Andy Arnold believes there are three keys to being a good leader, and he puts those pillars into practice in his role as president of Ansira.
Be willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work. “There is no one person in the organization that is beyond getting their hands dirty, and that is something that starts from the top,” Arnold said.
Have an open-door policy. “Engaging with our team is important to me, and I have often said at all-hands meetings that if people want to connect, they are more than welcome to set up a time for us to meet,” Arnold said. “I understand the importance of being present, making meaningful connections, and being an approachable person for everyone from a seasoned SVP to a new team member right out of school.”
Trust your gut. “While your gut can keep you from making mistakes, I also think it has allowed me to be more open to taking chances with people,” Arnold said. “Maybe on paper they are not right for a role, but you feel like they are perfect for the position after meeting them, or there is someone currently on your team that you think could excel in another area — that gut reaction often pays off and opens more opportunity for employees’ professional growth.”
Arnold has worked for more than 20 years at the marketing agency Ansira. Since being named president of the company last year, he’s realigned teams, cross-trained team members and reset the culture.
“The result was more growth opportunity for team members but also greater opportunity for clients within the end-to-end solutions executed by Ansira,” Arnold said. “This past year has provided the opportunity to drive forward the vision for Ansira to bring together all of the extraordinary pieces the business has acquired. Throughout my career I have worked closely with clients across industries and feel that I truly know what they want and need, so the realization of this moment for Ansira has been extremely rewarding.”
Under Arnold’s leadership, Ansira has broadened the group of presenters at the company’s quarterly meetings, giving voice to more people across the organization. The initiative puts team members on a virtual stage in front of the company’s 1,500-person team to share successes, updates and new endeavors. This has allowed the company to spotlight people and teams and the executive team to see new faces.
The company has also added multiple employee resource groups including Black Voices, LatinX@Ansira, ABLE (Achieving Beyond Limitations & Expectations) and Pride.
“I am committed to the development of my team members both professionally and personally, so I am proud of the initiatives Ansira has in place to provide them support and an inclusive place to work,” Arnold said.
