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54 FEDA News & Views I walked into the restaurant fi ve minutes early for our 6:30 p.m. reservation. He was wait- ing to greet me by the bar. I couldn't help but smile. I've never forgotten the sales lesson that "showing up on time means you're fi ve minutes late." He was always fi ve min- utes early. As we slid into the corner booth, it certainly felt like old times. After working together for more than a decade, we had enjoyed some great dinner conversations and it was good to reconnect. He had been a mentor, a friend and hands down the best boss I ever had. Many of the lessons I learned from him are foundational principles I still practice today. If you have ever worked for an extraordinary leader, I'm sure you can relate. The best leaders are acutely aware of the impact they have on people and recognize that leadership is about helping people become their very best. What makes a leader extraordinary? I'll offer up nine leadership lessons from my best boss' playbook. This is what I loved about working for him: Changing the Way You Cook since 1990 800.988.8103 360.650.1111 woodstone-corp.com STONE HEARTH & SPECIALTY Commercial Cooking Equipment Discover why OVER 14,000 OVENS, rotisseries, charbroilers, tandoors, and planchas have been SOLD IN 80+ COUNTRIES worldwide. Made in the USA. 1. He Had A Vision He was future-directed. He could clearly articulate where we were going and how we were going to get there. His confi - dence and optimism about our future success was contagious. I would constantly leverage his vision as a source of inspiration for our sales organization. I still miss his "Good News Friday" weekly update. 2. He Was Present With Presence He put in the work. He put in the work. His impact was felt daily throughout the organization and he was always willing to give more. A phone call to an employee who made a big contribution. A handwritten note to welcome a new client. A lunch-and-learn with the team during an offi ce visit. He cared about the culture of the company he was leading and worked tirelessly to continue making it our competitive advantage. 3. He Put Me In A Position To Succeed He wanted to understand how he could help me succeed. He would work with me to eliminate barriers that might inhib- it our success. He created opportunity to help me contribute more to the business. I felt empowered in my work and was afforded the autonomy to make my own meaningful contri- bution and imprint on the business. There was an incredible sense of pride and belonging in our organization among the top performers. 4. He Was Invested in Me He was a catalyst for my continued learning and develop- ment. What he couldn't offer, he encouraged me to seek out on my own. He was always interested in my future, and made sure we were in alignment in support of my goals. He is one of the best listeners I have ever known—but he didn't stop there. He would follow up and follow through. He never made promises he didn't keep and the conversations that led to commitment were always supported by action. Always. 5. He Was My Friend His investment in me went way beyond the offi ce. He cared about me as a person and helped me understand that a life lived well was more about what happened outside of the offi ce than what happened from 9-5. I will never forget the time he invited me to spend Thanksgiving with his family. I doubt he remembers, since it happened in a quick, casual telephone conversation without any preemptive thought or planning, but I didn't forget. The friendship transcended busi- ness and served to reinforce my commitment to him as my CEO. How do you think I responded if he needed a little extra from me to close out the quarter? 6. He Would Have Fired Me for Underperformance Our friendship never interfered with the obligation to the By Past FEDA Speaker Ryan Estis couldn't help but smile. I've never forgotten the sales lesson that "showing up on time means you're Lessons from the Best Boss I Ever Had