“Building a strong culture is what builds a strong organization.”
Simon Sinek

We love Simon Sinek’s perspective here at Intelisys. Building productive teams and creating a positive culture in today’s workplace can be challenging. As someone who has managed teams for almost ten years, I am still learning what it takes to be a great leader and how to hire, inspire, motivate, and retain. John Wooden said that the best leaders are lifelong learners, and I could not agree more!

This year at ScanSource Channel Connect, we developed and hosted our first-ever Executive Lighting Round Breakfast, where channel leaders convened to share their perspectives and insights on a handful of key topics that are top of mind across the industry.

Our first panel, led by SVP of Supplier Services Paul Constantine, was focused on people, culture, and building teams – a topic many of us (including myself) in the channel are extremely passionate about.

The insights shared in the room are too good not to share broadly with the rest of #IntelisysNation. Here are a few key takeaways I gained from this panel that I’ll be adding to my lessons in leadership arsenal.

Hiring

AT&T’s Chris Jones’ “Compass Rose” hiring philosophy can be deployed to ensure diversity of viewpoints across your team. He suggested that hiring individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives can provide numerous benefits, including expedited learning, more intelligent decision-making, and more.

Jim Regan at Vonage had a great suggestion for hiring new employees. He looks for individuals who can tell the company’s story better than he can. Great (read: not just good) candidates will also expect you to provide the right tools, resources, and structure and hold you accountable—so prepare to ensure you can land and retain these prime employees.

Motivating

I loved this advice for motivating individuals: Don’t overlook the obvious…ask them.

Mike Day from GoTo spoke about asking your employees what motivates and demotivates them. While obvious, it’s surprising how frequently this still needs to be done. He has learned that motivators can vary across geographies, cultures, and individuals. Asking the right questions and creating meaningful incentives can dramatically increase performance and loyalty.

As Charlie Pagliazzo from Granite points out, work/life balance matters. He suggested leaders consider offering non-traditional “perks” like flexible work schedules, paid volunteer time, a focus on DE&I, and intramural activities such as sports or book clubs to ensure that your employees can connect and that culture remains king.

Collaborating

Rethink how you prepare and solicit ideas from your team during meetings like Ken Williams from T-Mobile does. He recommended that leaders clearly outline the problem they are trying to solve and the key tenants of why it’s important. Doing this in advance with detailed meeting agendas allows your collaborators to ask questions and provide their thoughts (before sharing your own) before making the final decision.

Leading

Leaders should always strive to be genuine by investing in their employees’ success. And, as David Kelly from Windstream points out, if you’re not taking care of yourself, you can’t take care of others, so it’s important to take time to focus on your health and well-being so you can best serve your team.

Creating a culture of trust is key. As Spectrum’s Marty Leavengood pointed out, trust becomes the currency of any high-performing organization. He suggested taking steps to ensure your employees feel included, valued, and heard, as this will pay huge dividends for you and your organization.

 

Follow all of these leaders on LinkedIn:

Be on the lookout for my next blog on the second panel in our Executive Lightning Round, which is focused on technology trends and innovations. All of the insights shared by our panelists can be viewed below and on our YouTube channel.

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Ken Mills

President

Ken Mills serves as President of Intelisys and is committed to driving growth for Intelisys and our partners. As a distinguished technology executive with over two decades of experience, Ken has previously held leadership roles at EPIC iO, Dell Technologies and Cisco, and served as a fellow with the U.S. Department of State. His strategic mindset has been an integral part of launching innovative products and solutions in the fields of AI, IoT, and 5G. Ken is driven by his curiosity and passion for groundbreaking technology and complex problems, and constantly explores new frontiers in the world of technology.

Monica Lutes

Manager, People & Culture, ScanSource, Inc. and Intelisys

As Manager, People & Culture, Monica has worked closely with Intelisys employees and leaders since 2018 and has worked with ScanSource companies since 2016. A Human Resources professional with 11 years of experience encompassing all areas of HR, especially employee relations, recruiting, compliance, and training, Monica approaches her role as Manager, People & Culture from a consultative perspective. Her goal is to provide advice and guidance to leaders so they can focus on growing the best teams for the business while also supporting employees’ goals.

Ansley Hoke

SVP Marketing, ScanSource, Inc. and Intelisys

Ansley Hoke is the Senior Vice President of Marketing at ScanSource, Inc., a role she has held since 2019, and extended her leadership to include Intelisys in 2023. She joined the company in 2001, serving in merchandising leadership roles for ScanSource POS and Barcode, including acting Vice President of Merchandising and then later VP of Merchandising for ScanSource Catalyst and overall VP of ScanSource Catalyst. She oversaw sales, supplier relations, and services. Known for her pivotal role in creating effective marketing strategies, Ansley has been integral in driving demand, enhancing partner programs, and significantly contributing to the company’s revenue growth and channel relationships.

Mike Baur

CEO of ScanSource, Inc. and Interim President of Intelisys

Mike Baur serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at ScanSource. Mike has served as the Company’s President or CEO since its inception, as a director since December 1995, and as Chairman of the Board since February 2019. Mike has developed a deep institutional knowledge and perspective regarding ScanSource’s strengths, challenges and opportunities. He has more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry, having served in various leadership and senior management roles in the technology and distribution industries before joining ScanSource. Mike brings strong leadership, entrepreneurial, business building and development skills and experience to the Board.

Stephanie Bouras

Regional Vice President, Southeast

Driven by a partner-first philosophy and a passion for innovation, Bouras embodies a leadership style that’s both compassionate and data-driven. As the Regional Vice President, Southeast, at Intelisys, she’s leveraged her extensive marketing and sales experience to propel her team to new heights. A firm believer in aligning herself with her partners, she sees herself as a collaborator and an integral part of their business. This perspective has allowed her to forge deep connections and drive success. A Florida native, Stephanie’s attention to detail and unwavering commitment to her partners have been key factors in her success.

Michael Raspanti

Regional Vice President, Northeast

Michael joined Intelisys in June of 2020, as a long-time channel veteran. He is responsible for leading the Northeast Region, helping continue the tremendous momentum in one of our strongest markets while also recruiting new up and coming partners that will be the growth engine of our future success.

Kristy Thomas

Vice President, Partner Experience and Enablement

Thomas is responsible for Sales Partner enablement and education for all our technology segments, including CX, managed security, mobility, and connectivity. With over 20 years of executive background in telephony, UCaaS, CCaaS and Cloud services, Kristy enables her customers to think broader and deeper as she guides them through their decision journey. Some of the biggest deals in the channel have become a reality thanks to the expertise and humble excellence Kristy brings to her client’s projects.