CFO Studio Magazine with Bernd-Peter Bier, CFO, Bayer

4th QUARTER 2015 WWW.CFOSTUDIO.COM 25 is one of the ways successful leaders lead. Employees know they are being heard and respected and that the organization values their contributions. Dancker, Sellew & Douglas (DS&D), a Somerville, NJ–based interior solutions firm, has been in business for more than 180 years. In 2012, the current CEO became the majority owner of the company and implemented a six-person leadership team from all different backgrounds with varied skill sets, said William Hendry, DS&D’s CFO. In order to ensure the leadership team is working as a cohesive unit, company leaders participate in leadership training every Wednesday for two hours and during two off-site events held every spring and fall. “As an executive team, we’re really focusing on the customers first. Then, we are focusing on our employees — empowering them…” said Mr. Hendry. “We do whatever we can to build morale and inspire employees to enjoy coming to work and pulling together to do a better job for our customers.” Employees who are engaged and feel good about the environment in which they work will be more productive. It’s important to remember that when it comes to employee engagement, a one-size-fits-all mindset can be an ineffective approach. “I have lived in many countries, and have learned that what worked in one part of the world would not necessarily work in another. For example, in Chile you have to be a very formal leader, because even the doorman wears a suit in the summer. In Puerto Rico, I would take my people to a bar for drinks some Friday evenings to build camaraderie and to get them engaged with each other,” said Javier Daly, CFO, TerraCycle, a Trenton, NJ–based recycler of post-consumer waste. A successful leader is authentic, genuine, and recognizes the motivations of those he or she leads. “Understanding the culture of an organization, either as it exists or as it should become, and then making sure that the style of leadership coincides with that culture, is essential,” said Mr. Zezas. Genuineness and authenticity are important traits of a great leader, agreed Tobey Rumack, CFO, Universal Marine Medical Supply International, a Staten Island, NY–based maritime industry supplier. “One can be a great communicator, but if that person is not genuine, their followers will eventually become disenchanted. When there is not trust, followers will not go the extra mile,” said Ms. Rumack. Visionaries Another hallmark of successful leaders is that they have a clear and concise vision and are able to communicate that vision. “People will respond better if they understand why you’re changing what you’re changing, why you’re going where you’re going, and what the vision is,” said Eileen Black, Controller, Stevens Institute of Technology, in Hoboken, NJ. “A successful leader will lay out ‘Here’s why we’re taking this approach and heading in this direction. And then, it goes even deeper than that,” she added. “We’re the bridge between that vision and employees. Great leaders help their people overcome barriers that may stand in the way of achieving the objectives and succeeding.” Discussion leader Bill Craig pointed out the nuances of leading in an institution like Stevens, versus a public company. “When I led a public-company turnaround, it was easy, because everybody saw the numbers and knew every quarter what we were doing. When you’re a leader, and specifically a CFO, in a private company, often ownership prefers not to share sensitive information, so it’s really important to be articulate and communicate well to get the buy-in.” Gift cards, cash, merchandise, and travel as incentives are effective business tools that promote or encourage specific actions. Successful leaders understand the power of incentives; James Emmerson, CFO, Oradell, NJ–based Huntington Learning Corporation, is one of them. “Our company Eric Wukitsch (L.) and Carey Heber were among the finance execs at the small markets dinner “WE DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO BUILD MORALE AND INSPIRE EMPLOYEES.”