LEADERSHIP CORNER
Empowerment is key for Loomis, Fargo manager

Interviewed by Katherine Nichols
Advertiser Staff Writer

Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Title: Regional manager
Company: Loomis, Fargo & Co. Hawaii, a risk-management company
Age: 37

Personal profile

• Self portrait: The key word is empowerment. I believe that most front-line managers and employees are very bright individuals. By giving them the proper tools, training, and power they can help make an organization financially successful by giving senior managers the extra time to grow the business. ... I use the cycle: Train, Delegate, Follow-up, Train.

• Favorite book: Most of the novels by James Michener: "Poland," "Space," "Hawaii," "Chesapeake." ... When you study, from a historical perspective, a nation or culture, it can provide tremendous insight into the human behavior patterns of that nation or culture. Gaining a better understanding of a culture is critical if an organization is planning to compete within that culture.

• Favorite Web site or search engine: google.com

• Most remembered mentor: Carol Halsall. She was my direct report in Warsaw, Poland. I believe she is currently the chief executive of Tricon Restaurants International. Carol truly inspired me not to be afraid of new challenges, which usually turn out to be new opportunities in disguise.

• Best part of the job: It's gratifying to watch people realize their potential and grow beyond what they thought was possible.

• Worst part of the job: Watching the continued deterioration of the security industry. In a post 9/11 era, the state of Hawai'i and several private businesses are putting lives at risk by not adequately training and arming their employees.

• Trademark expression: "What do you think we should do about it?" Nine times out of 10, managers and employees will come to their boss with only the problem. Everyone in the organization should be trained to come to the boss with a problem and three possible resolutions.

• Best Decision As a Leader: When I took over as regional director for Loomis in the state of Hawai'i, I made the humbling realization that I really did not know the risk-management industry. Consequently, I decided to let my largest customers explain to me what their definition of Loomis, Fargo & Company's role should be. Additionally, they told me their expectations, needs, and challenges. I was then able to see a pattern among most of them and I concentrated my efforts only on "win-win" solutions for all of them.

• Worst Decision As a Leader: Putting off the purchase of waist size 36-inch dress pants because I was in denial that I was not a 34 any more. I must have looked foolish.

• What I worry about most: That an employee of mine will die one day due to an accident or robbery.

• Most difficult challenge: Driving an organization's evolution. Loomis, Fargo & Company has traditionally been an armored-car company. Today we are a risk-management company offering a variety of products and services to banks and businesses in Hawai'i. It is tremendously challenging to change the public's perception of an organization that has been in existence for over 150 years doing primarily one thing.

• Leadership Tip: Go home to your family earlier than you might, and you'll find that your career responsibilities become more focused.

• Taking on... Manager/employee communication

About a year into Harper's two-year tenure as manager, he realized that he was not getting "any quality feedback from employees." The old "if there's a problem, let me know" adage just doesn't work, said Harper, who manages about 150 people throughout the Islands.

So Harper set up two forms of anonymous communication. One is a company 800 phone number that does not require employees to identify themselves. The other is a direct line for written messages, where employees can outline their concerns and not sign the paper, place it in a specific box (not to be confused with an invitation for suggestions). Every complaint is assigned a case number and investigated.

As a result, "we have discovered tons of things that have been going on," said Harper. "And we corrected the behaviors."

Because he could sense that employees were testing the water, Harper said he knew "it was critical that we followed up (on each problem) immediately." Otherwise, the process would fail.

For instance, an employee notified managers about a broken lock on a gate that the worker felt might endanger a fellow worker. It was fixed the next day.

The new methods of communication have helped the company stay abreast of violations in policies and procedures that might compromise employee safety, said Harper, thereby preventing workers' compensation issues before they arise.