Confessions of an Implementer

Episode Summary: The Impact of Purpose-Driven Leadership with Dave Feidner, Certified Implementer

Host: Ryan Hogan
Guest: Dave Feidner
Date: October 9, 2024

Overview of Main Theme

In this episode, Ryan Hogan sits down with Dave Feidner, an accomplished EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) implementer with extensive international business-building experience. Their deep-dive discussion centers on the power of purpose-driven leadership: how clarity of purpose, trust, and transparency can transform organizations and fuel global growth. Dave shares stories from decades of scaling businesses—particularly his work with RGIS, the world’s leading inventory accounting provider—and imparts actionable insights about hiring visionaries, building strong company cultures, and the necessity of self-actualization for leaders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dave’s Journey at RGIS: From Domestic to Global Expansion

• Initial Role and Transformation
  • Dave started at RGIS, a family-owned company, helping them become the largest US provider in their category before driving their global expansion.
  • "I helped them build what became the largest business of its kind in the US and then convinced them to let me take them global." (02:33)
• Internationalization Strategy
  • Expansion was driven by US clients (notably Walmart) demanding global support.
  • Each market required a localized, often entrepreneurial approach. Some operations started from scratch with local visionaries, while others began through acquisitions.
  • Example: In France, organic growth and acquisitions combined to build a €60M business.
  • "Started with one business and a couple of guys, and then built from there." (07:38)

2. The Role of Visionaries in Scaling

• Finding and Incentivizing Visionary Leaders
  • The ideal country manager was a visionary who could also execute—integrators alone weren’t enough.
  • "I found I needed visionaries who could at least execute. The visionary piece was important because...literally nobody else was going to drive this thing." (09:01)
• Incentive Structures
  • While equity wasn’t always an option, builders were motivated by the opportunity to create something meaningful.
  • Private equity involvement made some equity sharing possible, especially with prior owners staying on as leaders. (10:14)

3. Building Trust and Transparency

• Lessons from Brazil & Ricardo Semmler
  • Dave was influenced by radical transparency practices from his Brazilian partners (Ricardo Semmler, author of "Maverick")—such as employees setting their own salaries with access to all relevant financial information.
  • "You can go really far with transparency. And they went all the way towards employees setting their own salaries." (15:19)
• Transparency Best Practices
  • Advocates quarterly all-hands meetings with full financial disclosure—using the VTO (Vision/Traction Organizer) framework.
  • Transparency builds trust and engagement, dispelling negative speculation among employees.
  • "If you want your employees to trust you, you have to take the first step because there's a status imbalance." (17:39)

4. Implementing Operating Systems: Rockefeller Habits to EOS

• Early Frameworks
  • Initial exposure was to Rockefeller Habits via recruiting YPO members; implemented one-page strategic plans and other tools.
  • Encouraged adapting systems to the needs of local leaders. (21:00)
• Switch to EOS
  • After leaving RGIS, Dave discovered EOS via "Traction" and now uses it with clients.
  • "When I got exposed to EOS, it was probably about...six months after I left RGIS...I read it, I’m like, oh, this is what you need. And then we implemented with them." (20:25)

5. Purpose-Driven Organizations: From Convenience to Meaning

• Contrast: Contract of Convenience vs. Contract for Purpose
  • Most employee relationships are “contracts of convenience”—pragmatic, transactional, and easily disrupted.
  • The goal is to build a “contract for purpose,” aligning employees with a mission bigger than themselves, leading to retention and engagement.
  • "The problem with [convenience] is it doesn't take much of an improvement in convenience for people to leave...what leaders who are great do is they have a contract on the basis of purpose." (39:05)
• Mechanisms for Purpose Alignment
  • Starts with clear core values and an understanding of the organization's unique "superpower" (core competence).
  • Purpose and superpower are foundational. 10-year targets, 3-year pictures, and rocks give strategic context, all facilitated by tools like the VTO. (43:09)

6. The Power of Peer Networks and Self-Actualization

• Communities for Growth: YPO, EO, Vistage
  • Leaders require both operational systems and strong, trusted peer communities.
  • Peer groups and coaching accelerate personal and leadership development.
  • "For me, it's been transformational for me...When I'm working particularly with visionary entrepreneurs, I'm looking for...optimizing their network by having a group of trusted peers." (26:36)
• Self-Actualization and the Hero’s Journey
  • The journey to self-actualization—top of Maslow’s hierarchy—is perpetual and foundational to great leadership.
  • Pursuing goals, taking risks, and finding mentors or coaches are all part of this path.
  • "The story of the hero's journey shows up in pretty much every piece of literature...that is what we all, as humans, are aiming for..." (29:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On International Expansion and Leadership

• "I found I needed visionaries who could at least execute...if we had not had a visionary in [Italy], it would not have become what it became."
  — Dave Feidner (09:01)

On Radical Transparency

• "You can go really far with transparency. And they went all the way towards employees setting their own salaries. For an employee to set their own salary, they needed to know essentially three things: the state of the company, what that position pays elsewhere, and the state of the economy."
  — Dave Feidner (15:19)

• "If you want your employees to trust you, you have to take the first step because there's a status imbalance. What's a more powerful way of extending trust than sharing financials?"
  — Dave Feidner (17:39)

On Company Culture and Purpose

• "What leaders who are great do is they have a contract on the basis of purpose...you’re tapping into an individual's higher needs, their self-actualizing needs."
  — Dave Feidner (39:05)

• Host Reaction: "By the way, we just found our number one teaser for this episode, which is the contract for purpose versus a contract for convenience."
  — Ryan Hogan (41:16)

On Navigating Difficult Moments

• "Occasionally you have to say to yourself, today is a good day to get fired and you enter the danger...you do it with as much love and courage as you can muster and share back to them what is actually going on..."
  — Dave Feidner (37:05)

On Self-Actualization

• "It's always a journey...as long as your mind is wired to think and act that way, you probably live longer."
  — Dave Feidner (31:08)

On Coaches and Mentorship

• "I’ve met young people who are way wiser than me...If a coach opens something up within you in that conversation, sign me up."
  — Dave Feidner (34:19)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:23] – Dave’s background at RGIS and the leap to international operations.
• [05:16] – How client demand, like Walmart’s, initiated global expansion.
• [08:55] – Lessons on hiring visionaries versus integrators.
• [13:15] – Radical transparency: learning from Brazil’s "Maverick" culture.
• [15:19] – Employees setting their own salaries and the impact on trust.
• [20:25] – Transition from Rockefeller Habits to EOS.
• [26:36] – Importance of leadership peer networks like EO, YPO, and Vistage.
• [29:32] – Self-actualization and the hero’s journey.
• [39:05] – The difference between contracts for convenience and contracts for purpose.
• [43:09] – How core values and organizational "superpower" connect to strategic clarity.
• [37:05] – Handling tough conversations as an implementer: “Today is a good day to get fired.”

Closing Thoughts

This conversation with Dave Feidner offers a compelling look at how high-impact leaders orchestrate purposeful change across companies and continents. His candid storytelling and practical advice highlight the necessity of visionary talent, accountability, and trust in building international organizations that last. If you’re committed to driving real transformation—whether in your team, company, or your own leadership—this episode offers a blueprint.

For more on EOS implementation or to connect with Dave Feidner:

• Phone: 248-881-94903
• LinkedIn: Dave Feidner
• Target clients: Purpose-driven companies with 10–250 employees, ready to pursue growth and cultural clarity.

This summary captures the essence and actionable insights of the episode, helping listeners and non-listeners alike grasp its value without the need to sit through the audio.