All Interviews

There’s a point in Tuesdays With Morrie when Mitch notices Morrie’s visitors struggling, not knowing how to talk to a dying person. They’d start with an awkward joke or a story, trying to cheer him up. Morrie would ask about their lives and the conversation would shift.

As with the quote widely attributed to G.B. Shaw, “The greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Alper believes many times problems arise because companies think they are communicating when they are not, and the most critical component of communication is listening. 

I get fired up by being around people who are constantly growing and reaching their potential. I look for opportunities where I’m able to tie a person’s unique ability to his or her role or provide an outlet to discover true professional passion. I love knowing that I helped them get to the next level.

"I'm always looking for ways to help leaders achieve clarity and alignment. If we don't have these things as leaders, we’ll find ourselves scattered - suffering from organizational ADD. Our attention will be drawn in too many different directions, and we’ll lose our effectiveness.”

With today’s current political and social climate, we have seen leaders who regularly avoid answering direct questions, fail to back up claims with facts, and, in some instances, downright lie. In a culture where dishonesty is just part of doing business, how do communications professionals maintain their authenticity, honesty, and values? Kathryn Beiser’s answer: “You just do.”

[Being a leader] is really like being an orchestra conductor: you have all these incredibly talented musicians sitting here, anyone of whom could be a soloist. The beauty is figuring out how to bring all that talent together, harness it, and leverage it for the greater good: cultivating the next generation of women leaders. - See more at: http://www.letgoandlead.com/kate-bensen/#sthash.lBJomn10.dpuf

“We don’t make anything at UL, but what we supply is trust. The trust that consumers have when they see our UL mark in a circle, knowing an item meets rigorous safety standards, is our product.”

After years of working together and constantly butting heads, David and Lynn Lancaster had an insight that sparked a new business venture: Their challenge wasn’t styles or personalities, it was context. And they weren’t alone.

“My three operative words are access, relevance and sustainability. And if we are not relevant and successful, we are not going to be sustainable.​”

Prior to co-founding MDP, Mr. Canning spent 24 years with First Chicago Corporation, most recently as Executive Vice President of The First National Bank of Chicago and President of First Chicago Venture Capital.