A Team of Rivals and the Art of Leadership

Matthew Anderson: [: 00:00:00

So that's where I, I think it gave me a leg up. In business in that, I started [00:01:00] talking about the work and not being, while I was still personally attached to the work, I wasn't. It wasn't so precious and deeply personal that I couldn't talk about it. So that kind of helped there.

In business, I think there's, if you're not getting a criticism, if you're not talking through things, and again, it goes back to that, I have a lot of blind spots. I can only. Experience and do things from the mat perspective, I, I need those people that are looking at it.

Sometimes people that don't have no idea what I'm doing, listening to what if I can't explain why I'm doing something or can't give a good reason for it, then I have a gap. And if I'm not asking these questions, I'm missing critical pieces and I need those people. And, and oh, and then also reading into history.

d with him, like really like [: 00:02:00

And I think it's what made him a great leader because he was aware of things from his, from the doubters, from the critics he could understand and really work through things and turned. Maybe not his cabinet into fans of his, but people that understood what he was thinking, what he was trying to do, and helped him move the country forward through some amazingly difficult times.

Alexa Beavers: A hobby that started in childhood helped this leader form a unique mindset that actually gave him an edge when facing criticism during a high stakes rollout. Wait until you hear how embracing his whole human experience transformed how he leads.

g to lead human resources as [: 00:03:00

He is shr, MSCP certified, serves as director of Workforce Readiness for Central New Mexico SHRM chapter and is a member of SHR M'S. Executive Network. Passionate about both people and processes. Matthew brings a unique perspective shaped by his cross-functional leadership journey. Outside of work, he's an artist and an art history enthusiast. Always exploring the intersection of creativity and leadership. So welcome, Matthew.

Matthew Anderson: Hi, how are you? I'm

Alexa Beavers: I'm doing great. We're so glad to have you here today.

Matthew Anderson: I appreciate being here.

Alexa Beavers: I am really excited just to dive right into it. So let's just cut right to the chase and tell me what was that thing along the way in your career that felt like one of those ugh moments.

essional and take over as HR [: 00:04:00

Launching a performance management system. I knew from my previous work, that I did a lot of due diligence, picking a vendor, did a lot of prepping, had a really strong project plan, had the resources I needed as far as it, and different places to help me put together a really good program.

And I spent a few months. On that process, keeping my customer, which is our executive directors, informed of what was going on, all that kind of stuff. And then it came time to launch and I launched it, had this communication plan that I thought was solid, done all my homework and launched it.

heartbreaking and honestly a [: 00:05:00

Alexa Beavers: Yeah, it sounds stressful. So I'm gonna kind of recap and in your shoes, as I put myself there, you're a new HR director, you have this big project, launching a new performance management system, which many of our re listeners have probably done before. They know it's no small thing.

There's not only the system, but you have a lot of mindset changes to make and things like that. And you. The new guy. So you wanna make sure that it goes off without a hitch. You did all the prep, you launched it, and then silence.

Matthew Anderson: Yeah. Yeah. Deafening silence.

Alexa Beavers: the deafening silence. So tell me more. In that moment, what was going through your mind?

ealized that there were some [: 00:06:00

That I could do to pull myself out of it. So I started thinking about, all right what is it about the environment that has this not, resonating with people? And I realized, we had two or three other, review performance management systems before and they all, they.

We went through a review cycle and they fell away ' cause it just wasn't getting adopted, it wasn't followed up on and or it was overly complicated. So I realized, yes, this wasn't necessarily a direct reflection on my work and my ability, but it had to do with. Forces that I needed to work with and reconcile that were outside of my control, but that I could respond to in a positive way.

manufacturing, and realized [: 00:07:00

And I didn't get their perspective, their questions, their concerns addressed in how I set this up. Launched it to communicated it, and, I really addressed my blind spots. I'm such an optimist that I figured that, Hey, we're doing this. It's cool, it's gonna be fun, we're gonna get all these great things.

I've done the homework. We're working with a great tool. This fits in with our values as a company. Everything everything was there. What I didn't realize is that I was overly optimistic. I was just, I was doing too much. I was, I. Working with a larger audience. So I'd always worked with manufacturing and manufacturing groups that maybe, 50 to a hundred people.

t considered that there were [: 00:08:00

What I was missing was what really counted to those folks who were, who had seen two or three cycles of this not working before and now needed to, now needed to be convinced or know that we were committed. That we had done the homework and that their feelings, concerns, and ideas were addressed in what we were putting forth.

Alexa Beavers: You took me through a whole arc of how your brain was working from the moment that you rolled this out and it was crickets to the swirl and the initial panic, and then you even started to talk about how you brought yourself back into kind of. A reality check moment and what you could really do from here.

at moment of swirl because I [: 00:09:00

Matthew Anderson: That was

Alexa Beavers: That was all happening on the inside. What was happening on the outside? What did people notice about you while you were having that ugh moment?

nd maybe a day or so of what [: 00:10:00

Why didn't this work? It's my responsibility as a leader because I have influence over my team and others and my peers that I have to remain positive that yes, this is a stumble. But I also, something I just thought of is there's also part of launching into a project, launching into any new kind of initiative is that if you're clear that there are gonna be bumps.

