How a tenured leader guides our team to success

Strong leadership can make or break your team, and Stratos is fortunate to have just the gentleman to lead our service partners and their managers exceptionally well. In his role as General Manager, Sal Cervantes oversees Stratos’ management team and service partners. He works with individuals who hold many different positions and have varying personalities, and he knows that no matter the person he’s interacting with, empowering each one is essential. Sal started his 18-year career with Stratos as a service partner, so he has learned a few key lessons in guiding a team to success along the way.

Sal finds establishing a common goal creates an efficient team. Setting the framework at the beginning of a new project allows the team to visualize what steps need to be taken. When everyone is on the same page about a specific goal, it makes getting the job done much easier.

After goals are set, Sal asks his team what they will win if they achieve the goals and what they will lose if they don’t. Losing doesn’t mean customers will let Stratos go, it means losing time with family, or feeling stressed or like they failed due to missing the mark. The goal itself, along with wins and losses along the way, make up pieces of the success puzzle. 

Something Sal has found works well for him in his leadership role is getting to know those he is working with on a personal level. Stratos CEO Stacy McCall and COO Chris McCall made him feel like a member of the family when he first joined the organization, so he aims to have the same relationship with the people he trains. He looks at them as if they are his own children and cares for them deeply.

“The family aspect brings everyone together and everyone is treated with respect,” said Sal. “We try to create a family environment. If I say they are doing something wrong, it’s like a family member or close friend being honest in an effort to make them and the company better.”

This type of open communication brought forth in a compassionate way makes team members feel comfortable in their roles, as well. Every piece of constructive advice is given to help achieve the common goal the team is working toward. Truly caring about team members and getting to know them personally helps him identify the best way to communicate with each person.

“Every company is different and has its own challenges, but everyone in a management position knows the only way to communicate is to know your team and how to respond to them,” said Sal. “If they don’t know you, they aren’t going to give you their respect.” 

How can you lead in a more compassionate, intentional way in an effort to empower team members?