My Summer Work + a Post Dinner Dance

With my first  summer road trip starting today I have been reflecting on what I need to accomplish these next couple of months as I make the rounds to the different locations where we will be having SpringHill Experiences. Over the weekend, while looking through Newsweek,  I ran across an interview with John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems Inc. that articulates nicely what my summer work needs to be.

Chambers, when asked how he was a different CEO today than when he started in 1995, answered this way –

“When I started, I viewed my job as three main areas:  vision and strategy of the company, development and recruitment of the team to implement that  vision and strategy, and the need to communicate all of the above.  Within four or five years I realized that there was something that many of us do not understand when we take a leadership role:  culture.  Great companies have very strong and great cultures.  A huge part of a leadership role is to drive the culture of the company and to reinforce it.”  (from Newsweek, June 14, 2010, p. 46)

Chambers captures exactly what my summer work needs to be as I travel the mid-west meeting with staff, campers, parents, partners and supporters.  I will be clarifying and communicating our vision, strategy and culture while investing in the people who make it all reality.

By the way last night at dinner in the New Frontier’s Dining Hall all of us diners were entertained to a post dinner dance by the TST team.  A perfect ending to the first day of summer camp. Check out these photos.