Always Encourage, Always Be Positive

Rob Basnett, the owner of Basnett Plumbing and Heating, Littleton, MA, says he is just starting to prepare for the next generation of leaders in his company.

“We have succession meetings to discuss each other’s goals, plans, and vision. It is a work in progress that we tweak yearly. We’re working on a vision for the next 5-10 years,” Basnett says.

“For me, I want our leaders to treat people with respect. I want them to foster encouragement, always to be positive and confident, and to know how to make decisions no matter the situation.”

He says he tries to teach this by leading by example and being present and available.

“Not everyone is built to be a leader,” he continues. “There are leaders and followers. For those I see with potential, I’ll guide them, encourage them, and point out ways to improve their leadership.

“For those who don’t have leadership potential, I try to help them see other attributes to strive for. Everyone has strengths; they just may be in a different area. It is our job to figure that out and encourage, guide, and coach.”

Transformational Leadership

In an article posted on the HRCO Learning Center website, author David Meginley writes about how
tomorrow’s leaders need to learn to navigate challenges and keep their companies moving forward. He defines this forward momentum as “transformational leadership” and says such people help members of their teams, company, and communities reimagine a better future.

At GV’s Heating and Cooling, Inc. of Glenview, IL, owner Greg Vickers is a strong proponent of re-imagining the future. Though they do not have a formalized leadership model, he says he has some younger team members, including his daughter, who are forward thinkers with solid work ethics and positive attitudes, and want to be his company’s next-generation leadership team.

“From the beginning, when my wife and I started our company in 1990, we focused on creating a culture of honesty, accountability, and putting other team members first,” he says. “We developed an onboarding process to show prospective team members and staff what the company’s culture is, our expectations, and how we must focus on exceeding all of our customer’s expectations.”

Then he says by leading by example and practicing servant leadership; he hopes to get potential leader candidates to think outside the box and to visualize a better future.

“We are and have been nurturing future leaders with our vision and their vision for the company and their role in moving the company and themselves forward. Leadership development is an ever-evolving process. We also have conversations about how nothing is guaranteed, but positive things happen through hard work, dedication, and giving 100% every day,” he adds.

Vickers’ comment ties in with what Meginley says about transitional leadership. Meginley writes, “To transform your workforce, the next generation of leaders should be authentic, open, compassionate, curious, and inclusive.”

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