We've Moved!

Dear readers,

We’re happy to announce that The Leading Edge blog has a new home! The Leading Edge blog is now part of our Interstates blog and all future Leading Edge posts can be found in the Leading Edge category. In addition to Leading Edge posts, you will find a variety of topics on the Interstates blog including technology, how-to’s, innovation, and exciting company updates.

Watch for upcoming Leading Edge blog posts from our new home: www.interstates.com/blog.

Subscribe to the Interstates blog and keep leading the Interstates way!

Sharz Neitge

Leading with Family

This week's post was written by Doug Post.

No core value has generated more discussion and a wider range of opinions at Interstates than family. So let's start by aligning around Interstates' definition:

"Family focuses on building a strong sense of community at work and at home. At work, our team is a family – we learn and grow together, building strong relationships and a support network with each other. At home, we encourage our employees to keep their families a priority – making time for them and strengthening these relationships."

When we recently surveyed a number of our employees on their definition of work family and nuclear family, it was striking to see the frequency of common terms showing up in both definitions. Terms like care, support, openness, trust, and respect for each other.

As servant leaders we are responsible to provide opportunities for our people. This includes building and maintaining a culture where we can thrive at work and thrive at home. A culture where work-life balance is a priority and where the family definitions just shared are held dear.

To lead with family, we need to forgo some of the rigid rules and structure of a typical work week. It is important to recognize traditional work-life balance assumptions do not apply to all. For example, to our traveling employees and to today's typical millennial (if there is such a person). So let's actively lead by asking ourselves questions like the following:

·        Jennie just committed to a personally demanding client requirement, how can I take something off of her plate?

·        Since I ask Bill to travel regularly, how do I ensure he has plenty of family time/personal flexibility when he's not travelling?

·        Am I leading assertively when I notice our family core value is not being lived out at work?

·        Am I helping others focus and say no in effective, productive ways?

·        Does my team embrace differing views on work-life balance?

·        Do my employees know their family time is a priority for me? Are they willing to share work-life balance concerns with me?

What other family related questions would you add to the list above?  

With differing business units, field and office employees, personal schedules and varied viewpoints, this isn't a cut and dried topic.  And work-life balance is not easy.  It isn't self-correcting.  You need to be aware of your imbalances and monitor to ensure you are keeping your work-life balanced in your own life and help ensure that for your team as well. 

Additionally, healthy home-lives support a healthy employee at work. Strained relationships distract and cause one to lose focus. I encourage you to nurture relationships both at home and work. Building relationships provides a good support network for the challenges as well as the celebrations and trials of life. Are you leading with the family core value in mind?

Keep leading the Interstates way!

Doug Post

Coaching Tree

This week's blog post was written by Daren Dieleman.

I am a big Iowa Hawkeyes fan and have been since I was young - I hope I haven’t lost any readers after that opening statement. If you’ve watched a Hawkeyes football game on TV, you’ve probably heard references to legendary Iowa football coach Hayden Fry. Hayden Fry came to Iowa in the late 1970’s, shortly after Iowa had struggled through seventeen straight losing seasons. With Fry’s help, Iowa made some significant changes to their football team. Iowa’s logo, uniforms, visitor locker room, and style of play were transformed. Ultimately, Fry re-energized the Hawkeyes culture and the entire Iowa football program.

Fry’s teams at Iowa went on to be successful and his Iowa career lasted twenty seasons. A tenure which is almost unheard of today in coaching at the collegiate level. The cornerstone of Fry’s revival of the Iowa football program in the 1980’s wasn’t the uniforms or the logo, but rather the coaches he surrounded himself with. Hayden Fry hired some of the best coaches in the business, both young and old. In his autobiography, he said he wanted his coaches to go on to do greater things in their careers. He didn’t want to hire a coach that didn’t strive for something better, even if that meant pursuing careers at other schools. Fry encouraged others to be their best and took pride in mentoring others and helping them reach new heights in their careers. Due to Fry’s philosophy, Fry likely did a lot of hiring, coaching, and mentoring of new and young coaches.

As leaders, we should challenge ourselves to lead and develop our own people who may become future leaders themselves. We should also challenge our people to be and do their very best. Whether at work, home, in the community, as part of an organization, or in places of worship. As we move forward, we must ask ourselves: are we walking along side our people, coaching, mentoring, and providing them with opportunities? Or are we holding them back because they’re too valuable? Great leaders, like Hayden Fry, take pride in seeing someone they’ve coached and mentored go on to do great things. Consider your own development; can you think of someone who believed in you, coached and mentored you, and ultimately helped propel you to where you are today? I know I can, and if you’re like me, you view that person in very high regard. Someone who cared enough about you as an individual and about your personal development to ensure you succeeded, even if that meant more work for him/her in the end. Those types of leaders are rare and we should all strive to lead in that way.

Eight of legendary coach, Hayden Fry’s former assistant coaches went on to become major college football head coaches. His leadership is truly inspiring! If you look at a photo of his coaching staff from the 1980’s there are several other coaches around him who went on to do great things. We may not all have the success that Hayden Fry received. However, if we take the time to invest in our people and lead by helping others find success, we will create strong companies, families, and communities.

Hayden Fry surrounded himself with a strong network of good people who became great leaders. What will your “leadership tree” look like in ten, twenty, or even thirty years? Who will you have helped mentor and develop, either personally or professionally, to do great things?

Continue leading the Interstates way!

Daren Dieleman

Cubbies Win, Cubbies Win!

This week's post was written by Scott Peterson.

In the 1989 film, Back to the Future II, the main character, Marty McFly, saw the Cubs winning the World Series in the year 2015. As it turns out, the film was only off by one year! Now, what does the Cubs winning a few baseball games have to do with leadership? Well, more than you might think.

The Journey - 108 Years

In the United States, the average attention span of an individual on a phone is six seconds. Think on this for a moment: one, two, three, four, five six - swipe and move on. The Cubs and their fans waited over 100 years for a World Series title; that's a lot of attention and patience.

The following statistics on the ye1908 may provide additional perspective:

• Theodore Roosevelt was president and we have had less than 20 presidents since;

• Five generations (e.g. parents of the Baby Boomers generation were just born);

• The population of Las Vegas, NV was roughly 30 people;

• New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii were not official states;

• The speed limit in most cities was around 10 mph; and

• The average wage was $0.22 per hour.

We think a long time is days or weeks, when really long time might be a few years. This was more than a century and I still have a hard time contemplating the timeframe.

Leader Moments

Winning the World Series was not an event, it was a quest. Here is the story line:

• In 2009, J. Joseph bought the Cubs and hired Theo Epstein to lead the team as President.  Epstein was the President of the Red Sox when they ended their World Series drought. Epstein, along with several other leaders, set a vision of how the Cubs would win it all. This vision included the culture they wanted, from the front office to the players to the managers to the scouts to their relationship with their minor league teams. This vision was their target and their game plan!

