Leave it to a commuter to compare stepping into a new leadership role to merging onto a freeway. That’s where Brian Peterson’s mind goes when reflecting on his transitions from Allianz Life and TruChoice Financial to his current role as president of Accumulation and Retirement Income Distribution for AmeriLife.
“When you enter a new business, you have to merge,” Brian explained. “It’s not everyone else’s job to ensure you merge; it’s yours.”
Brian specifically references the New York City Freeway, where, paraphrasing Frank Sinatra, if you can merge there, you can merge anywhere. “Nobody cares that you’re merging in,” he added. He emphasizes that no two onramps or companies are the same in the art of successful integration.
“You need to either speed up, slow down, or maintain your speed,” Brian continued. “You don’t know until you reach the freeway how fast you need to go. So I think that the number one mindset you need as a new leader is to size up what’s going on around you, determine your speed, and find a way to merge with the rest of the employees and the company.”
Merging isn’t a one-and-done deal, but an activity you perform every day. In a company, it means reading the room and adapting to the prevailing pace. Effective leaders avoid a one-speed-fits-all mentality.
“The best coaches make halftime adjustments,” he noted. “In a new company, you need to adjust continuously.”
A former baseball and basketball player and coach, Brian shares his thoughts on how sports teach us to build high-performing teams based on solid fundamentals, including:
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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