Unlike some businesses tempted to diversify as part of their growth strategy, Ted Sherritt’s company has expanded simply by staying true to the one and only product it has made since 1961 — countertops.

“Making post-form, laminate countertops is where Floform started more than 50 years ago. It was an innovative product that the founders truly pioneered and championed and it helped them dominate the industry,” says Sherritt, who took over as company president and CEO in 2000.

“In fact, in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, there are people who still refer to any one-piece postformed countertop as a Floform countertop, sort of like the way tissues are commonly called Kleenex.”

Recently named one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies for the first time, Floform employs a total of 575 people in its eight locations across Western Canada and three in the northwest United States (the company acquired a Seattle-based business in 2008).

“Although we have customers all over North America, we are very western-focused,” says Sherritt, adding that 75 per cent of the company’s business remains residential work, which keeps more than 100 installers busy in the field every day.

“To be successful, we rely on our mission statement, which is a commitment to providing the best countertop purchasing experience in the marketplace. The trickle down from that is our core values, including the importance of treating employees fairly and with respect and honesty. We live by those values every day.”

Q. What is your background and how did you come to lead this company?

A. Unlike most business owners in this industry, I didn’t start out as a craftsman in a shop building his own countertops. I bought into the business in 1995 after being a chartered accountant and chartered business evaluator with KPMG. The accounting firm had been asked to help company owners John and Frank Dyck at a devastating time in Floform’s history. They had switched to using environmentally friendly adhesives, but were sold an inferior glue product and as a result, had to go back and fix the problem in about 30,000 homes. It took years and cost them dearly. I arrived in an advisory role at a time when they needed an injection of capital and some direction in corporate finance. When Frank Dyck retired in 2000, I took over as president, CEO and the majority owner. I am proud to say that we’ve experienced double-digit growth in Western Canada every year of the past 10 years.

Q. Has this rate of growth changed the priorities of your operations?

A. I think we’ve really shifted our focus from manufacturing to being a sales-based company. We used to be totally production based, and our marketing strategy was little more than producing the order once it came over the fax. “Here’s another order, let’s make it.” But within the past five years, we’ve moved to more of a “Let’s go out and get that business; let’s earn the opportunity to be their sole source countertop provider.” And today, we’re doing that in a number of exciting ways, including our website and building up our online presence through digital media, special events as well as creating showrooms that allow us to give designers and homeowners the complete buying experience.

Q. Do you think this growth helps retain good people?

A. There’s certainly something exciting about being part of a growing company that is not only profitable, but is introducing new products and processes all the time. This year, we’re growing our stone business and debuting new glass, stainless steel and copper products that are just coming into this market. That kind of stuff is not only interesting to our customers, but to our people as well because it means they get training to stay up to date on the latest features. Growth is great for company pride and it also creates opportunities for people who are eager to embrace it.

Q. Recently, you introduced Lean manufacturing practices to your production teams. How has it made a difference?

A. Lean manufacturing is important in all our fab shops and we continue to do training on an ongoing basis. To me, the engagement you get out of the staff is the real win. Once you bring Lean training in, it gives people the confidence and tools to contribute more to the company’s overall success, because they’re always thinking about ways to do things better. For example, before Lean was here, it was really just about how to fix the mistake that happened that morning instead of how to fix the entire system so that it doesn’t happen again. I’ve always said that we’re paying 575 people for their brains, not just to stand around and do a job. We want them to be thinking about continuous improvement all the time so that ultimately, we’re all working on the business instead of in it.

Q. How important is hiring for “fit” to your workplace culture?

A. Fit is very important; in fact, one of the core competencies we look for in the people we hire is a sense of humour because of how important having a fun, positive attitude is to our culture. We each spend at least one-third of our day at work, so if you’re not enjoying what you do, you need to find someplace else, because being unhappy not only affects you, it affects everyone around you. So, if you walk through our door wanting a job but it looks like you’re going to be a stick in the mud or create a lot of drama, we’ll say thanks, but then hire the next guy, instead.

Q. What challenges are you facing in terms of your people practices?

A. Right now, there are two areas that we need to work on. The first is that job-performance reviews are still too closely linked to salary when that shouldn’t be the case. Yet, it seems that when you sit down with an employee to tell them they’re doing a good job, there is an expectation that it comes with a financial reward. We do have profit sharing and a bonus incentive program in place for people who contribute to our success, but I don’t believe a good review should be necessarily tied to salary. The other challenge is our pension plan. We put one in place for Canadian employees two years ago, but at the same time, we had to cut the 401K plan in the U.S., where profitability continues to be a challenge in our industry. The plan was costly, plus it was only being utilized by a fraction of employees, and only the higher-paid ones, at that. So we decided to defer it until we became more profitable in the U.S., but now that the American economy is slowly rebounding, I can envision us bringing it back sometime in the future, which we promised our people that we would do.

Q. What is the most valuable lesson about leadership you have learned through the years?

A. It goes back to our founders, Frank and John Dyck, and what I learned from the way they handled that warranty issue back in the 1990s. Yes, we bought a product that was bad, but Mrs. Homeowner doesn’t care that we were sold bad glue. All she knows is that she bought her countertop from us and that it needed to be fixed. What I learned from that is not only to take responsibility for everything you sell, but stand by your commitment to customers. If someone is unhappy, even if they have been provided with a perfect product and flawless installation, we’ve got to work our butts off to satisfy them. There is nothing more important than looking after the customer.

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, Ph.D, F.CHRP, is managing director of Boyden Global Executive Search. He can be contacted at jmcferran@boyden.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 31, 2012 H1

One of the largest employers in the province, Manitoba Hydro employs 6,300 people from Churchill to Emerson, a fact that president and CEO Bob Brennan never takes for granted.

“It’s a sobering thought to know that you’re accountable for the welfare and safety of 6,300 people, especially when they’re working in an environment like a generating station or on a hydro pole,” says Brennan, now entering his 22nd year as head of Manitoba’s electrical power and natural gas utility, where he has spent his entire career.

