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(KC) Is this a good idea John, would you have liked to hear from Senior Managers and GM’s as you were coming up? (JC) Absolutely. The history of how did we get where we are, and how did we deal with the issues?  Dealing with adversity –I’m not aware of a management book that deals with key transit management issues.  I think it’s a good idea. 

(KC) John, it is one thing to be fired up when you’re 30 years old and you’ve taken on your first real leadership position.  How does one fire (in your case) himself up and go after it when they’re 50 plus? (JC) Actually it’s a lot easier. When you’re 30 you’re trying to learn and figure things out, you haven’t really mastered the whole political process.  You understand the finances, but you’re still getting your feet wet in managing the organization.  So as you get older you have a broader perspective that is far more politically complex and you only get that through experience.  You can read all the books you want to read, go to all the lectures you want to, but nothing prepares you like experience.  At 50 you say I’ve been there, I’ve done that, now I want to take on something larger. It doesn’t mean you’re going to do it right all the time, it doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes, but you know enough about how to back your way out of a corner. 

Insights from Insight–John’s point about managing the political complexities of the GM role is an area I think a lot of would be GM’s would be wise to study and get mentoring on.

(KC) If you were to define down to one thing you can do as a GM that genuinely affects culture down to the driver, mechanic, bus washer, what is that one thing? (JC)Stephen Covey and Tom Peters used to say decades ago, you have to manage by walking around. You interact with employees at all levels in formal and informal situations. Talk to them about what they’re doing, what the agency is doing, how important it is for them to do their job, what it means for the region, for the customers. Show your personal commitment to them.  It’s one-on-one and group meetings with employees to talk, trade ideas, and listen. That way you can deal better when a crisis occurs because you have their input of what’s happening in all parts of the organization. They like to get updates on what’s happening in the agency, what’s coming up.  Nothing beats that interaction. Meet with the drivers, it’s easy to go out 8 to 5, but you’ll gain the greatest respect early (4:00-5:00am) when the operators get in, or after midnight when the mechanics come in for the late shift. They’ll truly appreciate your sacrifice, your commitment, and your passion.  You also need to communicate that you expect them to do well. 

Insights from Insight –Solid gold. Each of us should be looking for these seemingly small opportunities to connect with our team at all levels.  It’s a twofer. 1. You are seen and present and not just the 9 to 5 shifts. 2. Ask and you will get some tremendously valuable “rubber on the road” performance and anecdotal data from your people. 

(KC)What advice would you give a young person who wants to develop and move up? (JC) If I see a young person that has talent, lots of drive, whom I think (or who tells me) they want to be a GM or a top executive within transit, I’m going to remember them.  I am going to make sure that they’re in the job that helps the agency and helps develop them.  That’s talent I don’t want to lose.  If someone approaches me like that I’m going to snatch them up, and put them in a special development program. I call those “champions” people who are very talented, and driven. I would put them in charge of special projects that were completely outside their area of expertise, because they had the ability to get things done. I would place them in positions that really stretched them, stretched their knowledge, but stayed within their abilities.  As a result, you have great employees who are very loyal to the organization because someone cares about them, and the organization gains because it takes its internal talent and places it in a position of long-term leadership for the authority.   What I mean by that is, if you see talent, and you start developing it, you’ll have that talent for a long time in the organization.  Sometimes you lose people because they’ll go to another organization for a higher position if the positions aren’t open in your organization. But that’s good because you’re developing leaders for the industry.  In addition, the reputation gets communicated that you are an agency who cares about its employees and their development.  So then even more talented people want to come to your agency.  If I can’t take someone personally under my wing I find someone high up to mentor them. 

Insights from Insight-It’s one thing to hope that you will be seen and heard by your upper management.  It’s another altogether to politely but clearly state that you are wanting to grow, to make a career out of transit, to ask for mentoring and counsel as to how to get there.  CEO’s usually got to that position because at one time they were that hungry young exec who wanted more.  My experience is that they welcome that kind of drive in their young managers and up and comers.

(KC)What advice did you get or wish you had wish you’d gotten earlier in your career. (JC) I got some great advice early in my career. James Reichart, who was the GM of OCTD (Orange County Transit District) back in the 70’s, he always talked about values. That it’s about the values of the organization that make it successful, and he kept drilling that.  He would teach it and have speakers come out to speak to the management team.  I started “drinking the kool-aid,” because it resonated with me. You can’t learn too early about respecting your people, developing your people, accountability, excellence, quality service and safety. Mainly the soft skills of working well with people, focusing on values, and that impacted me tremendously.  Around the same time period, I got feedback from a board member and when the agency became OCTA, James’s replacement, that my strength was creating a positive work environment, while developing and respecting people. So hearing that, I emphasized that aspect of my behavior. He also told me “Smile more when you speak.” I’m serious. 