• Between 2009 and 2014, the team made many changes from the manager to players. All of the changes were made with the backdrop of their vision. The entire Cubs organization started to believe in the vision; at least a little.

• Then in 2015 the Cubs had success and made the playoffs. However, they did not make it to the World Series and their vision was truly tested. Would the vision pass the test or would it fail?

• "W" in 2016. The Cubs embraced their destiny and win it all. From the very beginning of the season, they believed 2016 would be the year - their year - the Cubs' year. They had a great start to the season, stayed humble, stayed focused, and embraced their vision.

• Game 7 - what a game! The Cubs had the lead and then lost it; they did not have momentum on their side. Then, a rain delay. During this 17 minute period, the leaders seized the moment.  They could have hung their heads, but instead they leaned on their faith in the vision. After the rain delay, they came back out and did the unimaginable. The Cubs won the World Series. The vision was tested during Game 7 and during the rain delay, just like it was tested in 2015. The team embraced the test. It was their mental toughness, leadership, and passion for the vision that made winning the World Series a reality.

The Cubs winning the World Series is an incredible journey and a fun story to discuss. Just remember that you and your team have that same opportunity to create a vision and achieve great things. That vision will be tested and when it is, make the most of it. Lean in to that test, have patience, be persistent, and encourage your team to let their passion shine. When you succeed, it's time to let the champagne flow and celebrate. That is winning and leading the Interstates (and Cubs) way!

Continue leading the Interstates way!
Scott Peterson

Talent

This week's post was written by Jack Woelber.

I recently had an opportunity to attend a conference that focused on talent. Recruiting, hiring, and retaining good talent can be a challenge. Thirty years ago, companies chose the talent. Today, it appears the talent chooses the company. At the conference, I reflected on some ideas that serve as good reminders when thinking about talent.

Encourage Feedback

Allow constructive and honest feedback from direct reports by allowing that type of dialogue in a safe environment. Encourage others to share feedback and then be an active listener. I remember a quote that has stayed with me: “Listening is different than waiting to speak.” In addition to encouraging feedback, how we respond to that feedback is equally important. Responding negatively or in a way that discourages conversation will likely result in a decrease in constructive feedback.

Accept Feedback

There is great value in having critics around to give feedback. The best critics provide honest feedback and an opportunity to learn. However, a critic is different than a saboteur. Saboteurs are focused on themselves and it is unlikely they will be a good cultural fit. In addition to saboteurs, passive individuals can cause problems. Passive individuals are difficult to understand. When it is unclear if a passive individual is helping or hurting, it can be more challenging than actually knowing. For example, a gas gauge that works intermittently is often worse than a gas gauge that doesn’t work in any capacity.

Mentor

Mentoring has become a big part of assimilating new talent into an organization. A good mentor will encourage others to become engaged and provide an in-depth understanding of the culture. However, if the foundation of the mentor relationship is not strong, it may not be as successful. The conferenced claimed that on a scale of 1 – 10, the relationship score must be higher (stronger) than the issue score on the scale. Typically, if a relationship is weak then the issues and value of the relationship will also be weak. Spending time building relationships is very important. Additionally, it is important to accept that not all relationships will work successfully. Rather than spending time on a relationship that is not working, focus efforts on strengthening relationships that are working well.

The Right Fit

Today, the amount of technical talent a person has is key, but not sufficient. The right fit and attitude are also important. A strong candidate must have as much EQ as IQ. This becomes even more crucial the higher you go in an organization. Keep in mind, EQ does not mean leadership style. There are many different types of leadership styles and many styles can be effective.

For many companies, finding, developing, and retaining talent has become a major key to success. For some, it has evolved from a task strictly dedicated for HR to a strategy for the entire organization. In either case, strong leadership is crucial to success.

Continue leading the Interstates way!

Jack Woelber 

The Tension

This week's post was written by Dave Crumrine.

I recently had the opportunity to work with the current EIL class and travel to my electrical peer group. The primary topic of discussion within this group was 'making change'. During EIL, we discussed the tension between Setting Direction, Aligning and Motivating (SAM) and Planning, Organizing and Controlling (POC). Different initiatives and activities require leaders to utilize different levels of skill. The more SAM is needed, the less POC is effective and vice versa; there is always tension between these ideas.

In my peer group, we talked about the changes we are making and how much we can accomplish at once. Again we discussed the idea of tension between operating well on a daily basis and the need to improve through change and adaptation. Many viewed this idea from the perspective of a team's time. For instance, if operating at 120% of plan, then there is not much capacity to change or improve. A member of my peer group added some valuable and memorable insight arguing that this isn't about time, but rather mind share and priority. Managing time is a fool's errand as we all have the same amount of time; it is a matter of managing individual and corporate priorities. To do so, we must understand our team's commitments, priorities, and mindset.

Ultimately, we concluded that tension will always be present and in a way it serves as a scorecard for leadership. Are we balancing the needs of serving our clients with the needs to get better for our clients? Are we acknowledging that if we don't do something, there is a consequence in the future that we must be aware of? If we wish to impact the priorities of our people and help align their efforts, then we must lead! We must talk about the trade-offs and the consequences. We must help our people make trade-offs and equip them to make the right trade-offs. 

In summary, there is no perfect mix of change and daily execution, there is only a tension. One that will always exist and require us to lead. It is in place specifically to make us choose and to challenge us to be our best each day and as we continue to adapt.

Where does your team need help working through the tension? 

Continue leading the Interstates way!

Dave Crumrine

Leading with Quality

This week's post was written by Doug Post.

We are continuing our focus on the Interstates Core Values.  To date, we have considered:

• Integrity – doing what you say you will do – every time.
• Dependability – ability to be relied upon and trusted.
• Trust - having confidence in another’s character, expertise, abilities, and integrity.

Today we will be focusing on the 4^th core value: Quality. What does quality work look like at Interstates? Good drawings, detailed project plans, superior craftsmanship, great startups? Yes, and much more.

What do you think of when you hear quality?  Maybe some of the words listed in the word picture above?  Interstates defines quality as “providing lasting value in the eyes of our clients.” The client sets the standard for quality! It’s our job to understand the needs of the client and provide results that meet their budget, schedule and performance needs.  What's more, we need to do all this in a way that provides a positive and memorable experience for the client.

In The Fifth Discipline, Peter M. Senge refers to quality as “all things that matter to a customer, such as product quality, service quality, and delivery reliability.”