According to Brennan, all performance indicators for the Crown corporation are the best in the country, with rates among the lowest and reliability among the highest to be found anywhere in Canada.

The company has approximately 540,000 electrical power customers and 266,000 natural gas customers. While it operates 15 interconnected generating stations and has 72 customer service offices across the province as well as construction and maintenance employees at strategic locations, the remainder of its employees work inside Winnipeg, whether at the offices on Taylor or Sutherland avenues or at the brand new Manitoba Hydro tower on Portage Avenue.

“It’s pretty hard for me not to be proud of this organization,” Brennan says. “This is a great company with a powerful mix of people. We take great pride in the fact that we serve our customers quite well and will continue to do so for years to come.”

Q: What do you think attracts people to work in a large organization such as this one?

A: When people are interested in working for any company, they ask if it’s a good place to work, what opportunities are available and what it stands for. And I do think Manitoba Hydro stands for all the right things. We have a reputation for being professional and I truly believe we are widely viewed as a good place to work because we all understand our purpose for being here. Because we are a large organization, we have an incredible mix of quality people with every skill possible in every discipline imaginable. The only thing we don’t have is doctors! I think another advantage of being this size is that we are able to offer our people so many opportunities. We’re growing, and with our massive capital program, there are constantly new opportunities being presented. For example, we have lawyers who started in our legal department who have developed specialties like the environment or working with First Nations bands. That being said, I believe it’s important for people to have a good working knowledge of everything that’s happening in the place they work. If they take the time to thoroughly understand the company’s growth potential and its risks — the whole gamut — then success opportunities will surely open up for them.

Q: Has your new corporate office played a role in recruiting and retaining employees?

A: The importance of providing good work facilities was something I previously underestimated but building and moving into our new offices on Portage Avenue is the best thing we could’ve done for our people. Environmentally speaking, the facility is exceptional, right down to the fact that you can open your window and smell the fresh air. People are taking the bus and biking to work — we now have more bikes parked in the racks downstairs than we ever imagined possible. This is an excellent place to work and it is reflected in people’s attitudes. They’re happier and show more pride in their workplace. At the same time, we’re proud of the fact that our relocation has been an economic boost for the city, with 1,900 of our employees now working downtown.

Q: Beyond traditional benefits, what is a unique program or opportunity you offer employees?

A: We have a consulting arm called Manitoba Hydro International (MHI), which gives employees an opportunity to work in developing countries like Africa for short-term assignments. Basically, it entails taking a skilled professional out of their position here and lending them to the foreign company or government requiring our management expertise for a project or for training local workers. Within MHI, we have set up subsidiaries, such as telecommunications, to help telecommunication retailers take advantage of Manitoba Hydro’s assets. Our research centre provides professional services such as modelling and another company which rates transmission lines so that we know how high the wires need to be off the ground based on the amount of power flowing through them. As an added bonus for us, while the MHI employee is on leave from their job, we temporarily backfill their position with other employees, which creates new training opportunities right here at home.

Q: What people challenges do you have today that you weren’t facing a decade or two ago?

A: We’re finding that there’s a lot more stress in people’s lives and it seems to be getting harder to juggle the pressures coming from every direction. As a company, it’s difficult to manage this because it’s a personal issue as well as a workplace issue, but we know we have to do our part to help our people deal with it and find a healthier balance before it develops into serious health problems. Ensuring the wellness of our people has been a growing concern to me and something we’re continually trying to deal with more aggressively. I would also mention that in our view, it’s easier to find good managers these days than it is to get highly skilled professionals. We have people who are going to be very difficult to replace when they retire because of their skill set. Everyone talks about the importance of developing future leaders, but one of our biggest challenges is ensuring we have skilled people in the pipeline to fill highly skilled technical jobs.

Q: As a provincewide employer, is there a difference in recruiting outside of Winnipeg?

A: Interestingly, there does seem to be a difference. One thing we have found is that if you have a position that requires moving an employee to another location in the province, it seems best to hire someone from rural Manitoba. If you hire from within Winnipeg, they are generally not as receptive to moving compared to hiring a person with the same skill set from outside the Perimeter. There are exceptions, of course. Our linemen tend to move around wherever they are needed, but often we find that once they settle down in a community they like, they’ll think twice about leaving or won’t be as willing to move unless the opportunity presented is an exceptional one. They buy a home and they put down roots. It’s a challenge, but at the same time, it’s also a benefit for Manitoba Hydro that so many of our employees are committed to staying in the communities they live and work in. Manitobans are generally reluctant to leave the province.

Q: What important lessons did you learn as an employee that you still apply as a leader?

A: I’m fortunate in that every boss I’ve ever had during my whole working life, I learned something from. They were all different in their backgrounds, personalities and leadership styles, but I gained something from each of them. I think that taught me that you can learn something from everyone, from the way the present themselves to the way they treat people. I certainly still apply that philosophy to everyone who works in our organization today, which is why it’s so important for me to take every opportunity to interact with our people as often as possible. I enjoy it. I remember going out to the lake one Friday afternoon and stopped to talk to one of our survey crews working at the side of the road. It was scorching hot and I said, “Wouldn’t you guys like to take a holiday today and go to the lake yourselves?” One of the fellows said, “No, not me. But come back in January when it’s 20 below and then I’ll gladly take you up on the offer.”

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, F.CHRP, is managing director of Boyden Global Executive Search. He can be contacted at jmcferran@boyden.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 15, 2011 H1

And that’s a good thing, because as president and CEO of Polywest Ltd., the largest Canadian distributor of durable liquid-handling products for agriculture and industrial use, he needs a lot of energy to oversee the rapid growth his company is experiencing in its 16th year.

