MEL #028 | From Engineering Equations to Community Impact through Head, Heart, and Hands with Eric Higgs

In this episode, I speak with Eric Higgs, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee.Eric began his career in engineering thanks to a high school band teacher who nominated him for a youth employment program. That opportunity paired him with a city engineer, igniting his interest in the field. After studying chemical engineering, he joined Procter & Gamble and moved through roles in manufacturing and brand management before eventually becoming a general manager at Kimberly-Clark and Bridgestone, and later transitioning to lead the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee.In our leadership segment, Eric talks about the core challenge when transitioning from corporate leadership to the nonprofit sector. He had to shift from primarily head- and hands-driven strategies to leading with heart while still leveraging data, strategy, and accountability. A key focus became simplifying complex strategies and cascading them through the organization in ways that inspired ownership at every level.Eric advises engineers to actively pursue leadership roles and develop both management and leadership skills. He emphasizes becoming a student of each new role and organization, adopting learning agility, and understanding both the culture and the people.Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/insights/