The British F1 team principal brought the beleaguered Williams back from the brink with a focus on process, points and people.
James Vowles knows what it takes to perform under pressure. “We race on TV and in front of 70 million people,” he tells Monocle. But despite the high-speed, high-stakes nature of F1, Vowles insists that the fundamentals are the same as any business. “You want strong foundations, clear systems and smart use of data – people are at the heart of it all.”
After helping to steer Mercedes to multiple Formula One titles, he took over as team principal at Atlassian Williams Racing in 2023 and quickly made an impact, playing a key role in securing Carlos Sainz Jr for the team.
Now signed to a new long-term deal, Vowles heads into the British Grand Prix with Williams sitting fifth in the constructor’s standings – a vast improvement on the bottom-dwelling position they held for four of the five years prior to Vowles taking charge.
Monocle Radio spoke to Vowles about how to build a winning culture for our podcast The Entrepreneurs. Here are 10 key leadership lessons the motorsport boss shared.
1.
Tear down what’s familiar to build something better
“We had to go from settling to settling for nothing but the best, and to do that we had to break everything. Changing culture takes a shift in thinking but it works. It’s changed our mindset in a short time.”
2.
Don’t rest on your laurels
“Our history makes me proud but it won’t win future races. I’m here to fight for championships and that means thinking long-term and aiming higher than fifth or sixth.”
3.
Embrace failure as part of the process
“How you deal with poor performance defines you. We’re going to fail a tremendous amount. The really important bit is how you take that learning and reapply it back into what you do in a positive way.”
4.
Hire people more intelligent than you
“I’m not the most intelligent person at Williams and I shouldn’t be. My job is to assemble world-class talent, empower them and know when to get out of their way. That’s how you build future leaders and successors.”
5.
Direction is often more important than the answer you provide
“Indecision is worse than a wrong call. People are often afraid of making decisions. I’m not. The answer might not be perfect but we’ll be moving forward together.”
6.
Be visible and communicate constantly
“I’ll email the whole factory three times a week and do team talks after every race. We’ll hold monthly meetings with the full company. I also make a point to walk the factory. And I know that I need to do even more.”
7.
Create space for the next generation
“More than 10 per cent of our team is in early careers. I want success today but I’m here to build the backbone of the next 10 to 15 years. To do that, you invest in graduates, those at university and apprentices.”
8.
To get the best out of people, genuinely care about them
“I’m hugely appreciative of people’s time, because they could be spending that minute with their family, and they’re not. They’re by my side as we work towards building this team up into championship material and that will buy infinite respect with me.”
9.
Stay authentic, especially under pressure
“You have to believe in what you’re doing with all your heart, because ultimately, that’s what’s going to drive you on every single day when things get tough. And that’s where your true personality comes out. So if you put up a façade, it’ll eventually be broken down.”
10.
Play the long game
“I don’t believe in any short-termism. I’m not going to go short term because it’s not right for Williams and its future. I wear the Williams shirt with pride but it’s not mine to keep. It’s mine to put into a better place and eventually pass on to future generations.”
Listen to our full interview with James Vowles on The Entrepreneurs.
