Hosted by Quint Studer with special guests Bert Thornton and Mort O’Sullivan

What makes a good mentor? Bert Thornton, former President and COO of Waffle House, and Mort O’Sullivan, former Managing Member of the Gulf Region of Warren Averett, have the answers to this question on this week’s episode of The Busy Leader’s Podcast! The two dive into the importance of having a mentor and how meaningful it is to be one. They explain that asking for mentorship can be a simple as asking someone to join you for a cup of coffee. Mentoring is more than just business advice, it is coaching, training, and valuable life lessons. Bert and Mort share how the most powerful mentoring tool is merely asking an instructive question. With the extensive knowledge and experience that these two have, you will be sure to have some great takeaways from this episode!

Resources:
Studer Community Institute Accelerate Roundtables
Studer Community Institute – The Spring VMS Mentoring

About: Mort O’Sullivan
Mort O’Sullivan, of Pensacola, retired as the Managing Member of the Gulf Coast Region of Warren Averett, LLC CPAs & Advisors in December, 2017. He worked in the management consulting practice, served as a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee and led the Firm’s Gulf Coast BP Claims Disaster Recovery Team.  He currently serves in a mentor role for The Spring, a division of the Studer Community Institute.

O’Sullivan attended Washington & Lee University and ultimately earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from the University of West Florida in 1973. He became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida in 1975. He began his accounting career with the international accounting firm Deloitte Touche in Atlanta.

O’Sullivan’s professional civic affiliations include: Board Member, Institute for Human and Machine Cognition; Board Member, Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast; Board Member, Studer Community Institute; Advisory Board Member, Pensacola Blue Wahoos; Past Board Chair, University of West Florida Board of Trustees; Past Chairman, Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce; Past Board Member, Florida Chamber of Commerce; Past Board Member, Gulf Power Company; Past Board Member, Community Foundation of Northwest Florida; recipient of Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Professional Business Leader of the Year Award; and recipient of Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Pioneer Award.

O’Sullivan has been married to his wife Nancy for 49 years. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law and six grandchildren.

About Albert S. (Bert) Thornton
Albert S. (Bert) Thornton was born in New Orleans, LA in 1945 and grew up in Tampa, Florida.  He played football at T. R. Robinson High School, where he was President of the Student Body and attended the Georgia Institute of Technology on a full football scholarship. Bert was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity at Georgia Tech and graduated in 1968.

Bert served two years as an artillery officer in the United States Army and served one tour with the 5thBattalion, 2nd Artillery in South Vietnam.

Upon separation from the service, he worked as a systems analyst and salesman in NCR’s IT Division, and in 1971, Bert joined Waffle House as a manager trainee.  Four years later, he became a Vice President.  In 1994, he was elected to the Board of Directors. For over 40 years, Bert worked with both Company and Franchise Operations in Waffle House and in 2004 was named President and Chief Operations Officer of Waffle House, Inc. Today, he is the retired Vice Chairman Emeritus of Waffle House.

Bert is also very active at Georgia Tech, serving from 1996-2000 as a member of the Alumni Association Board of Trustees. In 1999 he chaired Tech’s highly successful $7.8 million dollar annual giving “Roll Call” initiative, and was named President of the Alumni Association in 2001 and 2002. He has been a member of the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees since 2001 where he has served on the Finance, Development and Stewardship Committees. In 2016 Bert received the Joseph Mayo Pettit Alumni Distinguished Service Award, the highest award conferred by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association.

Bert is a member of the board of directors of The Studer Community Institute in Pensacola, Florida and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of West Florida, College of Business- Center for Entrepreneurship.

Bert also has an Advisory Board role with The Museum School of Avondale Estates, a charter public elementary-middle school in DeKalb County, Georgia. He is a former trustee of the school and was honorary chair for The Museum School’s successful 5 million dollar expansion capital campaign.

