Latest / Red Truck Radio / Red Truck Radio Episode 10: Navigating Career Growth

Transcript

Red Truck Radio Episode 10: Navigating Career Growth · Red Truck Radio

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to Red Truck Radio.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Adam Huxtead.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're talking about leadership that doesn't start with a title, but on the production floor.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: You'll hear from Jeremy Benson and Jesse Stirr, two leaders whose career started in the light and grew throughout trust, experience, and a lot of learning along the way.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: The paths aren't perfect or plan, and that's exactly the point.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start with the stories.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: So, Jeremy, Jesse, how are you guys doing today?
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Doing well.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Glad to have you guys here.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's hard to get out of the plant and make your way down here, but uh it's great to have you.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: And uh our our viewership sure wants to hear what's going on down at Wadena.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump in.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Tell me a little bit about Ichia, where you guys started within the company.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: If you need to give us a little bit of before you were here, so be it.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: But uh tell us about your journey at Wastel Supply for sure.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I started um with Wast Supply about 24 years ago.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I started out just on our build line, um, helping build doors.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: Uh that time we were pretty small in the door shop, so we had to do a lot of things.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: So I would start painting doors in the morning, then I'd go to glass crop and installing glass uh into the doors, and then I would find my way down into assembly.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_01: Most of my time was spent down on that assembly side, but we had to kind of move around and help anywhere we had to.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, at that time we uh only had two truck loaders, and if somebody wasn't there for loading trucks, uh we would get asked to stay late and help load trucks.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: So our start time was always set at 6 a.m.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_01: Our end time, nobody knew.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um we could spend almost 16 hours there if we had to.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: But wow, we've developed a whole lot more since then.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um when I first started with Wassa Supply.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: Getting the job wasn't easy though.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: So when you got a job, you wanted to hang on to it, and you did what you had to do to get a job to hang on to it.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_01: So go through that era of that 2007 time, it was pretty tough to have a job.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, 100%.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you you had to float around, you had to be willing to help out right anywhere.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: What about you, Jesse?
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I've been with the company for nine years.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, started on what was the original weekend shift crew um for Diamond Coats and uh started as an outpeat operator on our weekend shift.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, helped out in other areas too when we weren't what running our production line.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: I would build inside corners by hand, which now uh we've come a long way.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_02: That's all being done automated.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but built thousands of those throughout the years and eventually you know, took every opportunity that was given to me.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, more put on my plate and succeeded uh within three months, took the advancement into a team lead role, um, and uh continue to go from there from team lead to supervisor after about a year and a half, and then about four years at the um supervisor level into the production manager level.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, it was a lot of you know bouncing around, learned various lines.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, didn't just specifically say I'm PL free, took the opportunity to go to other areas and um did well in those areas, and like I said, took took the chance on any opportunity that was given to me and have succeeded so far to this point.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_02: So hopefully continue to succeed going forward.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Excellent.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's amazing to hear a story.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I'm I'm coming into my 50th year here at Wast Law Supply, and to see where we're at today from an automation standpoint and the improvement in quality and the products that we bring to uh our customers is a testament to to you guys coming up through the organization as well, be given that opportunity.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um we'll go back uh to you, Jeremy.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Can you kind of recall when the first moment was when somebody started to trust you and you started to feel that maybe there was this opportunity to move up within the organization?
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, so probably after about four years of being with the company, I uh I did my part of raising my hand, doing anything that I could to help the company.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: I also helped work weekends, I would dry siding on weekend shift.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um there's there was an opportunity where they had seen um maybe maybe some more leadership.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_01: So they had posted it out there, but I got I got strongly encouraged to apply for it as they felt that you know they seen the characteristics that I could carry to help.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: So I did get the the finishing supervisor position at that point in time.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um, where then I did that for about 15 years almost, uh wow, for the company.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: Unreal.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Unreal.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so back to you, Jesse.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you get that opportunity, uh, you you've you've proven yourself.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um what makes you say yet yes to the next role?
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: Like what you know, you're comfortable in the place you're at, you're doing a good job, getting good reviews, uh, but that now good brings the opportunity for advancement.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: What makes you say yes?