Product Quality

Product quality is tailoring what we do to meet the client's goals. As professionals and craftsmen, it's important to remember our clients usually care little about our drawing details or the craftsmanship of our electrical gear installation. What they do expect is that their interaction with us will result in a plant that operates per their project and business goals. For us, this means that at times a "napkin sketch" and a functioning MCC on-time is higher quality to our client than waiting for a well-ordered 1-line and a picturesque electric room. Remember, quality to the customer is staying in budget, being on-time, understanding and meeting his needs.

Delivery Reliability

Delivery reliability is getting the right deliverables (Level of Detail) to the right client at the right time, all of the time. Dave Crumrine notes, "93% might be an A in school, but it's a horrible quality record on a design or construction project. Would you be happy if 93% of your vehicle's engine was installed properly?"

Service Quality

Service quality is a topic in itself. We can discuss elements of service such as responsiveness, accessibility, attention, follow-thru,  and recovery.  We might consider great ways to collect client feedback. But let's focus on a servant's heart with the story of two mechanics:

There are two equally busy auto repair shops. The Jones family is anticipating leaving on their summer vacation next Thursday when an unfortunate thing happens… the transmission on their Tahoe breaks down. It’s a week until they head out on vacation. In a panic, Mr. Jones calls mechanic #1 and asks if he can get his Tahoe in for repair because they are heading on vacation. The mechanic says he’s sorry, but he is swamped and can’t take on one more thing. So, Mr. Jones contacts mechanic #2. This mechanic indicates he'd love to do the job even though he feels just as busy. He asks Mr. Jones when he needs the repair done by.  Mr. Jones says next Wed – the day before his vacation. The mechanic says it won't be a problem, while he can’t fix it today, he can get it done before Wednesday. 

Mechanic #1 missed out on serving Mr. Jones simply because he didn’t t ask the customer when he needed the work completed.  Either service shop could have fit the Tahoe in for repair, but only one shop went beyond today to figure out the customer’s time frame and need.

  

Leading with quality does require effort, discipline, planning, and commitment. It is never an accident; it's never simply the result of quality people; it is always the result of intelligent effort. It's an opportunity to lead the Interstates way. I challenge you to be intentional as you work with our clients going forward.  Understand from their point of view what a quality deliverable is and provide that high-level of lasting value to them.

Continue leading the Interstates way!

Doug Post

*The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge, pp. 65-66, 325-335

___________________________

Learning to Land

This week's post was written by David Krahling.

Many years ago, I learned to fly and earned my private pilot license. I was fascinated by the art of flying and drawn to the beauty of the endless blue sky. It took some practice for me to become comfortable controlling airspeed and elevators for take-off and climb, along with blending aileron and rudder to execute a coordinated turn. However, like most student pilots, I mastered the basics of climbing, descending, and turning fairly quickly. Interestingly, we tend to use the expression “learn to fly” when describing this accomplishment. Yet, learning to fly is relatively simple; mastering a safe landing is the real challenge. Unlike flying, landing is an entirely different maneuver and there is a much lower tolerance for error. Successful landings require a high degree of skill and a great deal of practice. Nailing a perfect landing is challenging enough in calm weather conditions, but throw in a crosswind and the difficulty increases significantly. For an ideal landing, the pilot must reach stall speed at the exact moment the wheels touch down with wings level and flight path perfectly aligned to the center of the runway. Pilots refer to a perfect landing as, “greasing the runway.”

Similar to the skill, focus, and practice required of a pilot, athletes must also refine their skills to be safe and successful. The Rio Olympics offered a wonderful opportunity to view some of the world’s greatest athletes compete in various sports. There are many leadership lessons to be found in the stories of the dedicated athletes whose strength, balance, and courage allow them to push the limits of the human body. In gymnastics, for example, there is extraordinary focus on the landing at the very end of the routine. Commentators and spectators alike discuss, in great detail, whether or not the gymnast “stuck the landing.” As I watched gymnasts demonstrate impressively complex maneuvers on the vault, pommel horse, beam, rings and bars, I could sense their disappointment when a landing was disturbed by a slight hop. The path to a perfect ten is determined by the difficulty of the routine and point deductions. Although a slight hop in the landing may seem insignificant, sticking the landing is crucial.

If you hold a leadership role, at Interstates or elsewhere, successfully completing a project may be just as critical as a pilot greasing the runway or a gymnast sticking a landing. This is because how we complete a project can have a significant impact on those we serve. The ending is typically the most important part of a project for Interstates. At the end of a project, we strive to create a memorable experience and positive, lasting impression for each of our clients. This is why we invest a great deal in our check out commissioning and start up processes; we too need to stick our landings. Other leadership activities have a similar need for successful endings. A strong finish is crucial when leading initiatives and executing strategic programs. As leaders, it is often easier to start something new or get distracted in performing the routine, while losing sight of the need to finish something well. Great leaders understand the value of having enough energy to close out initiatives and programs with a strong finish. Therefore, our challenge as leaders is to determine how to get our teams to a successful ending. Some aspects of leadership don’t always feature a clear ending, such as coaching our teams and developing our company culture. These features are an ongoing process where leaders must work to set us on a path in the direction of a strong finish so that eventually we can stick our landing.

Continue leading the Interstates way!

David Krahling

Develops, Coaches, and Motivates

This week's post was written by Scott Peterson.

During most Excellence in Leadership 1 classes, we ask two very telling questions:

1.       Who was the best supervisor/leader you have ever had, and why?

2.       Who was the worst supervisor/leader you have ever had, and why?

The answer to the first question revolves around development, coaching and motivation. Most of the time, the leader that tops the "best" list focused on helping the person grow, elevating their performance, and helping them achieve more than the employee thought was possible. They played the role of a mentor, coach, cheerleader, etc. Their goals were balanced between getting things done and positioning other people to learn and grow. 

The answer to the second question is also interesting. Leaders on the "worst" list are focused on themselves and getting things done.  They treat their people as tools. 

I have had many people from the Interstates family invest their time in me to help me grow. For example:

• Jim Franken - coached and pushed me about leadership and being forward-thinking.

• Darrel Ramhorst - gave me hard feedback, pushed me to have high standards, and encouraged me when I needed it.

• John DeZeeuw - helped me understand the business of construction, engineering and automation. He also inspired me to have a balanced perspective (balancing the needs of the employees, the needs of the clients, and the needs of the business).

•  Larry Den Herder - focuses on providing feedback and direction on how to make a difference for our clients.

• Jack Woelber - provides great feedback and support. He also helps reinforce the desire to build a great culture, live our core values, and provide opportunities for people.

• Dave Crumrine - helps me to think broadly and deeply about our clients and our business.  His ideas, feedback and passion around pursuing a better way have raised the expectations of myself and our team.

• Doug Post - encourages me to be a better systems thinker and to constantly read and look for solutions for our teams and for our clients.