Polywest is highly regarded in agriculture circles for its above-ground polyethylene tanks, fiberglass fertilizer storage tanks, septic tanks, pumps and hoses, but as Northam points out, his 30-employee strong company is growing beyond the farm because of other current issues.

“The public’s attitude toward the stewardship of our No. 1 resource, water, is slowly changing. People are now better managing their water; they’re storing it underground and using low-flow bathroom fixtures to reduce use. The growing awareness of water management and the need for better water systems has certainly worked in our favour,” he says.

Despite this recent success, Northam says that like many business owners, his biggest challenge remains recruiting and retaining top talent to lead Polywest into the future.

“We are now growing not only through traditional sales channels, but also through acquisition, which means we are constantly looking for companies that are synergistic with what we do,” he says. “To help us sustain our growth, we need the expertise of people who are engaged in what we are doing and excited about the potential.”

Q: Polywest is experiencing unprecedented growth. What challenges has this created for you?

A: We are already Canada’s largest distributor of liquid-handling products, and our dream is to be a significant supplier of these products not only in Western Canada but beyond. We currently have offices in Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Edmonton and we would like to eventually add new locations in Calgary, B.C. and Southern Ontario. These opportunities are available right now, but we don’t yet have the people, resources or the infrastructure in place to create the necessary supply chain. Mainly, we are short of key people to manage any potential new operations.

Q: Have you found that your people-management issues have changed?

A: It’s interesting, but I’ve found that as our company grows incrementally in sales, the more complex our human resources-related issues become and the more we realize the need to focus on our people. We can go out and convince suppliers that Polywest is the right company for marketing and distributing their products, but if we can’t back that up with an infrastructure of people who know what they’re doing and are engaged in what they’re doing, we’re in big trouble. The way I see it, we’re not going anywhere unless we have happy, healthy, engaged employees. If we don’t sustain the individuals who support us at level one before we reach level two, then our company will fall behind.

Q: What attributes are you looking for in the people you hire?

A: Our philosophy is simple: We hire for attitude and we train for expertise. It’s an old adage, but it still rings true and remains prudent every day, every week and every year of our business. Education is very important and we do consider a candidate’s accreditation, primarily in our agriculture business, where we seek ag degrees or at least some fundamental understanding of agriculture processes. Our sales people do not have to be agronomists, but they do need to be in touch with the industry and in tune with our customers.

Over the years, we have managed to attract a number of people who were previously stuck in dead-end positions elsewhere but demonstrated the energy and enthusiasm to start a new career with a growing company. Nine times out of 10, they told us their positions had been lacking key ingredients like employee feedback, strong vision, good communication and a clear objective. If these critical ingredients go missing, they make going to work miserable and unrewarding. They come to us because we are able to show them our plans for the future and the role we envision them playing in it, then back it up with the right support, resources and people practices.

Q: As a smaller, close-knit company, how do you handle the loss of an employee leaving?

A: Over the years, we have faced some unfortunate situations where people chose to leave us for whatever reason and it does hit close to home. The way I see it, every time we lose a valuable employee, we fail. It’s not the employee who failed us, the company failed them. In the past, we have made mistakes by not hiring the right person, by not properly reviewing job performance or by not helping them to move on if they weren’t suited to the position, to the business or to the culture. When you have happy employees, you create an engaging culture and a good working environment for all. That’s not rhetoric, it’s a fact. By learning from our past failures, I know we’ll make fewer mistakes in the future.

Q: How do you engage your people in a way that helps with building a cohesive team?

A: Creating fun is absolutely essential, because without it, what’s the point of doing all this work? We like to have periodic staff get-togethers like parties, picnics and Texas hold ‘em (poker) games. Sometimes, management will bring in a barbecue and grill lunch for the employees. I realize that group activities like these are not practical in all environments, especially in large corporate settings, but if our company ever gets so large that we can no longer have fun together, I don’t want to be part of it. I like having fun; I enjoy the interplay between management and staff. I want to continue to like coming to work, too. It helps that we also get along. That’s not a mandatory requirement of working here — we don’t have to like each other, but we are fortunate in that we have a core group of young employees with growing families and similar needs; therefore, there is a lot of commonality. Shared interests also help us to bond, which is also for morale. In addition, we understand that measurable objectives, performance reviews and a bonus program are crucial to engaging our employees, which is supported by weekly staff meetings.

Q: What important lessons or memorable advice do you try to pass on to your people?

A: I’ve probably learned a thousand lessons and I’m a product of them all. We’re all products of what we’ve learned from our mentors, past situations and years of experience. Some of the best business advice I’ve heard is to be an owner who is engaged each day. Not only coming into work, but giving your business the attention it deserves. If you aren’t invested in what’s going on, things will start to slip.

I’m not a president by nature, I’m a salesman. I grew up in the sales world. Any gems of advice I’ve learned, I try to pass along to my sales staff to try to give them some inspiration into this vocation. Things like how Gordie Howe once told Wayne Gretzky, “No matter how much they pay you, earn it.” To use another hockey analogy, I remind them that I saw Gretzky score his last NHL goal, and it was like watching him score his first. I hope what they take from that is it doesn’t matter who you are or what you do — never, ever lose the desire to score and to achieve your goals.

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, Ph.D, F.CHRP, is managing director of Boyden Global Executive Search. He can be contacted at jmcferran@boyden.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 27, 2011 H1

The University of Winnipeg is the largest cohort of human activity in the downtown, with 15,000 students, faculty, staff and members of the community engaged on campus.

“There’s a critical mass of people here doing everything from studying to become scientists to putting on performances and attending basketball games. As a centre-of-the-city university, we are an activity hub with an economic impact in the hundreds of millions of dollars,” says Lloyd Axworthy, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Winnipeg.

The campus’s central location has ensured its leadership in community engagement. It is an outspoken advocate on the importance of the inner city and its role in helping Winnipeg to reset and redefine itself as a diverse, multicultural city of opportunity.

