Developing Leaders

“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.”


Harvey S. Firestone

Developing leaders at all levels of an organization is critical to the long-term success of any business. In the 2014 Global Human Capital Trends survey published by Deloitte University Press, leadership remained the number one talent issue facing organizations around the world. Eighty-five percent of respondents rated leadership at all levels of the organization as urgent or important. Yet, only 14% said they did an excellent job of developing leaders, which has led to a large “readiness” gap. In the 2017 survey, nearly 90% of executives continued to rate the need to strengthen and improve organizational leadership as an important priority.

The following highlights local leaders who share their advice for why and how companies need to develop leaders at all levels of an organization.

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Rick McKenney


CEO, Unum

What types of leaders will be needed over the course of the next decade?
Leaders will need to embrace new ways of working, like flexible schedules, telecommuting, and the advances in technology we see all around us. With information available to anyone at their fingertips, the age of leading through expertise is being replaced by the ability to effectively lead a team through collaboration and remove barriers to speed delivery. Additionally, leaders who value the inclusion of a diversity of perspectives will also gain a competitive edge. With multiple generations working side-by-side in the workplace and a variety of backgrounds, it’s critical for leaders to recognize that different views make teams stronger.

How would you describe the ideal leader?
The ideal leader can be situational, meaning different mixtures of leadership skills can work in different environments. The qualities that are necessary regardless of environment include setting a clear, compelling vision; communicating context and expectations well and often; connecting with team members on an individual basis; and creating an environment that attracts strong talent who appreciate challenges. Like a good coach, the ideal leader encourages and inspires a team to do their best and recognizes a job well done.

How important is experience across various functions to be an executive leader?
Leaders can be particularly effective when they have exposure to various functions across an organization because they learn how all parts fit together to make a company succeed. Gaining breadth can come in multiple forms.  At Unum, we encourage our employees to find opportunities in different areas, ranging from cross-function transfers to job shadows and rotational programs.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
At Unum, we empower our employees to fuel their careers with professional development, leadership development, mentoring programs, and continuing education programs. We provide a series of leadership development programs for employees who want to expand their knowledge about different areas of the company through multiple job roles. We look for candidates who are proven leaders with strong interpersonal skills, as well as creative thinkers who are highly motivated, self-directed, well organized, and can handle multiple priorities at one time.


Photo by Rich Smith

DevelopingLeaders.Patel


 

Mitch Patel


President and CEO, Vision Hospitality Group

What types of leaders will be needed over the course of the next decade?
Innovative and adaptable leaders will take us into the next decade. The way the world does business is changing faster than ever and we need leaders who are ready to change along with it.

How would you describe the ideal leader?
The ideal leader is invested in the people they lead. Leaders need to develop strong teams and strong working relationships. Ultimately, our leaders need to continue learning and continue developing ways to fit the needs of the company and team. Positivity when leading a team is important and, as long as the individual is trainable and coachable, everything else will fall into place.

Will the skills of future leaders need to be different than today? If so, how?
The world of business and the business of leadership is ever-changing. Future leaders will need to shift their focus to a more holistic approach, one not just solely focused on the profit. A company’s culture is becoming a selling point for both job seekers and the clients the businesses serve. How a company presents itself outside of its key function is becoming more and more important. The public is interested in how companies are making a difference and how they are leading causes for change.

How important is it to develop leaders at all levels of your organization now?
Having strong leaders is essential to any company’s success. When you have leaders in place at each level in your company with the same vision and goal in mind, you are virtually unstoppable. When associates are empowered, they take ownership of their sphere of responsibility, find greater pride in their work, build confidence, and establish a culture of leadership.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
Training is so important to our leadership team. We developed our own training program and specialized curriculum, specific to each role within the company. We hired a director of Culture and Talent Development who designed courses and curriculums that aligned with our unique culture and the brands we represent. Our goal is to offer the tools for all associates to grow to their fullest potential.

