The Clifton Review
The Clifton Review is a tri-weekly column that examines the question of the Clifton project along with the evolution of the war between two billionaires. We covered the start of this war with articles describing the battle over easement rights, the mysterious burning of a home, the blocks to rebuilding, and countless questionable court filings.
The 2018 series salutes fashion mogul Peter Nygard’s Golden Jubilee detailing his rags to riches story and incredible business success over these past fifty years. The Clifton Review will take an inside look at how he did it.
The Importance of Great Leadership
By P.J. Malone
We often hear talk of the absolute importance of leadership; but can it really make that much of a difference or is it much ado about nothing?
Well, there is a reason we remember leaders like George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Alexander The Great, Mahatma Gandhi and others. Great leaders make a world of difference in the lives of others and on the world stage.
We have been breaking down fashion mogul Peter Nygard’s 50-year success to understand the various elements that led to his ability to take an eight-thousand-dollar investment into an eight-hundred-thousand-dollar business and turn it into an eight-hundred-million-dollar enterprise, fifty years later.
Over the last several weeks, we have discovered a number of characteristics and strategic factors that have allowed for Peter Nygard’s success. Most recently, we have learned about his leadership approach and how much he is admired by his staff for it.
Not only for Nygard’s, but many businesses have either sunk or swam based on their leadership approach alone. This idea is reinforced in a Forbes article written by Amy Rees Anderson entitled “Good Leaders Are Invaluable To A Company. Bad Leaders Will Destroy It.” The following excerpt is indicative of its core assertion:
With good leadership, corporate culture isn’t forced, it is developed. Communication is daily and open. Everyone understands the vision and goals of the organization, and everyone has input into how they can be improved.
Employees feel that they are an important part of the whole and that every job matters within the company. Decisions for promotions are based on picking people of integrity whose talents and experience best fit the positions.
Employees are encouraged to compete with their own best to get ahead and they understand that helping their coworkers to succeed is the best way to get ahead themselves. The result of good leadership is high morale, good employee retention, and sustainable long-term success.
The picture Anderson paints of bad leadership is not a pretty one. What the article clearly shows and what most people can agree with is that one’s leadership skills can make a world of difference to business success.
This excerpt on good leadership is reflective of the sentiments of the NYGÅRD Associates.
When you think of the way Nygard’s staff speaks about his leadership approach, you can see how they are inspired to follow in his footsteps of working fourteen to sixteen hour days and how they are motivated to always help him achieve his vision.
In a world where competent employees are hard to find and positive-thinking, motivated employees are even harder to find, being able to inspire and motivate a work-force to help you achieve your dreams is no small feat.
You can’t help but note that Peter Nygard’s great leadership skills have allowed him to take his business to the dizzying heights that he has achieved.
