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Interviewing Diane Brown PAFF 524 Leadership in Public Service Dara Caruna, Cheng Chang, and Madeline Daniels

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The air was crisp, and the dew stuck to the multicolored leaves on the trees surrounding the building at which we arranged to meet. It was a particularly foggy November morning when our team met with the esteemed Diane Brown. Mrs. Brown, a Binghamton alumni, is the Executive Director of the Community Foundation for South Central New York (CFSCNY). Considering she is retiring from her 47-year-long career, it was nothing less than an honor to interview her. Our team of three walked through the glass doors of the building where the CFSCNY office was located. Diane greeted us with a warm smile as we walked into the office. She wore a beautiful all-black outfit and a silver necklace with a stunning circular design to compliment it. We formally introduced ourselves, put down our belongings, and Diane gave us a tour of the site. We heard about the extraordinary work the nonprofit organization carried out and got an exclusive-all-access look at where the magic of the CFSCNY happens. After being shown around, we prepared for our interview with Mrs. Brown. There was plenty of pleasant conversation as

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we set up - she even assisted us in doing so. It was a delight to work with her. After a few moments, we had set up the equipment necessary for the interview - then, it was lights, camera, action! But literally, though - Cheng had brought lights, a camera, and the action. We started with our first question, “What are some traits of a good leader?” Diane did not answer immediately; instead, she took time to absorb the question and reflect on it to provide a thoughtful answer. And a thoughtful answer is what she gave. She carefully began her response with an anecdote. “Many years ago, when I was in a totally different job than I am now, I took the Kellogg leadership program at Binghamton University. And one of the things I thought was the most important was something called individualized consideration.” Our ears perked up when she said this. It was pretty funny; after an entire semester of a class revolving around leadership, this was the first time any of us had heard the term “individualized consideration.” She defined it as “approaching everyone as an individual and making sure that the way that you treat them and

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promote them (not just from job to job but supporting the work that they do) is individualized.” This was when we knew the interview was off to a great start - we were already learning so much from Diane, and we were only 30 seconds in! She continued to offer answers that aligned with our class discussions about what traits a good leader should have - but just as she began with an unexpected answer, it was a similar surprise to hear the ending of her response: “Most not-for-profit organizations do not have a succession (transition) plan. There are two ways you need to plan for succession - expected and unexpected.” At this point, we were unsure of what she meant by this. How can succession be unexpected? “For example, the executive director of the local habitat affiliate died in her sleep.” Diane went on to explain that nobody else knew how to write a check, nobody knew the passwords to the various systems, and much more. This illustrated the very real risk that many nonprofits face - especially those at a smaller scale. When thinking of succession planning, it’s easy to only consider things like the organization’s hierarchy - who and what comes next. The

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case brought forward by Diane is a risk that is not discussed nearly enough in the leadership realm. We went on to ask Diane nine questions - 11 if you include the follow-ups. While all her answers were extraordinarily insightful and displayed a mastery of leadership, some were more striking than others. We asked her how she, as an executive director, handles strife between employees. Similarly to her answer to the first question, she noted the importance of taking individualization into account. In this case, taking individualization into account would be getting both sides of the argument and then acting as a mediator. But it also means acknowledging and accepting the fact that not all personalities are going to get along. Because of this, it is critically important to understand the personality types of different employees, as this provides insight into the different ways that people think about and execute different tasks. As students, we wanted to ask the questions that would benefit future students viewing this interview most significantly. A common problem occurs in grad school. Many students

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struggle with maintaining self-care and balancing their personal lives outside of school. Considering that a significant component of the MPA program is preparing for careers in public administration, we inquired how someone with such a distinguished career manages these necessary parts of life. The first thing Diane said was, “I personally exercise.” This brought me back to my first day of grad school. I had no idea what to expect, but I was ready for whatever was coming my way. I remember the first advice I received: make sure you exercise. Whether it’s grad school or a professional career, one of the best ways to manage the stressors that life may throw at you is to maintain an exercise routine, whatever that may be. The next piece of advice Diane gave was to maintain hobbies that you enjoy. In her case, she discussed her love for reading, skiing, cycling, walking, and meditating. She plans to implement additional activities that would be of similar benefit - practicing more yoga, and mindfulness. As an executive director, she recommends that her staff and herself not work extra hours. She does not believe that

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there is anything that can be classified as a “foundation emergency.” What she means by this is that there will be no catastrophic consequences from an issue that can be resolved by going into the office and fixing it that night or the next day. As remote work - whether this is remote learning or working from home - increases in popularity, it becomes challenging to determine when it is time to stop working as your personal life begins to blend with your work. She recommends finding time to take for yourself and your family. Failing to maintain self-care and balancing your personal life with school or work can oftentimes lead to burnout - and it’s very rare to come across someone who hasn’t experienced this particularly challenging phenomenon. This is an issue that many people working in the public sector experience. Diane has worked in a variety of public service/administration roles, and some of these positions proved to be considerably emotionally draining. To avoid burnout, she changes jobs when the time feels right. In particularly challenging roles, this happens every couple of years or so. This way, you have the opportunity to do

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something different, and this change will empower you to get out of the rut that you may be in. You are the only one who can truly know when it is time for you to move on. After having so much experience, Diane has a good sense of this - and cited this as the reason she is retiring next year. She finds that the best indicator for knowing it’s time to go is when your enthusiasm for the role and the work you do is waning. We thought that this advice was incredible - especially when it comes to roles in the public sector. Let’s be real here - the vast majority of those working in public service/public administration are not motivated by the lucrative nature of these careers. The desire to work with and help people/society is (typically) the most significant incentive. Keeping this in mind, if you do not have the same passion for a role as you did when you first started it, it is a good idea to look for new employment so that you can experience the feeling of reward and gratification associated with new roles in the public sector. In addition, letting someone with fresh eyes and enthusiasm take over for you in your current position may be what’s best for the organization as well.

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When the interview came to an end, we all shared a feeling of enlightenment. We could not have asked for a better interviewee. She was reflective, thoughtful, and honest in the answers she gave us - and this is clear to anyone viewing the interview. We all got up, Cheng took some final footage of the office, and we rearranged the room back to the way it was when we arrived. As we left, Diane gave us further backstory of some of the photographed activities and events carried out by CFSCNY. It was interesting to hear about the work they did whether it was helping out a local conservation center raise money through maple syrup cultivation or providing a grant to

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help fund the EMT work of a Hancock, NY organization.

This helped us get a solid understanding of the magnificent work carried out by the organization. Once the conversation

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concluded - and Cheng got all of the footage he needed - we gathered our belongings, shook Diane’s hand, and graciously thanked her for her time and the opportunity to interview her. With that, we made our way out of the office, Cheng got a final piece of footage (he wanted to have the best video possible), and we left the building. This experience would not have been possible without the collaboration of the wonderful peers in PAFF 524. I know I speak for everyone when I commend the fabulous group of interviewees for their help in showing us what it is to be a good leader.