Effective Leadership – What Scouting Taught Me!
I think leadership is something you are born with and is also something that you can cultivate and make better. As an Eagle Scout, former Woodbadge Scouter’s Key trained 15 year Scoutmaster I spent many a day planning, organizing and setting into motion events and training programs. Each and every day at ProBest Pest Management those same thoughts help me to plan and organize my day, month and year. I carry everyday my “Marketing and Planning book” because as the saying goes “He who fails to plan, plans to fail“. So what is my plan:
- I have a 1 year plan and 5 year plan!
- Marketing, advertising and planning are a day to day process.
- Try something and if it works continue, if it doesn’t try something else. With that being said you must track the marketing.
- To succeed everyone must understand the plan and be on-board to make it happen.
- Training is essential, there are 2 things that I never care about; #1 taking my employees to events with other pest industry technicians – some leaders worry that their technicians will be stolen by other companies. If they leave they weren’t that loyal to you anyway. weren’t that loyal to you anyway. #2 I require certain amounts of continuing education and encourage my employees to learn and yes even to the point of getting them certified as Qualifying Operators which means that they could leave and start their own business. Anything is a risk but if you treat your employees well, hopefully that will come back around (Karma).
- I encourage my employees to speak their minds but ultimately it still is my ship to steer.
- No one is perfect and the way you learn is by making mistakes.
