Thoughts on Leadership from an Industry Leader

Pam Nicholson

An employee of Enterprise Rent-A-Car for 24 years, Pam Nicholson has risen from branch manager to become the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. She took time out from her busy schedule to share with NotaBene her thoughts on leadership—at the professional as well as industry level.

NB: When you look back at your college years, what major event changed your perspective or prepared you for your leadership role today?

PN: As a young girl, my mother told me to prepare myself for a good career. After losing her when I was 21, I quickly learned the importance of being independent. Her absence inspired me to embrace her life lessons and motivated me to acquire the skills necessary to become successful in the job market. This early lesson in my life can be credited for preparing me for the leadership role I have today.

NB: In spite of Enterprise's remarkable success and #1 status in the industry, how do you stay grounded? Is it true that the folks at Enterprise don't look at themselves as #1, and this helps to provide a steady focus?

PN: Enterprise stays grounded by staying focused on our mission, as stated by our founder Jack Taylor. He said take care of customers and employees first, and if you do those two things well, the company will be successful and grow. This remains the foundation of Enterprise today, nearly 50 years later. Excellent customer service is what our employees pride themselves on.

It's very much a team effort at Enterprise. That's actually one of our founding values: "Enterprise is a fun and friendly place to work where team work rules." It's not that people don't see themselves as number one. As a whole, I think they do. Our employees are very proud of the company and the service they provide our customers. Many start out as management trainees, learning all aspects of running a rental branch and working their way up. So although they work for a very large, successful company, it feels more like a small business, as they are empowered to make decisions early in their career and have a financial interest in the branch they are running. That's how I started with Enterprise, and I know that working hard and learning about the business in this environment keeps you grounded.  

NB: What is the future of the rental business and how does Enterprise plan to create it?

PN: The future of the rental business is in customer service, and we are committed to offering the best customer service in the industry. We do this by simply listening to our customers. Some of the greatest ideas Enterprise has brought to fruition have come from our customers. For example, we listened when our customers told us they wanted us to serve the airports. Our airport business continues to grow double-digits, even as most of our airport competitors struggle. Staying focused on and listening to our customers will continue to create our future in the rental business.   

NB: Who was your mentor?

PN: My father has always been a mentor to me. He was in management at Monsanto for many years, and I would turn to him often throughout my career for advice on handling various business situations. He was always a good sounding board for me. His many years of experience, both personally and professionally, gave me a wealth of knowledge and guidance that I could use in my own professional life.

NB: Who was your model leader and why?

PN: After being with Enterprise for 24 years, it is difficult to specify one model leader, as I have worked with many wonderful leaders in our company who have had a significant impact on me personally. However, I can be specific in saying that I would be proud to model myself after our CEO and President. They have headed up the growth of Enterprise, and have done so while managing to keep values and ethics at the forefront of doing business. I respect both of them for their unwavering commitment to our customers and our employees and to the solid business practices of our company.

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