Insights from Insight –   Funny, now it’s considered new thinking to figure out one’s strengths as John did, and to emphasize them vs. always fixing perceived weaknesses.   My/our only caveat to that is that strengths are only strengths if they are considered such by the organization itself.  Same goes for weaknesses.  While it is important to understand your strengths and weaknesses, it is critical that you understand them within the context of what your team, group, company need from you.

(KC)If someone were to ask you John “what questions should I be asking you, from where you sit”, what would they be? (JC)What skill sets do I need to develop in order to manage a complex organization like a transit agency? And what can I do to develop those skills?  Generally I’m looking for that person to tell me they would like to take on responsibility in an area or in a task that will help develop those skills.  One might say communication skills are important, but communicating to an elected board, how do you do that, how do you handle that?  How do you handle adversity?  How do you handle negative things that happen?  How do you handle the press?  How do you handle all the balls that are up in the air?  Those are the kind of questions to be asking.  Ask me for examples of things I had done which, if I could go back in time, what would I do different.  Because in all of our careers when we make decisions, sometimes we make some pretty damn dumb ones.  As a leader we have to take risks, if we don’t try new things we won’t be successful.  And sometime when you try new things, they don’t work well.  I would expect someone to ask me what went wrong and not just what went right.  And how did I turn it around? How did I turn that lemon into lemonade? 

(KC)Do you have a favorite quote or philosophy on leadership and development that you tend to go back to? (JC) Yes, I remember Steven Covey – I always liked him, I know that’s old school.  For me it’s basically about the emotional bank account. And I don’t remember the exact quote now, you know you can fill up that bank account, but you have to use it very wisely.  It’s not you know, you can spend all your dollars there and nothing’s left.  I think he gave the example of a person who came in like with a gun shooting a 6 shooter, and it’s choosing when it’s the best time to you know give out your opinion. Which might not be, you know, the flavor of the day if you think it’s best for someone to hear.  If you’re a person who constantly criticizes and says “that’s not going to work” or “no that’s not the way,” then people aren’t going to listen to you.  But, if you’re a person who is supportive and in a way they say “have you thought about this approach,” then people listen, they take that into consideration. Don’t keep firing off at the mouth. Give input, give differing opinions selectively. So you’re not perceived as a person who just criticizes anything and people stop listening to you. 

Insights from Insight-Steven Covey – Emotional Bank Account 

Covey identifies six ways to make deposits (or reduce withdrawals):

1) Understanding the Individual – This means listening intently to what the other person is saying and empathizing with how they may feel. It’s important to care for others and act with kindness toward them. 

2) Keeping Commitments – How do you feel when someone arrives right on time when you have a meeting? How about when people simply do what they say they will do? You build up an emotional reserve by keeping your commitments. 

3) Clarifying Expectations – We are not mind readers, and yet we consistently expect others to know what we expect of them. Communicating our expectations can help create a higher level of trust. When we ask for what we want, and we get it, we can then trust a little more. 

4) Attending to the Little Things – Don’t you find that the little things tend to become the BIG things when they do not receive our attention? Doing the little things is how we honor and show respect for others. Small kindnesses, a smile, a little extra effort, a hug, doing something you didn’t “have” to: these are the things that build trust. 

5) Showing Personal Integrity – Integrity is the moral floor upon which trusting relationships are built. When we operate with sound moral character, it makes it so easy for others to trust us. 

6) Apologizing When We Make a Withdrawal – We will make mistakes; it’s part of life. But when you see you have violated a trust, sincerely apologizing is how we make a deposit to counteract the damage we have done.

(KC)John, this has been very powerful, I am appreciative of your time.  (JC) Thank you, I’m honored. 

Final thoughts from Insight Strategies – When Managers move upwards we often find they are not fully prepared for what awaits.  How could they be?  While there are many philosophies floating around each individual’s capabilities coupled with the unique circumstances of the persons, places and things involved in that move create limitless challenges. Think of a fresh supervisor with no training or experience.  How would he/she know to be aware of human resentments, of the shifting from being a peer to accountability for your peers?  It’s a big leap and most don’t make it.  This one simple example is really not that different than the newer GM?  Fired up, ready to roll, finally be able to do it their way, only to find that it is a misnomer.  The GM at the top of a transit property has more bosses than ever.  City, boards, assemblies, and the mayor are all stakeholders in the success or failure of the GM’s actions and consequently very interested in how she/he does their job.  John speaks well to the facilities needed to manage those complex relationships.  Truly something difficult to learn without having been there. His understanding that we all have KPI’s, measurements and these are honorable and clearly important… buses need to roll.  But the great ones, those GM’s that leave a lasting legacy to their agencies and the many people whom they impact, spend as much time on the people aspect, the human KPI’s, if you will, as any other part of their work.

Thank you, Kevin Catlin

For over three decades John B. Catoe, Jr. contributed greatly to the extension and enhancement of public transportation offerings throughout the U.S.

He was tireless in his effort to raise transit awareness, secure governmental funding, and invest in local communities. As such, under his leadership, improvements to transportation infrastructures had been realized, transit service reach more areas serving a greater number of passengers, and fiscal responsibility had been restored.

