PETER GORVIESVKI
nothing too difficult. If someone is
not happy, no problem. Return it for
for a full refund. Make doing business
with us easy and enjoyable.
Work hard -persistence, determina-
tion, commitment. They’re all good
for the soul.
How has your background influ-
enced who you are today?
Well, I was never interested in other
people before unless they’d benefit
me. I would never had thought, even
15 years ago, that being kind and
truly honest would be at the top of
my agenda. Nowadays, I prefer to be
aligned rather than aim to lead from
the front. Also, my goal is to continue
to learn and grow so that I can help
others make life better and more ful-
filling. These days, I’m much more
inclined to reflect on errors and own
my part.
As lead magazine we believe in
conscious leadership. This form
of leadership ensures making a
difference in society is as equally
important as making a profit. Do
you identify with this principle? If
so why?
Yes. Without meaningful interaction,
which I believe is about “service to
others” and “contributing to a worth-
while cause”, progress is limited and
there is no true fulfillment. What
would be of the world if everyone
was only ever interested in making
a profit for the sake of having more
money than they need and at the
expense of others?
That’s probably the direction we’ve
been heading. It’s troubling to think
about it. Moving towards a peaceful,
caring and compassionate human
experience on our planet is a goal
worth living and working hard for.
What are your thoughts on col-
laboration, forward thinking and
community?
Reflecting my thoughts through
the work of Global Dialogue
Foundation.... Basically, we’re all in
it together and collaboration makes
success possible. In our work, we
help communities to better organ-
ise and strengthen.
We help people from different cul-
tures to integrate while maintain-
ing their individual cultural identity
and heritage. While these efforts are
lead by citizens themselves, they
are mostly undertaken in collabo-
ration with representatives of local/
state/federal governments and inter-
national organisations. This means
the work is enabled at all levels
and builds a sense of togetherness.
Working together in an environment
where people support each other,
rather than aim to demonstrate who
may be right or wrong is forward
thinking. Especially when they are
committed to addressing the needs
of the community, as determined by
the community itself for improving
living conditions.
What would you cite as a major
challenge in establishing yourself
in business?
Being the ‘new kid on the block”
in a market where competitors are
well-established. In community
development, where other stake-
holders are well-established and
may perceive you as a threat.
How did you overcome this?
Mainly by being aware of the com-
petition/major players, but not
focussed on what they’re doing. For
me, it is to stay committed to our fun-
damental values and operate from
this place, and keep moving towards
53
our goals. Also, by being prepared to
explore new areas, e.g., investing in
social media, hiring professionals
for certain tasks, expanding product
range, empowering teammates into
leadership roles, offer more service
options.
What would you consider as your
greatest achievement to date?
My family’s well-being, which
includes working together towards
a purpose that is bigger than us.
What is the key to ethical business
practises?
Honesty - become more and more
honest, all the time.
What does it mean to uplift your
community?
To create an environment which is
safe, caring and nurturing, where
people meet on a continuous basis,
to help improve living conditions.
To empower people to grow and
increase their own personal levels
of responsibility, to promote an atti-
tude of “being in service to others”.
To inspire the community with a
vision for their betterment and work
with them on their path towards it.
What does the future hold for
you in your sector? Any words of
advice?
In business, it’s to continue expand-
ing across Australia and positively
impacting all our stakeholders. In
personal development, its to help
people learn to manage their diffi-
cult life situations and improve their
ability to conduct their life success-
fully. In community, it’s to continue
promoting and developing inclusive
societies and building a culture of
peace around the world. Words of
advice - Enjoy!
LEAD | January 2018