Interview with Mike Brunner

Interview with Mike Brunner 
CEO of National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) 

Marilyn Singh interviews Mike Brunner about the passion for learning, personal and professional development, mentoring, and techniques to promote continual growth. 

 Mr. Michael E. Brunner is the Chief Executive Officer of National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA).  This association is “The Voice of Rural Telecommunications,” serving hundreds of member companies throughout the and parts of .

Marilyn: You’ve got a lot of passion for growing, learning, gaining knowledge—that’s obvious to everyone who talks to you. What drives that passion?

Mike: This is not a dress rehearsal. I want to be as good as I can be. Be all that I can be. Someone said—I always mix up all these people—“Life is going to go on anyway, might as well make the most of it.” I want to keep growing and learning. A lot of people just shut down.

Marilyn: How does that level of engagement benefit you?

Mike: I feel more alive. I read books and think about things. I’m a better conversationalist. It snowballs—the more you read, the more you want to learn. So, I’ve wanted to learn more. I have no time for someone who is bored.

Marilyn: Professional development and personal development—what’s the difference?

Mike: I don’t make a distinction, unless it’s training in a specific area, like for my industry—technical training. Broader training includes how to communicate better, how to lead better, and HR issues. How to be a better listener—that impacts life and work. It all works together. Things I learn, I can use at work, or at church.

Marilyn: What do you do to further your own development?

Mike: Four things. One, I read, read, read—it opens your eyes open to the world.

Two, I try to attend seminars regularly. I’m in a major city, so I have those opportunities—to see people like Tom Peters, Stephen Covey, David Allen. I took a course on facilitating. I’m intrigued with coaching and DISC training.

Three, I’m one of the few on staff who uses these 40 cassettes we have available here in the staff library, including Tony Robins, Stephen Covey, on how to time manage, etc. Brian Tracy, a (Canadian), businessman who has become a biz philosopher, is also included. I saw him live—he is extraordinary.

Four, networking. I’ve always been pretty good at networking. I set personal goals. One is to have 18 lunch meetings with associations a year. It’s a great way to connect. We discuss issues such as how others are dealing with salary increases, etc. We share. CEO networking groups are also good. Some of my own networks come out of these. Stay in touch. Find out how other people do things.

Marilyn: You have mentored many people. What draws you to mentoring?

Mike: I love helping young people who are teachable. The key word is “teachable.” Some are and some aren’t. I wish I had a mentor when I was young—I really didn’t. If I’m able to help some young people in some way, then I do.

Marilyn: What does that process give back to you?

Mike: Seeing young people embrace the things I suggest they do. Getting results. I’m going to give you the secrets to become financially independent. No charge. Problem is only 3% will take the advice even though they all agree that it makes sense.

If I could just plant a few key ideas that helped me, I could save them having to learn it the hard way. I don’t claim to have all the answers—when I speak to groups I say I’m no expert. I’ve tried some things and had some good success. Jim Rohn said “Be a student, not a follower.” Use it, adapt it, or discard it. I wish I’d had a mentor. I have had a few bosses interested in me.

It’s amazing to me that you see people who are successful and other people don’t go up and ask them for their secret! “You’ve done pretty well, can I pick your brain?” I would love to have someone ask me this! I pick other people’s brains.

I think I’m fairly humble about what I don’t know. Mechanically, I’m about a zero. I have some people helping me with computer stuff, but I’m behind. I have to have other people help me out.

Your humility comes out with your hunger to learn. We all have an ego, but I realize how little I know. You think you do things pretty well until you see the next person.

Marilyn:  I know you have come across many a busy executive or leader who is not taking the time to stretch and grow. What price do you think they pay for that?

Mike: They plateau. “I’ve heard it all. I don’t need it.” They grow stale. That has other implications—less open to new ideas, more insulated. More “I’ll tell ‘em how it is”. A lot of people in my position kinda burn out or get that way. I had a fella when I first came who took me out for lunch—he headed up this ASA group [Association for Associations]. He threw a chart on a piece of paper…with all the years. The first three years, you’ll be compared to your predecessor. After that, you’ll be compared to how you used to be—in years 1, 2 and 3. Warm and friendly and open to people—you have to do that in years 7,8,9 and 10. No one can stay young and fresh forever—you have to, if you get beyond a certain level, leave and do something else. Otherwise, you’re going to burn out.

I always run a little scared because I’m one board meeting away from being fired. I don’t think I’ll be fired at the next board meeting, but you never know. It keeps you on your toes. I’m not worrying about it but it’s their association. I tell them the numbers. I have a policy: Whenever a member comes to the building, I want a staffer to bring him here so I can say hello. If I’m in a meeting with a closed door, know and come in. “This is your association, this is your office.” People who get away from that start getting in trouble. Brian Tracy said everything you know today: about 85% is going to be obsolete in about five years. You’ve got to keep up with these changes. If you don’t keep up, you fall behind.

Marilyn: That’s the illusion—if you don’t grow, you’ll stay where you are.

Mike: I told our members yesterday morning, I was thanking them for coming into Arlington to Washington to go to Capitol Hill. I said relationships are like the telephone network/the highway network—they don’t maintain themselves. You have to work at a relationship, as you know.

