“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant.” -Max De Pree, former CEO of Herman Miller
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“Information is pre-digested experience. Experience is messy, wasteful, and takes time.” - Chris Dede, Harvard
Customer input results not only in insights into functionality, price, and features, but in empathy. Empathy is much more valuable.
“Companies don’t play to lose. They don’t play to win. They play to tie.” - Andy Miller, AARP
We are in a transition of truthfulness. Technology has changed the way we think about what’s real and what’s been modified – creating blurry lines between perceptions and reality.
For example, credit card “safety” no longer includes a traditional pillar of safety – privacy. Credit card safety is now achieved through predictive analytics and constant monitoring of purchases; quite the opposite of privacy.
Technology has modified how we perceive safety with car services – for many of us, a navigation and tracking system like the ones found in popular ride-sharing services makes us feel safer than a taxi driver who has passed a background safety check. It is hard to determine which is the more authentic version of safety.
Another example of how technology has modified the truth is photo filters. With the touch of a button, a photo can easily be manipulated and shared with millions of people. While a flower crown or a puppy face is a fun addition for social media pictures, what happens when filtered photos are presented as real and passed around social media channels, gaining legitimacy with every click, like and share? Combined with our ever-decreasing attention spans and memories that are increasingly dependent on the content we share via social media, and photo filters become a variation on reality, an inch further from an authenticity.
As we move away from privacy and authenticity and become easily modifiable, we lose the honesty and benefits of being honest – trust, reliability, loyalty. Without honesty, companies lose their personal connection to buyers, their internal teams are not efficient, and their business partnerships don’t last. Loyalty becomes obsolete. As business leaders, it is our responsibility to encourage truth so that honesty is a core value to our internal team and our customers.
How can we encourage honesty within our organization? By removing the pitfalls that distort reality and creating opportunities for genuineness.
Create a safe place
I don’t mean an office that meets required occupational safety standards, I mean an environment that is a safe place for people to learn and grow in their roles. Encourage colleagues to share their mistakes, how they overcame the mistake and the lessons they learned. Help teammates teach each other by encouraging them to provide constructive feedback in a productive way. Focus on problem solving, and not blaming individuals, to help the team develop integrity. As the leader, it is also important for you to disclose your own mistakes and lessons learned to help the team recognize that mistakes as learning opportunities and not punishments.
Empower employees
People feel more empowered when they are trusted. Give your team assignments and deadlines, time to work and the ability to ask questions, then give them space to do their job. Eliminating micromanagement practices help employees feel respected and motivated to complete their work while building pride and integrity.
Do not make promises that can be broken
Your words have tremendous value, so don’t sacrifice them. As a business leader, you have the knowledge and experience to anticipate potential problems. Review business plans with a watchful eye on timing and pricing, guarantees and other promises customers will count on. Set realistic expectations with your internal team about promotions, raises and bonuses. Do not give lip service to the executive team. Breaking promises, resetting expectations and over committing leads to disappointment, which deteriorates trust and your words lose their value and your reputation as reliable.
Don’t sacrifice values
Honesty is perhaps best tested in crisis. Leading with honesty and truthfulness to do the right thing, even if it’s extra work or the outcome is intimating. If the crisis is handled with honesty, the virtue of honesty will be stronger than ever when its resolved. If you try to cover up the crisis, a downward spiral of dishonesty and lies will begin.
Be transparent
This doesn’t mean disclose classified or time-sensitive information, but be upfront in a timely, open manner. If the product is delayed, be truthful about when it will be delivered. If a service is cancelled, offer a reliable alternative. If expectations for a product or service can’t be met, don’t try to conceal the situation. Challenges will be overcome, but an untrustworthy reputation is nearly impossible to overcome. Being transparent creates a culture of honesty where rumors cannot thrive and truthfulness raises to the top.
Be consistent
One of the most obvious indicators of untruthfulness is inconsistency. As Mark Twain said “if you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” While important aspects can be tailored to each audience/group, putting truthfulness at the forefront of every conversation will leave no room for doubt. Consistency is a key aspect of building and maintaining trust.
Be authentic
When you think about mentors and leaders that have resonated with you the most, you will likely notice a common theme – the most aspirational people we encounter have shown us their true selves. Be that relatable person for your team; transparent and filter-free without pretense or ulterior motives.
