Leading an employee-owned company doesn’t necessarily mean all the employees think like owners. Today’s guest, Ken Misiewicz, is the President and CEO of Pleune Service Company, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company.
On this episode of The Clarity Advisors Show, Ken and host Ken Trupke talk about the unique challenges of running an employee-owned company, building trust throughout the organization, and staying relevant across multiple generations. They also discuss the importance of conveying important information logically while also connecting emotionally.
Episode Highlights:
- How to build and maintain an employee-owned company.
- Listening skills are key for making improvements within the company.
- Building trust is vital for maintaining a cohesive team.
- Generational changes are important for a leader to consider.
Timestamps:
[01:02] Ken Misiewicz’s rise through the ranks.
[02:19] Ken Misiewicz’s current team structure.
[03:56] The challenges of employee-owned companies.
[06:37] Having a dedicated safety manager.
[08:18] Ken Misiewicz’s lessons from building a team as CEO.
[09:25] The challenge of making changes.
[11:00] The importance of leading with the human element.
[12:33] How to gather and process negative feedback within the company.
[15:33] To improve listening skills, the mindset is continuous improvement.
[17:00] Building up trust consistently over time.
[18:31] Employee-owned vs. non-employee-owned companies.
[20:13] Ken Misiewicz’s advice for new leaders.
[23:13] Encouraging people to push back against conventional thinking about going into the trades.
[25:36] Ken Misiewicz’s go-to advice.
[27:29] Ken Misiewicz , the continual learner.
Episode Quotes:
- “The values have to be aligned and the motivators have to be aligned. You can’t force people to your way of thinking.” (Ken Misiewicz)
- “You don’t want to get so far out there that there’s nobody with you.” (Ken Misiewicz)
- “Right now, the mindset needs to be more inclusive and not tribal.” (Ken Misiewicz)
- “You grow as you go.” ( Ken Misiewicz)
Episode Resources:
- Atomic Habits, by James Clear.
Follow/Connect with Ken Misiewicz:
