and outside of work.

I should also say that, in my new role, when I’m in the office it’s nice and warm as it can be pretty cold in Carlisle!

How do you motivate yourself?
A long time ago, when I was just starting out in work and my adult life, I thought, one day, that if I just had somebody behind me to motivate me it could make all the difference… nobody came along to do that, so I became that person myself.

As the years went by, and I became a dad, I have now found motivation in my children and my family – it’s no doubt,  they are the best motivation a man can have.

What is the most important thing you have learned in the last ten years?
In the past ten years, or even maybe in life, I’ve learned to listen to everyone but always to follow your heart. If you want to be successful listen to everyone, regardless how absurd it may sound. Listening is important because, in between the lines of the conversation, you may come across a new strategy or tip which can help you.

I’ve learn that sometimes you have to lose to win. By losing on purpose you might quickly repair the situation and turn it around for the better.

And most the important thing is to be humble, be honest and work hard… because hard work pays off. Yes hard work means tonnes of different tasks, facing numerous challenges and sometimes long hours, but due to my hard work I have made myself noticed and have achieved a manager role in our company, for which I am very thankful.

How do you define success and how do you measure it?
We should keep our dreams difficult but possible, and make every effort to achieve them.

I define success as having a job that you enjoy and supports you financially, a partner and family that loves and cares for you, and children that make you proud by who they are and what they do.

Success, for me, has always been in providing a great quality of life for my family and for those who work with me. One of the keys to achieving success is having a great team working with you, and I am lucky that I have it.

Success is looking back at your life, when you are in your final moments, and having a great amount of pride in what you’ve created and accomplished, leaving a positive legacy. It’s also about having little to regret with missed opportunities.

Tell us one interesting fact about you that we might not know
Close friends and family, sometimes make a joke and compare me to the Italian chef Gino D’acampo, and the reason behind that is partly my accent, but mostly because my passion is cooking.

I am the chef in my house and I cook fresh and from scratch every day, and I love it. Cooking helps me to relax and people that try my food seem to enjoy it.

I’m also about to be a dad again soon.