Jim Schinski, CIO at Arizona Public Services and energy industry expert, joins Steve Hopkins, VP of Client Development at Oliver Group and Tom Cox, President of Oliver Group, for Episode 12. Jim discusses the importance of timing in leadership. He also advocates for levity and compassion in leaders, especially in areas like engineering that tend to be much more serious.

When you experience the right leader at the right time, the impact is extraordinary and lasting. Jim points to Winston Churchill as a prime example, where his courage and intellect directed the course of history during World War II.

However, Jim also warns us not to be afraid of letting leaders go when they are no longer the right fit—waiting too long only hurts the organization. Making the hard decision is better for everyone in the long run.

Be sure to listen to learn about the time Jim took leadership tips from the circus!

Jim is a long-time friend of Oliver Group and a proponent of the Leadership Pipeline methodology. We appreciate his assertion that leadership is a learned skill, one that needs to be continually developed throughout the career transitions of a leader. We couldn’t agree more!

Neeli Bendapudi, President of the University of Louisville, joins Steve Hopkins, VP of Client Development at Oliver Group and Tom Cox, President of Oliver Group, for Episode 11. Neeli highlights the importance of character and humility in leadership, the art of building effective teams and the fact that you can be nice and still be a strong leader.

Neeli admires many leaders. She’s found that, instead of the admiring the people themselves, she looks to the characteristics that inspire her. She’s especially drawn to examples where the leaders set aside their own ego and put the mission before themselves. She aims to emulate this at University of Louisville.

Her advice to fellow leaders? Build strong teams. Her approach: complement your own strengths and buttress where you are weak. Working at a university, she knows that she isn’t always going to be the smartest person in the room. Neeli says, “If I am, I know I haven’t built a strong team!”

Neeli also discusses the skills she values most when building a team. Be sure to listen for these important tips!

In 2020, Neeli faced her biggest challenge: leading a major university in a time of racial and social justice movements as well as during a global pandemic. She credits her team’s resilience and grit for getting them through that difficult time. We at the Oliver Group don’t doubt that Neeli’s skill at team building helped position the university well, and we look forward to watching their continued success in 2021.

Ron Culp, public relations professional and instructor at DePaul University in Chicago, joins Steve Hopkins, VP of Client Development at Oliver Group and Tom Cox, President of Oliver Group, for Episode 10. Ron provides excellent advice on leading the next generation. He covers a broad range of topics to include the importance of listening, tips on performance reviews and measurement, and where companies fail in leading Millennials.

Early in his career, Ron became a leader without even knowing it. That transition from his tactical role to a leadership role came without a lot of training. “I didn’t know what a leader was,” Ron recalled. “But I had some role models that I could turn to and say, ‘that’s the type of leader I want to be.’” He observed that when individuals felt heard and their ideas were given thoughtful consideration, things got done. This concept is now ingrained in both his leadership and teaching style.

As a PRAD Professional in Residence at DePaul, Ron continues his PR and communications career alongside educating young professionals. Ron points out that his students are very accustomed to instantaneous feedback from social media and how this is important to consider when leading Millennial and Gen Z employees. He provides some excellent suggestions on measuring and evaluating performance with these groups…and even an example from reality TV.

Ron candidly identifies how companies fail their Millennial talent. Younger employees crave effective training—they want to grow, and employers are not investing properly. In addition, underrepresented groups are not getting the mentorship they need and are leaving to find organizations where they feel valued. Ron asserts that the companies that provide productive leadership development for their young employees will find themselves winning in the future.