Named Outstanding Public Transportation Manager in 2009 by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Catoe made national headlines for orchestrating and executing safe, efficient, and reliable public transportation offerings to and from the 56th presidential inauguration events. Then, serving as the General Manager for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Catoe heeded President Obama’s call to make these events the most open and accessible in history, opening METRO services to include 23 special rapid bus corridors and extended rush hour service for 17 continuous hours. Catoe served as the general manager for WMATA from 2007 through 2010, holding oversight of a $2 billion budget with more than ten thousand employees. During his tenure, he developed plans and secured funding for capital improvements to infrastructure, all while reducing administrative costs. Prior to his post at WMATA, Catoe served as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) from 2001 to 2007. Under Catoe’s leadership, METRO’s operating costs were tracked lower than the consumer price index for the first time in two decades. One particular focus was Catoe’s work with five Los Angeles County Councils of Governments to restructure bus operations into service sectors, thus better serving the community while containing costs, a rare feat then and now.

Those of us at Insight Strategies know John as a mentor, a man of immense integrity and we hope, a friend.

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As you continue reading you’ll see not only my interview questions and Carolyn’s responses, but a few insights from me throughout, giving the reader even more understanding of our discussion.

Best,

Kevin Catlin, Insight Strategies, Inc.

Kevin Catlin: Hi Carolyn, I’m grateful for you doing this. As you know the intent of these interviews is to meet with transit executives at the General Manager/CEO level. The idea is to capture your collective knowledge and understand how your experiences turned that knowledge into wisdom that can be passed on to up-and-coming transportation leaders, to aid in accelerating their learning which can only come from firsthand experience.

Do you think this is a good idea?

Carolyn Flowers: I do. I think that succession planning is such a critical issue in the industry. There’s an aging workforce, and I’m part of that (laughs), and we still don’t see across the industry a concerted effort to address the issue. I think there is a recognition that the workforce is aging out rapidly in transit. And there are so many of us, including me, who have decided to stay a little longer. But that isn’t addressing the problem of developing those who will eventually replace us. So yeah, I think it’s a critical issue that we need to recognize, and as you said it’s important to impart the knowledge that we have, and deposit that so it can be withdrawn in the future and maybe used in a productive manner.

KC: Absolutely. And I think what you’re doing here will work towards making that happen. I’m going to ask you to answer the questions as if you were counseling and coaching a young transit professional.

How did you get into transit in the first place?

CF: (Laughs) Well I didn’t get into transit directly because I had a desire to be in transit. I was working for a computer company and trying to sell a system into an agency. In the middle of the sale the company that I worked for went bankrupt. So when I went into the transit agency I said I cannot sell you this system, I need to sell myself, I need a job – and that’s how I got into transit.

KC: Wonderful! And you know this better than anyone – if you talk to a lot of the leaders in transit they will say the same thing. They got into it and it got into their bones somehow. So, another thing we’ve been working on recently is the understanding of culture, and why culture at one agency is more positive, more efficient, more effective, and more forward-thinking than another agency of similar size and demographics.

My question about culture is this: if you were to define one thing that a GM can do that genuinely affects the culture of an agency, what would that be? Clearly, there are many things that impact organizational culture, but are there one or two that stand out to you more than anything else, anything that can trickle down all the way from CEO to Coach Cleaner?

CF: There are a few things. I think, first of all, everyone is looking for a leader. So you have to define yourself as the leader of that organization. And convey to your team that you are in charge, that you are accessible, and that you don’t know everything. That as a team it is important to value the assets of the entire team and be able to mobilize and utilize that team. I think it’s important that the leader of an organization is out front and that is important, but you must value the entire team.

Insights from Insight: The statement “you are in charge, you are accessible, and you don’t know everything” is very telling. Carolyn has that rare ability to be a strong, in charge leader while being connected to the people, being accessible, and relying on her team for what she doesn’t know. Relying on the team is what separates leaders who are developing other leaders and those that require the ego fulfillment of always having the answers, the “go-to” guy. It is very difficult to allow others to develop their skills and leadership capabilities because of our propensity to always lead and an inability to let go of power.

Secondly, you have got to communicate. You have to communicate in more than a passive manner. This means more than doing newsletters or tweeting – you have to be there with your employees. You have to provide information to them. Because they won’t follow you if they don’t trust you. So, they need to know that you’re there for the good and the bad, and that you’re listening to both.

KC: What does it mean to be trusted by your employees? Communication is such a broad brush and I thought you defined it nicely – it’s not a matter of disseminating information, it’s being connected to people. You also said, “value the assets that they bring.” The word value intrigues me. How do you believe that one behaves as a leader when they’re valuing an asset?

CF: First of all it’s about listening and accepting input from everyone in the organization. I mean you have to be able to take input. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to agree with everyone. But you have to provide an opportunity and a culture whereby everyone has an opportunity to provide that input, and that they know that you’re taking that input into consideration as you make a decision. It’s not necessarily that you’re going to agree with all of them but you do provide some level of inclusion.

