Hartford Business Journal

20 Hartford Business Journal • November 21, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com OPINION & COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Time to extend an olive branch to Trump G ov. Dannel P. Malloy and Connecticut's Congressional delegation are likely still getting over their Election Day hangover, in which their candidate, Hillary Clinton, lost in a stunning upset to the bombastic and temperamental President-Elect Donald Trump. For Malloy, who is unpopular at home and was for a time rumored to be in the running for a job in the Clinton administration, the election results were particularly disheartening. But it's time for the governor and Connecticut's Democratic U.S. senators and rep- resentatives to put the hard feelings aside and begin to extend an olive branch to the Trump administration. Showing a willingness of bipartisanship to a new president is the right thing to do, but more importantly Connecticut's top political brass must work across the aisle — now that Republicans control the legislative and executive branches — to ensure the state receives at least its fair share of federal funding. Connecticut remains mired in a deep fiscal crisis, so every federal dollar the state secures could mean one less cut to services, or reduce the threat of further tax hikes. The state receives billions of dollars from the federal government each year (accord- ing to a 2012 Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee report, Con- necticut received $7.7 billion in federal grants for state and local governments in fiscal 2010, which placed it 18th among all states on a per-capita basis), and with the GOP now controlling those purse strings, efforts to build relationships across the aisle will be as important as ever. Under President Obama, Connecticut had a friend in the Oval Office. In fact, Obama and Malloy, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association, were said to be close allies. Those dynamics obviously will change. The stakes will become even higher in the years ahead as Connecticut looks for bil- lions of dollars in federal funds to help pay for major infrastructure projects, including the remake of the I-84 Hartford viaduct. Rep. John Larson's vision to create a $10 billion tunnel system through Hartford will be nothing more than a pipe dream without sup- port from a Trump administration. Fortunately, Trump has signaled a desire to back a major U.S. infrastructure invest- ment, so this is one area where common ground can be hatched. Trump's desire to bolster the military — which could provide more funding to the likes of Pratt and Whitney, Sikorsky and other manufacturers that feed off the nation's military-industrial complex — could also benefit the state, but if Connecticut is going to get its fair share of the pie, relationships must start to be built now. So far, there are some signs bipartisanship efforts will be made. In a press confer- ence last week, U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy said they will give Trump a chance to lead and even listed several areas by which they could work together. Of course, that goodwill didn't last long, after both senators and the rest of Connecti- cut's delegation put out press releases raising alarms about Trump's choice of Stephen Bannon, whose right-wing website Breitbart has been accused of peddling racist and misogynist comments, as a chief strategist. That demonstrates the tight rope Blumenthal and company will have to walk with Trump, who we hope will conduct himself in a more statesman-like manner now that he is set to become leader of the free world. And, to be clear, we aren't saying federal funds will be the answer to Connecticut's fiscal woes. Malloy and state legislators have plenty of work to do restructuring state government to make it more affordable for taxpayers, but any extra help we can get in the meantime would be a plus. n OTHER VOICES Leading the change, changing the lead By Nancy Wheeler C harles Darwin once stated, "It's not the fastest or strongest that survive. It's the ones most adaptive to change." While the well-known naturalist and scientist was referencing species in the woods, his pro- found words reflect yet another evolving environment: The world of leadership. Consider the last time you had a conflict within your organization. It is likely that at some point during this dis- ruption, communica- tion may have been at issue; either the way it was delivered or how it was received. The mark of a true leader is to foster an environment where effective communication is weaved into the very fabric of organizational culture. Leadership is not about whom, but how. In other words, it is not the person delivering the message or direction for the organization, but how that message is delivered, and, more importantly, how it is received. True leaders do not create follow- ers, but instead they create more leaders, and the core of this is through open, honest and engaging com- munication through all levels within the organization. A good leader understands that the strength and effec- tiveness of an orga- nization lies in its many parts that come together with a sense of shared ownership, thus creating an environment where goals are met and morale is strong. Today more than ever, most work settings are in a constant state of transition. Changes and disruptions take place every day in the work place, and the most effective leaders are the ones who can navigate change, while motivating and inspiring. Changes for the better within an organi- zation — new leadership, upgraded technol- ogy, leaner operations — are often extremely uncomfortable for employees, but it is the leaders within these organizations who must navigate through these bumps in the road while remaining steady and continuing to accom- plish key strategic goals and objectives. The best leaders never waver from their vision, hard work and leveraging opportunities that move toward sustainable change for generations. Finally, diversity offers a competitive advantage for all organizations. An effective leader embraces diversity — diversity of gen- der, age, ideas and culture — which creates a melting pot of input from employees. Not all ideas come to fruition, but the organiza- tion feels engaged in the process of success, and employees feel a sense of ownership and accountability that allows them to shine within their role. It is a win-win for everyone. Times are changing in our business world. We see it every day. New technology disrupts organizations, often taking one step back- wards to take multiple steps towards utopia. Some of our workforce is aging out into retire- ment, taking with them generations of ideas on leadership and success, while fresh, new faces begin to enter decision-making roles with different perspectives and strategies. The trend of change appears to be perma- nent. Economic ups and downs make deci- sions even more impactful, constant changes to the political landscape influence the way we do business on a day-to-day basis, and orga- nizational structures are evolving to increase revenue streams and build brands. Zappos, the online shoe and clothing shop, has gone so far as to create a holacrat- ic organization, with no titles, no manag- ers and no hierarchy. Everyone is empow- ered to be a leader. There are different styles and approaches to being an effective leader. For me, it has always been about working hard, being a team player and taking risks. That has led me to where I am today. But whatever the approach, everyone must be responsible for her and his own work and accountable to each other and the team. In that way, everyone can be a leader. Join the MetroHartford Alliance Nov. 29 for its annual Rising Star Breakfast in part- nership with The Hartford. This year's theme is "Leading the Change: Changing the Lead," which will feature a panel discussion with three prominent leaders, each of whom will address leadership strategies, working in an environment with change and disruptors, and looking ahead to the future of leadership and innovation. For more information and to register, visit www.metrohartford.com. n Nancy Wheeler is the senior vice president and executive director of investor relations at the MetroHartford Alliance. HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM POLL Will a Trump presidency help or hurt CT's ability to attract federal funding? ● Help ● Hurt ● No change To vote, go online to HartfordBusiness.com. Last week's poll results: After last week's state and U.S. elections, are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future? 58.5% Optimistic 29.8% Pessimistic 11.7% Uncertain Nancy Wheeler ▶ ▶ Leadership is not about whom, but how. In other words, it is not the person delivering the message or direction for the organization, but how that message is delivered, and, more importantly, how it is received. Send Us Your Letters The Hartford Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and guest commentaries for our opinion pages. Electronic submissions are preferred and welcome at: editor@HartfordBusiness.com.

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