Ten Fundamentals to Leading (and Living!) with Purpose - Tom Schmitt

I lead by ten principles, ten leadership imperatives that our team decided were integral to our success. In my time as a CEO, I have never seen the importance of these tenets emphasized so much as in the past two years and I now strive to live by them. Navigating the pandemic revealed the value of leading with empathy, and the companies who did this well are likely on strong footing today. When business is good, you’re enabled to push and motivate the company to exceed goals, but leading through challenging and turbulent times – often when a business needs maximum care and effort – you must know when to stop pushing. Sometimes leaders need to make things lighter, not heavier.

This was the approach Forward Air took in 2020, and these principles not only led us to significant growth, +30% this quarter, but also helped strengthen our company culture when we needed it most. I’m sharing them today because I believe in them so strongly, and because we have the results to prove their worth. I’ve made these tenets simple, because I believe breaking things down into clear strategies is a smart path to success, so much so that I wrote a book about it titled, “Simple Solutions.”

I’d love to know if principles like these are working for your company. Send me comments and feedback, and let’s help everyone move Forward this year.

1. Make your strategy real for everyone. We engage the entire organization with our “Double Double” goals, double-digit revenue and margin growth. When given the opportunity, people often choose to be confused, so you must be crystal clear about your intentions and goals. Companies can get caught up in buzzwords and goals that not every employee can understand or relate to. Ensure that your plan, and your reasoning behind it, can be articulated by every member of the team.
2. Operate as ONE. Remove silos and collaborate to identify shared opportunities. Departments or divisions on seemingly opposite ends of the work spectrum can be more like-minded than you may think. Bringing teams together and making sure every employee feels like they have a stake in your company’s future can create impressive results, and, just as importantly, impressive company culture. This was never more important than in December 2020, when we were hit with a cyber-attack. We spent our “alternative holidays” going dark for two weeks – operating with pens, pencils and phones. There was no finger-pointing; just a unified team operating as one.
3. Look beyond your four walls. Learn from, and partner with, the best of the best in your industry–that’s what we do. I am left-brained, very book smart, and fact-oriented, so I strive to connect with people or organizational leaders that think and operate differently. When you’re open to learning how others achieved their goals and finding ways to collaborate, you raise the bar, and that’s good for everyone.
4. Act with integrity. Build and earn trust in everything you do – both as a company and as individuals. Do the right thing, even when no one is watching. Employees can sense and appreciate this transparency, and it usually leads to longer tenure and better work. I believe that we should try to leave a place better than we found it. Do not wait for the funeral speech to celebrate someone’s impact or share your appreciation. Make people and places better, in every interaction, everyday.
5. Hold yourself accountable. We focus on action and accountability. For example, the trucking industry is traditionally white male-dominated, and it’s great for us to not only remember, and actively hire across every demographic and skill set. We hold ourselves accountable to prioritize and to achieve remarkable results. Assigning accountability roles to employees can positively empower them, as well as the process.
6. Lead with empathy. We approach all interactions with compassion and understanding. Empathy is a word that was probably underutilized in business until a few years ago, but it has a vital role to play. Acknowledge that a situation isn’t ideal before diving into problem-solving–take a moment to understand what someone else is experiencing, as it can often lead to opportunity. I try to communicate that ”when it sucks, it sucks.” Sometimes people just want to hear that, and it is an easy thing to do. Forward was not prepared for COVID-19 at the onset, but by listening to employees we were able to adapt quickly and forge new ways to benefit our customers that we didn’t even know existed. Ultimately, it made us stronger as a company.
7. Communicate with two ears, one mouth. Our people are heard, seen, and play an active role in directing our future. As I learned at FedEx, “PSP,” or people, service, profit – in order of priority – places value on helping people succeed. When employees know their concerns are taken seriously, or ideas they have could be implemented, they feel valued and will deliver outstanding service. Profit naturally follows.
8. Enable teammates to move FORWARD. To boost morale, I consciously choose to radiate positivity. I show up for my team. It’s important to use energy positively, and it’s crucial as a leader to continue to show up, literally and figuratively. A positive mindset will work wonders to keep the team’s momentum strong.
9. Remove the ceiling. As a company, you always need to keep looking left and right, but you also must create an environment where employees keep looking up. Set intentional trajectories for your teams and employees, so they know – and can clearly see – how to reach the top. Think big, and help your team push beyond expectations and perceived limitations. One approach my teams have used to achieve lofty goals is to ask, “what would have to be true for…” Then we name the toughest goal and put pen to paper, listing the things that would have to be true for that outcome to become a reality. Then we go after them.
10. We do not wait. We promote a distinct sense of urgency at Forward. My motto during COVID-19 was “we do not wait,” and as a result, we found new avenues to operate in. You may be surprised at how eagerly employees will take on new tasks or explore new frontiers of their fields. The motto worked so well, we still use it today. In fact, we banned the use of the word “wait” inside our company. ?When we are directionally right, we move.?We are a high-speed business, not a philosophy club.

I’ve seen the transformational power of these ten principles when implemented and supported at work, and I’ve also experienced their incredible power in my daily life. Each of these guiding principles can be applied to life outside of the office–living and leading with purpose gives us strength and the tools to always move FORWARD.

Tom Schmitt - Chairman, President and CEO