Springfield Business Journal_2020-12-25
DEC. 28, 2020-JAN. 3, 2021 4 · SBJ.NET | Tim Stack If you wait for the perfect plan, you will never get out of the gate. “ 1 First, find your replacement. On day one of starting a new position at any of the SRC Holdings Corp. companies, we ask you to start looking for your replacement. Not only do we have an in-depth succession planning process, but also the lack of an identified replacement can even prevent you from moving onto another position. This manifests into a culture of development and collaboration rather than a culture of people feeling threatened by the success of those around them. 3 Don’t wait. I once read most people only articulate to others what they think of them twice: once at their retirement and once at their funeral. Don’t wait to tell someone what they mean to you or the impact they’ve had on your life. Few things hit the heart like an unexpected, heartfelt handwritten note. This aligns with one of my favorite mantras: Never second guess an instinct to do something generous. 4 Get in the game. At SRC, we practice open-book management, utilizing The Great Game of Business. The financials are shared with everyone in the company. This might sound crazy, but transparency is liberating. The walls come down when the financials are leveraged. You can’t argue with the numbers, so no time is wasted debating whether you are winning or losing. That time can be spent on righting the ship or extending the lead. Borrow and steal. Practice the leadership techniques you admire most in others because experimenting will expedite your development as a leader. Emulating another leader might make you feel like an imposter, but I promise it is more awkward in your head than it is to your audience. Keep the things that work and toss out those that do not. 5 Make time each morning. An 8 a.m. meeting can be made or broken by the mood of the leader. Don’t leave your mood to chance. Make time each morning to get your head straight before starting the day. Exercise, read, write or do whatever levels you out, so you consistently roll into work each day with a clear head. 2 Tim Stack Executive vice president, SRC Holdings Corp. MCKENZIE ROBINSON
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