This past week the CEO of Port X Logistics, Brian Kempisty (aka BK), came to work in the Buffalo Office.
When BK comes to town there is always a buzz of excitement and lots of energy that fills the room. He is no stranger to our Buffalo team as he reaches out often to say hello, share a story, or an interesting fact about logistics. But when BK comes to the Buffalo office there is often a question of curiosity about why it feels so different when he is there.
Interestingly, people will often ask me about his leadership, enthusiasm, and personality. They will ask, what is it about him that makes the room buzz? My best answer is always the same he leads from his “why”. He has a clearly defined purpose and passion, and he leads with intention.
You see, Brian is a natural-born introvert, but if you were in the room with him, you would never believe that to be true. He is a charismatic leader who brings a combination of charm, interpersonal connection, enthusiastic persuasion, and motivation when he leads the Port X Logistics team.
When he visits, he uses walking leadership to connect with each person.
He moves around the room asking them about their day or he sits down to work with them to share his experiences. He is always willing to coach the team to develop and hone their skills. He is not intimidating or unapproachable. He is kind and funny but also knows how to execute and make shit happen. I have often called him magical during some of our daily conversations.
People will often try to “figure him out”, scratching their heads, and asking how does he do it? How did he build a dynamic team of people and two multimillion-dollar companies with thriving cultures and happy employees? How does he inspire his leadership team to willingly follow him up a mountain, literally!
As his leadership coach, I will tell you he does not have a secret sauce or a magic wand for that matter.
He simply understands the power of human connection. He realizes the effect of tapping into human emotions. He knows how to inspire people with stories and he creates memories by providing others with life-altering experiences. He creates a sense of trust, inspires passion, and helps people to feel a sense of purpose much greater than themselves.
You see, there is no secret sauce to becoming a great leader. You simply need to take time to understand your “why”. Why do you really do what you do each day as a leader? Then you need to learn to appreciate humans and the value of connection. For BK it has little to do with moving freight, but everything to do with changing the lives of those he encounters and proving them with experiences that will leave an impact.
It has been my pleasure to be working hand in hand with BK and be part of the Port X Logistics journey.
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