Passion turned movement

It was a steamy summer in the pit of the south in Savannah, Georgia, where I first realized that women could lead.  I was a bright-eyed pony tail seventh grade tourist meandering the cobblestone streets sporting a green vest adorned with embroidered spheres along with a group of my closest girlfriends when I discovered that the passion of one woman propelled her to lead and nurture a global movement that has changed the world.  Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts, believed in the potential of all girls and the importance of fostering their individual growth, character and self-sufficiency.  

I’d like to share three brief lessons from Juliette’s lifework and leadership that I’ll continue to apply to my own story:

Vision without action means nothing.  Vision with action is transformational.  

A chance meeting in 1912 with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, gave Juliette a vision for Girl Scouts.  She left that meeting with a spark and determination.  Girl Scouts launched within the same year. 106 years later, this preeminent leadership development organization for girls is 2.6 million members strong.

Leave everything better than you found it.

As girls, we applied this to our campsite, however, when you apply it to your life, work and service it’s quite powerful and challenging.  Use your gifts for a purpose.  Juliette’s innate talent for fundraising and public relations combined with utilizing her vast network of friends and supporters served as the catalyst for the start and sustainability of Girl Scouts.  How can you apply this powerful principle to your life, work or service?

Pour into others, specifically the next generation.

It was said that Juliette Gordon Low descended from a long line of strong, independent women.  I too have been blessed with strong women in my life, whether connected by blood or by circumstance.  They have taken the time to challenge and encourage me and have certainly inspired me to pass along the favor to other young women.  Regardless of gender, how can you give of yourself to empower someone else?

Someone I admire said recently, “Working hard for something you don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something you love is called passion.”  Juliette Gordon Low was buried in her scout uniform, and in her shirt pocket was a note that said, “You are not only the first scout, but the best Girl Scout of them all.”

Be passionate, have vision with action, work diligently and strive to be the best at whatever you set out to accomplish. These are timeless lessons we can all apply to our present circumstances, in business and in life. 

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A gift of nostalgia I received

Several weeks back, Pam Manfredi, to whom I affectionately refer as our “work family’s rock solid anchor”, formally known as our Director of Office Administration, came in my office carrying something.  “I was looking through my desk, and thought you’d like to see this”, she said, as she handed me what appeared to be a vintage novel or journal.  Across the canvas-bound antiqued cover were the words, “Board of Directors Minutes” in beautifully hand-crafted calligraphy.  Pam remained standing in front of me as I laid it in my lap and cracked the front cover.  Almost jumping off the top right of the first page appeared the date, “1910”.  I whipped my gaze back towards Pam, “Board of Directors meeting minutes from 1910? Are you serious?”  She affirmed with a nod. “As in written minutes from over a century ago?”  Again, she joined me in excited astonishment.  “And you had this in your desk?”, I asked with a giggle.  This was humorous, because of a running joke in our office about what could be found under Pam’s desk.  She would hands-down win a million dollars on the modern-day “Let’s Make a Deal” game show.  Need a snack or a drink?  Ask Pam.  Need a paper clip?  Ask Pam.  Need a hammer or some nails? A needle and thread? Ask Pam.  Need a 100+ year old book containing the history of our organization, community and even more special, pages that contained the signatures, in their own personal script, of some of our county’s trailblazers and forefathers?  Ask Pam.

My nose was lost in this gem for at least an hour.  I read every word.  From census numbers of 1910 to road bond election results with attached newspaper clippings dated April 15, 1912, to lists of board members and the committees in which they served, signed resolutions, and even to annual financial statements.  There was a letter written to the Board of Directors from Oscar Price, Director of Publicity of the US Treasury Department, urging them to encourage their employees to perform their patriotic act by purchasing Liberty Bonds in support of our front line troops and allies during World War I.  On January 1910, they adopted a graduated investment scale for membership which stated that all bankers, merchants, manufacturers, hotels and other businesses should contribute $2.50 per month; physicians, ministers and other professions, $1.00 per month; mechanics and farmers, $0.50 per year; Laborers, $0.25 per year and women and children would invest $0.10 per year! What an invaluable treasure this ledger truly was!  

The gift of true nostalgia; being able to take a step back in time and for a moment be a fly on the wall at those meetings just by running my finger across the eloquently penned statements of this book.  I smiled, even laughed at times thinking about how things have changed, but poignantly sat feeling proud and truly thankful.  I felt a deep sense of gratitude for those professional men of long ago who engaged around those board room tables with like-minded dedication driven by passion for building a community that would continue to grow and sustain itself over a century later. 

As the Greek proverb states, “A society grows great when men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” I can’t help but think of these past leaders and how they would be so proud of the shade they created, now enjoyed by generations after them.

