40 / 116
What is your philosophy
for successfully managing
people?
Smith:
Hire well.
Management is easy when
you are managing the right
people. Do what you can to
make sure those you hire fit
well into the corporate cul-
ture of your team and put
them into a position where
they can use their strengths
to be successful. Clearly
define roles and responsibili-
ties, and then trust your peo-
ple to get the job done. I try
hard to empower my staff to
make decisions and be there
to offer support and help
them remove obstacles to
their success.
How do you create a
positive culture with your
team and those who report
to you?
Smith:
For me, just being
myself and staying honest
seems to work. I have found
that by doing those two
things in a sincere way tends
to reciprocate the behavior,
resulting in a very positive
work environment. I am big
on team work and try to fos-
ter an environment that all
team members are valued
and recognized for their con-
tributions.
What advice can you share
with other managers to
improve their people-man-
agement skills?
Smith:
First, you can be criti-
cal without criticizing. No one
comes to work looking to
make a mistake—how you
manage crises or problem
orders with your staff can
make or break your relation-
ship with them. Second, be
active in the daily workday of
your staff. Know what they
are working on. Understand
what is working great and
what is not. When possible,
take action to help them
achieve their goals, solve
problems or just listen to
their concerns. Be available.
Third, manage without micro-
managing. Some people
need more oversight and
direction than others; work
hard to find a balance that
works for you and each mem-
ber of your team.
INNOVATE
38 •
PPB
• OCTOBER 2015
While Susan Hysen, senior account manager, works in the
Silver Spring, Maryland, office, her boss, Scott Smith, and the
rest of the team work in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
office—but she never feels left out. “Scott makes sure that in
addition to scheduled team meetings and weekly calls between
us, I know I can call him any time—and I do! I do not feel
detached and that is mainly due to Scott and the attitude and
vibe he encourages,” she says, adding that he fosters a fun, cre-
ative and happy work environment—and he’s always encourag-
ing. “He wants everyone’s ideas and feedback, and pushes you
to think outside the box. He understands life’s priorities and
this work/life harmony he lives trickles down to his team. He
offers an excellent balance between taking work seriously but
not taking himself too seriously.”
Scott Smith (back row, second
from right) works hard to foster
an environment where all team
members are valued and
recognized.
Scott Smith
Director of Global Solutions, Summit Group,
LLC
(UPIC: summit)
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Number of direct reports:
6
Cool factor:
After a biannual, two-and-a-half-day
team meeting, he planned a surprise afternoon of
candle pin bowling (it’s a quintessential New
England experience) where everyone could burn
off stress, rib each other and laugh.
Nominator:
Susan Hysen