Name: Jeffrey Lestz

Title: CEO

Organisation: Genistar

I have been in Financial Services for almost 5 decades in the USA and UK.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Jeffrey's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

1) Seeing potential in others and oftentimes wanting success more for them than they want it.

2) When facing difficult decisions staying calm, thinking pragmatically, and coming up with the right solutions.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I was in sales for a few years and then recruited into a sales manager position. I then started my own business and started to use the same principles in recruiting and motivating people.

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

Most of my time now is spent working with our team on coming up with solutions to make life easier for our sales force.

Waking up - First thing devotional and focusing on some element of inner peace. Working with my assistant and then working on a To-do list in priority.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Things are never as bad or as good as they seem.

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?

The book that has had the most profound effect on me as a leader is the book of Proverbs. Principles to live by. Proverbs has many life principles that teach human relationships and leadership.

John Maxwell's books have been incredibly helpful over the years.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Find an expert in a field you want to be a Pro in. Listen to the Pro (mentor) and do Exactly what they tell you to do.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

A chaotic and emotive situation happened in our business and one of our key team had to be dismissed. I knew we had to take care of the situation treat all parties fairly and not over-dramatise the situation. I decided to deal with it pragmatically but not let it become a stumbling block for our team. Being the 'buffer' to difficulty is a key leadership role.