78. Growing Forward Podcast featuring Tom Olson

Tri-Cities Influencer Podcast with Paul Casey

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Paul Casey: it's a great day to grow forward thanks for joining me for today's episode with Tom Olson Tom is the general manager of our local costco in kennewick and I.

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Paul Casey: asked him if there's anything quirky bottom, he said he was a pretty straightforward guy but he did mention he's got a little OCD so Tom tell us a little bit about your OCD.

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W486MGR: All right, yeah I guess it's that's a tough thing to talk about I could give you a couple of examples.

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W486MGR: So on the homefront i'm kind of got to have all my short sleeve shirts in one area my long sleeve, and I kind of have them color eyes.

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W486MGR: I cancer kind of the same way and I get a little irritated it's off Center but I like tire and I like to the body, so I hope my wife out but I took us probably about as quirky as I get at home, it away.

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Paul Casey: Thank you.

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Paul Casey: Well we'll dive in after checking with our tries to the influencers sponsor.

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Paul Casey: Thank you for your support of leadership development in the tri cities.

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Paul Casey: Well, welcome Tom I was privileged to meet you in our in a church small group and we call ourselves the business band of brothers and we get to we get to meet every Wednesday morning first thing and encourage each other and boy it's just been a delight getting to know you that way.

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W486MGR: yeah absolutely I think that's looking back at the last you know well, basically, after the first year it's probably.

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W486MGR: One of the more important things for me personally just just us leaders and not just happened men, you know husbands are getting together and kind of an accountability group it's been great.

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Paul Casey: It has been great will flourish tri city employee influencers get to know you a little bit Tom tell us about tell us a little bit about costco and your role there and what you spend 80% of your day doing.

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W486MGR: Sure sure well hopefully most most people that listen to the podcast have been out a costco or been to this costco which, which I find most places I go the tri cities, everyone knows where we're at, but you know, we obviously a big volume unit in retail us, you know just.

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W486MGR: We.

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W486MGR: We obviously move groceries non food, so we have everything under one roof, but you know my job as a general manager, this is very high volume in here in kennewick, and so we have about 500 employees and 20 I think 23 departments so really my job is going around.

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W486MGR: looking a little bit of the details understanding their business, a lot of it is just motivation going around and and encouraging, especially after a tough, you know this last year and a half for sure.

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W486MGR: talking with the employees being true to their Square and and they're they're on board emotionally and cost goes here to help them out there, but you know.

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W486MGR: it's a lot of motivation this job you know we have a limited amount of skews or the from the business aspect not too taxing just a lot of motivating quite honestly.

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Paul Casey: Why do you love what you do Tom.

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W486MGR: yeah I was thinking through that question, and I really had two answers the first one is I love the dinette the business dynamic of costco I love the value element of.

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W486MGR: You know the giving people a value for their money and it's been that way for almost 37 years now just I like the value dynamic.

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W486MGR: More importantly, is is I like the LIFE changing dynamic have seen you know i've been around the world, literally with costco and just him.

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W486MGR: Involving myself in people's lives, seeing them grow and mature and reach their you know goals as leaders in our company and teaching our business dynamic which is awesome So those are the two things that really keeps me honestly going every single day.

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Paul Casey: And it sounds like you're a CEO you're the chief encouraging officer.

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W486MGR: I always am the barnabas barnabas of commerce, calm yes.

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Paul Casey: yeah for sure yeah for you folks that don't go to church out there barnabas is a biblical character of like he was an encourage or he came alongside people.

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Paul Casey: Pretty cool that's pretty cool and, if I remember your story right you've been here a long time or costco you've been with them, for many, many years tell us a little bit about your journey there.

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yeah.

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W486MGR: You know, really simple I went to.

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W486MGR: Gonzaga Washington state went back to Gonzaga my mom was a professor at Gonzaga so plan graduate with a degree in history to teach high school and.

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W486MGR: coach athletics, and then costco I got hired on student employment their third building it was one of the first 600 people hired employment at Gonzaga and.

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W486MGR: I remember my mom cried for like days when I told her I wasn't going into education, I decided to stick on with costco and and it's it's.

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W486MGR: Because i'm, the last of the baby boomers I heard him explain the generational you know the the baby boomers generation X and i'm in the last year of people who just get one job and stick with it, I guess.

