Celebrating Black History Month
Vernon Veira
Black Leaders Leading
Vice President, Internet & PC Software Development
Pitney Bowes Inc. Who in your family had the most impact on your success? My father had the most influence on my success. When I was growing up in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, I would work with my father in our family-owned grocery store. He taught me how to run a business, about finances and most of all, the importance of hard work in achieving professional goals. His confidence in me, and the respect that I earned from the elders in the village by working in the store, helped shaped my view of the world. My father has truly been a driving force in my life and has always been there for me. What is your definition of leadership? A leader is someone who inspires others and gains a following.
He or she is secure enough to empower employees with autonomy and personal responsibility. In addition, a leader isn’t afraid to fail and learn from mistakes. The best leaders use these experiences to improve and enhance their leadership capabilities. What is your most rewarding career accomplishment? When I came to Pitney Bowes, which was a traditional
hardware company, my job was to drive software development. I put a department together, which previously consisted of disparate groups, and I provided leadership that empowered managers to do their job. At the same time, I had to communicate to senior management about the new capabilities and assets that these software solutions and opportunities provided the company. Although challenging, this experience was really rewarding for me. What advice can you provide for young leaders? Follow the path less traveled. You will emerge as a prolific
Headquarters: Stamford, Connecticut Web site: www.pb.com Primary Business: Mailstream technology Employees: 35,000
leader with a variety of skills and experiences upon which to draw if you take risks. Don’t be afraid of failure; learning from your mistakes helps you develop stronger leadership capabilities. Be disciplined in your preparation, stay abreast of what is happening in your industry, and be prepared for the next challenge. What was the defining moment in your life in which you understood your leadership? A defining moment in my life was leading a team to build a new mobile workforce solution. It came at a time when the company I worked for was under immense pressure to perform and resolve its service assurance issues. As the leader, I empowered the team, and challenged them to outperform and excel in their areas of expertise. The program was very successful and we all grew from this experience.
Steve Dunmore
Division Vice President, Facility Solutions, Sodexo Health Care Division
sodexo What is your definition of leadership? My definition is centered on creativity. Creating an atmosphere for my team to excel is my ultimate goal. The right environment ensures that my entire team is aligned and focused on achieving sustainable results. Team members must feel comfortable thinking “outside of the box”, and shouldn’t be fearful of voicing opinions to assist in the decision process. This creativity extends to how decisions are made. Ethics and long-term organizational benefit always trumps short-term gain. The creativity to ensure that I deal constructively with perceived failures includes those times when ‘failure’ results from taking ‘smart risks.’ These should be rewarded and viewed as learning experiences. This all goes back to creativity—the atmosphere the leader creates to ensure that all team members are free to think and communicate openly. This enables teams to work at their optimum. What is your most rewarding career accomplishment? Leaving a very successful career at Ford Motor Company
to join my wife and baby daughter in Chicago ended up being the best career accomplishment I’ve made. I had been commuting back and forth between Detroit and Chicago, and Ford wanted me to move to Atlanta for a great career opportunity. I made what was perceived by many to be a huge career sacrifice by choosing to turn down that opportunity. It was the best decision for my family and ultimately led me to Sodexo. It made me realize the importance of balancing all aspects of life to truly excel in a career. It’s a lesson I have never forgotten and I believe has contributed to the success I have had thus far in my career. What’s the worst fault a leader can have? Not trusting the team and believing that the leader must micromanage
Headquarters: Gaithersburg, Maryland Web site: www.sodexo.com Primary Business: Comprehensive service solutions Employees: 125,000 in North America, 355,000 Globally
the team to be successful. I believe the best compliment a leader can receive is when people talk about the team’s success in terms of the individuals that make up the team vs. the success of the leader. Some leaders are uncomfortable with this, but not me. I believe the more recognition that is lavished on my team members, the more successful I feel as the team’s leader. What advice can you provide for young leaders? Again, the best advice I can give is to define your success based on the overall success of your team.
Your team should have the experience and confidence to make their own decisions, take risks, share their opinions, etc. And, especially critical in today’s complex business environment, instill a strong sense of ethics in your team. Create an environment where team is first and ethical behavior is the hallmark. Instill this by living it day in and day out.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l
January/February 2010
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