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4 (extroverted, intuitive, feeling, and judging), and Strength- Finders defines me as a responsible achiever, activator, fu- turist, and strategist. It’s these skills that allow me to work with our teams, generate what we want the future to look like, and quickly take action to accomplish those goals. The secret to effective leadership is surrounding yourself with others who have strengths that contrast yours (but comple- ment as well). We make sure we focus on that when forming teams. In my 30 years in the industry, I have never worked with a better and more well-rounded management team and staff. They fire on all cylinders all the time and we con- stantly look to support each other when needed. Q&A, from page 3 “I am not a micro manager. People have the freedom to make decisions and learn from them – good or bad.” TZL: How would you describe your leadership style? KO: Very autonomous and hands off. I am not a micro man- ager. People have the freedom to make decisions and learn from them – good or bad. Experience brings with it the abil- ity to know how much rope to give someone – whether us- ing a situational leadership style, good project management tools, or that gut feel. It’s also important to create strong unconditional relationships so people feel comfortable communicating. TZL: What’s been the greatest challenge to date? How did you deal with it? KO: Addressing challenging staff. Being an ENFJ, I am the emotional one on the management team. As such, decid- ing to let someone go who may be better off elsewhere is not my strong suit. I’ve been blessed to have a great man- agement team that makes these tough decisions. Everyone wants to do well, whether working here or somewhere else, and I would rather help someone find their sweet spot and realize their full potential no matter where they work. TZL: What is your vision for the future of EHS Support? KO: Our management team has a fantastic future company vision that we are working on right now. We have five- and seven-year plans and our vision is to create a sustainable company. The plan covers all facets of the business and is updated quarterly. TZL: How have you seen the company evolve? KO: It started out with just me and evolved so quickly that within three months my partner, Andy Patz (our current president), was on board. Ten years later, we are at near- ly 80 staff in 20 plus states, several territories in Australia, and a JV in South Africa. Our growth continues to be fueled by the ambition of the management team and other com- pany contributors. TZL: Tell me about a recent project you are especially proud of and why. KO: We all have special client projects, but I think the

greatest ‘project’ I’m proud of is the evolution of our culture and how we’ve gotten here. I learned along the way that you have to innovate, learn, and evolve. If you do that enough, you get to a stage where you can disrupt the industry. TZL: Is there any news you care to share about EHS Sup- port projects or anything else? KO: Stay tuned. We are launching a new business model

that should revolutionize the industry. TZL: Are you married? Children? Pets?

KO: I am married to my college sweetheart, Dawn. We are going on 29 years. We have a daughter, Kaity, who is mar- ried and lives in Manhattan. We also have a cat, Whiskers. TZL: What’s one thing most people at the firm don’t know about you? KO: My life is an open book. Most folks know my routine of working out, work, and spending time with family and church activities. I lead a boring, but in my opinion, very productive life. TZL: What is the last book you read? KO: The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford. TZL: What’s the last movie you saw? KO: The Revenant . TZL: What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever gotten? KO: The difference between good and great is the extra two to four hours per week and what you spend that time work- ing on. Spend it on doing things others don’t want to do, helping others become successful, and working on things that will have the biggest impact in your life whether per- sonal, professional, spiritual, or financial. Have the focus and consistency to make sure you set them aside and use them for good. “Experience brings with it the ability to know how much rope to give someone – whether using a situational leadership style, good project management tools, or that gut feel.” TZL: When you’re not working, what types of activities do you enjoy? KO: Spending time with my wife and family and working out. TZL: Do you have a favorite lunch? KO: I guess it depends. If I’m out with a client or have a lunch meeting I love rare tuna with rice and a vegetable. When I am at home, it’s whatever I can grab quickly and eat at my desk – likely chicken or fish.

THE ZWEIG LETTER July 11, 2016, ISSUE 1159

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