10 minute read
Trust is The Backbone of Relationships
Amy Steacy, General Counsel for BBB National Programs says businesses do well by being good.
CCBJ: What led you to join BBB National Programs?
Amy Steacy: Throughout my career, I have often thought it would be “nice”—meaningful, impactful, fulfilling—to work at a non-profit organization. I was inspired by the idea of working with a team to have a significant, positive impact for some greater good or purpose. When the general counsel opportunity at BBB National Programs (BBB NP) arose and I learned more about the organization, I realized it was an opportunity I could not pass up.
BBB NP, which has its legacy in the Council of Better Business Bureaus, is the non-profit home of industry self-regulation “a form of soft law” in the United States, fostering trust, innovation and competition in the marketplace through third-party industry self-regulation, dispute resolution and other programs. BBB NP oversees more than 20 national industry self-regulation programs. While each program has a topical focus, all address existing and emerging industry issues and provide businesses with an accountability mechanism through which businesses are enhancing trust not only with consumers but with other businesses. Trust, at the end of the day, is the backbone of relationships—business-to-consumer, business-to-business relationships and, of course, relationships between individuals.
At its core, BBB NP is “where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard.”
The overall mission and purpose of BBB NP resonated with me. It reminded me of a concept I heard from a board member of a company I had worked for previously, which is that businesses do well by doing good. What appealed to me about BBB NP is that it is helping businesses “do good” through the industry self-regulation and dispute resolution services it provides. Now more than ever, with the Supreme Court’s recent Loper Bright decision overruling the Chevron doctrine, under which courts had deferred to reasonable agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes, industry selfregulation is well positioned to help businesses do the right thing by proactively filling any regulatory gaps.
Please tell us about your leadership style and who or what has influenced it?
Leadership style or approach is situational and changes, at least for me it does, depending on the context and the team members or other individuals with whom I am working or engaging. That said, there are certainly core traits or, I suppose, “leadership style” elements that generally apply regardless of the situation. I am a firm believer in leading by example, putting others’ interests first, empowering team members, being oneself, the power of partnership, transparency in communication and the never-ending quest to improve in all areas.
As for “who” or “what” has influenced my leadership style or approach, it is not any one person or thing. So many people have influenced my leadership style, going back even to childhood. Throughout my legal career, I have been fortunate to have had several informal mentors. I use the word “informal” as these are attorneys or other professionals who, outside the construct of any formal mentoring program and despite the demands of their profession, have taken the time to teach, encourage and help me make connections. The mosaic of perspectives provided by those generous with their thoughts and time has had an invaluable impact on my leadership style.
Beyond the numerous human influencers, there is also a glaring “what” that has influenced my leadership style—my experience with horses. Working with, caring for, riding and, at the appropriate time, showing, horses is a part of my past and now my present again after nearly two decades away from horses. I grew up in the rural Midwest where access to horses was first possible through involvement in an organization called 4-H. My childhood experience with horses instilled the importance of discipline, planning and strategy skills, perseverance through failures (“get back on the horse” applies both literally and figuratively!), thinking outside the box, altering course when needed and, above all else, building a relationship with the horse, central to which is a commitment to put its interests first in all situations.
Fast forward to today and I am back in the saddle once again. A few years ago, I was able to fulfill a dream and acquire my first horse as an adult. Today, my focus is on the discipline of dressage, which is sometimes likened to horse “ballet.” The learnings from horses continue to influence my leadership style. It is notable that, at the highest level of the sport, the rider-and-horse combinations have one element in common (aside from the talent of each): a harmonious partnership rooted in trust and the empathy that a rider has for the horse. Notable as well is that not a single top riderand-horse combination experiences a smooth “up and to the right” trajectory. The line is jagged with numerous dips and each dip provides growth fuel for upward spikes in the line going forward. In the horse world it is often said that “it takes a village.” You do not reach success on your own; it is a team effort and the team’s success. The parallelisms between equestrian sport and corporate leadership are palpable.
What qualities do you look for when hiring new people for your team?