In our pursuit of honesty, we can help create more defined lines between perceptions and reality. We develop into a more trust-worthy company, which helps build customer loyalty and in turn, helps our products and services succeed.
This article was originally posted on Leaders In Heels: Career Lessons.
Unintended consequences aren't unknown. They can be imagined and mitigated.
Life is an amazing teacher and in business, I have learned more richly from our customers than any other single group. Here are some of the lessons I have learned.
- “If something is hard for you to explain, it will be hard for others to understand.”
- “Understand how the customer makes money and how you help them make money and then the sale is yours.”
- “Leadership is as leadership does in front of a customer.”
- “Leadership is about making and keeping promises.”
- “Success in life and in business is about managing expectations.”
- “The customer is always right, according to their perspective. You won’t be successful convincing a customer they are wrong. You will only be successful changing their perspective…or having yours changed.”
- “Customer empathy is the start of any great innovation.”
- “No one cares about your program, product, or policy. They just want their problems solved.”
All of us have experienced it. The dizziness and disorientation that comes from motion sickness. Either in the backseat of a station wagon, on a boat, or spinning around the yard, there is that familiar and strange sensation of your brain swirling around in your head. Something similar happens in times of change in our professional lives as well. Whether navigating new waters, riding along on a bumpy road, or having circumstances change suddenly, some motion sickness can be hard to avoid.
So, how do you survive change, avoid light-headedness, and emerge on the other side stronger, wiser, and more capable than you began? Here are three principles to apply.
1. Find your Focus
When I would go out boating as a kid with family friends and started to feel a little wheezy, they would encourage me to set my eyes on a fixed point like the horizon or the nearby shoreline. It helped provide perspective and settle my stomach. The same is true in our work life. In times when the business results or changing processes are like choppy seas, it is good to fix your eyes on the constants of your business: your commitment to customers, your loyalty to the mission, or your cool products. Not everything in the environment is changing and some of what is steady is extremely positive and can keep you grounded even if things are changing.
2. Hydrate Your Interests
One of the common causes of dizziness is dehydration. To avoid dizziness, they recommend drinking enough water, eating regularly and sleeping soundly. In other words, you can’t neglect your health and expect your body to perform at its peak. Most of us have multiple interests in and beyond work. In times of change it is important to nourish your curiosities. At work, look for ways to learn new skills or expand your contributions. And in your personal life, don’t neglect the things that feed you like hobbies, time with friends, family, or time in reflection or in nature.
3. Practice Your Flexibility
Have you ever wondered how ice skaters can perform those tight and fast spins on the ice without getting dizzy? Unlike dancers, who can fix their eyes on a single location trick their brain into thinking it is still even though their bodies are moving, ice skaters are moving too fast for that. When the spin stops, why don’t they feel overwhelmingly dizzy and fall to the ground? The answer is a little anti-climactic: they get used to it. Starting small and slow, they build their tolerance. They might still get dizzy, but not enough that the audience would know. You, too, can practice your flexibility and open-mindedness and train yourself not to get disoriented in times of change. It requires some self-awareness, perhaps some self-reflection and opportunities to practice. So, if you find yourself facing change after change, be thankful that you are getting the opportunity to practice.
The most common cause of dizziness is unintended motion. It’s something out of your control and causes your body to move when you haven’t moved it. In times of change, the first thing to go is our own sense of control and that can be disconcerting. But it need not be debilitating. Like the effects of vertigo, most times they are harmless and temporary. We just need to find our feet and proceed forward and the dizziness will pass.
Joshua Kauffman, principle at Wisdom Capital Partners, is a well-respected global consultant who regularly talks about the confluence of global spaces, cultures and commerce. He often uses the example of the city of Buffalo, New York, which has never been the same since Bethlehem Steel pulled out, taking 100,000 jobs out of the local economy. He advises that cities, like ecosystems of other types, require diversity to survive over time. When a city is a “one tricky pony,” there is a real risk in the case of a downturn in one business or industry. Putting thousands of people directly at risk and hundreds of thousands indirectly at risk as newly unemployed people spend less on services and goods in the community.
Think about your own town or city. Look up the list of top employers. Is it diverse enough to weather a storm? In Portland, Oregon, there is a big sports and outdoor apparel segment, a growing technology sector, and a number of thriving healthcare systems. It might be more recession proof than other cities, but is not necessarily bringing new investment into the region as it tends to flux with demographics like population and age.
