Beyond Work Heroes: Ed Rapp

I love to coach and to mentor. Spending time connecting with people, putting people first, is the favorite part of my day. In doing so, I am often asked questions like: Do you have a mentor? Who are your mentors? How often do you talk to your mentors? How do you use your mentors?

These are all very good questions, and my response always begins with the following: since one size does not fit all, there is no one right answer.  Personally, I rely on a “Board of Directors” – a group of individuals from different companies, generations, and countries for advice. Each of my directors brings a unique perspective to any given topic.

One of my directors who has been an endless source of inspiration on a multitude of topics is Ed Rapp. Ed had a very successful 37 year+ career as an executive with Caterpillar.  He served as my work hero during my early years there. What I have recently realized is that Ed is much more than a work hero for me. He taught me, thru his example, how to strive to be the kind of person that I want to be. 

Ed has written a book that references the “triumphs and tribulations” experienced in his successful career. I have read and reread it; and given it to others.  There are several lessons that stand out to me from Ed. I recite these Ed-isms without the book anywhere near me:

1. Measure twice, cut once: take the time to prepare and do it right the first time. This is not just a proverb for carpenters.
2. Behind a desk is no way to view the world: Get out of the office and out from behind the spreadsheets and presentations. Talk to your customers, visit with your organization and channel, see your products in action. Experience the business.
3. Unpack your bags: Enjoy where you are, regardless of how ambitious and driven you are. Relish the present.
4. Don’t forget who pays our bills: Take care of your customers first.
5. Have a granular understanding: It is impossible to lead a business at 30,000 feet. Drill down into the details. This does not mean micro-manage your team but understand how the business really works.
6. Set the tone: Start each meeting with “rules of engagement."

It is this last point that I want to expand on: setting the tone.   I remember “co-hosting” a meeting (I use the term very loosely as Ed was many levels above me) with Ed, our dealers and customers. It could have been a hard meeting, a contentious, finger-pointing session. Ed opened the meeting, after safety, with a slide to set the tone: our rules of engagement. He set the tone from the beginning that we treat each other with respect, be courteous, be open to different views, and that we refrain from continuing the conversation outside the room. 

I have since used this same approach: setting the tone from the beginning in most meetings that I host. What I realized though upon reflection is that Ed was not just setting the tone for that work meeting; he was setting the tone for how we interact both in and away from the office. He was imploring all of us to be better than we are, and in that role, he leads by example.  https://staystrongvsals.com/