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Join NABR in partnership with Corp! Magazine for our CEO & Executive Thought Leadership Series, where Jennifer Kluge sits down with C-Suite Leaders to get their insight and expertise.
NABR is a service organization igniting greatness in companies and their people.
00;00;00;17 - 00;00;33;19
Jennifer
Hello, everyone. And welcome to another episode of CEO Thought Leadership. I'm your host, Jennifer Kluge. And today you have the pleasure of learning from and hearing from Bill Dwyer. He's out of Chicago. He is the president and CEO of Helping Hand. Bill has over 20 years of experience in leading nonprofit organizations and you have been instrumental in enhancing the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
00;00;33;21 - 00;00;50;26
Jennifer
I've had the pleasure of getting to know Bill a little bit more as he attends some of our discussion roundtables. You are so insightful in those moments like you had to come on the show. You have to come on the show. So welcome, Bill, to the to the program.
00;00;50;28 - 00;00;59;06
Bill
Thank you very much, Jennifer. That's nice of you to say. I hope I can be insightful. I'm not sure everybody thinks that, but they definitely try.
00;00;59;08 - 00;01;16;00
Jennifer
In my book. You're always insightful every time I interact with you. And there's so much that we all can learn together for those that don't know about Helping Hand, can you give a 32nd overview so they get the depth of what you do?
00;01;16;03 - 00;01;44;04
Bill
Yeah. We work with adults and children with intellectual disabilities, so that's like Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism. We help transform their lives through genuine care and education. We do it either through residential in the community where our adults are living in the community all around Illinois, we have a day program which is more of an educational center for adults.
00;01;44;07 - 00;02;05;27
Bill
We have a school for children from three years old all the way to 22 years old with severe disabilities, a clinic which is rare for Illinois. A lot of agencies don't have clinics because there's not much funding for it. That's speech, physical therapy, mental health, behavioral therapy. And then we help people get placed into jobs and find careers.
00;02;06;01 - 00;02;27;29
Jennifer
I'm sure you impact so many at an individual level in the work that you do is much needed, much-needed work. Can you share some stories of success with the individuals that you help? It's not bragging. It is more of letting us know in the in-depth discussion of those that you help.
00;02;28;01 - 00;02;53;15
Bill
I love telling the stories and that's who we are, you know, our mission and vision and is what we're founded on. And and one of the stories I have is an adult and we’ll call him John. John is about 40, 50 years old and has never had a job. He does the best he can to get a career. And we are always helping teach him how to do things, not get angry or follow directions, what have you.
00;02;53;19 - 00;03;19;01
Bill
John also is not very good at hygiene. He can go months without taking showers and baths or brushing his teeth. He is a tinkerer. He likes to fix things and take them apart. And having him get a job. It was always hard to get past the interview process and that's usually the first thing. And we partner with a lot of corporations that hire our clients because they do make the organization better.
00;03;19;04 - 00;03;48;14
Bill
But you gotta have the right match and one and John, we found a company that repairs wheelchairs and refurbish, refurbishes them and its his perfect job. It is it is so great for him. And he came to our board meeting after he got the job, new haircut, new clothes, all shaven, better than me looking fantastic. And with his head high, you can see the purpose that he needed by having a job.
00;03;48;17 - 00;04;07;15
Bill
And I think we all feel that way is that we want our own purpose and careers can give that to us. John is continuing to do well. He's been doing well now for probably six months. He is now training other people that come there. So he's got even into some kind of a supervisory role. It's amazing that you can be 40 some years old, get your first job.
00;04;07;18 - 00;04;33;21
Bill
And the the corporation is seeing his value and is able to make money because of the services he makes, just like the rest of us do. So to me, that's exciting. A little more sensitive. A sadder story is or an emotional story is we have a seventh grader, young lady Valerie, who has been with us for quite a long time, does not speak, has never been able to speak, She said.
00;04;33;21 - 00;05;01;27
Bill
“Mom” for the first time, you know, in seventh grade. So you're thinking the first time you're you're here. Your kids say mom or dad, especially when you've lost hope. And our school has helped her move forward, which once she learned to communicate better, which now, as the family says, she doesn't stop talking. She's adding more words all the time, but her maladaptive behavior is dropped so she doesn't get as angry.
