S1E18 Building Winning Cultures in Dynamic Business Environments w/ Kevin McDougal of Vistage

Into The Storm Leaders

Navigating the complex journey of leadership and corporate culture is no easy feat, but with Kevin McDougal, a Vistage Chair with a storied career, we unlock the doors to a treasure trove of wisdom. From the early days at Airgas to the strategic maneuvers during economic downturns, Kevin's insights span the gamut of professional transitions, prioritization, and the art of building a resilient sales force.

As we converse with Kevin, a narrative unfolds that spotlights the nuances of mentorship, trust, and the personal touch that can transform a workplace. The significance of one-to-one interactions comes to the fore, illustrating how leaders can foster a culture of continuous improvement. He also delves into the challenges of personnel management, sharing the delicate balance between swift action with underperforming employees and the compassionate communication that acknowledges the impact of tough decisions on teams and individuals alike.

From discussing the EOS in aligning team efforts to the nuances of nurturing passion in potential hires, this episode speaks to leaders seeking to refine their approach and foster environments where innovation and satisfaction thrive.

Links & Resources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mcdougal/

https://www.vistage.com/

www.cultureshoc.com

Quoteworthy Moments:

00:06:44-00:06:55 - "Could you imagine an account that uses nitrogen to freeze the things and they get a liquid argon instead? That was the kind of stuff that I ran into when I, when I took this position. Yikes."

00:17:45-00:17:55 - "Isn't it crazy how the relationship, the trust level with one human can play such a huge factor when you know there's that mutual respect, that belief, that mentorship."

00:29:08-00:29:19 - "The biggest thing for me was execution, if you don't have somebody in the right seat, that's the most important thing and you move on it."

00:43:51-00:44:01 - "Culture is one of the biggest things from a retention standpoint."

00:45:44-00:45:54 - "It was almost frustrating for me to see how elegantly packaged these simple things were that I inherently knew but still struggled with sometimes in articulating them to others or getting everyone else on the same page aligned."

00:50:19-00:50:29 - "A lot of people don't understand if somebody has a really good friend at work, that's a big thing that companies don't even think about."

01:01:42-01:01:52 - "Do things you believe in, right? If you're going to do something, put in the work. show that you want it, that you're hungry, it gets recognized."

01:10:34-01:10:44 - "That sidestep mentioned about 2% customer retention can equate to a 10% reduction in cost."

01:12:45-01:12:55 - "My first question when I sit down at a table is what is the most important thing we need to talk about today?"