4 Newly Installed Leaders Share Views on Their Roles, Goals and Challenges

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX – BEXclusive

Anyone who has ever stepped into a new role knows the challenges, thrill and trepidation that come with taking the reins and making that slot your own.

Whether the role is newly created, meaning your actions will influence the future actions of all who come after you, or long-established, in which your predecessors have cast a long shadow and left you big shoes to fill, the need to create a clear vision with solid goals can be both daunting and delightful.

In the March 3 BEX Leading Market Series event: “New Titles, New Perspectives: A Leadership Panel,” four leaders who have recently assumed new positions assembled to give their insights and discuss their challenges, outlooks and opportunities as they work to bring their organizations forward. Moderated by BEX President and Founder Rebekah Morris, the panel was comprised of:

• Jim Belfiore, Founder, Belfiore Analytics;
• Brent Billingsley, Town Manager, Town of San Tan Valley;
• Audra Koester-Thomas, Executive Director, Maricopa Association of Governments, and
• Ryan Touhill, Director of Community & Economic Development, City of Phoenix.

After introducing the panel, Morris got the discussion going with the “elephant in the room” question, asking the members how they came to be in their new roles and what attracted them to the opportunity.

Belfiore spoke first. He had previously built a highly respected residential market research firm and eventually sold it to a larger company. He soon developed the urge to get back to the work he loved and, after waiting out the non-compete agreement that accompanied the sale of the previous company, he launched Belfiore Analytics.

He said the difference between the current operation and his previous company was he was able to start assembling a team instantly, and the degree of pent-up demand for the kinds of research Belfiore Analytics provides made for a high degree of momentum from the beginning. He added he was able to capitalize on the trust reserve his previous work had established.

Koester-Thomas said she had expected to work in Washington, D.C. as she was starting her career, but a mentor explained to her local government is where real and effective opportunities for positive change happen. Her career track eventually led her to MAG, where she had most recently served as Chief of Staff before stepping into the Executive Director role. Among her most significant previous achievements was working to secure passage of Proposition 479’s ballot authorization in the Arizona Legislature and achieving voter approval of the measure, which renewed the prior Proposition 400 half-cent transportation sales tax.

AZBEX reported extensively on the fight to renew Prop 400. That coverage is available here.

Billingsley’s track record made him an obvious contender to help the newly incorporated Town of San Tan Valley find its legs. He had spent most of his career in government and public works and had been one of the early employees of the City of Maricopa when it initially incorporated. He oversaw Maricopa’s transportation growth as the City swelled from its original population of 6,400 in 2003 to approximately 43,000 by the time he left.

As a newly incorporated municipality, San Tan Valley faces many of the same challenges Maricopa did, as well as some additional considerations that have developed over time.

Since he is the only newcomer to Arizona, coming to Phoenix from Northern Virginia, Touhill faced a double challenge. Not only did he have to acclimate to a much larger (and hotter) municipal service area, but he also had to take over for Christine Mackay when she left the position for a similar role at Greater Phoenix Economic Council.

Mackay is credited with playing a significant role in the dramatic growth of both Phoenix and the surrounding area during her time with the City. Rather than worrying him, however, Touhill expressed gratitude for the work Mackay did, her ongoing assistance and the success she achieved for the City’s efforts.

He said his top priorities in the position are to carry that work forward as he learns his team and the local culture and understands the priorities of the Mayor and City Council.

Touhill added he is happy to not have to reinvent a working process, and the pace of momentum he inherited allows him to focus on adding value, which is his topmost priority.

Top Priorities and Focus Points

Asked about their priorities in their new roles, the other panelists all had ambitious lists that build upon established foundations and deeply vested needs.

Billingsley reminded the audience San Tan Valley is a brand-new municipality that is starting from a blank slate. His top priorities at the moment are bringing in revenue for local operations, assembling his team and setting priorities for public works, all of which are being done with no statutory guidance from the state level.

Koester-Thomas’ foremost priority is to put her money where her mouth was a couple of years ago in securing Prop 479 by delivering on the projects promised under the measure. A key challenge is the increase in costs—both construction costs and human capital—since the plans were initially envisioned. She said there have been several reality checks in terms of project prioritization, but the progress that is being made truly highlights the strengths of regionalism, as the various component jurisdictions under the MAG umbrella work together to achieve their common goals.

Team Development and Acclimation

Teambuilding—whether assembling a staff from scratch or re-integrating existing teams under the new boss’ style—was a key goal for all the panelists.

Billingsley said he was particularly fortunate. Since San Tan Valley is a new municipality, the challenges associated with an opportunity to build something from the ground up have proven attractive to a uniquely entrepreneurial mindset among new staff members and applicants and has helped establish a rare commonality of purpose.

Touhill made it a point when he started to personally meet the staff and build relationships. He said when leaders make the effort to get to know team members on an individual basis, they can better understand strengths and weaknesses and allocate duties accordingly, plus, “If people feel valued, they’re reliable.”

Koester-Thomas knows that with the scale and scope of the work MAG has to achieve, the organization is asking a lot of its people. Consequently, she tries to meet people on their first day to build rapport, and she supports skills development efforts to expand capabilities. She said continuous improvement is the theme of her teambuilding efforts.

Needs from the Field

Closing out the session, Morris asked the panelists what the attendees could do to help them succeed in their new roles.

Koester-Thomas said engineers, designers and contractors need to come to MAG with good teams in place and an understanding of project needs and organizational processes, as well as an entrenched capacity for creativity in coming up with solutions. She also stressed the need for quality in communications, saying writing well is a dying art, but a huge portion of MAG’s work relies on quality documentation.

Belfiore emphasized his company has an ambitious expansion vision. The best way to help is to understand the important differences his company brings to its research approach, including extensive legwork and in-person site examinations, and to provide referrals to help the business grow.

Touhill encouraged attendees to be active in engaging with the City for economic development, urging the audience to “find out about us and give us your ideas.” He also incentivized the audience by letting them know Phoenix has plans to issue a large request for proposals later this year for a major downtown project.

Billingsley asked the community to understand the scale of what San Tan Valley is working to achieve and to exercise a bit of patience, particularly in terms of permits and approvals, adding the Town is still working to set up its processes, but, given the scale of future plans and goals for the community, it will be worth the front-end investment.