Summary

In this episode, Anthony Taylor interviews Kerry Siggins, CEO of StoneAge and author of The Ownership Mindset. Kerry shares her journey of becoming a leader at StoneAge and the importance of trust and empowerment in building a successful company. She emphasizes the need for leaders to have an ownership mindset and to surround themselves with smart people. Kerry also discusses the challenges of aligning a large organization and the importance of defining a clear vision and values. The episode concludes with a discussion about Kerry's book, which provides actionable insights for leaders looking to build a great team and culture.

Kerry Siggins is the CEO of StoneAge, a leading manufacturer of industrial cleaning equipment and one of Outside magazine’s top 100 companies to work for. In 2021, she was honored by Industry Era magazine as one of its Top 10 Most Influential CEOs, and in 2017 she was a finalist for Colorado’s CEO of the Year. She sits on the boards of several companies and is member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO). She is regularly invited to deliver keynote speeches on several business and leadership topics, including how to create employee-centric cultures in which it’s safe to speak up and show up as your whole self. She is an active blogger and contributor to Forbes, Entrepreneur, Authority magazine, and BIC magazine and hosts several podcasts, including the popular Reflect Forward.

Takeaways

• Trust and empowerment are essential in building a successful company.
• Leaders should have an ownership mindset and surround themselves with smart people.
• Defining a clear vision and values helps align a large organization.
• Regular check-ins and accountability systems are crucial for ensuring success.
• Kerry's book, The Ownership Mindset, provides actionable insights for leaders.

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Background

01:07

Becoming a Leader at StoneAge

07:43

Empowering Others and Building Trust

12:02

Aligning the Company and Ensuring Accountability

14:08

Creating a Unified Culture

16:28

The Ownership Mindset Book

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About SME STRATEGY CONSULTING:

SME Strategy is a management consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations develop and implement their strategic plans. We work with teams to facilitate conversations about strategic direction and business strategy so that our clients can focus their energy on what will move them forward faster.

For teams: We can facilitate your strategic planning offsite meeting and strategic plan creation. As well as support your strategic plan implementation.

For individuals leading strategy: Join our community of strategy leaders who have learned SME Strategy’s approach and tools for aligning teams, and driving strategic plans forward.

Dr. Andrew Temte, CFA, is the former CEO of Kaplan Professional, author of two books: Balancing Act: Teach, Coach, Mentor, Inspire, and The Balanced Business: Building Organizational Trust and Accountability through Smooth Workflows, and host of The Balancing Act podcast.

A thought leader on issues related to organizational health, continuous improvement, and workforce reskilling, his articles have appeared in a number of media outlets. A blend of higher education and professional education experience gives Dr. Temte a unique perspective over the issues surrounding the future of employment and workplace relevance.

Andrew Temte is an accomplished professional with an intriguing background that belies conventional career trajectories. Having left high school in the 11th grade, he serves as a testament to the belief that one's early missteps do not define their future success. Pursuing a passion for music and education, Andrew went on to earn a PhD in finance from the University of Iowa. He's a musician, a former CEO at Kaplan Professional, a frontrunner in alternative educational pathways, and the founder of Skills Owl LLC. Andrew is also the author of "Balancing Act" and "The Balanced Business," and leads a musical life as the frontman of the band The Remainders.

In this enlightening episode of the Strategy and Leadership podcast, host Anthony Taylor engages in a deep dive with Andrew Temte, exploring the intersections of education, skills development, and leadership. Offering a quick snapshot of Andrew's unique journey from high school dropout to a PhD-educated professional, this episode delves into the importance of continuous learning and adaptability in a rapidly evolving workforce landscape.

Andrew discusses the critical shift in skill demand from technical to more human-centric, emphasizing the imperative for leaders and workers alike to embrace and refine their emotional intelligence. As companies face a global reskilling challenge, bolstering human skills, which Andrew refers to as compassionate leadership, has become more vital than ever. He also sheds light on organizational responsibilities, advocating for a dynamic approach to performance reviews, which should pivot to skill mapping and strategizing learning paths for employees.

• Lifelong learning and persistent curiosity are essential for thriving in the future of work.
• Organizations need to transition from traditional performance reviews to continuous skill evaluations tied to strategic goals.
• Developing human skills, or "human skill" as Andrew prefers to call them, is paramount in an AI-driven workplace.
• Certification and credentials remain important for career mobility, but learning on the job should be acknowledged and transferable.
• Balancing professional growth with personal passions, such as music, can lead to a more fulfilled and successful life.

1. "Your failures do not define you. As long as we're learning from them and continuing to move forward."
2. "The future of work will require much less technical training… we have to bring to the world of work but our human selves."
3. "Once you start to coast, the world is going to plow you over."
4. "Leaders and managers should be sitting down with their people and saying… 'Here's the gap between your current skill set and what you are going to need…'"
5. "If you're a leader…and you gave up music 15 years ago to be a leader, please pick it back up… You'll just be amazed at the doors of your mind that open up."

• Andrew Temte's website: andrewtemte.com
• Books: "Balancing Act" and "The Balanced Business" available on Amazon and other booksellers.
• Band: The Remainders (no specific reference link provided)

Engage with the full discussion for a treasure trove of insights on how to navigate the changing tides of work, leadership, and learning. Stay tuned for more episodes that promise to enlighten and inspire your leadership journey.