Successful Leaders Share What Shaped Their Approach to Leading Teams

Two Boston leaders share the experiences that shaped their leadership styles.
Written by Michael Hines
May 18, 2023Updated: May 18, 2023

While there is such a thing as leadership potential, nobody is “born a leader.” Leadership is something people learn through a process of trial and error that centers around balancing the goals of a company with the needs of a team. The leadership style people develop along the way, therefore, is highly influenced by their own unique experiences.

For some people, their industry plays a major role in the leader they’ll become. Dan Keenan learned to lead while working in the insurance industry, where he saw that relationships were key to closing deals. That experience shaped Keenan’s leadership style and impacts the teams he leads at Hi Marley today as the company’s chief growth officer.

“I strive to ensure my team’s conversations with clients are very interactive and that they are 100 percent focused on the prospect’s business and their unique challenges in an authentic way,” Keenan said. “I try to bring the right people into the team who share the same perspective, are aligned with our values and think about the future benefits.”

For others, it’s the error part of the trial and error process that shapes their leadership style. This was the case for Rabih Shanshiry, VP of partner success at The Predictive Index, who developed a calmer and empathetic style only after initially alienating his team with a more aggressive approach.

Keenan and Shanshiry gave Built In Boston a deep dive into their leadership styles, advice which is incredibly valuable both for those about to step into leadership as well as those curious to learn about how others lead.

 

Rabih Shanshiry
VP, Partner Success • The Predictive Index

Rabih Shanshiry admits that he was not a natural leader, at least not at the executive level, and shared that his initial foray into leadership at The Predictive Index was “a disaster.” Rather than being dissuaded, Shanshiry sought help from an executive coach who suggested mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga, which enabled him to develop a unique and successful leadership style he’s dubbed “heart-led leadership.”

 

Describe one of the principles, habits or rituals that differentiates your unique approach to leadership.

I very much consider myself a developing leader and try to learn and grow each day. For the past few years I have centered my journey around what I call “heart-led leadership.” 

I landed my first executive role five years ago here at The Predictive Index. It was my first time managing people — and what a disaster that was! Within a year my department was in shambles. My management style had driven the most tenured person on the team out of the organization and left the rest of the group feeling uncared for and unappreciated. Something had to change, and I knew it had to be me.

My executive coach suggested meditation might help. In meditation, I was challenged to ask myself, “Who am I?” Let me tell you, to be floundering with such a seemingly simple question in my mid-40s was extremely disconcerting! 

But after several weeks, an answer began to emerge that felt true: I am a person of integrity who wants to also be a person of compassion. With that in mind, I drafted a mission statement that continues to guide me: always lead with integrity and compassion. Put the needs of your team before your own. Never lose sight of the whole person. That is heart-led leadership.

 

 

I don’t drive people toward a goal. I strive to get there with them.”

 


What differences did you notice after you adopted this new principle, habit or ritual in your leadership?

Change doesn’t happen overnight, not within oneself and certainly not in the eyes of others. But after a few months of practicing meditation, a co-worker asked me how I manage to remain so calm all the time. I was startled. Calm? Me? Are you joking? After all, she was talking to a guy who used to play in a punk band. No one had ever mistaken me for being calm before. And then something strange began to happen: Every few weeks, another person would say something similar. It became a pattern, which I found just so bizarre.

Holocaust survivor and psychologist Viktor Frankl has a beautiful quote: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” For me, that space is where calmness and compassion are found. It’s a quick mind-body scan in stressful situations that enables me to respond with grace rather than react with aggression. Through mindful practices like meditation and yoga, learning when and how to find that space has transformed my relationships and made me a better leader.

 

What does this approach to leadership help you and your teams accomplish?

Everything. I mean it.

The intrinsic value of the people that I work with lies in their humanity, not in the role they play. I owe it to each person in the company to make sound decisions that are informed by a unified heart and mind. I don’t always get that right. I’m a work in progress and always will be. But when I fall short, I reflect on what went awry, try to make amends and commit to being better, keeping this advice in mind: when your narrative is, "I’m a learner in this life," failure isn’t part of your vocabulary.

If you think this approach to leadership could only work at a company with low performance standards, you’d be mistaken. The Predictive Index is one of the most ambitious organizations I know. It’s how we go about the work that’s different. I don’t drive people toward a goal. I strive to get there with them. The difference may sound subtle, but it’s actually night and day. As a revenue leader, I’m keenly aware of the impact that missed targets can have on the business and the several hundred livelihoods that depend on it. But when you’ve earned the trust of your team and hold connection with them, results follow.

 

 

Dan Keenan
Chief Growth Officer • Hi Marley

Dan Keenan’s leadership style has been directly influenced by the insurance industry where he has spent the majority of his career. Insurance isn’t necessarily an industry where sales happen quickly, and Keenan said this has taught him the value of prioritizing long-term relationships over the quick win, a value he has passed onto his team at Hi Marley.

 

Describe one of the principles, habits or rituals that differentiates your unique approach to leadership. 

Sales leaders are often transaction-focused: They win new business and move right on to the next target. What is unique about my approach as a sales leader — and why I like working in the property and casualty insurance space — is that I prioritize building long-term relationships and success over achieving short-term wins.  

Caring about our customers and listening to and understanding their challenges are the keys to building a foundation for long-lasting relationships. When someone is really good at listening and asks detailed follow-up questions, it leads to a rich discussion and a stronger connection. I strive to ensure my team’s conversations with clients are very interactive and that they are 100 percent focused on the prospect’s business and their unique challenges in an authentic way.

 

 

What is unique about my approach is that I prioritize building long-term relationships and success over achieving short-term wins.”

 


What differences did you notice after you adopted this new principle, habit or ritual in your leadership?

I’ve been selling into P&C insurance for most of my career. Looking back, I realize I made the wrong decision whenever I prioritized a short-term objective over a longer-term goal. I would sometimes have a little win but didn’t improve the relationship or build greater value for both parties over a longer period. 

One of the challenges in our industry is that it’s hard to break in and difficult to see results right away. But if you’re establishing that trust, strengthening connections and fostering relationships, it’ll pay dividends. Customers will also benefit. We serve as a trusted resource, connect them with others in our network to help solve their challenges and listen to their feedback to help strengthen our product and offerings. While it sometimes takes longer to see the positive impact of building relationships, it pays off for everyone in the long run.

I worked in a different industry for a period of time where the sales model was to work on a deal and then move on to the next one. It was just not as satisfying as creating deep, lasting relationships and helping our clients realize the benefit of the solution they implemented.

 

What does this approach to leadership help you and your teams accomplish?

Most salespeople naturally want the satisfaction of near-term quick wins, but P&C insurance is a small industry and establishing trust is crucial for sustained success. When we prioritize building relationships, it helps us create a positive reputation, gain momentum over time and leads to long-term success. I try to bring the right people into the team who share the same perspective, are aligned with our values and think about the future benefits.   

When the Hi Marley growth team has an initial conversation with a prospect, it begins an ongoing, collaborative and consultative relationship. My team wants to see our customers achieve their goals; that is how we measure our own success. This creates a positive cycle. We know if they can see results, they will want to do more with us and expand our relationship. When we build and maintain relationships, we can see our solution’s impact on our customers’ businesses, and that is very gratifying.

 

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