• Kristi Segar and Lori Van Beek - provide great feedback, insight and perspective to help me grow as a leader.

As you think about how to develop, coach and motivate your team, there are two approaches that are effective. If you want to have amazing results, the key is to implement them together. These approaches are:

Planned Development

As a leader, know your team. Know what they want to develop and support that. You should also have open and candid conversations with them about what they need to develop and why. As you get to know them you'll find out what they need (e.g. skill development, experience, self-awareness, confidence, etc.).

Teachable Moments

These moments pop up every day, but many of them go unnoticed. A great leader has the ability to see them and leverage them. They may not see 100% of them; it is more like baseball - hitting 300 is great. They connect the teachable moment with the development that employee needs at that time. When it happens - it is powerful and can really motivate the employee, and the leader. 

Interstates excels at development, both on the technical side and on the leadership side. Your responsibility, your opportunity, your privilege is investing some of yourself into your team, your peers and other leaders to help them reach their potential. When it happens, it's a win/win situation. When you invest in people, you ARE leading The Interstates Way!

Continue leading The Interstates Way!

Scott Peterson

Relates with Others

This week's post was written by Jack Woelber

Let me start with a question. Whose responsibility is it to relate well with others, the leader’s or the “other’s”? I’d like to suggest that, even though both parties have a responsibility, it is up to the leader to take the necessary steps for relating with others. What steps can a leader take to help ensure that they are relating well with others?

Build rapport. It takes time and intentionality to build rapport with someone, but through good listening and being approachable, you can find commonality that allows individuals to connect. Connecting with someone is very helpful in relating to him or her. Through that connection, it is easier to be empathetic when a person is sharing his or her point of view.

Once you have built rapport, a safe environment can be created for people to share their viewpoints, even though they might be different than yours. Seeking out those differing views allows you to think more broadly and possibly achieve a perspective you might not have gotten if you hadn’t tried to understand. I had a customer tell me one time, “Think about it until you agree with me.” While he was just kidding, that kind of attitude creates an unsafe environment and will shut down opportunities to relate well with others.

Phil Quigley, former CEO of Pacific Bell, once said, “I don’t think of leadership as a skill. I think of leadership as a relationship.” This attitude allows everyone you work with to feel important and to know his or her opinion is valued and matters. Thinking of leadership as a relationship magnifies the opportunity to draw out the opinions of others and to glean more candid, honest input and feedback that you would otherwise not get.

As a servant leader, one of your responsibilities is to meet others where they are. You may need to modify your typical approach, or at some level who you are, to be sure to engage others in order to relate well with them. Modifying your typical approach takes humility and emotional intelligence. This self-awareness and ability to adapt is crucial for relating well with others.

When I first came to Interstates, Darrel Ramhorst was my supervisor and mentor. I understood computers and programming, but I didn’t understand PLCs or electricity. Darrel was a master at coming to my level to teach me what I needed to know to be more effective in my role. With his master’s degree in engineering from MIT, it would have been very easy for him to speak well above my head and lose me in the conversation, as well as frustrate me. (He may have been frustrated, but he didn’t show it!) However, Darrel first understood who I was and where I was. He then adjusted so we could relate at an appropriate level for me to learn and grow in my understanding of the industry. He was a great example for me. My hope is that each of us will do what we can to become better at relating well with others.

Continue leading the Interstates Way! Jack Woelber

Talent: Where Does It Really Come From?

This week's post was written by Dave Crumrine.

I once thought attracting, hiring, and retaining was HR's job. Wrong! This element of leadership is so important it was one of the first ones the Sr. Team picked when putting together our leadership model. You see, almost all other pieces of the leadership model can't even start without THE TEAM. You have to get and keep a core team to even begin leading. Aside from some trucks, tools, and computers anybody could buy, we are a people company, pure and simple. The intellectual property we have developed and hold resides mostly within our people.

As a leader, this needs to be crystal clear to you. You need to make sure your team is being found, grown, and retained. This is an every week, constant process you must execute as a leader. HR will be of great assistance to you, but you cannot delegate this responsibility away. Developing your talent is fundamental to leadership!
HR, and anyone else in the potential workforce, will be happy to tell you that people want to sign up for a cause, a mission – not just a job. Generationally, this is truer today than ever before. In trying to find out what an employer is about, prospective employees want to hear from the leaders of the cause! They want to be inspired. They want to "see it." They want to "feel it" when they are interviewing and interacting with us. When you are recruiting team members, you should think of it as very high-stakes deal making. Candidates are offering part of their lives, and you are offering part of our business. This may be one of the biggest win-win setups of all time, and it is high stakes. That’s why leaders must be deeply into the talent game.

Once on the TEAM, team members want to be taught, challenged, and energized. We have started referring to this as "employee engagement." This requires leadership – a lot of it. Whether this leadership comes from front-line supervision, middle management, or the top, it doesn’t matter; the team needs it, the business depends on it. The difference between an engaged team and a disengaged team could very well be the success or failure of the entire business.

Now for the good news: With the right philosophy and intent, growing your Talent Pool can be one of the most energizing and rewarding parts of your job. Finding and feeding a great team feels great and can last for a lifetime. Doing these things well becomes the gift that keeps on giving. Leaders often talk about their greatest achievements being the people they helped bring up. Those brought up often think of their leaders and mentors as family long after the direct work is done. This can be a great way for the servant leader's heart to really shine through.

Interstates has a rich history of cultivating people from varied backgrounds and "stories" into successful, long-term team members. It takes intentional work by leaders, but there is no more foundational thing in a business than building the talent.

Continue leading the Interstates Way! -- Dave Crumrine

Live With Purpose

This week's post was written by Doug Post.

At work and at home, leaders live with purpose. Purpose is all about our direction and self-awareness. It's about having a North Star to orient and guide us through the critical issues of life: confronting, choosing, pursuing, and facing reality. Living with purpose is also imminently practical. Imagine a busy employee juggling multiple work responsibilities, parenting a few kids, taking care of a home, contributing at church, and volunteering in her community. Leaders do all this without compromising their values – or their sanity – by living with purpose.

At Interstates, leaders align around our common purpose: the importance of "The Why," our vision, servant leadership, and building relationships through our core values. Our leaders believe that when people throughout Interstates come to share in a larger sense of purpose, we are united in a common destiny. We realize a sense of continuity and identity not achievable in any other way.

Within this framework, Interstates leaders find their unique purposes – their personal mission statements – and they coach their people to do the same. Mission statements were discussed broadly in the late '90s during an Interstates-wide discussion of Stephen Covey's excellent book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. By 2003, writing personal mission statements had become the norm for Excellence in Leadership 1 (EIL 1) attendees who used FMI's Developing Your Mission Statement and peer feedback to better understand who they were and to document their personal mission. This remains an EIL 1 goal today.