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W486MGR: On the original.

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Owners but.

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W486MGR: Just love like I said it's been simple to stay just because it's a great company in the things things that you're so.

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Paul Casey: Good stuff yeah it was it was in Japan is that.

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W486MGR: You also went with guns yeah yeah it.

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W486MGR: In 2014 2015.

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W486MGR: I was able to go over to Japan as a director, and so I have nine buildings between Tokyo and Hiroshima and.

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W486MGR: was able to spend time over there kind of an expansion of of encouragement they're having multiple buildings and then came back in 2017.

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W486MGR: it's been a brief time with corporate and then I really didn't do last for four years and.

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W486MGR: love the location or.

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Paul Casey: It can we let the cat out of the bag there's a new casco coming to town right.

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W486MGR: yeah yeah that I think that came out in the news, a few months ago yeah we've we've got the blessing for that, which is good news for the tri cities and they're treated costco very well and.

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W486MGR: You know I haven't heard a lot about how it's moved I heard it's moving slow like a lot of construction now just due date, you know hands and having proves big enough and supplies.

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W486MGR: But it's but it's out there and it's kind of it's kind of happen, which is awesome that's great for the tri cities so.

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Paul Casey: It will well you've got 500 employees 23 departments, who do you choose to surround yourself with on your team to help.

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Paul Casey: You in the organization be successful so within costco and then, if you think about outside of costco are there, people that you associate with to help you be successful outside the building.

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W486MGR: yeah that's a great question.

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W486MGR: You know, having to teach that same dynamic to my managers of Detroit that surround yourself with people that think exactly like you do.

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W486MGR: Up it took me quite a few years, I have three immediate assistant managers that that work directly with me and I make a point of it.

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W486MGR: In when interviewing to just.

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W486MGR: not make the mistake is running people that think, just like me, you know I i'm a pretty animated guy i'm pretty high strong believer not and I am a stickler on details and.

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W486MGR: I ordered but i'm really transparent and honest and forthright, and so I appreciate that for my immediate assistance, I know that when I do kind of mix up things or mess up something I have a relationship with a couple of my systems where they can come in and close door and go hey.

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W486MGR: You know that wasn't so cool that interaction need to circle back, and you know i'm learning, the most important words you know.

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W486MGR: over my career of saying hey i'm sorry, are you know hey I messed that up and yeah here's what I really meant.

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W486MGR: And costco has all the triggers to set things sideways I mean our volume the stress of the job, the amount of people you see each day and we're we're very busy unit so.

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W486MGR: it's important to surround myself with people that can say that without fear of an email he's gonna he's going to be really upset so i'm always thankful to the person who bring some of that stuff to my attention.

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W486MGR: I think that's the first key and then outside of work.

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W486MGR: know that lonely at the top thing is somewhat true that's why I think i've kind of enjoyed our relationship and smoker you know.

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W486MGR: it's important to have accountability to some group of people or someone if you want to grow and it's easy when you're at the top, you know you're basically.

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W486MGR: i'm it know 400 miles away from our corporate office and it's easy to kind of go out on your own so accountability is important and, of course, my wife, you know she squares me up daily you know, which is important.

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W486MGR: You have to kind of keep some kind of keeps me in a box, which is good.

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Paul Casey: Sure yeah love the diversity of thought surround yourself with people who aren't clones of yourself but have a different talent mix different perspective.

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Paul Casey: And also surrounding yourself with people that speak with candor and allowing that candor and not snuffing it out, but know welcoming that feedback from your inner circle is so huge.

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W486MGR: yeah I am you know, I was talking with my staff and the meeting this morning, you know with being a successful we're one of the few retailers, where people stand in line to wait outside and.

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W486MGR: We got our yearly meeting every year for weekend Seattle, the number one thing right as a company is being arrogant, you know the arrogance and the pride.

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W486MGR: are dangerous, and so I try and emulate that in the fact of the way we deal with our Members are refund policy, what we do.

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W486MGR: it's easy to get arrogant and prideful and those are dangerous.

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W486MGR: And so i'm not I don't want to be that way when people give me feedback, I give them chemical feedback are expected the same way.

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W486MGR: As long as it's in truth and with respect, I mean that's that's important so.

