As a young professional in the boating world, he understands the importance of continuous improvement. Since his first job, Patrick Green has grown as a professional at some of the industry’s most reputable organizations. Read on to learn more about how Patrick navigates the workplace in order to create a positive work culture.
Q: How did you get started in the boating industry?
Green: I got my first job working summers at Gordy’s in Fontana, Wisconsin on Geneva Lake. I actually was able to save enough money working my first two summers to buy a car on my own before I turned 16.
Q: Being a young professional, you fall into the category of Millennial. How do you navigate the workplace, as a leader, with that “label”?
Green: Reading the room. One of the biggest lessons I hope to carry with me 20 years from now, is understanding & learning from the generational gap. When a company’s culture becomes stagnant so do its people.
Q: Tobler Marina is a Marine Industry Certified Dealership. As the Director of Certification, what benefits are you seeing within the dealership after completing and actively participating in the program?
Green: We’ve gotten in the habit of including the Certification Curriculum in our weekly manager meetings, and then trickling it down through weekly dept meetings. This has enabled us to reflect, but also allowed us to push forward with simplifying process. The accountability tools have also helped us understand why the process is so important. Employee feedback is key.
Q: As a professional who puts an emphasis on growing and continuously learning, what would you say was the most important thing you learned in the business this year?
Green: It’s important to have values in an organization that match personal values. This also relates to employees and customers – and the relationships that coincide.
Q: We always end our Member Spotlight interview with this… What are 5 things that people may not know about you?
- I was a zipline guide in Alaska for one summer after college.
- I went snowboarding every month for 23 months in a row.
- I love to rock climb.
- I studied Philosophy in college.
- I aspire to do the Great Loop.