Purpose-Led CEO Interview Series: Clovis Grant, CEO, 360 Kids

Meet Clovis Grant, CEO of 360°kids . Clovis has provided leadership in the Human Services sector for over 25 years in the areas of homelessness, employment, social assistance, mental health and disabilities. He is currently the CEO of 360°kids, an organization serving homeless youth in York Region, and Co-founder of Sawubona Africentric Circle of Support, a group for Black caregivers supporting a family member with special needs. Clovis holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts in Leadership from the University of Guelph.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

I started working at?the age of?13. I was helping my brother deliver newspapers. I didn’t earn much from this job because our boss would find every reason not to pay us, but I learned to be responsible early on in life. My first proper job was as a parking lot attendant at the CNE.?One thing?I realized?fairly?quickly?was?that this wasn’t going to be my life job because I felt that I wanted to do more.?Secondly, this job taught me a lot about human nature. In a customer service job, you learn to develop a thick skin because people can be cruel. I faced all kinds of racist comments?and?people were rude because they felt entitled to do whatever they wanted. I've learned to be resilient and persist despite facing obstacles. Most importantly,?I learned how to interact with people as a front-line worker.

As you look back on your career, what were the pivotal moments that led you to your role today??

The first pivotal moment in my career was when I graduated from university and started working in social services with the York region. I had an amazing supervisor, Anna Law, who taught me about having good structures and systems in place to do the work and the importance of being grounded in the legislation that governs your work. She also facilitated one-to-one meetings with me every week or two and I learned the notion of supervision through those meetings. These one-to-one meetings were foundational for me as when I became a supervisor myself, I learned that supervision isn’t necessarily about having technical knowledge, it’s actually about dealing with people.

During my time at York region, I also started volunteering to lead a newly established chapter of an international not-for-profit organization called HOPE Worldwide. As a volunteer, I helped develop the organization into a national presence with Chapters across the country and eventually, it became my Full-time job as the Executive Director. Taking on this job helped me learn to take risks. I was in my early thirties with a secure job with the government, growing and learning, but, the opportunity like this to lead a national organization, learn about needs of various communities across the country and to develop something from scratch---well opportunities like these don’t come every day. This job allowed me to utilize my skills both as a volunteer and as a leader, and we were able to develop 6 chapters across Canada. I honestly believe that volunteering gives you a lot of critical life skills that you may not get otherwise. In my case, it taught me leadership, the ability to fundraise, the courage to take chances, and overall, it made me more resilient. The skills I developed during my time at HOPE Worldwide shaped the trajectory of my career.

After eventually leaving this job, I then started working as a Manager at a youth agency called Eva’s Initiatives where I ran employment programs for youth experiencing homelessness. Within a year, I became the General Manager and stayed with the organization for about 14 years. The time then came for a change and to further develop my leadership skills, I began looking for Executive Director positions. That's when I found the opportunity with 360°kids and decided to take on the role of CEO.

This role was the culmination of everything I learned in my career. As a CEO, I was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the organization while also reporting to the board, which was very different from my previous roles. Thus, I got a leadership coach, Lance Wilson, to help me transition into the role. One valuable lesson I learned from Lance was that 'heavy is the head that wears the crown,' which helped me navigate the loneliness of being a CEO. I came to understand that while I held accountability for everything, I wasn't solely responsible for every task. This role allowed me to build the confidence to be an executive and has played a significant role in shaping my journey to where I am today.

If you think back on leaders who inspired you in your career or leadership style, who were they and why were they inspiring?

The first name that comes to mind is Anna Law, who was my supervisor at York region. Anna taught me the importance of one-to-one meetings and being grounded. Anna’s boss, Mary Ann Dawson, who was the manager of the office at the time was very inspirational. I was fresh out of school and Mary Ann interviewed me for the job. She had a vision for me and for a young person to have people believe in you is very meaningful. She also recommended me to take a course on supervision at Seneca which taught me that being a supervisor was more about people. Another great leader that I worked with was Lyle Osland, chair of the board at HOPE Worldwide. I was inspired by Lyle’s knowledge and humility. He taught me about leadership, working with the board, financial accountability and helped me learn the intricacies of doing international charitable works through the development of joint venture agreements.

I also had two amazing leaders at Eva’s Initiatives, namely Maria Crawford and Jennifer Morris who always believed in me. Maria’s confidence in me was refreshing and very much appreciated. She was a strong support especially in the transition into my role as CEO at 360°kids . As for Jennifer, she was the Director of our National Initiatives Program and my supervisor for several years. I was really lucky to have her support and the responsibility she entrusted me with. Both Maria and Jennifer gave me a lot of self-belief and confidence and I am still in touch with them. Lastly, Lance Wilson who was my coach for 6 years, helped me to transition into my role at 360°kids as well as supporting me for a number of years in the role.

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What motivates you every day?

My belief in God and recognizing that we are here for a higher purpose is what keeps me motivated. Bringing matters into prayer and reminding myself that it's not about me, but about the people I serve, helps keep me grounded. ?Whenever things get hectic and frustrating in this work, I do my best to remind myself and the people I work with about our purpose-to make a difference in the lives of the people we are serving. Knowing that I can do something to make the life of a young person better is what keeps me in high spirits even on the most challenging of days.

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What is the purpose and vision of 360°kids?

Our purpose is to support youth at risk and those experiencing homelessness to help them transition to safety and stability. Our vision is for every young person to have a safe place to call home. Our job is to help youth get all the support that they need to achieve their potential. We also support their families since family breakdown is one of the leading causes of youth homelessness. Preventing homelessness is a very important part of our work and this is why prioritizing family support is so critical. The trauma that results from homelessness, resulting from homelessness drives us to do what we can to prevent homelessness and if it does occur, we want to do as much as we can to make their journey of homelessness as short as possible.

How has being clear on your purpose and vision benefited you as a leader?

As an organization, we do lots of different programs and services to meet the needs of the youth. Each one of those programs can be a focus in and of themselves, whether you are talking about employment, counselling or recreation programs. Being clear that our work is specific to addressing homelessness amongst young people helps us stay on track. Clarity of purpose allows us as an organization to have a narrower focus on the specific needs of these youth. Essentially, it acts as a glue to keep our organization moving forward. It unifies the staff across the different programs in the organization and keeps us connected to the mission. ?They know exactly why they are here, and they put the needs of the organization above their own. Moreover, a clear purpose also helps the young people that we serve to realize that they matter because there is an organization devoted specifically to their needs.

What one piece of advice would you give other CEOs and leaders regarding leading with purpose?

When you’re leading with purpose, it’s not about you, it’s about the people that you serve. This belief is what will keep you motivated, purposeful, and grounded. As a purpose-driven leader, it's vital to remember that prioritizing personal gain can cloud your judgment. Instead, stay focused on serving others rather than yourself.

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What one question would you like to ask other purpose-led CEOs?

How do you cope with the loneliness that comes with being a CEO? And, how do you keep going when you feel like you can’t give anymore?

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One question from the CEO we interviewed before you, Adil Khalfan, CEO, Kensington Health.

What advice would you give your 25-year-old self to be a better version of yourself today?

The advice I would give to my 25-yr old self is the advice I give to young people. Be willing to take risks. Getting to where you want to in life is not usually a straight line. There are twists and turns with lots of uncertainties. Be humble and never stop learning.

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What do you want to change in the world and why?

There is so much injustice in the world! So many people are losing out on opportunities because oppression. I want to do my part to help create better opportunities for the people most affected by poverty, racism and discrimination in its various forms.