DevelopingLeaders.Sims


Carol Sim


President and CEO, Siskin Hospital
for Physical Rehabilitation

Will the skills of future leaders need to be different than today? If so, how?
I think that good leadership is timeless, but today’s leaders have to learn and grow at an unprecedented pace. The changing technology, for example, requires leaders to be curious and lifelong learners, but also to recognize that they must optimize the expertise of their team because no single person can know everything.

How would you describe the ideal leader?
To me, an ideal leader assembles the best team, defines and articulates the vision, and then steps back into the role of coach and cheerleader to let that team do their jobs with creativity and self-expression. An exceptional leader communicates well and often, has the highest level of integrity, engenders trust, and inspires people to “get on board” with excitement.

How important is experience across various functions for an executive leader?
I have come to realize that experience in the field is a double-edge sword. It is immensely helpful because you understand the complexities of the industry, the regulations, and the role of the various players. On the other hand, it can work to the detriment of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Some of the most creative and “barrier crushing” health care CEOs I have seen have had a passion for the mission, but have come to health care leadership from a completely different arena.

Over the next five years, where do you see opportunities for new leaders to emerge?
There are enormous opportunities within health care. Any clinical degree such as nursing, therapy, or medicine coupled with a business education gives a person unlimited opportunities for advancement. If anything, what I see in health care is a reluctance of clinicians to move into the middle management roles that then prepare them for senior roles.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
Our organization is continually identifying people who show leadership traits and developing them by involving them in performance improvement efforts and other focused initiatives.  Every other month we assemble all of our managers and supervisors for training on a leadership topic and provide individual coaching.


Photo by Rich Smith

DevelopingLeaders.Wade


David Wade


CEO, EPB

How would you describe the ideal leader?
Many people don’t think of patience as an essential characteristic of leadership, but I think it’s critical. As individuals, we can move quickly. Moving together takes more time, but it is so much more impactful. The ideal leader must inspire people to work together. They must also trust their employees and recognize and appreciate their employees’ talents. Once a leader has communicated clear expectations, one of the most powerful things we can do is express our confidence in the team by stepping back and letting them carry the project forward.

How important is experience across various functions to be an executive leader?
It’s valuable for leaders to have experience across multiple functions of the company, but as the pace of change increases, leaders are most effective when they surround themselves with a diverse group of people with a wide range of talents and perspectives. Great leaders then ask great questions in a way that challenges team members to develop innovative solutions.

How important is it to develop leaders at all levels of your organization now?
Leadership isn’t a bracket on an organizational chart. True leaders are the people who motivate others to constructive action. Regardless of official titles, leaders already exist throughout all organizations. Failure to channel all kinds of leadership can lead to different parts of the organization pulling in different directions. We are best when we work together and allow everyone to contribute.

Over the next 5 years, where do you see opportunities for new leaders to emerge?
New leaders can emerge from any part of an organization.   I do see opportunities related to how we collect and use data. Going forward, leadership efforts related to making the best use of data analytics and fostering innovation will continue to be increasingly important.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
When it comes to identifying and cultivating emerging leaders, one of the most effective things we do is to engage employees from different workgroups in coming together to carry out specific projects. This gives employees the opportunity to develop and demonstrate a variety of skills necessary for rising leaders including problem solving, clear communication, coordination, and peer decision-making.   


Photo by Emily Long

DevelopingLeaders.Odom


 

Burt Odom


President and CEO, EMJ Corporation

How would you describe the ideal leader?
The ideal leader is someone who is selfless, yet bold. They look for the win-win in every situation and are able to resolve issues in the best interest of everyone involved. Ideal leaders will be able to use their life experience, both good and bad, both personally and professionally, to grow as leaders. They can use these experiences to empathize, encourage, and develop other leaders.

How important is experience across various functions for an executive leader?
In the business world, experience allows leaders to relate to employees and clients and provides a sense of humility and perspective. Time and experience in various roles, responsibilities, and situations equip you with insight and knowledge that allow you to become an executive leader. You are able to see situations from multiple angles and provide an objective perspective.

