Summary of Rod Ruiz’s leadership interview
- Leadership Mentor/Role Model: Bill Wariki, one of Rod’s first supervisors, inspired him by leading from the front, always being present during new building setups, and fostering a strong team culture. Rod adopted Bill’s approach in his own leadership.
- Surprise About the Leadership Role: How well his experience from larger companies adapted to a smaller company. He realized that direct face-to-face interactions with employees were just as important as customer service.
- Biggest Leadership Lesson Learned: The importance of FaceTime—being physically present with employees, engaging with them personally, and actively seeking their feedback. This builds trust and cohesion within the team.
- Best Leadership Decision: Winning over a skeptical team leader when taking over a new unionized account in Washington, D.C. He built rapport by creating personalized name tags with employees’ photos and country of origin, which helped foster connections with building tenants. This approach turned a resistant employee into one of his best team members.
- Worst Business Decision: Not standing firm when an underperforming employee resigned. Instead of allowing the resignation, he followed the CEO’s direction to retain the employee, which led to continued issues. He learned the importance of sticking to his convictions when making personnel decisions.
- Excitement About the Future: The janitorial industry gained more recognition and respect during the pandemic due to its role in disinfecting workplaces. He is excited about the industry’s increasing importance in maintaining healthy business environments.
- Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Leaders should not just have an “open door” policy but also an open mind and open emotions. Integrity, honesty, and direct communication—whether the truth is difficult or not—are essential qualities of strong leadership.