1. What have you found most challenging as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise?

The 10Toughest Challenges of Leadership:
1. Humility during success.
2.Confidence during setbacks.
3. Stepping back so others can step up.
4. Putting plans into action and then the Follow through. Experience shows up to 90 percent of strategic plans never achieve execution.
5. Leading change. Leaders don’t just do things, they change things.


6. Admitting mistakes is very key. I always suggest that self-awareness and honesty are essential to saying, “I Bill Stankiewicz was wrong.”
7. Listening with the goal of learning from others.
8. I always encourage constructive dissent. Be humble here.
9. Learning from criticism.
10: Asking for feedback from your team.

2. How did you become a CEO or executive of a large enterprise? Can you please briefly tell the story?

When I graduated from DePaul University in Chicago with degrees in Human Resource I could not get a job. Over 50 interviews where people told me you need 3-5 years experience. It was about 6 months but job offers came from Supply Chain Owners that needed supervisors for warehousing from Target, Sears, JC Whitney & Company and a few others. So I took those roles in Management and worked my way up the ladder. I continued my education too at night to learn systems, supply chain management courses, classes with University of Michigan MBA Business School, &APICS.ORG

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Balance is the key in life. In the morning I either go for a run or long walk, shower, get ready for work. Learning how to delegate and trust your people are key. I work from 7-9 hours a day. On weekends I am available for calls from international contacts from Dubai or China.
Early in my career a CEO told me Bill followed these 3 steps and never changed the order. They are here:
1. GOD
2. FAMILY
3. WORK

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Well the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned is listed here:
YOUR CUSTOMER- We often think of customers as those who reside outside the company. But that’s not always the case. Yes your customers are anyone you interact with on a regular basis each day or week. This may mean that your customers are other teams within your organization, like sales, engineering, logistics, marketing, tech support, or operations. And just as you would with your external customers, the best way to ensure success is to know your customer. And this year in 2021 has been tough in seeing some friends die that I thought were in great shape, all due to Covid19. Life is short and I am always kind to everyone I have known.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Quiet Leadership provides a brain-based approach that will help busy leaders, executives, and managers improve their own and their colleagues' performance. By David Rock. The book is a great tool for 6 steps in motivation, training and helping people become more successful that work for you. I work here at Savannah Supply Chain and am active on 5 non-profit Boards. David Rock's approach in his book has been helpful in the ever changing world we live in.

6. How do you build leadership capacity in a large enterprise?

Easy questions but with many cultures can be difficult.
1. Use big data
2. Always develop your leaders early in any organization big or small
3. Be sure to educate and train employees, invest in this human capital. Look how Chic Fila' as an example, sorry if I misspelled.
4. Be sure to Challenge employees
5. Let folks interact with other leaders
6. Teach your folks to network, not only in social media, but also in charity work. Dedicate 1 day a month at a Food Bank.
7. Rotate employee positions, very important for cross training purposes
8. Always please provide support for employees
9. Be kind to all, help people, smile, stay positive

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise so far?

Politics can be very challenging in large companies and having good communication skills is important both written and oral. I have always been honest and maintained high moral's. There was a case during a project and I was asked to do something unethical and I refused. I then decided to leave the organization.