Strive For Greatness: Interview with Non-Profit Leader Héctor Colón
I recently went one on one with Héctor Colón. Hector is the President and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS), where he led the organization through an $8 million financial turnaround.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here?
Héctor: People yelling racial slurs to me and saying “get out of my neighborhood” transformed my life. This kid named Adam (not you, of course), his words played a significant role in my story. Those slurs echoed in my mind long after Adam shouted them: I was inferior, I was deeply disliked. Those words hurt me, and they frightened me. Would I have ever become a boxer if Adam had not called me those names? Likely no. Without boxing, what path might my life have taken? Would I have gone in the wrong direction, like so many of my friends with similar backgrounds? Hearing those words at nine years old changed my life. Because of Adam, I learned how to be coached, how to be resolute, and how to be a team member. Because of Adam, I rose from the boxing ring to the boardroom.
I lost my first fight in boxing and wanted to quit, but my coach said don’t give up, you can become a champion, you have natural abilities. I lost my second fight and really wanted to give up. I felt this intense fear before entering the ring. I lost and then I started crying. I didn’t think there was anything fun about this and wanted to quit. But my coach said, come on champ, don’t be a quitter, don’t be a quitter, you can become a champ. And he was right. I became a seven-time national champion competing all over the world with the US National Boxing team before the Lord led me in a different direction. I started school and scored embarrassingly low on my entrance exam, but I worked hard to graduate with honors. I was able to earn a 3.8 GPA for my Master’s degree and was the only student in my class to publish my thesis in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (OT). Then I took my first OT entrance exam and I failed. I didn’t study, because I thought I was smart enough to pass because of my previous academic success. The next time I studied a little bit more, but failed once again. I was devastated and didn’t know what to do. At the same time, I saw Vernon Forrest, whom I beat twice, become a four-time world champion. I saw Jose Antonio Rivera, whom I knocked out become a three-time world champion. I thought why don’t I just go back to boxing. It would be so much easier and I could make a lot of money. But then I heard the voice echo in my ear from Shorty, my boxing coach, say don’t be a quitter, champ. This time I studied with the rigor and intensity that it took me to become an honor roll student in order to pass this test my third time. This degree offered me a path to get where I am today.
Adam: What are the best leadership lessons you have learned from leading a non-profit organization?
Héctor: Put your people first. Invest in them. Support them. Help them reach their potential. The more you focus on them, the better they are going to be personally and professionally.
Adam: What are your best tips for fellow leaders of non-profit organizations?
Héctor: Invest time and resources in your employees. Leading with a servant-led heart doesn’t mean you can’t have accountability. Make sure you have built-in accountability for each other, the people you serve and the long-term viability of the organization. Take care of and invest in yourself. The better you are as a person, the more you will be able to give to others.
Adam: What advice do you have on how to lead effectively during times of crisis?
Support one another. Be concerned about one another. Have frequent communications with each other. Show that you care about your people and they will feel comforted and empowered.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Héctor: Good listeners who are empathetic, compassionate, passionate, visionary, have foresight. They learn and grow continuously while helping others on the same journey. How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? Have a continuous learning mindset – take a class, read a book, obtain a mentor, listen to a podcast, etc. Be willing to stretch yourself: on projects, tasks or jobs that you don’t have expertise in; and learn, grow and challenge yourself. Surround yourself with smart, caring people – people that will empower you to be your best and, in turn, give them all of yourself so that they can reach their potential.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?
Héctor: You can’t give your best unless you are at your best. Your daily habits, rituals and routines will define you as a person and help you reach your potential. Are you engaging in the right habits, routines and rituals? Go out there and serve others. The more you serve and help people reach their potential, the more gratification you will have in your heart. Be willing to fail so that you can reach your potential. If you are never failing, you are probably taking it too safe in your life. Control your natural impulses, control your emotions, and do not react to a situation that will ruin your life and career.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?
Héctor: Hire people that are smarter and more talented then you. Learn from them. Listen to them. Support them. Don’t hire everybody with the same talents or personality profiles. Diversity of perspectives and talents is important in a well-rounded, rock star team. Show that you love your team, that you care for them, and that you want them to feel empowered, satisfied and fulfilled.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Héctor: “Don’t be a quitter champ, you have natural abilities. You can become a champion, don’t be a quitter.” Not quitting can take your life to new heights.
Adam: What should everyone do to pay it forward?
Héctor: Find someone to mentor. Help them reach their full potential.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Héctor: I encourage your readers to strive for greatness – allowing you to do something that is honorable and remarkable for others.
Go out there and serve. This will give you huge gratification
Go out there and fail and learn from those failures. If you are never failing you probably haven’t reached your potential
Control your natural impulses, control your emotions, and do not react to a situation that could ruin your life and career.
Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.
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