Now you can also go overboard with inclusion and then not make decisions because you want to only make decisions after you get input from everyone – so you have to balance that.

What your team is looking for is someone who can make a decision and know when it’s time to basically “press the button” and move ahead.

KC: Understood. Carolyn you’ve worked at the highest levels of some very large agencies like LA Metro as well as smaller ones, yes?

CF: Yes.

KC: Can a leader affect the culture all the way up, down, and across, at a large agency like LA Metro as well as a smaller one?

CF: I think so. I think what you have to do is be out there so they know that you’re interested in what they’re doing. What I did was visited shifts, visited all of the divisions, showed that I was interested in what they were doing. I went into the pit. Now they knew that technically, I wasn’t competent to repair a vehicle (laughs), but they knew I was interested in what they were doing and that I wanted to get some knowledge about what they were doing. Because as a leader your job is to facilitate the resources for them to get their job done, and if you have an understanding and a relationship with them that goes really far in terms of letting them know that you do value what they’re doing. And also communicating to them that my success as a leader is based on what they do. It’s so important that they understand how they contribute to the overall service, and how that is valued by the customer.

Insights from Insight: Every successful leader learns what Carolyn refers to here. She explains it beautifully. The lesson is for employees to thrive and self-motivate. Employees need to feel they are part of the big picture and a contributor to the heart of the organization. It doesn’t matter whether it is in marketing, finance, or janitorial. I tell a story where this “goal before role” mentality is explored and its return on investment explained.

KC: Well said. Thank you. Here’s a question I hope you find intriguing. What would Carolyn Flowers say to Carolyn Flowers when… how old were you when you got into transit?

CF: Oooh…

KC: We won’t talk about how long ago that was (laughs).

CF: (Laughs) … probably late 30s.

KC: Ok. So what advice would a person from your perspective give yourself in your late 30s, who wanted to move up through the ranks, who was ambitious, who maybe wanted to run her own agency one day… what are one or two pieces of advice you would give?

CF: One piece of advice I would give that I feel is really important is, do not be afraid to move laterally. To expand your knowledge base and broaden your knowledge base. I think sometimes people get locked into a vertical career path. They focus on one area. But I found it broadened my career to include different disciplines in the agency. So not every career move is done for a promotion and money, sometimes you have to look at what you really want to learn and be more of a student of the organization. You have to take some risks on every level, but not all risks are for promotion, some are for personal enhancement.

KC: So knowledge enhancement, broadening skills, etc.

CF: Yes.

KC: Thank you for that, I have a couple more questions. A subject I always find intriguing, because it’s something we work on a lot at Insight Strategies, is the understanding of what leadership actually looks and feels like. So my question is, and maybe you’ve answered this for us before if you were to look back into your history … who is a great leader in your life? This could be a coach, or a parent, an uncle, or grandparent, or a teacher that moved you or took an interest in you in some way. Who would that person be?

CF: Well I must say… it is several people. I think initially, it was Julian Burke who was a CEO. Julian was a millionaire, and so he did not need to take on the assignment at LA Metro but did so out of the belief that he could make a difference and turn the agency around when it was in financial straits. You know, make some tough decisions at a time when the construction of the Red Line was going awry. And he took interest in me when I was in the Budget Department, which was key to several promotions I had after that.

And then a combination of Vick (who was the CFO), Roger Snoble, and John Catoe when they came in. They gave me tremendous opportunities.

KC: Got it. Let me continue… Julian was clearly a person of high character because he didn’t need to do this work at LA Metro, but he did it out of the desire to serve. What were the characteristics of Julian that made you want to follow him?

CF: Julian came to me a couple of times when we were looking at the budget while we were looking at downsizing the agency, and Julian said to me “take a cut in my salary Carolyn so that we can save somebody.” You know, that’s kind of a stunning statement when you’re running budgets, for your CEO to tell you to cut their salary to save someone else. I was just so impressed with that. And just his interest in the details. That and his taking time to coach me when I became the CAO and he was a lawyer by trade – he said let’s go over the difficult HR issues, come to my office at 6 o’clock, and I’d sit there and go over entire issues with him. He was coaching me on the job, taking the time to discuss any legal issues I might encounter on some of those HR decisions.

KC: I’m going to ask you a question that might seem a little odd but I think it’s important and illustrative for students of leadership, and that is, how did Julian make you feel about yourself?

CF: He made me feel valuable. He made me feel that the work I was doing was important and critical to the agency. He looked at reports and, when he thought work was outstanding, he actually gave you credit for it. When I was leading the budget department, and people would call him to complain that they weren’t getting everything they wanted, he said – don’t call me, call her.