We know the role that governments can play in building diversity in our communities. But what about the role of the individual? Here are six ways you can build the resiliency and diversity of your city’s ecosystem:
- We can all shop local. Not just the day after Black Friday, but every day. I am guilty of purchasing online for its convenience and sometimes cost savings. However, I’d like to see those big online stores make it easier for consumers like me to shop local using their vast networks. I’d like to be able to filter search results for products that are produced (or even warehoused) locally. I like how UberEats is enabling local restaurants to add a service delivery element, employing local drivers. I’d like to see the same from Amazon, Etsy, and other companies who have the infrastructure and brand awareness to help us invest in our local communities.
- Entrepreneurs play a role in diversifying the business landscape with investments in new segments. This includes spin-outs of other business. My company, Planar, was a spin-off from Tektronix over 30 years ago and we have gone on to spin off other companies, like InFocus. We were recently acquired, bringing foreign investment to our region. Many companies that are now employing people in our area have spun out of Intel, Tek, Nike, and some of the larger employers in the region.
- As employees, we all can work within our own companies to add diversity across different industries and verticals to give resiliency to our own businesses. Are there new ways we can attract new customers, utilize resources and vendors in our local area, innovate for new market or product segments, or think bigger to ensure that we are bolstering our own communities?
- We can make personal investments in education in our communities and our homes, with a focus on the next generation of employees for our respective cities. To this end, I volunteer for and financially support Marathon Scholars, which grows talent starting with fourth graders, seeing them through their college graduation, which helps grow our local economy for the long-term. Similarly, the university systems play a key role in building the job market in the future. Helping to partner on research that fuels local corporate innovation and educating tomorrow’s business leaders, scientists, and industry disrupters.
- We can work with lawmakers to encourage government funding in the region. People might forget that today’s Silicon Valley was incubated in its early days with investments in aerospace by the U.S. government and universities like Stanford. What other impactful “epicenters” can be derived from government funding and local entrepreneurship?
- And finally, we all play a role in promoting our cities as a good place for business investment and tourism. We are all part of the chamber of commerce and the economic development commission. What makes your town a great place to live? What makes your city great for business? How can you let your circle of influence, outside your city, know about the brand of your town to ignite the ultimate word of mouth campaign? For many years the only thing people knew of Oregon was the Tanya Harding ice skating scandal. Luckily, we have transcended this reputation (helped in no small part by the popularity of TV shows like Portlandia and it’s over the top depiction of the city’s quirks). People know us for our abundant rain. They know that it is beautiful here. But do they know world-class sports companies like Nike, Adidas and Columbia Sportswear are headquartered here? Do they know that international brands Leyard and Intel have huge presences here? They know we drink a lot of coffee and are snobs about it, but do they know we are like this about all beverages ranging from tea to whiskey, natural soda and handcrafted beers, each of which have local crafters that have built a thriving business here? Do they know about the innovations happening at OHSU, OSU, UO, PSU, Warner Pacific, Concordia, and other higher education institutions in the region? Do they know why you choose to live and work here? It’s our job to tell them.
It’s true: it takes diligent focus to grow a diverse and financially stable local city ecosystem. There are a lot of variables, but I’m optimistic about the ideals in today’s consumers and businesses to “think local” for the benefit of community members and the business sector. It’s not a fleeting expression: I believe it is here to stay and will benefit us all. Shop local, encourage your company to source local vendors and materials, allow local spinoff companies in your city to thrive, engage your local government officials to bring monies to support your businesses, nurture education opportunities for the next generation of workers, and finally, spread the word about your city’s unique attributes to encourage more growth, investment and prosperity.
This article was originally published in Business2Community.
Before proceeding with a solution, ask yourself the following:
“Do we have enough data to know if customers have a problem that we have a unique right to solve?”
You will save yourself a lot of money and time if you ask this ahead of time and use it as a strategic filter for investment. If you don’t know why you will win, then you won’t likely win.
If you want your business to breathe and not gasp for the air required for day-to-day operations without unnatural or outside interference, what do you need? Profit.
If you want the flame of your business is grow, to create more heat and light to attract the attention of an entire industry, what enables that growth? Profit (or capital from other sources to invest).
If you like what you are doing and the people you are working with, what allows that to continue in a sustainable way? Profit.
Profit is not a bad word. Profit isn’t above everything else, of course. But like oxygen it is necessary.