He is the recent author of the book Find an Old Gorilla, a handbook for the development of emerging leaders.

Bert lives in Perdido Key, Florida with his wife, Kathy, who devotes her time to several “not for profit” organizations. Kathy and Bert have three daughters: Aspen, Chaice, and Mayson. All three girls are very successful graduates of Georgia Tech and members of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Brian Cunningham

Brian Cunningham, CEO of Wahiawa General Hospital in Hawaii is on the Busy Leader’s Podcast this week. Brian shares with Quint his journey in healthcare—from starting as a hospital parking lot attendee to becoming (what he is now) hospital CEO. The two discuss the biggest key to leadership: awareness. His most recent book, Our AQ (Awareness Quotient): The Missing Link to Extraordinary Leadership and Life covers how to understand and use our AQ to become better leaders, which he explains. Brian also mentions his other publication, The Leadership Revolution: Because Evolution Takes Too Long  where he defines the importance of laying out the natural developmental progression of leadership and sequencing you own development. This is an episode aspiring leaders everywhere won’t want to miss!

About Brian Cunningham, MBA
Brian is a student of leadership and life. Starting out as a Parking Lot Attendant at a large hospital in Philadelphia, he has worked through every level within this complex industry, eventually working his way to serve in the role of CEO. Throughout this journey he purposefully studied the leadership/followership dynamic to understand both the illusions and deeper realities of leadership service.

As a life-long learner, Brian has earned two clinical degrees and an MBA; while also reading and studying hundreds of books and articles on personal growth, leadership and spirituality; attending numerous workshops, retreats and certification courses led by experts in their fields; and continuing to practice and integrate these experiences into real life.

At a point on this journey, while immersed in seeking a more effective and integrated approach to leadership service, the full developmental progression of our growth as a leader began to “emerge” to Brian… who then organized these findings into a unique and practical framework that others can use to develop their own expression of leadership mastery. The AQ Model of leadership development is detailed in his book, The Leadership Revolution: Because Evolution Takes Too Long. While the fundamentals of our AQ (Awareness Quotient) are illuminated in his groundbreaking book, Our AQ (Awareness Quotient): The Missing Link to Extraordinary Leadership and Life.

As an active Leader in today’s complex healthcare environment, Brian understands the real challenges and the amazing opportunities that these complexities present to us, and he is here to share his visionary yet practical approach to taking our leadership service to the highest levels.

 https://awarenessquotientleadership.com 

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Liz Jazwiec

Quint and Liz together again is something you won’t want to miss! Having worked together since 1993, it’s always fun to hear them talk about their early days together (where they often did NOT see eye to eye). It’s no surprise that they have both turned their attention to helping healthcare workers through the pandemic. Liz talks at length about WHY those in healthcare are reluctant to ask for help when they need it and the enormous guilt they feel around not being available for their children and their families. She offers tools and tactics for those struggling, as well as tips for leaders on what they can do to make a real difference in the lives of their employees. As a former ER nurse turned national speaker, you can bet Liz’s ideas are always super practical, highly impactful and easy to implement.

Resources:
https://www.lizjaz.com

In May, Liz  will be presenting at The Gratitude Symposium, a free month-long series of online presentations from 45 well-known experts meant to thank, teach, and inspire those in healthcare.

Her session is entitled “Stressed! Who me? Selfcare for the Selfless .” All you have to do is register to view the material, and you can watch the videos on your schedule. Information on how to register can be found at www.thegratitudesymposium.com/.

To make it easy to register your entire workforce or student body, please contact Nicole Webb Bodie at Nicole@QuintStuder.com or 850-748-2027.

