NILES, Ohio – Honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, community involvement and meeting people where they are – those were leadership characteristics outlined by speakers at The Business Journal’s Next Gen Leadership Forum.
The Thursday event at the Eastwood Expo Centre drew people from business, nonprofit, economic development and government sectors. Aim Transportation Solutions, Youngstown State University and Leadership Mahoning Valley sponsored the forum, which was designed to equip young professionals and business leaders with the skills and insights needed to navigate today’s evolving workplace.
In her presentation, “Building Leadership Skills Early,” Jennifer Pintar, YSU provost and vice president for academic affairs, listed being trustworthy, demonstrating competence and showing you care as three valuable skills to hone in becoming a leader.
Trust is easy to shatter and difficult to build, Pintar explained.
“And these three items, to me, are most important: Being your authentic self, which shows consistency,” she said. “Communication is important in all areas when you’re a leader, but to me, the most important part about it is listening. … And then accountability and transparency.”
Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, also former YSU president, was the keynote speaker for the Thursday afternoon forum.
“There will be nothing more important than the growing of the people who will lead this moment in our region,” Tressel said in his speech, titled “Leadership Legacy and Building the Future.”
Ohio is at a point where it needs to boost its workforce. By 2032, the state will need more than 540,000 more people in the workforce that there are now, according to some experts, Tressel said. And more companies are moving into or expanding to Ohio.
That means the state needs to have young leaders, he said.
“And that’s why this is a huge deal, that you’re beginning these conversations and really thinking about – how are we going to create that next generation of leadership for a different time,” Tressel said.
The forum was moderated by Michael B. Ross, principal at High Performance and author of “The Leadership Edge.” He specializes in leadership development and organizational growth.
Gina Peplow, coordinator of workforce development at Vallourec, talked about the importance of community engagement for both personal and professional growth.
She said community engagement in a business context is a company’s internal effort to contribute and to connect with the local community.
“It’s about being present and being involved and being invested,” Peplow said.
In her presentation, “How Community Engagement Fuels Leadership and Growth,” she urged forum attendees to identify a community need near their workplaces and get involved to address it. Peplow suggested getting involved with other organizations such as the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley or by starting small, such as participating in letter-writing campaigns.
By investing in your community, you’re also investing in your business, Peplow said.
A panel discussion, facilitated by JoAnn Stock, executive director of Leadership Mahoning Valley and the Center for Nonprofit Leadership, focused on “How to Engage Different Generations in the Workforce.”
Panelists were John Demmler, president and CEO of 717 Credit Union; Rod Wilt, executive director of Penn-Northwest Development Corp.; Katie Seminara-DeToro, executive director of Oh Wow! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology; and ShoMoré Wright, social media and events coordinator at Trek Coffee House.
Each shared the benefits of working with people of different generations as well as some challenges they encountered.
Wilt said structure is important in any organization, and people need to know what the goals and expected outcomes are.
“I don’t believe that you can run an effective organization, though, without a game plan that everyone can point to, and without some structure around that game plan,” he said. “And I think that gives comfort to our younger people, because they realize that we’re all in the boat, rowing together – all part of the team working towards the same goal.”
Seminara-DeToro said it’s important to know staff’s personal goals. The shared purpose of the organization has to come first while employees are working, “but how we can assist them to reach those personal goals outside – that’s a way to show you’re really caring.”
DeToro pointed out the importance as a leader to not believe you’re above doing any task.
Demmler, the 717 Credit Union president and CEO, said the company had a table in its boardroom that seated eight people but expanded it to seat 24.
“We want to hear from a broader cross selection of our organization, and it’s important to make sure that we have that because we think that that’s what’s going to make us successful,” he said.
Wright said understanding how people work differently is helpful in an organization.
“They feel valued that way,” she said.
Pictured at top: From left are JoAnn Stock, ShoMoré Wright, Rod Wilt, Katie Seminara-DeToro and John Demmler.