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Paul Casey: Maybe you're answering my next question with some of that right there Tom of having a growth mindset and how do you keep evolving as a leader after doing it for so many years, with the same company at the highest levels.

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Paul Casey: what's what's in your own personal and professional development plan.

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W486MGR: yeah great question.

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W486MGR: You know, some of it i'll be honest with you has been accidental or you know some of it has been costco and their training, you know they've been forward thinking, I think, was forward thinking.

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W486MGR: Our mantra the last few years and it's i've evolved with it is being a leader and not a manager, now we talked about you manage your checking account manager bank account manager, you know you manager yards your yard and your fertilizer but you need people on and how you need you know.

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W486MGR: I try and be open, you know I trying to be open to ideas, although there are times, where I don't always agree with everything that's that's talked about I feel like you have to stand for something you have your own personal beliefs.

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W486MGR: But I try and forward think you know right like right now we're already planning this week for November, December and January the holidays, how are we going to get through the holidays, what are we going to do we don't wait for it to sneak up on us.

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W486MGR: And it's been hard because i'm at the older end now, the man leadership's back on the costco you know.

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W486MGR: Is ease and the exercise it's been hard to relate and communicate and.

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W486MGR: i've had to learn about because we're constantly relearning you know don't understand necessarily their thought process I got there, there are part of our workforce, and so I try and re educate myself as I can.

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Paul Casey: You know that's a good point how what have you seen has been the biggest benefits conflict in between the different generations when it comes to communication.

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Paul Casey: What have you learned you've had to adjust to because it's not it's not the baby Boomer way you know, to communicate that way, what have you learned.

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Now.

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W486MGR: boy I think you know learned a lot about myself, you know the willingness to change number one.

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W486MGR: Number two.

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W486MGR: We talked about it a couple weeks ago, as a group, as a regional meeting or retail meeting we had on the phone and.

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W486MGR: The encouraging thing I found is whether you know we can put labels on everybody, but I think when you talk about compassion, we all share compassion, I think all of the generations, want to feel good about the work they do and how they're doing.

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W486MGR: it's just how do you cultivate it from each different, and I find it with honesty and it's what the compassion, you know and being appreciative.

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W486MGR: You know, when I first started out in the early at these working you know appreciation wasn't necessarily part of the workforce.

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W486MGR: He was like you're you're getting paid that should be good enough and you don't just spend a lot of my time.

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W486MGR: Like today I walked in and through three people at six o'clock morning hey you got a minute before you leave today.

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W486MGR: They would turn you off today can I talk to you for a second you know and they they want to feel included in the compassion so that's important but yeah it's it's a boy you can't sit still on it, because i'm going to do you're behind the curve for sure.

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Paul Casey: yeah like I said managing it we manage people and we met projects and budgets and facilities, but we lead people, and that is a different mindset.

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Paul Casey: Even though we're called managers, many of us where we are, we are the leaders and we got to put on our leader had every day.

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W486MGR: yeah absolutely absolutely and you know some of these are in their 20s and 30s now we're part of a large generation of divorces and moms.

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W486MGR: Who were kids post it, and so I find I connect with that group Berlin Wall, they just want to know, someone cares.

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W486MGR: They interact with them and I get 100% almost buy in because I truly appreciate, they just want contact in which it's an interesting group of degeneration nerve but.

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W486MGR: everyone's, as you know, everyone's different than in the workforce it's if it's always changing and i'm not perfect, for sure so.

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Paul Casey: appreciation is like oxygen I think.

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W486MGR: Oh it's.

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W486MGR: great praise great word.

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Paul Casey: Well, how about when you're in when you're in a leadership position with that many people under you or you get moved toss from store to store over your career.

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Paul Casey: there's probably a temptation for burnout and maybe even a drift towards negativity because of the stress that people are under, how do you Tom feed your mental emotional spiritual health and wellness on a regular basis.

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W486MGR: very, very, very question.

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W486MGR: I think it goes back to you know my belief, you know what I what I believe.

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W486MGR: Reading a lot, you know Christian churchgoer obviously and that keeps me Center you know I want to live a Christ like life so it's giving a lot, you know that's how I gauge.

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W486MGR: A lot of my success at this point in my career is how much, am I, giving I don't consider myself necessarily a taker a little pretty simple.

