Articles

Leadership in Practice: A Conversation with Tom Schlafly, President, St. Louis Brewery & Taproom; Partner, Thompson Coburn LLP  Q: Tell me about the different hats you wear and how you see yourself as a leader.  A: I have more experience sitting on both not-for-profit and some for-profit boards than in an actual managerial or administrative position. Law firms are really confederations, and, at the brewery, it is actually Dan Kopman, the chief operating officer, who runs it. In my board experience, I think there is a real talent in being able to reach a collective decision that is better than what... Read More

Imagine this scenario: your company is acquired by another firm, triggering changes in the retention agreements for all of your C-level executives, allowing them to leave en masse. And they do. This situation is what Kellwood Company, the apparel designer and manufacturer, faced in 2008. While losing the majority of senior leadership would have sent many other companies into a panic, the situation did not bring Kellwood to its knees, according to Scott Mannis, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Instead, Scott and the new owners consulted the succession plans the company had in place to identify who would ascend... Read More

A common frustration we hear from managers is that their people don’t change after coaching conversations.  They may talk to an employee about his or her behavior during meetings, meeting deadlines, or being more proactive about completing assignments; but, the managers don’t see the desired improvement in behavior.  Additionally, their frustration rises when the employee slips back into old habits:  Often we hear managers say, “We have already had this conversation (maybe three times).  He just won’t change!”  We find that lasting change only happens after concerted follow-up and reinforcement. Managers play a crucial role with both. Effective follow up... Read More

Leadership in Practice: A Conversation with Patty Arnold, President, St. John’s Mercy Foundation Q: Can you give me a two minute synopsis of how you got to where you are now? A: I have been at St. John’s Mercy Foundation for about 2 ½ years.  Before that, I was with the Missouri Botanical Garden, and spent most of my professional career there.  I started at the Garden in the early 1980’s. I was their membership manager, and moved up to work in the development office as a development manager. I eventually became the director of development at the Missouri Botanical Garden... Read More