Or there are gonna be things that we haven't anticipated. That even with the best of preparation, we're probably 80% there when we launch. That way, when these bumps come up, they're not debilitating. They become just oh, we expected that and knowing that this is how we're gonna, this is how we're gonna move forward.

Alexa Beavers: I love that. I think what I'm hearing is that, in those, that very brief moment where you were wondering, why is it so quiet around here? Is it me? Is it, what is it? You were able to draw on a value that you share with your company, which is to focus on the possibilities, the positive.

[: 00:11:00

Matthew Anderson: E Exactly right. And it got me out of that place of feeling maybe like a victim or that things were really out of my control and realizing, no, Matt, you have agency control, influence in this situation. You just have to use your creativity and your ability to take criticism and just flip the script.

Alexa Beavers: That's amazing. You also touched on a pretty big word that has a very visceral thing for me, which is criticism. How did you start to navigate a space where you're wanting to make a great impression, wanting the go live to go smoothly, and you're faced with criticism. How did that show up for you and how did you work with that?

but also in my love of like [: 00:12:00

So that's where I, I think it gave me a leg up. In business in that, I started talking about the work and not being, while I was still personally attached to the work, I wasn't. It wasn't so precious and deeply personal that I couldn't talk about it. So that kind of helped [00:13:00] there.

In business, I think there's, if you're not getting a criticism, if you're not talking through things, and again, it goes back to that, I have a lot of blind spots. I can only. Experience and do things from the mat perspective, I, I need those people that are looking at it.

Sometimes people that don't have no idea what I'm doing, listening to what if I can't explain why I'm doing something or can't give a good reason for it, then I have a gap. And if I'm not asking these questions, I'm missing critical pieces and I need those people. And, and oh, and then also reading into history.

I loved Doris Kern's Doris Kern's Goodwin's book team of Rivals. And it was about Lincoln and his cabinet and how he just, he drew in everybody that disagreed with him, like really like political enemies. People that thought he was an idiot, people that just disagreed with him. Philosophically he would make them part of his cabinet.

k it's what made him a great [: 00:14:00

Alexa Beavers: I. You brought in three really important parts of who you are to this and it, it strikes me that in order to take criticism and hear the naysayers with an open heart, you have to not be so tied to the work and think it's act. That's who I am. That's me out there. So while the work is still important and you've put a lot of yourself into it, you have to separate a little bit, it sounds while still holding it dearly.

Is that right?

wants to do their best. They [: 00:15:00

And that just helps me better prepare for every situation.

Alexa Beavers: Such an important thing is we're moving into kind of what you learned along the way and, it seems like we fast forwarded a little bit when you had some blind spots, and now we're talking a little bit about with Lincoln as a a role model, so to speak. Being brave and vulnerable enough to surround yourself with people that have a different point of view than you.

That seems interesting for these times.

things that I can say or do [: 00:16:00

We'll seek out a discussion. Before they resist or before, before a deadline has passed and will come to me and I'm like, Ooh, that's a good point. Let me communicate that. Let me circle back around to, to include that in, in what I'm doing. So it's really helped. And maybe I don't have.

I wouldn't say it's so much the team of rivals thing 'cause it's not as say, politically charged as what Lincoln was dealing with. But I do have this team of, they've almost turned into like advocates and champions around the business that know that and can share even if they don't completely understand, what's going on or how this is gonna impact, they know that.

Again, I consider their input. I consider their feedback, and I will incorporate it to the best of my ability into what's going on,

d it sounds like that really [: 00:17:00

Think about that. How has that supported your career as you've moved forward in it?

Matthew Anderson: It's in a couple of ways. First of all, it's removed a lot of the stress on me because I'm not trying to. Plow through things or anticipate all the issues or problems. I can go with a draft of something and put it out there and say, all right, this is what I'm thinking.

ch better. So for example we [: 00:18:00

Response rate to an engagement survey. And that's just, from everything I've heard, that's not usual, but because I think of building this these relationships across the company, so with leadership, with associates, and really, sharing a goal with them. Not saying it's my goal to get that kind of response, but it's our goal.

That your voice matters. And really following up and letting people know how we're gonna follow up on their feedback and then going through this actual action planning is really it invited people to participate and want to participate and knew that their voices were gonna be heard.

%, [: 00:19:00

It sounds like. It sounds by behaving in this way, creating this pathway for conversation and input, you've built trust. That's led to engagement that shows in the numbers. 90% is an incredible engagement response rate.

Matthew Anderson: Yeah, no, I was blown away and so happy and it's encouraging me to do even more of that that exploration and letting, planting the seeds along the way so even before something's implemented, like letting people know, hey. We're doing this, and there, here's some exciting things to think about as we're moving forward.

e some of that and do office [: 00:20:00

Alexa Beavers: What I really appreciate about what you just said is not everyone knows how to articulate what's on their mind and. What you've learned to do over the years is to create space for those people and not approach everybody from the same angle. You might sit with somebody and explain something a couple times to one person, another person's I got it.

r it anymore. So it sounds a [: 00:21:00

Matthew Anderson: Because that's, really, one thing that I try to remember is that, yes, this is my project. This is something that I'm accountable for. As a successful business that moves us towards achieving our business strategy and having engaged, goal focused, improving associates.