How important is it to develop leaders at all levels of your organization now?
We believe that developing servant leaders within our organization is paramount to our mission, our success as a company, our people, and our clients. Everyone is a servant leader in some capacity in their position within EMJ Corporation, and we must continue to provide and improve our resources for our employees to grow and develop their skills.

Over the next 5 years, where do you see opportunities for new leaders to emerge?
Being creative with our company’s organizational structure is a great way to promote leaders from within. As we move away from the traditional organizational hierarchy and expand departments and divisions horizontally, we open the door for employees to move up within the organization and lead departments and divisions.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
EMJ’s mission is to deliver unique value to our clients, partners, and colleagues, and we know the best way to do that is by growing and developing the strengths of our people. We encourage our employees to master their current roles and look to future opportunities through career mapping and growth plans. Growth plans are short-term, personalized, step-by-step goals for each employee. Career Maps include skills needed for mastery of their current position, along with the skills they will need for their next position and even the position after that.


Photo by Rich Smith

DevelopingLeaders.Lebowitz


Stephen Lebovitz


President and CEO, CBL Properties

How would you describe the ideal leader?
The ideal leader has a combination of experience and fresh perspective, a willingness to learn and accept new ways of thinking, and the ability to look at both the big picture and the details of their business. He or she must be good a listener who can encourage discussion but also know when to be decisive. Maintaining flexibility is also crucial, because change is so prevalent in the business world today.

Will the skills of future leaders need to be different than today? If so, how?
With the increasing role of millennials, the ability to work together with different generations is a critical skill; social media is playing a bigger role in marketing and communication strategies, so leaders need to understand its impact and how they can take advantage of these tools to advance their message.

How important is experience across various functions for an executive leader?
Experience across disciplines is more important as business becomes more specialized and technical. Leaders need credibility, and having a deep knowledge and experience base reinforces this. That being said, leaders also need to recognize when a business is vulnerable to disruption and pivot their strategies in response. They cannot fall into the trap of being stuck in the way things have been done in the past.

Over the next 5 years, where do you see opportunities for new leaders to emerge?
Technology provides a huge opportunity for new leadership. The basic intuition that younger leaders bring to this area of the business is a major advantage and should be tapped into. There is also more opportunity to use data to develop strategic priorities and new areas of growth.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
We have made it a priority to invest in the growth and education of our team. We have implemented a variety of programs, both formal and informal, to accomplish this. We’ve recently rolled out a tuition reimbursement program for all full-time employees. We also encourage more senior and experienced leaders to mentor younger employees, and we encourage our leaders to learn from the different skill sets and experiences newer employees bring
to the organization.


Photo by Rich Smith

DevelopingLeaders.Armstrong


 

Valoria Armstrong


President, Tennessee American Water

What types of leaders will be needed over the course of the next decade?
Servant and transformational leaders. Servant leaders put their employees first. It’s important that employees know you care for them, their families, and their well-being.  This is only done through authentic and genuine interactions. Transformational leaders adjust well to change, building strong, solid leadership teams who are knowledgeable and transformational in their approach as well.

How would you describe the ideal leader?
Ideal leaders are willing to seek out feedback and expertise from others. A leader who recognizes the strength of diversity and inclusion – diversity of not only ethnicity and gender but also diversity in cultures, backgrounds, and unique individual strengths. One of American Water’s values is “diverse teams making a difference.” As the first African American and female to lead Tennessee American Water, this is a value that I champion and encourage others internally and externally to challenge themselves with as well.


How important is experience across various functions for an executive leader?
As an executive leader, it is necessary to have a broad understanding of the business and how the organization functions.  Executive leaders need also to surround themselves with a team of experts adept at handling the various functions of the business. I had been in the role of President of TAW for less than six months when we experienced a break in one of the two pipes that brings water to approximately 25,000 customers in Chattanooga. My background is in Human Resources and not in operations. I learned quickly that I could trust my team to utilize their expertise to manage the various aspects of this repair – technical, communications, budget impact – relying on their knowledge as well as our team approach.


