1. Department: Adult Beverage

Jim Koch, Sam Adams’ Founder, on Leadership vs. Management

CNBC has an interesting interview with Jim Koch, founder of the Boston Beer Company and its flagship Sam Adams beer, noting that 38 years after the company was launched, it “has far outpaced his initial vision of being a small, regional craft brewer with just a handful of employees and around $1.2 million in annual revenue, he says. Yet even now, he’s cautious to acknowledge success.”

“Sam Adams is less than 1% of the U.S. beer business,” he tells CNBC.  “So the reality is, after 38 years of being pretty successful, we’ve basically gone from infinitesimal to tiny.”

Some excerpts from the interview, which focused on his leadership style:

•  “I learned early on that I was not a good manager. I’m OK with that. There are people who are good managers. I am not one of them.

“I’m not really great at follow-up, not that great at details. I’m not that organized. And I’m not a real respecter of ‘process.’  I don’t try to be a good manager. I try to make sure that I’ve got a good manager as CEO.”

•  “I spend a lot of time out of the office, working in either the breweries or the markets. To me, that’s where the action is. That kind of direct contact with the retailers, drinkers, distributors and our own team is invaluable in making good fundamental decisions. Essentially, that’s my job — to make good decisions for the company — and I learned I can’t do that sitting in an office.

“It’s a lot easier to hire good managers than good leaders. My job is to be leading the company, and you’ve got to lead from the front.”

The post Jim Koch, Sam Adams’ Founder, on Leadership vs. Management appeared first on MNB.

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