11
FROM THE FOUNDER
T here are tons of articles and blog posts out there about the qualities of great leaders. It seems like our appetites for this kind of information are unlimited, because we all can see what a huge difference a single leader can have on a large group of people, making it possible for an organization to accomplish great things. Important stuff! People who exhibit these qualities are likely to be well-thought of by their people and, more importantly, are able to achieve goals that others deemed impossible. Those other qualities of great leaders
Mark Zweig
I have been lucky to work for some amazing leaders over the years. From one of the first bike shops I worked at, The Touring Cyclist, owned by a fellow from West Memphis, Arkansas, the late Don Humphries; to the engineering and planning firm Carter & Burgess, run by the late Jerry Allen; to my current organization, The Sam M. Walton College of Business, led by our dean, Matt Waller. On top of that, there are hundreds of firm founders I’ve met and worked with over my 38 years of management consulting in the AEC industry who were outstanding leaders. Here are some of the qualities those people have (or had) that aren’t often talked about in the context of great leaders – qualities that make (or made) them great:
or was someone who would make time for you when you needed it. They are all people who answered calls, texts, and emails, or would meet when you needed to. They didn’t push you off too far into the future, because they recognized that something was urgent in your mind that needed their attention now. For example, I could call Jerry Allen and, if he couldn’t answer, he would call me back within the hour. I could text Matt Waller at 6:02 a.m. and probably hear back from him by 6:06 a.m. ■ Approachability. Being approachable means these leaders aren’t going to be too judgmental or make you feel bad for seeking them out. They don’t throw up unnecessary barriers to reaching them, like running everything through
■ Accessibility. Every one of these great leaders is
See MARK ZWEIG, page 12
THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 20, 2023, ISSUE 1477
Made with FlippingBook Annual report