Inside The Edge
About
The Executive Chair
The one question you always want to ask a successful person in a senior leadership role is “How did you get there?” In developing your own career, you learn more from hearing what worked – and didn’t work – from senior leaders and hearing their wisdom than from any other source.
We are embarking on a series of interviews with leaders who exemplify success for us. In their words are insights that can give you direction for moving your own career forward.
To read a summary, written by Michael DeVenney, of the past 12 interviews this year - click here.
| Albert Bohemier - Work Hard and Set an Example |
Bluteau DeVenney and Company (BDCO): What did you do to move to a leadership role?Albert Bohemier (AB) You can't lead if you don't act. Nobody will follow you unless you are doing things, and the things that you do have to make sense for those who are following. I have found that even if people don't necessarily agree with you 100 percent, or are very reluctant to do what you ask them to do, if you show them the compelling reason to do something with honest intent, then people will deliver. You can't sit back and tell people to go do something when you are lying down. You have to be standing up and leading the way. The word leading doesn't mean pushing. You can't push a rope, it just doesn't work. But you can pull a rope, and if you pull hard enough other people will join you and pull on the rope with you. (BDCO): What is one thing that developing professionals need to do more of?(AB): They need to educate themselves and not be afraid to make mistakes. Leaders have to realize that if they have very good ideas they have a responsibility to work hard to implement them. The people who avoid making mistakes are the people that never do anything. I don't have a problem with people who make mistakes because they're usually trying something. I have made lots of mistakes throughout my career. However, when I make a mistake, I ask forgiveness and I try not to make that same mistake again. (BDCO): What about doing less of?(AB): They should stop thinking the world owes them everything. I've seen so many professionals who think that because they lead a business, they should get 90 percent of the rewards and give next to nothing to their employees. If you look at the completely unfair reward that some senior leaders take, while some of their employees may be struggling to make their mortgage payments or buy sufficient food for their families, it is a problem. I've seen it everywhere in the world. I think we have a responsibility as professionals to set an example of how the world should work. (BDCO): What experience helped you the most in your career and why?There have been experiences in my life when I thought I was done or I thought I couldn't go any longer, but I worked very hard and diligently to find solutions and I eventually did find them. It taught me not to lie down and not to give up. Some of my most difficult experiences have been, in the end, my most positive experiences. I always made sure that I ate well and slept well, but hard work doesn't kill anybody. It actually makes you better and allows you to learn the most. And I've never hesitated to ask for help, because you can't do it all yourself, and I've never failed to share the rewards for what I have accomplished. (BDCO): What was the greatest challenge moving your career forward?(AB): I think the biggest challenge has been trying to lead people. People who, rather than work together, will sometimes fight and cripple each other. At times I have felt unqualified to achieve what I have, and I have spent many moments wishing that I could manage people better. Leading can be very tiresome at times, but it's all about not giving up. There are times you think you are failing, but you have to keep marching because people are relying on you. In the end it doesn't kill you, it makes you better. (BDCO): What is the greatest strength of your approach to leadership?(AB): I think my greatest strength is that my employees respect me. They respect me because I work hard, I am honest, and I am as fair as I can be. (BDCO): What has been the biggest surprise you have had since attaining a senior leadership role?(AB): I used to think it would be easy. I used to tell people that if I could become a business man and be successful, anybody could do it. However, that was when we were a very small business. As we became more of an international business and it became more complicated I realized it is not that easy. What I didn't realize is that you can never stop, because the world is incredibly competitive and people are constantly trying to take your business. (BDCO): What is the next achievement you want in your leadership career?(AB): I am ready to retire gracefully and quietly. I don't feel that I have anything else I need to prove in the business world. I want to spend time with my wife and my children. I just want to live, because as a leader there have been many times when I haven't had a life other than work. I'd like to contribute to society where I can through volunteering, which I think we all have a responsibility to do, but I am not looking for another career. (BDCO): What is the biggest challenge you face in achieving results in your work?(AB): It's not just one thing as a business you struggle with, it's everything. Global competition is probably the toughest thing we face. We have some global companies claiming that they can produce the equipment we can produce, and for cheaper, when in fact they have never produced anything like it and whatever they do produce will ultimately be unsafe. (BDCO): What is your greatest opportunity/goal for providing value for your organization?(AB): As I am moving toward retirement now, my main goal is proper succession planning. I want to ensure that I leave the organization with a new leader who has the same energy and belief system that I have, which is to serve our clients first and serve them very well. If you serve your clients well they will keep buying from the company. When you're successful as a company you can do the very best things for your staff. My goal is basically to pass on what I have done with the company and allow these people to continue with their careers and their lives. They still need to feed their families, so I'm hoping to leave behind something that works. Finding someone to replace you after you've done it a certain way for thirty years can be very difficult. Think about where you are now in your career and what you can take from Albert's observations. We would love to hear your comments about what are your key takeaways from our conversation with Albert. Tell us your progress – we want you to succeed. ______________________________________________________________
Originally founded in 1982, Survival Systems Limited is the manufacturer of state-of-the-art training simulation simulators, lifting devices, and associated training aids. You can find out more about Survival Systems Limited at www.survivalsystemsgroup.com. |
