Mary Olson-Menzel: As an advisor to business leaders across the country, how did you get your start?
Elise Mitchell: I’ve worked in both the corporate and start-up worlds, but I’m really an entrepreneur at heart. This is my third go-around starting a company. My latest venture is a leadership and business consultancy, which I launched this year. I specialize in working with entrepreneurs and executives of small and mid-size companies to help them perform at their best. I work closely with them to solve their business problems and strengthen their leadership capabilities.
I decided to launch this consultancy after spending the past 20-plus years building and selling two other businesses, one of which we sold to a global corporation six years ago. Post-sale, I assumed a specially created global role with our parent company in addition to retaining leadership of the business, and am still in the trenches with our team today.
It is rare to have the experience of building a company from scratch, growing it, selling it and integrating with a global organization. I wish I had known then all that I know now! It is my privilege and passion to share the insight, wisdom and expertise I have gained through the years with my clients.
Mary Olson-Menzel: We at MVP work to inspire people on a daily basis and provide counsel to our clients on many levels. Please tell us what was your inspiration for writing your books?
Elise Mitchell: I decided to write a book three years ago with the goal of capturing the countless stories and leadership lessons I learned while building these companies. There were so many things we did right, and so many things we did wrong! Together, these lessons would be an invaluable field guide for leaders looking to build their company. Especially after we sold the business and I began working on a global level, I realized there was much I could share with other leaders.
Mary Olson-Menzel: What is your advice for people trying to grow and develop their teams?
Elise Mitchell: The most important lesson I ever learned as a team leader was to focus on what only I could do and give the rest of it away. In other words, don’t be a leader who holds tightly to all the good stuff – power, recognition, authority, information and contacts. Instead, be a leader who releases, who empowers, equips and enables others around them to soar.
When you lead like this, not only will you realize exponential results by having a stronger team, but you’ll also earn the loyalty and commitment of top talent – many of whom could go anywhere to build their careers. No one wants to work for a selfish leader; everyone wants to work for a selfless leader.
Mary Olson-Menzel: What is your advice for young leaders?
Elise Mitchell: We all need a clear destination and a drive to get there – but that’s not enough. The journey matters.
My advice to young leaders is to learn how to become a destination leader with a journey mindset – someone who is still very focused on reaching their goals, but who understands that the journey of life is meant to be savored and experienced. You can’t work all the time.
This realization has transformed my approach to both my work and personal life, and it’s made all the difference. Today I am a far different leader, wife, mom and friend than I was a few years ago when I was singularly focused on building my company. Adopting a journey mindset was the key.
Mary Olson-Menzel: How is this advice different than the norm?
Elise Mitchell: It’s a radical approach to achieving success. Most leaders believe they have an “either/or” decision to make. Either you build a successful career, or you have a happy home life. But you can’t have both.
Wrong. The “either/or choice” is a lie. It isn’t the only option. “Yes and…” is a much better choice. But that requires you to make different decisions about how you spend your time. You can’t just lean in to work. You have to lean in to family and friends when they need you, too.
Thankfully I learned this lesson. And as it turns out, when I invested more in my family, my business thrived, too. In fact, we grew more than 500% over the next five years. I eventually sold my company to a global corporation, which brought us opportunities and benefits we could never have imagined.
Mary Olson-Menzel: How can an executive use this book to build great teams?
Elise Mitchell: At the end of each chapter* is a section called “The Road Ahead.” It includes reflection questions and exercises for the reader to apply what they are learning to their own leadership journey.
Many teams have read the book together as a leadership development experience. I often speak to these groups in person or via video to reinforce lessons learned and engage in Q-and-A on specific leadership topics.
*The Road Ahead is also available as a free downloadable e-workbook.
Mary Olson-Menzel: How can executives use this book to coach existing leaders?
Elise Mitchell: This is an in-the-trenches handbook with practical lessons that can help expand a leader’s capabilities. An executive can give a copy of the book to a leader they want to coach and discuss the takeaways in their one-on-ones as they read through it. Some of the more common leadership challenges are addressed in the book including:
- Leading through change
- Making complex decisions
- Mobilizing and inspiring at team
- Building a compelling culture
- Establishing an innovation mindset and bringing new ideas to market
- Maintaining greater work-life balance
- Becoming more resilient
- Leading more courageously
Mary Olson-Menzel: What is something unique about you that you would like to share with us?
Elise Mitchell: I learned to ride a motorcycle several years ago and it helped me rediscover joy in the journey. Now my husband and I ride together. It’s one of the most exhilarating ways to travel. We’ve ridden motorcycles throughout Europe and in many parts of the U.S.
Mary Olson-Menzel: What inspires and lights you up outside of work?
Elise Mitchell: In addition to motorcycling, I’m an avid runner and enjoy photography. My husband and I also enjoy any time we can have with our children, who are both in their final year of their education. Our son is at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, and our daughter is in law school at Penn State. We’ll have two graduations to celebrate next May!
Mary Olson-Menzel: What’s next for you?
Elise Mitchell: The journey continues! In addition to my continuing work as chairman of Mitchell Communications Group, I’m focused on building my new leadership and business consultancy. It is my passion to work with high-performing leaders to help them solve their business problems and strengthen their leadership – and I am loving every minute!
