By now it’s certainly no surprise to anyone who reads my blog that I am passionate about leadership. It fascinates and inspires me and I spend a great deal of time and effort trying to learn everything I can about the subject. I am blessed to have the opportunity to lead a great organization that is striving to be better each day.

We have an outstanding group of people that are the best in every way. So, I want to be a student of the game: to learn and constantly be striving to master the craft of leadership. Frankly it’s part of the responsibility of my role to give these folks my very best.

Publicly-traded, privately-held and not-for-profit organizations must continuously be on the look-out for ways to minimize or eliminate risk. Consequently, they purchase commercial insurance policies to pass on all types of risks associated with running day-to-day business operations. While the typical commercial general liability insurance policy offers important coverage for businesses, it does not provide sufficient protection for corporate executives from the personal liability they face from their capacity as business leaders.

“I can’t do this. I really can’t. I’m done,” I somewhat coherently muttered to myself. The temperatures were soaring. I had run out of water and energy bars a few hours before. I was bent over with my hands clutching my dusty knees, swaying back and forth as I couldn’t seem to find balance. I noticed my shirt was almost dry and I had stopped sweating. At that moment, with less than a mile to go, I would have paid any cost and dealt with the ridicule sure to follow if I could have quit. But I hadn’t seen any pack animals for quite some time. And there was no way a helicopter would come for me this close to the top of the South Rim.

I would have to continue. But I couldn’t. At that moment, a friend of mine named Jim Holder who had joined us on the hike, was coming up the trail and offered me his water and a Cliff Bar. “Just rest for a few minutes,” he said. “It’s not like we can leave without you.” Maybe he was right I thought. So I took some of his water and ate a little; although nothing tasted very good at the moment.

One of our Core Values is: Integrity Matters - Always Do the Right Thing. It seems elementary to ask why integrity matters. The answers are all too obvious, right? Yet all too often there are examples of integrity issues in our world, in business and in our personal affairs.

Remember the song from the 1980s commercial for Enjoli perfume: “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never let you forget you’re a man.  Cause I’m a woman…Enjoli.”

Recently a tweet from Jerry Scott, our Director of Operations, caught my eye and launched a discussion about women in the workplace and at Gibson. He was responding to an earlier tweet about a recent article in The Washington Post where the new Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, the first woman in its 100 year history, said that America’s economic success over the past century has been due in large part to greater contributions by women: “Making fuller use of the talents and effort of women in the workplace has made us more productive and prosperous.”

George Bernard Shaw once said “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” He died in 1950 when the methods of communication were much simpler than they are today.

There’s no question that the availability of information is abundant. The channels for information consumption are endless. Yet effective communication has become more difficult.

As the right hand guy of Gibson founder, Dan Gibson, our Chairman Greg Downes witnessed almost daily battles between Dan and his son Dave on the direction of the organization. “One day after one of those shouting matches, Dan walked out and simply said, ‘Dave’s in charge now.’” Greg knew it could be done better than that.

“When it came time for Dave and I to transition, we did it better than he and Dan did, but there was still a lot of room for improvement,” said Greg.

After being away from my blogging desk for the last several months doing what accountants do this time of year, I’m ready to get back on my keyboard to continue my mission of singing the praises of Employee Stock Ownership Plans in general, ours in particular.

Gibson’s employee stock ownership plan (the GESOP) definitely makes an impact on all of our employee-owners and our corporate culture. Culture is a tough thing to define – it’s kind of like when you find your soul mate, and you’re asked why you feel so strongly about that person. It’s often squishy and somewhat hard to label – but you know it when you feel it. Culture is the same way for me. I just know a positive culture when I see it – it just feels right.

Wes and I walked out of the Denver airport. We were headed to visit a strategic partner in the Englewood area. Joey, our driver, introduced himself and immediately oozed charm. He was a gentleman in his 60s with a very youthful face. That and both ears pierced with gold hoop earrings. A warm and hearty greeting was followed by the usual banter as we pulled away from the airport.

As I am sure you have figured out by now, one thing that occupies a large amount of my personal reflection time, or as my colleague Jerry Scott calls “sharpen the saw” time, is how to build a stronger Gibson over time. “Strong organizations grow, thrive, and find a way to reinvent themselves in changing times and market conditions,” says Jerry.

He’s right. They stand the test of time and provide support and a good living for their employees and families over the course of entire careers. They also contribute in very meaningful ways to the success and vibrancy of their communities.