Leadership inspires learning and growth

Leadership doesn't come from a vacuum; leadership is a skill that must be learned and continually honed. We met with Mary Wynne, Chief Executive Officer for Fusion Learning Partners, to discuss the nature of leadership.

Fusion is a national nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis, where Mary has served as the executive for nine years. This includes leading the organization through a number of critical changes and growth opportunities including the COVID-19 pandemic, an organizational rebrand and most recently the acquisition of a new line of business. Prior to Fusion, Mary served in leadership roles in national and statewide nonprofit organizations for over 25 years.

How do you define leadership? What does leadership mean to you?

Leadership is one of those words that can be both loaded and empty at the same time. There’s a lot of wisdom in books and articles about leadership, but there are also a lot of clichés out there.

When I am asked this question, what I really want to do is to tell stories about my dad or other people in my life who have each in their own way given me threads to draw upon and weave together. My leadership tapestry looks different then my mentors and guides, but the common threads I pull upon are accountability, integrity, humility, vision, courage, joy and connection.

In terms of my leadership role as CEO, I try to be someone who inspires learning and growth, on both a personal/individual basis as well as for the organization as a whole. Of course, it’s also about setting direction, strategic decision-making, and delivering on goals. As a small but growing organization that has gone through significant changes over the past several years, I also have to wear a number of hats from change management, talent management, marketing and business development as well as sometimes delivering direct service to our clients and customers.

It’s definitely a challenge to move in and out of all of these different modes, and I know I am not always successful at it – I can get stuck in the “doing” mode pretty easily because the need is great and my inclination to be of service is great. Opportunities like this to step back, reflect and refine are actually really key to successful leadership.

A big part of organization leadership is about the big picture. How do you get that “big picture” view in your organization?

Visioning and ideation has always been something that comes naturally to me. That’s not to say that every vision or idea is a good one, but I’m not afraid to “go there.” Like I said, it’s just a core strength of mine. I also really gravitate to seeing the connections between things and people – there is so much opportunity for collective or mutually beneficial impact. I think the combination of a deep desire to be of service to something greater and staying open to opportunities are key for me to seeing the big picture.

Another really important influence on me is the feedback, talent and expertise of others. I might have a seed of an idea, or see a possibility, but when other members of my team, board or advisors see it, expand on it and make it actionable – that’s where the real magic happens.

Leadership also means coaching future leaders. What qualities do you look for in future leaders?

I had a mentor once who told me not to be afraid to “lead up” – leaders rely on their staff to give them insights, share their ideas and even give them feedback that’s difficult. That was the start of my own leadership journey – helping my leaders in whatever capacity I could to be the best at their role.

So I look for that, and try to coach that concept in others. I also look for people who are intrinsically wired to serve something greater than themselves.

At the end of the day, it’s a combination of passion, courage, team work, integrity and the ability to lead in all directions that catches my eye.

What advice would you give to folks who want to step into a leadership role?

To embrace and practice the leadership role you are already in. Everyone has influence – that is not gifted by a title or the type of work you do. Learning how to use your influence in the most beneficial way possible starts you down the path.

I think it’s also important to remember that leadership is not a destination – it is very much about the journey and your willingness to continually learn and grow because no one has it all figured out. Pay attention to the mentors and guides along the way, and sometimes the best teachers are the ones you don’t want to emulate. I can honestly say I learned lessons that were just as valuable from terrible leaders as I did from ones that I admired.

How can IT leaders or organizational leaders build new skills?

First and foremost, leaders have to embrace the mindset of a learner. There are too many leaders who, because of their title or position, feel like they can’t take a course or attend a professional conference (unless they are a speaker). I think it is critical that organizational leaders not only model the importance of continuing education for their team, but that they actively seek opportunities that are going to continue to expose them to new ideas, innovations and approaches.

For public sector IT leaders, there are a number of opportunities for growing knowledge, skills and connections, several of which I am proud to say Fusion Learning Partner’s Public Technology Institute offers. Next month, we are bringing together hundreds of leaders and their teams from across the country at the GOVIT Leadership Summit and Symposium This legacy event creates a space where leaders, technologists, and business partners from across government agencies and sectors can get off their islands and have an open, collective dialogue about what’s new, what’s working, and where the challenges lie. It’s a chance for cities, counties, state and other agencies to learn together and share best practices.

Beyond the Summit & Symposium, we offer one of the few certifications for government CIOs. Our Certified Government Chief Information Officer certificate program is a nationally recognized, 12- month course that lays the foundation for assessing and addressing some of the most critical issues facing IT leadership in the public sector. Hundreds of graduates of this program proudly display their credential and alumni have developed a really supportive leadership community. Another element of leadership that is vital – staying connected with other leaders!

How do you see the landscape changing in your industry, and how do you address those challenges?

In the professional development/continuing education industry, there is so much more emphasis now on micro-credentialing, peer learning and creating a community of learners. We are actually really poised to meet those needs through our current learning programs and events, but of course there is always room for growth and improvement.

I think there are several elements we need to lean into in the coming years including diversifying our portfolio of offerings as well as creating pathways or linkages among those offerings, building our bench of subject matter experts, partnering with other organizations to leverage resources, and of course continuing to utilize technology as well as more traditional avenues to build community.

Thanks to Mary for providing this leadership perspective. If you'd like to learn more, consider attending the GOVIT Leadership Summit and Symposium. It's coming up soon: November 19-21 in Bloomington, Minnesota.