When I joined MTN I began visiting operations in Nigeria, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Botswana and Kenya and discovered that although the company’s presence was geographically wide-spread, head office was surprisingly insular. Staff in those countries told me that, when group executives visited, they hardly ever engaged with employees and customers. This concerned me as my understanding of our role at headquarters implied a high level of involvement: giving operational leadership direction, guiding and coaching staff, reviewing and providing feedback to operating companies and helping with their sales effort - all while holding them accountable for results. MTN head office appeared to operate more as a holding company rather than as a strong centre.