Recently a team from The Muse visited our offices outside Portland, Oregon to observe the culture and interview some colleagues.
In the screen shot above, you can see that the photographer caught us having a great time. This was taken during a lunch meeting of some women in leadership at the company in which we interviewed Lisa Gardner, the NY Times best-selling thriller author. People working together to accomplish great things and having fun is a pretty common occurrence among my amazing colleagues!
The video clips all over this site highlight the experiences of young professionals in our organization and give a glimpse of what makes the company successful. Check out the company profile on The Muse to learn more.
I saw one of those motivational parody posters once that said, “Mistakes: It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.”
I feel that the same can be said of the nightmare managers and bad bosses we have all had in our careers.
One thing that leaders can do to avoid running a company into the ground is let people tell them the truth.
Here are 5 things you can learn from bad leaders.
1. Bad leaders don’t listen
No one sets out to be a bad leader. Even incompetent or emotionally-injured people generally want to do a good job.
And perhaps more often than not, people don’t realize that they aren’t good leaders. Speaking truth to power is difficult and uncomfortable and possibly risky, so people don’t generally tell their managers how they really feel.
If the manager has created an environment where bad news doesn’t get shared, then no one is going to share the news that the leader is bad.
I once asked a CEO boss of mine what was the one thing that leaders could do to avoid running a company into the ground (a time-worn description we have all heard to describe the work of a value-destroying CEO), and he said, “Let people tell you the truth.”
This means creating the right environment of humility and openness, and getting the right people.
2. Bad leaders make bad hires
Bad leaders often hire people who are like them — people who think like them, have similar temperaments, experiences, or even the same alma mater.
Sometimes that works out great because of the comradery and teamwork that develops. But more often, the corner office becomes an echo chamber where new ideas, fresh approaches and alternative views can’t be voiced.
3. Bad leaders don’t fire fast enough
Driven by ego (or naïve optimism that things will miraculously get better for no rational reason), bad leaders don’t like to admit they have made bad hires, and they are more likely to hold onto a poor performer until a lot of damage has been done — not only the opportunity cost to the business or the direct impact of mistakes, but also damage to the credibility of the leader.
4. Bad leaders do the wrong things well
Sometimes leaders can get so fixated on the process, continuous improvement and infrastructure required to scale the business that they forget the value of the business as perceived by their customers. This can lead to the automation of processes that make the company worse.
I have been part of improvement initiatives that assumed the way we were doing something was right and we just had to speed it up or make it less labor intensive, only to find out that it was a waste of time and resources. So we just found a better and faster way of wasting money.
Leaders should know which products make them money, which customers have the best overall lifetime value, and what campaigns or initiatives have delivered the most tangible results in recent times.
5. Bad leaders do the right things poorly
Finally, leaders who rose through the ranks on their technical merits or intellectual prowess might find themselves ill-equipped for the soft-skills part of their job. In his book Emotional Intelligence, author Daniel Goleman outlines why being able to identify and empathize with others is a better predictor of success than IQ.
Bad leaders don’t have the necessary skills to deal positively with conflict, defuse tense situations, provide clear direction in the face of uncertainty, and truly lead.
The good news about these characteristics is that they aren’t set in stone. Being a bad leader isn’t fixed in the stars or determined like a person’s height or eye color. These are things that can be developed and with mentoring, thoughtful consideration and work. If you want to be a good leader, strive for it.
This article was originally posted on The Business Journals.
High self-awareness is a key element in business success. It can be easily overshadowed by the sexier traits of charisma or sheer intellectual genius. A study a few years back by Green Peak Partners and Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, quantified what employees have known for a while: "Companies and their investors need to put more effort into evaluating the interpersonal strengths of potential leaders. They should focus more on how a leadership candidate does the work, and not focus exclusively on what he or she has done.”
How one gets things done and the improvements one might make over time are rooted directly in a leader’s ability to face truth about themselves. According to the authors of Heart, Smarts, Guts, and Luck, leaders can improve themselves. According to their Harvard Business Review article, leaders must become “more aware of what motivates them and their decision making.”
In the end, there are three characteristics of feedback that I believe capture why it is critical to our success; Feedback is a mirror, a gift, and a miracle.
