Lead by Example: Humble Leadership Profile #2
What makes a humble leader? It’s the question I’ve been exploring recently to help us get a better understanding of the essential qualities and impact of a humble, self-effacing leader. It becomes clearer every day that the world could benefit from more of these kinds of leaders, and the next leader in the series certainly fits the definition.
Steve McDonald is an owner and managing partner at Abdo, Eick & Meyers, recognized as one of the leading authorities in governmental accounting and accounting firm management in the state of Minnesota. He’s grown the firm from approximately 30 to more than 150 employees during his tenure and, along the way, expanded into many new industries and service lines, acquired five firms, and grown revenue five-fold. Impressive stats, but what really stands out is the way he’s achieved those results.
Steve recalls what the industry was like when he was starting out: “The only feedback you got was when you screwed something up.” Out of that experience, he decided to build his own firm on an entirely different philosophy, one that’s grounded in one-on-one relationships. Its growth and success, he insists, hasn’t come from hard work. “It’s really about investing in people . . . We only go as far as our staff take us.”
Lead by Example
One of those staff members is Don Kreye, a business development manager at the firm and the person who nominated Steve for the humble leader project. Don sums up Steve’s leadership style as leading by example: He arrives early, stays late, and always demonstrates the highest integrity and character — and he expects no less from everyone else. Don also notes that Steve never takes credit for the firm’s accomplishments; instead he uses “we” and “us” statements when sharing these accomplishments with others.
“Mostly,” says Don, “Steve is a very kind and caring person who will always do the right thing for you as a person first.”
I had the chance to speak with the firm’s COO, Jana Cinnamon, about what it’s like to work for Steve and why she believes he fits the definition of a humble leader. We had a wide-ranging conversation that painted a picture of a leader who is exceedingly curious and driven but also self-aware and willing to be vulnerable. Most important of all, he relentlessly focuses on the person — who you are, rather than what you’ve done.
Here’s some of what Jana revealed to me about Steve’s humble leadership qualities:
He knows who he is:
Constantly reading articles, listening to podcasts, and finding different resources to help him and others grow, Steve is the very definition of a lifelong learner. As Steve himself says, “If I wouldn’t have grown as a leader, we wouldn’t have gotten to where we are right now.” He also realizes that one person can’t do a job alone — it’s not just going to be about him. Ultimately, he recognizes who he is and has the self-awareness to say, “I’m not great in this situation.”
He recognizes others for who they are:
Of course, knowing his own strengths and weaknesses means he has to be able to rely on others to step up. Jana described for me how Steve’s philosophy of building a firm on one-on-one relationships makes each person feel valued for who they are and motivated to bring their best to work every day:
He doesn’t give me compliments about things I’ve done. Instead, he talks about who I am as a person and what I bring to the firm. He brings up the qualities and attributes I possess as opposed to ‘oh, you got this done.’ It makes me feel like he’s not just glad I’m here because I’m getting the work done, and that if something were to happen to me, it would be a loss because of the person I am.
It’s an interesting distinction. Whereas many leaders seem to get their satisfaction by focusing on all the work that’s been accomplished, Steve is driven by the process, the people, and the way the team gets things done.
He thinks with an outward focus:
Steve is the boss of his peers after having “grown up” with them in the firm, which can be a tricky proposition for many leaders. However, Steve isn’t annoyed when other partners feel the need to be important and valued. He concentrates on what he can be doing as a leader to make sure they feel valued.
Jana knows this because, as she explained to me, he talks about it all the time and reminds her to do it, too: Let’s do this, and it will make people feel like they play an important role. Here’s how we’ll leverage their strengths and get them leading in another capacity. In short, it’s never about him; it’s about the greater good of the firm.
He makes it safe to bring your “whole self” to work:
All of these behaviors likely explain why Jana says she’s felt that, from day one, she could bring her “whole self” to work, without tiptoeing around what she wanted to express. Here again, Steve leads by example:
He’s so real — I never feel like he’s guarded or scripted. And he’s genuine in his thinking. He shows when he’s frustrated; he shows when he’s happy. That makes it safe for me to show when I’m frustrated or struggling . . . He also asks how you’re doing and really wants to genuinely know. If you say you’re struggling, he won’t leave you alone to figure it out.
In other words, it’s OK to not be OK. In fact, Jana reveals that the last year was very difficult personally and professionally for both of them, and it seemed as if everything was broken and bad news. So they started a practice at the end of each day where they would email each other three good things that happened that day. Sometimes it was a real stretch, she says, but the regular practice reminded her that there is a lot of good to focus on.
Perhaps the biggest endorsement of Steve’s leadership qualities, though, is this final thought that Jana shared with me:
I could get a similar job somewhere else paying me more money and with maybe less stress, but I wouldn’t be able to get another Steve somewhere else. I know the growth in my career is because of him and his belief in me and my ability to fail and know it will be ok. That will help me far more in my career than any short-term move. He’s by far the best boss I’ve ever worked with.
Take a moment to listen to Steve in his own words to learn more about him as a person and his leadership journey and philosophy. His take on it all? “I’m very lucky.”
Read more Humble Leadership profiles here.
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