00;05;01;28 - 00;05;27;07
Bill
She doesn't want to hit or run away, not as frustrated. So now she's communicating. So we have a lot of those stories. I'm lucky enough where when I'm frustrated in my job, I just go hang out with every one of our students and clients and they remind me why I'm here. And I think also why I'm in the world, you know, just are you you learn to be kinder, live in the moment and those kind of things.
00;05;27;10 - 00;05;50;26
Jennifer
See, I told you you were insightful, fantastic stories. What fantastic work that you do. And as is leading the company in the organization, you get to do that. I mean, that's just incredible. Let's stick with this thought a little bit longer before we we go on to your leadership and your style and some of the things that you have to deal with as a CEO.
00;05;51;01 - 00;06;17;03
Jennifer
For someone like me, I have never interacted with someone with a disability that you're describing, and I've always wanted to help that person or be a part of their lives or what have you. For people like me that are not in this world at all, how can we participate in interacting with people with learning disabilities or mental disabilities or what have you?
00;06;17;06 - 00;06;25;28
Jennifer
And, you know, we might be apprehensive to approach someone. Well, what tips would you give someone like myself, especially as an employer.
00;06;26;00 - 00;06;51;20
Bill
I'm just grateful you're asked that question, because that that is perhaps what's going to change the world. People with disabilities, intellectual disabilities are ready to be in the community. They're ready to be there. It's the rest of us that don't know what to do. And so learning the very simplest is hi, hello. You know, just go up to them and give them let them know they exist.
00;06;51;23 - 00;07;14;06
Bill
That's the simplest thing to do when we turn away and try to walk a different direction because we don't want to be confronted with whatever it is that sends a very sad message to that person. And we need to see them. We need to know that they exist. So if you're not a social person, at least give them a smile, a high or whatever, is comfortable for you.
00;07;14;09 - 00;07;35;08
Bill
But if you are a social person, then start up a conversation right away. If they're wearing a jersey or sweatshirt or something on it, I guarantee you that person is interested in whatever is on their shirt because they do wear their heart on their sleeves if they're wearing a Detroit Lions. And even as a Bears fan, I may say, go Detroit.
00;07;35;10 - 00;07;36;29
Jennifer
Thank you, we appreciate it!
00;07;37;01 - 00;07;58;12
Bill
I guarantee you they like football or they like Detroit Lions. So very simply just saying, hey, you see that game? You'll be surprised how many stats they know, all the information. They know you may have a wonderful conversation with them about that or at the very simple they're just going to say thank you. So that's the that's a beginning place.
00;07;58;14 - 00;08;17;22
Bill
If they look like they need help, you just say, do you need anything? My wife calls me a Boy Scout. I do that to anybody, you know. And so if I see somebody who needs something or can't reach something, I don't do it for them. I just say, Hey, you good or you need something, let them lead that conversation.
00;08;17;24 - 00;08;30;08
Jennifer
Well, I think the first interaction and sorry to interrupt you, the first first thought or the first 30 seconds is is oh there's something wrong. I should avoid them. So this is really good advice to those.
00;08;30;09 - 00;08;51;18
Bill
Feel the same way. Yeah. So, you know, over 20 years working in nonprofits, it's only 11 years that I've worked with people with disabilities. I don't have anyone in my family that has a disability. So this was all new to me when I came into the field and I was scared. They look different. They sound different. Sometimes they smell different.
00;08;51;20 - 00;09;13;06
Bill
They get in your space and they can make you feel uncomfortable. And I think, you know, that's why we avoid I don't want to break them. I don't want to do something wrong. But if you take it slow, you know what you can handle. And if the person starts having more concerns, then you just slowly pull away. You don't have to say something to them or react to them.
00;09;13;09 - 00;09;43;11
Bill
You just slowly pull away. Maybe they're uncomfortable around people and that's okay, they’ll calm down and everything will go back to normal. But you can sort of see with people, if you can take that chance, especially people with autism, they're around us all day. You know, there's there are people who are just a little bit quirky that you just have a conversation with them and be more accepting to how they talk or that they take a little longer to think.
00;09;43;13 - 00;10;10;02
Bill
People with cerebral palsy, their brain is as good as ours. It's clicking. It's the rest of their body that's not so when you say something funny to them, they can't laugh right away. Funny story. My first time being introduced to somebody with a severe disability. I was giving a tour for an interview and the person took me to this room with maybe ten very severe people with disabilities.
