C-Suite Concerns: Gerald Vassar Of Lakeside On The Top 5 Issues That Keep Executives Up at Night
An Interview With Cynthia Corsetti
Personnel conflicts: Although Lakeside is a nonprofit in the human services sector, we’re not immune to interpersonal conflict among our staff. Our staff is our number one priority — If our team does not feel supported, how can we ask them to support the youth we serve? As a trauma-informed organization, our overall mission and programs attract a variety of personalities with different value systems. Lakeside seeks to foster an environment where brain-based education and training can help associates better understand themselves and one another, thus mitigating conflict.
When it comes to business leadership, challenges are omnipresent. From rapidly changing market dynamics to technological disruptions, executives today grapple with multifaceted issues that directly impact their decision-making and strategic orientations. What really keeps the leaders of today’s corporate world awake at night? How do they navigate through these turbulent times to ensure the growth and stability of their organizations? As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Gerald (Gerry) Vassar.
Gerry Vassar is President and CEO of Lakeside. In his role over the last 38 years, Gerry and his staff have developed 4 trauma-informed and brain-based alternative schools and in-school clinical services for over 38 school districts which combine serve over 8000 students per year. In 2003 Gerry founded Lakeside Global Institute which has developed professional development training for system of care professionals from many different disciplines. Annually Lakeside Global Institute provides workshops and intensive trauma-informed training and trauma summits to 25,000 professionals in all 67 Pennsylvania counties as well as in other parts of the country. Lakeside also houses its own production studios which specialize in developing trauma-informed online courses. Lakeside recently filmed, produced and now administrates a new global organizational online trauma-responsive training and certification program developedby international trauma author and thought leader, Dr. Sandra Bloom. This Creating PRESENCE program serves over 30 organizations internationally. Gerry is a systems of care and organizational consultant. He is active as a Board Member for the American Veteran’s Tribute Organization, The Welcome Project, Pa., and consults other non-profits and businesses in strategic planning, visioning, and implementation of programs. He has two children, three grandchildren and has been married for 46 years. He also heads the American Veteran’s Tribute Band as an instrumentalist and vocalist.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about communication, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
Absolutely — early in my career I thought I wanted to go into counseling; I also had a business background with fundraising experience and a passion for volunteering with young people. When it came time for Lakeside’s founder, my predecessor, to look for someone to step into the role, he wanted someone with a unique combination of counseling, business, fundraising, and experience with kids…you could say the rest is history. When I got started in 1985, I anticipated the rampant need for mental healthcare in the 1990s and the beginnings of our current youth mental health crisis. I wanted to stand in the gap for at-risk youth, to provide them with the nurturing and support they needed. What started as a small school with a few programs has grown into the established second-chance organization it is — Lakeside serves 8,000 students and trains 25,000 professionals annually, with an ever-growing team of more than 350 dedicated staff members.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
1. ACTIVE LISTENING: Leaders first and foremost need to be active listeners. In the first 4–5 years of my career, I met with each one of my staff to solicit feedback about working at Lakeside; what we do well, what we need to improve upon, etc. Listening and investing time to hear from my associates allowed me to make informed decisions because I knew what they valued — folks who planned to leave the organization are some of my key leaders now.
2. MINDFULNESS & SENSITIVITY: Mindfulness at its core is a practice of being in tune — with your surroundings, with your loved ones, or in this case, with my staff. My leadership style relies on building relationships and coming to deeply understand the needs of the people I work with every day — What is important to them? What motivates them? Who are they as individuals? Leaders should be tuned into both the actions AND emotions of their staff to be successful.
3. GRACE: At Lakeside, it’s critical to our mission that our staff and clients are treated equally — that is to say, our staff deserve and receive the same grace our students do. We know that care and mentorship can break down some of the barriers associated with trauma and want to make sure we are holding ourselves to the same standards internally with our staff as we are externally with our clients. Leading with grace creates an environment where associates feel empowered to try, fail, and come to work as their authentic selves.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader? I’m curious to understand how these challenges have shaped your leadership.
