Building People for Business Success with Chuck Stump

I’m at First Tuesdays with Up Next Charlie West, and today I’m talking with Chuck Stump. Chuck’s work centers around helping businesses grow by developing their people. His philosophy is simple: businesses can’t thrive unless their people do, and most issues, whether in business or personal life, stem from communication breakdowns.

Chuck explains that his hustle involves coaching, leadership, and communication training. He emphasizes that communication is often at the root of problems in various contexts—business, marriages, and even in communities. When communication fails, everything else tends to fall apart. That’s where he steps in, offering workshops and tools like the DISC assessment to help people understand different communication styles. It’s about knowing when to speak up, when to listen, and how to understand each other’s perspectives.

I ask Chuck about a key lesson he teaches in these settings. He talks about a new program he’s rolling out on emotional intelligence. Chuck traces the concept back to ancient philosophers and Dale Carnegie, but it’s Daniel Goldman’s work that he references when explaining the importance of cognitive empathy. This type of empathy is about understanding another person’s point of view without necessarily agreeing with it. Chuck believes that if people can reach this level of understanding, it can resolve a lot of conflicts, both in business and personal life.

He’s excited about launching this program for a client next week. According to Chuck, emotional intelligence is mostly common sense, though not as common as it should be. He notes that this lack of emotional intelligence is particularly evident in the medical field, where doctors often focus on procedures rather than the patient’s emotional needs.

Our conversation shifts to how people often get caught up in trivial matters—checking off tasks without questioning their relevance. Chuck shares his thoughts on perfectionism, saying that perfectionists are often disappointed because they aim for unattainable goals. He prefers to focus on getting things done rather than getting them perfect, especially when the difference between “good enough” and “perfect” is negligible in most situations. We agree that in many cases, done is better than perfect.

As we wrap up, I bring up a common complaint I hear from people my age about the younger generation—they’re perceived as not working as hard or being as committed as previous generations. Chuck sees it differently. He believes it’s about setting expectations. He shares an example with his own 26-year-old son, who works at Toyota. When Chuck asks for his son’s help, he sets clear expectations about the time commitment. This helps avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed, which many young people experience when they’re asked to help without a clear sense of how long it will take. Chuck reflects on how kids today have had it easier in some ways, and as a result, they might lack the work ethic that previous generations had. He’s concerned about how schools aren’t doing enough to help students figure out what they want to do with their lives. Many kids end up in college because it’s expected of them, but it’s not always the right path. Chuck’s son, for example, realized after college that it hadn’t really prepared him for his career, and he regrets not going straight into the workforce. Chuck believes that helping kids figure out their paths earlier would save them time, money, and frustration.