Dana Hayes-Burke Of DHB Vision Strategist: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times

An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis

Have a clear vision or future destination and then set goals and plans for the elements that are within your control. Allocate your resources, set your actions and make moves in the areas that you have control over.

Dana Hayes-Burke is an International Conference Speaker, Vision Strategist, Business Consultant/Coach and Author. She is the CEO of DHB Vision Strategist, a business consultancy firm that serves small businesses across the Caribbean, US, UK, and Africa. Her job is to help you to flip the script and turn failure into flight. Known as The Vision Builder, Dana gives her clients the right strategies and actions to transform their business and get results. She helps them to turn losses into profits. Dana has worked with entrepreneurs and small business owners in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Florida, Texas, New York, and London. With over ten years of experience in business strategy and marketing, Dana and her company have built a reputation for results.

As a speaker, Dana has spoken in person and virtually at conferences in Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, the United States, and Grenada. Her expertise lies in helping audiences to shift their mindset so that you can see potential and possibility and take advantage of them. When she steps on the stage, Dana’s goal is to leave her audience transformed, charged up, and ready to act. If you see it and believe it, you can build it.

Dana is a wife of 10 years and a mom of 2. She is a proud alumnus of the University of the West Indies, where she graduated with distinction having completed her M.Sc. in Management Studies with a focus on International Marketing.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I have always been interested in business. I remember in my high school in Trinidad & Tobago, we had to choose our primary subject path. I was a very bright student, and all the options were open to me. But what I wanted to study was business. I distinctly remembered that upon entry to high school one of the assignments I was required to do was draw a picture of myself in my future profession. I drew myself as a manager sitting behind an executive desk. I think that, up to that point, the only image I had of being a CEO was on TV. I pursued business all through high school and university. But unlike my childhood dream, after I finished school, I went on to a traditional office job rather than in my own business.

My career trajectory was good. I was promoted quickly from entry-level to supervisory level in less than five years and then to Managerial level in less than seven years. It was in this environment, however, that the dream was revived. I realized that no matter how much I was promoted, my job was not giving me the life that I wanted for myself. At the very core, I wasn’t happy at the company. I didn’t like its culture. I didn’t have time. I was expected to be at the beck and call of the company. The level of stress was high but, fundamentally, I didn’t think it was worth it. And I recognized that it would only get worse as I am further promoted. So, I went back to the drawing board of my life, and I remembered the vision- the one where I owned my company. The one where I created my ideal life design. The one where I’d have time to spend with my spouse and my future children. The one where I didn’t have to ask permission to “live my life”. It was at that moment; I found my dream again. I started what I called my transition business. The business to get me out of corporate and into creating my empire.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?

I really can’t say it was funny, but it was a mistake that I will never make again- taking a job just to say you got a client. What do I mean? When you are starting any business, you just want to land your first few clients. The problem with landing a client at any cost is that it comes at a cost to you. I remembered taking a job for much less than was my fee at the time and being so angry in the process. The client was difficult, I was spending out of pocket for the activities needed to complete the job, and truthfully, I felt miserable because while I loved what I did, the idea of making a loss on the job irritated me. I learned then and there:

1. Ensure that your pricing strategy is always solid because hidden costs can kill your business
2. Not every person who comes your way is your client. It’s okay to say no.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

As a teenager into young adulthood, I was taken under the wings of one of my church leaders, Jeffrey Ramsey. I owe a great deal of who I am today to him. He made it okay to dream big and when I couldn’t dream big for myself, he truly encouraged me and spoke into life. It was under his leadership that I stepped into people leadership. I remembered when I was appointed to assist him in one of our church’s ministries, I had a great deal to learn about leading people. I had high standards and would often get very frustrated by the laissez-faire approach of some. He would often say to me, “Dana be patient” and coached me through the process of guiding adults to become their best selves. I laugh when I think about it now. I think the greatest lesson I’ve learnt from him in those moments was not to compromise your standards but also to give grace to people to rise to the occasion. Managing and leading people is a funny business. I am grateful for the excellent mentorship I had in this area.

Extensive research suggests that “purpose-driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?

I agree with the research. Building a business is hard work but it is easier to remain committed if it is “heart work”. There must always be a deeper reason that connects you to your business (whether that purpose is found in the business or through the business). When I started my consultancy firm, my vision was to equip men and women with the knowledge and know-how to build successful businesses that can transform their lives and build a legacy. I shared my story at the beginning, so you know how important vision is to me and how I see business as a tool to boldly unearth your ideal life design. So, for me, this business is a way of breaking the cycle of poverty that so many of us have inherited. I also want to break the cycle of hustle and paycheck to paycheck that many entrepreneurs constantly live by so that they can finally live with ease. My ultimate goal is to leave a legacy of a profitable business by equipping others to build theirs.

Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?