“This area is central to the definition of Winnipeg, because if we’re going to be a global player, we need a smart, knowledgeable base in the downtown to make it work,” Axworthy says. “Good things are happening. With our growing aboriginal community and the significant number of newcomers arriving from overseas, there is a tremendous opportunity to create a place where this exciting new cultural mix can be recognized, find an identity and given expression.”

To support its evolving role in the community, the university has undergone a major expansion and redevelopment, which Axworthy says is an anchor for Winnipeg’s renewal.

“As taxpayers and citizens, we see it as necessary to help bring an international lens on what’s happening in Winnipeg,” he says. “As the ancient Greeks wrote, ‘First we shape our cities, then they shape us.’”

Q: What started the ball rolling on the university’s impressive expansion in recent years?

A: One of the monumental goals set out for me when I arrived in May 2004 was eliminating the disconnect between our satellite facilities. The university had gone through several growth spurts prior to my appointment and to accommodate the expansion, it had leased properties from Selkirk Avenue to Transcona. My mandate was to consolidate these fragmented facilities into one downtown campus so that we could bring people together, enhance our programs and provide a higher level of service to them. I’m pleased to say that we’ve nearly completed that task, along with making a $150-million investment in capital projects — among them, restoring Convocation Hall, installing a new fitness centre, building residences for students and their families, and constructing the Buhler Centre and the new Richardson College for the Environment & Science Complex, the largest, most state-of-the-art campus of its kind in Canada right now.

We’re on the verge of opening up the AnX in the former Greyhound Bus terminal, complete with a bookstore, medical clinic and Canad Inns restaurant. The next step will be to focus on upgrading the existing campus, ensuring all our facilities are up to contemporary environmental and energy standards. The pieces are coming together.

Q: Other than infrastructure, in what other ways have you endeavoured to be innovative?

A: We have spent a great deal of time talking to people in the neighbourhood, which is going through a real demographic transformation, as well as to the downtown business community. It was clear we had to make changes in order to accommodate the student body that we are expecting over the coming decade. Among our efforts has been our focus on attracting aboriginal students by offering new course sessions, a department of indigenous studies, a new master’s degree on development in indigenous communities and creating an aboriginal support centre. We probably have the highest ratio of aboriginal students in the country and I believe this is because we’ve established a basis of trust, care and openness. Through our courses, our community programs, even through little things like removing the fences that used to surround our campus green space, we’re sending a message that everyone is welcome. The U of W is not an island in the community, we’re part of it.

Q: Can you give an example of how the university benefits from changes made for the greater good of the community?

A: Like most university cafeterias, ours was not known for its gourmet dining, nor was the standard menu meeting the needs of our diverse campus population. In 2009, we decided to make a change. We partnered with SEED Winnipeg to set up a company called Diversity Food Services Inc. with the mandate of using locally sourced foods and organic ingredients, while ensuring commitment to fair-trade practices and affordable menu options. The final directive was hiring people from the community, not just giving them jobs on a casual basis, but providing meaningful training on everything from butchering to accounting to customer service. The kicker? Sales of our new food systems increased $1 million over the previous year. Diversity Food Services now manages three campus cafeterias, is opening a new location in the Richardson complex and also has a flourishing catering business. We have hired 70 people from the inner city and are now working on an employee-ownership share program. It’s just one example of what we can do when we take a chance to make a change. Sometimes we fall flat on our face, but often, we find more success than we ever imagined.

Q: What unique benefits and challenges does the university face in recruitment and retention?

A: We are fortunate that the people who work here share our values of providing quality education in this diversely populated area of the city. We don’t view ourselves as an institution that only serves the elite, but we do uphold a commitment to purpose. In turn, this instills loyalty. A fair number of faculty and staff are alumni, including myself. They may have gained experience elsewhere, but they come back to the University of Winnipeg because it gave them a great start to their career and because they like the culture here. One of the biggest issues we’re up against is that we are a regulated industry. We’re told what we can raise by tuition and we’re subject to government grants that are based solely on historical increments instead of metrics. As a result, it’s a constant challenge for universities to stay competitive on salaries and the level of benefits and opportunities for development we can offer.

Q: How does this struggle to remain competitive affect your people practices?

A: By far, the most difficult issue I’ve faced as president is meeting the annual operations budget, of which 70 per cent is personnel, salaries and benefits. Our core business is education — professors teaching students — but protecting this means that other things must shrink or consolidate. This year, we’re planning on a $4-million vacancy management reduction by exercising better timing of all new and replacement hiring. Naturally, this puts extra pressure on faculty and staff who have to pick up part of that workload until we sort things through and we are mindful of the potential problems this can create in terms of additional stress and sick leave or other productivity issues.

Q: Are there any leadership books that have recently inspired you?

A: I read A New Culture of Learning by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown, the subtitle of which is Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change. It’s about the new paradigm in our culture of learning and how to integrate innovation in the educational environment. I was intrigued by how the application of digital and social media can be better understood and utilized by a 120-year-old institution such as ours. We must ensure our communication strategy is more than just sending out a message. We need to engage the audience and involve them in what we are doing in a very real way.

Q: What leadership advice have you received that continues to anchor your work today?

A: Have a plan. In other words, don’t be merely a transactional leader. Having a blueprint will allow you to set a direction. Not only will you know where you need to be three years from now, you can make solid decisions to support the long-term goal. When you’re a cabinet minister, which I was for 15 years, you learn there’s no time to dawdle when decisions must be made. Sometimes it’s instinctive; sometimes you’re able to gather information beforehand; but the ability to make decisions is essential to leadership. Secondly, after the consultations and fact gathering, don’t repeat the process and go in circles — make the decision and move forward.

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, F.CHRP, is managing director of Boyden Global Executive Search. He can be contacted at jmcferran@boyden.com.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 16, 2011 H1

“I’d classify what we do as anything involved in the business of persuasion,” he says, citing the creative work done for a broad range of international, national and regional clients by MCG’s 35 employees at its Winnipeg headquarters as well as its Regina branch office.