One of the most challenging decisions I’ve had to make during my time with Lakeside was shifting our model of care, specifically the programs from which we were receiving our students. Originally, Lakeside received our students from county systems, which did not result in a consistent student population. I made the difficult choice to change our service model to supporting school districts and students in these schools — as difficult as it was to feel like we were abandoning some of the students and young people from the county, we knew we would be able to make a greater, more sustainable impact by working more closely with school districts. This decision was pivotal on our programming side to accommodate a different student population, which has allowed Lakeside to prosper over the last several decades.
What do you believe are the top five concerns currently preoccupying the minds of C-suite executives, and why? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.
1 . Personnel conflicts: Although Lakeside is a nonprofit in the human services sector, we’re not immune to interpersonal conflict among our staff. Our staff is our number one priority — If our team does not feel supported, how can we ask them to support the youth we serve? As a trauma-informed organization, our overall mission and programs attract a variety of personalities with different value systems. Lakeside seeks to foster an environment where brain-based education and training can help associates better understand themselves and one another, thus mitigating conflict.
2 . Financial pressures: While we recognize that economic considerations are a significant concern for all executives, it’s important to acknowledge the distinctive challenges that financial pressures pose for nonprofit organizations. Navigating the delicate balance of allocating resources when your mission revolves around caring for people intensifies the already high-pressure nature of budgeting and accounting for organizations like Lakeside.
3 . Technology: One particular concern lies in the inherent resistance associated with introducing new technology in an organization, especially when the core focus is on human interactions. I vividly remember the necessity of transitioning to a more stable student record-keeping system as our existing database posed reliability issues. This significant adjustment proved to be a formidable challenge, encountering initial resistance. The natural inclination for many individuals is to resist change in the workplace, and when technology is introduced in an environment centered around face-to-face interaction, the difficulty is magnified. Balancing the integration of technology with a people-centric approach adds a layer of complexity, requiring careful navigation of conflicts and fostering a culture of adaptability.
4 . Social media: Over nearly four decades of working with Lakeside, my attention has recently turned towards the dynamic realm of social media. The media landscape undergoes constant evolution, with the undeniable viral impact of social platforms. Lakeside’s products, tailored for students and professionals, may not inherently align with traditional social media advertising. This necessitates a thoughtful evaluation of our strategy while recognizing the importance of establishing a much-needed online presence.
Furthermore, it’s crucial to acknowledge the dual nature of social media. While it offers opportunities for outreach, it also plays a role in perpetuating the very traumas we educate our students and staff about. Our challenge is not only to navigate the complexities of online promotion but also to contribute positively in a space that intersects with the issues we work diligently to address — safeguarding our community from harmful content online.
5 . Growth: The mental health field is always evolving, which makes growth a crucial metric of success. Internal growth (Are we getting more sophisticated? Are we increasing organizational knowledge?) is as important as external growth (Are we meeting the current needs of our community? Are we staying relevant and contextual?) at Lakeside. Some of our newest programs, including trauma and grief as well as trauma and social media, reflect Lakeside’s growth mission as we strive to meet the evolving needs of our clients.
In the face of rapid technological advancements and market shifts, do you find that you need to constantly recalibrate your strategies to ensure sustained growth?
Fortunately, Lakeside maintains a predominantly low-tech environment, shielding us from the direct impact of most technological adjustments on our growth trajectory. However, our focus lies in staying abreast of emerging trends within the human service marketplace, a landscape that often introduces complexities into our strategic planning processes. An illustrative instance unfolded as students returned to their schools post-Covid. In response to the unforeseen surge in demand, I faced the substantial task of hiring dozens of new counselors to support the school districts we serve, resulting in a remarkable expansion of my staff by nearly a third. This unexpected growth, a ripple effect of Covid in the human service industry, underscored the need for adaptability and strategic agility in navigating the evolving landscape.
With the emergence of AI, blockchain, and other transformative technologies, how do you determine which tech trends are worth investing in?
We’re encountering artificial intelligence in a very specific way in the education field. Our investments in AI and other technological advancements are all aimed at supporting students who wouldn’t be as successful without these technologies. The increase in cybersecurity concerns and academic integrity violations demonstrates why AI use needs to be approached cautiously. With appropriate oversight and implementation, AI has a massive potential to improve the quality of education for students who may struggle with traditional learning methods.
With increasing digital threats, how are you prioritizing cybersecurity, and what measures are you taking to protect your organization’s assets?
