Vision, Team, Execution: The Reginald F. Lewis Model of Business Leadership
My journey as an entrepreneur has been about learning how to execute. In order to execute, you must build the right team and have a vision that will motivate the team. This thesis has driven me most of my adult life.
Because I recognized the importance of execution, I decided to earn a Master of Science in Project Management at The George Washington University School of Business and, rather than an MBA. The core of the curriculum encompassed an engineering approach to management, but the focus almost always returned to team, relationships, communication, and effectively deploying talent. One of my favorite professors repeatedly said you can have the perfect project plan but if you can’t organize and manage your team, you will fail 90% of the time.
In this regard, a 1987 Black Enterprise Magazine cover story about my late Uncle Reginald F. Lewis is insightful. One of my favorite quotes comes from Michael Milken.
As I read this, I’m reminded that the right vision and the right people will take you far. The right business deal, in conjunction with the right team, will attract the right capital, if the deal and the team are properly organized.
My firm, Good Word Digital and our wholly owned subsidiary Standard Social, are the result of an extended season of preparation. At times it has been easy to wonder why “success” hasn’t happened sooner; why so many partnerships and business deals, while mostly good ideas and opportunities failed to come to fruition. Then I think about Uncle Reg. When the Black Enterprise article was written, he and Michael Milken had known each other for quite some time. Over that time, Uncle Reg engendered a level of understanding and respect which allowed Mr. Milken to embrace my uncle’s vision and team, and back him with $1 Billion dollars! Uncle Reg had the courage to cast an extraordinary vision. And he organized a solid team. He knew how to motivate people and he was prepared!
But getting in position to execute took years…
My father tells the story of being in the office when Uncle Reg sold McCall Patterns and the newspaper called him an overnight success. To which my uncle responded, “Yes, but it was a long night.”
I had the pleasure of attending the school assembly at the Reginald F. Lewis High School in remembrance of what would have been his 74th birthday (Dec. 7). The theme for the event was, “Failure Is Not An Option.” This certainly reflected my uncle’s attitude. The ability to toil during the “long nights” — and to convince business partners, spouses, and family to toil along side of you — enabled my uncle to focus his vision, perfect his approach and succeed.
Determination, hard work and the ability to inspire others to embrace your vision, even as you perfect its design and plan its implementation, are what separates those who can execute and create value in the marketplace from those who simply wish to trade in the commodity of ideas.
“Ideas are a commodity. Execution of them is not.” — Michael Dell of Dell Computers
As I look to 2017 and begin to see the hint of a sunrise on what has certainly been a long night in my entrepreneurial journey, I am reflecting on these critical elements for successful execution. Regardless of whether a sunrise is fast approaching or there are still more hours in this night, I will keep going. No matter what.
Keep going. No Matter What. -Reginald F. Lewis