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um, personally, for me, it's more of just, I guess, who I've always been.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, when there's been something, whether it was at my previous job, um, having a supervisor approach me and say, hey, I think you should go look into leadership.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_02: And it was okay.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_02: I kind of laughed at him initially.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, didn't really see myself as one of those individuals that was going to be in that role, went to school to work on machinery.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but wasn't afraid to try it and see what the outcome was.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it's kind of I think that's life.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_02: You can either go through and take the easy path, um, or you can challenge yourself and see what you can do.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_02: And that's really what it's been so far is it's a new challenge, it's a new opportunity.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and taking and being successful and also leaning on those around you, um, which I've done to try to help me develop to where I'm at today.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, taking extra opportunities for training seminars, workshops, and things of that sort.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: Get into those workshops, get into those seminars, go through, learn the lead, any of the opportunities.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_02: And that's really what kind of started with LP and transferred into lots of supply and down code too.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_02: So there's always been a structure, there's always been a plan, which also helps, you know, maybe that comfort isn't there fully, but you know that you've got the backing of others behind you that also help support you.
• 6:12
  unknown: Yeah.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll throw this up to both of you.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: One of you guys grab it.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but it I I hear that there's this internal fortitude that both of you guys had that drove you to want to succeed and step up.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's not always the case for every employee.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do you guys as leaders in your current role, how do you encourage, motivate, and coach that next set of leaders to want to take that role?
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because not everybody is raising their hand all the time.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: So why don't you guys grab that and kind of share with me how you guys go about that?
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, me personally, I I I like to do one-on-ones with the supervisors, the leads themselves as well, and um learn from their experiences as well, have them bring their experiences to to these meetings and help coach them through them and uh help them understand where we could be better and where they did well, and uh get them to that next level of understanding and and and help them get better as well.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: So I like coaching people.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: I really enjoy it.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: Jesse, you got anything to add from your perspective?
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think when there are opportunities, I would say some of the polishings that have come up, there may have been individuals that maybe didn't see it in themselves where they have taken a little bit of an outside-the-box step and taken a little bit more on, whether it be a very small um project or something delegated to them from one of their supervisors or their team leads or myself.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and based off how they perform, that is something that you I've used as a kind of a lever to lean back on and explain how well they did with that.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_02: And there are more opportunities that you can do more things like this.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um and then, like Jeremy said, you know, if you're doing individual individual developmental plans, um bringing up those opportunities for the next steps, the next challenges, um, putting them out there and seeing what they're able to do with it, but still supporting them along the way.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_02: So they're not by their theirselves, they're not on an island.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_02: They're they're feeling the support from myself or others in a leadership role and just helping them succeed and giving them the tools and coaching and training them along the way.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: Wow, phenomenal.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, great to hear these stories, guys.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's all about coaching, mentoring, making sure that we have people developed and ready to take uh the next step to serve the organization and our customers out there.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I think we all grow through challenges.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: So why don't we take a minute for each one of you guys uh to share maybe a challenge that you had within your role that helped you uh grow as a leader?
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: Anything that sticks out to you for me uh at Wadena, uh our just our massive growth in general.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we've been growing so fast, so quickly.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um reorganizing the plant, getting everything aligned, uh working with your engineering team to get things correct.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's that's a challenge upon itself, and be productive, yeah, and produce the the stuff for these uh customers that we have.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: So that was a big challenge for us.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: Jesse, you guys, hang?
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: I'd say probably one of the bigger challenges was just kind of being on an island for a while or in the Wadena facility with the back goal line as when I was a team lead, so still relatively new to the company, but having to own that operation and lead newer individuals that were coming to the company too, not tenured employees.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: They were a lot newer.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_02: They were new hires, they were very green.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_02: Some had manufacturing experience, some didn't.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um, getting them up to speed with the operation, keeping the safety as the number one priority, and then building our quality, which productivity came with that um as we went along.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_02: But that was something, like I said, didn't have the full support of our our leadership that was over in our 83 facility in the commerce location, but kind of on an island, not a full remote facility, but we need to leave the operation more of on my own instead of having that extra support.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_02: So it was a challenge, but it was also one of those good things you have the trust and the respect already of somebody to say, you know, yep, you're gonna be in charge of this line, kind of this facility over here for the diamond coat side of it, and lead those individuals.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, awesome.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: You know, something that really resonates with me as you guys are speaking is making all these improvements with the massive growth that we had in both Diamond Coat and Wandena, and still, while that's all going on, having to produce the products that we do and the expectation of quality that we've set.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: So that really hit hone from he, uh, Derby, as you were describing that.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I know on the sales side, as we, you know, we have uh you know cop performing sales uh uh people who make that jump into a sales leadership role.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of times it's hard to go from being a doer to a leader.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, did you either of you guys have any difficulty with that?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: You know, wanting to always jump in to help?