00;10;10;02 - 00;10;35;06
Bill
Lots of noise, no words, just moaning and uncomfortableness. People in wheelchairs. Well, I walked in trying to be happy and I go, Hey, how are you? Hey, how are you? No response. 10 minutes later, I'm almost out the door. The first person I said it to one. Hey. Hello. It's 10 minutes to respond to me, you know. And I just thought that was interesting that he was processing how to say something to me.
00;10;35;09 - 00;10;42;11
Bill
So just be a little bit more patient with them and you may hear an awesome story that'll make you laugh, make your heart feel great.
00;10;42;14 - 00;10;54;27
Jennifer
Thank you so much for that wisdom. I think we can all use that. I think society as a whole is so quick to judge and so quick to be in a place of fear, then in a place of acceptance.
00;10;54;27 - 00;11;16;24
Bill
And and if I could add one piece and then just talk to them. It's not baby talk not down to them. You don't even seem to talk slower. Almost everybody that I talk to except maybe some children, real young children, I talk like I'm talking to you. If they don't get it, they'll say to me and and understand that.
00;11;16;26 - 00;11;20;11
Bill
But for the most part, I just talk like I talk to anybody.
00;11;20;14 - 00;11;23;22
Jennifer
All wise words. And we appreciate the insight.
00;11;23;24 - 00;11;25;04
Bill
That's how you should talk.
00;11;25;07 - 00;11;28;11
Jennifer
And I’ll purposely go out of my way now to do that.
00;11;28;14 - 00;11;34;09
Bill
I’m saying Jennifer that's how we should talk to our staff, to, you know, don’t talk down, don't talk. You know, just talk
00;11;34;12 - 00;11;49;03
Jennifer
Let's shift to that. Let's shift to you as a CEO. You know, I think a lot of people know that nonprofits are businesses, too. Sometimes they think nonprofits are easier to run than a for profit. I would challenge that quite a bit myself.
00;11;49;03 - 00;11;50;25
Bill
And I've done both. And I would too.
00;11;51;00 - 00;12;14;17
Jennifer
You, they're pretty hefty budget, 20 million and you lead your team just like any other business. And so we all have issues, right? Right. What would you say? Give us a feel for the issues that you are facing now as a CEO and some thoughts around those as far as your greatest challenges right now? I'm sure a lot of other CEOs can relate to this and leaders.
00;12;14;20 - 00;12;47;00
Bill
So the first part about a nonprofit is I look at them as wide and shallow, where for profits are narrow and deep. We don't have a lot of funds to do what we need to do in the funds that we can get run out sometimes, but we're still held to—we get audited probably about six times a year on all different things and that we're still held to provide top quality with less money.
00;12;47;02 - 00;13;06;01
Bill
And I think that's part of the hardest part is even when I talk to my board, you know, they'll say, well, raise the price. Yeah, I can't raise the price because the state tells me what I can charge. And I can't charge more because it's against the law to do that. Well, then pay your employees less. I can't do that.
00;13;06;05 - 00;13;30;15
Bill
The state tells me how much I'm supposed to pay my employees, so I have to pay them that those whole things of supply and demand and our economy works doesn't always work in nonprofits. That part is the hardest to make ends meet. Running like a business. I've removed that from my vocabulary. I used to say that a long time ago is, you know, we run like a business nonprofit.
00;13;30;15 - 00;13;53;29
Bill
You can make profit because it's true. We just call it surplus and you have to use majority of your money back into the programs. Can't give it to shareholders. So that's what a nonprofit is. If I make $1,000,000 this year, bonuses don't go huge for everybody. And I'm not driving a mercedes because now I got that. I have to put that million back into the company.
00;13;54;01 - 00;13;54;28
Jennifer
Right?
00;13;55;00 - 00;14;19;07
Bill
So what I think when somebody says a nonprofit needs to run like a business, it almost sounds like they're saying that better businesses go out of business all the time. Businesses are failing all the time. We have to run accountable and so does business. For profit is accountable, but nonprofits have to be accountable, too. So that's what we work really hard on, is how do we use our money, how do we think through this?
