Tony Norwood
Vice President Human Resources Power Tools, Ingersoll Rand
ON MOTIVATION
For teams I lead, I attempt to set clear goals; provide honest feedback; reward good performance; follow-through on consequences and actively engage in their professional development. For colleagues and peers, I try to give as much as I receive. I also believe in encouraging words when warranted and transparency to build trust.
The greatest strength you can bring to a business is to value the perspectives of colleagues and stakeholders. My belief is that the best solutions can come from building upon ideas that come from people who are closest to a situation. A couple of principles I require my teams to live by are:
- Speak-up and advocate for your point of view, and
- Suspend assumptions and really seek to understand the other person’s point of view.
I try to be a good listener, and I ask my team to do the same.
WHAT I’VE LEARNED
“Build trust through consistency. Follow through on the things you say you are going to do.”
In that vein, the best career advice I could give anyone is to understand that others have all the say when it comes to your reputation. It is important to treat everyone with respect; the security guard; CEO and everyone else matter. You must consistently deliver results. Last but not least, be an expert at trust building. You must excel in building trust with your teams, peers and bosses.
MY INSPIRATION
My parents provided me with a good, healthy environment that allowed me to dream. I always believed that I had the opportunities to do whatever I dreamed. Today my wife, three daughters and my extended family are my inspiration. I’m so thankful for my family that I want to give back by being a good husband, father, brother and son.
WHAT I’M READING
Global Tilt by Ram Charan
MY EDUCATION
I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Labor Relations from Cornell University and am currently pursuing an Executive Masters in Global HR Leadership from Rutgers University.