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: And how do you deal with that as you become a leader?
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that was definitely, I would say, one of the biggest challenges I've fought over the years is still continue to fight at times, depending on the projects that I'm working on.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, but you do build trust with your team around you, leaning on them when times get tough for you, delegating some of that out so you're able to focus on the main part of the project, get a few things done by delegating it to your supervisor, your team leads, um, all of it from utilities and align leads uh with a leadership structure and just working as a team, um, having follow-ups just to make sure everybody's on the same page.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_02: But that's really been the biggest thing that I've been able to do is get away from doing it all myself and having trust in the people around me, which has helped immensely.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, which if you can't do that, you're never going to get your projects done.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_02: You have to be able to trust your team that you have.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_02: And and part of that is developing them too.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_02: You're developing them along with building that trust and the respect as you give them tasks that they're able to build their skills and their abilities along the way.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: What'd be about you, Jerby?
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: You still want to jump in and build some doors?
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, sometimes I don't know.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: I'm seeing not my best use of my time, I guess.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: But yes, I would agree with Jesse.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_01: Building building that team around you, building those other leaders around you, and then believing in them, trusting them to help you carry that torch to the end.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: So um, I've seen that a lot with our leads down in Wadena.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_01: These guys are really stepping up, they're really they're doing their part, and it's amazing.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it will we get the work done.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's awesome.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: All right, guys.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about uh another subject here.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: So you ended up where you're at today.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: Is that exactly the path that you saw for yourself?
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: Or are you are you sitting in the seat that you thought you would be?
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_02: It's definitely not.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, like I touched based on earlier of having someone approach me on thinking I was someone that could be MS Supervisor or leadership pro in the future.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_02: That was something I had never even thought of.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_02: Went to school, went to college, and wasn't intending to be an industrial mechanical technician.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_02: I could have easily been a maintenance mill right for us in this facility, and I'm in a corruption manager role at this point.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_02: So definitely not the same path I was starting down um right out of high school and going into college, but it's a path that I'm glad I've taken those risks and taken those opportunities to try out things and get to where I'm at at this point in my career.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: How about you?
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I went to uh school to be a machinist, so not even close to what I'm doing anymore.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I I learned a lot of things from that.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: I also, when I was younger, I think that helped me a lot was I I went became a bartender.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_01: I went and bartended on the side as well.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_01: So I did that for many years, and I think that built my confidence with um talking to people and being around and and leading more.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_01: So so I think that helped me get to where I'm at.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_01: And did I think I was gonna lead people at that time?
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: Nope, not when I was that young.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um I was just looking for a good job.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: That's unreal.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: I I think that's a testament, you know.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, a lot of our viewers are are our customers, our dealers, our contractors, but also our employees.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's a powerful message that uh just the chosen path that you may be on today doesn't mean that's where you need to end up, especially in an organization like Lost Al Supply.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so you know, a lot of times you need to be a leader before you have that leadership title.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that was probably really important uh and and part of why you guys uh ended up in leadership roles.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, how in how in your positions before you were leaders did you lead?
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: How did how did you uh how did that look like before you had a title?
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_02: Uh for me it was you know questioning things that weren't right, um, not always going with the status quo.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_02: If there was something I didn't agree with, I would question it, see if there was a rhyme or reason as to why we were doing it.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, and really saw others kind of follow at that point too, where they maybe would speak up at that time.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_02: So being a leader for the group uh on the production floor and lines uh when I first started, like I said, pointing out your quality issues, safety things.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um maybe it was something on this procedure that I just didn't think was right that I would challenge in question, but also was willing to help out and make the situation better, not just stand by and say, hey, there's a problem here, but let's here's what my thought is on maybe improving it.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna switch it up, uh Jeremy, come back to you.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, a lot of times one of the most important things as as a team uh and as a leader is building trust within your group.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: How do you build trust within your group?
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: Uh open and honest to your team.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like um be honest with them.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: And for me, it's when I'm building them, I'm I'm trying to work myself out of my job.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_01: I I've that's what I'm trying to do.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I want them to succeed, and uh and then very honest with them about that.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I I encourage them to do the same so that they can move out.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's awesome.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, there's sometimes these situations where uh you know you start in a role, you build really strong relationships as part of that team, uh, but then you end up being uh the leader of that group.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: How how have you guys navigated that from going from being a peer uh with your with your team to being that leader?