00;14;19;09 - 00;14;43;05
Bill
And thanks, the Best and Brightest is what got us the beginning of how we even think of our company. Is this the best place to work? Are we spending those money, the money that we do have in the best possible way that gets us the most impact? So running as a business to us is accountability, professionalism. It's not just feeling.
00;14;43;08 - 00;15;06;02
Bill
It has to be more, it has to be management and emotion, because I can right now, if I wanted to, I'm going to open up a business that helps people with brain injuries because I know there's a lot of people who need that. That's not my mission, though. So I cannot do that. You cannot change your mission because there's a revenue stream.
00;15;06;04 - 00;15;28;23
Bill
You have to call it mission creep. You have to stay within your realm. And so those restrictions is what makes it hard and to grow is is very difficult. When I started about seven years ago, we're 13 million and now we're going to be over 20 million. I'm hoping in maybe the end of the year or two years will be a 30 million.
00;15;28;25 - 00;15;42;01
Bill
So it's difficult to to manage growth when you've got to constantly draw money back into the system. And you do that. Here's the extra piece that for profits don't do is fundraise.
00;15;42;04 - 00;15;42;26
Jennifer
Yeah.
00;15;42;28 - 00;15;52;05
Bill
So I have to run the business, but I also have to be a salesman. So I'm connecting people to our mission to help get us to the top quality.
00;15;52;05 - 00;16;05;18
Jennifer
In fundraising is very different than sales. There's some similar tactics and attributes but fundraising you're developing relationships with individuals.
00;16;05;21 - 00;16;06;07
Bill
You've got It.
00;16;06;13 - 00;16;12;28
Jennifer
Is you're funding mostly individuals or in corporate. I know you have government funding as well.
00;16;13;00 - 00;16;38;14
Bill
Yeah, we're a pretty diverse organization and it's by design because when something runs out, I don't want to have to pivot so quickly. COVID didn't bother us. We were able to keep doing what we're doing because we have a lot of different revenue streams. So grant writing, federal grants, state grants, local grants, whats called major gifts are people who are donating $10,000, sometimes five, if it's a reoccurring gift.
00;16;38;16 - 00;17;03;05
Bill
And then you have just contributions where some people are donating 50 bucks, ten bucks, we have 60% of our employees donate back to our organization. That is individuals that are making 8 - $16 an hour and they're donating back because they care about what we do. And it's all about relationship. And then donors want to see impact and outcome.
00;17;03;07 - 00;17;06;15
Bill
Nobody gives money anymore because they just think you're nice.
00;17;06;18 - 00;17;07;09
Jennifer
Right
00;17;07;11 - 00;17;08;03
Bill
What are you going.
00;17;08;08 - 00;17;08;27
Jennifer
What you do with it
00;17;09;00 - 00;17;09;24
Bill
00;17;09;27 - 00;17;10;03
Jennifer
00;17;10;20 - 00;17;21;29
Bill
It's an investment. They're investing in our mission, so then we can show them because you gave us $100, two kids did better by this level of increase.
00;17;22;04 - 00;17;22;28
Jennifer
Yeah.
00;17;23;01 - 00;17;26;10
Bill
That's what's important. And cultivate a.
00;17;26;12 - 00;17;28;08
Jennifer
Higher level of accountability.
00;17;28;11 - 00;17;28;27
Bill
higher level.
00;17;28;29 - 00;17;30;17
Jennifer
and organization
00;17;30;20 - 00;17;42;07
Bill
Cultivating people. That's that relationship piece. That's not always easy and nonprofit because you have to connect with everyone and you got to keep your personal stuff out of it.
00;17;42;12 - 00;18;04;20
Jennifer
Well said. Well said. You know, I noticed since the pandemic, if we could just digress for a second, so many people are sharing their personal, but they're going deep into their personal probably because they're working from home more and whatnot. I've seen a lot of that both in board meetings and client meetings and you name it. You're hearing all kinds of stuff.
00;18;04;20 - 00;18;09;15
Jennifer
Now. People are way more casual now than they were three years ago.
00;18;09;17 - 00;18;38;19
Bill
Yeah, especially in the workfield. I mean, we're a 24 seven organization, so we don't have as much work from home because you have to be here to do the job because we're taking care of people. But administration and others, it has definitely become more casual. We changed that with culture. One way we look at when people are working from home, I, I came to work every day and the reason I keep all through COVID didn't matter.
