Breaking Barriers: From Humble Beginnings to Industry Leader

[Transcript]

[00:00:00] Jan Griffiths: Welcome to the Automotive Leaders Podcast, where we help you prepare for the future by sharing stories, insights, and skills from leading voices in the automotive world with a mission to transform this industry together. I'm your host, Jan Griffiths, that passionate, rebellious farmer's daughter from Wales with over 35 years of experience in our beloved auto industry and a commitment to empowering fellow leaders to be their best authentic selves. Stay true to yourself, be you, and lead with Gravitas, the hallmark of authentic leadership. Let's dive in.

This episode is brought to you by Lockton. Lockton redefines business insurance and people's solutions with a personal touch. Their global team of 11,000 is driven by independence, not quarters, to tailor success for your business. Discover the Lockton difference, where your goals become their mission. Independence, it's not just how you think but how you act.

It's not very often we have a leader on this podcast who sits clearly at the top of their game as a group Vice President for the Americas for a major premium brand of a major OEM and, wait for it, started his career as a warehouse operator. When does that ever happen? Well, you're going to hear all about it. Today, we welcome Craig Keeys to the show. Hi, Craig. How are you?

[00:02:02] Craig Keeys: Hi, Jan, I'm doing amazing. Very happy to be here. Thank you for this great opportunity. I'm looking forward to our discussion.

[00:02:10] Jan Griffiths: It's great to have you.

[00:02:11] Craig Keeys: It's great to be here.

[00:02:13] Jan Griffiths: You have moved all the way up through Nissan and Nissan brands to sit right at the top of Infiniti today. So, Craig Keeys, my question for you is this: who are you as a leader?

[00:02:27] Craig Keeys: Thank you for that question, Jan. I really think of myself as an authentic leader. I'm the same person when I'm with my family, when I'm with my team, when I'm engaging in moments like this. And so authenticity is important to me. And I think when we talk a little bit about my humble beginnings as a warehouse operator. I think the experiences that I've had in the various levels within the organization, as well as, just generally in life. I have afforded me that perspective of wanting to be an authentic leader.

[00:03:07] Jan Griffiths: Yeah. Somebody told me once that authenticity is

measured by the amount of daylight between your personal and professional self, and I thought that was a really good definition.

[00:03:17] Craig Keeys: I think it's an amazing definition because some people like to talk about work-life balance, and I think my perspective is more work-life integration and how you manage it within the 24 hours that you have daily. How do you effectively balance that personal and professional line that sometimes blurs? So, I can certainly agree with that statement.

[00:03:43] Jan Griffiths: Yes. Well, I want to go all the way back to the beginning. So, it's 1998, and here's this young warehouse operator starting at Nissan, correct?

[00:03:57] Craig Keeys: Yes. Yeah. You're absolutely right. And, really, to go back to the beginning, I probably have to take you a little further because I was born in Kingston, Jamaica. I was born in the Caribbean, came to the United States at a very young age, and lived in several different cities. I've lived in Detroit, Baltimore, New York, but spent my formative years in the Philadelphia market. I actually graduated from high school in Southern New Jersey and ended up going to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area in 1995. And essentially, after 2 years at the university, the financial aid package structure changed, and I no longer could afford school without some level of subsidization. And so, I ended up really working with a counselor to find various funding opportunities. And one day, in that counselor's office, there was a flyer that said warehouse work. And so, knowing that I had to get a job, I ultimately took that flyer, called the number, and it happened to be Nissan's parts distribution center. And I got a job as a part time warehouse operator. And after a few months, a very short period, I ended up going full-time, from part-time to full-time. And I was going to school in the mornings, essentially from 7 or 8 AM all the way up until 3 PM. And then, working the 3:30 to 11 PM shift at the parts distribution center.

[00:05:35] Jan Griffiths: Afternoon shift as well. That's tough.

[00:05:38] Craig Keeys: Hey, it was tough, but it was a great opportunity. Ultimately, when I talk about that experience, for me, it was more of a manifestation because at that time, my first car was a 1990 Nissan Maxima. It was essentially a blue-collar job. So, you had prescribed breaks and a shared cafeteria with the Northeast region operations team for Nissan and the Infiniti East region operations team; all were operating out of that facility. And so, I got to meet some amazing people. I was confident enough to introduce myself and sometimes drag people outside to see my 1990 Nissan Maxima and talk to them about different marketing ideas. And really created some relationships through networking that, upon completion of my degree, gave me the opportunity to interview for a position that was in March of 2001. And I was hired on to the sales and marketing team as an advertising specialist.

