Smart Business Magazine, June 2016

34 Smart Business Akron Canton June 2016 2016 Northeast Ohio Smart 50 Sponsor Notes Convero helps companies develop ongoing conversations with their customers and employees to increase engagement and performance Our five step programs deliver comprehensive engagement plans that include Baseline and Ongoing Measurement a Messaging Framework a Conversation Plan Ongoing Engagement and a Feedback Loop Why customer and employee engagement The longer you keep your customers the more profitable they become They buy more cost less to service refer more business and are even willing to pay more Likewise organizations with more engaged employees report better productivity reduced absenteeism improved morale more satisfied customers and higher profits www converoinc com Integrity commitment and innovation are among the top three traits that Gregg LaSpisa executive vice president at AXA Advisors embodies as a smart successful leader LaSpisas integrity is the foundation on which his team is built As a company whose business is to protect people over the long term AXAs integrity is paramount in displaying honesty trust and commitment to our clients and community LaSpisa communicates the importance of integrity in his talent acquisition process and incorporates it in his professional development trainings LaSpisa is committed to being a great leader to his team clients and community He is committed to helping clients define and meet their financial goals through investment services and retirement planning He is committed to his team by providing challenging and empowering careers with strong expertise and professional development opportunities He has created a team culture that is committed to improving the quality of life in the community through volunteering and philanthropic activities LaSpisa is an innovative forward thinker and provides an atmosphere for his team that encourages collaboration and fostering ideas His innovation displays a vision for the future and a map that will be used to get there He inspires others to be innovative and think outside the box to develop more efficient and effective solutions He is open to new ideas and concepts and encourages others to challenge the model and create transferable systems LaSpisa creates an environment that allows for innovation to thrive by having open communication sharing ideas providing company updates and displaying transparency LaSpisa continues to grow his successful business leading by example As an executive who exemplifies integrity commitment and innovation these qualities have a positive influence on those he supports both inside and outside his organization www ohio axa advisors com www vistage com Based upon working with many leaders over a long period of years we believe that the top three traits that embody the definition of smart leaders are 1 Strategic thinking the ability to develop and articulate a clear vision for their product or service which becomes their vehicle to inspire others to achieve a meaningful purpose Great strategists inherently understand that the best strategy touches people at an emotional level ensuring that everyone willingly performs at maximum potential Secondly they realize that strategies need to be adaptable and are continually monitoring their environment to make any needed adjustments They are lifelong learners 2 The ability to attract develop challenge mentor and retain top talent Smart leaders attract the right people by being the right model They model the traits they wish to see in their associates High on integrity they are models of trust competency communication and collaboration As a result they attract people with the same core values that lead to a great alignment as these companies move forward to achieve their goals They realize that the Jim Collins rule to get the right people on the bus the right people in the right seats and the wrong people off the bus is a must 3 The ability to execute Smart leaders excel at putting in place cultures of autonomy and accountability They develop high performance teams that focus on results An essential attribute of this skill is that they develop and implement an effective communication system that ensures that the vision strategy strategic execution plan and purpose are communicated to all employees so that each person understands the goal and their role in achieving it The Northeast Ohio Vistage participating chairs Charlie Bayer Jim Jelinek Christy Lyras Cheryl McMillan Jim Mazzella Brad Roller Jeff Semple