When Gary L. Sasso became president and CEO of CarltonFields P.A. in February 2006, he learned a quick lesson in his firstfew months leading the law firm.
“When I started this job, there were a couple of occasionswhere I expected my colleagues to rally around an idea I hadbased simply on the elegance of the idea without really taking thetime or the trouble to walk them through all the steps that it tookme to get there,” says Sasso, who has been with Carlton FieldsP.A. since 1987. “I had a wake-up call that people weren’t simplygoing to love the idea because I thought it was a great idea.”
Sasso learned to involve people sooner in a discussion, and thenbroaden that circle, if necessary.
“Because, even if it’s a great idea, particularly lawyers have a lot ofskepticism about any idea,” he says. “You have to take some time andtrouble to make sure people have all the facts so they understand thenecessity for perhaps a change and come to some agreement that thisstrategy is a good one.”
Yet, in order to get honest opinions out of his employees from thesediscussions, Sasso needs to create an open environment and doesthat by setting the tone with his actions.
“I really don’t ask people to let their guard down,” he says. “What Ido is I let my guard down. I’m very open with people, and I tell themwhat’s on my mind. I give them the facts, and I hope they will respondin kind, but I don’t ask people to trust me because I don’t feel I couldask people to do that. I feel I have to earn it. I think I can earn it byshowing them that I am treating them with that same respect.”
Sasso suggests starting small to develop a comfort level with sharing information that will eventually build up trust and respect.
“I would say, first, try it out on a close circle of confidants in thefirm,” he says. “Try it out with people you feel comfortable with or thatyou trust, and see how it is, see how it feels. Then extend that circleuntil eventually you include everyone in the organization.”
Since becoming president and CEO, the company has grown in bothrevenue and employee numbers. The firm increased from 575 employees at the end of 2006 to 594 at the end of 2007 and 612 as of April of thisyear. Revenue jumped from approximately $109 million in 2006 to morethan $125 million 2007.
Sasso says he couldn’t delegate or lead change without letting hisguard down and hearing other’s opinions.
“I just couldn’t do this job any other way,” he says. “Again, it’s a matter of making the decision that I make better decisions because I amgetting better input. It’s also a matter of making sure that people arebehind those decisions and will execute, that we’re rowing togetheras a firm, and I’m not out there rowing by myself. We’re not going toget very far if I’m rowing myself. I think that’s crucial for me and that’scrucial for the firm.”
Here’s how Sasso used the ability to let his guard down to maximizedelegation and lead change.
