Leadership Interview with Warren Reynolds

Warren Reynolds has been an integral part of the successful coffee franchise growth phenomena, Muzz Buzz.  Read an interview on his leadership and business management philosophies

Can you describe your organisation and your role within the company?

Fast Food with a strong property development focus, leadership, direction, advice, support, expertise, creativity and inspiration. 

As an organisation gets larger there can be a tendency for the “institution” to dampen the “inspiration”.  How do you keep this from happening?

Through interaction and involvement.  Recognition for creativity.  Sharing ownership through issuing shares.  Weekly group discussions on key issues.

How do you encourage creative thinking within your organisation?

Allow Management to come up with solutions to problems.  Make them responsible, allow mistakes and then give guidance.  Don’t provide all the solutions. 

What are a few resources you would recommend to someone looking to gain insight into becoming a better leader?

Read the only 3 books of Strategy, it will save you five years of university listening to so called experts who never made it:

The Art of War

The Book of Five Rings

The Prince

When faced with two equally-qualified candidates, how do you determine whom to hire?

Hire the person you like to spend time with.  You will work harder to make them a success.

Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader?  Maybe someone who has been a mentor to you?  Why and how did this person impact your life?

Colin Hebbard, Stock Broker.  He demonstrated courage, creativity and never took “no” for an answer.  An excellent leader of others.

What is the biggest challenge facing leaders today?

Having the courage to overcome bureaucratic public company demands.  Shareholders don’t run companies, individuals do.

What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others? 

Mistaking Autocracy for Leadership.  They are not the same.  Leaders lead the fight from the front.  They don’t follow the troops.