Will to Achieve Will Always Make the Difference

Will to Achieve is a belief that is deeply entrenched in our culture here at Bolton. It’s a combination of entrepreneurship, of setting ambitious goals, of making commitments, and having the attitude to never give up. It reminds me of a life truth that I’ve learned during my many years working here, that «WILL always makes the difference».

There’s a lot to say about these three words, but above all, they underline three aspects:

• First, Will to Achieve is about pursuing VALUE. Quality products, premium prices and margin generation and a strong financial discipline are at the core of our Bolton value creation model. Value should be pursued in all our activities, and there is space for value in every role of the company. And doing so we create value for Bolton, but also for the consumer, for the trade, for stakeholders and for all of us in general.
• Second, Will to Achieve is about FOCUS. One of the key principles of the group has always been to put the right people in the right place, with a strong sense of ownership of our role and objectives - focusing on priorities where we can really make the difference.

And third, Will to Achieve is about setting AMBITIOUS GOALS and delivering results, with determination and going beyond obstacles. And, in particular, it is about achieving and possibly overdelivering vs the budget, with pragmatism and with care for execution.

A few years ago, for our founder’s 95th birthday, he gathered all the collaborators on the 17th floor of Via Pirelli to celebrate. It was an occasion for a nice toast followed by a short but meaningful speech from the founder that I will never forget. He mentioned the importance of growing, and then he suddenly surprised us with the following question: «But why do we have to grow?». And, what really struck me is that although the question was addressed to us, he also appeared to be sincerely questioning himself. «If we are already big, we are solid», he asked, «then, what is the reason to grow?».

He then paused, as if to think to himself, and answered: «I think the real reason to grow is that this is the only way to take out our energy, to get the best out of us». And I find this so important, as it is actually exactly what Will to Achieve is about: It is about passion - as where there is Will, there is passion - and it is about unleashing the energy we have inside. Whether it is the Will to Achieve an objective, or the Will to Achieve a perfect execution or the Will to Achieve a nice result - it’s a powerful tool to take out our energy and to work for the better, and that’s why it’s important to me.