Leadership studies pioneer Warran Bennis once said, “Leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into a reality.” From humble beginnings as a one-man band in his spare room in 2001, it is fair to say that Component Sense CEO, Kenny McGee, has had to articulate his original vision well for the company to get where it is today.
At the turn of the millennium, Kenny left a position working for a large electronic distributor, feeling dissatisfied with the culture and state of customer service in the industry. Driven by a desire for work-life balance, a unique company culture, and to revolutionise the meaning of customer service, Component Sense was born.
“I wanted to create a company that truly values its team. If you put the right people in the right seats and prioritise their success, the business will take care of itself,” Kenny explains.
Fast forward to today, and Component Sense is proudly certified as a Great Place to Work. Kenny attributes much of the businesses’ scalability and success to four leadership principles.
1. Big-picture thinking
Over 22 years in business, aiming high and pushing boundaries have been engrained in Component Sense team members. Thinking big motivates employees to pursue excellence in everything they do, including customer service, quality assurance in the warehouse, and building our market-leading IT systems.
Instead of getting stuck on the small details or directly comparing ourselves to competitors, big-picture thinking helps team members generate unique ideas and approaches. An example of this fresh thinking is Component Sense’s partnership with DSV, which allows us to consign our customers' excess stock locally. By paving our own path, our business stands out in a cluttered market.
Thinking big has been a driving force behind Kenny’s leadership philosophy, shaped by influential books like "Good to Great" by Jim Collins and, of course, "The Magic of Thinking Big" by David J. Schwartz.
2. EPIC values
EPIC values are the foundation of how Component Sense conducts itself in the market. This handy acronym encompasses how our team endeavours to act and serves as criteria for hiring new employees based on culture fit.
Company values are nothing new when it comes to creating a positive work culture. However, Kenny understood the team would use these principles as a guide for team members representing the business. In turn, this can help them generate new business day-to-day. Kenny invited everyone in the company to collaborate on deciding upon Component Sense’s values.
Each interaction, whether with a customer, competitor, or colleague, is an opportunity to exceed expectations and foster long-lasting relationships. These connections are never for short-term financial gain.
The transformative power of positive customer experience, thanks to our EPIC values, has helped the business grow to what it is today. In 2023, our EPIC sales team responded to 99.77% of requests for quotes within 24 hours (nearly all within 20 minutes).
“Leaders must live the EPIC values, lead by example, and be capable of looking into the future. Leadership will not be bestowed upon you without hard work,” says Kenny.
3. SMART goals
Big-picture thinking is pointless without backing it up with actionable goals. One of the key enablers of Component Sense doubling year-on-year is encouraging team members to set SMART goals and placing value on lifelong learning.
Early in his leadership journey, Kenny learned that goals needed to be more than just ambitious. Productive goals must also be realistic, attainable, and within a defined timeframe. This is not to say that our objectives are not ambitious!
SMART goal-setting fosters accountability and empowers Component Sense team members to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate milestones along the journey.
“Growth is a series of events,” said Kenny.
4. Work-life balance
Like all good things in life, balance is vital. Over the last 20+ years, Kenny’s leadership style has supported team members in making time for themselves. Flexible working has always been a big part of Component Sense. The business trialled remote working well before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
For Kenny, growing a business requires a delicate balance between team morale, a strong work ethic, and ambitious goals. Retaining top industry talent is only possible by creating a flexible environment like this. Some senior Component Sense team members have been with the company for over 15 years!
"Celebrating, bonding, and recognition are also crucial. You can only achieve as much as you are ready for," said Kenny.
Join the Component Sense team
Component Sense has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Our progress has only been possible thanks to our supportive leadership methods and EPIC values. While we are proud of how far we have come, we are just getting started. The challenge is maintaining our unique company culture as we continue to expand.
If you are keen to join a business that focuses on continuous learning and employee empowerment, consider Component Sense. View our current job listings online now.