How important is it to develop leaders at all levels of your organization now? Why?
Talent Development and Succession Planning is critical in order for an organization to continue to grow and thrive. You are either going to be growing or not. There is not an in-between. Developing talent and always looking to the future as to who the emerging leaders are is part of that growth. Baby Boomers are leaving the workforce in huge numbers and organizations must be proactive in planning for knowledge transfer and retention.


Photo by Rich Smith

DevelopingLeaders.Fuller


 

Eric Fuller


CEO, U.S. Xpress

What types of leaders will be needed over the course of the next decade?
With the workplace and technology rapidly changing, we’re going to need leaders who are capable and focused on change. In many disciplines, the methods we learned in school 20 years ago may no longer be relevant. Leaders have to be eager to learn and adapt within the changing business climate.

How would you describe the ideal leader?
I have learned over time that nothing is as important as realistic self-awareness. Know your strengths and weaknesses, while emphasizing and employing your strengths and using others to fill gaps where your weaknesses are. If you build a team that looks like you in ability, knowledge, approach, and temperament, then you will limit your success. Your team needs to be well-rounded and diverse to challenge each other with their knowledge and different experiences. 

How important is experience across various functions to be an executive leader?
It’s important but you also must have the ability to see how those functions tie, or should tie, to the overall big picture of the organization. Do not allow yourself to believe that a strong “doer” will be a great manager or executive and vice versa. They are different skill sets and require different approaches.

How important is it to develop leaders at all levels of your organization now?
We need to be ready not just for five years down the road but for 20-30 years down the road. And to get there, we need to be looking at employees at all levels of the company today as well as being cognizant to the type of employees we’re hiring today.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
Over the last few years, we’ve brought in top-notch talent development and acquisition professionals and charged them with building leadership and skill capacity among our current talent pool, as well as cultivating a new pool of high-potential leaders.  They’ve developed award-winning initiatives including our Xpress Elite program, which recruits high-potential professionals from both inside and outside the industry. We spend two years immersing these professionals into all levels of our operation as a fast-track training to launch them into leadership roles after the training is complete. 


Photo by Rich Smith

DevelopingLeaders.Jackson


 

Jeff Jackson


Market President, First Tennessee

What types of leaders will be needed over the course of the next decade?
Over the next decade, our community will see a transition as the boomers begin to retire and step away from leadership roles. As a community, we need to continue to prepare emerging business and civic leaders. Additionally, it is important to continue to grow leaders who recognize and emphasize the need for a strong nonprofit community. Ultimately, it is important to have a diversified workforce that can continue to meet community needs.

How would you describe the ideal leader?
The best leaders I’ve encountered are those who have served others and can empathize with individuals from very different backgrounds. Ideal leaders are those who are humble in sharing their own accolades while boldly praising others. They are accessible, approachable, and willing to put the interests of others above their own.

Will the skills of future leaders need to be different than today? If so, how?
As technology continues to evolve, future leaders will be more connected to it than ever.  However, really the best leaders will not only have to be savvy with their technology but also with their interpersonal skills. People want to conduct business with people they trust, and there’s simply no substitute for a face-to-face conversation.

How important is experience across various functions for an executive leader?
Experience matters. You learn lessons from everyone who has ever hired you. Some of those lessons teach you what type of leader you’d like to be, while others clearly define what you want to avoid. It’s important to view each job, project, or volunteer opportunity as a teachable moment.

How does your company lead initiatives to seek out and develop the skills of potential leaders?
First Tennessee works hard to develop the fullest potential of every single employee. We have ongoing training opportunities that provide career paths for members of our team. It’s one of the many reasons we have staying power with our employees and our customers. Relationships are vital to our success. If we can train and maintain staff, it’s better for customers who come into financial centers expecting to see familiar faces. For our team, it’s an opportunity to continue to grow with a company that has played a role in Chattanooga’s rich history for more than 40 years.


Photo by Rich Smith

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