Respect at work and in the ring

Quietly reading a book? That’s not really Logistics Team Leader and combat sports fan Miguel Rodriguez’s cup of tea. To unwind, he prefers the controlled confrontations of a fascinating sport.

A portrait of Nadja Lüthi.
Nadja Lüthi
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Miguel Rodriguez at his workplace.

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You have a rare hobby – tell us more!

Besides travelling, good food and whiling away my free time playing combat sports, I am a self-defence and mixed martial arts (MMA) instructor and co-founder of the association USD-FIGHTING.
I was lucky to be able to attend lots of classes in Switzerland and Europe, where I learned a great deal about sports, but also about people. Although I have been successful in this sport, it has never been the titles or the victories that have motivated me – I wanted to pass on my knowledge and expertise.

How did your passion for this sport come about?

 I started by playing football. It was fun, but it wasn’t enough of a challenge for me. Football is a team sport. Sometimes I found it too easy to blame others for the mistakes I made. With combat sports, I have to give my best and push myself to my limits every single time. Of course I’m also part of a team. That includes all the staff around me and especially the other team members, and we all identify with each other. But as soon as I step into a ring or an octagon, it’s only about me, my skills and how I measure up to my opponents. What defines me, both in my private and in my professional life, is respect. This is an essential value in my sport. Respect means a lot to me. Staying faithful to yourself, keeping your promises, finishing what you have started, moving forward.

And are these also values that you embrace in your day-to-day work?

 Absolutely, especially when it comes to managing a team. For me, respect means helping one another, maintaining cohesion and having open discussions. I want to communicate clearly and transparently, and make fair decisions that everybody can understand. In my career, I also aspire to keep on developing, improving and making things happen. I was able to take a leadership training course, and I am very grateful to Swiss Post for that. By giving me the opportunity to learn new things as a team leader, I have once again been able to make things happen and become stronger as a person.

What are the other virtues of combat sports?

 Sport helps me overcome everything. It lets me release stress and refuel, just like with my family, friends and at my job. But as soon as I set foot in the sports hall, I forget everything. That feeling means a lot to me. I have to defend myself all on my own. As I already mentioned, I can also pass on my knowledge and grow as a person. There is certainly a similarity between work and sports.

What contribution has Swiss Post made as your employer?

 I greatly appreciate working at Swiss Post. Not just because my working hours enable me to strike a good balance between work and sports, but also because Swiss Post and my line manager help me to progress. That’s why I am now a team leader. Swiss Post has always given me opportunities which I have seized.
I encourage everyone to have a go – you are all welcome.

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Miguel Rodriguez at his workplace.

Miguel Rodriguez is 43 years old and married with two children. He works at Swiss Post as a Logistics Team Leader in Lausanne. An open and respectful person, he enjoys spending time with colleagues and treats everybody in the way he himself would like to be treated.

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written by

Nadja Lüthi

HR Business Partner P_PM