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, again, being open and honest, uh work is what we have to do, and work is work.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_01: Uh our friendship, that's all outside of work.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: That that's where we we carry that when we have business to do.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: I expect the business to be done.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'll hold my part up and I expect you to hold your part up.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, 100%.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_01: You got anything to add, Jesse?
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: Same thing.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, like Jeremy said, work is work.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_02: When we're here, we're here for one main purpose.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it's supporting the operation, making us be successful, being safe, creating quality products, giving as much hours as we possibly can to service our customers.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, however, like still having the ability to maybe flip it off a little bit, be a little bit more of a peer to just understand how everybody's feeling it, maybe outside of work.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so still being able to kind of live in both worlds, not always live in the peer, but you know, mainly live in the boss aspect of it, but still be able to understand and channel that emotional intelligence to really get an understanding of who your team is, um, and not just thinking of them as a number, but also understanding who you are.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, a hundred percent.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: I think I'd really uh made that be uh a part of who I am as I've uh you know grown through the organization is really never forgetting what what our people are doing uh and removing yourself so far from that.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think the mentality of uh you're always willing to do what you're asking your people to do.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's important, and I'm sure that's part of what you guys do as leaders as well.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: What's the biggest thing leadership taught you about yourself?
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_02: Confidence.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_02: Ah, love it, love it.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_02: Meaning I would say adaptable to really any challenge or anything that comes your way.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: Because you never know what the day is gonna start with, you never know it's gonna end with, and you gotta be able to flex and make calls and difficult decisions potentially too.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's not always easy, we're always the decisions we make are are difficult, and a lot of times it's uh we we want our people to understand we're making the decisions for the best of the entire organization.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: So um, if your team were describing your leadership today, what would you hope they would say and why?
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's leading by example.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not like I just talked about just before this, you know, I'm not gonna hold myself on an ivory tower to say I'm not gonna help out on the floor, I'm not gonna lean in and help and lend a hand when needed.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I'm also gonna deliver results when there are projects, when there are follow-ups that need to be done on my end, so I can live in both worlds, I can balance it, uh take the emotional intelligence side, not just thinking of them as a number, but thinking of them as a person.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_02: So if there are things that are going on outside of work, still understanding who they are.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_02: So if they're having a bad day at work, you can channel it.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um, like I said, being flexible, being open to helping, and being a you know, a leader of by action, uh, by doing, but still getting results out of sex.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'd agree to that same point.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I I take pride in that I learn the entire shop.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: I learn the equipment because I if they need my help, I want to be able to be there and give them that hand.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: So I'll jump in and give them that extra hand.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so and I I like I would hope that they would say that I'm honest and straightforward a little bit, that I give them their answers that they're looking for.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: I always get back to them with what they need.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, 100%.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh really appreciate you guys taking the time to join us today.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: I know we got a lot going on in both Diamond Coat and Wadina.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I think your journey through Wassall Supply is a testament to the organization, but also to you as individuals.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, uh sales is always the forward-facing uh part of the company that's out in front of the customers.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: But without uh the leadership that you guys have brought to the organization, bringing top flight innovative quality products to the market, uh, if we don't have us all working together, uh, we don't deliver that value that we are today.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: So uh really thank you guys for taking the time.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you very much.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: Rap Seek, how are you doing?
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm doing well, Adam.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining us.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so glad to be here.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_00: I'm glad to have you.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Bob, you are our chief human resource officer.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's a lot of words.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I just say C H R O.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at Wassoff Supply.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, great.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for the uh opportunity to do that.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: I've been with Waspa Supply now for about 18 months, uh, started January 25.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, have an extensive background in manufacturing uh distribution companies, uh primarily within the Midwest.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, saw an opportunity to join Wasp of Supply, took advantage of that.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, it's been a great experience.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: Uh at CHRO, I really, you know, kind of view my role through a couple different lenses, I guess, in a sense.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: One around um, you know, uh the right talent within the business, right leadership, uh, helping establish culture and workforce capabilities uh within the business.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: So certainly have had that opportunity uh to do that in the time that I've been here.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so it's been really exciting.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Uh really exciting to see the journey uh over the last uh 18 months.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_00: Exciting time to join WattSoff Supply.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I think when we talk about excitement at Wastel Supply, you know, you I think everybody's always thinking about the sales team and the products.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: But um as we expand geographically at the rate that we are bringing on new products, um, it's important that we're bringing the people along and that that culture continues to adapt and grow with the company as well.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_00: So how do you, Bob, and your team think about leadership development at Wasso Plus?
