Stu Stiles currently serves as chair of Whitworth's School of Global Commerce & Management Business Advisory Board and is member of the Whitworth Board of Trustees. Previously, he was a member of the Spokane Economic Development COuncil and the Inland Northwest Technology Education Center, and from 2002-04 was board chair of the Spokane Intercollegiate Research & Technology Institute.
After working for various
companies in the Northwest region for several years, Mr. Stiles left the corporate
world to focus on missionary work. He is currently board chair of the
International Assistance Program, which provides micro-lending in Africa; he also
does missions work in Granja Robealto, located in the same area as Whitworth's
Costa Rica Center campus.
Mr. Stiles attended the University of
South Dakota, where he earned a bachelor's of science in business
administration. After graduating, he began a 10-year career with Ernest &
Julio Gallo Winery, where he held the position of general sales manager and
northwest division manager. Mr. Stiles then moved to Teknon Corporation as general
manager and VP of sales. From 1999-2004, he worked as the regional manager of
XO Communications (Nextlink), serving the Seattle, Portland and Spokane areas.
His most recent work, prior to becoming a missionary, was as CEO of Advantage
IQ (now Ecova).
A highlight of Mr. Stiles' lecture to the class was the integration of faith within the business culture, which was the corporate mission he instilled as CEO of Ecova. The first thing customers or employees saw when walking into Mr. Stiles' office was a sign that read, "Your care for others is a measure of your greatness." This is a biblical passage from the book of Luke that can also be applied in the business world. It helped to show customers and employees the firm's goals and how it conducted business.
Along with the importance of integrating faith within the business culture, Mr. Stiles presented to the class the following advice that will serve them throughout their business careers:
- Guard your integrity: You can lose a sale today, but remain a trustworthy business partner tomorrow. In business, your integrity is your most valuable asset. By maintaining integrity, you are ensuring ethical, honest partnerships and business transactions in the future.
- Humility is one of the best strengths of a leader: A leader is no one without the people who make up the structure of their leadership. Humility is the key in the sense that a leader must be able to listen to advisers. Although you are on top of your company, it is still necessary to respect and listen to other employees. They are the people who know the functions and happenings best; a leader who practices humility will not only gain the respect of his or her colleagues, but will also ensure the business is run based on the best ideas possible.
- Show grace and mercy in the workplace and control your anger. A leader who loses his or her temper, will immediately lose the respect of his or her co-workers: Many times as CEO, Mr. Stiles was faced with negative news about the business. By maintaining composure during these times, you can begin to constructively approach the issue, as well as avoid ostracizing any particular individual in the organization. This approach promotes a positive corporate culture, along with helping you gain the respect of your colleagues.
- Preparation leads to confidence: Being cocky is different from being confident. When you prepare properly for a presentation or meeting, you become confident in your ideas and in what you are trying to communicate to others in the company. Being cocky only promotes feelings of contempt and dislike towards you.
- Put your best people on the biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems: Too often businesses place their best workers in situations where they are expected to fix a problem. These high-quality workers can be netter utilized by placing them in opportunities for the company to grow and advance.
By incorporating these biblically-based principles into the company, Mr. Stiles was not trying to press his beliefs on employees, but was applying foundational moral and ethical practices to the business world. If every company/leader based their vision on these premises, they would be hard-press to violate business ethics. More than just doing what's right, these principles are rooted in the success and growth of every employee who instilles them into their everyday professional business conduct.
Student Contributors: Cody Arp, Christian Boudreau, and Stephen Plopper
