Kelly contacted SearchSmart soon after she was appointed CEO of CF Canada. She needed to hire a Chief Advancement Officer. Over the two and a half years since, we have had the privilege of working with Kelly to help her hire most of her executive leadership team, including the Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Human Resources. CF Canada was Kelly’s first CEO position, and she was determined to hire a strong group of leaders to help her elevate the work of the organization.
It is a great pleasure to work with a client partner like Kelly. She has exceptional instincts that allow her to be a quick and decisive decision-maker but has the confidence and humility to understand how much she can learn from others. As a pragmatic optimist she’s able to assess a situation both clearly and constructively, and as a fierce and loyal leader, she’s committed to both supporting and learning from the people she hires.
Even as she led the organization through the unprecedented challenges of the Covid pandemic, she spearheaded the introduction of the “miracle drug” Trikafta to Canada. This drug has been life-changing for over 90% of people with CF.
Kelly joined CF Canada after having been VP of Operations at Ovarian Cancer Canada, and I was especially interested in her perspective as a first-time CEO. When asked about lessons learned, Kelly had a few key messages for new CEOs.
- PATIENCE. Kelly said she didn’t realize how much pressure there would be to move quickly, but she discovered that there is a lot of value in taking time when making important decisions. Of course there are always crucial decisions that need to be made quickly, but often there is breathing room to learn more about the organization and people before acting. She said that at times it was uncomfortable to identify a problem and sit with it before reacting, but this is what she has learned to do.
- Authentic Leadership. Kelly believes that there is no one-size-fits-all leadership persona and that there can be room for many different approaches. CEOs come in all shapes and sizes, and she thinks it’s essential for new CEOs to develop the management style that works best for themselves and the organization they’re leading.
- Find Good People. Kelly is proud of the team she has built. She has technically strong people to advise her and she’s confident enough to enjoy being challenged by those with greater functional experience. She knows her team is highly strategic and smart, and offers expertise that she and the organization can leverage to become stronger.
I asked Kelly what she would do differently if she’d known when she started what she knows now, and here’s what she said. She would talk less and listen more. She would put less pressure on herself to have all the answers, even with the Board. She would understand it’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. She would get out and meet more stakeholders and external partners. She would value the experience she brought to her new role. And she would do much more yoga breathing!
Thank you Kelly for entrusting us to help you build your leadership team.
