You don't know what you don't know and what can Pinnacle do for your business.

Let’s be honest. Having strong traits, such as confidence, work ethic, integrity, patience, and pride in a work setting are great; it gives you the strength and motivation to make decisions and allows you to have control of your surroundings and responsibilities. However, too much of one trait, such as pride, especially in the absence of other skills or experience, can lead to negative outcomes.

For more than 30 years, I have been involved in a great number of matters that require strong moral principles, confidence, life experience, and a deep set of skills to be successful. I gained experience in a world full of those who sought to avoid confrontation and ownership. Throughout those years, I learned that narrow views and overconfidence were dangerous pitfalls that often led to failure. Those who succeed are very aware of a common saying: You don’t know what you don’t know.

I’ve come to understand that the key to managing a successful project is acknowledging that there are specific skills you may not possess, and using your resources to cover all of your bases is not only smart but a highly-efficient and successful way to do business.

A friend once said something to me that has stuck: The key to a good manager is not to know how much torque a lug nut takes on a 2016 Chevrolet but knowing how to hire the person who does. Give them the tools and motivation to do the job correctly and empower them to succeed. That was one of the key moments in my development as I learned the benefits of surrounding myself with those who compliment my strengths and improve my weaknesses.

Not learning self-evaluation, failing to recognize your limits, and being closed minded to what you may need (and just not yet realizing the full scope of the issues) is a problem that negatively affects your business. Without these insights your business falls victim to undue risk, making decisions without a full understanding of the matters relevant to the issue or undermining the confidence your employees or customers have in your company. You will need a strong, experienced team surrounding you that can work in concert with your mission and goals and not only protect your investments but help give you the right information to make solid, proper decisions.

The skills I learned and carried with me as I transitioned from more than 27 years of public service into the private sector were invaluable. I started as a freelance advisor for a startup company and as a compliance and regulatory investigator with a Fortune 500 company. I found that my investigative skills and ability to review situations translated very well into the private sector. The investigations, reviews, and assessments I completed allowed me to follow a trail, access the big picture, and connect with various resources and specialists to present an intact product that management could use to make better business decisions, avoid and mitigate risk, and improve various business processes.

Learning the resources and skills of those around me only complimented my performance and allowed me to move from a compliance and regulatory investigator position to a director role within one year.

Working in law enforcement and with the Federal government, teaching, and testifying in court have all required me to have confidence, a commanding presence, and solid public speaking and presentation skills. However, I always kept the thought of “you don’t know what you don’t know” with me. My drive and focus to keep an open mind, take others’ points of view into consideration, and surround myself with the resources required to be successful have allowed me to create a network of experts and specialists who work with me at Pinnacle. It is that team approach and depth of experience and skills that we bring to the table as Pinnacle Consulting and Advisors.

As you navigate the day-to-day of your business, there will be times when you will find yourself, or your company, in situations when there is uncertainty, risk, or events that require quick action and information to make the best possible business decisions. The skill set of Pinnacle Consulting and Advisors capitalizes on that core team approach with a unique, innovative, and highly-motivated group of experts and specialists who will give your business what the large companies have, which is a team of specialists ready to help solve issues, guide, and create plans for your business to be successful.