Doug Eadie Discusses CEO Leadership with Michael Townes

Michael and I recently sat down over coffee to discuss CEO-ship in the public transportation business.  Here are some highlights of our discussion.

Eadie:     Thinking back over your 30 years as a public transportation manager, senior executive, and CEO, what has given you the greatest satisfaction?

Townes:     This is a people business, Doug, and I’ve loved being able to work with so many really great people over the years.  Sure, people can be difficult at times, but I can’t tell you how many dedicated, well-intentioned people I’ve worked with over 30 years, people who really do want the best for their communities.  Whatever rough spots I’ve hit in my three decades in the business, the people I’ve come across have made me what I think of as a “realistic optimist.”  And you know, the great thing about being a public transportation leader is that you never have to wake up in the morning wondering if you’re making a difference in people’s lives, or if what you do benefits people.  I’ve always felt certain that the work my colleagues and I are doing in public transportation is hugely beneficial to the people in our communities, whether or not they are regular riders.  It’s clear to me that transportation is right up there with public education as a key factor in our quality of life, so I’ve found my work deeply satisfying.

Eadie:      What’s frustrated you the most as a public transportation leader, Michael?

Townes:       Well, I suppose what’s now and then ground me down a little is having to demonstrate over and over and over to local elected officials the tremendous importance  of making a local investment in transportation services – and the powerful return that investment yields over the long run in terms of the community’s economy and quality of life.  There’s a tendency, in my experience, for many local officials to think of transportation as a “free” service to local governments because of federal and state funding and the fare box.

Eadie:   You have over 20 years as a CEO under your belt, Michael.  What advice do you have for managers climbing the professional ladder who are interested in being CEOs of transportation agencies in terms of essential skills and attributes?

Townes:    Beyond the obvious things, like mastering financial planning and management, I think there are two preeminent success factors.  First, in today’s world, you’ve got to be a master communicator, not only with your board and elected officials, but – just as important – with the many constituencies making up your ridership.  I don’t mean some kind of slick advertising, that’s not going to get you anywhere.  I’m talking about putting yourself in other people’s places, figuring out what’s going on in their heads, and using that knowledge, or empathy, to let them know – in ways they can understand – how you’re taking their needs and concerns seriously.  Second, in a world changing as dramatically and quickly as ours, you’ve got to be willing to put yourself on a continuous learning and growth path.  You just can’t sit back one day and say, “OK, finally I’ve made it, and I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing as CEO.”  That’s the very time you get clobbered!   Take the obvious example of social media, like Face Book.  Do I really feel comfortable with it?  You’d better be sure I’m not, at least not entirely.  But if I don’t really understand the people who are comfortable with it, and if I don’t understand how to use the social media to reach them, then I’m cutting myself and my organization off from a large and growing constituency.  Successful CEOs never, ever “make it.”  They’re always making it, over and over and over.  You never stop climbing the leadership stairs; oh, you can pause at a landing, but you’ve got to keep climbing!

Eadie:     You’ve made the point that you’ve got to adapt to a changing world if you expect to be a successful CEO.  What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in public transportation over your career in terms of leadership?

Townes:    Well, Doug, it’s always been a pretty political environment, but I think it’s fair to say that public transportation boards have become more political, in the sense that shorter-term and narrower political concerns loom a lot larger than they used to.  This is obviously at the expense of policy leadership, which, I’m sure you’ll agree, requires a huge dollop of vision and a longer attention span.   Is there anything we can do about this development?  Oh, absolutely.  Today’s CEO has to spend a lot of time actively helping the board to become a more effective governing body.  You can’t just sit back and bemoan a board that’s not behaving in a statesmen-like fashion.  Instead, experience has taught me that you’ve got to jump in with both feet in the board development business, leading – from behind, of course – a systematic effort to take your board’s leadership to the next level.  I’m not saying it’s a piece of cake, but you just don’t have a choice.