Guest Blog Series
by: Madeline Emsick
Organizations take on the personality of their leaders. They can thrive through the ups and the downs, or crash and fail when adversity hits. Even leading through the good times can be a challenge.
BCS is reflecting on our 30th anniversary this year, and looking back, we realize how leadership has brought us through some difficult times (two recessions) and through the good times, as the energy industry begins to boom with the advent of smart buildings.
We asked our President, James Herman, how BCS has grown and thrived over the years, from 1985, when Ken Stoppel and three HVAC colleagues started Building Controls and Services, Inc. to 2016 with 100 employees and 3 offices across the Midwest. One big reason was the diversification of services, going beyond the initial digital controls for heating and air to sales of HVAC mechanical equipment, fire and security systems, and variable refrigerant flow systems.
But the support and steadiness of the leadership are what strengthened the business and made BCS a success story. James Herman and all of BCS’ managers exude the traits of good leaders. James shared the following three leadership principles, which can apply in any aspect of life and business:
1.Do the Right Thing, and Do What You Say You Are Going to Do: This doesn’t mean that you don’t make money. All businesses have to make money. But honor your commitments and finish projects on time. “Just do it.” If you have a piece of equipment that isn’t working, you solve the problem immediately and then figure out who is going to pay you.
2. Set High Goals and Focus on Them: Visualize, write it down, meditate, pray, whatever it takes. Picture the goal, and don’t let anything get in the way. This is applicable to the business, your employees, and yourself. I set goals in this way when I played sports. I would decide how many tackles a game I wanted to get and then visualized myself busting through the line and making the tackles.
3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate: Whenever you think you have done enough, communicate more. Communication builds and maintains relationships, facilitates innovations and solves problems.
There you have it! Short but impactful leadership principles you can carry with you whether you are in your first job out of college or moving into your 10th year as C-level executive.
