FRAGRANCE NOTES ISSUE 1 2018

FEATURE

“If you want to do things differently,

you have to build trust.”

perspective to comfort yourself and to relieve stress. Recognize that bringing yourself to that place makes you more productive.” For example, Ireland described, “When we were going through the financial crisis in the United States, my team would look at me to observe my behavior to see if I came in positive, happy, or engaged. When I allowed that to slip and showed vulnerability, I could tell they would panic, and I saw that your team finds great strength in how you react in stressful situations.” Ireland carries that sense of accountability into board rooms as well. Another great mentor he had while working to integrate business in Japan once told him, “Paul, you’ve worked all your life for your family; now, you’re working for 3,000 families.” That simple statement embodied the sense of responsibility that Ireland has assumed in his leadership roles, as part of a family, as an uncle, brother, or father. “They see me in these specific roles, so when they need me it never becomes autocractic,” he says. “I think that was my gift, being able to talk to anybody, my ability to communicate and work with a variety of people.” Finding a Footing “People often don’t understand the impact that they have on other people’s lives.” For those who are just starting out in fragrance, Ireland stresses the need to learn about contracts and to remember to read absolutely everything. He recalls a time in school when he was taking an exam and writing furiously to finish a series of fiction

pieces. It wasn’t until he’d finished that he realized the essay only called for three prompts—he’d written much more than that. Read everything and then read it again, he urges. He finds fragrance to be one of the most rewarding and fascinating industries because you have the opportunity to walk down a store aisle and spot products that you contributed to—that design aspect, impact, and influence. “If you don’t like fragrance, it’s going to be a transactional relationship and you’re not going to survive,” he says. He especially enjoys being engaged in the finished product. “The project has to be fun, you have to enjoy the process and get involved. You also have to be able to work with people because perfumers are complex. You’ve got to be in their comfort zone and reassure them that you’re going to build the brand and complete the product.” Ireland finds that most people don’t understand the impact that they have on other people’s lives. Even still, “keep yourself grounded,” he warns. “If you have a bucket of water, you can make a lot of waves and splashes with your hand in the bucket; you can think you are indispensable. But when you take your hand out, what happens?” He offers this humble reminder that no one should consider himself the best or irreplaceable. “Even if you pull your hand out of the bucket, it’s still a bucket and can be refilled. Don’t think you—or your impact—are indispensable. That’s the best part of the mission; it’s for others and not for yourself.” FN

FRAGRANCENOTES.ORG 23