Zina Sutch - Leading with Love and Laughter: Letting Go and Getting Real at Work

LEADING with LOVE and LAUGHTER

Leading with Love and Laughter

Copyright 2021 by Zina Sutch and Patrick Malone

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First Edition

Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-5230-9321-2

PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-5230-9322-9

IDPF e-book ISBN 978-1-5230-9323-6

Digital audio ISBN 978-1-5230-9324-3

2021-1

Book producer and text designer: Leigh McLellan. Author photo: Bill Petros. Cover designer: Nola Burger. Copyeditor: Elissa Rabellino. Proofreader: Mary Hazlewood. Indexer: Ken DellaPenta.

For Lidia and Billie Faye

Anyone picking up this book might be wondering not only why this topic and why now, but also who these authors are and what brought them together to write this book. Like they say on Facebook, its complicated. No, not really. We think there is a set of core beliefs that we both share, and some would argue that these beliefs were being cultivated our entire lives. When we were brought together through a series of professional and personal events, it felt as if we had found our purposewe saw our future filled with, you guessed it, love and laughter. We will share how this book was born in the introduction, but for now, lets talk about the least important thing in this bookus. LOL.

We were both born into loving families, and for much of our childhoods we experienced many challenges. One of us is the daughter of two immigrants who came to this country with their families in their late teens, found each other in New England, served in the armed forces, and started their own family. The other was born in Texas to parents whose roots in America, from what we can tell, date back to the early 1800s. Both of us share common threads in our upbringing; we both began with meager means and tight budgets, doing without all of the latest and greatest things, yet occasionally we were treated to gifts such as a guitar or piano and music lessons. These gifts, we recognized at a young age, came from our parents sacrifices and exceptional work ethic, for which we are both so very grateful. We learned early on that we might not have had what everyone else had, but we had families that struggled and fortunately made it. In one of our families, love and laughter were evident and observable, demonstrative and expressive. In the other, love and laughter were a bit more reserved, expressed on a more personal level and quietly, without fanfare. Yet we both felt loved and experienced joy.

We were each the first in our family to earn a doctoral degree, and for one of us this was while serving in the U.S. Navy for twenty-three years and raising three daughters. For the other, the degree was earned over ten years while working in public service full time and raising two daughters. Yes, that makes for a handful of amazing daughters between us.

What we share are a belief in the importance of serving others, especially those less fortunate; the ability to empathize with others in difficult situations; the need for kindness and compassion in our everyday lives; the belief that every individual has value; and many more along these lines. These ideals brought us individually to the Key Executive Leadership Programs at American University, one as the director of the programs, the other as a student and eventually a faculty member. This is where, through classroom dialogue and much discussion, our personal and professional connection was formed. We learned how much we already shared, how passionate we both were about the same things, and how much we could do working together. We both teach leadership development in these programs, and after numerous conversations and similar observations, we knew we had something to offer and a new path to forge.

We did not do this work alone. There are so many we want to acknowledge who influenced us and were the reason we came together, learned together, and wrote together.

First, we must thank Don Zauderer, founder of the Key Executive Leadership Programs, and the reason we met. He had the vision, the understanding, and the chutzpah to challenge the way leaders are developed. Don brought cohorts together and nurtured leaders to build loving relationships with each other before they ever read a book or learned a best practice. We also gratefully acknowledge Karlease Kelly, who was the supervisor that recommended an approach with an open heart, which you will read about in the introduction. She started us on this path of using words that are uncommon in the workplace. She is the consummate human leader. Smart, caring, loving. Thank you, Karlease.

Much love and appreciation to our colleagues who support, teach, and coach in the Key Executive Leadership Programs. They exhibit love and laughter every day, whether it be in the classroom, one-on-one, or with one another. You are the best there is at uncovering leadership talent, and we love and respect all of you.

We also want to thank all of the great leaders for whom we have worked that showed us what to do, what not to do, how to love, and how to laugh: Rosalind H., Beth, Jeff, Karlease, Mark, Mr. Spurck, Raquel, Vicky, Linda, Dave, and any weve missed. You all have touched us, inspired us, and made us the leaders we are. Thank you for your love when we needed it, and the laughter timed just perfectly.

Leading people is a lot like creating a work family. There are joy and tears, fun and fears. Thank you to our kids for teaching us to laugh and love in ways we never thought possible.