Mike Losak
is no longer with us, having lost his struggle with cancer this weekend. Mike was my friend, one of my heroes, and likely
the reason I am still in the collection industry, and the reason I have been moderately successful.
Mike was
the first manager I had that ever was kind, that was supportive and had empathy,
without holding me as an employee to arm’s length. He joked with his staff, and inspired them
through camaraderie rather than driving them with targets and threats of
termination. He took time to make sure
each of his employees were successful, and he actually, honestly cared about
our wellbeing.
After being
a credit manager, and falling into the collection industry, I worked in a
couple of collection agencies back in the 80’s and 90’s where people were
banging their phones on their desks, yelling at consumers, and making all sorts
of outrageous demands – as a younger person, I struggled with this approach, as
it wasn’t in my nature and I knew it didn’t work. When I came to work at Professional Collection
Services, Mike was the only other person who I had heard collect with empathy,
with a small joke here and there, and had patience for consumers and their
financial plights. He worked out
arrangements, settlements, and payments in full, and not once in the two years I
worked with him did I ever hear him raise his voice. He allowed me to do the same, and while everyone
shouted and demanded around us, we collected more than they did, and had a better
time of it.
Over the
two years we worked together, Mike gave me space and support to build and
refine my approach to collections, prove to myself that it works, and then go
on to prove it to others. Negotiation,
not intimidation was a rare approach in the 90’s, and now with Google, and
social media, and regulation changes, it looks like he was ahead of his time
all along, and I appreciate he gave me the opportunity to go on to run other collection
agencies with the same approach, and then start my own company and build it on
the tenants the collections doesn’t have to be an ugly word, a horrible soul
crushing job, or a heartless work environment.
Mike wasn’t
just a manager – after I left to work elsewhere, he remained a friend, attended
some of my family celebrations when I lived in Hamilton, and we would always find
time to chat on the phone or I’d drop in to his office when I was in town. He always had the best advice, not just
professionally – he believed family came first, and our personal well being was
far more important than how much money we could make or what kind of car we
could drive. We talked about each other’s
family lives, our kids growing up, being the best husbands we could be, and I
always felt better after sitting down and talking to him, every single time.
He taught
me lessons on how to treat people, whether they are consumers who owe money, clients, co-workers, or employees. He taught me
that I was right that consumers deserved dignity and to listen to what they were saying with words, and read between the lines. He was right about not sweating the little
stuff, and while it’s never been my natural inclination to be relaxed or calm, I attempt to channel Mike’s easy going nature every day.
Mike,
buddy, I’m going to miss you.
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