Hartford Business Journal

20 Hartford Business Journal • June 25, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com EDITOR'S TAKE Leadership advice from the late Felix Rappaport F oxwoods Resort Casino President and CEO Felix Rappaport was not a well- known name in Greater Hartford's business community. But that didn't stop the announcement of his sudden and unexpected death June 18 from sending shockwaves through this state and the broader gaming community. I was also taken aback by his sudden passing. It's not that I knew him well. In fact, I only met him in person one time this April when he graciously agreed to participate in Hartford Business Journal's 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes event, where top C-level executives are invited to share their best management and leadership tips. What intrigued me about Rappaport, who was 65 at the time of his death, was his down-to-earth personality. Yes, he was the CEO of one of the world's largest casinos, which employs more than 6,000 people and raked in $848.1 million in net revenues last fiscal year, but he didn't carry around an ego or sense of entitlement. He had a humble demeanor that was refreshing and apparent in my first encounter with him. He thanked me for inviting him to the 90 Ideas event, then handed me his business card along with an open invitation to call him person- ally if I or HBJ ever needed anything. I've met many high-profile CEOs but few have given me their personal phone number and the greenlight to hail them whenever I had questions. The encounter seemed to reflect some of Rappaport's key leadership tenets: to be authentic, humble and nice. During his five-minute presentation at the Hartford Club he recounted that he's worked for extremely volatile bosses who provided examples of how not to lead. He said he'd much rather be a coach or chief motivational officer than a browbeater. "It's all about getting people to want to do things for you," he told the crowd of 200 or so business owners and leaders. "To me, I'd rather have people want to work for me and run through a brick wall then be afraid of me." He also described himself as a "working stiff." "I consider myself just one more cog in the wheel," he said. "We have 6,500 team members at Foxwoods and arguably many of their jobs are far more im- portant than anything I ever do." I can't say whether or not Rappaport practiced what he preached behind closed doors, but I share these anecdotes because I think his leadership advice can provide a positive blueprint for current or up-and-coming executives, particularly in a day and age when the demands and stresses of running an organization are as intense as ever. Rappaport had a national reputation — he's worked for and held top executive roles at many of the world's most well-known names in the industry (Station Casinos, Hershey Entertainment and Resort Co., Mirage, Treasure Island and MGM Resorts International) — but judging from his remarks, he seemed to have never lost sight of being a human being first, and executive second. Here are the 10 leadership ideas that Rappaport shared during our 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes event. They serve as part of his legacy. Have compassion. (Leaders must have empathy for their team members, and make it a point to get to know them on both a professional and personal level.) Trust your team. (Hire the smartest team possible and serve as a catalyst to help bring their ideas to fruition.) Be a coach or chief motivational officer. Be transparent and open. Be authentic and humble. Pick your battles. Make decisions with your head, heart and gut. (Be emotionally invested in your company, trust your instincts in tandem with your business strategy and pivot accordingly.) Stay on top of industry trends. (Create a culture of innovation; borrow ideas from outside of your industry and other elements of society.) Solve problems. Evolve. (Don't be afraid to take risks and look for new opportunities.) COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Why leaders ought to become 'parachute packers' By Sandra "Sandi" Coyne I love to tell stories, not just mine but others as well. I love the way a story can weave connections and present an idea or concept that might otherwise be missed. One of my favorite stories is about Chuck Plumb. Plumb was a Navy pilot flying off the Kitty Hawk in the Vietnam War when he was shot down. He spent time in the prison known as the "Hanoi Hilton," but was eventu- ally released. When he retired from the Navy he became a motivational speaker. One evening when he and his wife were at a restaurant, he was approached by a man he did not recognize. "Are you Chuck Plumb, and did you fly off the Kitty Hawk in Vietnam?" Plumb answered, "Yes," and then the man quickly said, "I packed your parachute." Plumb was shocked and mumbled thanks to him, telling him he saved his life with his care. But Plumb did not remember who this man was, and this tor- mented him. This unknown para- chute packer, doing his job, played a critical role in Plumb succeeding in doing his. He real- ized we all need parachute packers who work tirelessly to advance an outcome but who neither accept nor need praise for what they do. I would like to suggest that as leaders in our organizations and in our communities, we need and must become parachute packers ourselves. Leading often means doing things that people do not always notice, but completing the action makes life a bit easier. Small and meaning- ful actions behind the scenes can and often do transform workplaces and communities. Negotiating for a raise for staff or making sure health benefits remain consistent won't win a Noble Peace Prize, but these actions help people achieve an orga- nization's goals. Leaders recognize that we all depend on parachute packers, and must not allow them to be for- gotten. They grace our lives even though we often do not realize they are there. Being aware of who does what for us and the impact it has on our lives is just one aspect of enhanced awareness. Too often we put our heads down and focus on our busy lives rather than on the people we meet or inter- act with on a daily basis. This heads- down attitude limits connections within workplaces, neighborhoods and families. But how do we "grow" parachute packers in our organizations and in our communities? First, we agree that we must truly work together to nurture and develop all, regardless of how visible their role might be. We set goals that endorse true collaboration. Parachute packers develop when our culture empowers people to help oth- ers and truly be focused on the best for all. It is time that organizations and communi- ties consider what it means to value a true team orienta- tion, to create an environment that works for everyone. When people are not worried about getting the glory, true parachute packers emerge, empowered to help each other, achieve common goals and share the success together. We feed off each other's ideas and in the process become engaged; our cul- ture truly focuses on the best for all em- ployees and citizens, and our lives are exponentially enriched in the process. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu once said, "A leader is best when people barely know he ex- ists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, 'we did it ourselves.' " Perhaps that is what true leadership is: each of us packing parachutes for others and knowing that someone has packed ours. Sandra Coyne is the director of the organizational leadership master's degree program at Goodwin College and a recent graduate of Leadership Greater Hartford's Executive Orientation Program. Leading often means doing things that people do not always notice, but completing the action makes life a bit easier. Opinion & Commentary Greg Bordonaro Editor Sandra "Sandi" Coyne

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