Savvy leaders understand that in today’s digital landscape, a cybersecurity incident is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ To fortify our defenses, we’ve made strategic investments in comprehensive training for our technology services staff, establishing clear and stringent policies governing email usage and security protocols. Our proactive approach extends to training our staff to adeptly identify and report phishing emails, with periodic test emails prompting additional training for those who may need it.
In our commitment to staying ahead of potential threats, we recently conducted a thorough all-system vulnerability check, meticulously auditing every facet of our technology infrastructure for potential weaknesses. This proactive measure has allowed us to address vulnerabilities promptly. Looking ahead, we remain vigilant and are actively exploring additional measures to enhance the safeguarding of our valuable assets.
As a top executive, how do you manage stress and maintain mental well-being? Do you have any personal practices or routines that help you stay centered?
At Lakeside, we teach our students and staff the importance of emotional regulation and solitude breaks — taking time to be alone. I incorporate these breaks throughout my workday by finding a few moments to do something I enjoy, such as reading or playing music. When you’ve had a stressful moment, we encourage individuals to find a moment of solitude to match. I invite my staff to ask themselves: What type of solitude energizes you? Creating balance in my emotional life is crucial to maintaining my mental well-being, especially in the high-stress field we work in.
What habits or practices have been most instrumental in your personal and professional growth?
I do my best to stay up to date with current events and news — one of my biggest fears as a leader is becoming irrelevant. As an active consumer of news and emerging trends, I find this allows me to further develop meaningful connections with my clients and staff. I consider myself a lifelong learner and frequently respond to interesting and/or relevant articles on my blog.
The business world is evolving faster than ever. How do you ensure you’re constantly updating your knowledge and staying ahead of the curve?
I have an entrepreneurial spirit and I’m always looking at future opportunities that exist for the industry. The mental health field is unique because it’s so behind other healthcare studies and practices, which makes it difficult to anticipate what may be ahead. In trying to develop healthy systems and get professionals to understand how to interact with trauma-impacted individuals, our prevention efforts give us the best opportunity to stay ahead of the curve in such a complex industry.
The importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace has been emphasized more than ever. Do you have any initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion in your organization?
Following the tragic events surrounding George Floyd’s murder and the initial media coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement, I took immediate action within my leadership role. I empowered each of my program teams with a clear directive: actively engage in enhancing our equity dialogue and contribute to equality initiatives. I tasked them with collecting data and conducting audits to pinpoint areas where Lakeside could establish impactful policies and best practices. The outcomes of these efforts have been systematically gathered and are currently being utilized to craft a dynamic strategic plan for our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This proactive approach ensures that we are not just responding to the call for change but actively shaping a future where these values are ingrained in our organization’s ethos.
Can you share a piece of feedback or advice you received that significantly altered your leadership approach or philosophy?
Early on in my career with Lakeside, the head of our training department shared her perspective on the depth of “legacy work” needed to fundamentally understand a person. We are all raised and influenced by people with certain values, and my colleague helped me understand how loyal we are to past influences. If I don’t consider your background, where you came from, and how you’re wired, we miss a huge piece of what shapes our loyalties and values — and in turn, how these things affect our work. Research about legacy impact, including studies about neurology and influence, make us better observers and more empathetic leaders. Recognizing legacy impact give us a different skill set to understand and support people who are at risk or struggling.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I’d love to start a movement in which we integrate trauma-informed school-based programs into every public school curriculum in the US. By embedding training about socioemotional issues at a very early age, students can better understand the issues they’re working through and how those issues impact social, emotional, and physical health. The impact on the criminal justice and mental health systems would be notable — training about neurology, the brain, and measuring emotional health would bring about a transformative change in society.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can read my blog here! I post twice per week on Lakeside’s website, which helps me stay informed about current trends and how they relate to Lakeside’s programs. Feel free to check out my latest post about the critical need for suicide prevention efforts for law enforcement.
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Cynthia Corsetti is an esteemed executive coach with over two decades in corporate leadership and 11 years in executive coaching. Author of the upcoming book, “Dark Drivers,” she guides high-performing professionals and Fortune 500 firms to recognize and manage underlying influences affecting their leadership. Beyond individual coaching, Cynthia offers a 6-month executive transition program and partners with organizations to nurture the next wave of leadership excellence.
