I’m almost three months into serving as CEO of NTCA. Yet at least a few times a week, I forget that I sit in a new office here at NTCA and literally turn into my old office as I walk down the hallway. So, I know firsthand that leadership transitions can be full of challenge and promise — both very big and really (and kind of ridiculously) small.
One of the things I think about a lot regarding rural broadband leadership transitions is how we maintain a sense of community and industry cohesion. There is no better way for community-based providers to innovate and succeed than by comparing notes with peers. If we at NTCA can help providers retain their local focus and presence while promoting idea sharing and deepening connections across the industry, we’re hitting the mark. That enables smaller providers to replicate some of the key benefits of scale without eroding their connective tissue to the communities they serve.
There are a couple of things we do here at NTCA that particularly stand out to me for promoting a deeper sense of community and connection across the industry. The first is the “new CEO” orientation we hold each year after our Legislative and Policy Conference in April. For a night and a day, we typically host a group of eight to 10 leaders who are relatively new to their roles for discussions ranging from industry issues to just plain old “getting to know each other” networking. Our goals in this effort are to give these new CEOs a deeper grounding in the industry and, even more so, to form a cohort across the country with bonds that hopefully only grow over time. We’ve seen compelling success in our first two times through the process, and I’m already looking forward to hosting the next group of new leaders.
Another great way we help build “industry ties that bind” is through executive recruitment — helping NTCA members find top talent for top positions. Given our nationwide visibility into and deep knowledge of the industry, our track record of effective placements, and our ultimate commitment to make sure that our members succeed, helping members recruit their next generation of leadership is always top of mind for me as we think about the long-term vitality and cohesion of the rural broadband industry. We’re fortunate, too, in that there’s no one better to lead this effort for us than Shirley Bloomfield, who, through her post-retirement gig at Shirley Connected LLC, is throwing herself into this effort to find and place leaders who are both highly qualified and eager to become a part of this community. (As an aside — for anyone who knows her — could there be a better name for a business run by Shirley than “Shirley Connected,” and is anyone surprised that she hasn’t slowed down in looking to “connect dots” and find next-generation leaders?)
In any event, we’ve had a great run in exciting roles over the past several months. If you’re a member starting to think about succession planning that combines the best of industry commitment with high-level leadership qualifications, please let Shirley or me know. We’d love to keep building upon the effort to keep this industry connected!