Catherine Monson and Charles Bonfiglio on Leadership

Leadership styles come in all shapes and sizes and are influenced by a number of different factors and life experiences of those who lead. Getting to the top leadership posts in franchising takes hard work and not everyone is cut out for the job. We asked two experienced franchise CEOs to tell us about their leaderships styles and share some leadership books they would recommend to aspiring leaders.

Catherine Monson

CEO

Propelled Brands - Suite Management Franchising: 285 locations; NerdsToGo: 33 locations; FASTSIGNS: 765 centers

How would you describe your leadership style. Leadership is about visioning and strategic focus, the ability to clearly communicate a compelling vision, aligning goals of different departments and different brands, and being an innovative thinker. I think a good leader needs to drive hard and take charge to produce results. A good leader does create some tension in the organization, tension to drive even greater results. Leadership involves focusing on the things that are most important, and at the same time, being willing to make the tough decisions. 

Another big part of leadership is building high performance teams. It starts with selecting strong team members and providing them the tools, training, and development to further excel. Then, it includes setting goals, holding people accountable, and creating the environment where people's natural motivation is released. Acquiring and developing outstanding people is a really critical leadership skill. A great leader hires people that are smarter than them. 

I also think it's critical for a leader to always have a positive attitude and to project confidence.

Name some leadership books you really like: Some of my favorite books on leadership include John Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership; Simon Sinek’s Start with Why; Rudy Giuliani’s Leadership; Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich; John Wooden’s Wooden on Leadership; Jocko Willink and Leif Babin’s Extreme Ownership; and Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.

Charles J. Bonfiglio

CEO and President

Tint World - 130 locations

How would you describe your leadership style. I think that my leadership style is based on supporting my team with the right mindset. No one in the company had experience in the franchise industry before joining Tint World, so I’ve been able to train my staff so they do things the way I think they should be done.

Name some leadership books you really like: I read every kind of management or leadership book, and I’m always listening to audiobooks when I’m jogging, going to the gym, or in the car. Some of my favorites are Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't by Jim C. Collins, Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman, and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive by Patrick Lencioni.