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W486MGR: And, as I, you know mature that gets more important, you know just kill it giving.

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W486MGR: This last year on year or two with the code in the extra stresses i've started being a walk more incorporate some pains with my wife and I, you know we can offer insurance eating more and and visiting and.

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W486MGR: Because you know we never missed a beat her when people went home and stayed home, we were we were probably busier and we've been and you know as far as gaining market share and so on.

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W486MGR: it's not easy, but a great sound whole life itself, as you can make it with some good communication and.

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W486MGR: I didn't mention either, but we have a lot of fun here.

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W486MGR: We do, and honestly we keep it fun we keep it up like was it probably a little too much sarcasm, at times, but light and fun and I think having fun and enjoying what you're doing is an important part of being you know, keeping yourself stable, you know it's needed for sure.

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Paul Casey: yeah I think people produce better when they're having fun at work when they're happier.

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W486MGR: yeah.

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Exactly yeah.

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Paul Casey: yeah and I think if I think a little bird told me you get up awful early in the morning to start that connection with.

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W486MGR: him i'm I sleep in spurts.

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W486MGR: And I used to find it but i'm absolutely I go to bed early but i'm very early in the main room nice little bit more, but yeah i'm i'm never afraid to engage people we started 230 in the morning here and we close up around 1130 so.

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wow.

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Paul Casey: Well, how do you get things done, Tom what's what's a what's a general manager do to organize themselves with the amount of stuff coming at you on a daily basis, you know.

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W486MGR: i'm pleased to announce that it is still as simple as just writing things down.

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W486MGR: And I stared out a yellow pad in front of me right now with you know five or 10 of the larger departments and I moved from one piece of paper to the next cross things out keep the major things in front of us.

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W486MGR: We over communicate here, whether it be by email or phone, more importantly, at the volumes we do each day now.

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W486MGR: We have a regimented failsafe plan of walking every day and having a plan for the next day to where there's trying to eliminate as many surprises.

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W486MGR: Yes, can we look to see what's coming in and free tomorrow and can we have a plan for their employees don't get frustrated with moving things 10 times.

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W486MGR: So I think it's a sin, you know, trying to keep it trying to keep it for me, probably peace of mind written down and then lists.

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W486MGR: And in the world of emails I delete a lot of you have especially our office that just started, you know I found frivolous and fortunately for me i've been pretty lucky there but.

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W486MGR: yeah writing it down having a plan, and then we talked about forward thinking you know.

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W486MGR: He picked up the win and then they sleep better and then they they feel better they don't dread going to bed and staying up on my you know they know they have a plan and keeps everybody keeps everybody Square.

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Paul Casey: Very cool the old legal pad.

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yeah.

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W486MGR: Still we're.

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W486MGR: Still.

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Paul Casey: going to get that shot adobo mean when we cross them off our last.

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Paul Casey: Well before we head to our next question is, I want to pick tom's brain a little bit more than that forward looking a shout out to our sponsor.

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Paul Casey: So Tom you mentioned forward thinking, I really love that I love I think leaders have to be visionary, they have to look around corners, they have to see like you said, the Christmas season coming.

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Paul Casey: How do you specifically step back and look at the bigger picture and not just put out fires all day long.

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W486MGR: it's probably it's a great question and I found when reading through you know you give me this list that some of this has been a natural reaction, but I think in there many in the pace of this day and age, and the pace of my business.

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W486MGR: It may be cliche, to say the highs and the lows, but I just find I take all that out, and I just try and keep everything on a straight line, not that there's a lot of emotion for my business and a great job appreciate that getting excited celebrating you know when we have successes but.

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W486MGR: In in crisis that's that's come daily like you know whether its members don't fall, you know going down in the workplace, we had a couple suicides here this year is or will.

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Be.

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W486MGR: I don't let the staff or the group dwell on things I don't let them over talk it or I believe conversation should be productive and you know reflective and so there's.

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W486MGR: I just look at the bigger picture and I like to talk about down the road I don't like to talk about the failures of yesterday and on this silly like to talk about today, I think when you're keeping your staff looking forward with their eyes up they're not falling down, looking back.

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W486MGR: When we mess up we.

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W486MGR: We take a couple minutes, where hey, why did that happen what what happened there, but I don't you know, send out 10 more emails and hit him up the next day like don't you remember.