Self-Awareness Requires a Mirror
I don’t mean the kind of mirror by which you check your teeth for spinach or fix your hair. I don’t mean the kind of mirror that customer service agents to make sure they are smiling when taking phone calls (however effective that might be). I am referring to a different type of mirror. The kind that tell you how you are showing up in your professional life that leads to self-awareness and reflection. That mirror is feedback.
"Although the quietest of the emotions self-awareness is an incredible predictor of emotional intelligence," writes Daniel Goleman in a study with Korn Ferry Institute. Turns out, the ability to respond to crisis, develop teams, and manage your own emotions are all skills that can be improved with better self awareness.
Every journey begins with a first step and there are a variety of assessments that you can take to improve your self-awareness. Some of my favorite are profiled here for your reference. I have used Kolbe and StrengthsFinders as team building tools, as well, to help us better understand our team mates and how to work together.
Feedback is a Gift that Isn’t Easily Given (or Received)
“Not all gifts arrive in neat packages,” said Carole Robin, director of the Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program at Standard Graduate School of Business. “This is definitely true for feedback.” Leaders must be exceptional at giving feedback in order to develop their teams and achieve their goals. Feedback delivered with candid compassion can transform businesses and relationships and most of us could improve our performance.
Leaders have a double responsibility however. They also need to make sure they are not missing out on the opportunity to receive the gift of feedback themselves. Ken Blanchard called feedback “the breakfast of champions.” And sometimes that breakfast is served is too cold, too warm, or too late, but it can be nourishing in any case.
We need to persevere and to find people who can tell us the truth. “We all need people who can give us feedback,” said Bill Gates. “That’s how we improve.”
People are often hesitant to give pointed feedback to their boss or colleagues. The conversations are awkward and best and can be career limiting, if the leader values comfort and coddling over results and responsibility (and we have all known a few of those).
The gift of feedback must be received and given with open hands, open hearts, and open minds. Create forums for feedback like 1:1 meetings, office hours, or surveys. In listening sessions, sit with your arms in a neutral position and try to constrain your reactions or defensive tendencies.
And just like your grandmother taught you: not all gifts are what you want, but because it is the “thought that counts” you have to treat the gift, and the giver, with graciousness. You must look for how you can best apply what you are learning. You may end up disregarding portions of what was shared, but it is in the consideration and reflection that changes occur.
Truth Telling is a Miracle (considering the obstacles)
In their book Execution, authors Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, talk about the seven key traits of a leader and among them are “know yourself” and “insist on realism.” That last topic was so impactful to their thinking and their business success that they went on to write Confronting Reality. Yet in order for leaders to face reality, they need to be told the truth and they need to hear it clearly.
Failure to listen is more common than head cold among senior leaders. Combine this with the difficulty of speaking truth to power and it is no wonder that leaders can live in an echo chamber of glossed-over good news and ungrounded positivity. We criticize our culture for believing fake news, but often live in a world of fake news about ourselves and our businesses. It is a wonder hard truth is ever spoken, in fact. We are all guilty of not speaking up boldly enough or not being as open to feedback as we should have. It really is a miracle when it happens. Yet, it is a miracle that we can encourage and even facilitate with the right behaviors and attitudes.
In addition to being open to constructive criticisms, it is critical that you understand the data that indicates business success. In most environments, these include revenue and margin or market share data as backward looking indicators. It is also important to look at early or forward-looking indicators such as sales funnel analysis or engagement metrics on key tools or campaigns known to convert to sales. These business dashboards serve the same purpose as the dashboard of your car: providing you a feedback loop that indicates if you are running at speed, violating conditions of success, or if you have a crisis pending. Data reporting and analysis can be an important part of your truth telling toolkit.
With a combination of mirrors, gifts, and miracles, we can lead better businesses and lead them better.
This article was originally published on LinkedIn Pulse.
It was a pleasure to join with marketing leaders in Portland for the PDX Marketing Forum and discuss how we can apply principles from Lean Six Sigma and Agile Development to the new challenges that marketers face in our dynamic environment and economy. Thanks to Dan Bruton and the organizing committee for inviting me to share some insights.
Everyone loves to talk about teamwork. Consults will consult. Writers will write. Leaders will lead. And all of them are obsessed with teamwork.
But recently, I was watching my daughter’s track meet and thought about all the different types of teams that exist. Each one requiring different types of teamwork. We often don’t think about that in a work environment, even though we see examples of all of these in our workplaces.
