 | The Neill Corporation, headed up by Edwin III, Debra and Ross Neill, employs many families at their Louisiana headquarters. |
September has stopped us all in our tracks. Heart breaking images of the aftermath of Katrina and the second punch given by hurricane Rita have raised a multitude of questions about how we, as individuals and as a society, handle difficult times, and about the nature of leadership. For leaders everything is of concern; the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realms are equally important. How do we cope when our lives are changed suddenly? How do we begin the rebuilding process? Who can we depend upon to help us through the tough times? Who are the leaders that stay centered and in charge when the world seems turned upside down? This issue of Pep Talk is dedicated to all the leaders at The Neill Corporation, based in Hammond, Louisiana just a stones throw away from New Orleans. Many of the senior leaders in the company have graduated from our "Total Leadership Connections" program and they have been the backbone of the efforts to keep the company functioning as well as tend to the personal needs of the employees. Of the 500 employees, 40 employees and their families have been displaced by the storms. That, in itself is a daunting task and these families have all been helped to find temporary housing in and around the Hammond area. The Neill Corporation, the largest independent distributor of Aveda products, serving a 10 state region in the Southeastern U.S., includes all the areas devastated by the storms. At least 65 Aveda salons have been totally or partially destroyed and the Neill Corporation has always done more than make sure products are on the shelves. Edwin Neill III, President and CFO is instrumental in putting plans in place to help the salons-----in fact, all salons be they Aveda or not-----rebuild and prosper. So, as leaders how have they held together personally and as a team? Debra Neill, CEO of the company is a strong visionary. Her belief in people is solid and she is able to see past the moments of anger, fear and blame that people often exhibit under stress and help them move to a calmer more positive perspective.  Debra told us that "crazy as it may sound" we had a "hurricane party" the week after Katrina. People shared food and music and told their stories. There was laughing and crying and silence and noise. "Mostly" she said in her steady, caring voice "people just needed to be heard. While we can solve the temporary housing concern, all we can really do is listen to their fears and angers and hope that by knowing they are not alone something inside will connect to a new way of thinking about what really matters." There are so many decisions that need to be made quickly. When two of the senior team men disagreed on an initiative, they looked at each other and decided there was no time to debate in the style they often used. They even laughed at how their powers of decision making were getting in the way of making decisions. They were able to short cut their personal choices, listen to each other and align around the best solution at the moment. As they reported "we got out of our own way". Another colleague reported "watching them push their strong male egos aside to support each other was very powerful. I doubt they'll go back to the old way of relating after this". Often during crisis only two polarized views get the most press, those who behave badly and cause distress or those who exemplify super human courage. At the Neill Corporation they have continued to show courage in spite of their vulnerability. A senior team member shared that for a few days she put up a wall of protection and had trouble listening to the helplessness of many around her. She began to explore her own feeling of helplessness and realized it came from memories of being uprooted as a child. As she let the tears from the past pain flow in the present moment she was able to take down the wall of protection and be present to those who needed the attention now. "Everyone is sharing on every level" said Karen McLaughlin, head of H.R. "We hear what is needed, find it or make it and get it where it has to go. I've been surprised at how what we need is there within minutes." The Neill Corporation has always been community minded and has offered its employees opportunities for development. As Debra Neill pointed out " These are the exam times to show what we are really made of and I'm proud to be part of an organization that is both strong and gentle at the same time and can look adversity in the face and stay the course." Herb Kaufman and Sylvia Lafair are helping by doing telephone consults with those who need extra attention and will be in Hammond, the last week in September (after two cancelled plane reservations due to restricted travel). Those of you reading this can also help with donations for the salon rebuilding effort. You can go to www.neill.net for more information. There are trying times and the challenges are coming fast. It is a time for all leaders to stand steady and help wherever needed. Remember, leaders are like teabags, we never know how strong we are until we are put in hot water! |