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W486MGR: Last time you failed it's.

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Paul Casey: yeah.

581

01:29:20.910 --> 01:29:28.290

W486MGR: We just kind of we always try and keep it pitched out in front of us where we're kind of chasing that which I think is a good feeling for most people.

582

01:29:28.890 --> 01:29:36.660

Paul Casey: yeah It makes me think like in track and field like we're an Olympic season now you know, a track and field where they are the runner looks to the left or the right that's when they.

583

01:29:36.900 --> 01:29:38.400

Paul Casey: They lose momentum right.

584

01:29:38.790 --> 01:29:40.170

W486MGR: Great analogy perfect.

585

01:29:41.160 --> 01:29:44.730

Paul Casey: yeah that's why I named my business growing forward services.

586

01:29:47.040 --> 01:29:48.540

W486MGR: Not growing sideways right.

587

01:29:49.680 --> 01:29:52.770

Paul Casey: yeah it's staring backward that it just doesn't have the same.

588

01:29:52.800 --> 01:29:53.160

Paul Casey: Time.

589

01:29:53.760 --> 01:29:54.660

Paul Casey: It doesn't have to do it.

590

01:29:56.700 --> 01:30:08.940

Paul Casey: Well, you mentioned you brought up Kobe there what key moves did you have to make for costco and the last year and a half to two years, seemed like you said you stayed open, you are deemed essential You ran out of toilet paper, like everybody else.

591

01:30:10.470 --> 01:30:11.070

Paul Casey: How did you.

592

01:30:11.220 --> 01:30:14.340

Paul Casey: How did you stay responsive and strategic and during coven.

593

01:30:15.090 --> 01:30:15.450

know.

594

01:30:17.250 --> 01:30:25.530

W486MGR: On on a lot of levels, probably the toughest year in my career, but on a lot of levels, probably one of the most successful team building years for.

595

01:30:25.830 --> 01:30:28.620

W486MGR: My for my building in our company.

596

01:30:30.720 --> 01:30:32.010

W486MGR: You know, it was.

597

01:30:33.150 --> 01:30:37.530

W486MGR: You know, we kind of locked arms and just said, you know we're going to do this and and.

598

01:30:38.760 --> 01:30:51.690

W486MGR: One of the key things i've had to do, which has been very, very tough for me exponentially, the last year and a half, because we've hired we've seen five years of growth percentage growth in this market.

599

01:30:53.220 --> 01:30:54.840

W486MGR: Five years worth in the last year.

600

01:30:55.350 --> 01:30:56.070

Paul Casey: well.

601

01:30:56.130 --> 01:31:02.940

W486MGR: And so, now we probably increased our staff by 25 to 30%.

602

01:31:03.960 --> 01:31:11.160

W486MGR: i'm and i'm a hands on guy so you know, and I love big volume, but I also like to know, every detail of what's going on and.

603

01:31:12.330 --> 01:31:27.690

W486MGR: Why, I found out real quick and the first three or four five months of this last year I just kind of have to let a few things go spend more time being articulate listening, the clear on goals, allowing more failure, sometimes you know.

604

01:31:29.850 --> 01:31:40.650

W486MGR: You know, talking through those scenarios and maybe it wasn't we weren't clear enough and how we planned it so you know five years had a very high volume building either pre covert.

605

01:31:41.730 --> 01:31:50.640

W486MGR: i've had the world of just honestly remember you know how may become a kind of a different manager again, you know rebuild myself again.

606

01:31:52.350 --> 01:31:57.210

W486MGR: And there's been a lot of pluses and then there's been there's been some some tough road to but.

607

01:31:58.350 --> 01:32:00.000

W486MGR: we're stronger team this year for sure.

608

01:32:02.550 --> 01:32:03.030

Paul Casey: wow.

609

01:32:04.140 --> 01:32:13.830

Paul Casey: That in you know you said, like the couple suicides Oh, you know, in an organization or in the periphery, I mean the mental health drain.

610

01:32:14.340 --> 01:32:18.150

Paul Casey: Like you said you had to reinvent yourself as a manager to be that cheerleader.

611

01:32:18.540 --> 01:32:34.920

Paul Casey: You said articulation clarifying goals and letting some stuff go talk to me about that was it, you said, your OCD that must have been a struggle to actually take all this experience and put a few things to the side, while you reoriented towards being a cheerleader.