[00:06:43] Jan Griffiths: What was the moment, Craig, when you're in that warehouse, it's a blue-collar job. Were your parents in the auto industry?

[00:06:52] Craig Keeys: No, no, my parents were not in the automotive industry. When I started engaging people in the sales and marketing organization, I guess that epiphany for me was when I realized that there were so many different things that you could do within automotive. There were so many different facets to the business, and at the same time, it was ever-changing and it was always very dynamic. And that was a bit of a draw for me because, at that time, some of my close friends were in jobs that were monotonous. I can remember a close friend being in the insurance world, and they were literally falling asleep, managing spreadsheets all day as a young college grad. And so, I knew I didn't want that for myself. And the people that I was interacting with were engaging enough, it became a really good draw for me to want to investigate the industry much more. And because of that breath, it really attracted me to it.

[00:07:57] Jan Griffiths: When I started in the auto industry, I'm a farmer's daughter from Wales, from the UK. And I was not supposed to end up in the auto industry, and neither were you, given your surroundings, and you walk into this blue-collar job. I walked in as a purchasing assistant on the shop floor at BorgWarner in Wales, and there were no women up the chain in the auto industry that looked like me. No women at all. And then, when I walked onto that shop floor, I fell in love with manufacturing. I knew that I wanted a career, and I wanted to go further. Even when everything around me said the chance of you succeeding are probably slim to none, but there was a moment when I just knew it; I knew this is what I was going to do. Tell me about that moment that you said, 'You know what? I'm going to reach out to these marketing people; I know I can do this; I want to do more than work in the warehouse.' What was that moment for you?

[00:08:56] Craig Keeys: That's a great question. Firstly, what I'd say is congratulations to you for being so driven and, ultimately, ended up where you are today. I believe for me that moment actually came in the form of personal interaction with the regional vice president at the time. And I joke today that he was a fan of the underdogs. One, he celebrated the Mets baseball team, but two, he gave me the first real mentoring opportunity and sat me down and just talked to me about all the great things that the industry could provide a young, enthusiastic, go-getter with high energy and a deep, deep curiosity and passion for learning. And I say it that way because that's how he explained it to me. He basically said to me, 'You can get out of this industry exactly what you put into it.' And he also said to me, 'Don't let the differences culturally, race-wise, religious; don't let anything hold you back from your potential.' And that stuck with me deeply over the last 26 years. And so, when I engage people, when I try to provide sponsorship or messaging through networking, one, it's important for me to challenge people to be authentic, but two, for people to remember that their differences can add value to any organization.

[00:10:49] Jan Griffiths: Tell me how you felt emotionally when he was telling you that.

[00:10:53] Craig Keeys: Honestly, at that point in time, I was doubtful. I was doubtful because, as you indicated, I had not seen people that looked like me, from the same background as me outside of the warehouse environment. And so, it was a very, very new dynamic for me. And at the same time, I was a bit cautious in terms of being open to new relationships at that point in my life, probably a bit of immaturity as well. And not understanding where this passion and drive for helping others was coming from and what it was seeded with. And that, I think, could have been a massive deterrent had I not let my guard down and allowed this person to ultimately lend what became some really, really good influence at a point in my life when I needed it.

[00:11:57] Jan Griffiths: And look at that, you've never forgotten it.

[00:11:59] Craig Keeys: Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And in fact, that person was Mark Grimm. He retired as President of Nissan Canada from our organization. And at one point, he was an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University, and he allowed me to come in and teach a class here and there, so I absolutely did not forget that. And certainly, will try to pay it forward as long as I'm in the industry.

[00:12:23] Jan Griffiths: And from what I can see, you have been paying it forward because that has shaped your leadership. And last year, you would name the Automotive News Champion of Diversity 2023.

[00:12:36] Craig Keeys: Well, paying it forward never stops, right? It doesn't have an end date or a finish line. And I'm certainly grateful and humbled by that recognition. And I think DEI is something that we should all recognize as valuable, right? We all have something different to bring to the table and offer the automotive news team. Recognize that doesn't mean there isn't a ton of hard work still ahead doesn't mean that I'm not still going to be a champion of others. There's no finish line to it.

[00:13:09] Jan Griffiths: And then, you worked up all the way through many different jobs. You've got tremendous experience. And then, ultimately, you're in the role that you're in today.