In recent years, one of the largest works of persuasion George has undertaken was convincing himself that after 16 years, it was time to take a step back from being a business leader, head account manager and creative director, and to follow the sage advice of “stop working in your business and start working on your business.”

“I’d started my own graphic design boutique in 1995 and over the course of 10 years, we grew to about 21 people. But in order to accelerate that growth, I determined that the best move I could make would be to identify a compatible competitor in the marketplace who could help us build out and boost our knowledge base, our skill set and our client list.”

In 2006, George’s firm, Taylor George Design, merged with advertising agency McKim Cringan to form MCG.

“If anyone tells you merging two companies is an easy thing to do, they’re lying,” he says. “Figuring out how it all would work is probably the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, but at the same time it’s been the best thing imaginable I could have ever done for the business.”

Q: Can you take us back five years to when you were in merger discussions with McKim?

A: Before the merger, I had known several people at McKim and had a great amount of respect for them. I got to know the owner well and it seemed everything would be a fantastic fit. What I didn’t expect was that even though we worked in the same industry and the two agencies were compatible in many ways, our two cultures were completely different. McKim was one of Canada’s oldest agencies and their office was part of an international conglomerate before they became locally owned. They were a close, tight-knit group, but in my view still retained a degree of that big-agency culture. On the other hand, the Taylor George group worked in a very open, collegial environment with a pool table, a pet-friendly policy and casual atmosphere. People were encouraged to take charge of their own work, their own day and to take leadership roles on projects as early as possible. We knew we had to find a way to bring both teams together and it probably took two and a half, maybe three years before we successfully merged the two cultures.

Q: How did you eventually manage to bring two teams with two distinct cultures together?

A: Before we got there, my partner, Drew Cringan, and I came to the realization that we really couldn’t merge our cultures with two 50-50 partners in charge. Employee loyalties were split between us, and staff were confused about who to report to. So, Drew and I agreed that from a business perspective, it made more sense for me to become chief executive officer and for him to become board chair and senior partner. Succession is not easy on the guy coming in and it’s not easy on the guy stepping back. But it’s just a part of business, and that was the start of integrating our cultures into one way of doing business, one way of working with each other and one way of working with clients. I wouldn’t say we’re quite where I want us to be yet, but we are certainly leaps and bounds ahead of where we were a couple of years ago and client feedback has been highly supportive.

Q: How would you describe MCG’s culture today?

A: We’re still a very loosely organized company that refrains from being super-hierarchal. It’s the best ideas that win, not the most senior people, and anyone is welcome to come up and contribute an idea on anything. We still have the pool table, which we consider a cultural hub, and our people don’t punch a clock or adhere to a strict dress code. Giving full trust to employees has the best effect in terms of responsibility and job ownership. We do a lot of high-profile government and Crown work, but from time to time, we also enjoy taking on special projects that are not necessarily profitable, yet engage our creative people in a unique way, such as developing campaigns for the Winnipeg Folk Festival or Manitoba Opera.

Q: How are you able to differentiate MCG from competing agencies in the marketplace?

A: We think of ourselves as being the best at what we do based on the skills and talents of our people. But not only do you need the best talent, you have to be a likable, engaged and collaborative company or else people won’t want to do business with you, regardless of how good you are. There are no formulas to creating good advertising — what you need is talented, lateral-thinking creative people. But it’s not enough to simply be the best, you need the ability to sell your expertise and get it used. The business community might perceive our industry as a bit of a commodity because there are a lot of agencies in Winnipeg, so it’s all the more important that we can get them to choose our expertise.

That’s why we put so much effort into hiring the right people in all areas of our business. For example, it’s easier to recruit a strong individual for our creative department because I can look at someone’s portfolio and say, “this is good, this is not good,” and right away get a feel for what they can bring to the team. It’s more difficult to hire the customer-facing staff — the strategists, account managers and relationship builders — because those are very complex roles to fill and the skills aren’t necessarily evident in a resumé or work history. To be able to sell our agency’s expertise, they must know how to work with all kinds of people and that requires exceptional listening, communication, selling, negotiation and other “soft” skills that are hard to assess in one or two interviews.

Q: What has working “on” instead of “in” your business taught you about working with people?

A: About four years ago, I realized I needed to become better at people management and leadership, so I now spend about half my time working with our senior people. I also work with our account team when they need to grow their skills or require certain advice. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned that if I don’t regularly check in with people and let them know I’m involved in their career, they won’t stick around. In the past, I’ve had individuals say, “I need more access to you; I don’t feel like I’m learning enough,” and, “I believe I can get that mentoring elsewhere.” While we have excellent retention, I know that I personally have a role to play as teacher, so people are engaged, feel valued and are able to get that knowledge passed onto them by myself and other key MCG folks.

Q: How are you preparing for future growth and eventually, the succession of new leadership?

A: This is a very interesting business in that so much of it revolves around the crafts of advertising — design, copywriting, strategic marketing and planning — so we tend to hire for technical talent and cultural fit rather than leadership potential. The biggest challenge right now is that our senior managers are very effective key practitioners, so they’re not necessarily eager to give up their craft to become leaders in the business. This is why finding the next generation of leaders is now my biggest priority; and while not critical for running our business today as I’m still in my 40s, it will obviously become the case one day. Implementing a leadership team will be a key factor in reaching our goal of doubling in size over the next two to three years through acquisition and organic growth. Plus, in this business, it’s conceivable as our size of agency to suddenly land a significant account worth 30 to 40 per cent of current revenues. By having a leadership team in place, we’ll be able to recognize and close on the right opportunities as they come along and ensure we can continue to scale our business appropriately and profitably as MCG goes forward.

