I want to talk about how to structure a team that is centered around honing the talents of your people. I call this leadership style Foundational Leadership. To help visualize how it works, think of a classic pyramid. Typically, when people compare companies to pyramids it is assumed that the leader sits at the top. But consider what would happen if the leader served as the base. The implication of this structure is that you support, enable, and empower each member of your team. If you do this, you will hone the talents of your team to create a culture of growth.
There’s a certain stability to this foundational leadership structure. You have a more certain sense of the future of the base of your company. How many businesses do you know are constantly burn and churning through employees “on the front lines” if you will. These might be factory floor workers, retail reps, whoever. The important thing is, they keep the wheels of your business turning. Maybe you should empower them as much as possible rather than view them as fungible.
I know this isn’t a common point of view. Some leaders who think this way even wind up feeling they invested in people who didn’t stick around. However, the losses are linear while the payoff is exponential. That’s why I recommend this approach even if you don’t see the results you dreamed of immediately.
Why I Lead this Way
For me, business and family always went hand in hand. My life as an entrepreneur began after a conversation with my father.
I got started very early on with building by business. I worked day and night determined to make it a success no matter what.
I quickly understood that relationships are the building blocks of a functional company. I work to cultivate some level of a personal relationship with everyone I work with.
Know that there will Always be Setbacks
No matter how dedicated you are, remember that you can’t be the supportive base of your team if you are not caring for yourself as well.
Be honest about why you started and what you want out of your business. Know that money is not the same thing as happiness or peace of mind.
Take time for yourself and recognize that you should stop and smell the flowers from time to time.
For example, I deliberately stepped back from my business to have a little fun when I became over-burdened with constant work and missing out on some of the more classic experiences for people my age.
Why TK Trailer Parts?
In an outdated industry, it is always better to bring in some radical change to usher in a holistic transformation. I saw so many opportunities to unite cutting-edge digital commerce methods with this industry.
Mastering those tools gave me something special to bring to the industry.
In fact, these methods only proved to be the way of the future time and time again.
We saw them thrive even in the most destabilizing event of our lifetimes, the COVID-19 shutdowns.
Mentality
It’s a simple circle of give and take behavior.
If I take care of my employees, they will take care of my customers.
If my employees take care of my customers, the customers will take care of my business.
That all starts with my decision to be a stabilizing, supportive leader, however.
You’ll find that values like these are remarkably scalable. Your team begins to emulate your actions because your behavior sets the tone for the whole team.
Going Virtual
I admit that adding the personal touch to a remote team can be challenging.
However, the point of a strong foundation is that it can weather storms.
I try to maintain it through phone calls, emails, and my tone in every interaction.
I check in with my to compare where they are with where they want to be. That helps us both to understand the next best steps we can take.
Set the Tone
You need your teammates to take of each other, and the customer.
If you take care of them, your example will ripple onward in ways you don’t always understand.
Trust that kindness and respect pay incalculable dividends. Work hard, and be honest. You’ll be thrilled with the one this sets at your company.
