How was your job different than you thought it would be?
I really wasn’t prepared to work at the gas station. The first time someone asked me to check their oil at the gas station I poured it into the dipstick hole. I really didn’t know what I was doing, but thought “all I have to do is pump gas, how hard can that be?” I did the same with delivering newspapers, and learned that if your throw is off, the paper is going to end up on the roof. I had to crawl through many neighbors’ upstairs windows to retrieve papers from the roof before I figured that out!

What important lessons or skills did you learn in your first job that have been instrumental in your success?
I learned to first find out exactly what’s expected of you, and then always do more.

Which of those lessons, and how, carried into subsequent jobs after your first? How do you use those skills in your position today? I’ve always tried to show my employers that I’m more than they bargained for when they hired me. I always do more than what is expected.

Have you seen how lacking those first job skills had negative effects on others?
I managed a YMCA day camp when I was 16. Some staff members did no more than what they could get away with, and I didn’t really trust them. I had to assign staff to do things like collect money from the campers, and I only gave those additional responsibilities to those individuals who were committed to their job and whom I trusted. I learned then that integrity is the most valuable leadership attribute.

Is there a specific event in your first job that you learned something you still use today?
I wasn’t really sure of what was expected of me when I worked at the gas station, and never asked. Now I make sure that what I expect of my employees, and what they expect of me are clearly defined up front. It is the first thing I teach when I do executive coaching, because it’s so important, yet so often overlooked.

What obstacles that you faced had the greatest impact on your career path?
I was always the young kid on the block, which spurred some cynicism and jealousy when I accomplished more than my older peers. For example, I was younger than my coworkers when I was appointed to a management position at Bethlehem Steel. I knew they doubted my abilities, so I had to work that much harder to prove myself.

What people or outside factors affected your work ethic or motivated you the most to succeed?
In high school I had two inspirational teachers who really had a lasting impact on me. They told me to always seek excellence, and never settle for mediocrity. I’ve also had a mentor in every job I’ve had.

When I started at Bethlehem Steel my boss told me “the first time that one of the union guys thinks you’ve lied to them, you’re gone. You must be someone that they believe.” That advice has stayed with me throughout my career.

What advice would you give to someone starting his or her first job?
“Absolutely be honest. People will pay you more money and pay more attention to you if you put forth a good effort and you’re honest. It’s the most sought after quality in the workplace today, especially among young people.”

What do you find most rewarding about your position today?
When I do executive coaching, I love seeing people who genuinely want to improve themselves after they see themselves as others do. When they are committed they get results.