The Importance of Persistent Leadership

Quality leadership is in the news more than usual these days, thanks to the upcoming presidential election highlighting something successful industry leaders know: Stellar leadership stems from persistence of excellence in every area of an operation—from the Oval Office to the box industry.

As Mark Williams, Chair of AICC, the Independent Packaging Association, notes, leadership themes have been at the forefront of the association’s focus for years, and he continues the emphasis this year by highlighting the value of “persistent leadership.”

Persistence in continual improvement, Williams says, is crucial to a team being the best it can be—especially the team of multiple players needed to make the best box possible.

For many box manufacturers, championing leadership is an ongoing effort at every level of production and management to ship out the best product possible and harness the latest improvements available.

Within the last year, employees of MaxPak in Lakeland, Fla., participated in AICC’s Mastermind Group, a 12-week online program aimed at helping leaders create goals, sharpen business and personal skills, and increase work effectiveness and satisfaction.

Time management and the ability to delegate work were two key areas of growth for Dave Rodriguez, who attended the training sessions with the company’s sales manager and controller.

“As managers, we have to be able to put things in perspective and delegate things to other people,” he says. “That frees up my time and allows them to grow in their responsibility and leadership skills.”

Leading on the Floor

Rodriguez, who got started in the box business more than 25 years ago as a baler operator, says his natural tendency is to focus on what’s happening on the floor.

“I cut my teeth on the floor before I moved into supervision, so if something is going on there, my focus is there,” he says. “I like to do things a certain way, so I was always asking, ‘Why did you do things that way?’ The training helped me to see where my focus needs to be now and how to empower those on the floor to be more productive and take more responsibility.”

As managers, we have to be able to put things in perspective and delegate things to other people. That frees up my time and allows them to grow in their responsibility and leadership skills. —Dave Rodriguez, MaxPak

When one of his team members comes to him now with a problem, Rodriguez says, he intentionally doesn’t run in to fix it, but rather he acknowledges the problem and then challenges the team member to figure out the solution.

“This helps build trust in the supervisor on the floor when others see he doesn’t have to run to the boss every time there is a problem,” Rodriguez explains. “I don’t micromanage my people; I give them the freedom to do their job.”

Another mark of a persistent leader is the ability to listen. It’s a skill to talk with people, not at people, who work for you, he says.

“Sometimes I get so caught up in the fires of the day that I forget the importance of just listening and not spitting out answers before they talk,” Rodriguez admits. “I feel I have a great rapport with the people on the floor because they know I have an open-door policy and they can come talk to me about anything that’s going on at work or at home.”

When the tough conversations do need to be had, Rodriguez says he is intentional about remaining open-minded, welcoming communication, and keeping everything said in his office 100 percent confidential.

Rodriguez says the results are paying off for his company, evident in production numbers that have almost doubled in the past five years.

Thanks to increased efforts by the sales team that have resulted in increased production, employees no longer have to worry about the plant shutting down for several weeks in the summer or being sent home early because of no work, he says.

Company leaders make it a point to share the company’s vision and its progress with employees and seek their input on what would make their jobs more efficient. Communication is a priority that trickles down from General Manager Steve Wasko.

“The morale has really improved here; people feel good about coming to work at MaxPak,” says Rodriguez, noting that it’s never a good time to rest on one’s laurels. “We’re always looking for what’s new and what’s coming next. You’re never done.”

Diane Parkinson, an account manager for Michcor Container, Inc., in Grand Rapids, Mich., checks out a new production piece with company owner John Pettengill.

Leading in the Field

Diane Parkinson shakes her head in disbelief when prospective buyers tell her that no sales representative has ever before asked them what criteria they have to meet when completing a sale.

“I take the conversation away from selling to learning about their company,” says Parkinson, an account manager for Michcor Container, Inc., in Grand Rapids, Mich. “What is their annual usage? What’s the damage, if any? What’s the perception of their customers when they receive their boxes? I take discussion of a price quote completely out of the first 15 minutes of our meeting.

“It’s about building rapport and valuing the client more than selling your pitch. If people feel you have helped them in more ways than just money … you can’t put a price on that.”

After several years of training sessions on how to become a leader in sales, Parkinson says she’s a big believer in the impact training can have on performance if the participant is open and willing to learn.

“Training has absolutely paid off for me,” says Parkinson, who credits AICC trainings on strategic advantage, behavior modification, and time management with emboldening her to become the best sales representative she can be. “When I hear someone say, ‘Well, this is going to be boring,’ I think, no, learning makes you a more powerful salesperson. You can’t be old-school or complacent.”