Basketball (or soccer or football): In this team sport, each player has a role, plays that they run, and they are constantly communicating to react successfully to new competitive conditions. They share a common time clock, a common score board, a common uniform, a common coach, and are all playing the same game. They are all striving to make or assist with the making of points. The work group is an example of this kind of team. Coming together, each representing a role or a strength, to collaborative work on a single deliverable, project, or document. The key to results of this kind of team is aptitude and attitude. If the individuals know their own strengths and weaknesses, and that of their teammates and can work selflessly towards the team goal, then greatness can be achieved.
Relay: In a relay team, each player has a role, but they don’t play them at the same time. They, too, are constantly communicating, but only to assure successful hand-offs. They share a common time clock, score board, and possibly a common uniform. Each person on the team is running, but they are placed in position because of their relative strengths and speed. They are dividing and conquering a larger task (in this case, a race) by breaking it into individual pieces. A service escalation is this kind of team. The first leg might be done by a customer service agent on the phone. Then the problem is escalated to a technician, to a service manager, and then to an engineer. Throughout, there is a common time clock and a common goal of customer issue resolution. Everyone is doing similar jobs, but are doing it in their own way. The key to achievement with this team is individual competence and the game is won or lost at the hand-offs.
Track and Field: The larger team, of which a relay is a part, is a loose affiliate of people who are all performing in tandem to rack up points for their overall team. They are all in the same location (the track meet) and subject to the same environmental conditions and priorities. Yet, they are all doing their own things. Often in tandem (with field events happening the same time as running events). Often together (as is the case with the relay team). But each person is an individual contributor doing their best, which results in team achievement. But you can’t ask a pole vaulter to anchor the 4 x 100 relay team and you can’t ask the person doing the 3,000 meters to throw the shot put. A product launch is an example of this. Web site content and brochures can’t be written until the messaging is complete, but that is often done by a different group. Messaging benefits from a thorough understanding of features and benefits. Features can’t be known until the engineering finalizes the design. And those features can’t be determined or prioritized without market requirements. Together these can show customers why the product is a winner, but each step of the process is quite unique and not interchangeable. The key to achievement with this team is getting individuals to perform their best.
There are many other types of teams that can follow these and other patterns. Debate teams work a bit like the relay and a track and field team. Choirs are like relays in many ways, as the blending and the music reading is like the hand-offs. Cleaning and painting crews can be more like a basketball team. Kitchen staff or wait staff in restaurants can mimic all of these at times. The key to any type of teamwork is for the group to first recognize what kind of teamwork is required.
It was a pleasure to talk with Angela Mezzetti from Women in Leadership about owning your career. Check out the recording of our fun conversation: Own Your Career and Find Balance.
By now, you all have seen fearless girl statue by Kristen Visbal that State Street Global Advisors placed facing down the bull on Wall Street to bring visibility to the lack of diversity on corporate boards of directors. The symbolism of a girl facing down the charging bull and sticking up for herself is resonating and it has already become a popular tourist attraction in New York City as girls line-up to strike a super hero pose alongside their bronze muse.
Although the statue appears to be defiantly advocating for herself, I can tell you from experience the real key to gaining diversity on boards is to have white, middle aged men take a stand and fight for diversity. Capable women, people of color, and other minority groups require advocacy from inside “the room where it happens” (to quote my favorite political hip hop musical, Hamilton). Seats at the table are advocated from peers within that room and within the leadership ranks that exist.
This year, I joined the Leadership Search Committee for InfoComm International, the trade association for the commercial AV industry. In this role, I am working with a team who is tasked with identifying talent to fill critical committee leads, board positions, and officer roles for the organization. The committee’s conversation has focused on making sure that the nominees is capable, high integrity, engaged, and willing to serve and that we are building the leadership pipeline to preserve and growth the organization into the future.
As we work on the appointment recommendations and election slates for the coming year, we are really challenging ourselves to be strategic and find geographic, racial, gender, and company type diversity to the leadership pipeline. In a male-dominated technology industry, diversity doesn’t happen without conscious and disciplined effort. I am inspired by my committee peers, both men and women, who are doing the difficult work of developing industry talent and encouraging people to serve and lead. It requires determination and persistence. It requires resourcefulness to find the qualified candidates that also represent diverse perspectives. It, like other good things, requires struggle to achieve and is best accomplished together.
