Christina Zammit La Rosa reflects on hands-on leadership after unpacking 13 pallets of stock

For most, the image of a company director might evoke scenes of boardrooms and business attire – but for Christina Zammit La Rosa, it looked more like a jeans-and-tee kind of day, spent unpacking a truckload of shoes.

In a recent LinkedIn post, the Director at Zammit La Rosa Footwear Ltd, shared a candid reflection on what leadership means in the context of a small but growing team. “Yesterday, I spent most of my time in jeans and a tee, unpacking stock from a massive delivery – not exactly the ‘director’ image most people imagine,” she wrote.

“Mind you, I don’t regret stepping in to unpack a 13-pallet delivery today, I can’t imagine a version of leadership where I wouldn’t.”

Christina revealed that over 900 pairs of shoes arrived at their premises, requiring all hands on deck. With just 14 employees, the team is tight-knit – and while the business is scaling, operations still rely on everyone’s involvement. “We’re a small team… so when a truckload of 900+ pairs of shoes lands at our doorstep, we all pitch in. Titles aside,” she stated.

Her approach to leadership is deeply influenced by her own experience rising through the ranks of the family-run business. There were two non-negotiables growing up, she noted: “1. Get a degree. 2. Work your way up.”

Christina spent five years on the shop floor before stepping into a leadership role, gaining first-hand experience in everything from managing deliveries to decoding customer behaviour. It’s this foundation, she emphasised, that continues to inform her decisions as a director. “That foundation still guides how I lead today.”

The key takeaway from her post was a message many business leaders are now echoing: empathy and understanding stem from lived experience. “Because here’s the truth: you can’t lead what you don’t understand. And you can’t understand what you never experience.”

Christina advocates for presence – not in title alone, but in action. For her, effective leadership involves being attuned to what her team is experiencing and never asking someone to take on a task she wouldn’t be willing to do herself. “Being present means knowing the pressures your team is under. It means knowing what it takes to keep things running smoothly.”

Her post has struck a chord with others in the business community who value authentic, grounded leadership – one where humility and hard work go hand-in-hand.

In a world where company hierarchies can often feel distant, Christina’s story is a powerful reminder that the most effective leaders are the ones who roll up their sleeves – literally and figuratively.