Insights from Insight: The last two answers from Carolyn are an unfailing indicator of leadership experienced on a personal level. Insight Strategies frequently asks in our classes or coaching sessions “Who were the people who most impacted you?” “How did they make you feel?”  “How have their lessons continued to impact you to this day?” The answers are always a variation of one or all of these responses:

1. He/She believed in me and told me I could “do it.” 
2. Cared about me personally.
3. Pushed me – would not allow me to give up.
4. Was a great example to me. Walked the talk.

Here we see again in a woman of great influence, a leader in her own right, giving us the roadmap to what great leaders/managers have in common. The daily behavioral traits that we at Insight Strategies have seen thousands of times. These traits or behaviors remain constant, regardless of demographic, cultural, racial or gender differences and are truly a universal guidepost for leaders and leadership impact.

KC: So there was a lot of trust there.

CF: Yes.

KC: Understood. So, Carolyn, here is my last question for you. Is there a time you can think of where professionally, you’ve experienced failure? If so, were there lessons that you learned that someone else could learn from your mistake? Or from a failure that happened whether it be your fault or not, so to speak?

CF: Well… there are times when you go home and regret. I felt that the decisions that were made about certain contracts, where I had tried to advance a position that we needed to diversify who was involved or who had 100% control of that contract… and I did a LOT of work, loads of presentations… but I think my failure was that I didn’t realize that certain members of our Board were not going to be supporting that position. So I learned my lessons about briefing everyone to get an understanding of their positions before there’s a vote.

KC: So, in a nutshell, maybe there was more homework to be done, or like our friend and colleague, Jerry Premo likes to say “understanding all the constituents” …

CF: Understanding all the constituents and making sure that you understand what their position is. It’s very painful when you put a lot of work in and then your position is shot down… in public (laughs).

KC: (Laughs) Oh yeah. I think perhaps my weakest link is my desire not to be embarrassed. So the last piece is… If you were standing up in front of 20 up-and-comers, what would you say to young people who are looking to make a career in transit or transportation?

CF: Believe in your passion. Transportation isn’t an area that many people naturally think about as they’re getting their degree. Transportation has such diversity of areas that you can move into and I would say, don’t count out transportation as a wonderful career option for a variety of growth and career opportunities.

KC: Thank you, Carolyn.

Carolyn Flowers Biography

Carolyn Flowers recently joined AECOM as Senior Vice-President-Americas Transit Market Sector Leader with responsibility for client relationships and business development for public transit business lines in the United States and Canada. Prior to that, she served for two years at the Federal Transit Administration as Senior Advisor to the Administrator and, in her last nine months, was the Acting Administrator responsible for grants, compliance and safety of public transit systems in the nation.

In 2009, she was named Chief Executive Officer/Director of Public Transit for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), where she was responsible for county-wide bus and rail transit planning and management. CATS has a $278 million budget and serves more than 80,000 passengers daily. Flowers worked with the Metropolitan Transit Commission, Mecklenburg County, incorporated towns, and City business units.

Prior to joining the City of Charlotte, Flowers was Chief Operations Officer for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and responsible for managing bus operations and Freeway Service Patrol.

She received a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Management.

Flowers served as co-chair of the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Reauthorization Task Force. She was a member of APTA’s Publication Advisory, Leadership, Legislative, and Awards committees. She also served on the Board of Directors for the North American Transit Services Association (NATSA) and the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Oversight and Project Selection. She is a member of COMTO and the Women’s Transportation Seminar.

In 2007, she was recognized as the Tom Bradley Alumnus of the Year by the UCLA Black Alumni Association. The award is named for the first African-American Mayor of Los Angeles, a champion of public transportation for Los Angeles County. In 2008, she was named Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar. She also received the Ambassador award for her volunteer work with the American Stroke Association and was given a special recognition award by the Greater Los Angeles African-American Chamber of Commerce. In 2016 she was given a Women’s Leadership award by the Black Business Association.

Flowers is a graduate of the 2003 APTA Transportation Leadership Class. She participated in a 2005 international study project for the National Association of Sciences, sponsored by the Eno Foundation for Transportation Studies, as well as the executive development program sponsored by the Eno Center for Transit Leadership. She is a member of the Johnson C. Smith University Board of Visitors, the Foundation for the Carolinas Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fund Board of Directors, the Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) Board, and the Women’s Intercultural Exchange (WIE) Advisory Council.

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I have always loved the outdoors. Hiking, camping, rafting, the ocean sports, all of it, I’m in. I see a Bass Pro Shop or REI and can’t help stopping to check things out. One day I did that and ended up relearning a crucial lesson on selling and the art of persuasion in general.

My local REI store is in Manhattan Beach, California and on this particular day I did my usual “stop in” to look around. The problem with me and “looking around,” is that I’m like a kid in a candy store and always end up buying something. So there I am, looking at an entire wall of backpacks and thinking about my last experience hiking, when I hear a voice behind me ask: “Looking at backpacks?”

Because it seemed obvious I gave a slightly snide answer of “Why yes, I am.”

Mr. Eager Beaver sales associate then said “Well, let me show you what we got.”

