Pete Ruggiero, CEO of Crayola, transitioned into a leadership role after 27 years with the company, originating as an accountant. With an accounting degree, he joined Crayola almost by chance and faced challenges due to his lack of creative experience. Following advice from a mentor, he immersed himself on the production floor, dedicating substantial time to understand employee concerns and inefficiencies. This experience became transformative, helping him grasp operational intricacies and serve his team better.
"I'm an SEC accountant doing external reporting, and I'm coming in to be a cost accounting manager. I knew nothing. The extent of my cost accounting operations knowledge was a three-credit course at Villanova University."
"Lose the tie, go to the plant floor, and learn the employees' names," the mentor said. Ruggiero spent four hours every day on the production floor, talking to the workers, learning their pain points, and studying ways to improve efficiency.
"I learned how the machine runs. What are their problems? And what can I do to help?" he said, describing a mind-blowing experience of learning in his first year at Crayola.
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