My strategy involves reaffirming what we are trying to build and connecting our actions that result or reality. When you are facing difficulties, you tend to be consumed by what is immediately happening. It’s hard to stay hopeful at those times. My role is to help shift that focus. I try to make positive linkages where there seems to be none. I communicate and affirm the work that my team has done to bring us closer to goals. If the team isn’t doing well, I try to find an approach other than a reprimand. I would enquire about what is happening with them. From that angle, work towards a solution for both their circumstances and the business. At the core of this approach is the understanding that my team is my great resource and, when you have the right people committed to your goals, you experience the right outcomes.

Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?

Definitely! Building a business is tough! Choosing to live in your purpose is tough. But my purpose is what keeps me going. I have a strong innate belief that what I am doing is what God made me for. Moreover, I believe that what I do leaves a legacy for my children to follow. I remember one day in the early stages of my business, I thought to myself, “how can I say to my children you can do anything you put your mind to if I never try or give up?”. Kids learn more from what you demonstrate than what you say. So ultimately, it’s those little eyes that are constantly looking at me that keeps me moving forward towards the vision and my goals.

What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?

The role of the leader in times like these is to lead by example. The leader should always embody the vision. But in times of difficulty, your team wants to see your commitment to that vision as demonstrated by your personal action and consistency. In times of difficulty, top-down autocratic leadership will not get you results. Instead, choose a collaborative approach to leadership (that’s what demonstrated vision look like). Be committed to the vision but learn how to ask the right questions. Only then you can mine the solutions you need from your team, your audience, and your customers. That way, when you decide the way forward, everyone feels included. Also, with more information from diverse sources, you are less likely to make costly errors.

When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate, and engage their team?

Make your people feel seen. This becomes more and more challenging to do as your company gets bigger but, that’s why you need to have the right kind of competencies in your leadership team at all levels. The worse thing that you can do for morale in times of uncertainty and strain is to coerce performance. At best, you will get the minimum level of performance required but you will not get the high level of performance that can take the company forward. You will not get the solutions you need to solve the problems you face. So, ensure that your team knows that they are seen, heard and that you have empathy for the challenges that they are facing. When persons feel seen and valued, they give you more than you could anticipate. This has been my experience.

What are the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?

In my experience, communicating bad news is easier if you have been reasonably transparent throughout the journey. Unfortunately, in the age that we are in, many persons in business have equated transparency or “authenticity” in business to share every gory detail of their life and business. That’s not necessary. The goal is to build a human connection with your team and customers. When there is that human element, there is the know, like and trust factor. This crucially helps your team and customers to trust you in good times and bad. This trust is important when things are not going great because it is the underlying current that stabilizes confidence. If you don’t have that rapport right now with your team or customers, then lead with empathy when communicating your bad news. When you share, place the focus on what your team or customers are saying. Validate those thoughts rather than trying to force them to understand your side. When you validate the thoughts and opinions of your team and customers, there is a greater likelihood that they would validate you. I remember learning this principle some years ago when I read “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.

How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?

Here’s a fact- the future is always unpredictable. The mistake that many leaders make is building on the idea of 100% certainty. Yes, there are indicators in our internal and external environment that we can use to make predictions with a high measure of certainty. But it is never 100% certainty! Therefore, effective planning remains as it should also be. Have a clear vision or future destination and then set goals and plans for the elements that are within your control. Allocate your resources, set your actions and make moves in the areas that you have control over. This helps to move the dial in the direction that you want to go. It is amazing that every time I do this in my company and my personal life, I experienced positive growth and results. You only feel the pressure of the unpredictable in an overwhelming way when you try to bend things that are outside of your control. Focus on what is in your control and it becomes way more sustainable.

Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?

Make decisions based on facts and not fads. Many might find that response to be strange. The reason is simply this: you can say that times are turbulent, but it only makes a difference if you understand what exactly is up and down and why. So, in your company, are your sales down? My questions will be: which is the product with lower sales? By how much are sales down? At which distribution points do you notice sales changes? What is happening with the clients there?

What’s the point of all these questions? In doing this research, I have a greater chance of pinpointing exactly where things are going wrong. That way, I wouldn’t offer a massive sale in a segment of my market where sales are stable, and people are willing to pay full price. I would adjust my marketing to meet the needs of the segment that is demonstrating a negative shift in brand loyalty. Too often, CEOs make decisions based on feelings and not on facts. They find research to be a slow process. But the blessing of the pandemic is that with everything being online, we have access to more data more quickly than ever before. Part of what we do in my company is to help our clients to integrate an evidence-based approach to decision making so that they can get better outcomes.

So, my number principle- get your facts together.

Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?

The number one mistake I saw, especially during the start of the pandemic in 2020, was businesses “pivoting” without a strategy. I think in the panic of trying to respond to all that was happening, CEOs started issuing instructions, making moves, and just doing “stuff” without quite understanding what they were doing and why. If you want to pivot, remember where that move is supposed to lead you and the outcomes it is supposed to derive. Only then can you pivot in the right direction.