A lot of people think you don’t. And if you think you don’t, you’ve got all these great relationships on Capitol Hill and in two years you don’t. You have to keep up. If we stop living and learning and reading and talking, we’re going to fall behind.

Marilyn: When we talk about personal growth— reading books, seminars, connecting with other people--what habits are required to put ourselves in a good place for our personal development plans?  

Mike: Number one, I’m a big goal setter. I believe in having long-range, mid-range and short-range goals. And I do it in an elaborate way. Find the system that works for you. For example, some people laugh at this, I have a personal goal of reading 13 or more good non-fiction books this year. And I do it. Some people say I don’t have to write down a goal to read a book and I say “How many books have you read?” The average American reads one book a year. In one survey I saw, an average man watches TV for 29 hours a week. Women watch 34 hours a week. People don’t read. I’m the type that likes to check things off with a red pen when they’re done. That motivates. Being organized—being strategic in your development.

There are three things you need to do to be successful in life:

1. Decide what you want—most people and organizations never really decide
2. Make a plan to achieve it in writing
3. Implement the plan

Be organized and use time well. One of the habits I have now is networking, which I think puts me in a good place.

Lifestyle, philosophy—I really work at trying to treat people well. I don’t always do, but I’ve seen so many cases of people mistreating each other. People are rude and I’m sensitive. I used to have bosses. If the boss was gruff on a Friday afternoon, I’d go home thinking he didn’t like me. I’d take it personally. “How am I going to pay my mortgage?”  I’ve been much more careful in how I talk to people.

And email—I’m careful, I’ll go back and read it again. Email can be so impersonal. I make sure I put their name in it so it sounds more personal. I’m working at these and trying to be a better listener. The key word is habit. Everything I’ve learned is from stuff someone said to get me started.  Ninety-five percent of our success comes from our habits. Think about it: People with the good habits lead to success. People with bad habits don’t. Good habits are hard to make and easy to keep. Bad habits are easy to make and hard to break. Just think about the habits we have.

How do you spend the first hour of the day? Do you sit around drinking coffee and reading the paper, and waste that golden, beautiful hour? Or do you work on your biggest account of the day?

Exercising—you just have to do it. It’s a habit. You don’t have time? You don’t NOT have time!

Work your reading in. You probably have habitual times to read? I tend to read Saturday late afternoon and sometimes Sunday afternoon. And when I’m traveling, and when I have free time at my destination. I just love to read.

Marilyn: What advice would you give to younger executives?

Mike: One piece of advice: 
Always be in the learning mode. If I were you, I would make a learning notebook. Write down lessons you’ve learned. I’d tell a young person who says I don’t know what I want to do “You’re not supposed to know what you want to do!”. How would you know at age 18 or 22? I tell them go work someplace for a year—learn as much as you can and go somewhere else for a year and learn as much as you can. Start eliminating what you don’t like to do and learn what you like to do. Don’t worry that you’re making a lifetime commitment at age 23. Keep a journal. Keep a notebook and start writing things down. Be a learner. Be a reader. Ask the advice of successful people. Look around and see what the successful ones are doing. Look around and figure out what’s going on and do what the successful folks are doing.

If I was a young person, I’d say, “How can I be better?” Make notes and go do it. I wouldn’t be saying “Hey, cool office.”  Pay attention, write things down, be interested. 

Marilyn: Hard question: If you could recommend one book, what would it be?

Mike: Besides the Bible, I would recommend, Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s more than a biz book—it’s a life book.

The other book is The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman. I read it last summer. When he was a little kid, his parents used to say to him “Eat your dinner—people in and are starving.”  Now he says to his daughter “Do your homework—people in and are starving for your job.”

I’ve had the privilege of being with Stephen Covey three or four times. Interesting guy—different, but interesting.

Marilyn: Do you have any advice for someone who wants a mentor in his or her life? How would you suggest someone go about finding the right mentor?

Mike: Choose someone you have chemistry with and someone who would spend a bit of time with you.  You wouldn’t want to get someone who is SO busy. Most of the burden falls on the young person, not the mentor. “What do you want to tell me today?” Choose someone that you click with—someone who is not a direct supervisor, someone a little more objective.

Marilyn: Any last thoughts?

I wish I could remember who said this—I don’t think I have an original thought. “The harder you are on yourself, the better your life is going to turn out. The easier you are on yourself, the tougher your life will be.”

About Mike Brunner

Mike Brunner – NTCA (National Telecommunications Cooperative Association), Chief Executive Officer

Michael E. Brunner became NTCA’s Chief Executive Officer in January 1985, bringing to the association a unique combination of government, congressional, trade association, and management experience.

Before joining NTCA, Mike was the Associate Administrator for the Farmers Home Administration, a U.S. Department of Agriculture agency that provided loans to ’s farmers. He served as a legislative officer for the Secretary of Agriculture. Brunner was the Director of Congressional Relations for four years with the American Meat Institute, the national trade association of the meat packing industry. He was a legislative assistant to two Congressmen during four years on Capitol Hill.

Brunner received a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University . He also earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from George Washington University . In addition, he is a Certified Public Accountant.

Brunner has served on the Arlington County Board and the County School Board .