Longtime publisher pens book about how to lead
By Chris Michlewicz; photo and graphic courtesy of WiesnerMedia
Retired publisher turned author Pat Wiesner
A new book by one of Colorado’s most successful publishers seeks to empower today’s leaders with the tools to be the best managers they can be.
Be a Boss Who Grows Leaders is a 220-page book by Pat Wiesner, a resident of The Village at Castle Pines who has overseen 38 publications including Colorado Homes & Lifestyles and ColoradoBiz magazines (see related story page 34). It is the culmination of a successful career that relied heavily upon the talents of the people around him.
Written by author Pat Wiesner
“You have to grow a team that likes being there,” Wiesner said. “If someone has a good idea, let them run with it.”
Wiesner, whose early career was spent in physics and electronics, acknowledges that the concepts he discusses in his book – composed primarily of columns he wrote over the years for ColoradoBiz – are enduring ones “that have been around long before you and me.” In no uncertain terms, the book says a leader who grabs all the attention and glory is not a leader.
“It’s not my success that’s paramount; it’s our success that’s important. It only makes a difference if it includes a lot of people,” he said.
Spending a few decades in the publishing business, Wiesner learned more than a few things about what works and what doesn’t. The key, he says, is getting to know the people at every level of the business and trusting them to do things on their own, even if that means their efforts occasionally end in failure.
Wiesner, 85, is now retired from the publishing business but owns a company called the Honduras Chocolate Company. Not one to sit and watch TV in his golden years, he spent the last couple years compiling the book. Wiesner built a devoted following for his regular column by using a conversational voice in his engrossing segments.
“He has a unique writing style. He writes the way you talk,” said his son, Dan Wiesner, who took his father’s place as president and CEO of Wiesner Media.
Be a Boss Who Grows Leaders is available on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, BookBaby.com and Target.com.
