Waddell, New Memphis connect local talent to professional development

Respected for his years in counterterrorism work with the CIA and FBI, Philip Mudd regularly appears on networks such as CNN to share his analysis.

So when he recently appeared in Memphis at an event for New Memphis Institute’s Leadership Development Intensive alumni, it made sense that the conversation leaned heavily on the subject. But Mudd’s knowledge and background is poignant for discussions about leadership, too, particularly his years working inside Washington.

Mudd is in Memphis monthly as part of his work with Southern Sun Asset Management.

David Waddell, president and CEO of Waddell & Associates, interviewed Mudd during the New Memphis event, and the conversation touched on three of his areas of expertise: counterterrorism, leadership effectiveness and applying complex problem-solving techniques to complex problems.

Mudd talked about terrorism and its impact on American families. But as discussed during the event, that impact is minimal, especially when compared to the threat of under-education and poor health care on American families.

“We don’t frame this threat properly,” Mudd said. “We look at it in isolation and say terrorism is a significant problem. Frame it more broadly and how you deal with threats from gangs or synthetic drugs.”

Waddell agreed.

“The odds of being killed by a suicide bomb on Walnut Grove are low but the odds of being affected by the lack of education are high,” he said. “We’re focused on terrorism maybe because it’s an interesting news story but when you size it up, it’s a small threat to most of us.”

With Mudd’s frequent appearances on CNN to talk about counterterrorism it was only natural half the conversation in Memphis focused on those concerns.

But Mudd also has spent time navigating inside the complicated arena that is Washington and what it takes to get things done inside the Beltway. Leaders sometimes base decisions on assumptions, and when those ideas are wrong, it leads to faulty analysis, Mudd said. And faulty assumptions can impair policies.

“One thing I appreciate about Philip is he’s factually driven,” Waddell said. “That probably comes from functioning within the Beltway. We all seem to get information second-hand. As an economist I listen to reports but ultimately I go to the source material to draw my own conclusions.”

Waddell said an important part of New Memphis’ work is to take an inventory of the talent in the city and connect it to resources for professional development.

“One thing I know about leaders is leaders atrophy unless you go back to the gym,” Waddell said. “Being disciplined as a leader means you’re committed to engaging and participating in conversations at higher altitude than what we’re doing at our desk on a daily basis.”

Leadership Development Intensive is a 3.5-day program delivered twice a year. With nearly 1,000 graduates of the program, alumni engagement activities are held every year as a way to bring some of them together.

Jill Turner, New Memphis Institute vice president who leads the Leadership Development Intensive, said Mudd was invited to participate because of his unique leadership lessons.

“We do a lot around assessment and leadership theory,” she said. “This is more about seeing how leadership is put in practice. It’s something that’s more than having a speaker.”