Stressed! Who me? Selfcare for the Selfless
In this important and timely presentation, Liz will focus on the importance of self-care as a critical and necessary survival skill for all of us deemed “essential workers.” As practiced and skilled that we are in helping others, often we are not so great at helping ourselves. In fact often just the term selfcare brings up feelings of discomfort and guilt. All participants will benefit from tactics and techniques shared in order to recognize stress in its early stages, implement both emotional and physical selfcare strategies and most importantly keep ourselves from sliding into negative self-destructive habits. She concludes with a straightforward approach to the importance of our collaboration with others in fostering a healthy work environment by focusing on our strengths as individuals as well as the abilities of our teams

Objectives – Discover the importance of selfcare as a necessary practice. – Acquire strategies in managing stress. – Discuss the impact of replacing guilt with pride.

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Jason Wolf

This week Quint talks with Jason Wolf, PhD, CPXP, from The Beryl Institute an organization committed to elevating the human experience in healthcare through research and the sharing of best practices. They focus on patients and families, as well as those who work in healthcare and the communities they serve.

In this episode, Jason shares with Quint the latest research from the Institute around understanding the human experience in healthcare. He reveals which ideas gained strength during the pandemic, as well as upcoming trends, including the growing acknowledgment of patients as consumers, a bigger spotlight on the healthcare workforce, healthcare inequities and disparities, the importance of communities, and how all these things impact the human experience in healthcare.

In May, Jason will be presenting at The Gratitude Symposium, a free month-long series of online presentations from 45 well-known experts meant to thank, teach, and inspire those in healthcare.

His session is entitled “To Care Is Human: Elevating the Human Experience in Healthcare and Beyond.” All you have to do is register to view the material, and you can watch the videos on your schedule. Information on how to register can be found at www.thegratitudesymposium.com/.

To make it easy to register your entire workforce or student body, please contact Nicole Webb Bodie at Nicole@QuintStuder.com or 850-748-2027.

To Care Is Human: Elevating the Human Experience in Healthcare and Beyond

In this talk, Jason Wolf discusses how healthcare at its heart is built on a simple premise: We are human beings caring for human beings. This idea is grounded in the reality that both those who seek care and those who provide it agree that what matters most is the relationships they build through listening and communicating clearly, teamwork, and respect. The evidence shows that with a commitment to caring and to the human experience provided in every healthcare encounter, healthcare organizations can and will achieve the quality and financial results desired and the loyalty they seek. In the end, the humanity on which healthcare is built may be its greatest key to success.

Resources: 
Consumer Perspectives on Patient Experience 2021
This report is a follow-up to The Beryl Institute’s 2018 study, Consumer Perspectives on Patient Experience 2021 reveals the qualities healthcare consumers look for in a healthcare experience remains much the same, even during a global pandemic. The data also provides a clear call to action. In order for healthcare providers to remain viable and competitive long-term, they must reinforce their efforts to deliver an exceptional experience and focus on being genuinely patient/consumer-centered.

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Susan Keane Baker

Susan Keane Baker, MHA, is a powerhouse when it comes to simple ideas that pack a big punch. She covers creative ways to connect with employees, set and manage goals, improve team morale (instantly), create the habit of putting people before process, and creative ways to get employees to learn and live the values of your organization. She also includes simple tips on how to greatly improve your organization’s telephone skills (and why you should)!

Susan realizes that it’s the moments that matter. In one of her latest tools, Split-Second Kindness—Making a Difference When Time Is Limited, she offers up ideas that make a big difference, but don’t take a lot of time. She is known for providing practical, relevant content in a dynamic and enthusiastic manner and is on a mission to harvest and share best practices. She not only shares great ideas but also some of her best tools for creating a culture brimming with satisfaction.

In May, Susan will be presenting at the Gratitude Symposium, a free month-long series of online presentations from 45 well-known experts meant to thank, teach, and inspire those in healthcare.

Her session is entitled “How to Use the Four Habits to Create Memorable Experiences.” All you have to do is register to view the material, and you can watch the videos on your schedule. Information on how to register can be found at www.thegratitudesymposium.com.

To make it easy to register your entire workforce or student body, please contact Nicole Webb Bodie at Nicole@QuintStuder.com or 850-748-2027.