[00:13:22] Craig Keeys: Yeah, so tons of experience. I spent a lot of my time in the Northeast region, which is where I started with the company in the Somerset parts distribution center and also Nissan's Northeast regional operations. The majority of my career has been spent interfacing with our retailers, interfacing with clients, and centering myself around the client experience. And ultimately, I've been on teams, I've been an individual contributor, I've led teams. And so, when I left that region, I left as the number two to a great leader at that time, Mike Collaren, who recently retired from our organization, another fantastic and amazing mentor and sponsor for me, who I learned a lot from. And actually, Mike was a catalyst in pushing me to even go further and take a leap of faith and move to Nashville, Tennessee; our headquarters is in Franklin, Tennessee, at a point where, quite honestly, I was concerned about moving to what I call the South at that time and had some deep reservations about what my family would face moving from such a diverse market as the New York Metro. At the end of it, after my time here in Franklin, all of my reservations were unfounded, and so it was a great recommendation by Mike. It was a great milestone in my career where someone else came to the table and was providing that necessary push to help drive me forward in my growth and development. And those moments are things that I carry with me and I leverage when I have the opportunity to engage someone similarly, that's on the way up.

[00:15:08] Jan Griffiths: Now, you must have seen the change in the leadership style, maybe not quite so drastic at Nissan, but certainly a change in leadership style in the industry. I talk all day long about the change from command and control to authentic leadership. How has your leadership evolved along with the industry?

[00:15:31] Craig Keeys: Yeah, that's a fantastic question. And really an astute observation because I would say leadership has changed dynamically in the last 10 years, the last five years, even the last year. What has been consistent for me is my love and appreciation of people. Anyone that knows me knows that I hold my team in very, very high regard. And no matter what the top-down philosophy is at the time because we do have turnover in our industry and people bring new ideas, thoughts, perspectives, and leadership styles, I have to be a filter to that message. And honestly, Jan, I've tried to be consistent in my leadership style because my reputation and my credibility is important to me. I don't want people to think that my style changes with the wind. And so, in spite of the challenging environment, in spite of that command-and-control leadership style that others may have had across the years, I've tried to be a filter to my organization wherever possible.

[00:16:42] Jan Griffiths: Yeah. And that's exactly what I tell people. If I'm coaching people and they talk about authentic leadership and they believe in it and they want to get on board, and they say, 'Well, but how can I practice this with my team when others are not?' And I tell them exactly what you just said. Look, you have to be you; first of all, just be 100 percent authentic. And then, you have to be the filter between the command-and-control people, but just because people around you are command-and-control doesn't mean you have to follow. And you'll never find an organization where your values and the values of the organization match exactly, but you want to get some overlap.

[00:17:24] Craig Keeys: I totally agree with you. And I also would suggest that there is managing upward. And so, there's a great opportunity for leaders that are authentic and that are a filter to also help those that are stuck in this command-and-control error, adapt their styles, and ultimately meet the needs of the modern-day workforce much better than they have historically. I think that is also one of the charters that I try to represent while being a filter downward to the team, also being honest upward, and having dialogue around better growth and development and leadership at the highest levels of the company.

[00:18:10] Jan Griffiths: Yes. And you've taken a look at the 21 traits of authentic leadership. Tell me which one resonates with you the most and why.

[00:18:20] Craig Keeys: Thank you for sending that over. It was a great refresher for me, by the way, so I really appreciate it. The leadership trait that resonated with me the most is empowerment because I'm a big believer in giving people the space and opportunity they need to meet their maximum potential, whatever that is. And with empowerment, you are helping to break down barriers. You are helping people understand the governance within an organization and how to get things accomplished, all the while without micromanaging or being overbearing. And so, to me, you know, as in my life, experience has been such a wonderful teacher. I believe leveraging empowerment as a leadership trait is massively important to whomever you're trying to support.

[00:19:15] Jan Griffiths: How did you learn to empower others? Often, leaders are afraid. Well, first of all, they'll tell me they believe in empowerment, but they don't. And they're afraid to let go because they're afraid there's fear in the air. They're afraid that if that person fails, it's going to come back on them. As a young leader, I mean, you had to have thought that at some point, but how did you overcome that? And how did you say, 'You know what? It's all about empowerment. It's all about believing in people and letting them go.'

