When you think of someone who truly embodies the Visteon spirit, the first person who comes to mind for many is Bob Vallance. Now the SVP of Global Customer Business Groups, Product Lines and GM of the APAC Region, Bob has been at Visteon since before Visteon was even Visteon. In his more than 30-year career at the company, Bob has had the opportunity to live in three countries, work in multiple departments, and lead teams of thousands around the globe.
Hundreds of employees recently had the opportunity to meet with Bob during his interactive, “Life as a Leader” virtual meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to learn from leaders about their personal and professional journey and gain valuable insights to use in your career.
Bob began his career at Ford Motor Company in 1985 as an engineer, following in the footsteps of his father. He has been an integral part of Visteon since its inception, even contributing to the creation of Visteon’s name when the company spun off from Ford in 2000. Throughout his career, he undertook long-term global assignments in Shanghai and London. Ultimately, he returned to the U.S., where he currently resides with his family in Holland, Michigan.
Since becoming a leader, Bob has two factors that determine his level of success:
What does being part of a winning team mean? To Bob, it means valuing your teammates and seeking their opinions before making tough decisions. Bob suggests surrounding yourself with a small group of trusted people. These people can offer support on various subjects – for a second opinion or brainstorming session. Bob joked that there is no “secret sauce” to creating a winning team. Instead, he emphasized that trusting the educated opinions of those around you will lead to positive outcomes for the business and its people.
The other factor Bob found essential to his success is contributing to the development of a legacy that will benefit others. Bob recalled a monumental moment in his career. He made a tough decision that ended up being so influential that it still impacts Visteon’s current product line today. This is part of the reason Bob is a beloved leader, he understands the balance of risk-taking when it comes to innovation.
When Bob spoke about leadership qualities, he highlighted two key characteristics deeply rooted in our company culture: integrity and intensity.
Bob defined integrity as the foundation of leadership; simply put, doing as you say. Another must-have characteristic is intensity. According to Bob, you cannot create passion; rather it is rooted in leaders who have passion for their work. He believes there are instances where passion can make up for other shortcomings.
Throughout the meeting, he stressed that every day he continues to learn and evolve, valuing a growth mindset. He believes in learning from mistakes and acknowledges that he does not have all the answers. In Bob’s own words, cultivating a successful team starts with building a foundation of continuous improvement. This creates a culture enabling growth where remarkable end results can be achieved.
At Visteon, we are thankful for great leaders like Bob who have built a legacy of leadership, hard work, and innovation. We are even more thankful that they take the time to provide insights to help guide the next generation of Visteon leaders. Feel inspired? Join our team!
Multimedia Files: