I see Capital as a place where people want to go to work, regardless of their backgrounds or individual skill-sets. Across all roles and departments, we encourage our people to do more than wait for someone to tell them exactly what to do every step of the way. As a result, we have actual business people who think for themselves and take action without waiting for approval, which also translates to more rewarding careers. I take pride in helping others achieve their goals and watching business people develop and grow. To me, that’s what success looks like for a company. One person’s small behavioral change can make a world of difference to the business as a whole – and it doesn’t need to translate directly to dollars for me to see that as a significant win. So my job as a leader is to do everything I can to bring out the best in our people.
I draw a huge distinction between leadership and management. I see management as the structured oversight of employees within organizations that don’t endorse freedom of thought. I enjoy leading people; I don’t like to manage people. Companies that are heavily reliant on leveraging managers to assert control don’t employ people with an entrepreneurial spirit like we do. Leaders work with people rather than having people work for them. My personal style is open and communicative yet relatively casual. I’m not big on hierarchy so I tend to go right to the source, regardless of formal reporting structure. I think what’s most important for any leader is to convey expectations and set an example.
Although I focus on sales, marketing, and business development, my interests are much broader and I keep the big picture in mind. As a part of the company’s executive leadership team, my goal is to see that everyone’s career is fulfilling while providing meaningful services to the industry.