I had the privilege to have lunch with an icon of industry and community, Mr. Jim Ferman, who I am honored to call a friend. A distinguished, silver haired, gentleman who has built a multiple brand automobile dealership juggernaut, in the Tampa Bay area and beyond.
I was particularly touched by his gesture to our waiter (who he knew) who complained that the ‘check engine’ light in his car had come on. He quietly pulled out a business card, jotted some notes on it, and gave him a contact who would fix his problem — gratis.
After lunch, he took me for a private tour of his head office that runs his mega corporation. I was particularly impressed how his people reacted to him. He stopped and introduced me proudly to everyone, and made small talk to show them that they mattered. I sensed they really admired his leadership.
As I walked down a hallway adorned with glowing tributes to his contributions to the community, I realized that his success has not come easy. It’s been built on decades of long hours, hard work, business savvy, and probably some divine intervention.
He has promised to do an interview with me for the blog. “You mean we can talk over drinks?” He said tongue in cheek. “What can be better than that”?
About Hemant Rustogi
Dr. Rustogi,
When employees feel appreciated and valued by their leaders, they are more likely to go above and beyond toward their company and will be more accountable. Moreover, they will be much happier in what they are doing and roles they are assigned to. If leaders disregard the importance of connecting with employees, they will lose the benefit of a dedicated, long-term team. Thanks for Mr. Jim and thank you for the post.
Best Regards,
Badreldin Shakwir