612

01:32:35.160 --> 01:32:41.850

W486MGR: yeah very projects from the top down, and again this morning as early as this morning we're talking about.

613

01:32:42.990 --> 01:32:54.900

W486MGR: i'd have, I do have my staff in the morning, half the stuff in the afternoon, and you know somebody brought up kind of a loose and that was part of the way we do our business and it kind of exploded into.

614

01:32:57.000 --> 01:33:01.530

W486MGR: We use retail failures and pen and not sarcastically but.

615

01:33:03.450 --> 01:33:14.790

W486MGR: You know the arrogance, if you look at companies like kmart or shoes or where they lose their way, and they lose their target focus and they lose their their basics nothing's kind of eat away at your culture.

616

01:33:16.530 --> 01:33:22.770

W486MGR: very, very hard from you like even I just give me an example, like our register set up here, we had 18 registers pretty cool but.

617

01:33:24.060 --> 01:33:31.170

W486MGR: We now have 28, but a lot of them are set up in the normal standard costco procedure which is you know we always have somebody helping the cashier.

618

01:33:31.260 --> 01:33:33.900

W486MGR: packing Well, now we have a tan at each end.

619

01:33:34.470 --> 01:33:40.620

W486MGR: or just somebody standing there with the gun, you know, so the checks and balances of there, which is an increase in shrink.

620

01:33:41.190 --> 01:33:46.590

W486MGR: it's an increase in that you know i'm just uncomfortable with that piece of it at the same point.

621

01:33:47.370 --> 01:33:53.880

W486MGR: We don't have lines anymore, and our Members can get in and out and it's quicker and so there's a cost of doing.

622

01:33:54.870 --> 01:34:04.620

W486MGR: I guess that's the best analogy, I can give you I mean it my stomach kind of turn sometimes and i'm looking at it, but then, I have three Members walk by and go man this place is great, we got him we got out.

623

01:34:06.150 --> 01:34:14.070

W486MGR: And yeah you know every six months cycle, the last couple, we ran a little higher shrink, not a lot, because you know you can see our box of cheerios right.

624

01:34:16.890 --> 01:34:21.120

W486MGR: But we have a little bit just missed items, you know just because of our volume and so when.

625

01:34:21.930 --> 01:34:35.700

W486MGR: that's an example of just having to let it some of it goes a little bit and that you know the way this dynamic is set up right now we kind of got to give a little to be sure we're taking care of our people and our Members so.

626

01:34:37.020 --> 01:34:38.880

W486MGR: it's maybe an example yeah.

627

01:34:39.210 --> 01:34:40.740

Paul Casey: Thank you for the extra check stands, we.

628

01:34:40.740 --> 01:34:41.820

W486MGR: appreciate yeah.

629

01:34:42.930 --> 01:34:46.320

W486MGR: I do get a lot of local and it's good for people, you know we we don't.

630

01:34:47.640 --> 01:34:57.750

W486MGR: We definitely almost doubled the size of the front end which which now we can move people per hour or more people per hour through the building when we have parking spots, so now now.

631

01:34:58.140 --> 01:35:03.450

Paul Casey: A lot of good stuff in that pivot and and even though you know I don't like it when you move the potato chips across.

632

01:35:03.450 --> 01:35:03.690

there.

633

01:35:06.000 --> 01:35:07.530

Paul Casey: there's a thing called change.

634

01:35:09.780 --> 01:35:12.720

W486MGR: I wish I had $1 for every time someone's got on you, by moving.

635

01:35:14.370 --> 01:35:17.580

Paul Casey: How do you help people handled change.

636

01:35:17.790 --> 01:35:19.770

W486MGR: yeah it's a.

637

01:35:21.660 --> 01:35:28.920

W486MGR: You know I I put it to people when, especially when we're there are some things that we change, like our shirt or.

638

01:35:29.970 --> 01:35:41.400

W486MGR: Product line or whatever, but you know when you're asking someone to make changes in their leadership style I always say it's not a haircut issue you know that's my haircut taking minutes for most people yeah.

639

01:35:42.060 --> 01:35:57.450

W486MGR: More you say head or like that shirt to wear that small you know that's an easy one, but yeah when you start getting into you know hey you really need to make some changes here about the way you articulate about the week listen your body language.