00;18;38;19 - 00;19;00;05
Bill
I was in my office and I would call all my other locations. So I have about 17 locations so they can see on the phone that I call from my personal phone, they have to come to work. And what I wanted to show them is I'm with you. And that changed our culture. We never made a policy for stay at home.
00;19;00;09 - 00;19;17;02
Bill
We let people do what they want. Most of our employees wanted to be here with each other. They wanted to feel the experience of the mission. They want to be next to each other after the pandemic, hiring people. Everybody's asking to be to work from home.
00;19;17;05 - 00;19;17;29
Jennifer
Yeah.
00;19;18;02 - 00;19;45;20
Bill
You got to work with us for six months and then we'll be more flexible. What we've seen now is they don't want to work as much or at all at home because they enjoy being at the company. So I think if you give them a product, yeah, if you give them a product that they want to be around and a company, they feel that they understand how they're connected to the purpose, they're going to be here.
00;19;45;22 - 00;19;48;23
Bill
And hopefully it's not just a job then.
00;19;48;25 - 00;20;00;00
Jennifer
Well, you've been a Best and Brightest Company to Work For, not in not only in Chicago, but also at a national level for over five years now. That's a huge accomplishment.
00;20;00;00 - 00;20;02;00
Bill
We're very proud of that.
00;20;02;03 - 00;20;33;17
Jennifer
It's not easy to get and the cool thing is when I the number one question I get is was, well, how do you get on the list? So by having conversations like this with the CEOs of companies like yours that are on the list, it's obvious once you start talking to the leadership. So give us some of your formulas or secret sauce for inspiring, engaging and developing the culture that you have and give us a feel for why people like to work there.
00;20;33;17 - 00;20;37;19
Jennifer
Obviously, you have a strong mission, so outside of the mission.
00;20;37;22 - 00;21;09;10
Bill
So we have about 250 employees and as I said, multiple locations. I get asked a lot, how did you make this or how can you help us make our culture this way nonstop, consistent, whatever you choose, that that's that's the number one thing. There is nothing magical. It is hard work. I spend maybe 15, 20% of my time focused on culture, which people are like, well, I can't waste that much time.
00;21;09;14 - 00;21;39;17
Bill
You can. My employees are doing things right now that I never even thought of because the culture is right. So now they've freed me up to do other things. I'm not dealing with this many crisis because they're handling things their own because they feel just as invested in communication. I it's it's a pet peeve of mine is the word communication because every where I've ever worked communications poor now listening is poor, you know.
00;21;39;21 - 00;22;05;10
Bill
That's the problem. Everyone's communicating. But who's really listening, you know, And sometimes it becomes white noise or you said it 16 times to a staffer about something, but they didn't listen because it wasn't important. And now it is in the way all of our employees are taught, no matter what level of management. It's the first time they're asking the question and that's how you respond.
00;22;05;13 - 00;22;28;21
Bill
You don't respond of, Hey, did you read your email? Hey, what? You should have known. Read a handbook. Read a customer service. Let me show you where that's at. Take a read it. This come back to me with any questions. It's not personal. It is our job to connect with our employees. Number one, the other way we communicate is by being transparent.
00;22;28;26 - 00;22;57;14
Bill
My team and myself teach constantly how this organization is run, why we do town halls, which we do twice a year, and we do them in small groups of ten. So one week we're doing 20 hour and a half meetings. So talk about repeating yourself. That's all we're doing is repeating ourselves to a new group of people, and it's about teaching them when you're not getting a raise today.
00;22;57;14 - 00;23;19;01
Bill
Because let me show you the numbers here. If you could turn the air conditioning down and do this, that gets us this much money, which then can lead to a bonus. They start writing me and saying, Does this help us if I do this? Yes, do that. Even if it's $0.10 to your mission, they're buying into your philosophy.
00;23;19;04 - 00;23;46;28
Bill
So I wish we have a lot of cool stuff. And, you know, I don't know how long ago it was, but, you know, you have to have a ping pong table and I have a beer tap and I got all this other stuff that to me is superficial. If you love the company because you're consistently caring about your employees and putting them at number one, our strategic plan for the last six years has been employee happiness number one.
00;23;47;04 - 00;24;03;07
Bill
And when you work in a mission organization, they argue with me because they say clients are number one. And I said, No, they're not. You're number one, because if you're not first, you'll never put everyone else first. They finally understand why that is important.