Attitude, aptitude and integrity. I do not care so much if a job candidate does not have particular experience (unless it is a role requiring a certain level of expertise or special set of skills) but I do care that a candidate has the drive, desire and natural curiosity for the role [and beyond it; for whatever other role may be next] and that he or she is a constant learner of both hard and soft skills. There is much to be said for a “can-do” attitude. With the right attitude and outlook, many obstacles can be overcome.
I am a firm believer in leading by example, putting others’ interests first, empowering team members, being yourself, partnership, transparent communication and the never-ending evolution of always seeking to improve in all areas.
If it is a role requiring a certain expertise, then I would look for someone with certain skills, in particular skills I may not have myself. And then lastly and most importantly: integrity. I am hands-off in terms of “managing” and I think of each person on the team as a partner at the end of the day. This means that not only do I have to trust that team member, but the entire organization and outside stakeholders also must be able to trust that person. A team member you can trust to always do what is right ultimately drives impact and operational efficiency.
How would you describe the culture of your organization?
Working at BBB NP is about advancing its overall mission and purpose as the home of independent industry self-regulation in the United States. We are driven by our mission and it is not just a job for any of us. It is a culture that brings together a united but diverse group of individuals; a workplace where diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is not just an ideal on paper but a standard way of operating. You need only look at the composition of the entire organization, its leaders and our board of directors, to see DEI in action.
BBB NP has a true growth mindset. Thinking outside the box is encouraged and cultivated. We strive to keep ahead of emerging trends and marketplace happenings for the betterment of our programs and our team. We are agile and versatile and maintain a focus on individual and team development. At the same time, we genuinely value worklife balance. Also, our team consists of a blend of individuals with long-time institutional knowledge and those who have come more recently from large organizations, giving us a range of viewpoints to expand our thinking and better provide services.
What is the most influential career advice you’ve ever received?
Through mostly observation and listening, I have collected several good nuggets of career advice over the years. “Be present” is one of my favorites. I first heard this advice at a women’s legal conference where the keynote speaker’s message centered around the concept. We all bounce from one matter to the next, constantly interrupted by emails, chat messages, calls, texts and so forth. Being present is about shutting out the noise and, with respect to the matter you are currently handling, being 100 percent present and focused; giving it, or the person or persons with whom you are engaging, your undivided attention.
Another piece of advice I received early in my career, but that took some time to implement, was to achieve a work-life balance. In fact, a former boss predicted that I would struggle with taking time away from work and that I would need to make a conscious effort in this regard. My younger self was of the view that if my working hours were not at least a certain amount per week, which amount was well above a traditional 40-hour work week, I was not doing enough. I eventually did sort out the right balance between work and life outside of work and have come to appreciate that life outside of work only enhances life at work. Recovery time is a key component of optimal success of familiarity.
Most recently, another favorite nugget came from BBB NP’s chief human resources officer, “Growth begins at the edge of familiarity.” We are all comfortable operating within a certain space, but real growth occurs when you go over the edge into the unfamiliar. Then the unfamiliar will eventually become familiar, with the growth edge always being a moving target.
What changes would you like to see within the legal profession?
I would like to see an even greater focus on increasing diversity within the profession, especially in leadership roles; a more broadly-embraced emphasis on balancing work with life outside of work, or overall wellness; and improvement of the general public’s perception of attorneys.
The legal profession has made great strides in the past few years with respect to increasing diversity within the profession. However, leadership positions in particular remain under filled by traditionally underrepresented groups. Similarly, while attorney wellness and well-being have long been center-stage issues—the Virginia State Bar even promotes certain wellness-focused continuing legal education—the dynamic of the billable hour workplace and even the in-house workplace, still make sustaining work-life balance a constant struggle for many. These are all important areas where we cannot become complacent and take our foot off the gas pedal, where open dialogue and concerted efforts must continue.
Lastly, I would like to see improvement in the general public’s perception of the legal profession, which I believe stems from a lack of trust. This is a change that starts from within the profession and with each individual attorney. Being a part of the solution requires going above and beyond what is required by rules of professional conduct and cultivating relationships built upon trust.
