PRESIDENT’S VIEW
Cultivating Capable Leadership BY BOB EWING
A Bob Ewing is GAWDA’s 2021-2022 president as well as president of Red Ball Oxygen. He can be reached at 318-4256313 as well as bob. ewing@redballoxygen. com.
6 • Spring 2022
t our past few industry meetings, there are two phrases that keep coming up in our conversations: supply-shortages and lead-time. It seems we are living in a strange world of rising prices, rising demand, and perpetual lack of supply. Managing a business in this climate requires a lot of creativity, teamwork, persistence, and (perhaps most importantly) anxiety management. It’s easy to get caught in crisis mode, bounding from fire to fire, focused on finding immediate solutions to pressing problems. But I want to suggest that things could get much worse if we neglect the one item in short supply that has the longest lead-time of them all. I’m speaking of capable leadership. In the distribution business, decisions should be made as close to the customer as possible. This requires capable, competent decision-makers at every level and every location. On top of the socalled “great resignation,” we are undergoing a demographic “great rotation” of baby-boomers retiring and younger leaders stepping up. All of this is happening at a time when our industry faces immense challenges. Never in my experience has the demand for new leaders been higher. Perhaps it’s true that there are “born leaders”, but I wouldn’t bet your business on finding enough of them. Leaders aren’t plug and play. Our industry requires specialized knowledge. Each of our individual company cultures can be quite unique - “an acquired taste” as they say. Good decision-making rests on deep appreciation of subtleties that are not captured in training power-points or procedural documents, but emerge from years of accumulated experience. While leadership development can’t be rushed, it can be expedited. Experience is most effectively distilled and passed along by the power of rela-
tionship and example. Aspiring leaders need to see good leadership modeled, but they won’t pay much attention unless two conditions are met: They have challenging assignments. One of the biggest mistakes we make is waiting until a young person is “ready” (whatever that means) before thrusting them into a leadership position. If you see potential, don’t sit on it, push it. Leaders are developed under fire. Only when they feel the pinch of their inexperience will they seek true coaching. If they are properly supported, and if their potential is real, they will grow. They trust their mentor. The Four C’s are the foundation of trusting relationships. Emerging leaders need to know that you are confident in their abilities, have concern for their well-being, are committed to their growth, and always express yourself with candor. Feedback that is simply expressed and well-intentioned is golden. I would add one more “C” word - you must have the courage to be vulnerable and admit your own weaknesses and mistakes. It’s a lot less painful for young people to learn from your mistakes than from their own. It all boils down to intentional mentorship: Leaders mentoring leaders. Fortunately, our association is an awesome resource. One way to express confidence and commitment in the young leaders in your organization is to bring them to a regional or national meeting. They will encounter inspiring examples of leadership in all functional areas of the gas and welding business from sales to operations, to administration. They will expand their network and their problem-solving resources. They will return to your business with a broader and more powerful perspective. Let’s get about this work of developing our future leaders together, because the time will come when we need them to step up and lead us with distinction!