But really it's for the associates. It's for them to use. And until I let go my ego in that process and draw them in and show them the benefit and demonstrate that benefit. It really doesn't matter. The other stuff, I can do a lot of rah cheering and explaining, but until it really makes a difference for somebody and they're seeing that result, that's what's really gonna keep this going, not just for that initial adoption, but that it continues over the years.

Alexa Beavers: One of [: 00:22:00

I'm thinking one thing. You said your ri the rivals around Lincoln's table and your case, they weren't always rivals, but they did become advocates and champions. How do you engage with someone that is maybe one of your tougher customers? What does that look like in your world?

Matthew Anderson: so I. I rarely write email. I'm one of those people that loves to get up and talk to people. I just, first of all I don't like having to maintain my own email box, so I don't wanna add to anybody else's email box. But also I just, I. That's one of my gifts is to actually just sit and talk with people.

feel very comfortable, with [: 00:23:00

And then also in those office hours, sit down with folks and actually walk them through the steps in the system and show them, I don't discount that it's intimidating for them. What I do is just walk them through the steps and show them that, this really is no more than three steps.

There's buttons and places to go, and then I let 'em walk away with a one pager that shows 'em how to do it next time. I'm always, and I end every communication with, if you'd like to go through this with me, please let me know. This is my highest priority. Let me know how I can help.

it with people. You're right [: 00:24:00

You're hearing them, you're asking what's up, and then you let them talk.

Matthew Anderson: Yeah. My, my response to everything, and I've, I learned this really deeply in HR, is my first question is always tell me more. 'Cause yes, people will be very frustrated about a specific situation or something. And again, back to being able to clearly articulate where your frustration or concerns are isn't always easy.

So I just, I really let them, I open them up to letting me know exactly what their concerns, what their ideas are.

Alexa Beavers: When you think about your kind of trajectory from that. Early moment as the HR director to now, I'm sure you've learned a lot of things and have probably a wealth of advice. So I imagine you're sitting with somebody that's 15 years earlier in our, in their career than we are. What advice would you have for them?

rson: I really think if you, [: 00:25:00

That, that foil or that opposite of you, and really develop and appreciate and leverage that relationship or those relationships because it's just gonna, it's gonna reduce your stress. It's gonna help you come up with better, more well-rounded solutions and, and help things land better than they could if you just tried to muscle through and do everything based on your experience, your perspective, your knowledge.

th a different point of view [: 00:26:00

It's pretty crazy advice at this stage, day and age, but I think it's really powerful and I'm excited that it's really, you've shown through your example how powerful it can be.

Matthew Anderson: Yeah it's been career changing and also, but just personally, like I just, I feel like I've entered this new world of possibility because after embracing that.

Alexa Beavers: I think that, the possibilities abound when you have a mindset like yours and you lead with openness to everybody, not just the people that think like you. So I know a lot of people will wanna reach out to you, find out more about the work that you do and how you made this all happen.

Where can people find you, Matt?

Matthew Anderson: You can find me on LinkedIn .

panding on a little bit more [: 00:27:00

I love, I'm an artist as well and also have three dogs, so you know, personally I wanna know, but I think it's really important to shed light on the fact that you as a whole person are stronger as a leader because you bring those experiences.

Matthew Anderson: Yeah, so art art started very early for me in that I had friends of my mother's that were very supportive. Like I would get, they'd bring me paper and colored pencils and crayons and paints and just encourage me, and they were artists themselves. And so would show me what they were doing and give me peaks into their process.

Started drawing and. Very fortunately, never had that experience that some kids, oh, that's nice, but what are you gonna do for a living? I never had that experience. So was able, got into college and through no one else's pressure, had that same idea that I, you know, I, now I need to find something that I can make a living at.

so working like two or three [: 00:28:00

So I decided, hey, if I get to choose now what I wanna do, I'm gonna go for art. And so took our studio classes and really and really just had a good time releasing all that, meeting with other creative people spending that time and getting that release. And did that got into my career here at Rio.

these ideas for these robots [: 00:29:00

So I started doing these robots and it just really exploded from there. And, so came into doing t-shirts and, having showings at different places and just, yeah really exciting time for me and something that is starting to pick up again for me. Yeah, really exciting.

, so difference is the theme [: 00:30:00

And I'm so glad it is because you've brought, so much richness to our conversation. You know what really stands out to me from everything we've talked about is how. If you give yourself permission to let go of your ego, still have passion and look for the possibilities when you bring people into the fold who have different ideas. Then you get to something so much better, and it's not only good for the product, but it's good for you because you relieve stress. You find ways to express your superpowers while they express theirs, and then people are engaged. It creates kind of a ripple effect that you're never gonna have a. Cricket like out rollout ever again.

next time, where we'll have [: 00:31:00