Writing a mission statement isn't easy, but it is a powerful exercise in taking ownership of your life. As you grapple with the career component of your purpose, it's good to consider questions like:

1. What struggle or sacrifice are you willing to tolerate? It's liberating to realize "everything sucks, some of the time." If you want to be an entrepreneurial leader, but you can't handle failure, then you're not going to make it far. If you want to be a big-time PM, but you expect a steady 40-hour week with no surprises, then you're done before you start.
2. What did you do for the sheer joy of it when you were a child? What makes you forget to eat and sleep today? You're looking for the cognitive principles behind activities that enthrall you, e.g, self-competition, passion for improving things, organizing, generating new ideas, etc. They can easily be applied elsewhere.
3. How are you going to save the world? What problems are you uniquely equipped to solve? For example, a friend of mine deeply understands the construction environment and finds purpose in improving the industry via day-to-day operations, challenging clients on the status quo, and contributing at industry conferences. Start saving the world by making a difference where you can.
4. If you were given a one-year sabbatical, what would you do tomorrow? The enemy is complacency. It's critical to understand that passion is the result of action, not the cause of it. If something strikes your interest, write it down, then go out and do it.

Living with purpose is knowing who you are, what your North Star is, how you will make decisions, and what your unique contribution will be. Interstates leaders live authentic lives and serve others. They take Abraham Lincoln's warning seriously:

You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. Regardless of how cleverly you package yourself, others will eventually see through your masquerade and recognize you for what you really are.

Before that happens, know yourself and your direction.

Continue leading the Interstates Way! -- Doug Post

Building Client Relationships

This week's post was written by Scott Peterson.

Does “building client relationships” mean being buddy-buddy with a client? That would be a no. Does it mean manipulating a situation and relationship for Interstates' benefit? Definitely not. Building Relationships is really about living our Core Values – Building Relationships through dependability, trust, quality, and family. We want all Interstates leaders to develop well-rounded client relationships. 

These relationships are:

• Mutually beneficial – It’s good for the client and good for Interstates. 
• Professional - We are viewed as a company (and individuals) with credibility, and clients have confidence in us to deliver the results they need. 
• Personal – We are connecting to and/or knowing the individual outside of work.

Applying servant leadership to client relationships is also important. We need to treat our clients with respect, regardless of their titles or positions. Looking for ways to make a difference for our clients is key ("Adding Value"). This could be in the form of passing an interesting article on to them, asking for their feedback, and/or asking hard questions that might challenge some of their assumptions.

There are a lot of examples that would fit here, but I wanted to share just a couple:

• AGP -- Randy Van Voorst and Larry Den Herder have great relationships with several key leaders at AGP. The strength of those relationships allows Randy and Larry to ask harder questions and push AGP for clarity on projects without the fear of losing the client. In fact, AGP has come to expect that push and those questions because they know the reason is to make them better. As the years go on, Randy and Larry have become close friends with that group. They get together for professional and personal events (hunting, fishing, golfing, etc.). Larry and Randy were invited to celebrate with a couple of retiring AGP leaders, which is significant since most of the other attendees were AGP team members. That shows you the depth of their connection. This type of relationship allows them to be direct, vulnerable, resolve issues faster/better, and, most importantly, serve the client better.
• Ardent -- Jake Ten Haken, Michael De Boer, and Bryan Monroe also have awesome relationships with our Ardent clients. They talk, text, and email frequently. Sometimes it's about work and sometimes about their skills (or lack of) related to maneuvering a snowmobile. If you catch the beginning of an Ardent meeting or phone call, you're likely to hear some trash talk. However, at the end of the day, Ardent knows and trusts these guys. Developing these friendships and building this trust has led to more work.

You never know how good a relationship is until it is tested. Therefore, when you face a tough situation with a client, it is really an opportunity – an opportunity for you to show the client what "Great Client Relationships" means. Resolving tough situations by walking with them as a partner will always deepen a relationship. This does not mean roll over –it means do the right thing! Be up-front, be direct, be helpful, and be a partner to them. That's how you build client relationships "The Interstates Way."

Continue leading the Interstates Way! - Scott Peterson

Communicates Effectively

This week's post was written by Jack Woelber.

Do you know how much pressure there is in writing a blog about effective communication? How ironic is it that we need to communicate about communication? Communication is so basic and yet so critical in everything that we do. Often, when troubles arise, we can boil it down to poor communication.

You have heard the saying, “It takes two to tango.” Well, the same holds true for communication; it takes two. Successful communication only occurs when something has been shared and its meaning has been received. It doesn’t matter if that communication is spoken, written, in a power point, in a video, etc.; if the meaning of the message is not received, successful communication hasn’t happened. So whose responsibility is it to ensure successful communication? Leaders think about successful communication in two ways – giving and receiving. We often think of the giver as having the majority of the responsibility in communication. While that is critical, the receiver also plays a major role.

Let’s first discuss receiving. Receiving or listening is active. You need to be fully engaged, seeking to understand the meaning of what is being shared. As leaders, we need to keep the environment “safe” for those who are sharing. Sometimes this takes patience. Sometimes it takes self-control. There may be times when we don’t agree with what is being said, but, nonetheless, we have an obligation to actively listen and make sure people know they have been heard. There are several techniques for making sure you have heard the true intent of what has been shared. One example is to repeat back, in your own words, what you have heard. Of course, not all forms of communication allow this kind of interaction, but active listening to any form of medium requires your full attention.

The other responsibility in effectively communicating is giving or sharing information. I have had to remind myself multiple times that “just because I said it doesn’t mean they heard it.” In order to share information appropriately, you have to know your audience and tailor the information to communicate effectively with them. You may have to say it in multiple ways, multiple times, and in different styles to be sure the message is being received. It might even be wise to go ask someone what they have heard so you can confirm that the message you shared has been received.

Not only is it the responsibility of the leader to share information in an understandable, concise way but also to be wise about what information is being shared. As a leader, you need to discern what and how much information is being shared with your audience. The same information may need to be shared differently (or not at all) with different audiences. As a leader, this can be a challenge, especially when you are dealing with multiple generations that want and expect different levels of information.

While communication happens every day in myriad ways, it is not always effective or appropriate. As a leader, you have a great responsibility in making sure you can understand the message given to you as well as sharing the appropriate amount of information in an understandable way to diverse groups of people.

Continue leading the Interstates Way!
Jack Woelber

Casts Vision

This week's post was written by Doug Post.

Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl shared that the single most significant factor for survival was a sense of future vision, a conviction that one still had important work to do. Vision is the ability to see beyond our present reality, to create, to invent what does not yet exist, to become what we not yet are.

