Boulden’s 6 keys to success
Integrity is foremost
David Perry -- Furniture Today, March 30, 2007
ARCHDALE, N.C. — Al Boulden, who has had a hand in hiring hundreds of Sealy employees, knows what it takes to be successful in the mattress business.
The veteran sales executive, now putting the finishing touches on a 16-year career at Sealy, has identified six traits that point the way to personal and professional success. Over the years he has shared those traits with new Sealy employees.
"Integrity has to be first," Boulden said. "That is doing the right thing when no one is looking. It is being honest with yourself. Something accomplished with integrity tastes so much sweeter."
Boulden has had customers ask for special deals that will supposedly be kept private. "But if you make deals like that," he said, "the customer will wonder if other dealers are getting better deals. Trust is broken down."
"In today’s global economy, some cultures do not place a high value on integrity," he added. "But we must not lose sight of its value. Having principles and standing for them is so important."
These are Boulden’s other traits for success:
* Above-average intelligence. "You don’t have to be an Einstein," he said, "but you do need analytical skills. You have to be able to take complex situations and break them into understandable parts."
* Communication skills, both verbal and written. "This involves knowing how much or how little to talk," Boulden said. "Listening is so important in business. Writing skills are also important. Everyone should master basic grammar and composition skills. Resumes should be pristine. I’ve seen misspelled words on resumes for high-level people. That digs a hole that the person has to overcome."
* Motivational skills. This includes self-motivation: Being a self-starter who will work a full day. It also includes the ability to persuade: Motivating people to "want to do" what you suggest. "That doesn’t mean strong-arming people," Boulden said. "It does mean making your case clearly and convincingly."
* Organizational skills. "It is important to be organized," he said. "Many people have sloppy desks, but they know where everything is. It also means getting to appointments on time, and being able to prioritize." Yes, to-do lists are helpful. "My kids used to joke that I carried to-do lists on vacations," Boulden said.
* Business maturity. "I’ve seen mature 21-year-olds and immature 45-year-olds," he said. Sealy looks for individuals who want to better themselves and better the company, and who have a sense of purpose in their lives, he said.
Boulden has formed his ideas on excellence by watching thousands of employees in action in his almost 40 years in business. In addition to his 16 years at Sealy, he has worked at blue-chip consumer marketing powerhouses including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and Frito-Lay.
He joined Sealy in 1991 when the company was moving from a licensee organization to a unified national company, and helped develop the national sales organization.
"It was exciting to bring that professionalism to an already strong company," he said.
The mentoring he has provided over the years has won him supporters across the company.
Now, as his retirement looms (his last day is March 30), he’s getting e-mails from employees and customers thanking him for his guidance.
Boulden is on the advisory board of the Baylor University business school, and he admits he would enjoy teaching a course on business ethics.
"I do care about young people and young adults," he said. "Being able to influence lives is so rewarding."
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Retired Sealy sales exec shares six success traits
Apr 29, 2007
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