We’ve known for awhile now that the key to an organization’s success is its people. It’s not fancy processes, state-of-the art technology or even unique competitive advantage. It’s always about the people. But do we remember this when we should? And as leaders, can we honestly say that it’s our people that drive decision-making? A recent article in the Houston Chronicle brings this concept home and is a stellar example of how leading for people can translate into exceptional success.
Martha Pylate of U.S.A Industries, Inc.
Martha Pylate is not your average 73 year-old woman. She runs a precision machine company, having learned the trade from her late husband. The Chronicle ran a showcase article on her because, unlike many businesses these days, she’s been quite successful. Her business is growing, and she has managed to keep and grow her workforce in the face of various and less-than-ideal economic conditions.
What caught my eye, besides the general uniqueness of her success in a traditionally male-dominated field, was her comment when asked about her initial concerns when she took over the reins of the company. She said, “A manufacturing plant isn’t about the product or machinery, it’s about the people.”
She went on to state further that her chief concern was that there were people – real, living people – who were depending on her for their livelihood, and that scared her.
Decisions Are More Than Strategies on Paper
It should scare us all, or at least give us enough pause to realize that our nearly all of our decisions may in some way affect the livelihood of others. This caution shouldn’t lead us to delay necessary decisions, or act as though we’ve got mafia-driven concrete shoes impeding our progress.
It should, however, lead us to make sure we give adequate consideration, take adequate input from others and consider fully the available alternatives and potential impacts when decision-making time is available to us. In other words, we have a duty. We have a real, personal responsibility to be good at leadership, and everything that being a leader means.
My hat’s off to Martha Pylate of Houston. Sometimes, we’re fortunate enough to experience someone fairly new to this whole leadership thing that really gets it. And luckily for the people of U.S.A Industries, she does.
