Yesterday we visited DiarTajhiz® Co. a known company for importing dental materials and being their exclusive distributor in this country. They import and sell many devices specially the three dental implants of IDI® (French brand), IML® (Swiss brand) and Biotem® (Korean brand) which I mostly use as our economy dental implant in clinic.
The company which is one of the pioneers in its field in the country is working for years under the leadership of Eng. Ghods. Though nowadays his son, Amin is acting CEO but still his presence is what drives the company and keeps the growth.
Almost a year and half ago they did a rebranding for the company by choosing a different color and changing their logo and becoming the main sponsor for many dental events and big congresses in the country.
I have noticed, big successful companies have great leaders and yet no two of them operate with exact similar leadership style. Definitely they all some common grounds that made them to be successful but their energy differs and one can noticed upon entering their company and conversing with their staffs.
One thing I am always fund of is to analyze such companies’ strength, weaknesses and learn from them. Somehow, I also have my own leadership style which actually have evolved lately. I never stopped learning about that because I believe:
“Learning and growth is dynamic”
Going back to our dear Mr. Ghods and his leadership style. The story of me becoming familiar with the company goes many years back when I wanted to buy a unique dental equipment of Eckler® brand; a dental light with camera that records dental procedure with high quality. That time as a young newly graduated specialist I thought such a device will be able to help me share my cases with colleagues even better (a thought that up to now I am still looking to pursue) however due to its high price and my priorities to buy other more important equipment I had to let it go. Though years alter a friend of mine shared the device’s challenges (since he used two models of it) he suggested to use another way to record my treatments. Nevertheless, I was not able to buy it and the company was forgotten.
Few years ago, I wanted to learn about Digital Implantology and I enrolled in a university-based course on the topic in the country where its main lecturer introduced us different available dental implants and one of those which he recommended was Biotem® Dental Implants as a very handy Korean dental implants available.
To be able to avail their digital kit I had bought a large number of the implant (though I hardly change my dental implant lines that I use in the clinic, unless I have had sufficient amount of research locally and internationally about the product.
After using the product, I have become fund of using it. Ease of use and its compatibility with many other dental implants were major point to be able to switch to this brand.
Through that I became closer to the company and later to its founder and CEO, Mr. Ghods.
I became their endorser and also product lecturer in many various dental implant courses. And with that our friendship grew deeper. The following are three special aspects of his leadership style that I’ve realized made his company a success.
- Being involve in all company’s activities;
When looking to company’s activities either sales of different products, sponsorships of different lectures and conferences Nationwide, travels (bringing dentists to implant manufacturing sites abroad as business/leisure trip), presenting the company abroad and internationally, or marketing, you could see his presence. He is all over of the company everywhere. Being active in such level needs a large amount of focused energy and mindset. For example, I remember when I was bargaining to purchase a large number of implants after talking to his representative in our city, he called me and we finished the deal, his closed the sale beautifully in a way that I too was happy and much satisfied.
Personally, I have seen many other companies’ Leader and CEO, (I may write another blog for that other rival company too) leave that part top their chosen sales managerial person or staff, and not get involved.
Such presence also makes the costumer feel safe knowing the company’s no.1 person looks after you. For that you need to have a certain quality that brings us to the next point;
- Communication skills and Relationship;
Through his conversation, either with me or others, I have noticed he communicates a lot, as if he like to converse with people and he is so vocal about his opinion and with that amount of confidence he clearly leads the conversation too. Also, I realized he converses differently with different people. Also, he is particular in choosing topics and words in presence of female around which I found it respectful in many ways.
Knowing what and how to express your thought in front of different people and groups is a unique skill one can acquire.
Having this skill makes him to be good in relationship too.
As John Maxwell once said;
“Leadership is about Relationship”
And no relationship and can be maintained or lasts without good communication skills. His great relationship made him to have much connections locally and internationally. After all these years I have realized to be successful, connections can have a large impact.
His relationship with his staff is also in a different level. He was a father figure in the company and though friends with them yet he was able to maintain respect for authority too. Personnel would talk to him freely and yet respect him like their father.
That is relationship-based leadership that even many family fathers fail to create in their own family.
That brings us to the 3rd point;
- Employees’ Integrity and Loyalty;
When I asked one of the staff about some employees I knew from years before I’ve realized many have had stayed. I personally know employee retention can be a great strength for a company. That way means they are happy and satisfied with their stay in the company. Which makes each individual a strength point for company. Imagine you as the leader or manager train a person and then he or she gains much experiences along the way and then when their presence is becoming fruitful for the organization, they leave due to unintentional challenges.
In a blog, posted in www.builtin.com with the title of The True Cost of Employee Turnover, the blogger Kate Heinz says:
“The costs of turnover are extremely high: it’s estimated that losing an employee can cost a company one-half to two times the employee’s salary. Depending on the individual’s level of seniority, the financial burden fluctuates.”
In another article posted on July 25, 2020, in www.simplybenefits.ca with the title of Employee Retention – What is the True Cost of Losing an Employee, Simply Benefits Marketing, said:
“Studies show that the cost of losing an employee depends upon their position.
- An entry-level employee turnover cost is between 30% and 50% of their annual salary to replace.
- A mid-level employee turnover costs 150% and above of their annual salary to replace.
- A high-level or highly specialized employee costs approximately 400% of their annual salary to replace.
Therefore, being able to create an environment to build integrity-based loyalty can benefit the organization a lot in a long run. Though when I told Mr. Ghods I was amazed how employees I knew stayed with the company such a long time, he said “Thanks, and yes though fortunately some left -due to personal problems or marriage- which we are so happy about that, yet many stayed. When one of my employees said company X is taking one of our employees by paying them more, I told them let him go if he is happier there….”
I remembered a quote from Kingpin in Marvel TV Series of Daredevil: Born Again where he said:
“Courage and Loyalty cannot be duplicated!”
Being able to retain such employees who have integrity and are loyal to the company is one priceless valuable asset a leader should cherish.
Overall visiting their main company building and operation field was inspiring (I am always inspired when I sit with successful business owners and try to learn from them each time, I see them).
One more thing; you don’t need have a big company or even a family to apply these qualities. You can start by learning and applying these skills and qualities and grow yourself, your family and/or your business no matter how big or small. It is the ability of its application in our personal life that counts and helps us grow and Live Your Mark.