Tru Pettigrew, CEO of Tru Access, connecting organizations with millennials

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Please describe your leadership style as CEO.


Inspiring and empowering. I believe the role of a leader is more of a position of responsibility than a position of authority. As a leader, it is my responsibility to see to it that the team reaches our collective goal. I also see it as my responsibility to inspire and empower my team members to become leaders themselves.


What is your mission statement?

To ensure that an entire generation of millennials and the organizations seeking to connect with them achieve maximum levels of success by identifying and pursuing their purpose beyond profit.


What three skill sets are critical for the future executive that you hire for your organization?

1. Leadership
2. Cultural competence
3. Emotional intelligence

How does having an advanced degree benefit you and your clients?

It shows the ability and willingness to continue to learn. Learning should never stop, even if school does. When you are constantly feeding your mind, you’re able to make yourself and everyone around you better.

How do you utilize technology to benefit your organization?

We use technology in a number of different ways, but the three primary ways we use technology to benefit Tru Access is as a tool for…
Education
Engagement
– and –
Evaluation

Finish the sentences:
Team work is important because … Team work makes the dream work. None of us can do it alone.

The best way to recruit great talent is … To create a culture that fosters diversity and inclusion. Great talent is attracted to environments where they know they will be utilized, but also challenged. Great talent understands that innovation is born out of diversity, even if the organization doesn’t understand it. That’s a part of what makes that talent great.

Speaking a second language is important because … We are operating in a global workforce and a global marketplace. The more you can communicate in other languages, the more valuable you are to your organization.

What social media platforms do you engage in the most?

Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

What professional organizations do you support?

Association of National Advertisers, AdColor, Talent Management Alliance, Diversity Professionals, and Y Achievers

Describe your networking style.

I believe in relationship building. Networking is important and I highly recommend it. I also stress the importance of relationship building beyond just meeting people and growing your list of contacts. Real progress and traction takes place once you’ve built meaningful relationships.

If you were giving a graduation speech to college students, what would the title of your speech be and give three reasons for that title.

Title: Be. Believe. Become; How Strong Is Your Bridge?

Reasons:
Be – This helps give you the direction, confidence and comfort to be yourself and stop looking at yourself in someone else’s mirror. It’s important to learn to be comfortable, confident and courageous enough to Be the person you were meant to Be.
Believe – You become what you believe. The bridge that connects you from where you are today to where you’re going tomorrow is what you believe.  How strong is your bridge?
Become – You were born with a purpose and the only way to maximize your gifts is to live out that purpose and become the person that you are meant to Become. You cannot Become who you are meant to Become however until you decide to Be who you are meant to Be and Believe in your gifts and your talents even if no one else does.

Name your two favorite vacation destinations to relax and recharge and explain what makes those locales appealing.

Jamaica – It’s a beautiful island, with beautiful people and a beautiful culture. My wife is from there and we know all the right places to go to experience the entire island in its fullness.
Turks & Caicos – My wife and I fell in love with these islands the first time we ever went. It’s very scenic, very peaceful and still not too commercialized.

What are you reading and what are your two favorite books?

Currently Reading: What are you Afraid of? – Dr. David Jeremiah and Brother West; Living and Loving Out Loud – Cornel West

Three favorite books: The Holy Bible, How To Win Friends & Influence People – Dale Carnegie and The On-Purpose Person – Kevin McCarthy

Name three business or political leaders who inspire you.

President Barack Obama
Steve Jobs
Jack Welch

Favorite sports team and hobbies?

LA. Lakers
Hobbies include reading, running and writing

Two favorite quotes that motivate you?

“No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
“You’re only as successful as the amount of risk that you are willing to take.”

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