00;24;03;11 - 00;24;04;16
Jennifer
That's great.
00;24;04;19 - 00;24;20;29
Bill
I can go on and on, but that's the service that you can give. You have to do it. It's hard work. I get tired of smiling all the time. I get tired of answering the same question a hundred times, but it's the first time for them and that's how I look at it.
00;24;21;04 - 00;24;39;05
Jennifer
Fantastic advice. Fantastic. And its at individual level engagements at 1 to 1 conversations. So many leaders get that wrong. And as the CEO, that's a lot of conversations, that's a lot of sitting in meetings and shaking hands.
00;24;39;05 - 00;24;59;28
Bill
And I love what you brought. You triggered in me this I don't have all the time in the world either. I got a lot of work to do to. But if I can impact if the CEO can impact a large group of my employees in one setting, then I do that. I don't always have to do one on ones with everybody.
00;25;00;06 - 00;25;34;13
Bill
I do. I know every one of my employees. I know their story, but if I go into one of our bigger buildings, I am putting my hand on someone's shoulder saying, Hey, Tina, it's great to see you today. How's your kid doing? And I'm not walking. I am sitting there waiting for an answer, looking them in the eyes, then say thank you, then move on, you know, and just those little moments can really impact groups because people are going to say, hey, you know, he knows my kid, he knows your kid.
00;25;34;15 - 00;25;44;18
Bill
I'm just impacted to people without taking 2 hours. So it's using your time wisely for those moments.
00;25;44;18 - 00;26;09;01
Jennifer
And insincere I don't want anyone listening to think that it's insincere. It comes from a genuine place of caring and respecting and wanting people to feel valued. And that's the way that the CEO, you know, people want your respect. You know that people want to hear from you at an individual level. They want the pat on the back, they want the mentorship.
00;26;09;03 - 00;26;34;22
Bill
I've worked through probably five or six different CEOs, good ones and bad ones. And the one thing that you're going to notice is the organization becomes the CEO. So when the CEO walks his agency or his company, he's like, Boy, everyone is so dismissive. Are you? That's the first place I start big. It trickles down. It just happens.
00;26;34;25 - 00;26;52;27
Bill
If you want to see yourself in a mirror, be the CEO of an organization and look at your employees, especially the front line ones, and you're going to go, Wow, I need to change. I need to do something different because that's not the outcome that I was hoping for. It just is how it happens.
00;26;52;29 - 00;27;21;18
Jennifer
And that's exactly my point is why we're doing this program is when you you talk to the CEO, it does trickle down. And you know, from the leader of the organization very clearly what kind of culture they have. So so thank you for sharing that. Let's talk about you. We all have pivotal moments in our careers. Can you share a key milestone or experience that shaped your journey as the leader for success?
00;27;21;20 - 00;27;27;01
Jennifer
What are some of the the most monumental moments that you had and what did you learn from them?
00;27;27;05 - 00;27;51;29
Bill
Because there's so many along the way. It's those moments that you're going, I'm done. I don't know how to do this. I can't get through this. And then you get through it. And that's that's a stepping stone. But if you want to be more specific, I remember wanting it once I committed that I'm going to be a nonprofit CEO, I, I started moving and learning the skill sets to be a CEO.
00;27;52;03 - 00;28;15;10
Bill
That was my job. That's what I thought was not how much money can I make? Not all these titles, but I knew I had to get into a position of leadership and I had this supervisor. So a director position came open and I applied for it. And my supervisor, who also supervised that director, said, I'm not going to put your name in.
00;28;15;16 - 00;28;34;29
Bill
So what do you talk about? I'm awesome. I'm the best in the world. I know you are, but I'm not putting your name in there. I don't get it. And I did not get it then. It took me years to figure it out later. But the director job that I was going for was I was was a dead end director job.
00;28;35;01 - 00;29;03;05
Bill
It was not going to be supervising people. I wasn't going to have as much action with the CEO. And so he knew if I wanted to grow there, he stopped me into a different director job, came up and said, This is the one I want you to go for. And as angry as I was trusting somebody who cared about my career, even though I didn't understand it was a big teaching point for me.
