Trailblazing Leaders Interview Series - Carla McCabe #2

This interview series features trailblazing leaders recently appointed to the C-Suite with the focus of getting a first look into their first-hand experience during the first year of their tenure as CEOs. PMWL will be checking-in with these leaders throughout the year to learn more about their role, how everything is going and leadership tips they’ve learned along the way.

In January 2021, PMWL’s Founder, Deanna Mackey, checked-in with WVIA’s new President & CEO, Carla McCabe, on her experience as a new CEO, having started the role six months earlier.

Below we’ve provided an interview snapshot. Watch above for the full interview experience.

Interview Highlights:

What has happened in recent weeks, or last couple of months, that you’ve had to deal with as you’ve been delving more into your new station?

Quite a lot actually. It's six months, in a COVID year feels like six years almost. There's been a lot of challenges with most of the challenges coming from human capitol. I had identified at the very start we needed to have a human resource person, which was hard to justify for an organization our size. It was hard, I kept going back and forth as to whether we could justify the investment, should we make the investment, but there were a lot of things (i.e. procedures) that made me feel we needed to get ourselves in better shape.

We got someone on board for twenty hours a week who has been amazing and does a lot of trainings as well. Our CFO worked in HR but it was more of an expectation rather than the person’s expertise, so it’s been really good having that support.

That was the first positive one. Then quite early on my assistant handed in her resignation. That was interesting because your assistant is your gatekeeper between yourself and the board. You’re starting to get to know the board but at the same time do you want to be chasing them for scheduling purposes. I waited to advertise the job but it took a little bit of time to find the right person. You want to find somebody that you’ll click with and will understand you but has the right personality to deal with board members. Just this week, actually, I had someone start as of yesterday and she’s already hit the ground running. That’s been exciting.

Then the CFO handed in their resignation and we started to work with NETA for the next year until we find someone that can come in house in the next six months or so.

Some big changes there in that an assistant, CFO and HR, they were the big challenges but ones that I already see a big positive shift. It’s great when you sit in meetings and listen to the HR person speaking to the team about communication style, procedures and policies, making sure that we are communicating everything we do.

We just updated our whistleblower policy, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. Rolling those out is one thing, but actually talking to staff about what it actually means and explaining what the steps are is important to make sure we are transparent. Not just signing it off at the board level and dropping it into your handbook that nobody reads.

We are working with a company called Work Wisdom on the communication and culture of the organization. Its been really good and a healthy discussion with all staff members to better understand each other and everyone’s different communication styles.

Working on the culture and trying to understand each other a little bit better has been a big thing for me.

I wanted you to talk a little bit about how your experience having been a COO possibly helped you deal with these big changes as you started this job.

It's so interesting because I look back on my perspective as the COO speaking to the CEO at the time and saying "oh, why don't we do this?" and "why are we not moving quicker?" It seemed so much easier when you're in that position. I certainly learned how to be patient and to not react too quickly.

I was very lucky in that I had a CEO that was very much encouraging me to take on more of a responsibility and to really be involved with every aspect of the organization. When it came to an HR issue, the involvement and the responsibility within that was just amazing and it certainly set me up for this role.

When it came to an HR issue, or part of setting up a diversity task force for example, the involvement and the responsibility within that set me up for this role. When I came here, that was one of the first things I did. We didn’t have any diversity conversations per se. We had a statement on our website but not any communication as such.

One of the first things I did was, through the experience that I was given in the last role as COO, partnered with some board members as well as the CEO at the time on the HR issues. It was always, put the breaks on and contact an attorney, talk it through, think about it before we act on anything. I have a tendency to be a bit of a bull in a china shop but it definitely helped me put the breaks on and really think decisions through. Some decisions are not in your control, so I think having that experience of how to deal when these things happen is really important.

You've made some positive investments in the organization related to this culture training and better understanding of different staff members personalities, communication styles, introducing DEI processes… How has that helped? Or has it helped as your staff is still navigating mostly virtual work, as well as everything that our country, but also our industry, has been going through with racial and social justice? How has that been impacted by some of the culture work you've been doing?

I think it's conversation, it's communication, ensuring that we are communicating with each other and talking about anything that we're concerned about, or noticing something with another employee.

We’re already thinking if there’s anything happening within this area next week that we have to be concerned about because we do have some staff members coming in. Should we ask all staff members to stay at home during the inauguration because we want to be mindful and safe? It’s been interesting in communicating to ensure we know we are looking out for each other.

Some staff members are in most days but others are at home and might not have anybody to talk to so I’ve tried to conduct more staff meetings as well as the culture training. Communication and transparency are the two big things I’ve been focusing on and I am really trying to ensure people know. It’s a fine line as well. People know that you’re there to listen, but also there’s only so much that you as one person can take on. It’s trying to balance that and ensure you can have that communication with team members. There’s a lot of fear at the minute in uncertainty and not knowing, with the country, what’s next. We just have to be very patient with each other and more thoughtful and considerate for each other.

As you're in a new year, you’ll be in six months reaching your year mark on the job, what are you looking forward to and what are you concerned about as you go into the new year?

There's one thing that I have started to do and it’s a personal thing for myself and it’s a bullet journal. Basically it’s a journal method of writing things down and for me, there’s so many things going on in my mind and as much as I want to be able to sit down and read a book, I can’t absorb the information because I have too many things that I am thinking about.

I started to do this where I am, every morning or the night before, I'm just writing down what I have to do the next day. There's something so refreshing and a big sense of accomplishment when you start to check those things off the list. It could be something simple like remembering to follow up with someone on an email or something like wanting to make your bed every day. Writing things down, it has really helped me kind of move things from my head that are jumping around in there.

I've been pleasantly surprised with membership, individual giving internally. As in, we are doing pretty well in that area. I think what I want to focus on in the next six months is development as a whole. Looking at our organization and what's working well, and what's not working, and some areas that we could improve.

We had, unfortunately, a difficult time last year, as many did, our Major Gifts Officer had passed away at the age of thirty-five. That was a lot for us to deal with as well. He was a very lively, a big personality, so that was huge for the staff here. There's certainly a void there. I'm trying to take my time on, I don't want to jump in and replace that position per se. I need to think about what's the best way to handle that and I am just taking my time on that front. The development and fundraising side is a big focus area for me.

That’s a lot. I mean, when you think about what you've experienced as a new leader in six months you should just take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back 'cause you're doing a good job regardless, and then when you consider all these challenges, even more so.

Thank you.

Missed the first interview ft. Carla McCabe? Watch it here.

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