Leadership Blog

I think we all know that effective leaders ask good questions to move an idea forward, help a team get unstuck, motivate, gain buy-in and build connections.

I grew up in a small Central Minnesota town as the son of an auto parts salesman. We certainly weren’t wealthy, but I felt like I had everything. Growing up in rural Little Falls, I only have the fondest of memories of my childhood.

Every successful leader should have a No. 2 — someone prepared to take over or step in temporarily. That doesn’t just happen. It takes intention and mentorship over time.

Imagine a diverse group of your employees coming together to talk “productively” about the issues you face and collaborating to come up with better ideas.

Growing up in a small town, I understand that a dollar is a dollar. You work hard for it and it is valued. But, in my past 16 years at the helm of Marco, growing the business and buying others, I have learned that not all sales revenue is equal. Some is actually better than others.

There are people who walk into a room and are naturally recognized as leaders. They seem to gain followers without even trying. They have a presence about them. Who do you know like that? Is it you?

Why are the Minnesota Twins playing so well this year (so far) after having the worst record in baseball three years ago? They went from being one of the worst teams in history to busting one record after another, and are one of baseball’s best stories this year.

Initiators and processors are two different skill sets. You’re usually one more than the other. In every industry and every organization, there are initiating roles and there are processing roles. Which are you?

A couple of weeks ago I planted my very first garden. The process actually began last November when my wife and I prepared the area and looked forward to our spring planting.

The business world is moving at a fast pace with technical advancements emerging that we never thought possible a decade ago. Sometimes it feels like everything is changing and that we need to change, too.