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, F.CHRP, is managing director of Boyden Global Executive Search. He can be contacted at jmcferran@boyden.com.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 25, 2011 H1

“That second gift was much different from the first, but it was the one that really set the base for our values as an accessible community foundation in which everyone can participate in building a better future,” says Richard Frost, CEO of The Winnipeg Foundation.

“People who contribute to an endowment fund are not only thinking about today. They are committed to providing for the well-being of people in the community for years to come.”

Canada’s first established and second-largest community foundation, The Winnipeg Foundation continues the legacy started nearly 90 years ago. Without staging a large campaign, it receives an average of $1 million to $2 million in monthly contributions. Last year, it invested close to $21 million in grants to fund 670 community projects.

“We inherited this incredible ‘legacy of dreams’ and it’s what we continue to be about,” Frost says. “Our ability to impact the community is because of the generosity of donors throughout our history and because we understand that the work we’re doing today will have an impact far beyond our lifetime.”

Q: What are you able to offer people attracted to work for the foundation?

A: When we are recruiting people, we tell them that above all, the work they do will have a meaningful impact on their community. They will have a sense of connectivity and a direct influence on the expenditure of money towards worthwhile projects. Every position within our organization is designed to give ownership to the person in it, so whether they take responsibility for a specific program or an element of our process, they have an opportunity to honour the legacy and build a stronger community for the future. One of the best qualities our employees can have is the ability to self-direct. We want them to understand our policies and priorities so that they can exercise diligence in making grants and opening funds, but at the same time, they need to exude confidence and show good judgment so they can make decisions and speak freely with people in the community. There are many factors enriching the work here, but it really comes down to the unique opportunity to have an influence on the community in which you live.

Q: While being connected to the community must be gratifying, does it present challenges?

A: Absolutely. Community groups frequently invite our people to attend events or conduct site visits. But at the same time, there is an equal need for our people to be in the office to manage 2,200 trust funds and give due diligence to processing 25 to 40 grants per week. We constantly juggle the need to maintain our presence in the community with having the capacity to manage funds, secure new funding and review new projects. Everyone within our operation tries to strike the right balance: Is today a day I should attend that event or should I be at my desk? As the CEO, I can’t give people direction on those daily decisions. Even the board can’t do that. We’ve got to trust our staff and the systems we have in place so they can confidently make their own judgment calls while still ensuring we meet all our commitments.

Q: What other challenges are there in running your organization?

A: Although we have been very fortunate in terms of the support we’ve received, there are still plenty of challenges in running an organization like this. There is never really enough money to do all the things that we’d like to do.

Keeping up with technology is another struggle. In many respects, our nearest competitors are banks that have a lot more money to spend than we do, so by comparison, it is difficult for us to stay as on top of the latest technology. From a public profile perspective, there are also some challenges as much of the work we do in the community is pretty quiet and therefore, not well recognized. For instance, we probably invest between $2 million to $3 million every five years in child development (daycare) centres — yet, if you interviewed 1,000 Winnipeggers today, very few would be able to identify us as a major investor in this area.

Q: How do you manage to retain good people inside a smaller organization?

A: I regularly receive unsolicited compliments about how great our staff is — and to me, that means we’ve attracted good people and we have successfully invested in them to be the face of our organization. As a result of this, along with the fact our people are fulfilled by the work they are doing, we have a very high retention rate. We only have 25 people on our staff, so while we cannot provide the same career paths as a larger company, we are able to support every employee’s individual learning plan and strengthen their ability to do their job better. In some cases, this can be done through internal cross-training; in others, it is by providing external opportunities. We recently had someone return from a training course in Banff and currently have someone enrolled in a program at New York University. When our people are able to learn and grow, it helps our whole organization to move towards the future.

Q: Some find that working with a board is restricting, others find it reassuring. What has been your experience?

A: The Winnipeg Foundation has been blessed with a very strong board of directors. One of the unique things about our board is that members are diligently chosen by an appointment committee and then typically serve three four-year terms. The reason 12 years is the norm is because our members build a base of knowledge as broad as their exposure in the community. A consistent board also instills confidence with donors. If you’re going to entrust $1,000 or $10,000 to us, you want to know that it is being well looked after. Our board is exceptional in that their stewardship is not only limited to financial management, they also ensure that funds are allocated in a meaningful way. Although our board is not involved in our day-to-day operations, I encourage an open policy — any board member can speak to any staff member at any time and vice versa. Because they influence our direction and understand certain issues best, staff members often participate in board or committee meetings. This promotes candor across the organization.

Q: What do you think is the key to sustainability for a 90-year-old organization?

A: I would say that it is the vision of our donors and the long-term thinking of our board that has kept us true to our core values. I came to this organization 12 years ago from working in municipal government where quite often, the furthest ahead you needed to plan was tomorrow’s newspaper. By the very nature of our business, The Winnipeg Foundation does not think short term and that has helped us remain sustainable. For example, we just came through an extraordinary period of financial turbulence triggered by the market meltdown. As a heavily invested organization, we were affected by the uncertainty as much or more than most, and yet because of our values and long-term planning, we remained remarkably stable during the crisis. In fact, our grants actually increased in keeping with our long-established policy to generate predictable community support. Even if you throw the worst recession in 50 years at us, we know that we’re still going to be here to invest in the community and to build a stronger philanthropic environment. Understanding our business has allowed us to stay the course.

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 5, 2010 I1

“After trying to get support elsewhere, I called the chamber out of frustration and immediately discovered they had an understanding of what we were trying to do,” Angus says. “I was relieved to find a support group, which also turned out to be a peer-to-peer learning ground for me plus a means of growing my business network.”

After nearly a decade as a member and then board chairman, Angus became president and CEO of the chamber in 1999, when the association adopted a corporate business model. Since then, it has grown to 2,000 members from 1,300 and has held a spot in North America’s Top 10 chambers of commerce for new member growth three years in a row.