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so this has been a little bit of a uh an opportunity to reflect uh uh a bit as well, uh coming in uh obviously cold uh and kind of uh Getting an opportunity to understand the landscape, understand what's been in place, how things have operated, how the business is receptive to opportunities like this.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: And certainly over the last uh six, eight months, there's it's been quite a journey as a leadership group as a whole.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: And there's been a lot of emphasis put on this.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: So the, you know, the idea of having a strategic plan that specifically references and articulates uh a need to be an employer of choice, it became a very easy, um, very easy opportunity to be able to dovetail into that.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_00: So when we look at leadership development as a whole, uh as the organization, having that reflection, having that opportunity to have uh a strategic strategic vision collaboratively developed by the leadership team, uh, and have the input from the entire leadership team into it, it became uh uh more of an opportunity of uh aligning uh uh you know the whole human resource group, the development uh people that we have in place to help with that.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: So whether it's frontline leadership training, um, you know, the human capital planning process that we put in place to help support uh I, you know, the identification and growth of people within the business, as well as you know, other uh WAFs in a sense, whether it's uh individual development plans and or uh even some of the recent work that we've done from a sales leadership standpoint, of really looking at how do we uh create those avenues for people uh to be successful.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, phenomenal.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: I really appreciate that.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, uh under Brian Miller's leadership, our president CEO, uh bringing you on board is a critical part of the team and the uh the growth and development of Wassau Supply uh prior to you uh coming aboard, uh, we had a gap there uh where we had a lot of uh significantly tenured individuals who left and we and and they left a vacuum that created there.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: And really what you brought, Bob, uh that I've seen and that the organization has seen is this desire to uh promote and grow from within.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: That doesn't happen by accident.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So tell me how the specificity uh and the strategic priority of growing and promoting from within is core to your group.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so anytime that you have, again, stepping back into the strategic plan, uh, the expectation uh and the the opportunity, uh, the the strategic value really uh ends up falling down into a number of different categories.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's certainly a a ready uh like a succession ready readiness capability, having that strategy, having this uh strategic alignment of making sure that we have people in place to be able to step up is is a big piece, um, having uh the ability to continue to maintain the culture.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Anytime that you bring people in from the outside, there's at times uh a risk to that.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um bringing uh having the ability to uh uh identify people internally, grow them uh and have that uh uh that kind of structure in place to do that is a big deal.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think that it it plays into also just an organizational readiness perspective, capability building within the business, making sure that we have people that are able to step up, next man up type uh scenario.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we've seen a ton of that.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah, we've seen uh across the board every department, every organizer or every business unit where we've seen people step up uh into larger scope roles, which is super exciting.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and then honestly, just uh the the cost uh and time factor of being able to find people.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: We're not in a metro area and uh it's a hard-to-attract uh people.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_00: So being able to promote, grow and promote within is a uh a huge value proposition for business.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: And on specifically speaking to the sales side of things, you know, uh creating that career ladder opportunity, which you helped us do on the sales side, uh, it really enables us to move quicker.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_00: When we enter these new markets, if we have people who are ready to jump into the leadership roles and fill those spots, that allows us to gain traction and bring greater value to our customers that much quicker.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: So it's been a phenomenal journey.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, it is a journey, Bob, and absolutely.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'd say we're we're we're not at the beginning, but we're not at the end.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_00: So, and I think it never ends.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_00: So we really appreciate that.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I use this term with my kids all the time that life is a journey, not a destination.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the the more that we can uh continue to see and and build upon that uh is is gonna only continue to uh create more value for ourselves.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: Just had a conversation this week with a regional sales manager that, you know, he took on a new uh territory just you know within the last six months or so.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: And he was in a previous uh uh territory, was able to bring that experience and immediately hit the ground.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_00: He understood or understands, you know, what works and how it works, and and immediately has been able to get uh the traction he's needed to help uh lift and and pull that uh territory up into uh an area of success sooner.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so good stuff.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: 100% one of many examples of uh what's going on here at Los Less.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: So, what role do managers and the culture play in creating opportunities for people?
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I think the manager it that this can certainly be um any any type of work that we do in this space can certainly be uh a top-down uh uh uh directed uh activity uh versus a cultivated bottom-up count, grassroots, anytime that you can get a manager-level group motivated and understand the why behind it, uh, the stronger uh that a uh any of this type of work uh has the ability to gain traction.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_00: So having the managers on board, being able to give them um the tools and and the understanding, the why, uh the capable, you know, the structure and capability to do it.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, that they're gonna be the people on the front line that identify the people.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna be the ones that um have uh uh the frontline visibility.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: You and I aren't gonna be able to necessarily see those that deep into the business, potentially, but realistically, those managers have uh a key responsibility.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_00: They have a key responsibility to uh help coach, mentor, uh uh develop people.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_00: They have the key responsibility of um uh uh stretching people, uh structure opportunities, challenging them, uh giving them the opportunity to truly, uh, truly uh uh kind of uh you know put themselves in a position of of wanting based on some of the work that they've been able to uh extend to them.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I think they play uh an enormous role.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh can't do it just from you know uh one or two offices.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_00: It has to be a cooperative, uh a collective work.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: 100%, 100%.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's pretty well common sense to say that as we promote people, we need to make sure that we had the tools and resources for them when they get to that role.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_00: But I think there's the before part that says, how do you support leaders and future leaders before they really feel that they're ready for the next step?
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it goes back to that that manager uh and giving them uh an understanding of uh going back to that why, giving them uh the uh uh whether it's you know tactical specific information, whether it's uh more of the leadership guidance that's necessary to be able to uh uh grow somebody, giving them the confidence, uh giving them the uh uh the uh insight, maybe that there could be something else out there.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um I you know, I I follow into that same uh that same model, this or that same mode many, many years ago where I've had a leader uh approach me and say, Yeah, I think that I'd really like you to see see you do this.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, I don't think so.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm pretty comfortable when I'm at.
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like I'm uh, you know, I'd like to continue to grow in place and you know, after multiple engagements.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I think there's I think there's more out there for you.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_00: Uh like wow.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, taking the leap, it you know, there's a lot of courage that's required to do that, especially if it's maybe outside your uh specific lane.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, um, but and you know, the the engagement, the conversations, uh, the encouragements, uh helping them get beyond maybe the fear of the of what that's there.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um, all of those are a key responsibility of that manager.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's a little bit of nature and nurture too in in that whole thought process, meaning in my mind that uh, you know, there's that there's that internal drive and desire, uh, but then there's also having that environment uh that that puts people in the mindset to say, hey, maybe I should be reaching or stretching or thinking about other things that I can provide for the company and and then in respect for myself as well.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_00: So uh it's not even one, it's not uh it's also just not one conversation.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: Usually the initial conversation's like, hmm, or if you're you know, like, I don't know, uh, and giving somebody the opportunity to think about it, uh, create more visibility, opportunity, a safe place to be able to ask questions and maybe even explore, you know, like yeah, maybe I'll go down and uh interact with a couple of those people and see if this is something I'd like to do and uh giving them time to sleep on it a little bit.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yep, yep.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: As fast as we're moving, they're found a lot of time to sleep.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, right.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_00: But it's a great place.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_00: So um we had Jeremy and Jesse on.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, how would you say that their journeys reflect the broader pattern that we see at Wild Subsap?
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so it's really exciting to be able to uh continue to see examples of people uh start from one spot and continue to advance themselves and to another spot.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I think you know, anybody that's had uh success in their career has uh there's certainly attributes, uh opportunities, uh, and uh um certainly, you know, hard work that goes into that and having two examples like those two individuals to be able to grow and develop uh and succeed uh is a testament to their own, you know, fortitude, but also the business's overarching uh reception to promoting from within.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, this is an organization, I've I've said this before, even with the leadership team, is uh we we promote a lot of people uh from within.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I think we're we're very uh very good at identifying talent uh early within people, giving them those opportunities to grow and then also uh being able to uh act on it when they when they hit you know certain levels within their careers to to continue to promote them.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's super exciting to be able to see people like that on grow and succeed in the business.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I was kind of before uh prepping for our conversation here.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I was looking in this year alone, we have had just within the sales team, we've had over a dozen internal promotions here.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_00: Super success.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's super exciting.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know, there's there's pros and cons to all this.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_00: I think there are a lot of businesses find themselves maybe getting stuck on, well, you know, they're just not quite right.
