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.
| Bert Frizzell - Delegate Effectively |
Bluteau DeVenney and Company (BDCO): What did you do to move to a leadership role?Bert Frizzell (BF): I was fortunate in that I found a well established company in which I was able to grow and develop, and move progressively into more senior leadership roles along the way. I graduated from university with a business degree and then came to work with The Shaw Group in 1974. I continued to take courses as I was working and eventually earned my Certified General Accountant (CGA) designation. At The Shaw Group, our first choice is usually promoting people within the organization, rather than hiring from outside. As a result, throughout my career I continued to take on more senior roles and eventually worked my way into the role I am in today. (BDCO): What is one thing that developing professionals need to do more of?(BF): They need to learn how to delegate effectively. This not only allows people to grow and develop, but it allows the company to operate more efficiently. The more responsibility and authority you can spread throughout the organization, the stronger the organization. (BDCO): What experience helped you the most in your career and why?(BF): I have spent my whole career at The Shaw Group, and I have been fortunate throughout this career to have been exposed to a number of great managers and leaders within our company. We have always had a strong management team. Being able to work with and learn from these leaders has been an invaluable experience. (BDCO): What is the greatest strength of your approach to leadership?(BF): Our management structure throughout the company involves many people other than just me. We have a decentralized management approach. As a result, our management and leadership doesn't rely on any one individual in particular. We feel comfortable that our company can survive and thrive as people retire. We invest heavily in the development of our people and focus on succession planning from within the organization. (BDCO): What has been the biggest surprise you have had since attaining a senior leadership role?(BF): Entering into a senior leadership role for the first time, I think almost everyone feels a little uncertain and nervous about the unknown. The biggest surprise for me is how fun and enjoyable it has been. (BDCO): What is the next achievement you want in your leadership career?(BF): Succession planning is a priority for me at the moment. I don't have a retirement date in mind yet; however, succession planning done correctly takes time. I want to ensure a smooth transition between my stepping down and my replacement taking over as the new CEO. (BDCO): What is the biggest challenge you face in achieving results in your work?(BF): Growing the business. We are primarily an Atlantic Canadian based company and our first choice is always to grow geographically within Atlantic Canada. Trying to find new opportunities while dealing with the slower economic growth of the region is often a challenge. (BDCO): What is your greatest opportunity/goal for providing value for your organization?(BF): Our greatest challenge is also our greatest opportunity - growing the business. As I mentioned, focusing on further development in Atlantic Canada is where we have the best opportunity to enhance the value of our company. (BDCO): What added support or capability would help you the most in delivering on your goals?(BF): Nothing in particular comes to mind. We have very capable people at The Shaw Group, all with unique talents. Whatever we need done, we draw on all of our individual talents to collectively make it happen. We believe that having the best people is a sustainable competitive advantage.
Think about where you are now in your career and what you can take from Bert’s observations. We would love to hear your comments about what are your key takeaways from our conversation with Bert. Tell us your progress – we want you to succeed. ______________________________________________________________
The Shaw Group is one of Eastern Canada's leading natural resource manufacturers and community developers. With a strong focus on products for the construction industry, they compete in a variety of market sectors and produce close to 1,000 individual products in 12 facilities across the Maritimes and Quebec. You can find out more about The Shaw Group's at www.shawgroupltd.com. |
