Chef, Leader, Packet Whisperer. After working in professional kitchens for decades, Jerry decided it was time to take his knives on the road. The destination? The internet, where the stakes were just as high but he could leave work smelling the same as he did when he clocked-in. Luckily, the Venn Diagram of skills overlapped well. Quick decision making and a sense of accountability; understanding interpersonal communication and a sense of urgency; timing, tracking, budgeting, mentoring.
As a chef he ran kitchens with 60 direct reports managing 24/7 operations and up to 13,000 clients a day. As the director for network engineering and operations he ran a team of 20 maintaining 24/7 operations and taking uptime from 96% to 100% in a year. He intentionally diversified the team, pushed every member to certification, and celebrated them going off to bigger, better things.
No matter the industry, leading a successful team begins with instilling a sense of personal accountability and nurturing a cooperative atmosphere. Everyone’s input is important and no one is above the team’s standard.