Clyde Wilson 

With a new introduction by Leigh Thomas 

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Every once in a while, you read something that jars your current understanding. This article did that for me. Clyde Wilson wrote this a few years ago in response to questions posed by an industry colleague for publication in a magazine (you’ll notice the references to 2022), but the content might edify our readers today as it did for me. Find Clyde on LinkedIn if you’d like to get connected.  

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What makes a Leader? 

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Leaders have the natural ability (not trained ability) to accomplish the following:   

• Chart the course 

• Make the decisions, especially the hard, life-altering ones 

• Give credit to the team for success 

• Take personal responsibility for the failures 

• Exercise self-discipline 

• And be the person everyone can count on 

 

What is the difference between a leader and a manager? 

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Managers are essential to any organization or team. They must juggle all the balls and keep the company moving forward to reach the goals established by the leader. Without great managers, a great leader would be unable to lead.  

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How do you motivate yourself to see things anew every day? 

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If you need to motivate yourself, you are not a leader. Looking at your business and industry, and planning for growth and renewal, comes naturally to a great leader. About 20 years ago, I started adding an important one-liner to my presentations. However, when I said it, the audience thought I was crazy. The one-liner is, "Everything you are doing today is wrong; if not today, it will be sometime in the future." Twenty years ago, cell phones were still new and nothing but phones; cars were not equipped with GPS; the internet was still dial-up; the cloud did not exist; internet purchases had been attempted and failed (Dot Com Bust); we used fax machines and pagers, etc. Since I made that statement, everything about running a parking business has changed. We need fewer people, fewer tickets, and less cash; instead, we maximize cloud-based communications and digital purchases. With this level of change, if you want to call yourself a leader, you'd better get up every day ready and excited to figure out how your organization fits into the future. 

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To answer the original question about daily motivation, I get up every day, realizing that today, more than ever, everything we are doing will be different in five years. In twenty years, all our processes will be totally different.  

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​What are the biggest challenges you face today in 2022 as a leader?  

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The first challenge is the pace of change. If you look closely at our industry, change has not happened very quickly, but it is ongoing.  

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The second challenge is the breadth of the change. The parking industry is as diverse as it is complex, and it requires managing many internal and external connections. Managing the numbers, reports, accounts, and sales while also overseeing the integrity of operations, marketing, and customer service is challenging. All of these components must be carefully curated and improved. 

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The third challenge is making wise decisions amid endless options. Tech people (many of whom are new to the industry) are constantly offering products to improve efficiency. As a leader, you must be able to make decisions and not bounce from one new tech to another. The tendency is to believe that every new product will fix the industry and replace humans in the workplace but be very wary of such promises. The new technology will greatly assist powerful and intelligent humans who are already diligently at work. 

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Who would you want to be your leader/CEO?  

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My top person is Gene Kranz. Gene was the Flight Director for many early space missions, most notably Apollo 13. I have been fortunate to meet him and study the events that transpired during that mission. Gene is the only leader who could have brought those astronauts home. Gene’s book Failure is Not an Option captures one of the most amazing stories in history. 

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What are the essential ingredients for a successful team?  

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The first is a true leader, as described above. The second is a team that fits the goals. In a sport like baseball, the catcher's physical and mental characteristics are not the same as those of a second baseman, yet they depend on each other to win a game. The same is true in any successful business team. All team members must fill the role that best suits their abilities. The third is commitment to the goals. Every person on the team must understand, articulate, and work towards the team's common goal.  

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How do you reinvent yourself daily to avoid being complacent? 

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It's a lot of work, but I am constantly re-evaluating my thoughts and actions to ensure I am ready to meet tomorrow's challenge. I am continually reinventing my company and our purpose in our industry.  

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As we take in Clyde’s reflections, it’s hard not to feel a renewed appreciation for the people who quietly, steadily choose leadership every day because they care about those who depend on them. His words remind us that growth is possible, change is inevitable, and the courage to face both is a gift shared by leaders across our industry. I’m grateful for voices like Clyde’s that challenge us, steady us, and remind us why the work we do matters. And I’m grateful for our readers, colleagues, and partners who continue to show up with curiosity and conviction. May we move into 2026 with open eyes and a deep sense of gratitude for the future we’re building together.