Ivey Leadership Blog Series: James D. Irving

HBA2 students at the Ivey School of Business have a fantastic opportunity to learn from a number of influential business leaders, both inside and outside of the classroom. A fantastic opportunity was presented to the HBA 2009 class this past year with the introduction of a new class: Learning From Leaders.

Entrepreneurs who would like to learn from successful leaders should not miss this course. Through their visits, the experienced leaders discussed a number of key leadership experiences, achievements, roles in leading and following, preparation, self analysis, mentoring, reading, goal setting, learning experiences, rules they developed, stress, missed opportunities, mistakes and satisfactions.

The very first visiting leader was Mr. James D. Irving, President & CEO, J.D. Irving Ltd.

J.D. Irving Ltd. operates in forestry and forest products, transportation, shipbuilding and industrial marine, retail, industrial equipment, construction services and building materials, translation and consumer products.

Many of Irving’s stories related to the mythical JFK anecdote: The President was visiting NASA headquarters and stopped to talk to a man who was holding a mop. “And what do you do?” he asked. The man, a janitor, replied, “I’m helping to put a man on the moon, sir.” Mr. Irving showed that he had a way of connecting with all of his employees, vice-presidents to line workers, and he makes sure that they are all involved in the success of the company.

Irving told his story about how he grew up living and breathing the family business. Often, he would spend weeks at a time out in the bush with J.D. Irving workers, learning the business, participating in the daily work efforts, truly living it. When he was only a teenager, he was put in charge of an entire factory by his father and he quickly learned the “trial by fire” tactic. By working in the business for years, Irving had worked on developing his leadership style. He made it clear that you never know when, exactly, good leadership develops, it is a process. Leadership does not happen in one situation or in a certain circumstance, it is who you are and “straight from the gut.”

Irving shared that on a normal day at the office he makes sure that his presence is felt throughout the entire organization as he tries to empower all of his employees. He spends a lot of his time touring operations, meeting with people, learning from his managers, and applying the successful techniques that he learns to other areas of the company. He is a “big picture” leader who shapes the direction of the company, drives it internally and motivates people to do great work for him. His passion for the business really does show through in everything he does and the way in which he speaks about the company.

Mr. Irving went on to speak about the future for new business graduates. “This generation has a competitive advantage because you are in touch with technology, and have a much broader multicultural interaction.” Now, more than ever, young business graduates can leverage technology to their advantage. Data transfer becomes quicker, constant communication enables increased deal flow, and a true global economy has opened up a number of new opportunities that were not possible only years ago.

Irving also highlighted some potential weaknesses of new business leaders, “Do you have the passion? The hustle? Do you have the fire in your belly that makes you want to get out of bed and go to work? Because the other guy is coming, and he’s coming fast.”

As Irving’s talk came to an end, he was asked the question: “Do you ever think you’ll get to a point with your business where you’ll be satisfied?” To this, Irving replied: “No. When you climb to the top of the alps, what’s on the other side? More apls.” Mr. Irving really does live and breathe the family business and the success of J.D. Irving Ltd. is a result of his great work ethic.

President Lincoln was once asked how long it took him to write The Gettysburg Address. He replied: “All my life.” Irving is not a walk-on CEO, he has grown up living the business each and every day of his life, it truly is his life’s work.

Thanks for the great leadership lessons Mr. Irving.

See the next post in the leadership series from Learning From Leaders guest Shelly Jamison, IEP, Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Ontario Public Service; former Deputy Minister Transportation; former President of Extendicare.

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