Four Minutes of Me: How I Got Here... So Far

My career began as a grocery bagger and eventually carried me through United Parcel Service, community colleges, utility companies, the automotive industry, and management consulting.

Along the way, I learned lessons that shaped not only what I believe about leadership, but how I try to practice it.

Some came from experience. Some came from mistakes. Some came from extraordinary teachers and organizations.

Here are five that have stayed with me.

Some lessons came from experience. Some came from mistakes. Some came from extraordinary teachers.

Lesson 1: Humility and Empathy

From my teenage days as a grocery bagger, I learned that humility and empathy create meaningful connections.

Understanding the challenges and perspectives of others strengthens relationships, teamwork, and collaboration.

That lesson stayed with me throughout my career: leadership begins with listening, respect, and the willingness to see the work through someone else’s eyes.

Leadership begins with listening, respect, and the willingness to see the work through someone else’s eyes.

Lesson 2: Adaptability and Resilience

Working in very different roles taught me how quickly circumstances can change.

New processes. New technologies. New organizations. New expectations.

Adaptability matters, but so does resilience — the ability to keep learning when the answer is not obvious and the path is changing beneath you.

I have come to believe that adaptability does not mean abandoning your principles. It means learning how to carry them into changing conditions.

Adaptability is not abandoning your principles. It is learning how to carry them into changing conditions.

Lesson 3: Communication Builds Trust

My experience as an instructor and human resources professional reinforced something that seems obvious but is often neglected: communication shapes trust.

People need more than information. They need context. They need to understand what is happening, why it matters, and what it means for them.

Clear communication helps people make sense of the work, connect to a shared direction, and contribute with confidence.

Lesson 4: Excellence Requires Continuous Improvement

My years in the automotive industry had a profound influence on how I think about organizations.

At General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, I saw the power of disciplined problem solving, quality thinking, and continuous improvement.

I was part of the team that developed and deployed Ford Motor Company’s 8D problem-solving process and later helped launch Chrysler’s joint quality improvement work with the UAW.

Those experiences taught me that quality is not simply a program or a tool. It is a way of thinking about the work.

It means setting high standards, learning from problems, improving the system, and giving people the opportunity to contribute to better ways of working.

Quality is not a program. It is a way of thinking about the work.

Lesson 5: Leadership Is Learned in Good Company

I have also had the extraordinary privilege of learning from people whose ideas shaped modern leadership and organization development.

Tom Peters. W. Edwards Deming. Peter Block. Jim Kouzes. Chip Bell.

Some I worked with directly. Others influenced the way I thought about organizations, leadership, quality, service, and change.

Their ideas mattered. But equally important was watching how thoughtful people approached difficult problems.

Leadership is learned partly through study, partly through experience, and partly through the people we are fortunate enough to encounter along the way.

Leadership is learned in good company.

Still Learning

Looking back, these lessons seem less like separate ideas and more like parts of the same story.

Be humble enough to listen.

Resilient enough to adapt.

Clear enough to communicate.

Disciplined enough to keep improving.

And wise enough to learn from the people who have walked ahead of you.

I am still learning.

I hope I always will be.