7 Ways Albert Grimm Strives To Be An Effective Leader

Albert Grimm, Jefferys GreenhousesAlbert Grimm, the 2016 Greenhouse Grower Head Grower of the Year, has a print on his office wall of the “Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People” from author Stephen R. Covey.

“I try to live by these habits to the best of my ability,” Grimm says. “Sometimes it works, other times I fail, but I keep working at improving this aspect of my life.”

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Here’s how he does it:

  1. Increase your self discipline. “I have been doing my best to avoid negativity and instinctive reactions to unexpected daily challenges. For example, I have a one-hour rule and a 24-hour rule: when you’re angry, wait at least one hour before giving a verbal response, and at least 24 hours before writing an email.”
  2. Show consistent kindness. “I am trying to ignore my ego when insecurity strikes. If I am comfortable with myself, it is much easier to be comfortable with colleagues. If I am comfortable with my co-workers, it is easier to treat them with kindness.”
  3. Set realistic goals. “I aim to prepare myself for imperfection, so that I can more enthusiastically appreciate the degree of perfection that we are able to accomplish.”
  4. Welcome criticism. “When I am being critiqued, I try to accept the painful sting, and I very consciously search the opportunity that waits in the shadow of whatever I failed to accomplish.”
  5. Be a solution finder, not a problem identifier. “This goes back to a question from one of my mentors, which I have memorized for many years: ‘Who is worse for a company — someone who makes an honest mistake, or someone who sees the mistake unfold and does nothing but wait for an opportunity to point it out?’”
  6. Show boundless enthusiasm. “I learned this at the Dale Carnegie Course, which is probably the best educational experience I ever had. We can learn how to pump ourselves up to be positive, wear our chins high, smile at people, and tell them: ‘Yes we can!’”
  7. Embrace those opportunities. “Ultimately, in this industry, we are all in the same boat. Sooner or later, we face the same challenges. Instead of sulking over the fact that the world is not fair, we should always look for ways that allow us to turn a challenge into an advantage. Those of us who make a habit out of looking for an opportunity within each challenge will have a nose-length’s advantage over our competitors.”

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