• 32:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the uh the mechanics of our human capital planning process of being able to identify these people, uh, create uh uh tracks in a sense, and then start engaging them early.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_00: So when those opportunities do come up, we're not hamstrung by ourselves saying, well, they're just not ready versus, you know what, we knew this day was gonna come, we knew that we were uh going to uh need to, you know, they maybe they were not exactly right, but gosh, let's, you know, they got the right attitude, the approach, the engagement, and let's go ahead and and and uh and give them that opportunity with the support behind it to be able to, you know, kind of finish things off as far as uh the polish and and and all of the other you know mentoring activities and it and things that are necessary.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's it's a definitely a different approach um that uh not a lot of companies that I've worked at before were willing to make that type of investment.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um how do we spot potential in someone, you know, sometimes before they're ready for it, you know, how how do how do we look out for those things?
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I've talked about this before in my past that there's there's code, it's almost like a three-legged stool.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I use my own my um my own journey uh to some extent with this.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_00: And uh and and I've I've had incredible mentors uh in my past, incredible people that have invested heavily in me.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but ultimately, you know, it's not just them, it's it's the you know, it's the pitch and catch scenario if if they're willing to invest in you, are you going to receive it and run with it?
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, there's a number of things that I look for specifically is, you know, frankly, it goes back to maybe an old school traditional, like people that just work hard.
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you can see it, you know it.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, maybe they're putting extra time in.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they're they're overly, overly willing to step up and into hard things.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they're they're willing to raise their hand uh and and uh jump in.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um to me that that has such an incredible entrepreneurial spirit uh built behind it.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it's a uh a byproduct of probably how they were raised, uh, maybe how their managers or mentors operated, but it's a standout feature that goes back to you can still uh you can still um uh see yourself advancing with hard work.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_00: The other, the other, and I and I call this almost like a three-legged stool is uh you know, kind of a the servant leadership approach.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh when when people work in a way that's not necessarily truly, you know, to benefit themselves, right?
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_00: To benefit the team as a whole.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, my success comes from the collective organization's success.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_00: You can see that in people.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_00: You and I could could sit here and and have a conversation about a dozen or more people in our business that demonstrate consistently this servant peership mentality.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they may not necessarily be in a ser you know in a leadership role right now, but they demonstrate those type of qualities and capabilities.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_00: So you take hard work, servant leadership, and I would say that the end is it's about execution.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_00: People that uh have a tendency to be able to get stuff done.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they they yes, they may need you know coaching and mentoring, guiding guidance, and maybe some corrective shifts and everything else, but people that are working hard, that have that uh that uh uh servant leadership mentality uh and simply are are able to execute uh that combination to me really creates sand out individuals.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um no matter where they're at in the business, uh, people will ultimately find them.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_00: You and I again could have a conversation uh about, you know, this person, that person, someday, right?
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_00: These two people uh will be doing something different than what they're doing based on the type of uh uh work that they demonstrated uh in their career.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's it's also infectious.
• 36:45
  SPEAKER_00: I think people see that.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_00: Most people we would have a conversation about, hey, here's you know, Jimmy, Sally, Sue.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um if we had a conversation about them, their peers know, yeah, that these are people that get stuff done for sure, and they do it in the right way, they work hard.
• 37:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh you know, it's something that's it's it's a visible attribute that is well uh recognized even amongst peers.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_00: And it it's it's hard to to admore a hundred percent to admore looking for people in the business.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, very well said.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: Appreciate that.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know, careers it in in and you know, time at Wall Suspai, it's not linear, it's you know, we're not the organization where so you spend so much time here, you just automatically move.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um so and then there's also that, you know, somebody may have started in a certain role and have desires to move in other spots of the company.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_00: So, what would you say to those people who maybe have desire to do other things within the company or those same people who have been in a position in their role and feel that they're ready for advancement, but maybe are waiting for something, uh, maybe felt that they fell fall falling behind.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: What would you say to those individuals?
• 37:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 37:55
  SPEAKER_00: So I think there's, you know, timing is a big factor in all of this.