He then pointed out a beautiful external frame pack and began to explain its features; Several cubic feet of storage, incredibly light exoskeleton, waterproof compartment, lumbar pad, self-tightening shoulder straps, and on and on. As my eyes glazed over I realized I did not want to listen to this guy anymore and cut him short with a “let me look around a bit,” then left. No purchase, no sale.

A few days later I stopped into a much smaller specialty-hiking store in Redondo Beach. I stood looking at the wall of 6 or 7 models of packs when I heard a voice from behind, “Looking at backpacks huh?” Truth is, I smelled him coming before he got there. Ocean, patchouli, a clear hint of marijuana; his scent announced him before he got there.

I was about to send Mr. Obvious on his way when he said “dude, I love to hike, you too?” The voice called me dude. I was 40 years old (at the time) so it gave me a chuckle. I turn around to find a youngish, quintessential looking California surfer guy.

“Where do you go hiking?” he asked.

“Well,” I told him, “my last trip was to Yosemite.” I told him how beautiful I thought it was and about the many bears I saw, and the story about them raiding my camp when I made the rookie mistake of leaving beef jerky in my backpack.

“Dude, I love Yosemite, they have some gnarly hikes.”

So we talked about what I liked, where I went, how my equipment fared and finally why I was in his store. “My backpack shifted all over the place when we were bouldering, I could never get comfortable when I was using my hands and feet to climb” I explained.

“Dude, I get it. You have an external frame right?” he asked.

“Yep,” I said. Then he said “check this out” and took out a backpack that was shaped like a taco and didn’t appear to have a frame.

“This is the s**t, fits like a glove and moves with you when you boulder” he explained. He was right and before you knew it I had dropped a cool $250 on a new pack.

As I was checking out I said to the surfer dude “you’re good at this.” “Good at what?” he asked. “Selling!” I said. “I have been selling for years and you are really good.” He smiled, “I don’t sell” he said, “I just took my father’s advice – I find out what people want, what they love about hiking or the outdoors, what their interests are, then I show’em things that work for what they want.”

Boom, there it was.

I realized, in that moment, that I had forgotten one of the oldest and most important tenets of sales, persuasion and even of leadership. How could I, a guy that owned two businesses that relied on client sales have forgotten something so elemental? It honestly freaked me out.

What we think, feel or say about our idea, product, or anything is largely irrelevant. We do not convince people to buy an idea or thing, but rather we simply uncover and relate to their needs and their needs only. What I had forgotten is that, whether you’re selling backpacks, advice, or fractional ownership of a jet, people buy emotionally, then use facts and data to back up the decision to buy.

I never forgot it again.

Kevin Catlin

COO & Managing Partner

Insight Strategies, Inc.

kcatlin@insightstrategies.com

“People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they have themselves discovered
than by those which have come into the mind of others.”

― Blaise Pascal, Pensées

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Simple and effective tips for nailing your next presentation.

1. Prepare.

When we prepare for our presentations or speeches, most of us think—Write it / Practice it. True enough, but there is more to it if you truly want to engage, influence, or even dazzle your audience.

Before putting pen to paper, ask yourself:

1. What is the audience’s predominant demographic, social, gender, political, financial, even philosophical makeup? What else do you know about them?
2. How will your topic and delivery impact these people directly? What exactly do you want the participants to do, think, or feel when you are finished? What outcome are you striving for?
3. What do the participants gain by listening to your speech? What’s in it for them? What are the top 3 key takeaways? What stories can you tell to bring the 3 key points to life?
4. With the understanding that people are moved to act by connecting to their emotions and then use facts and data to back up their decision; What is your emotional hook? Do you have powerful facts, stats, data, quotes, or case studies?
5. Remind yourself that your opinion of what is important is secondary to the listener’s perceived needs.

When asked about the secret of his powerful talks to the Roman Senate, the great orator Cato said: “Find the message first, and the words will follow.”

Answering the above questions aligns your presentation with your audience’s needs. It gives you the ability to customize and make it relevant and interesting to this particular group of people.

2. The Power Opener.

The old saying about having one chance to make a first impression is decidedly true in presentations. Here are some Dos and Don’ts:

Do

Intrigue your participants with a story, a powerful quote, a startling statement, parable, or statistic.

Example: Frederic Douglas, African American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, and a friend to President Abraham Lincoln, was giving a speech in Ohio on July 4, 1852.  Douglas knew the crowd would be distracted.  He knew that they had food, drinks, and maybe a little of that new game called baseball on their minds.  He also knew he had to grab their attention if his important message was going to break through all of that.  He started his speech by looking over the crowd in silence for several long seconds. He allowed the motion and noise to settle and said:

“Pardon me – why did you ever invite me? When the people I represent, and I have no reason to celebrate this day.”

Now that is how you open a speech!  He then made a powerful case for incorporating all free people and slaves into the fabric of America.  The participants can’t help but stop, leave their distractions and pay attention to the speaker after the power of his silence and then hearing such a poignant and personal statement. 

