Susan M. Ifill, NeighborWorks® America’s executive vice president and chief operating officer for the last five years, retires this month, leaving behind a legacy of tackling affordable housing and community development challenges. Her career has included banking – she was at both Carver Federal Savings Bank and Bank of America. It has included nonprofit leadership – she served as CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services in New York. And it has included community – her volunteer work has included serving on the boards of Cambridge College and Purple Heart Homes.
This summer she held a master class for NeighborWorks staff, reflecting on lessons learn from a storied career in an industry that requires both savvy and passion. Following are some lessons gleaned from her class, facilitated by Human Resources’ Nandi Hopps.
A member of Toastmasters, Ifill’s mantra when she speaks is “be brief, be bright and be gone.” Her comments below include inspirational quotes she’s fond of using, along with her own words of wisdom.
“What we do for ourselves dies with us; what we do for others in the world remains and is immortal.” Albert Pines
NeighborWorks: Did you have a specific challenge that felt like a setback but turned out to be a turning point for your growth?
Ifill: I always had this perception that every position I was put in was a challenge and someone was testing me not to see if I would succeed, but to see if I would fail. You have to remember, this was back in the 80s in banking, so there were not a lot of young black females in the bank. There were only a handful of people of color in management and none of them in executive positions.
I watched, listened, asked questions, and said yes to every job that they gave me. I also doubled down on my performance wherever they put me and whatever they wanted me to do, and I did it in a way I was successful.
And lastly, I shared those ‘flowers’ with everyone who helped no matter how big or small their role was. All of those people who helped me be successful, particularly people who were junior to me, I knew that they were someday going to be wildly successful themselves. I'm here to give whatever success I have with everybody.
“Leadership is disappointing people at a rate they can take.” Anonymous
NeighborWorks: How do you identify high-potential talent?
Ifill: You don't manage people, you lead people. So you’re going to disappoint people and you have to get comfortable with that.
There are four things I look for when I hire:
A desire to serve. We are in the service business, and if you don't want to serve people, then you don't belong here.
Deductive reasoning skills. You're not going to know it all, but you're going to have enough information and intuition that you have to trust in yourself that you are going to be able to make a reasonable decision with the information you have.
External interests. I'm going to continue to throw things over the fence until you yell uncle, and unless you have external interests or people, family, friends that will take you away from the work to regenerate, you’re not going to be any good to yourself, to me or to the company.
Sense of humor. You can't come into any of this work so seriously that you burn yourself out. You can't take yourself so seriously.
And one non-negotiable trait I look for when adding people to my team is you can't be a jerk. That that's rule number one.”
NeighborWorks: And what about when you have to let somebody go?
Ifill: If it ever gets easy, then you should no longer be a manager. I try very hard for the last day of a person's work with me to be as respectful as the first.
Don’t lie to people, good or bad. When you have to take action on a person's performance, be clear and be quick. Respect is just one of those values that shapes the culture that we build every day.
NeighborWorks: What's one mindset all leaders need to embrace today to be further prepared for tomorrow?
Ifill: We really don't know what the future holds. And so you can only work with the information you have. One quote I like is that none of us knows what all of us know. So you have to constantly figure out how to educate yourself for what is and what should be.
Be fearless, be willing to make mistakes, own those mistakes. You are not responsible for the versions of you that exist in other people's minds so don't craft yourself to where you think people believe you should be.
NeighborWorks: Do you have other advice for us?
Ifill: If you hear and see or read something that you love, write it down. And then continue to share it.
We are currently in a world where … people are just not as nice. You have to understand there are truly winners and losers. The winners aren't the best people and the losers aren't the worst. But managers have to call it and have to do something about it because other people are watching. You have to imagine that things are going to go wrong in every circumstance and be prepared to act.
With artificial intelligence, the speed of change is now beyond warp speed. Expect to see brilliant things and crazy things requiring you to act.
NeighborWorks: What are some ways to support teams through change and uncertainty?
Ifill: Your anxiety as leaders translates to people on your team and so the first thing you need to do is figure out how to address your own anxiety and your questions. But you also have to be honest with people. I've never lied to my people about what's hard, or what I think is going to happen.
NeighborWorks: What book would you recommend we all read?
Ifill: Dealing With People You Can't Stand. (Rick Kirschner and Rick Brinkman)
NeighborWorks: What is the role of an “argument” in discussion?
Ifill: Arguments are good. You have one position. I have one. I'm firm in mine. You're firm in yours. If you make a compelling argument, I have to go back and either get more information to support my position or I’m adapting to your position, either way, we’re now having a dialogue and everyone wins.
NeighborWorks: What advice would you give your younger self?
Ifill: My parents were remarkable people and I am I the way I am because of them. I like where I am today and if I changed anything of my younger self, I might not be who I am. So I don't want to change anything.
NeighborWorks: Any final thoughts?
Ifill: Keep learning, don’t stop.
No day is promised, I’ve seen so many examples of people who waited until they were retired [to do the things they wanted] and then something happened and they didn't get to enjoy the final years of their life. So that's what I'm going to do until I can't. And if I got my numbers wrong and I run out of money? ‘Welcome to Walmart.’
My final thoughts for all my colleagues are from the words of Winston Churchill: Be kind but be fierce. You are needed now more than ever.