"Interstates leaders are tireless believers in people," is how I remember Jim Franken, our CEO in the 1990s, kicking off his vision for a "new" Interstates that focused on leadership development. This was a startling change for a company previously focused on technical expertise. Through sharing his vision at company forums, leading us all through a book review of The 21 Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell, and by hiring non-technical leaders, Jim cast his vision for leadership at Interstates, and it became ours. After his untimely death, his direct reports were instrumental in continuing his vision through what we know today as our Excellence in Leadership (EIL) series of courses.

Jim developed and shared a compelling vision for leadership at Interstates. It was timely, enabling opportunity-seeking employees to contribute. He was persistent, always reminding us to lead better. He was inspiring, convincing us that we could contribute more than we thought possible. He was motivating, driving growth like we hadn't been a part of before.

In sum, great leaders cast a vision for their people so that:

• They have a purpose larger than themselves.
• They know where they are going.
• They can create what doesn't yet exist.
• They are empowered to perform beyond their resources.

You do not need to be CEO to cast a compelling vision. Interstates leaders understand their staff's current state and connect their department or project team's goals to the Interstates' WHY by making it practical for their people’s day-to-day work. If you are a PM, begin your project meetings with a discussion on how they are "making a difference with our clients," or ask, "Are we really understanding their needs?" If you lead a department or a team, do training goals and internal processes reflect a commitment to our vision?

I encourage you to frequently look beyond today to your picture of the future. Each day, make time to have one conversation or to take one step toward a better tomorrow.

Continue leading the Interstates Way - turn our vision into reality!
Doug Post

Networking Is Serving Clients?

This week's post was written by Dave Crumrine.

The title of this post may seem like an odd statement. It struck me as odd, too, when the Sr. Leaders worked through selecting what the essential elements were for leadership here at Interstates. Why did we include this? The answer is found deep in our culture. At our core, we are experts. Proud of our ability to really know the ins and outs of the industries in which we participate. We strongly connect what we know to what we are able to offer the client in terms of expert advice.

To be experts at the trusted advisor level, we need to know what is happening in our industries. What are the issues challenging the businesses we are trying to support? It may not matter that is has little to do with electrical engineering or construction. To get in touch with this kind information, we must get both a broad and deep understanding of the issues. When we do, we become trusted advisors to our clients.

You see, networking by definition is building relationships. As in "Building Relationships Through…Dependability, Integrity, Trust, Quality, and Family." The key idea here (and we sometimes miss this when discussing our core values) is Building Relationships. To build effective relationships, we need to know about clients' problems, challenges, and big opportunities. In other words, networking provides many of the seeds we use to develop our client relationships.

This takes an investment. Sometimes it's time and travel. Sometimes it's sponsorship. Sometimes it is staff that could be more productive elsewhere. But, it is essential that networking happen. When we are "out there," we hear what is happening; we interact with clients and can test assumptions and listen for opportunities to serve. If we were Navy Seals, it would be "recon" for our mission of serving our clients. In addition, when clients see us contributing to their industries, they see us as being “in it with them" – an important perception when trying to connect with clients.

A final word on networking: The information gathered must be processed and shared to be effective. Networking cannot just be glad-handing and cocktails without follow-up or thought. Information gathered needs to be synthesized with other conversations and discussed in a forum with others so that it will allow us to react, to help, and to change our approach. This may be one of the more difficult parts of networking, as opportunities seldom present themselves plainly as "we need to do..."

Even though the challenges around networking are substantial, the need for networking is great. It is truly a key element of leading at Interstates.

Continue leading the Interstates Way!
Dave Crumrine

Balances Client Needs With Internal Process

This week's post was written by Jack Woelber.

I have been with Interstates for nearly 22 years. During that time many things have changed, including our clients’ needs. When I started, it seemed as though we had more lead time to plan and prepare, more construction time to accomplish the work on site, and more time to get a plant up and running. Today our clients feel the pressure to produce sooner, more consistently, with higher quality, and with better controls.

Interstates has adapted a lot over the years as well. Our internal tools and processes have continued to evolve and develop, allowing us to become industry leaders in a design build methodology that meets the demands of our client base while adding unique value.

If you think things haven’t changed that much in the past 22 years, spend a little time reflecting on what life was like in 1994. You were excited to have just acquired your first plain paper fax machine, your mobile phone weighed several pounds, and Al Gore was still in the process of inventing the Internet. You probably didn’t have an individual email address, and if you had a PC at home, you were one of the first.

While many things have changed, the need to communicate with our clients and understand their needs, and then match that understanding with how we deliver results, has not changed. Early in the discovery phase of a project, it is important to understand both what the client wants as a final result of the project and what is important to the client during the project. Because we are an integral part of helping our clients achieve their goals, this process is critical to their success.

The discovery process uncovers unique things the client wants to accomplish and why those goals are important. It helps us to understand what might be negotiable and what might not be negotiable. And we can ask, “Are there other ways to achieve the same desired result?” Through the discovery process we determine if we have the tools, systems, capabilities, and resources to help them meet their objectives.

Most often, we find that the systems and tools we have in place do meet the needs of the client. Through creativity and adaptation of what we already have in place, flexibility allows us to deliver the specific and unique requests of our clients. However, if through the discovery process we determine we can’t deliver what the client wants, we may have to help them find another way. We have to continually balance the needs of our clients with the capabilities of our internal processes. We need to make adjustments as the market changes, but we can’t be all things to all people. Creativity, understanding our clients’ needs, and matching our ability with what allows our clients to succeed will win every time.

Continue leading the Interstates Way! 
Jack Woelber 

Book Smart, Street Smart

This week's post was written by Doug Post.

We've seen it in the movies. The green lieutenant, fresh out of West Point, struggles leading his platoon until an old, crusty sergeant takes him under his wing and teaches him the ropes of the real world. The lieutenant is "book smart;" the sergeant "street smart." By the end of the movie, the sergeant proudly watches a capable, confident lieutenant lead by practically applying his West Point lessons on the battlefield.

Interstates leaders must also be "book smart" and "street smart." At the end of the day, the result of our work is a successfully running industrial plant. The result of our leadership is a company that is built-to-last in a tough, unforgiving marketplace.

Street-smart leaders know how businesses and people work. They know how to implement initiatives and run the business in a way that is practical and motivates people. They understand what it takes to meet client needs profitably this month and this year, are aware of market forces and competitors that affect operations, and adjust accordingly. They get things done with and for others.

My favorite example is our response to a Central Soya extraction explosion in the 1990s. Darrell Ramhorst and Larry Den Herder didn't know how they could best help this key client, but that didn't keep them from trusting their guts and getting on a plane that very day to go figure out what they could do to make a difference at the plant site. Over the next weeks and months they became an instrumental part of the client's recovery team.

