Jim Winistorfer is president of Port Washington-based Modern Equipment Company Inc. which was established in 1919 and is owned by Alco Industries. Formerly a high school industrial arts teacher,Winistorfer believes strongly in the value of leading as a teacher and coach.
“I taught high school shop for three years before I left and went back to get my master’s degree in management. It took me nearly 15 years after that, working in manufacturing companies, leading teams and organizations, to figure out that what I most loved about both my education and industrial careers was the same thing: teaching and coaching.
“My best leaders have always been the ones that spent time teaching their organizations how to operate, work in teams, form good practice habits, play hard and how to succeed and fail. They coached me along the way by caring about individuals, setting high standards, keeping a clear eye on the scoreboard and knowing on a day-by-day basis whether or not we were winning individually and as a team.
“They also coached new ways to keep all of us learning and driving for the next way to improve.
“The best teachers are the ones that teach you how to learn, and to love learning. The best coaches get the best out of individuals and teams, giving them clear goals to reach for, and then letting them ‘go play.’
“People tell me that I help them see the big picture, but don’t micro-manage how they paint it. I take that as a compliment every time. I’ve been well-taught, well-coached by the leaders in my past. There are times in any organization when the choice is between driver/dictator or teacher/coach. Pick the latter every time.”
