Growth Strata•Gems Magazine Growth Strata•Gems Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 7

autocratic approach. He had to get buy in and unite the workforce. “I do believe culture is king. My role is to prove that a ‘People First’ approach is key to success,” he argues. 6. KEEP AN EYE ON THE FUTURE. Today, most business climates change quickly. “I wanted to prepare for the future,” says Blackman, “so I created a Next Generation Advisory Board (NGAB) comprised of young, high achieving professionals and business leaders. A key role of the NGAB is to ‘reverse mentor’ me and our executive team.” Thought leadership takes a company into the future, and sometimes that means listening to insights from new voices as well as established wisdom. 7. MAKE YOUR MISSION MEANINGFUL TO STAKEHOLDERS. History and tradition were important at Gold Eagle, and Blackman understood that his core purpose must honor that. “There’s a real drive to preserve and protect the things people love--not just products, but well-balanced work and home life, community engagement, continuous self-improvement and financial well being.” In shaping the company’s mission, he committed to prioritizing those things while promoting growth. Long-term employees and customers could see that what mattered to them, also mattered to Gold Eagle and Blackman’s team. 8. FIND A SHARED “WHY.” Why are Blackman and his company successful? Because a culture has been created where people believe what he believes. Believing in shared values, mission and purpose - a “corporate why” - is proof that people will pull together and rally behind leaders they like, respect and trust. Blackman proves this every day. 9. SET THE TONE FOR EMBRACING CHALLENGES. Change is a constant, and success depends on taking chances. But those who have already “made it into the club” may be resistant. So Blackman believes that showing you are “comfortable being uncomfortable” is a powerful way to prove yourself to others who are complacent. “Exemplify how every failure can be a learning experience. If you fall short, articulate how that will motivate you for the next time. Try again.” 10. SHOW BOTH GRATITUDE AND PREPAREDNESS. “At times, I’ve been in awe of entrepreneurs who have started their company and shared their experiences with me. I’ve been so fortunate to be part of such a successful, long-standing company,” he acknowledges. Blackman has been careful to acknowledge their help and influence. But with the rapidly changing business climate, he knows that these mentors and role models expect him to step up. They want to see their tutelage put to good use, and that he is ready for any challenge. u Kevin Daum is the best selling author of Video Marketing for Dummies and ROAR! Get Heard in the Sales and Marketing Jungle; and columnist for Inc.com and contributing editor at Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). Mr. Daum is an Inc. 500 CEO, with more than $1 billion in sales record, who grew his online audience from 50,000 followers to more than 800,000 in less than 18 months. Selling is often hard and painful; most people struggle with it. Make it easier by creating a compelling message that speaks to lots of different people. ROAR! uses a fun and entertaining story to show you EXACTLY how to create the right message, deliver it consistently, and connect with all of the different buyers. 7 SPRING 2018 | 7