The chamber’s three-tiered mandate is to provide community leadership (collaborating on initiatives such as Crime Stoppers and Yes Winnipeg); advocacy (serving as the voice of business on issues like employment standards, Sunday shopping hours and the national transportation policy); and member services and support (such as establishing a small business group plan insurance program) as Manitoba’s largest business network.

“Since 1873, the chamber has viewed the ups and downs of this city through a business lens,” Angus says. “Today, we still take a lot of pride in the fact that we are an organization that reflects the unique diversity of Winnipeg’s business community.”

Q: How does being CEO of a member-driven organization differ from being a corporate CEO?

A: I have access to some of the best expertise in the world through chamber members — there isn’t a single area of learning I can’t access through a discussion over the phone, around a committee table or during a networking luncheon. The quality of knowledge we have access to is amazing and I consider it among our biggest assets. As CEO, I also get to work with a new board chair every year. In my tenure, it has been a privilege to have worked with 11 business leaders who each brought a unique perspective and from whom I have learned a great deal. There are also challenges to running a member-driven organization. We have 2,000 members who effectively “own” the chamber and who have a wide variety of interests. We want to make sure each member’s needs are being met and that their voice is being heard. But when you have a membership that is as large and as diverse as ours, it can be a challenge to be all things to everyone. For example, as a lobbying organization, we ourselves get lobbied to champion very specific needs and we unfortunately have to turn some of these down because they’re not consistent with policy or would consume too many resources. At the same time, we realize how fortunate we are to have such diverse interests represented in our members because the strength of our membership is really what leads to the strength of our policy development.

Q: What is the most important message you and your staff try to convey to members?

A: We want our members to know we care as much about their business as they do. We have tried to create a supportive environment that conveys that their success is our success, so that when they look behind them, they see our entire chamber membership cheering them on. I would also say we try to emphasize that one member can make a big difference. Years ago, one of our members had come across this incredible drive-through light park where you could set your radio dial and hear a special message while admiring the elaborate displays. He thought it would work in Winnipeg and we agreed. So the chamber went to the city and we started talking to a few other groups, including the Red River Ex. Canad Inns Winter Wonderland is now a holiday tradition in our community, but if it weren’t for that member’s suggestion, we would not be so fortunate to have it. One member can make a huge difference and I am so proud when the chamber is able to be that vehicle for them.

Q: As an employer, what types of people are attracted to working at the chamber?

A: We have a staff of 18 and tend to attract people who want to be part of something special. They have a demonstrated passion for our city and the role of the business community within.

They feel a connection to a bigger mission. On the whole, the people we attract are not the ones who want to do accounting for a non-profit; they want to do accounting for a non-profit that has significance in this community. There’s also an “insider” element to working here and getting to interact with our members. The chamber is connected to what’s happening around Winnipeg and we certainly try to bring our staff into that reality as much as possible. This gives them an understanding of the dynamics behind the headlines, especially when they know the key business and political players involved.

Q: What sort of retention strategy do you have in place?

A: The chamber is a non-profit organization, so we can’t compete against our members when it comes to compensation. On top of this, because a large portion of our staff regularly interacts with members, we can be something of a recruiting ground when word gets out about how good our people are. However, we have been very successful in retaining people by ensuring they understand our vision and mission; are passionate about it and see their connection to it. A big role for me is showing how the things our people do on a day-to-day basis makes a difference. If you work in accounting or administration, it may not be obvious to see how the Yes Winnipeg initiative, for instance, came about because of your specific efforts, but it absolutely is a contributing factor. Also, because we’re a public organization, there’s a sense of pride that goes along with working at the chamber that tends to include our employees’ families. They may be out at a gathering when someone will comment on one of our initiatives and that makes them feel good. So we know that when we’re hiring, we’re not just hiring that person — but the support network around them as well. That’s why we fully encourage spouse and family participation in our community philanthropy, planned social activities and staff recognition awards so that they can share in our employees’ passion and feel part of the chamber, too.

Q: In your view, what is one challenge business leaders face in terms of people practices?

A: I think that for many leaders, myself included, it’s a struggle to find a balance between the time you spend out in the community, travelling or making business deals and the time you spend in the office. I agree with Tom Peters’ principle of Management by Walking Around which is about staying in touch with the folks working for you. As a CEO, your presence has a huge influence on people while an absent leader creates real challenges to an organization. But it’s a fine line. You don’t want the staff to think you’re micromanaging them or that they have to vet every decision through you. But you want to be visible so you can lead by example and lend moral support, to recognize their efforts and to live your brand. Last year, I had a ton of travel built into my schedule and saw it reflected in our staff that I just wasn’t around enough. This year, I’ve been spending a lot more time here in the office and they’ve been asking, “So, when’s your next trip, Dave?”

Q: What is some of the best piece of leadership advice you’ve ever received?

A: My first job was working for my uncle, who owned a computer product company and was a true mentor to me. At one sales meeting, he passed out copies of Think Big: Unleashing Your Potential for Excellence by Ben Carson. In the book, there was a real message to me: You only go through life once, so don’t miss the opportunities to think big. When you’re looking at an issue or coming up with an idea, how can you make it bigger? How do you get more people around it? Make it more significant? Since then, I’ve always carried Think Big with me. Right now I’m reading Ken Blanchard’s book, Leading at a Higher Level, and it’s about empowering your people by allowing them to take risks and if they fail, calling it research and development. As leaders, we need to be committed to the vision and to be able to communicate our expectations as to what employees are accountable for, but then we need to step back and stop over-structuring the workday so that we can give them the flexibility and freedom to be creative and find innovative ways to achieve outcomes.

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, F.CHRP, is managing director of Boyden Global Executive Search. He can be contacted at jmcferran@boyden.com.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 7, 2011 H1

The International Centre for Infectious Diseases (ICID) in Winnipeg develops solutions that target infectious diseases by improving disease-prevention strategies; enhancing biosafety and biosecurity in labs, hospitals and communities; and commercializing innovative products for public health practice.