Don’t

Open with the usual pleasantries of thanking the host, telling the participants what a pleasure it is to be there, etc., blah, etc.  You will get to the point where thanking is both appropriate and much more powerful than opening with it.  It is too expected and allows your participants’ minds to begin to wander before you are even two minutes into your address.

Do

Once the opening story /quote / or analogy is told, you can end it with,” and what this has always meant to me is,” or “this story is important because,” or “what (person from story or yourself) learned from this experience was this (insert learning here), or I can’t think of a better way to open the topic of X.  But first, let me thank my host/s” Now when you thank them both the audience AND the hosts will be much more attentive and appreciative.

Your opening must immediately capture your audience’s attention and interest. That is the point of the opener. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression and to capture their head and hearts.

3. The Middle.

Winston Churchill, arguably one of the finest speakers in modern history, used to say that “a good speech is like a symphony. It may have three movements (open, middle, close) but must have one dominate melody.” Once your opening has drawn the participants in, and you have their attention, here is where you do your persuading and have them think, feel or do. What is your plan?

Do

Throughout your speech, consider your non-verbal communications.  Speak up!  Move!  Engage your audience’s eyes.  Pause to allow your point to sit in their minds a bit.  This pause after saying something important or quoting a famous expert on a subject is critical.  Let the statement, quote or parable sit for two, three, even four seconds.  Allow the point and poignancy of the statement to settle in their minds before you go on.  There is an element of theater in speaking.  You certainly can incorporate these non-verbal’s without losing your authentic self.  While most audiences will sniff out inauthenticity, your mannerisms can work for or against you and result in you not being taken as seriously as you would like.

Striking a balance between bringing your true self while using deliberate non-verbals is the recipe for holding the participant’s attention.

Consider this picture:

Let me ask you your impressions…

• Is she nervous?
• Is she prepared today?
• Does she believe in the material? 
• Does she believe in herself?
• Is she competent?

Of course, we can’t know for certain, but 99% of us would say yes if we are honest.  Why?  Because everything about her appears to say I am ready, I am poised, I am confident, and believe in my subject. Humans take in a great deal of information based on Visual (how someone looks and acts), the

 (how they sound), and to a lesser degree, the Verbal (the words they use).  This is known as the 3V’s and is worth considering in all presentations.  Use this knowledge to compel your audience to believe you are confident, poised, and, yes, powerful.

Power stats and facts

As mentioned earlier, how are you backing up the key points to your topic?  Do you have powerful statistics, facts, and/or data?

In the days before trillion-dollar deficits, then-President Eisenhower searched for a way to explain to the American people the enormity of a billion-dollar deficit.  He did it this way in a speech.  “To understand the billion-dollar deficit, imagine taking a billion-dollar one-dollar bills and laying them end to end.  Why it would more than reach to the moon (pause for 2 seconds) and back.”  That is an impressive visual and made his point beautifully.

Before a speaking engagement, I also like to ask myself am I most seeking credibility or memorability with my audience. 

Credibility is established by conveying your knowledge, expertise, and experience on a given topic.  To amplify your point, consider sharing important takeaways with a bit of flourish and theater.  For example, at the point of producing a key statistic, I pull out a card or go to a piece of paper and read it for a second or two, look up, and say,

This year’s profits are up 52.4%. 

OR

We reduced our accidents from 1 per 124,456 miles driven to 1 per 342,765 miles driven. 

Pause for a few seconds to let it sink in, and then continue.  Your participants will not remember the exact number, but they will remember it was significant.  It is the exactitude of the data that gives it credibility. 

Memorability is better established by appealing to the emotions of the audience.  For example, in explaining to my audience the importance of not allowing the statistical norm of 30% of children to suffer and get behind in their education, I used a straightforward slide.  On the slide, there were three children, all beautiful and full of promise.  I simply turned to my audience and asked them to choose which child gets left out of the dream and promise they all have if we don’t secure the needed funds. 

We got the money…

One more point on this. Certain audiences or persons you are trying to influence will require data to convince them of your cause.   Give it to them!  Don’t fool yourself into thinking your spoken points will influence this type of person you are trying to influence.  To them, without data your points will fall flat. Explain at the beginning of your presentation that you have compiled relevant, powerful data for them to consider.   Just don’t give it to them before you start. Giving too much info or handouts before you start your presentation ensures half of your audience is reading ahead.  You want their eyes, ears, and hearts on you.  Then give them the data and be prepared to do some business.

Speaking of visuals, your slide deck sucks. It’s boring, it’s too full of words, and you will find yourself mimicking the words on the slides.  Most PowerPoint presentations are act5ually deal breakers to the presenter. This phenomenon is known as “death by PowerPoint” All of you know what I mean here.

