Mick McGraw, President and CEO of Grand Rapids-based Eastbrook Homes is a champion for housing, community development, and environmental sustainability in construction. He joined the illustrious Michigan Construction Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Constructor at Ferris State University in 2016 and has served on various non-profit boards, including the Grand Valley Metro Council and Community Link Boards during his career. Mick also holds two annual camps for underprivileged youth at his working ranch in Montana to help them develop self-reliance and confidence and enjoy the Great Outdoors.

Mick joins me today to share the process of growing and developing as a leader; he describes his experiences as an emerging leader at the start of his career and the importance of learning to lead incrementally and listen to wise voices around you. He describes why you should use mistakes as a learning experience, not see them as a source of shame, and how he has managed to advance through his reverses at times. Mick also describes how he learned to sail a partner 'ship' successfully and why building relationships is a critical part of being a successful leader

"You've got to learn to be both conservative and cautious, and at the same time throw out almost every rule and reinvent yourself." - Mick McGraw

"If you're creating a community, it has to be just that; the community's not just one price point, one type of house - when you put that together, great things happen. As a builder, what can we do that allows that to happen." - Mick McGraw

"God honors an effort to do things as well as you can do them and to do the right thing on every occasion." - Mick McGraw

This week on The Wow Factor:

• How Mick moved into construction and how Eastbrook Homes work with their customers to build a dream
• Why Mick feels that it's a privilege to be part of the fabric of someone's life when you are building homes and communities
• Where Mick looks for design inspiration for homes, and how Eastbrook Homes have learned to adapt their designs to maximize space and useability
• What happened when the plane lost three engines - how Mick navigated tricky situations and led his team through the 2007/8 recession
• Why Mick switched gears and focused on reducing debt to build the business
• What took him to Auburn, Alabama, looking for opportunities, what the company have learned from going into a new area and why Mick gets such joy from finishing a pre-started community
• Mick's Montana ranch, how he helps at-risk kids from the Grand Rapids area, and why it was such a long-held dream

Mick McGraw's Words of Wisdom:

Integrity, persistence, and candor should be central to everything you do as a leader. Hang in there, give it everything you've got, and keep in mind those three things that trump almost anything else.

Connect with Mick McGraw:

• Eastbrook Homes Website
• Mick McGraw on LinkedIn
• Eastbrook Homes on Facebook
• Eastbrook Homes on Instagram
• Eastbrook Homes on Twitter

Connect with The WOW Factor:

• I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life by Brad Formsma
• Words of Wisdom Website
• Brad Formsma on LinkedIn
• Brad Formsma on Instagram
• Brad Formsma on Facebook
• Brad Formsma on Twitter