[00:19:47] Craig Keeys: Yeah. Thank you for asking that because sometimes you learn from others what not to do. And I've been micromanaged at various points in my career and I absolutely hated it, and it ultimately limited my performance and limited my potential because of the frustrating environment that it fostered. And so, I made a promise to myself to ultimately be different in those moments, but you're absolutely right. There are those times where I almost want to micromanage someone. If there's a looming deadline or there's a challenging process where we are risk-averse, or we're meeting deadlines, right? And so I just have to take a step back, take a breath, and remind myself that if those things are challenging, then let's talk to our team members. Let's set moments where we hash through any issues and provide good guidance, but let's not hover over someone's shoulder. Let's not call them five times a day with questions around their workload, their project, their prioritization because, personally, I know exactly what that feels like from having experienced it at different points in my career.

[00:21:14] Jan Griffiths: As we both know, this industry is going through a period of massive transformation. And it seems like that's all we can talk about is ICE to BEV, ICE to BEV, EV adoption. How are you managing the transformation into the world of electrification? I'm going to ask you this question two ways, both from a product standpoint and a people standpoint.

[00:21:38] Craig Keeys: It feels like we're moving from the horse and buggy to the combustible engine, right? And you've got those that don't want to let go of that horse and buggy and those that are eager to adopt new technology. And so, for me, I think electrification is the outcome, right? Speed of adoption becomes the question. The propulsion in all our vehicles will ultimately change. A year ago, we would have been talking about EVs solely and primarily. This year, hybrids are back in the picture. I think the environment is going to remain a bit dynamic. One, we've got an election in front of us and two different perspectives across the parties on what the speed of adoption should look like. And then, secondly, there's a cost management mechanism that different companies are managing. And right now, for Infiniti, from a product standpoint, we've announced our product Renaissance, which starts with QX80. And really, our vision is to provide a portfolio that has a deep breath and, ultimately, meets the expectations of our consumers. We have launched a Vision Qe concept that is a fully electrified sedan, and we've also hinted at a fully electrified SUV. And so, the product cadence is on the horizon. And from a people standpoint, what I would say in the midst of dynamic change, you want to also ensure that there's some level of stability. And for me, the stability in the midst of that dynamic change is centered around the client experience because Infiniti, historically, has been all about engaging with our clients on a personal level. And ensuring that our relationship through our retailers is one that's treated with the utmost respect and always in high regard. And it's been acknowledged by industry insiders like J. D. Power, who last year recognized us as number 2 in both the premium segment and the entire industry for our client experience. And I want to maintain that because, like I said, in the midst of dynamic change, my outlook as a leader is to create some stability.

[00:24:01] Jan Griffiths: Yes, I would agree. I was at an automotive conference last week, and some OEMs were talking about, well, we need to meet the customer where they're at. And I thought about that for a minute, and it sounded like one of those statements that you say, and it's like, oh yeah, okay, that makes sense. And then, the more I thought about it, I thought, wait a minute. Wait a minute. When you're talking about EV adoption, do you remember that Henry Ford quote where he said, 'If I'd asked them what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.' So, there's this idea of, yes, you want to give the customer what they want, but you've also got to push him a little bit into the future. That's going to be a hard balance.

[00:24:44] Craig Keeys: It is. I think to my earlier point, we'll have a little bit of help from the government and I think as costs become more refined, we'll see broader adoption.

[00:24:57] Jan Griffiths: Yeah, I would agree. I mean, those costs have got to come down, haven't they?

[00:25:01] Craig Keeys: Absolutely, costs have to come down for all of us.

[00:25:03] Jan Griffiths: Well, that's enough of the work stuff. Let's get into the personal realm because authentic leadership is all about being authentic, about being who you are. So, let's find out who you really are. Shall we?

[00:25:15] Craig Keeys: Let's do it. I'm here. Ready.

[00:25:16] Jan Griffiths: What's your passion, Craig? What gets you up in the morning? What gets you all fired up in the morning? Tell me.

[00:25:23] Craig Keeys: See, I got to sit up in my chair for that one. It's my family, Jan. My family is my drive. My kids are really my passion. My oldest son is now a junior, headed into his junior year at Johns Hopkins University. My daughter, Isabella, is in 11th grade, and my son, Shia, is in 10th grade. They are my drive and my wonderful wife, Claudia, who just does an amazing job managing the family, much harder than being a group vice president.

[00:25:53] Jan Griffiths: What's the one thing you do in the morning in your morning routine that helps set you up for the day that gets your mindset, right? What's one thing, one little thing, a simple little thing that you do?