00;29;03;07 - 00;29;30;09
Bill
As I moved forward, there was a moment that so in an organization I was the chief operating officer for, but I interviewed to be the CEO. The board wanted me. They hired me and my first day of being the CEO, the board president came in and said, I am embarrassed, but we can't offer you that job. A lead horse came in the race and we have to give it to them.
00;29;30;11 - 00;29;48;13
Bill
And I was very angry. And they said, Well, but we're going to make you the chief operating officer. We've never had one of these, but we're going to make you one. And this new person is going to be a mentor of yours and teach you. So as much as I was irritated by that, I really benefited. I did do well.
00;29;48;17 - 00;30;11;18
Bill
Well, I wound up learning from the CEO. I wound up getting more autonomy at some point. So it was it was worth it in the long run. So stumbling, falling this is the way that I learn. I like when my supervisor was tough on me and say, get better and those all move me. How do you.
00;30;11;20 - 00;30;36;07
Jennifer
Handle that feedback, by the way, that I think that's kind of a leader for leadership is how you can handle the negative, constructive mentoring. Because if they didn't care about you or they they thought you didn't have potential, they wouldn't tell you. And that's the biggest challenge for future leaders, is to accept that feedback with grace and dignity and not stew on it.
00;30;36;07 - 00;30;40;24
Jennifer
But to think, okay, this person loves me better.
00;30;40;27 - 00;31;05;20
Bill
My first I am still close to my first CEO who became a mentor mentor of mine. Her name is Anita is amazing. She's been retired for probably 25, 30 years, lives in Oregon and enjoys her life. I remember my first promotion with her and I came to her and I said, This is this is too much. I don't know what to do.
00;31;05;20 - 00;31;39;02
Bill
I can't do this. And she said, If you keep whining like a director, I can make you a director or you can start thinking like a vice president and make solutions. And that that motivated. I mean, she was right. I had to change how I thought and realized this is it's on me. It's not on somebody else. Even though I had bosses, I can't think that way got to think, how am I going to solve this with all the tools or skills that I have around me?
00;31;39;04 - 00;32;06;18
Bill
That's great. And mentors are amazed. You've got to have a coach. You got it. But I still do. I have coaches that I hire maybe every two years. You have to because when you become a CEO, nobody tells you 100% it's bullshit. They go, Yeah, that's a great idea. And then they talk behind your back. You need someone to call you out and humble you and keep you in that phase of, You know what I don’t know everything.
00;32;06;18 - 00;32;08;02
Bill
00;32;08;05 - 00;32;12;10
Jennifer
Right? Right. I told you you were insightful.
00;32;12;15 - 00;32;15;02
Bill
Maybe it's because I didn't eat lunch. It just comes out of me.
00;32;15;04 - 00;32;31;11
Jennifer
So let's. Let's chat about you as a human. When one of the things that I think some of us as CEOs struggle with is we're viewed by the title. You just mentioned that people tell you what you want to hear. You know, we're viewed by the title and can we trust what people's telling us?
00;32;31;11 - 00;32;44;12
Jennifer
Are they telling us what we want to hear? They don't realize we're human. We make mistakes. We really do want the real feedback. But let's talk about you as a human you as a human. Do you have any quirky pet peeves?
00;32;44;17 - 00;33;00;10
Bill
Well, yeah. Yeah, the one I told you, one of the pet peeves. But I do like order, you know, as as go with the flow kind of guy I am as a leader, deep down, I'm always fighting off. I want it to be.
00;33;00;13 - 00;33;01;01
Jennifer
Structured.
00;33;01;04 - 00;33;23;11
Bill
And structured and I want it to fit. I personally, I'm dyslexic, so when I went through high school or went through school, nobody even knew what dyslexia was. I was lazy and defiant. That's what I was. And so it's funny that how I've learned to work through my dyslexia, I actually proofread a lot better than I used to.
00;33;23;13 - 00;33;45;10
Bill
So spelling bugs me that that's a pet peeve of mine. If you have all the all the computer technology in the world to make sure that your sentences look right present well, present professionally, I don't get angry. I don't you know, I have a purple marker that I use. If someone gives me something not a red, I don't do that.
00;33;45;13 - 00;34;09;01
Bill
And I think my biggest pet peeve, yeah, I think the thing that gets me going the most, that triggers me the most is somebody who is not genuine and is a bully. I do not. So when I first came into this field, it's probably with everybody's jobs. There's acronyms all over the place, and I think acronyms are used at times to bully people.