Other street-smart examples of Interstates leadership include: LPG kicking off its industrial growth by focusing on small, "dirty" jobs no one else wanted, and Larry Den Herder willing us to proposal "wins" by digging in and figuring out how to get clients to award us projects. Imagine the negotiating, the scrappy tenacity, the hustle, and the awareness of client budgets behind accomplishing these wins.

Book-smart leaders are intelligent, continuous learners who comfortably deal with concepts and complexity. They shun easy answers and seek simplicity on the other side of complexity. For example, they see quality issues as more than a quick fix via a QC checklist and a training class. While these tactical steps may be necessary, book-smart leaders also examine hiring practices and organizational culture as potentially more fundamental causes of the problem. In other words, they think broadly and seek to understand the underlying system.

Their system-thinking skills mean they see similarities between diverse areas of thought and practice, and they can apply them to Interstates. Peter Drucker is a unique example of this quality, spending years mastering Japanese painting so that he could improve his creative thinking and expertise as a management guru.

To lead at Interstates, we ask that you be a practical, lifelong learner. Pursue two avenues. First, find your "sergeant," whether this means working for a few months on a job site, getting involved in a startup, or asking an experienced, savvy leader to mentor you. Second, network and read widely so that you are broadening our people’s views and creating growth opportunities. Interact with others in our core business sectors – and outside of it. Read new and old books by a diverse set of authors so that your thought isn't limited to our time, our practices, and your worldview.

Continue leading the Interstates Way!
Doug Post

Unleashing Your Potential

This week's post was written by Dave Crumrine.

As our leadership model was being built, the question "Where does personal development start?" was deeply discussed. We wanted to know what base beliefs unleash personal development.

Our self-evaluation concluded that our (the Sr. Leaders) own development started when we were vulnerable enough to get real and see our own uniqueness – all of our strengths and weaknesses. It seems this was also the time when we realized we need people around us, and the more diverse and complementary they are to our own skills, the better.

For these reasons, it is essential that personal development start with personal discovery; and it is therefore the centerpiece of EIL 1. Get in touch with "you" and figure out how that uniqueness will work in the world around you. After that important (and sometimes painful) step, you are free to always be looking at how to be better, interact better, and better impact others. This comes from feedback, whether offered by others or sought out by you, and is the mirror by which to truly see your own performance and impact. Listen carefully and remember that those offering feedback are taking a chance. How you respond to the feedback will dramatically affect how much more information you will get from that person or small group.

After achieving awareness and accepting feedback comes the step of choosing. There will always be more things to work on than we can actually focus on. After inventorying the options, use your intuition and trusted partner feedback to decide what you should choose to work on. What will impact others and yourself the most? What seems to be the next step in the journey? Do not wait for others to develop you. It is a clear differentiator of leaders that they drive their own development and "pull" what they need to succeed in developing themselves. Often this development will not be due to "training." Although training is helpful for certain skill building, it is not the essence of personal development.

I would encourage you to keep your list of things to work on very short and amp up the intentionality. Meeting a single goal with an intense focus can have a dramatic effect on your progress. If your list is more than one task, don't let it grow past three at one time. It simply dilutes your attention. Never forget that working to leverage your strengths is always more powerful than trying to shore up your weaknesses. For those areas where you struggle, think mitigation. Think about whom to bring around you and complement you. Think about using the team. You can't turn an orange into a grapefruit no matter how hard you focus on it.

The last phase is the sustaining part of development. Remain curious. Reach into the world and see what others are doing and using. Connect some unconventional dots of your own and wonder, what could that mean to me or my team? This leads to the most powerful kind of learning and growth. This is a lifetime effort; it must be part of us as leaders – especially at Interstates. As we live out our core "Why" ideas, "Pursuing a better way" requires us to be curious, to be open, to learn, and to develop new skills as the challenges of the world unfold.

Personal development is an important piece of leading at Interstates and in the rest of the world. I expect it to be even more so as the world around us changes faster and faster. What people see in you, and how you are leading your own development, inspires them. Share, be transparent, and challenge others to continually seek to be better.

Continue leading the Interstates Way!
Dave Crumrine

Does Tough Conversations Well

This week's post was written by Scott Peterson.

Tough Conversations

"I love having tough conversations! They are fun and are exciting!" (Said no one ever.)

Having tough conversations with your direct reports, peers, clients and supervisors is hard, no doubt. As a leader, having those tough conversations and doing them well is also one of your most important responsibilities.

Why is it so important?

• It is one of the best ways to align people and teams.
• It builds trust, since people know they can talk to you about anything (and that you really want them to succeed).
• It sets the stage for a healthy and productive culture.
• Because not having tough conversations is the most common cause of leadership failures

Two tips for how to do tough conversations well:
1. Lean in.
2. Stay in the "sweet spot" during the conversation.

Lean In:  This one is simple - just do it! Take time to prepare for the tough conversation and assume the best of the other person. During the conversation, stay in the final element -- the Sweet Spot.

Sweet Spot:  During the stress of a tough conversation, we have a tendency to fall into one of two categories: Fight or Flight.

• When we got into fight mode, we want to convince the other person that they are wrong and we are right. We forget to listen, and we become judgmental.
• When we go into flight mode, we want to avoid the situation or get out of it as quickly as possible. We do not state our thoughts or opinions.

The solution: the Sweet Spot. This is when we get it right. We lean in to those tough conversations. We find a good balance of being curious and being candid, and this is how we overcome falling into those fight or flight categories.

If you are a "fighter" - take time to ask questions, listen to the answers, and show empathy. If you are a "flighter" (yes, I'm making up words) - take a chance and share your honest thoughts/opinions without feeling like you have to prove yourself

Tough conversations can be a mixed bag for me. Some who know me well would tell you I have a strength for having productive, tough conversations. I stay in the sweet spot by being curious and truly believing the best of people. BUT (you knew it was coming), I don't like having these conversations. To be perfectly honest, they can stress me out. Over the years, I have learned to recognize that stress as a signal - a signal to lean in to the tough conversation. Don't avoid it. For the most part, these conversations are a relief to both people because they often have similar concerns and emotions. Just getting the topic on the table is a big step and a win.

If we can have productive tough conversations, we will be leading the Interstates Way!
Scott Peterson

Advocates For The Client

This week's post was written by Doug Post.

Client Advocates represent the customer to the rest of Interstates. They create culture and systems that motivate and enable our people to Understand our clients' Needs so that they can Deliver Results. All leaders can advocate for our clients – you don't have to be in operations or doing project delivery. Leaders must keep our culture centered on serving others. They can ensure training and accountability on client service expectations and can also develop systems and processes to better serve our clients. For example, designating client accounts as All-Stars, Veterans, Rookies, or Prospects in 2015 clarified who is responsible for our most important clients, aligned business development and operations around common clients, and provided a framework for setting goals and utilizing resources to better serve these clients.

