Q. How do you create
trusting relationships?
It’s practicing the basic
things that make a good
person, and that’s being
honest and communicating with people. No one
likes to live in fear, so
always (let) people know
where the company
stands.
There’ve been times
where we’ve had to pull
all-nighters, and I’m going
to be right there, working
with you. You build trust
by working with people,
making sound decisions
and also being recognized. We’ve had successful contracts, we’ve landed the big deals, and they
see they have a confident leader
who can go out and make these
deals, get things done and keep
the company running.
Q. What are the keys to
being honest?
It’s hard to teach integrity.
People of integrity are going to
be people of integrity. If something’s happening that’s going to
affect somebody’s life, it’s unfair
not to talk to them.
Telling the truth is something
that … you have to accept and
be responsible for.
There are two types of people.
You’ve got that person who
always has something in their
back pocket they’re hiding.
They may be thinking, ‘This is
the card up the sleeve,’ and
they’re going to be slick about it,
but I’ve never seen those people
get ahead in the long run. The
ones who are honest and lay
their cards out there, they’re
moving on to their next project
and the bigger, better things.
They’re not sitting there worrying about this lie told or trying to be deceptive, and it leads to
more success.
Q. What are the keys to successful communication?
With all of the gadgets and
things we have now, you’d
think you’d communicate
more, but we communicate
less because we send e-mails
or text somebody. The key is
that personal, one-on-one time
with people.
We have a thing we call ‘No
Text Fridays,’ where you can’t e-mail or text; you have to talk to
somebody, pick up the phone,
go visit and talk with them.
Be a good listener, hear what
they have to say and see what
their input is. Be honest with
people and truthful. Even if it’s
bad news … let people know
what’s happening.
It’s easy to get stuck under
your desk and paperwork.
Make it happen, just like you
plan your board meetings and
forecasting and meeting with
your accountant and others,
make sure you plan on meeting
with your people.
Don’t get to the point where
you lose your personality. I’d
like to think that most CEOs at
one time were that class clown
in college or majorette or student in the lab class or the
band. Be yourself and share
your personality with your
employees and colleagues.
Q. How do you keep making
sure your personality isn’t
getting lost?
That goes to having people
around you who are honest. If
you’re the smartest person in
the room all the time, you’ve
got a problem.
HOW TO REACH: Urban Settlement Services LLC,
(412) 325-7046 or www.urbansettlement.com
