CEO Brendan P. Keegan Talks Leadership, Innovation with NH Department of Safety
CEO of Merchants Fleet Brendan P. Keegan spoke to a full room of New Hampshire’s safety leaders this week as the keynote for the Department of Safety’s Leadership Meeting, which was held at the Division of Fire Standards and Training and Emergency Medical Services. During his session Keegan encouraged the state’s leaders to take time to innovate, engage in strategic thinking, and invest in their teams through leadership and coaching.
Commissioner John J. Barthelmes said it was Keegan’s approach to leadership and innovation that grabbed his attention.
“Brendan and I were on a panel for the Fire Chiefs of the State of New Hampshire, and I was very impressed with how he approached leadership and innovative thinking,” he said. “It aligned with a lot of the things we’re trying to do at the Department of Safety.”
Keegan began by noting that leadership doesn’t change across sectors. “I don’t approach it from public or private sector,” he said. “It’s just leadership.”
In addition to defining leadership versus management versus coaching, Keegan encouraged officials to think like the private sector and be creative in their approaches in key areas, such as recruitment. He also said that small innovations, such as blocking time each week for strategic thinking, delegating tasks, and seeking out new ideas add up to make significant improvements.
“You don’t have to innovate at the pace of a Microsoft or a Google – you just have innovate faster than your peers,” he said.
At the end of the session, attendees walked away with worksheets to help them carve out more time in their day to be strategic and innovative.
About Brendan P. Keegan: Brendan P. Keegan serves as Chief Executive Officer [CEO] at Merchants Fleet. Brendan has been involved with Merchants Fleet since 2009—as a client, board member, and strategic advisor. His innovative leadership has fueled the company’s strategic direction and been the driving force behind its industry-leading growth.
Brendan is a six-time, transformational President & CEO of technology and financial services companies ranging from 500 to over 10,000 employees located in nearly 150 countries. He has led nearly 50,000 employees, and driven sales of over $100 billion. He also has authored more than 100 articles on leadership, strategy, and technology, and he has been quoted in multiple publications. Brendan is available for speaking opportunities.
