My work day had started out like any other: email open on the screen in front of me, coffee on my desk. But as the day went on, I was compelled by my team to reflect on the greatness and untapped potential of the ITS community. And since that day, I’ve thought about it often.
You see, that week I had witnessed simple and effective responses to driver concerns. The ITS team worked swiftly to find solutions, which made me proud. But what made me just as happy was knowing that ITS is a place where drivers feel comfortable voicing their concerns, because they know those concerns will be taken care of.
Both of these things – the voicing of concerns and the response to them – are a demonstration of what it takes to be a great trucking company. And while I can’t give an accurate breakdown of all the acts of leadership and integrity carried out day after day by the truck drivers and other staff that make up the ITS community, you can bet there is plenty of evidence that those things are happening every single day. Statistically speaking, most companies don’t possess this greatness. But WE DO! And we have yet to tap into our full potential, so stay tuned for that!
Most statistics and commentaries from trucking-business improvement articles state that 6o to 95 percent of all business improvement efforts fail at the beginning phase. There are a number of reasons stated for this – from inaccurate data collections to the most common reason, which is failure to support the vision of the improvement.
I always feel deep discontent with these commentaries, because they imply that 60 to 95 percent of trucking businesses fail to find true passion to be better and to transform their companies into something great. Maybe this is a fact – I’m not yet sure – but what I do know is that every successful business or truck driving job that I’ve been a part of was always made up of great people who were driven by a common vision and common set of values. The truck driving jobs and companies that were not successful almost always lacked this motivation.
New York Times best-selling author and Harvard professor John Kotter echoes this in an article in the Harvard Business Review, a general business management magazine published by the Harvard Business School, by stating, “A vision says something that clarifies the direction an organization needs to move.” Kotter, an award winning business and management thought leader, entrepreneur, and inspirational speaker, also outlines eight key steps in communicating and empowering people to carry out and fulfill the vision. Kotter knows exactly what he is talking about.
In our efforts to provide perfect value to our customers, we cannot be distracted so much that we forget to provide perfect value to our team, our people. After all, the ITS Vision Statement says that we are “committed to our people in order to build a lasting home for the ITS community.” Everything rests on the people, the truck drivers who literally carry the cargo of this company.
As we move through the first month of this new year, I ask you to keep your greatness great and your vision aligned to your passion. We will see this carried out each day in these, the ITS Company Values:
Definition: Our purpose is to serve, and we respond when we are called to serve. If you wait, you are going to miss the opportunity.
Definition: By supporting and being committed/devoted to the needs of the team, ITS can be a place you can call home.
Definition: The needs of the customer outweigh our individual needs. This focus yields benefits for the company and each employee.
Definition: Treat others as you wish to be treated. In doing so, this creates a positive work environment for everyone.
These four statements are the values we follow to continuously improve this company and remain great.
Looking to work for a trucking company that appreciates and values you? Consider Industrial Transport Services. Visit our Careers page to find available truck driving and support positions in your area.
Phil Stephenson is the Vice President of Transportation at ITS, and he’s been with the company for 25 years. He has experience as a material handler and dispatcher, and he’s an expert on load planning and transportation logistics, operations management, supply chain management, business development, and process improvement. He is a Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma practitioner. Phil believes in service before self and in being an effective independent worker. He is driven by the value of caring – taking care of the company at all times, caring enough to take responsibility, and reciprocating caring and effort.
January 18 2017, 12:00 AM, Published by Phil Stephenson