This interview was conducted by Dr. John Loblack and posted to his LinkedIn page.
If you conducted a leadership study, you might find that the average leader dislikes feedback and hates to be held accountable. That is not the case with Mike Sutton, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside. Mike would, however, be the first to confess that he did not always feel that way.
“In my formative years, I did not understand why my mother went the extra mile to hold me accountable. Now, in retrospect, I understand why she did it, and I am grateful for it.” As for feedback, he thanks his inner circle for helping him develop the muscle to embrace feedback, especially critical feedback.
He notes, “I learned to embrace it because they would not have given me feedback if they did not care about me. I would not have grown into the leader I am today without their support.”
Interestingly, as a young boy, Mike had no interest in leadership. While in high school, he says, “I shied away from leadership roles, whether in sports or clubs. I only wanted to be a member and do my part to be a team player. Do not ask me to be a team captain, and do not ask me to be the club president.”
Fortunately, for Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside, he changed his perspective on leadership while in college. He says that, as president of his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon, his eyes were opened to the impact he could have on the lives of others. “While some saw being involved in a fraternity as a four-year-and-done thing that focused on the social aspect, I was drawn to the business aspect of Greek Life,” he states.
He says his involvement in recruiting members, holding people accountable, and building relationships with alums deepened his confidence in his ability to grow as a leader. “That was when it dawned on me that I had what it takes to help others grow and develop.”
Over the years, however, Mike has learned that leadership success comes down to relationships. And it starts and ends with your ability to find the right people to fill the important roles in the organization. “Getting the people side of the business right increases your odds of mushrooming into an effective leader. That means being great at assessing how they fit into the organizational culture.”
That is a lesson, he says, “I learned the hard way.” “I remember how hard it was for us to fill an executive position. Three times, we were convinced we had the right person. Each time, we were wrong. Then, we realized that culture fit was as important as credentials and experience,” he adds.
That lesson, however, is not the only lesson he has learned as the president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside.
While he hesitated to label his brand of leadership, he says that because of his experience, he has identified some of the skills of an effective leader. “To be effective, leaders must be strong listeners, risk takers, innovative, creative, decisive, and open to criticism. And they must lead by example.”
In the end, Mike says, he is where he is today because of his mother. “Early in life, she reminded me that I had a responsibility to help others. That seed she sowed in me is one of the things that keeps me going.” He adds that his ability to impact the lives of those he works with and those we serve in the community is another thing that keeps him motivated.
Despite his best efforts as a leader, he observes that he needs the help of others to maximize his opportunities. To that end, he says he surrounds himself with people who would challenge him and hold him accountable. While his support circle keeps him motivated, books and the Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay keep him abreast of leadership news and trends.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states and in more than 70 countries. Habitat visualizes a world where everyone has a decent place to live. To realize that vision, Habitat works by building and improving homes in partnership with individuals and families that need a decent and affordable place to live.
