I recently went one on one with Andy Bennett, CEO of mPrest.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Andy: I was put into leadership positions at a pretty young age. To a large extent, I think I originally resented being a leader or a manager because it detracted from my technical growth. Overtime, I think I began to understand that my leadership impact was stronger than my technical impact. On a day-to-day basis that translated into my spending more time listening to my team, and not feeling that I was wasting time.

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business? 

Andy: You’ve got to pick your thing. Large companies often have difficulty innovating, while small companies often struggle to define their “hedgehog,” i.e., the thing that they can be great at. “I am a big believer in the 3 Horizons Model (3H), outlined in The Alchemy of Growth.  The 3H model, which divides growth objectives into 3 categories is extremely important in helping companies at all sizes build and manage their growth initiatives. It helps differentiate from the core of the business (the stuff that pays the bills) from future ideas that show promise.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams? 

Andy: It is all about the people. I had an amazing and impactful boss early in my career that reminded me (constantly) that 100% of the value of our company came in the door to the office every morning and left the office every evening. As a leader, it’s imperative that you surround yourself with knowledgeable people versus being the expert all the time. Your team is your greatest asset, and while the big decisions still sit with you, input from others can and will lead to the best outcome for your business.

Adam: What are the most important trends in technology that leaders should be aware of and understand? What should they understand about them?

Andy: While AI gets a lot of hype, I think the potential is massive. I am not in the camp that says it will solve every problem we have. However, I feel that AI’s ability to assist in automation could have massive impacts on society. Specifically, at mPrest, we’ve invested heavily in applying our technology for the energy industry, which is in the midst of one of the most disruptive changes since the invention of electricity – decarbonization, decentralization and digitization – driving an urgent need for integration between legacy and new technologies.

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader? 

Andy: I’m a big believer that people only really respond to observable behavior. As a leader, you can state that you stand for certain values, however, teams will only respond positively when your behavior matches those values. If that behavior differs from those stated values, that can be a very bad thing for morale. For example, I once worked for a company that made the decision that sustainability was going to be their driving mission. The President of that company would show up to leadership discussions driving a gas-guzzling Humvee.

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Andy: Attain feedback. As painful as it can be, pursuing feedback from peers, subordinates, etc. is the best way to derive a 360-view of how your leadership qualities are translating.

Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing and branding?

Andy:

• Listen to your customers

• Invest in your people

• Drive for authenticity

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Andy: I had a boss once take me aside and suggest that I stop using absolutes in my dialogue (written and verbal). Using absolutes tends to shut down conversation and alternative opinions, and ultimately limits flexibility. Now I (never) use absolutes.

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share? 

Andy: When I look back at the last 25 years of my career there is a direct correlation between when I was at my best with how well I was leading teams. Put another way, when I spent the time and energy with people, I showed the best results.