640

01:35:58.770 --> 01:35:59.520

W486MGR: You know.

641

01:36:00.630 --> 01:36:02.910

W486MGR: Why, those are tough and you have to be patient.

642

01:36:03.960 --> 01:36:05.160

W486MGR: You have show patients.

643

01:36:06.600 --> 01:36:12.150

W486MGR: And again that's where just become an open and honest and articulate and being a good listener.

644

01:36:14.910 --> 01:36:25.350

W486MGR: i've had some retirements to this year, you know they're saying, have a business outgrows people sometimes it does you know, we have some people know 3839 years and built this company and.

645

01:36:26.100 --> 01:36:33.810

W486MGR: Changes art and they're tired tired, you know, this is a tiring business where like like a lot of organizations, but.

646

01:36:35.100 --> 01:36:39.810

W486MGR: I have had some people just tell me hey i'm I can't do that.

647

01:36:41.220 --> 01:36:54.570

W486MGR: Like I appreciate the honesty, but rather need to go a different direction, those are those are those are good conversations and honesty and then friendship and then respect to other other people in the work they've done but.

648

01:36:57.390 --> 01:37:04.950

W486MGR: Most people are willing to do it we're pretty lucky we have that I think we have the best retail team and in the United States, if not the world I.

649

01:37:04.950 --> 01:37:05.580

Paul Casey: mean.

650

01:37:05.880 --> 01:37:10.200

W486MGR: We can move the business and move the product and keep our Members happy.

651

01:37:11.250 --> 01:37:12.210

W486MGR: you're pretty good job.

652

01:37:12.660 --> 01:37:13.170

W486MGR: yeah.

653

01:37:13.590 --> 01:37:14.070

Paul Casey: i'm trying to do.

654

01:37:14.250 --> 01:37:18.570

W486MGR: That without being arrogant but i'm feel like we're pretty stronger.

655

01:37:19.380 --> 01:37:32.490

Paul Casey: yeah that's so cool to be able to say that everybody can say that's that's that's pretty awesome and you mentioned there's there can be performance issues, there can be attitude, you know or behavior issues, there can be paste issues right and.

656

01:37:32.610 --> 01:37:38.100

Paul Casey: I mean you have to confront you probably have to confront each one of those a little bit differently right as we.

657

01:37:38.400 --> 01:37:39.720

W486MGR: Absolutely, you know.

658

01:37:43.410 --> 01:37:50.250

W486MGR: You know i've always been fortunate I think if you ask my staff i'm i'm a pretty tough guy i'm pretty tough on the basics.

659

01:37:51.570 --> 01:38:02.310

W486MGR: But I I think working for me is like that the worst roller coaster you're I always tell the stuff that you ever went on a skirt you sometimes but you can't wait to go on and do it again.

660

01:38:04.080 --> 01:38:09.600

W486MGR: And they love it pretty you know picking people enjoy working for me, but I think part of that is you know paul's we've talked.

661

01:38:10.080 --> 01:38:23.070

W486MGR: When you're organized and when you have plans and you have successes it builds it builds trust it builds trust in the fact that we're successful and we're a team, and we have a plan.

662

01:38:24.210 --> 01:38:33.390

W486MGR: That helps you know build the team, and you know, so we talk about relationships, a lot here, we talked about trust.

663

01:38:35.220 --> 01:38:41.610

W486MGR: You talked about being open and honest and you know we're not perfect, but but we try awful hard.

664

01:38:43.560 --> 01:38:52.680

Paul Casey: yeah well tell him, finally, what advice would you give to new leaders or anyone who wants to keep growing and gaining more influence.

665

01:38:54.330 --> 01:38:54.690

Paul Casey: yeah.

666

01:38:56.910 --> 01:39:04.470

W486MGR: Well, my formula my formula has always been one of my biggest strengths, thank goodness, is just working hard.

667

01:39:05.640 --> 01:39:19.200

W486MGR: At what I do I hope that's never replaced I think hard work is rewarded, no matter what you're doing whether it's in the yard or at work or whenever you see the fruits, it has to start with the willingness to be able to work hard.

668

01:39:21.570 --> 01:39:23.970

W486MGR: And they're really appear stepping into being.