“If you take a look at an infectious disease such as HPV (human papillomavirus), that disease has been linked to cervical cancer and other cancers as well,” says John Borody, the non-profit organization’s CEO. “By tackling HPV, the occurrence of cancer can be reduced as well.”

Borody, who previously headed the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM), joined ICID last October. He says being a new CEO has given him a distinct advantage as a leader because he is able to see the five-year-old organization from a fresh perspective.

Q: How did your previous position with AFM help prepare you for your new role at ICID?

A: I was at the AFM for a little over 11 years, which introduced me to working with government, how to look at provincial, national and international policies and what it meant to be part of working groups that developed policies not only for Canada, but for countries around the world, as well. I think the opportunity helped prepare me for my role at ICID. The other thing I found interesting once I got here is the clients I worked with at the foundation have similar issues to those individuals who are affected by infectious diseases. Although we don’t deliver client services directly, we still have an impact in relation to the policies and educational programs we develop. For instance, we recently signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with UNICEF Ukraine to develop an intervention program in partnership with the University of Manitoba that will be delivered to sex-trade workers and injection-drug users to help reduce the spread of HIV. We are excited about this initiative.

Q: Most new CEOs want to make an immediate impact. What changes did you implement right away?

A: When a new CEO comes in, there are going to be some things that make them wonder, “Why are they doing it that way? Wouldn’t this way be more efficient?” Yet, it’s important to bite your tongue and bide your time because you’re not fully aware of the dynamics behind those things. Until you do, it’s better not to make wholesale changes. As hard as it is, you really have to focus on being the listener and not the “sayer.” The only way to learn about the history of the business and the reason why things are done a certain way is simply to ask questions and to listen. When I came to this organization in October, I made a commitment not to make any major changes for 90 days, and I’m glad I did. My views on how we might do things differently changed as I came to learn more about the business and understand how people worked and how their individual strengths and skill sets can contribute to where this organization will go in the future.

Q: You came in just as ICID was developing a strategic plan. Was this timing beneficial to you?

A: Six weeks into this job, I was fortunate to be able to take part in a strategic planning session with our board, and that was a very helpful process as it allowed me to share my vision of where I think this organization should be. It was also very timely. Over the last couple of years, one of ICID’s main focuses was bringing an HIV vaccine manufacturing facility to Winnipeg. When this project was cancelled by the funders, ICID needed to refocus and redefine its direction. An evaluation of our stakeholders helped us to identify what was most valued by those who use our services and better articulate our role in this business. One of the stakeholders told us we’re an organization of 100 bright lights — we’re just not sure which one to focus on. So my challenge has been to get greater alignment and to narrow our focus on a few mainstreams of business activity. One we have had some success with is in the area of biosafety training. We work closely with the National Microbiology Lab here in Winnipeg on training lab personnel from around the world on working within and managing safe and secure labs. One day, I can see us expanding our relationships with other potential partners to develop a biosafety and biosecurity centre of excellence in Winnipeg. With our vision, mission and values in place, we can start to focus our efforts, define our product offerings and narrow those beams of light from 100 to, hopefully, 10.

Q: What are some of the challenges you faced coming into this environment?

A: This is a unique and sometimes challenging environment to work in. In my past positions, I worked with a provincial mandate, now I am working with a much broader international mandate. Another thing I’m getting my head around is moving from an environment where we received core government funding to one where we receive project funding. At ICID, we try to develop products which meet users’ needs, as well as seek out contracts we might be able to respond to. Both ends of the business require looking for work and with that, the funding to carry out the work. Of the 24 employees working here, about half are on a fixed grant. By that, I mean we get money upfront to deliver programs over a defined period of time. The other half depend on the funding we get by applying for contracts to do project work. As you can imagine, working on yearly contracts can be challenging for employees. In the future, I would like to seek more stable funding. I believe there is an opportunity to continue securing long-term grant funding to do specific projects, as well as looking at contracts. This would give us a more stable platform to work under and would enable us to establish a stable of consultants that we could rely upon on an ongoing basis for project work.

Q: What do you see as your strengths as a leader?

A: I think I bring the ability to listen; to test out strategies before implementing and to try to identify the key players and reach a decision before we walk out of the meeting. Does that mean I haven’t already made some mistakes? Of course I have. Innovation has a risk associated with it. Not making a mistake isn’t an option, however. It’s how you recoup from it while you keep the organization moving forward that is important.

I also think I have brought a different business sense to managing the organization. It has helped to instil the idea that every decision we make needs to meet the vision and mission of the organization. Coming from a business background also helps when it comes to bringing the right people together. Today, we’re looking at growing the commercialization portion of our business. To do this, we know we will need people with technical expertise to develop the product, but we also need people with strong social skills to go out there and drum up the business. I am fortunate we have a team of very qualified and dedicated staff at ICID. They listen to clients and understand what they want, so we can show we’re not only able to deliver quality product, we are sensitive to their needs. In order to be successful, we need people of all skill sets. In order to attract and retain them, we need to know what it is we’re looking for and what we want them to do.

Q: Which leadership books are you currently reading or have recently inspired you?

A: I don’t read a lot of leadership books, as I’ve found that most of the literature is about the same things, just packaged differently. However, one I have read and have given to each of my senior team members is The Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. It was given to me by a planning consultant named Nancy Peterson who recently lost her battle with cancer. Both she and the book were and still are very inspiring. In fact, I still have a card that Nancy gave me with the book that says, “Make time and space to reconnect with your creative core; may you live creatively, joyfully and well.” I hope she would be proud, as I am trying to do all these things today. The other book I keep by my bedside is Inspiration Deficit Disorder by Jonathan H. Ellerby. It’s a great read for those who are looking for more meaning in life.

– With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, Ph.D, F.CHRP, is managing director of Boyden Global Executive Search. He can be contacted at jmcferran@boyden.com.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 9, 2011 H1