Summary: Dave Pelletier takes a very reflective and common sense approach to becoming an effective leader. To download this podcast, click hereDave gives his advice on how listeners can develop their own personal management and leadership style. First, you must reflect on the “why” of past experiences. He notes that it is amazing how much life experiences play a role in your career, and they after recognizing the “whats” of our past, we need to reflect on the “why”. For example, one of Dave’s “whats” is that he loved sports growing up, and upon reflection realized that this was the reason why he strives for a good team environment and harmony. Second, he stresses the importance of developing common sense. While it may sound basic, managers and leaders frequently rely on common sense to make decisions. Third, you must continue to learn if you want to grow, develop, and mature in role as a leader. Applying this knowledge gain to your career is where full potential and satisfaction is achieved. Finally, Dave urges that a critical aspect to becoming a better leader is understanding the concept of motivation, and creating an environment where people motivate themselves. The foundations of this are to (1) understand what you value, whether it be social relationships, money, work environment, or potential for promotion, (2) what do your people value, including superiors, peers, and subordinates, (3) and trust in your ability to provide the outcomes which are in your control. These bits of advice are very intangible, because there is no formula to becoming a better leader. Dave gives an example of the time when his controller found out out that her husband had Alzheimer’s. She told Dave that she was going to have to resign. Rather than letting her resign, he helped her work out a situation where she could stay with the company and work from home. Dave had to decide between hiring someone else, or using compassion to help better her life and provide continuity in the workplace. He ends with that often you need some common sense and compassion to reach the right decision. Mr. Pelletier became CEO of Annalee Dolls, Inc in October 2002, following two years of turnaround consulting with this company. Dave started his relationship with Annalee while he was a principal in the strategic and financial consulting firm of R.E. PINARD & CO. of Manchester, NH. While at the firm, Dave worked with a number of companies in the areas of strategic growth initiative development, company turnarounds and as an intermediary on the sell-side of M&A transactions. Prior to his return to New Hampshire, Dave was co-founder and President of an Ohio based start-up company providing specialized value added manufacturing services to the worldwide appliance industry. Dave received a B.S. from Cornell University in Marketing and an MBA from the University of Colorado in Organizational Development. He also attended Columbia University’s six-month Executive Development Program in Organizational Dynamics. Like this podcast, why not share it?