Leaders who advocate for the client regularly walk beside and help project teams understand a client’s business goals for the projects they've entrusted to us. After all, whether a new grain export facility is justified on the basis of receiving grain by the next harvest or on the premise of increasing long-term market share can have a drastic impact on how we manage the construction schedule.

During the difficulties and surprises of project work, Client Advocates keep Interstates' people focused on the client’s needs and point-of-view. Project work is stressful, and personalities can clash. Client-focused leaders remind project teams of the client's importance and focus them on the positive aspects of the client. They promote the importance of client relationships lasting beyond any single project.

Client Advocates understand how Interstates' design-build value proposition – Rapid project delivery, Innovative solutions, Single-source responsibility, and Early dependable pricing (RISE) – can benefit our clients. In the late 90s, an Interstates proposal team exemplified this and secured a large sugar facility project in Moses Lake, Washington, that enabled us to help the client, stretch our people, and grow Interstates to a new level.

This client had been unsuccessful in getting its project funded. Our proposal leaders quickly understood that the complex design and design-bid format were driving up the client's costs and extending its schedule. After explaining the RISE benefits of design-build to the client and sharing our (reduced) budget that we agreed to stand behind, the client was able to get the project approved and moved forward, trusting our early, dependable pricing and our ability to speed up the pace of the project.

The AGP account team is another great example of representing the client. As we've grown with this important All-Star client over the last 20+ years, a number of characteristics illustrate what client advocacy is all about:

• We have built a strong working relationship with AGP. We're fully zippered – multiple people at Interstates have relationships with people at multiple levels at AGP.
• We're at the planning table, understanding AGP's projects and business needs. Randy Van Voorst, our account leader, is closely involved with multiple AGP leaders in budgeting their projects long before board approval.
• We've dedicated an XBU team to serve AGP, and all departments know that serving AGP is a priority.
• We know the facilities’ electrical systems inside and out – often better than AGP does. This enables us to be its trusted advisors.

This intentional development of an account team to passionately and intentionally serve a client is what advocating for the client is all about. A service culture doesn't happen by accident. Our company will always be a reflection of its leaders. Their attitudes, their values, and their commitment to service excellence will drive the actions of others in the organization. Always has, always will.

Know how you are "Making a Difference for Our Clients" and continue leading the Interstates Way – Advocate for the Client!

Doug Post

Fostering Productive Internal Relationships

This week's post was written by Jack Woelber.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “A leader with no followers is really just a person out for a walk”? How is it that some leaders seem to have a lot of influence and others struggle to have just a little? Why is it that when some folks want to implement a change, it is so much easier for them than it might be for others? Why do some people get “buy in” to an idea much more quickly than others? There are a lot of reasons behind and answers to those questions, but an overarching answer is found in the importance of having relationships.

Relationships inside an organization are important in numerous ways. First, most people enjoy their jobs more if they have productive relationships at work. Work is more gratifying and fulfilling when people interact. Individuals have a sense of belonging through relationships, which gives them more job satisfaction. Second, when you build relationships, you are investing in others, and they in you. This mutual investment should create a mutual benefit. Through that mutual benefit, people can win together and share each other’s successes as well as the success of the team.

In one of the other leadership competencies, we discuss being able to drive results directly and indirectly. Relationships are a big benefit when you have to drive results indirectly, both in your area of business as well as across divisions and business units. Through the relationships we’ve purposefully built with others, we can indirectly drive results; without those relationships, this indirect influence is incredibly difficult.

How can you build those internal relationships? You must be willing to initiate conversation and dialogue. We get to know each other through communication. It doesn’t happen overnight; you didn’t become best friends with anyone the first time you visited. It took time. But over time, through ongoing conversations and shared experiences and successes, the relationship grew and became what it is today. Strong relationships allow for open and honest dialogue. These intentionally built relationships offer permission to give and receive feedback, creating a culture of honesty and helping each other for mutual benefit. In the end, everyone wins.

So, while some of us may tend to keep to ourselves and “do our own thing,” it is important as leaders that we build relationships within our teams and across the organization. Not only will building relationships help you and others lead, these relationships will also provide more enjoyable and meaningful interactions every day.

Continue leading the Interstates Way!
Jack Woelber

Leading Operations - Solving Problems

This week's post was written by Dave Crumrine.

Why did the Interstates Sr. Team decide to put something so obvious in its Leadership Model? Almost any business is rife with problems, and leaders are often called upon to solve them. If you succeed at solving one problem, there are often many other problems following along closely that will require your attention. Although we spend a lot of time on problems, the truth is that we aren't very good at escaping some of the historical traps of problem solving.

The reason we chose to elevate the topic of solving problems is that it differs greatly from temporarily solving the symptoms of problems. Strong leaders need to have both the wisdom to identify the most essential problems to solve (there are always more than we can work on at one time) and the fortitude to work on the root cause of a problem. Working on the symptoms of a problem is like taking an aspirin every four hours to alleviate the pain of an infection. If you define "the pain" as the problem, you can solve it temporarily with a "painkiller." This is not an uncommon response by our teams with urgent deadlines and limited resources. What you can't do with a painkiller is prevent the pain from coming back. That takes a real cure (solving the problem).

Real leadership requires we dig down past "quick and dirty" and find the root cause of problems. We must be suspicious of obvious solutions. To do this, we must help our people move past the urgent and help them truly see what is going on. We have learned much about Lean practices, and many of the tools in Lean are built around the need to make the process "visual" and, in doing so, allowing the players to see what is really happening. This leads to much stronger problem solving that can effectively put challenges behind us – not to mention saving lots of trips to the store for more pain reliever.

As Interstates' leaders build their skills and knowledge around strong problem solving, others in the organization call on them for these abilities. These leaders become valued experts at facilitating problem solving; in the process, they also teach others better problem solving. Helping people build broad problem-solving skills is the real power here.

A controversial practice at Interstates seems to be bringing in non-experts to help solve problems. This is at odds with our natural inclination to use a room full of the most informed technical experts in an area. I'm not quite sure where this inclination comes from, but it is often a dominant idea we all have early in our careers. As Albert Einstein said, "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." This is why true problem-solving skills and coaching are required in our world. Perspective is the secret sauce of problem solving, and we must seek out non-traditional perspectives on a problem so we can expose our potentially flawed assumptions. Only then can we find the solutions we really need. It’s a kind of innovation, one very applied, but born of the same core ideas that foster innovation.

Problem-solving activity is common. Great problem solving? Much less so. Leading the Interstates way means digging deep enough to get it right!

Here’s to less aspirin!

Continue leading the Interstates Way!

Dave Crumrine