Surround Yourself With People Who Know More Than You Says COO
Colleen Leader is the chief operating officer of The Abington Club and runs the daily management of the company. Leader helped establish the stellar reputation of The Abington Club in Montgomery County. The club offers fitness, golf and aquatics for the whole family.
What is your educational background?
"Although I obtained a college degree in theater, art, and English, I can honestly say that the majority of my educational background stems from the school of hard knocks, strategic mentorship, and a drive to learn and perform. The past 15 years of my career have been entrepreneurial in nature. I've had both successes and failures. I've learned to identify my strengths and weaknesses and surround myself with individuals who know more than I do and were willing to share that knowledge. I am a voracious reader and, while my husband was getting his masters and doctorate in business, I took the opportunity to devour his textbooks and discuss how I could implement the strategies discussed. My education is far from over, I will continue to learn and evolve."
What is your background in management?
"I have been an entrepreneur for the past 15 years. When I first graduated, I worked as a telecom sales rep and realized quickly a standard 9 to 5 wasn't for me. I launched a start-up in the early 2000's and grew the business over the years. Building a company from the ground up was one of the hardest and most rewarding experiences of my life."
How has your education fueled your management success?
"Both my formal education and my mentorship through the years have helped me build a management style that is quick thinking and ever evolving. The ability to understand others perspectives, encourage employees to think outside the box and take changes to implement their ideas to propel the company forward is instrumental to any manager's success. I've been very fortunate to surround myself with individuals who get my style and succeed working in that type of environment."
What advice would you give someone who is pursuing a career in business management?
"I have found over the years that I've applied many strategies I've learned both formally and through mentorship that have served me well over the years. I highly suggest following these key strategies. Here's my top 3:
1.) Listen first. No, exceptions. My Mom said that's why God gave you 2 ears and one mouth.
2.) Surround yourself with people who know more than you. Then apply strategy number one.
3.) Invest in your staff and community."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/