Leadership Speaks will offer highlights from conversations with top executives about the challenges of leading and managing in today's marketplace. Theresa Merrill, our Director of Business Development, will conduct these client interviews, focusing on valuable insights and lessons learned.
Q. Tell me about the culture you're trying to create at J. Fletcher Creamer?
A. Years ago we developed our mission statement with our core values. We really try to walk that talk and stay true to our core values of safety, quality, integrity, production and reliability. We continue to reinforce those values to our employees. It really has taken effect on how this company has grown, how the employees perceive themselves and how others see us. Those core values, as simple as they are, are a direct reflection on how we continue to do business. In addition we pride ourselves on diversity in our lines of businesses. We are always trying to look for new and challenging technologies that make us more efficient and marketable.
Q. How does integrity get reinforced as a core value?
A. It's all about being honest, communicating-being consistent with your message. The banners we hang in our offices read "do the right thing." Staying consistent with that message is setting a level of integrity.
Q. How would you define not doing the right thing?
A. It starts with setting the right example from work ethic to honesty. Sometimes people tend to avoid telling the whole story; we try to encourage people to be honest and to tell the whole story for the convenience of all parties. We have introduced several years ago, and still offer, training with Coach Anovick. Paul has done a great job reinforcing our core values during his training which helps us stay consistent in our message.
Q. What are some of the things you can't tolerate?
A. Complacency and lack of pride. People that just come to work to have a job as opposed to people that come to work that want to build a career. In our industry we see many types of people from college educated engineers to ditch diggers. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you do it with energy, enthusiasm and pride. I see more young professionals looking to advance without willing to do the work.
Q. What or who were the biggest influences on your leadership style?
A. I think the biggest influence is Fletch Creamer, Jr. His style and his demeanor are something that I try to balance myself against when I represent the company.
Q. How would you define his leadership style?
A. He leads by example he doesn't compromise work ethic...always on top of his game. He's always sharp and making sure the people around him are-he demands in a subtle way response, reaction and results from his people.
Q. What are some of the more important leadership lessons that you've learned working with Fletch?
A. The most important that I've seen is listening...letting people speak their mind, letting them get through the whole thought process before you interject anything. That's a matter of listening first, without reacting. The biggest thing is not to react, but to listen and digest; sometimes you have to sleep on things so you can really understand how people are presenting their case on many different subjects. What's important to others must be important to you.
Q. In terms of feedback, what are some of the things that people provide to give you a sense of how effective you are?
A. Well, it's interesting, but when you get to a certain position you don't get a lot of feedback. There's the fear factor, the respect factor...whatever it is you don't get a lot of feedback. You must create an environment that allows people to offer an opinion whether it is during bid reviews or monthly cost reviews. I consider the best feedback is to see other people, that have worked with you, grow into their positions professionally. Seeing a person take on more responsibility with the right attitude means they have been mentored correctly and continue to walk down a path that you have paved for them.
Q. Tell me about your important mentors?
A. Observing my Father's career as a Sandy Hook Pilot, enjoying what he did, speak passionately about his business while never compromising the time required for his career set a standard for work ethic I try to mimic. Fletch Creamer, Jr. has been a mentor, as well. His work ethic is never comprised, he continues as CEO to provide the leadership necessary to run the Creamer Companies with integrity. I have been fortunate to work for only two other companies, but have seen very different styles in each one. I have seen greed ruin companies and complacency and dishonesty do the same.
Q. Can you elaborate?
A. When I first came out of college I worked for a gentleman who was a good leader, very similar to Fletch. The company was sold to a couple of guys who were trying to get on the fast track in the industry and were cutting corners and truthfully cutting each other's throats. They're not around any longer. It's interesting to see how they could implode a company by not paying attention to the people that mattered, which are the employees, and really just paying attention to what they thought were the people who mattered-themselves. Totally different paradigm of business planning then what we have at J. Fletcher Creamer.
Q. How do you mentor future leaders?
A. What I like to do is make sure we have a culture of reinforcement and consistency, the two biggest words I can say. There are companies that have double standards, triple standards...It's a matter of not creating separate standards for different people in the company. It's a matter of being consistent-then reinforcing those consistencies throughout every layer of the company...creating a culture of objectivity as opposed to subjectivity.
Q. In the selection process how do you identify the characteristics of a leader?
A. First thing I look at is how people present themselves. The second thing is how much time and effort they are willing to give the job without being told. I notice if they are willing to do a little more for the company and not themselves. It's interesting to watch people try to demean others as a way to get ahead. I am more interested in the person who helps others with solutions rather than prefer to watch others fail at the expense of the company.
Q. Since you've take over at the helm, changes you have made along these lines?
A. Reinforcing with individuals that they have to take ownership of their actions. That's one of the cultures that I've challenged myself with while trying to demand the same from our managers. Making people financially, operationally responsible for their projects including maintaining workmanship standards of safety, quality, and production. Having our Project managers and superintendents take ownership of their projects; creating that culture is so important that they really feel that they have direct result responsibility for delivery of a project.
Q. What do you feel is your most important contribution as a leader?
A. Listening, setting standards and goals for people and being consistent.
Thank you for your time and insight Joe.
This has been good Theresa; I appreciate doing this because it gives me an opportunity to reflect on myself.
This interview with Joe Walsh, President of J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, since 2006 was conducted and condensed by Theresa Merrill.
We are honored to kick off our inaugural interview with Mr. Joe Walsh, President of J. Fletcher Creamer and Son. JFC is a family-owned business that is ranked in the Top 400 Contractors in the United States at #208 by ENR magazine. The core values of the company are: Productivity, Integrity, Reliability, Quality and Safety.
Developing Potential, Producing Results
