Zafar Hoshimov, founder and CEO of the Korzinka supermarket chain, shared his views on business, entrepreneurship, and the insights gained from his extensive professional journey in the “Gashtak” podcast. He also explored the critical role of leadership within an organization.
Hoshimov argues that in a well-structured team and system, a leader’s primary responsibility is to avoid unnecessary interference. He criticizes the common tendency among leaders to hire specialists but then micromanage them with directives like “Do it this way, not that way.” According to Hoshimov, a leader who claims to have all the answers undermines the purpose of hiring experts. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of granting employees autonomy, including the freedom to make mistakes. “Employees learn far more from their own mistakes than from a thousand instructions,” he explains. “If leaders try to shield everyone from mistakes, who, then, will shield the leader from their own errors?”
Hoshimov also stresses the importance of fostering a culture where employees feel safe admitting and discussing their mistakes. He advocates for a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues, rather than hiding or denying shortcomings. From his perspective, addressing mistakes should focus not on assigning blame but on understanding their root causes. This approach, he believes, is essential for driving organizational growth and promoting continuous learning.