“You learn a bit about yourself and what holds you back, whether you’re overselling or talking yourself out of a sale. You learn how you can set yourself apart from other box sales reps,” she says.

From attendance at AICC trainings, Parkinson says she learned to sharpen her time-management skills and hone in on her territory management.

“You have to become a very well-oiled machine,” she says. “You’re there to educate and offer quality over that old cheesy polyester suit salesman mentality.”

If harnessed correctly, technology is a great ally to help a sales rep know her prospective client. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest offer tidbits of information about a person’s interests, education, and role within a company that can help sales reps tailor their initial contact to be more effective in meeting that person’s needs or interests.

For a female in a male-dominated industry, learning how to build a relationship with prospective clients who are men is a crucial training topic, Parkinson says.

“I don’t ask a guy to go out to lunch or play a round of golf with me,” she says. “These are married men, and I have to do things a little differently. I’ll offer to buy lunch for his employees instead and get to know him that way.”

Parkinson says one huge thing she’s learned from training is the value of transparency from the moment she walks through the door to make a contact.

“People want to trust their sales rep and build a relationship,” she says. “I don’t come in with a big briefcase and feeling pressured to make a sale. I come in with an ink pen and a couple of business cards in my hand and a genuine interest in learning whether we are a good fit—and I never oversell our ability to meet their needs.”

It may take several phone calls and more than one meeting, but nonoffensive persistence pays off in leading the way to new clients and keeping them.

“And if it doesn’t go well, I don’t let the negative clutter my closet, because that can sabotage you,” she says. “I listen to self-motivating talks in my car, and I stay positive. If something goes wrong with an order, I know I am responsible, even if six or seven hands touched it after I sold it. I defuse the situation and resolve the problem in a calm fashion, because that has a good effect.”

Andrew Akers, second from left, participates in an Emerging Leaders field trip at WestRock in Richmond, Va., conducted by AICC Chair Mark Williams in June.

Emerging Leaders

For 32-year-old Andrew Akers, a management trainee at Akers Packaging Service Group in Middletown, Ohio, leadership training is a valuable way to connect with peers in the industry and learn the ropes from seasoned professionals.

Akers, who about a year ago came aboard the company founded by his grandfather in 1963, is enrolled in AICC’s Emerging Leaders program. He has two previous jobs in the sales industry and his MBA under his belt, but the connections he’s making through Emerging Leaders can’t be beat, he says.

“I am meeting people who will be my peers as I grow in this industry, and I’m getting great exposure to leaders of different departments—from the manufacturing process to the sales process to the customer service process—which is a good way to get my feet wet,” Akers says. “It allows me to take my previous experience and pepper it with experiences of others.”

The program is designed to offer special education and opportunities to rising stars in the paper packaging industry—typically those under age 35—so they can develop into the industry’s next generation of leaders. Participants meet regularly at AICC meetings, participate in industry training programs, and network with others across the industry.

Emerging Leaders paired Akers with mentor John Davis, CEO at the Great Northern Corp., who welcomed him for a tour of the facility and shared the ups and downs of his own journey in a family business.

“More than likely, anything I encounter, John will have seen before,” Akers says. “Knowing he will have a helpful answer rather than me banging my head against the wall is a great benefit. He is also paired with a peer mentor who is a fellow participant in Emerging Leaders as a further way to encourage mutual support.

“Becoming a leader takes hard work. You digest as much as you can, and you keep your eyes open. It’s an ever-evolving thing.”

— Andrew Akers, Akers Packaging Service Inc.

Akers says he is impressed by the collaborative spirit within the AICC membership. “There is a ‘we’re all in this together’ mentality and a great willingness to help one another,” he says, noting that Emerging Leaders gives him exposure to AICC leaders that he otherwise might not have had.

“The Chair hosts a field trip each year,” he says. “Mark Williams hosted us at his facility, which was a great experience.”

Fostering good leadership qualities, whether in oneself or in others, does indeed take persistence, all those involved agree—which makes training opportunities all the more relevant.

“Becoming a leader takes hard work,” Akers says. “You digest as much as you can, and you keep your eyes open. It’s an ever-evolving thing.”

Parkinson agrees, “You’re always getting rid of old habits and getting ready for the new you. Training definitely helps you maximize your effectiveness—and who doesn’t want that?”

Carolyn Kimmel is a freelance writer based in Pennsylvania. This is her first contribution to BoxScore.