The Science of Buzz

This week, I had the privilege of learning and growing alongside of approximately 1,200 of my peers from across North America at the Association for Chamber of Commerce Executives Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.  I heard from futurists, consultants, industry colleagues, as well as, subject matter experts aimed to educate, evoke reflection, encourage best practice sharing and even disrupt norms. 

One of those speakers was Jonah Berger, a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and bestselling author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On who served as the keynote speaker during our opening Plenary Session.  His dynamic, witty and highly engaging presentation on word-of-mouth advertising included several takeaways that can be applied across all industries and business size. 

Do you remember the infamous “Hump Day” Camel commercial for Geico Insurance?  The ad featured a goofy camel strolling through an office attempting to liven up workers by asking “Guess what day it is?” Following a few attempts, finally “Julie” delivers the answer with absolutely no enthusiasm: “It’s Hump Day.” The camel then erupted into giddy excitement. Every Wednesday, America still can’t help but to think about being “Happier than a camel on Wednesday”!  Did you know that by the end of 2013, the year that the ad was launched, it had been shared close to 4 million times on social media?  In addition, it was the 7th most viewed ad on YouTube that year having 19 million views. Oh, and by the way, guess when this video was shared most often?  You guessed it, on Wednesdays!  

So, why did this campaign “go viral”?  Is it just luck or a stroke of genius that some companies, products or services hit the “word of mouth jackpot”?  Jonah Berger has spent about 15 years researching consumer behavior behind our purchasing and sharing decisions.  He says it’s science. 

In his presentation last Sunday, Berger described the six primary principles his research concluded that drive what people talk about and share.  If one understands the science behind this consumer behavior, one can increase his or her chances in crafting what he calls “contagious content” and generating some great word-of-mouth for your product or service.   

1.     Social Currency. People share things that affect how people see them.  So, if you create content or a brand reputation that makes someone look better or smarter by being associated with it, the more likely they’ll be to share it with others. 

2.     Triggers. Berger said, “top-of-mind equals tip-of-the-tongue.” When you think of peanut butter, you think of jelly.  Peanut butter serves as an automatic advertisement for jelly. The more we’re triggered to think about a product or idea, the more we’ll talk about it.  For example, a trigger for Corona beer the beach.  Data proves that consumers are more likely to buy Corona beer at the beach.  They created this trigger through their marketing messaging.   


3.     Emotion. “When we care, we share.” People are more likely to share content that causes their heart rate to increase.  This emotion can be positive, utilizing fuzzy feel-goods, excitement or humor, or even negative emotion, with anger or anxiety. 


 4.     Public. Humans tend to follow or imitate one another. Take the “I Voted” stickers as an example.  One is more likely to vote if they see that their friends have voted.  People are more likely to seek products or services when they seem to be observably in demand.


5.     Practical Value.  Humans tend to want to help others.  You increase your chances in getting people to talk about you or share if your content is useful.  Examples: How to videos; Top Ten lists; Life Hacks..etc.  


6.     Stories. You can increase your chances in having others talk about you if you shift your messaging to telling stories versus sales pitches. No one likes to be “sold to”, much less seeming like a walking advertisement themselves! They will, however, talk about you if it’s a part of a broader narrative.  Berger described this messaging as a “Trojan horse” story that carries your brand along for the ride”.  For example: Blogger content, “Earned content” through media relations, or customer experience reviews

I encourage you to reflect upon your current marketing messaging and strategies.  How can you incorporate one or several of Berger’s principles.  Will this guarantee a “viral” response? Certainly not!  However, as I previously mentioned, by understanding the science behind consumer behavior, it will increase your chances in generating some additional word-of-mouth buzz for your brand.   

For more on this subject, join me in reading Jonah Berger’s book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On. 

Four Leadership Lessons I’ve Been Reminded of in 4 Weeks

On Tuesday, March 28, 2017, my family grew by two feet….10 fingers and 10 toes. Corey, big brother, Jeb and I welcomed a healthy baby boy, McCoy Lee Keisler, into our lives. The last four weeks transitioning from two-on-one defense to man-to-man coverage in the Keisler household has been a complete whirlwind, but also an overwhelmingly special time of reflection for me as a mother.
As a salute to my fellow moms, I’d like to express four lessons in leadership that have been reinforced to me over the past four weeks of maternity leave.