669

01:39:25.410 --> 01:39:39.120

W486MGR: managing a business or leading are really sit down by yourself and understand the difference between what's managing and what's leading and then I don't want to mix it up in today's world leading people is very, very difficult.

670

01:39:40.020 --> 01:39:49.320

W486MGR: And, as a result, I always suggest reading doing a lot of reading doing a lot of having an accountability group getting feedback.

671

01:39:50.730 --> 01:40:00.180

W486MGR: Getting coaching whenever you can can you know hey what could I be doing, and the last thing, be able to take some criticism that was hard very, very hard for me.

672

01:40:01.230 --> 01:40:02.460

W486MGR: To use.

673

01:40:03.510 --> 01:40:13.380

W486MGR: i've been doing this 36 or 37 but I will say the first 15 years or so, I wasn't very receptive to that or areas for improvement.

674

01:40:15.660 --> 01:40:20.610

W486MGR: And I finally i've learned hey if I if you're getting some some.

675

01:40:21.750 --> 01:40:31.680

W486MGR: You know, encouragement to improve in certain areas it's probably because someone cares about you and they see potential Ai be a little worried in today's day and age, if they're not saying anything.

676

01:40:32.460 --> 01:40:32.850

yeah.

677

01:40:34.860 --> 01:40:42.510

Paul Casey: Well, for I know you're a golfer Tom and they say, if you take a golf lesson from a pro would you get mad at the golf pro for adjusting.

678

01:40:43.680 --> 01:40:43.980

W486MGR: yeah.

679

01:40:45.600 --> 01:40:47.520

W486MGR: i'm just gonna hit it straight or I don't want to do that.

680

01:40:49.980 --> 01:40:50.820

W486MGR: me what to do.

681

01:40:52.080 --> 01:40:54.510

W486MGR: Sure that's a great analogy yeah.

682

01:40:56.160 --> 01:40:59.550

Paul Casey: Good stuff so Tom How can our listeners best connect with you.

683

01:41:01.560 --> 01:41:17.340

W486MGR: You know, for me, it's and I get it a lot with people as he a church or people I see around you know, the Community is just coming in and saying I think everybody comes through here asked for me at the door i'd love to sit down and talk with anybody.

684

01:41:17.880 --> 01:41:23.430

W486MGR: Some time come into the office you know it takes 1520 minutes or whatever it is, but.

685

01:41:24.510 --> 01:41:33.570

W486MGR: yeah generally you know six and a half days a week or six five and a half days a week my i'm right here, trying to keep my arms around the place.

686

01:41:35.370 --> 01:41:35.850

W486MGR: So.

687

01:41:36.390 --> 01:41:43.080

Paul Casey: yeah that's very generous of your time well thanks again for all you do Tom to make the tri cities, a great place.

688

01:41:43.110 --> 01:41:44.730

Paul Casey: and keep leading well.

689

01:41:45.240 --> 01:41:45.420

Now.

690

01:41:46.950 --> 01:41:50.880

Paul Casey: Let me wrap up our podcast today with a leadership resource to recommend.

691

01:41:51.420 --> 01:42:00.690

Paul Casey: And it has to do with training I would love to be your training buddy someone that you could hire to come in to help your folks grow in their soft skills.

692

01:42:00.930 --> 01:42:09.480

Paul Casey: But that's emotional intelligence or their personality style whether it's handling conflict and receiving feedback well like Tom and I were just discussing.

693

01:42:09.780 --> 01:42:24.060

Paul Casey: would love to come in and do a lunch and learn for your team or half or full day training, please go to my website Paul Casey calm reach out and we will make it happen in the second half of 2021 as things are opening up.

694

01:42:25.800 --> 01:42:33.600

Paul Casey: Well, again, this is Paul Casey and I want to thank my guest Tom olson from costco for being here today on the tri city influencer podcast we want to thank our.

695

01:42:34.110 --> 01:42:43.740

Paul Casey: sponsors and invite you to sponsor to support them and we appreciate you making this possible, so that we can collaborate to help inspire leaders in our Community.

696

01:42:44.070 --> 01:43:00.480

Paul Casey: Finally, one more leadership tidbit for the road to help you make a difference in your circle of influence Benjamin Disraeli said action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action until next time kg F keep growing forward.