The Ledger hosts ‘60 Ideas in 60 Minutes’

FAIRFIELD – Movers and shakers in Fairfield's business and educational community participated in an event called '60 Ideas in 60 Minutes” on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Fairfield Golf & Country Club.

The event was hosted by The Fairfield Ledger, which hopes to make this inaugural luncheon an annual affair. The six guest speakers were asked to come up with 10 helpful tips on topics such as how to be a leader, how to manage a team, and how to set and achieve goals. The concept is that the audience will be able to hear all 60 ideas in 60 minutes. Attendees received a program in which each guest speaker detailed their idea. During the event itself, the speakers talked about a few of their most important points.

The speakers were Bryan Hunger, Aaron A. Kness, Joshua Laraby, Dr. Laurie Noll, Francis Thicke and Kara M. Waugh.

Bryan Hunger

Jefferson County Health Center CEO Bryan Hunger said that business cultures are a big deal. It's important to ask oneself, 'Do we work well in this organization or are we always pointing fingers at each other?” He said a business can't help its customers solve their problems if it can't solve problems between its own employees.

Hunger told the audience a story about a time in his life when his integrity was put to the test. The hospital he was working for learned that it could save money by doing something that to some people seemed harmless, but to Hunger appeared dishonest. Hunger stood up and said it wasn't right. By doing that, he earned the respect of his peers.

He told another story about a previous hospital he worked at where the business office manager was doing a fantastic job, but she lacked the educational credentials her job required. Hunger thought about simply biting his tongue since she did the job so well, but at the same time, he knew this employee could not realize her full potential without additional education. Hunger told the woman she needed more education, and she took his advice. When Hunger left that job, the woman had earned a degree that allowed her to move into Hunger's position. He told Thursday's crowd that the story was a lesson about the need to tell the truth, even if it might hurt someone's feelings.

Aaron Kness

Aaron Kness is president and CEO of Iowa State Bank & Trust Company in Fairfield. The mantra of his speech was a refrain he heard years ago and one that stuck with him: 'speed of the leader, speed of the team.” It's a commentary on the importance of good leadership to a successful organization.

Kness said a leader is someone who creates the culture they want, as opposed to accepting the culture they inherit. He said the leader sets the tone for the group, not just in what they say but in how they act. In fact, he said action is more important than words, because the team must see that the leader is willing to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

As a leader himself, Kness takes great pride in his community. That's why Iowa State Bank emphasizes volunteerism, because it believes the success of the community is tied to the success of the business.

Kness echoed Hunger's recommendation to tell uncomfortable truths. He referenced an episode of the television show Seinfeld in which the characters all pretend that a certain baby is pretty even though in private they acknowledge it is ugly.

'It's invaluable to have people tell you the truth and not what you want to hear. A lot of businesses don't want to admit the baby is ugly,” he said.

Joshua Laraby

Joshua Laraby is the executive director of the Fairfield Economic Development Association. Laraby talked about the importance of focusing on what's essential.

'As a leader, you have an abundance of information and opportunities coming at you – discerning what's essential and what's not essential will assist in grounding and steering the organization for success,” he said.

Laraby talked about the value of drilling the mission statement into the whole team to ensure everyone is working toward the same goal. He said people usually need to hear their company's mission statement repeated seven times before it's fully engrained into their psyche.

Laraby spoke about how the economy is doing well at the moment, and that the labor market favors workers. He said there are more than 60,000 job openings in the state, so employers need to check in frequently with their employees to ensure they are meeting their needs. If not, their employees can easily find work elsewhere.

Laurie Noll

Dr. Laurie Noll is the superintendent of the Fairfield Community School District. She spoke about humility, a virtue she has gained through job shadowing employees in her district. She talked about job shadowing principals, teachers, and secretaries, and marveling at each one's unique skill set.

'I'm humbled that I can't do their jobs,” she said.

She talked about how the market for teachers is experiencing a high turnover rate of about 16 percent, meaning that about one in six teachers leave their posts for a different job each year. She was happy to report that Fairfield's school district experienced only an 8 percent turnover rate from last year.

Noll talked about how leaders are often the targets of criticism, of being second-guessed. She said it's been that way for centuries, and isn't about to change. She talked about how people frequently give her advice about how to change education when they learn she is a school administrator.

'No matter what you do, someone will criticize your leadership. Do not let that into your head,” she said.

Francis Thicke

Francis Thicke and his wife Susan own and operate Radiance Dairy, an organic, pasture-based dairy farm that prides itself on regenerative grazing and cropping practices. He urged giving employees as much responsibility as they can handle, and to solicit from them ideas to improve the business.

'Maintain perspective that employees work with you, not for you,” Thicke said. 'Employees can surprise you with insights from their perspective.”

Thicke told the audience not to over-plan, and instead to leave room for intuition and inspiration. He quoted Albert Einstein, who once quipped that imagination is more important than knowledge.

Along those lines, Thicke had some unusual advice, too: Don't be afraid to procrastinate. Why? Because getting the decision right is more important than being first, and very often the best ideas come just before the deadline.

Kara Waugh

Kara Waugh is the owner of Adela's Fine Gifts & Home Accents in Fairfield. She spoke about how she ended up at her current position as the owner of a store. She said she was stuck in a corporate job she didn't like, and wanted out. She took a chance by purchasing Adela's, her first time owning her own business.

Waugh spoke about the importance of trying new things, or in her specific case, the willingness to stock new items.

'I have bought items that I like or want to take a chance on. Worst case scenario, they don't sell,” she said. 'I do try and figure out with customers why certain items do not sell like I thought they would.”

Waugh talked about how she has established a great relationship with the store's previous owner, Dorian Atwood. She told the crowd that they should all seek mentors whom they can ask for guidance.

She said business owners need to remember the simple steps to success, such as being present.

'I can't expect [the store] to be successful if I'm not here and giving it attention, love and investment,” she said.