• 38:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, obviously that we're we're just not creating positions that create positions.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you know, whether it's just you know natural turnover that potentially could occur, uh, retirements, uh, whatever it may be, uh certainly being in a position, you know, demonstrating those qualities that I mentioned before, yeah, uh raising your hat, your your hand at ties, um, being willing to step into new things um uh are all uh certainly attributes that will help gain visibility uh for yourself.
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and I have a very recent, very relevant um uh example where we had a person that interviewed for a position that they felt very much like I'm clearly the next person in line.
• 38:48
  SPEAKER_00: And uh uh super excited, they interviewed incredibly well.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_00: Ultimately, we uh had somebody else that was uh interviewed well.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and in the background, you have a reader that recognized that value and and and ultimately said, I think there's something different though for you.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it may not necessarily be here.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_00: This is where you thought your path was going to be.
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but and and literally, probably six, eight weeks later, we're engaging that person about even a more broader uh opportunity.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_00: That okay, uh, that that person had no visibility to uh and was completely blown by blown away by the idea that wow, I you know, I thought I was gonna probably just get stuck in this role.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_00: And now you created visibility over here, maybe a little bit different, maybe a little bit stretch opportunity, a little bit out of their comfort zone, but you know, ultimately, you know, became super excited over that.
• 39:45
  SPEAKER_00: You know, all of a sudden they forget about this other position, and then it's like, oh, this one's really nice.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_00: So yes, you know, that stuff just doesn't happen all the time.
• 39:52
  SPEAKER_00: Uh um, but you know, creating uh again, putting yourself in a position of being ready.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, it's kind of the intersection of luck at times, is you know, hard work and opportunity intersecting at the same time.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's exciting though.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, whether whether it's employee here at Lawsaw or somebody listen out in uh from our listeners is you know, just because you started a role in a certain part of the organization doesn't mean that you're restrained or constrained to be there.
• 40:17
  SPEAKER_00: So, and especially here at Wall South Supply, we create this environment where everyone feels that hey, I can move within the organization and they see it happening.
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_00: I see people moving from supply chain to IT or from distribution, supply chain.
• 40:30
  SPEAKER_00: So very exciting time.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Bob, I got one here.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, what excite you the most about the future of leadership at Wall Soft Supply?
• 40:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the um since I've come here, uh again, I've worked in a number of different other businesses and you know, from a an executive level uh position, um, it's incredibly exciting to be part of a team that uh uh it weaves the their titles at the door, yes, and uh is doesn't have the ego.
• 41:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um certainly worked with other businesses, other or other organizations where maybe that wasn't necessarily the case.
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_00: And uh it's been super refreshing.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's been incredibly exciting uh to see some selflessness, uh to see uh the alignment as a uh as an organization come together.
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it's uh certainly something that's been really refreshing.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it leads, it wins itself to uh a more cohesive, uh successful uh uh uh organization.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_00: And and I think that you know a lot of people uh we we may not necessarily hear it, we may not necessarily see it, but people are watching, are sharing a sense.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_00: And when they see an organization work well together uh and gain alignment together, have uh, you know, good, good uh, you know, uh, you know, leadership hygiene in a sense as they are, how we go about uh the things that we do, I think that builds confidence, it builds trust, uh, and it it helps people in the business recognize that the strength of this organization is through the collective group.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm uh super excited about that.
• 42:07
  SPEAKER_00: And and I think that uh we had any any one of the weers in here, I think they have the same, uh, the same feel.
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_00: I sure so you know, I just uh uh celebrated my 15th year at Wasso Raptions.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_00: Appreciate that.
• 42:20
  SPEAKER_00: There's been, you know, we've invested a lot in the organization, whether it's in the sales team, the marketing team, distribution, all the functions, but I think there was a missing piece, pal, uh that you've filled.
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and we've really taken advancements in human resources and it's showing through uh throughout the organization.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_00: So really appreciate you taking the time to join us, Bob, sharing with our listeners how important the development of people and culture is to the success of Wassau Supply and all the owners.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_00: So thanks a lot, Bob.
• 42:49
  SPEAKER_00: Appreciate it.
• 42:49
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_00: Today was a reminder that leadership paths aren't linear and they don't need to be.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_00: Jeremy and Jesse showed us that leadership often starts before the tile by raising your hand, learning through challenges, and investing in the people around you.
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_00: If there's one takeaway, it's this stay open to growth, talk with your manager, and don't underestimate what's possible.
• 43:10
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening to Red Truck Radio.