Renowned as a keynote speaker, trainer, and Forbes Contributor, Romanella founded 3SIXTY Management Services, LLC. With 40+ years in leadership, he served as CEO and Director at UniTek Global Services after a 36-year UPS career.
What is a defining moment? It is a significant experience that shapes or influences the course of a person’s life, or perhaps creates a turning point. These moments can be positive or negative, such as the birth of a child or the loss of a spouse. They are nearly always impactful in some way and can completely change one’s perspectives, even those held as primary truths or those that are critically important.
What was YOUR defining moment is another question indeed, as each of us would have a different answer, of course. Top motivational speaker and bestselling author Rocky Romanella addressed that question in a recent article posted on his site. In that article, he stated in part:
As a child, we went on vacations, but not elaborate vacations. I grew up in New Jersey, so our trips were simple—like going to Hershey, Pennsylvania. You saw the chocolate being made as if the factory was under glass. You saw the workers as they went about their responsibilities with great pride and joy, as if they were the only ones in the factory. What also left an impression on me after all these years was touring the factory and seeing the chocolate being made by hardworking local people from beginning to end.
Years later, my significant event, aha moment, happened when I was managing a facility in Bedford Park, Illinois. As I was touring my own operation, I realized the confidence the Hershey organization must have had in their people as literally thousands of people walked through their factory each day while they made their famous chocolate bars. I stopped and wondered, can a customer walk through my operation unannounced and still be impressed with my organization? I asked myself, “Do I run a Hershey factory? Can my customers walk through my operations anytime, and would they be proud of what they saw?”
From that day forward, I challenged myself and my staff to inspire those in their care to be as confident in their people and operations as Hershey is in theirs. If they could do so, their customers would enjoy the same experience in one of their facilities—confident and excited to see their products are in our hands. As a leader, regardless of your area of responsibility, you have your own “Hershey factory.” You need to make sure your customers are equally proud of what they see in your facilities, people, and solutions. From that significant event forward, I combined that vision and the empowerment of my people, who felt valued in everything they did, to create their Hershey experience.
It’s like the old saying, “You don’t want to walk through the kitchen in a restaurant.” I wanted to start bringing everybody through the kitchen. Every year, I would send my leaders a Hershey bar and my Hershey aha moment story to remind them of this standard.
On a personal note, a defining moment was when I got my job at UPS. I was hired to be a part-timer unloading and loading trailers. My dad, who had come from Italy at fourteen, sat me down. He was a great person, rest his soul, and very straightforward. He said, “Look, two things I want to share with you. I don’t know what this UPS does, but listen, whatever they ask you to do, say yes and thank you. Then learn your job and learn some more because the minute you think you know everything, they’ll pass you right by.”
UPS had a promotion-from-within policy, and every time there was a new opportunity, regardless of where it was, I would think, Am I the right guy for this job? Then I would remember my dad’s words over my shoulder: “Just say yes and thank you,” and I would turn to my wife and say, “Hey, hon, let’s pack the kids up. We’re going.” That mindset was significant and impactful for me growing up.
Later, I realized a significant lesson from this experience. It was clear UPS had more confidence in me than I had in myself. As a leader, I realized you often need to have faith and confidence in your people, and many times it is before they’re ready for it. They may not have the skills, confidence, or expertise at that point, so you believe in them until they’re ready to believe in themselves. You bridge that gap of confidence and knowledge until they reach the point where they can say, “Okay, I’ve got this.” Then, as a leader, you step back and become their cheerleader because they don’t need to be over-managed; they’re ready to run.
The full text of the piece is available at Romanella’s website at https://3sixtymanagementservices.com in the newsletters section.
Rocky offers a number of resources on his website that offer powerful ideas for leaders at any level – business managers, educators or small group leaders:
FORBES CONTRIBUTIONS:
Rocky is an official member of Forbes Business Council and a contributor on many different topics. A full list of his Forbes articles is available at https://www.3sixtymanagementservices.com/forbes-business-council/.
PODCAST:
Rocky hosts The Leadership Library Podcast, now in its 8h season. New shows are posted every Tuesday and Thursday morning at https://tightenthelugnuts.com/.
All of us are leaders in some way – parents, educators, athletes, special interest groups large and small, sales teams – the list is endless. Regardless of the role we play, Romanella’s concepts, developed under the heading of Balanced Leadership, can be applied to improve effectiveness, efficiency, and results.
Morning coffee is one of the joys of life for many of us. When you add your Cup of Joe to your visit to the Leadership Library podcast, your morning coffee will add an educational, entertaining dose of leadership octane to your day. Past show topics include:
The Feeling Of Trust That Comes From Hope (over 7.5 K views)
Soft Skills For Great Results (over 3.1K views)
Balanced Leadership
Goal Setting
Integrity
Leaving a Legacy
Personal Values
Performance of a Successful Team
Strategic Vision
Operational Excellence
Strategic Process
Are You A Job Skill Developer
Leadership Roles and Responsibilities
SWOT Analysis
Training and Development
with many more topics available and more on the upcoming schedule.
The podcast is now available at https://tightenthelugnuts.com or visit https://www.buzzsprout.com/1484407. The podcast is also available at Apple Podcasts. More on leadership, building a legacy and many other topics are also available at Romanella’s website at https://3SixtyManagementServices.com.
BOOK:
Rocky’s book about leadership, Tighten The Lug Nuts: The Principles Of Balanced Leadership recently achieved number 1 bestseller status in both Business Management and Business Leadership.
In ‘Tighten the Lug Nuts’, Romanella uses his forty-plus years of experience at UPS, and his CEO and Director roles, to explore the ways a true leader can lead any organization and its people to new levels of success.
If you read only one business book this year, this is the book you should read.
