Michael Holthouse, founder and former CEO of Paranet Inc., a
computer network services company, opened up the Houston Business Journal’s CEO
Leadership Summit event at the Celebrate Enterprise conference with an ancient
Chinese curse.
The curse, which Holthouse said roughly translates to “may you
live in interesting times,” forebodes times of uncertainty and disorientation.
Unfortunately, Holthouse said, this curse is a reality for the U.S. business
world, which is facing increased international competition, more taxes and a
struggling education system.
In order to tackle these issues, business leaders must, among
other things, better prepare the next generation of leaders through education,
mentoring and creating a positive work environment, Holthouse said.
“You can’t solve a problem with the same level of thinking that it
took to create. We are going to have to change our game,” he said during the
conference.
Holthouse isn’t the only business leader with this theory. Four
other Houston CEOs agreed with his sentiments during a CEO forum after
Holthouse’s speech. These CEOs included Deborah Cannon of the Houston Zoo,
Anthony Milton of My Fit Foods, Bradley Freels of Midway Cos. and Matthew
Morris of Stewart Information Services Corp.
Throughout the summit, which had more than 150 attendees, all of
the speakers discussed the qualities it takes to be a great leader.
Holthouse said it takes goals, not dreams.
“Personally, I have always been a very big goal setter, and I
believe that is one of the keys to our success,” he said, adding that all
employees should know and be on board with where the company is going, how it
is going to get there and what that journey means to them.
To have a more stable future, Houston CEOs agreed more companies
need to invest in their employees.
Great leaders also need to be trained at their companies, Cannon
said during the forum.
“We set the direction and strategy, and we have to find the right
people and train them to execute this,” she said.
Morris added that as a leader, you have to hire smart future
leaders.
“You hire people to add more value,” he said.
Holthouse also spoke about his nonprofit organization,
Prepared4Life, which teaches youth across the country life skills they can use
in the business world.
“If we want to affect our future, we have to affect our children,”
he said.
Celebrate Enterprise week continues tonight when Houston Business
Journal will host a fundraiser for Prepared4Life at The Tasting Room for its
Vintage Capitalism event.
Reprinted from the Houston Business Journal.