  1. Prepare yourself and your team for change but know that you can never be fully prepared.
    You can read every page of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, follow mom blogs religiously, buy the latest and greatest BSE (what our family refers to as “Baby Support Equipment’), but moments of “what in the world do I do?” are inevitable.
    The art of change management is not one-sized fits all. You can work diligently to prepare yourself and your team, but ultimately, leaders understand that dealing with change is not “one size fits all.” You and your teams will proceed through the “change cycle” at his or her own pace, which starts with feelings of loss, then doubt, then discomfort, followed by discovery, understanding, and finally integration.
  2. Good enough is sometimes enough. Failure is inevitable. There’s always tomorrow.
    As a mom, I’ve experienced “Mom of the Year” moments, followed by #momfail moments when I’ve wondered why I was allowed to procreate. But guess what? Like in leadership, failure can serve as both a learning experience and an opportunity in disguise. Tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity to start fresh, learn from adversity and grow.
  3. See what they see – you will be all the better for it.
    I have found that my most rewarding experiences as a mother have come through intentionally slowing down and seeing the world through my littles’ eyes. Trust me, as a mom of a two year old, I see lots of crawling and flying creatures, dainty flowers (which quickly meet their fate by the bottom of a shoe – we’re still working on “being gentle”), and every backhoe or excavator within eyeshot. More importantly, I see good in everyone, no inherent malice or danger, an obstacle that appears more like a fun challenge, and the opportunity to wake up and learn or discover something completely new.
    As a leader, how can you alter your perspective by viewing your organization through the eyes of your employees? Your customers?
  4. Giving is much better than receiving
    If you don’t understand this as a mom, you’ll be left void. Raising little people is a tiring, self-less act, but I couldn’t flash forward 20 years to see my little guys as bold, humble, moral and upright men, and imagine anything more worthwhile. Likewise, the best leaders have mastered this concept. How can you pour more of yourself into your team?

My Why

The following is the transcript of the speech I gave when I accepted by position as President/CEO of The Chamber of Catawba County in February of 2017 at our Annual Shareholders & Investors Luncheon at the Hickory Metro Convention Center.

Good Afternoon everyone — first of all, thank you for honoring us by your presence today. It is sincerely a privilege to represent you in this role …….

I pray that each of you at some point receives the humbling blessing of such a warm reception as you have just shown me. Thank you for your overwhelming support over the past several months – the thoughtful encouragement in the form of comments, emails and handwritten notes that have been timely and appreciated.

There are so many things that come to mind that I could say, but I really just want to share my heart and passion with you for a moment. I hope to very briefly shed some light on the core of why I continue to make the intentional choice to pursue my lifework as a Chamber of Commerce professional…..all of which played into my recent decision to contend to remove the Interim from my title. Essentially, What is my why?

My why is hearing firsthand the story of a recent CVCC Manufacturing Academy graduate who has a greater sense of self-worth, a new set of skills and a new career with a steady paycheck to provide for his family.

My why is the little faces of future fireman, elected officials, pastors, administrative assistants, accountants, welders and doctors singing “I am a Leader hear me roar!” at the top of their lungs as I ventured through the hallways of Oxford Elementary School at their annual “Leader in Me” Leadership Day. This is our future workforce learning core leadership principles at a young age.

My why is the small business owner who isn’t here today because in order to step away she would have to close shop and risk losing a sale. In addition to carrying many titles, she carries many worries.

My why is the first generation US citizen, whose parents came to America in order for their children to live their best life. We cut a ribbon for their new business several months ago. The sense of pride on their faces and tears welled in their eyes as the ribbon fell was unforgettable.

My why is the hopeful entrepreneur at the Manufacturing Solutions Center who has dedicated all of their time and life savings to the next innovative product idea that will potentially revolutionize their industry.

My why is a note on the inside front cover of a self-published novel by a gentleman who said he wanted to personally deliver one of the first copies of his book to me because I listened, encouraged him and connected him to the proper resources he needed in order to finish it.

My why is a desire to continue the work of the legacy leaders gone before me. Sitting in our Board room and wishing the walls could talk and share about the decisions that have been made which have resulted in many of the things we benefit from today.

My why is looking into the sparkly blue eyes of my two year old and wanting him to possess the same love and pride for Catawba County, his home. And later, to reap the benefits of a thriving, vibrant community that is growing and full of opportunity.

I could truly go on and on….

I see this opportunity as a calling and a purpose, not a power play or for personal gain. My desire is to continue to be both a student and a teacher —- to actively listen and learn, while adding value, and solving critical community issues.

I will be a visionary, who sees beyond what presently is…..a change-maker and most importantly, a collaborator and teammate. I will continue to be inquisitive enough to ask why, and bold enough to suggest a better way.

I will continue to surround myself with individuals who have more experience, talent and wisdom than me. My amazing team – Pam, Jean, Lisa, Terra and Ryan. Our engaged Board of Directors. My mentors, My great, great Uncle Stine Isenhower, Danny Hearn, my mother, Michele Moritz and several others whom are in this room.

My why is all of you….
As I look around this room, I see a group of people who have a vision, a passion and a commitment toward an idea of what could be. You voluntarily and loyally support this organization by your time, talent and treasure. This is a community with a great deal to be proud of, but at the core, the concept of working together for the betterment of Catawba County and the competitiveness success of business is what drives us all.

In closing, I want you to realize what a privilege it is, and has been for the last seven years, to come alongside of you. Thank you for your continued support. I feel so proud and humbled to stand before you today and promise that I will continue to work hard each day on your behalf. Thank you.