Armando Rodriguez is the vice president and managing director, LATAM (Latin American) and U.S. Hispanic Region for Yahoo. He leads the company’s “Latin America and U.S. Hispanic business with primary responsibility for driving revenue growth and overseeing ad operations,” he explains.

“I have the privilege of managing a talented cross-border team including sales, sales operations, specialists and partner managers to execute our go-to- market strategy for the region,” Rodriguez adds.

Based in Coral Gables, FL, and originally from Puerto Rico, Rodriguez enjoys working with “a great team of people [that is] extremely dedicated and strive[s] to find solutions to better serve our clients and Yahoo users around the world.”

He joined Sunnyvale, CA-based Yahoo, careers.yahoo.com/us/buildyourcareer, in 2005, and over time has learned that, in the corporate world, leaders “are well-rounded individuals who are constantly learning and growing from and with their team.” Adds Rodriguez, a University of Florida graduate who earned his MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University: “A leader is someone who can inspire a team, is a great listener and can effectively manage through change.”

When leading a team in the business word, according to Rodriguez, one must be: visionary, communicative and an “out of the box” thinker. “As a visionary people are inspired by result-driven leaders who have a vision for a project and perform beyond expectations. At Yahoo we work strategically to meet our goals while simultaneously looking forward, analyzing upcoming trends our users and advertisers may be interested in. [As for being] communicative; it’s important to keep employees well-informed about the happenings in the organization, and [to have] two-way communication channels…for excellent performance. Leaders should effectively communicate with their team, rewarding them for a job well done and providing constructive feedback for growth.”

As for thinking outside the box, it’s key to have a strategic plan and maintain an organized schedule. “However,” he adds, “flexibility and adaptability to the market and unexpected project and client needs are equally important. Leaders lead by example, so approaching challenges with a positive attitude and showing the team creativity in your decision-making is vital.”

The best career advice Rodriguez received was shared by a manager: “Always surround yourself [with] the best people, even if they’re smarter than you.” As a result, he looks to surround himself “with individuals who will challenge me, question the status quo and offer a unique perspective to the business.”

He advises recent college grads to remember first impressions and the “basics” are important during any kind of meeting. “Be on time, make eye contact, have a firm handshake, listen attentively, ask questions about the position or about the person to whom you are speaking, dress neatly and dress for the position you desire, send thank you notes/emails, and follow-up.”