Chief executive of Callander Youth Project Trust Chris Martin won the Exceptional Employee award at the Scottish Charity Awards 2016

What makes a good day at work?

Most days are good days at work. I’m one of the lucky ones who immensely enjoys their job, I have an excellent senior management team and we work well together. A good day includes getting through most of my to do list and making time for people throughout the day.

What’s your favourite social enterprise other than your own?

Social Bite – I think Josh has done a fantastic job in such a short period of time and I can’t speak highly enough of his achievements.

What do you procrastinate over?

I know society drills into us that procrastination is a bad thing however I’ve always argued we should embrace it. I do my best work under pressure and if I leave a task until the last minute I have more information than if I’d approached the task when I first encountered it. That said, there are two types of procrastination and, with regard to passive procrastination, I do find myself leaving my grass at home to grow until the last possible minute.

My trustees allow me to take risks and make mistakes and they are there for the good times as well as to support me when it hasn’t worked

Chris Martin

How did it feel to win Exceptional Employee at the Scottish Charity Awards 2016?

I was very humbled to win the inaugural Exceptional Employee Award with such a high calibre of nominees but equally proud. None of us work in the third sector to win awards but it was exciting to see that the work we are doing in Callander is recognised nationally.

What turns you into the office Victor Meldrew?

Lateness or inability to follow basic instructions can often frustrate me however I try to keep my Victor Meldrew-esque rants for when I go home.

What do you think is the main strength of social enterprises?

I love the freedom to be creative, I worked in the public sector to cover a maternity leave and found it too restrictive and bureaucratic. My trustees allow me to take risks and make mistakes and they are there for the good times as well as to support me when it hasn’t worked.

If you were your boss, would you like you?

Definitely, I see management as mentoring as opposed to tyrannical. Management theory has evolved and good leadership is much more about empowerment now, as a relatively young M.D. I have embraced a coaching style as my default.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

I normally plan my weekends around a good walk with nice food and drink along the way. Even better if there is football on at the end of a long walk.

Is the third sector a calling or an accident?

I ended up working in the third sector by accident. After University I recruited to join the police. I went through a rigorous six-month process to be told at the final interview that I needed to go get some life experience. I joined an outdoor activity centre called Teen Ranch as a volunteer for a year out and was still there three years later.

What’s your favourite film?

The Hangover. I love Las Vegas and it makes me laugh every time I watch it. The first time I watched it I was on a plane from London Heathrow to McCarran, Las Vegas which made it all the more appealing.

Would your 16-year-old self be impressed with where you are now?

Yes, I think so. My 16-year-old self wanted to emulate Tom Cruise’s character in A Few Good Men as a lawyer who fought for justice. I’m really glad I’ve ended up in a profession that makes a difference and I can see transformational change in young people’s lives. I think my 16-year old self would be proud.

What will your next job look like?

I still have lots to do at Callander Youth Project Trust. I committed to 7 years at my interview and this is only year 5. I want to see CYP become a sustainable organisation and we still have a little way to go. We have taken massive strides towards sustainability with income generation from the launch of the 5 star Callander Hostel but there are still plans I am keen to implement.

Are young people in Scotland misunderstood?

Unfortunately young people don’t come off well in the press in Scotland. If you look out for it the word teenager is associated with negative news items more than 90% of the time. I wrote a paper on this at Uni. as the media perpetuates the myth that teenagers are lazy, irresponsible, promiscuous and selfish. My experience is very different. We work with some excellent young people who have overcome a number of barriers to succeed in their own lives.

Is it possible to change the world and make money at the same time?

Absolutely. The most successful entrepreneurs play a key role in helping to change the world. Without being incredibly successful and making billions the world wouldn’t have the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or the Giving Pledge which can make genuine positive change in the world. I love some of the microfinance ventures available just now, there’s one that’s close to my heart called Kiva that allows you to support entrepreneurs in developing countries by way of loans, it’s so simple but for them, so effective.

Which Brian Cox?

I must admit having to Google the other Brian Cox, and found he’s an actor. As someone who shares the name with Coldplay’s lead singer I empathise with the less famous of the two as your name eventually pops up on the 7th page of a Google search.