LEADERSHIP CASE STUDY
Last February Dan J. said he was stressed out and needed to learn how
to delegate or die! Here was a very successful businessman, owner of
a printing company in the Twin Cities. His is a company well known
for its high quality, personalized service, and a care and pride that you
can visibly see the minute you walk in the door.
Dan had recently bought out his partner and in addition to increased
workload, he realized that he needed to change from store manager to
business leader. He knew he had to rely on his staff more, had to
organize better, had to let go of daily control to lead.
So we mapped out a plan together, one that checked the pulse of his
company and provided concrete avenues for improvement. We asked his
employees what they thought of his management style. We asked them
what they could do and wanted to do, but weren't given an opportunity to
do. We asked his customers what they thought of the service and product
mix. We asked how to market to them. Then we debriefed, trained,
coached, and trained some more. Team training was essential.
The results? Dan once wrote 95% of incoming orders and purchased
all materials and supplies. He does less than 5% of that now, and only
on an exception basis. Brad, now his store manager, handles it. Dan
found hidden marketing talent in the form of Kurt, who for years was
his production manager. Kurt is now Minuteman's salesman, and uses
his wealth of experience to show customers how to look good in print.
Dan's wife Terry joined the team and is an important member,
complementing and adding to the company's style. And Dan hired a
new production manager, Jack, who fits in with the team well.
What's the bottom line? Dan's sales have grown more than 10%
this year despite a recession. His employees work together to solve
business problems without always having to confer with Dan. Dan
has more time to create long-range strategy, develop new marketing
campaigns, touch base with customers, and enjoy life. How can a
small business owner afford to hire a leadership consultant, you ask?
Dan asks, "How can you not?" CMP