[00:26:05] Craig Keeys: Yeah, it's funny. It's really routine for me. When I sit up in bed, I literally take 10 deep breaths to really calibrate myself. And then, I turn on ESPN, Jan. My wife is the one that kind of taught me to take the breaths, start your day from a point of calm and serenity, and then go into your sports.

[00:26:31] Jan Griffiths: I love that. I love that. Now, what is your favorite thing to binge-watch?

[00:26:39] Craig Keeys: My favorite thing to binge-watch, and I haven't been able to spend much time watching television, but I did start a new show that has me really intrigued. It's called Shogun, and it's on FX. And I don't know if it's my relationship with a Japanese company that's all the allure, but it's really interesting just understanding the depth of the culture, historically, in Japan, and the hierarchy and the structure, and how a lot of that still remains today within the Japanese culture. So, that's what I'm starting to watch.

[00:27:17] Jan Griffiths: I can't believe you said that because the last person I interviewed said that exact same thing. And it's not a show that really gets a lot of attention, I feel. And so, now that you're the second person, I'm going to have to watch it now.

[00:27:30] Craig Keeys: Yeah. And I've read an article that referenced it. And so I was intrigued by that. That started it off. And then, I realized it's a new show. It's one season. And so, it's not something I have to really catch up on. I can watch it. And then, by next season, I'm on pace.

[00:27:45] Jan Griffiths: That's great. What's the last book you read?

[00:27:48] Craig Keeys: The last book I read was actually a book I had read previously called Essentialism.

[00:27:53] Jan Griffiths: Oh yeah, yes. I have that on audio. Yes.

[00:27:56] Craig Keeys: Yeah. And it's a great book. It's just a reminder for me that when things get chaotic, prioritization becomes even more important. And as we talked about trying to find stability within a chaotic environment can be very, very refreshing to the team and the organization. And so, that's a book that I actually keep by my bedside, and I'll just refer back to it every once in a while.

[00:28:21] Jan Griffiths: That's good. You know what your next book is? Should I tell you what your next book is? It's my book. It's my book. That's your next book.

[00:28:28] Craig Keeys: Okay. Okay. Absolutely. Absolutely.

[00:28:32] Jan Griffiths: It's AutoCulture 2.0 because we need to upgrade our culture to 2.0. We can't move this industry into the world of electrification without changing the operating model. And I often say you wouldn't run a 4k video on a 95 Windows operating system. Now, would you?

[00:28:50] Craig Keeys: Absolutely not.

[00:28:50] Jan Griffiths: So, what makes you think you can go through a massive transformation of this industry using the same operating model? You can't. Which is why we need more leaders like you to feature on the podcast to talk about leadership. My whole mission is to put the spotlight on leadership so people know what the leadership model for the future actually looks like, and that leads me to my last question, which is what would you say to all the leaders out there right now in the industry as they move to AutoCulture 2.0, one thing that they could start to do right away to start to work on their leadership, what would that one thing be?

[00:29:34] Craig Keeys: That one thing to me would be reminding themselves that authenticity is important, reflecting on what is important and what drives you, I think, for most automotive leaders, besides the ambition and the passion and the drive for the industry, family is somewhere in there, right? Family, I mentioned is super important to me, but I would presume that family is very important to other leaders in the industry. And so, I would say, what example are you setting for your children who are going to be future leaders? And ultimately, have a different perspective on what's important, right? Kids today are not necessarily chasing a check. They're chasing a lifestyle. They're chasing quality of life. I read a stat the other day that said, essentially, Gen Z is more interested in a stress-free life than a salary. And so, if you want to attract the best talent, I would say reflection through the family to understand the needs of the younger generation is what you should be focused on because if not if you're not shifting the mindset to AutoCulture 2.0, you will get left behind. It's as simple as that. You won't attract the talent that will be necessary to ultimately manage this business in the future.

[00:31:04] Jan Griffiths: That is a beautiful way to close our conversation today. And Craig, thank you for being who you are and for leading the way you lead. It's been a pleasure talking to you today.

[00:31:16] Craig Keeys: Likewise, Jan. The pleasure's all mine. Thank you so much.

[00:31:23] Jan Griffiths: Thank you for listening to the Automotive Leaders Podcast. Click the listen link in the show notes to subscribe for free on your platform of choice. And don't forget to download the 21 Traits of Authentic Leadership PDF by clicking on the link below. And remember, stay true to yourself, be you, and lead with Gravitas, the hallmark of authentic leadership.