Books Referenced:

• Split-Second Kindness—Making a Difference When Time Is Limited by Susan Kean Baker
• You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
• Getting Things Done By David Allen

Tools:

• Quarterly Goals Template
• Visit https://www.susanbaker.com for additional tools

About Tony Brigmon:

Tony Brigmon is a party animal.  He’s been known to stay up well past nine o’clock, drinking root beer and telling G-rated jokes.  Sure, the neighbors complain, but that doesn’t stop him.  Because Tony is serious about having fun.  Serious fun, with serious results.

As a result of his questionable spelling skills, Tony learned at an early age that his name spelled backward is “YNOT.”  As in, “YNOT take a closer look at his book?” Or “YNOT smile when you should be crying?”

As the former Ambassador of FUN™ for the highly successful Southwest Airlines, Tony was one of the 1st to pioneer the positive culture movement in corporate America. “Fun” was the power of “positivity” that helped catapult a small carrier into a force that changed the airline industry.

Today, Tony is a popular conference speaker and emcee — teaching audiences how to have more fun, get more done, and bring out the best in everyone.

Former CEO of Southwest Airlines Howard Putnam says: “Tony has a gift for looking at life in a fun way and capturing life lessons in a manner that ‘sticks’ – making them easy to recall and use.”  Tony’s friends say that no one should have so much fun while sober.  Tony’s wife said she has had about all the cheerfulness she can stand.

“Fun” transformed this author’s work and life. YNOT discover how the serious power of fun can transform the next 30 seconds of your day or 30 years of your life?

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Harold Griffin, Jr.

Five years ago, Harold Griffin, Jr., left a comfortable corporate job to go to work in his family business.  At the time, the limousine and transportation company had four employees and $100,000 in revenue. Today, the company has a yearly revenue of $3.8 million and has 73 employees.

On this week’s podcast, Griffin shares with Quint how he achieved this unprecedented growth. He talks about how having a mentor (Bert Thornton, former Waffle House CEO) and how being part of a business roundtable (other company owners who meet regularly) changed his life. His mentor and the other business owners talked openly about their mistakes, from which he learned so much. They also encouraged him to seek out training on all the things he didn’t know. This led to a major revelation and a pivot in the services the company offered. Griffin and his family successfully built a business  and created a solid brand that differentiated them from competitors.

He talks about the role great employees played in their success and how they implemented a hiring and onboarding process that is the gold standard in finding and keeping the best talent. He also shares how he transitioned from working “in” the business to working “on” the business (book referenced E-Myth Revisited) and all the valuable lessons he learned along the way.

About Harold Griffin, Jr.

Harold Griffin Jr, was born and raised in Pensacola, FL. In 2009, Harold graduated from Tate High School. After graduating, Harold moved to Tallahassee, FL to attend Florida A&M’s School of Business. While in college Harold worked full-time and went to school full-time year-round. In the Fall of 2013, Harold graduated with honors from Florida A&M with a Bachelors in Accounting and a Minor in Business. After graduating Harold turned down a promotion at First Commerce Credit Union and returned home to Pensacola to be with his son Cayden and his family. Once back in Pensacola, Harold applied and was hired by Navy Federal Credit Union. In September of 2015 Harold resigned from Navy Federal to build & grow his family’s transportation company with his father (Harold Griffin Sr.) and his brother (Braxton Griffin). In the first year they doubled the size of the company and became more profitable. In year 2 the company exceeded the $1 million mark in revenue.

Harold, is the Director of Business Development and Co-Owner of ITL Solutions. Over the past 2 years Harold and his brother Braxton Griffin grew ITL Solutions from 5 employees to now employing over 75 people. During this time, Harold has successfully managed and negotiated contracts & projects for ITL totaling over $15 million.  ITL Solutions is a transportation management companies that manages, coordinates and provides non-emergency transportation services for both private and public entities.