00;34;09;04 - 00;34;10;14
Jennifer
Yeah.
00;34;10;17 - 00;34;23;29
Bill
So a new person or someone you're trying to belittle sits in a room and you say, Well, the DC goes with the BQ because the IRS is this way. They want you to go. I don't know what you're talking about or they want you to fill in.
00;34;23;29 - 00;34;26;03
Jennifer
They look smart and you look, quote unquote dumb.
00;34;26;05 - 00;34;47;00
Bill
And no matter where I've ever been, I play dumb. I don't care. Help me understand what you just said. What did you mean by that? What do those mean? You know, it's surprising. They don't know either. They can't explain it all the time either. They're just playing games in it, and it drives me nuts. It's like, why are you why are you showing off?
00;34;47;02 - 00;34;56;16
Bill
Why are you using big words? Why are you trying to talk over me? I don't want anybody to think I'm smarter than them.
00;34;56;19 - 00;34;57;08
Jennifer
Yeah.
00;34;57;10 - 00;35;19;13
Bill
is that communicating and building relationships? Because you think I'm smarter? I, all I am is Bill. And that's no better than Jennifer or anybody else. We all are good at our own things. And that's so that's a pet peeve of mine is maybe that's why I'm a nonprofit and I've always helped people that were underprivileged is they need a voice.
00;35;19;16 - 00;35;24;26
Bill
But yeah, that's a pet peeve of mine is quick to judge and bully and yeah.
00;35;24;29 - 00;35;30;20
Jennifer
All right. We lets do two rapid fires here are any daily rituals that you do.
00;35;30;20 - 00;35;51;01
Bill
I have to make to do this. Even when I'm at home with my wife, You know, we'll be talking about things. There's two things that she does that is really kept our 28 years of marriage together is on the weekends or if I'm off and there's a honey-do list, there needs to be a list and you cannot add to it once the list is complete.
00;35;51;05 - 00;36;09;20
Bill
I don't care how long the list is. I don't care what you got on there, but I don't like when somebody says one more thing. and one more thing because I've worked, I'm done. And now I want to think of what I can do for myself. So my wife even knows. She's like, you need a list, don't you?
00;36;09;20 - 00;36;28;10
Bill
Because I'll start just getting more irritated. And even though in her head, because she's very different, she's very creative and flowing and spontaneous, she's a very different person than me. She still knows that. Okay, let's make a list. Let's go through whatever you need to go through.
00;36;28;12 - 00;36;36;11
Jennifer
She's so smart I love list, but no one will make them. I need it on paper. What about a sticky note?
00;36;36;13 - 00;36;59;12
Bill
That's exactly right. That's exactly. You know, you said sticky notes. I want to show some. So I'm incredibly competitive. I have to be number one. I have to be the best. And that the trick to that is I'm never number one and never the best. That's what keeps driving me. But what I've learned is and I got a sticky note and let me see that.
00;36;59;15 - 00;37;02;09
Jennifer
I see that you’re not number one.
00;37;02;11 - 00;37;19;17
Bill
Not number one because and I keep that on my computer because I don't need compete when I'm on conversations with people, that pushes people away if they're smarter than me or they think they are whatever, move on.
00;37;19;20 - 00;37;47;00
Jennifer
I would challenge everyone right now I'm going to grab a sticky note. Everyone listing, put “not number one”. I just made mine. I'll put it right here on my desk. So. Well, gosh, Bill, you've been so insightful, and I know that you have touched the people listening today. You're an amazing leader Helping hand is better because of you.
00;37;47;00 - 00;37;51;20
Jennifer
And just keep shining bright and thank you for being on the show.
00;37;51;22 - 00;38;07;05
Bill
I'm going to give you a plug on that to Jennifer's. What's making me better is because we're a Best and Brightest company. All these little groups that you run, I get to be around all these smart people that that is amazing. So it makes us better, too.
00;38;07;08 - 00;38;07;21
Jennifer
Thank you.
00;38;07;21 - 00;38;09;12
Bill
Thank you. Thank you for having me on.
00;38;10;18 - 00;38;17;07
Jennifer
Thank you, everyone. That's it for today's show. Again, Bill Dwyer of Helping Hand out of Chicago.