sponsored by BUSINESS TIP The tile industry is experienc- ing turbulent times. Just last year, some 80 industry leaders met in Dallas to deal with an issue that has been plaguing the industry for decades – the shortage of qualified installers. In addition, like other industries, ours faces issues related to generational diversity in the workforce, explod- ing technological advancements, security threats, greater consumer demands and international com- petition. Harvard Business Professor Dr. Nancy Koehn summarizes the tur- bulent climate we experience in our business lives today by the acro- nym VUCA: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. So given this climate, what should leaders do? Through the years in working with organizations going through challenges and dealing with change, I have concluded that the single most important leadership/ management practice is clear, open communication. Communication consultant Bob Aronson said, “If communication is not your main priority, then all your other priori- ties will be at risk.” Leaders need to clearly communicate to their employees information about three fundamental issues: Purpose – Why are we here? During times of constant change and high stress, employees at all levels of the organization need to be reminded about “our reason for being.” I recently heard the story of a man out for a walk on the streets of a large city when he came upon a construction site and a worker on his knees somewhat carelessly spreading mortar on bricks before slapping them down on one anoth- er. The gentleman asked politely, “Sir, what are you doing?” The man responded, “I am stacking up these bricks for $10.99 an hour.” A bit further on, the man found another worker, this one mortaring and carefully stacking bricks and then tapping them into place. The walker asked this second worker Leading for success By Sandy Smith 26 TileLetter | September 2017