The second thing that I saw businesses do was discount everything. In times of difficulty, many businesses try to entice more sales by offering huge deals and discounts. The problem for most businesses is that they cannot sustain such a model. Yes, you may get a higher number of sales, but the value (dollar value) of the sales leaves you in a worse position than when you started. I get why businesses use this strategy. They want to add value. But before you run a sale, do a survey. Find out what folks need and provide exactly that. It may also surprise you that they are willing to pay for that value, even in economic hard times.

The third mistake is not trying something new. Now I know that seems like a contradiction to my first point, but it isn’t. Pivoting without vision and strategy is reckless but so is doing the same thing over and over with poor results. This is particularly a problem for older businesses that have a strong traditional history. You really can’t keep doing the same thing over and over and expect to get different results.

Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?

I spend a lot of time doing research. My winning strategy is learning how to give my customers exactly what they need, and want. Research gives me information so that I can make the right decisions. This is the way that I have kept consistent bookings and helped my clients to scale up their business and sales during the pandemic.

Once I have done my research and determined the value I need to add to my market, I decide what I can do in-house and what I need to outsource. On the surface, outsourcing may seem like a costly thing to do but I believe that time is money. So why waste time trying to reinvent the wheel? Get someone or a company who can help you to create and deliver what you need effectively and efficiently,

Finally, marketing. Use your marketing to start conversations and discourses with your customers along with the areas that you have identified in your research. Allow these conversations on your social media, in your email marketing or text marketing to lead your potential clients to your value proposition. This type of marketing essentially allows your products or services to sell themselves.

Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.

In my experience, here are the 5 key elements of being an effective leader in uncertain times.

1. First, make the vision real to the entire team. The way to do this is by linking the vision of the company to team members’ personal vision. In 2020, we were making some shifts to provide a VIP service offering for our client base. This move was important for the business’ diversification strategy. But to get my team to be motivated to make it happen, I had to link this new offering positively with the personal vision and objectives of my team. The business model of DHB Vision Strategists includes the use of contractors and contracted services for many of our behind-the-scenes work. Linking the success of this new initiative to the growth of my exclusive contracts with my contracted team member added that needed incentives to get the job done.
2. The second essential activity of the leader is to ask the right questions. The biggest mistake you can make in times of uncertainty is to think that you have all the answers or pretend as though you do. In my opinion, the greatest skill of the CEO is to crowdsource answers from experts and trusted advisors. But to do that, the CEO must learn how to ask the right questions. For example, you want to create a digital marketing presence for your business. One way to do it is to launch a new page on every social media platform and build a website hoping to drive traffic there. A better way is to ask some experts and your customers what type of digital marketing convenience is best or preferred. By using the latter approach, there is more focus, less wastage and a high probability that your digital presence will be increased because you gave the people what they wanted.
3. Active participation is another critical activity when leading people during turbulent times. When times are difficult, folks want to see what you are doing! For example, you can’t instruct your staff to reduce wastage in the company while you are still wasting loads of resources. In the same manner, if you are actively participating in working towards outcomes but your staff or team cannot see it, it could create the impression to you aren’t as committed to the work as the team. This is dangerous to productivity and morale in difficult times. Active participation must be visible.
4. Empathy or emotional intelligence is another must-have to effectively lead your team. If times are turbulent for you and your business, there is a huge likelihood that the impact is also being felt in team members’ personal lives. So, schedule check-in calls or messages to your team. Listen to the things that your team members are sharing. Offer help when you can. All these actions help your team members to feel seen as individuals and not just labour. You can then benefit from more positive work attitudes. I remember in my first company – as CEO, by being more in tune with what my staff’s lives meant that they often were more willing to make sacrifices to get the job done. That extra “how are you?” and actively listening really helped me to navigate a lot of uncertainty with my clients’ jobs because my team was more willing to make it happen for the boss who cared.
5. The last thing I would say is to manage your cash. Cash flow is a big stressor under normal circumstances and much more in difficult times. You must get more from your little. You must decide where to spend your little to get the best results. I remember in this pandemic, I had to be very strategic about which areas of my business operations I needed to spend more so that I could get more. For example, I had to choose whether to spend more on marketing activity or systems. I chose systems because what was the point of driving a bunch of online traffic to my business if I didn’t have the systems to benefit from that activity. This is one example of the cash flow management choice of a leader. It’s not simply whether you can afford it or not. It’s the outcomes and benefits of expending that cash.

Can you please give us your favourite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favourite quote is my own mantra – See the Vision, Believe the Vision, Build the Vision. The backdrop of this phrase is that it has been my journey and continues to be my journey. If you can see it- see a better outcome, see a better reality in your future, see with eyes of hope, and you believe that it is possible, you can build it. Where the mind is, the body will follow.

How can our readers further follow your work?

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-hayes-burke-thevisionbuilder or my website https://danahayesburke.com

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!

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Dana Hayes-Burke Of DHB Vision Strategist: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.