I had a client who hired me to help him craft a speech. He wanted to express to a large audience, all of whom would be eating while he spoke, how well his transportation agency had performed the year before.  Their specialty was transporting folks with disabilities.  His was a noble cause and one that needs continuous funding to operate.  He showed me a slide that looked something like this.

It was rich with data poor with impact.   I had him change it to this.

It proved very difficult for the audience to deny this lovely young girl the funding that allowed her mobility.  The agency raised record funds that day.

The lesson I learned over the years was that people are moved by their emotions to buy or decide and will then use facts and data to back up there decisions.

Finally,

4. The Power Close.

Many fine presentations have been left somehow dissatisfying due to a weak or nondescript close. In many cases, this is the memory that seals the deal on your message.

Maya Angelou said

Consider using stories that inspire or borrowing phrases or quotes that depict a point.  I have quoted King, Kennedy, my Captain in the Army, and an old man who taught me a great life lesson over lunch. 

Consider engaging the participants not just intellectually or emotionally but physically by getting them up or creating audience interaction.  For example, to incite introspection, I have asked audiences to stand and look at each other as I explain that each of us has our stories of courage, these passages in our own lives have made us plenty strong enough to face the challenges that lie ahead for the company/group/team…you get it. “Look around! This is a great team! You’ve got this! Getting people to introspect in this way leads them to feel as if they have gotten their “money’s worth.”

End powerfully, and you will be remembered.

Finally, to ensure there is no doubt in my audience’s mind, I am done with my presentation. I finish by looking intently into the participants’ eyes and say, “My name is Kevin Catlin, and it has been my pleasure to spend this time with all of you.”

“Goodnight, Good day, or Goodbye.”

They will believe you by now.  

Cue applause… Breathe it in… You nailed it.

Written with a great deal of appreciation for, and hours of studying of,

Mr. James C. Humes’ masterpiece on public speaking: “Speak like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln

Kevin Catlin | President & Managing Partner

Office: 310.783.9263

kcatlin@insightstrategies.com | www.InsightStrategies.com
HQ: 2340 Plaza Del Amo, Suite 205, Torrance, CA 90501

As trusted partners…we cultivate greatness in organizations and people 

by improving performance, affecting culture, and raising the bar.

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I am sitting at my dining room table; it’s a beautiful day in Los Angeles. Sunshine pours through the windows, and I can see the Hollywood sign 25 miles or so in the distance. The scene makes me introspective, inviting me to think:

• How will I motivate myself this year?

• What are my real priorities?

• Am I serving my clients?

• Am I raising the bar for my staff by developing and engaging with them?

• How can I continue to grow as a professional, as a Father, as a Husband?

I am tempted to put these thoughts aside and get to work because, like most of us, I rarely allow myself the luxury of thinking when there is so much to do.

Before I act on the impulse to stop thinking and start doing, I hear the voice of the man from the Dos Equis commercials. “I don’t often take time to think, but when I do, I turn to Stephen Covey.” More accurately, Stephen Covey’s diabolically simple question:

“If there was one thing you did consistently and well that you KNOW would have a positive impact on your leadership capabilities and professional life, what would it be?

It is a simple question with profound implications. Now, I invite you to take one minute and sincerely reflect on what your answer to this question would be.

Now, write it down.

Ask yourself: Is what I wrote down urgent? Is there a clear and pressing deadline to do this? Will my whole house of cards fall if I don’t do this today or even this week? 99.9% of you will say no, it is not an urgent matter.

Why is this important?

The question asks you to list something you KNOW will have a positive impact. Simple enough. The answer to it is usually achievable with a bit of effort. OK. So, Steven Covey’s follow-up question is to my significant discomfort, “So why don’t you do it?”

Ouch, that physically hurt. Did I just write down something that I know for a fact, if I did consistently and well, would be clearly beneficial to my professional life and myself? Did I then just have it casually tossed in my face by the always-pleasant Mr. Covey that it likely wouldn’t get done because it lacked urgency? Answer: yes.

Doesn’t he understand how busy I am? Doesn’t he know that often I don’t want to think but am always willing to do? In fact, I often long for the client emergency, the looming crisis, the phone call that forces my hand into action. The situations that allow me not to think and plan but merely react to. 

Unfortunately, I think Mr. Covey understood this very well…he just didn’t care. He understood that daily doing is often the enemy of daily growing. Cue the old saying: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”

When we ask ourselves these questions, we are asking to separate the urgent from the important. To acknowledge that we can only achieve real personal and professional growth if we stop, consider this and other simple questions, reflect on our answers, and then act. We can then place these goals into actionable steps. Remember St Exupery’s statement that “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” This plan will be continuously interrupted but can always be gotten back to…a North Star or a personal growth compass if you will.

Ask the question. First, as it is written, then substitute the word’s personal life for professional life. The answers will inform your development goals going forward.

One more thing: What would be the upside to having the people who report to you write up their own for you to review and discuss…yes, uh huh, exactly.

Now on to creating the plan…Let me know if I can help.

Kevin Catlin – Insight Strategies, Inc.

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