I’ve worked at McShea & Company for 24 years. At one of my first meetings at McShea there were three men and one attractive young blond woman in attendance. Having spent most of the previous 12 years of my life in the male-dominated, testosterone-laden, highly competitive world of college football, I was not expecting a woman in the meeting. Surely she’s only here to get coffee, I thought arrogantly.
Imagine my surprise when I found out the woman, Laurie Craft, was there to lead the meeting. To this day I remember how she took command and laid out a well-thought-out, extremely detailed plan to grow the McShea Management Company – of which she happened to be the president. She certainly made a believer out of me that day. She continued on with her outstanding leadership as she led McShea Management Co. from its modest beginnings more than twenty years ago to the present day, when the company manages over 8 million square feet of commercial real estate.
I’m thankful to Laurie for setting me straight that day. In the past 24 years I’ve had the opportunity to work with many women in our business and have learned to appreciate and respec the many contributions they make to the success of businesses across the region.
I may have once been a Neanderthal football coach but I’m nobody’s fool. I realized quickly that in business, as in coaching, it’s about putting the players in the game that give you the best chance to be successful. The only difference is, in this business that player might just be a woman. And, thanks in large part to Laurie, I’m just fine with that.
Have a great weekend,
Ro
No comments:
Post a Comment