Author Archives: Rusty Rueff

About Rusty Rueff

Rusty Rueff, author of purposed worKING. Rusty Rueff is the former Chairman Emeritus of The GRAMMY Foundation in Los Angeles. He most recently completed the successful 16 month leadership role as Coordinating National Co-Chair for Technology for Obama (T4O) for the reelection of President Obama and ten-years of Board service and President of the Board of Trustees of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Corporately, most recently Rueff was the Chief Executive Officer at SNOCAP, Inc. until the acquisition of the company by imeem, Inc. in April 2008. Before joining SNOCAP in 2005, he was Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Electronic Arts (EA) from 1998 until 2005. He was also with the PepsiCo companies for more than ten years, with the Pratt & Whitney division of United Technologies for two years, and in commercial radio as an on-air personality for six years. Rusty holds an M.S. in counseling and a B.A. in radio and television from Purdue University. In 2003 he was named a distinguished Purdue alumnus, and he and his wife, Patti, are the named benefactors of Purdue’s Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Visual and Performing Arts. He is a corporate director of Glassdoor.com and runcoach. He is the co-founder and Executive Committee Member of T4A.org, serves on the Founding Circle of The Centrist Project and a founding Board Member of The GRAMMY Music Education Coalition. He is also the co-author of the book Talent Force: A New Manifesto for the Human Side of Business. Rusty and his wife, Patti, reside in Hillsborough, CA and Charlestown, R.I.

day 276: Mentoring…Who Me?

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While I am on vacation, I have asked friends, and encouragers of Purposed worKING to contribute. Today’s post comes from Cecelia and Joe Gonzalez, who asked not to be attributed, but I am doing so anyway as my thank you to them!

When we look at leadership in our organizations we often think of the CEO. But the reality is…successful organizations need leadership throughout. As our companies struggle in this economy, we often look for the magic bullet. What will be that one key strategy that will turn our business around? There are many things that need to change. And one of the most important things to change is that we ALL take on the responsibility of leadership. From the top of the organization we need a clear vision, but we must all examine how we can do things more effectively.

We have heard it said many times that it’s the “small things that get ya.” So instead of looking big let’s look small. Let us look at every aspect of what we do each and every day, and how we can make it better. Imagine a company of 1000 people making an incremental improvement on a consistent basis. Improving the way in which we value our resources — money, customers, and most of all our own people. As we look at the wisdom in our organizations most of the time it comes from experience. So who will be the mentor to share what incremental changes need to take place? The people who have done it. Where will the most effective organizations in the future be coming from – we believe it will be from those companies that mentor best.

Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges said in their book, Lead Like Jesus, “Jesus understood from years of personal experience the challenges of daily life and work. Although Jesus was God, He was not ashamed to do a man’s work.” Ashamed, too proud, too busy … whatever our reason, we must overcome it.

As we look at the incredible mentor, Jesus Christ, he chose 12 ordinary men to save the world. So who will we chose to change or organizations and our lives? We must pray and listen to who God is putting in front of us. Not just at work but everywhere and all the time. This is not a 40/50 hour a week responsibility. The ultimate mentor said in John 13:12-15 after he finished washing his disciples feet, “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” Let’s have our mentors be like Jesus and pray we are servant leaders ourselves.

Reference: John 13:12-15