Rocky’s approach to leadership is unique and highly effective. He believes that great leaders challenge their people not to stop at the first right answer. ‘Tighten The Lug Nuts’ is a book about leadership that help readers move past that first right answer. It is full of detailed examples that are organized in an educational and entertaining way to form a framework of real-world concepts. The deceptively simple concepts, with powerful “How To Messages“ can be utilized by anyone who holds a leadership position – even parents, educators, and others. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a first-time manager, Tighten The Lug Nut is not only motivational, but also a call to action for those who have yet to make a mark in their field.
The book can also help position an organization for hyper growth coming out of the pandemic, Key concepts detailed in the book will prepare leaders and their teams to hit the ground running as they rapidly refocus and rebuild. Tighten The Lug Nuts is loaded from cover to cover with practical information that can help leaders become more effective, more productive, and more successful. It is not just another “book about leadership.”
Tighten The Lug Nuts is available at online book retailers. More information is available at his website at https://3sixtymanagementservices.com and at https://tightenthelugnuts.com.
Rocky Romanella has built an entire library of cutting-edge resources, available at his website, to help position ourselves to come out of the pandemic stronger, leaner, faster and to get a jump-start on the Rapid Rebuild process. Those resources include:
LIVE AND VIRTUAL KEYNOTES AND TRAINING – SUPPORT FOR WEEKLY MEETINGS AND CALLS
Rocky has been doing virtual conferences and training sessions with a keen eye on POST COVID and the Rapid Rebuild of our businesses. He can build a program, live or virtual, for any organization. Topics can include any or all of the 23 Leadership Competencies, concepts from the book, Tighten The Lug Nuts: The Principles Of Balanced Leadership, or any topic that might be appropriate.
THE LIST – 23 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
Every item on the list will play a vital role during the Rapid Rebuild of our economy, our businesses and our lives. Any or all of them will be appropriate for virtual meetings, talks or presentations.
PODCASTS LIBRARY
Over 108 podcasts that take a deep dive into Leadership topics. These can be searched by topic, show name or Leadership Competency.
VIDEO LIBRARY
The video library includes training videos, Balanced Leadership videos, Keynote Speaking videos, Tighten The Lug Nuts videos, interviews videos, Coach’s Corner videos and much more.
More on leadership skills, virtual keynotes, training sessions, virtual meetings and conferencing calls, training workshops, strategy sessions and general information on the relaunch of the economy is available at Romanella’s website.
MEETING CALLS
As a special incentive for those who are ready for a Rapid Rebuild, Rocky will be offering meeting calls at no charge for those who purchase 20 or more copies of his 5-star rated book on leadership, ‘Tighten The Lug Nuts’. Contact Rocky for details at [email protected], and or 610-322-0720 to schedule your session.
With over 4 decades of “boots on the ground” leadership experience, Rocky Romanella is one of the best keynote motivational speakers in the country and internationally. He has spoken in large and small venues all over the US including cities such as Atlanta, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, NYC, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Houston, LA, Charlotte, and many others. Internationally, he has presented keynotes in Toronto, Mexico City, Milan, London, and Krakow. He is known for creating excitement through his energy, passion, and knowledge, while employing his talents and experience to motivate, inspire and entertain audiences, regardless of size.
Romanella has garnered praise for his ability to connect to a wide range of audiences with his storytelling ability and innate charisma. Richard Snowden, President of Raven House International said, “An engaging speaker and facilitator, Rocky leads business executives to break-through results through break-through thinking.” Conrad Swanson, Sr. VP Agency Development of Arpin Van Lines Inc. stated, “Rocky inspired many to look inward and improve the way they operate their businesses and lead their team members.”
A winner of the UPS Chairman’s Award for Excellence, Romanella has created a legacy of motivating teams to achieve their best. He pulls in audiences with real life stories from an illustrious career spanning nearly 40 years at one of the most recognized and admired brands in the world. Rocky brings leadership expertise in supply chain, logistics and transportation, retail, sales and operational excellence strategy, telecommunications engineering/construction management and installation. Having led many company sales efforts, rapidly building brands, restructuring events, and developing a culture needed to integrate past acquisitions, he inspires audiences to create a unified company with one vision.
Rocky Romanella is available for keynote speaking engagements and media interviews. He can be contacted using the information below or by email at [email protected]. Full information on 3SIXTY Management Services, more information on keynote speaking and ‘Tighten The Lug Nuts’ is available at the company website at https://3sixtymanagementservices.com.
About Rocky Romanella:
Rocky is the Founder and CEO of 3SIXTY Management Services, LLC, a management consulting firm specializing in Executive Speaking, Leadership Development and Consulting Services. He also serves on the board of Goodman Networks, a leading provider of end-to- end network infrastructure, field and professional services to the wireless telecommunications and satellite television industries.
Rocky is an experienced CEO who led one of the largest rebranding initiatives in franchising history – The UPS Store, revolutionizing the $9 billion retail shipping and business services market.
While leading The UPS Store, the network increased retail unit, same-store sales by 5.8%, outpacing the National Retail Federation results of 4.6% during a recession.
Rocky steered UPS’s entry into the health care industry and created the mantra, “It’s a patient, not a package.®”
He also led the integration of more than 20 acquisitions to improve financial performance, capabilities, and global network footprint.
Through his executive roles and leadership advisory services, Rocky delivers results by developing and implementing his Balanced Leadership Model across enterprise operations. This includes a laser focus on customer needs, employee empowerment and the demands of shareholders.
Rocky has the rare ability to see a clear vision of the changing business landscape, the passion to develop strategies, tactics, and metrics to drive desired results.
Contact:
Rocky Romanella
https://3sixtymanagementservices.com
[email protected]
