Candy Crowley asks Kuhn, Pietranton, West to say why they stand out as association leaders; inspiration from parents and poetry

Tom Kuhn has encountered some rough patches during his 25 years as head of Edison Electric Institute, when members staked out substantially different positions.

"I think I've almost been fired half a dozen times," Kuhn said during an on-stage discussion at the Association Leadership Awards. But Kuhn has been successful far more often than not in forging consensus, and in making members understand the importance of working together.

	Kuhn
	Pietranton
	West

"What's really important is to take a challenge, to get out in front of it and contribute, and do it in a way that builds teamwork and shares the credit," Kuhn said.

Candy Crowley, former chief political correspondent for CNN, moderated a dialogue with the three 2015 winners at the Sept. 22 awards luncheon. She questioned the panel about the critical attributes they bring to the job, the secret to their staying power, and practical tips to share with others.

Arlene Pietranton, CEO of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, said she would emphasize inclusiveness—making people feel comfortable contributing their diverse talents, knowledge and perspectives.

"By creating an environment where everyone can bring who they truly are … I think that allows us to truly benefit from the wide array of talent that's inevitably available," Pietranton said.

Jade West, senior lobbyist at the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, said if she had to name one quality, it would be integrity. In the lobbying and political community, people need to know that when you say something or you promise to do something, you mean it.

"It's the quality I respect most in the people with whom I deal," West said.

West said her mother, a generation ahead of her time, taught her daughters that they could do anything they put their mind to, and that the world does not throw up obstacles that can't be overcome. She cited "A Message to Garcia," the story of a wartime officer who would deliver a message wherever it needed to be, whatever it took.

"That's been a life lesson for me," West said. "Just go do it. Don't ask, don't question, don't psychoanalyze it to death. Just go do the job."

Kuhn recalled how his father woke him every morning with the same poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He recited a few lines, about the lives of great people inspiring us also to leave "footprints on the sands of time."

"It was just about if you really get up and go you can make a difference. At the end of the day, that's the greatest, most important thing," Kuhn said. "I repeat (the poem) to my kids now. They're tired of it, too."

A time that stood out for Kuhn was when EEI helped put together "on the fly" a federal partnership to respond to the massive outages caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. This cleared the way to bring 67,000 people from around the country to restore power on the East Coast.

Pietranton said a particularly tough time for ASHA, and for many other associations, came during the economic downturn. Pietranton told her board in early 2009 that the organization would not make its budget. However, she also said there was a plan in mind for getting through the shortfall without dismantling infrastructure or undermining ASHA's relationship with its staff.

"I can remember a board member saying, ‘When will we be talking about freezing positions or eliminating jobs?'" Pietranton said. Her response stressed the commitment AHSA had made to its members and the people they serve.

"Those were some challenging conversations, just in terms of saying we can stay the course; we really don't need to engage in some dramatic cutbacks," Pietranton said. "That's not who we are, that's not where we are, and that's not how we need to act."

Pietranton, West and Kuhn agreed that passion for the work and mission keeps them in the job and energized.

"You've got to love what you do," Kuhn said. "I truly believe in the association business, if you love what you do, you're going to do well at it."