The InfoComm organization is an example of one who is very purposeful about building their leadership pipeline and thinking long-term about what is best for the organization. Other organizations and companies who take this approach reward their stakeholders with great returns. I applaud the work that is being done both on non-profit and commercial boards across the country and the world, the world many of you are spearheading, to add diverse perspectives to their governance: those who are daring to grow talent and advocate for opportunities for that talent to serve. Fearless, indeed.
Originally published in LinkedIn's The Pulse
It was great to chat with Gary Kayye on Rants and rAVes again. Tune in to Episode 582: Planar & Leyard Will Show 0.9mm LED and New Rental Solutions at DSE to hear about the innovative displays we'll be showing off at DSE 2017.
I am excited to participate again this year in Portland Business Journals' BizWomen Mentoring Monday on April 3rd. After introductions and a delicious breakfast at The Sentinel Hotel, they will set up 40 of us around the room to meet in a "speed dating" format with as many women as possible in short increments. 7 conversations, 7 minutes each.
You might be wondering what you could possibly get done in 7 minutes? And I can tell you having been on both sides of the table at this event, you can accomplish a lot. If you have a goal in mind and you talk to the right person.
My first year attending, I visited with leaders from companies as diverse as Blue Cross Blue Shield to Waggner Edstrom. And I received great advice. We skipped the "get to know" you steps of mentoring. We skipped the pleasantries where we tried to be nice to each other. We went right to the point. I asked their advice and then gave it - unfiltered and extremely practical. I brought questions, queued up behind people who were knowledgable about my topics of interest, and they provided distilled wisdom that I found very useful and actionable.
Last year, I tried to do the same for the people who talked to me. Several of them followed up and we met up for coffee and a longer conversation. I found it very rewarding and hope they received some insights as well. If you were one of the ones I spoke with last time, please come see me again! I'd love to find out what the last year has brought you and what new challenges or opportunities you are facing.
The women they have assembled as mentors this year are a diverse and accomplished crowd of business leaders in Portland from a variety of industries and backgrounds. They include the following, including myself:
- Christy Aleckson, Owner, Single Point Financial Advisors
- Rebecca Armstrong, Managing Director/ Principal, North
- Kyra Bussanich, Owner, Kyra's Bake Shop
- Jeanne Carver, Co-Owner, Imperial Carver Ranch
- Stacey Dodson, President, U.S. Bank
- Angela Dowling, President, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
- Debra Dunn, President, Synergy Resources Group
- Jill Eiland, PBA Oncore Fellow
- Angie Galimanis, Owner and President, Lawrence PR
- Alyssa Gasca, Owner, Spark Executive Solutions
- Missy Gerber, President, Organizers Northwest
- Anna Hutson, Founder & CEO, Avenue
- Margie Hunt, CEO, Special Olympics Oregon
- Laurie Kelley, President and Chief Development Officer, Oregon Region Foundations, Providence Health & Services
- Tara Leigh Kinateder, Senior Vice President and Private Client Advisor, US Trust
- Tara Kramer, CEO and Owner, Ri-Ky Roofing and Sheet Metal LLC
- Elizabeth Large, General Counsel Executive
- Ivo Lukas, CEO, 24Notion
- Juliana Lukasik, Principal/Director, Large Films
- Diana Marsden, Owner, Aries Apparel
- Janeen McAninch, President, Becker Capital Management
- Judith McGee, Chair/CEO, McGee Wealth Management
- Serena Morones, Owner, Morones Analytics
- Francine Read, President, VOICES, INC.
- Jan Robertson, Chief Operating Officer, Norris, Beggs & Simpson Companies
- Sara Schmidt, Creative Director, IDL Worldwide
- Ellen Schmidt Devlin, Director, Sports Product Management Program, University of Oregon
- Jennifer Sheasgreen, President, Triumph Healthcare Finance
- Angela Sheehan, CFO, Glumac
- Ann Smith, Founder/Owner, A.Wordsmith
- Janean Sorenson, Vice President, Parker | Smith | Feek
- Suzanne Stevens, Editor in Chief, Portland Business Journal
- Vanessa Sturgeon, President, TMT Development
- Chelsea Vandiver, Executive Managing Director, Ziba Design
- Michelle Weisenbach, President, Oregon & SW Washington, KeyBank
- Michelle Williams, Women Living a Richer Life Program Director, Brighton Jones
- Kimberly Wuepper Rudick, Sr. Financial Planner, New York Life
You can read their bios here.
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