Words by Morgan Mercer | Photos by Sarah White

Pollen is celebrating the 14 businesses that have come together in support of Pollen’s mission to build better connected communities. Together, these businesses challenge Pollenites to raise $15,000 by December 31, which they will match dollar for dollar. Donate today and join them in their investment to power human connection. 

Luckily for nonprofits and higher education teams in the Twin Cities, Lars Leafblad and Marcia Ballinger opted not to pursue their childhood dreams of becoming a doctor and a teacher. Instead, both discovered they’re better equipped at tracking down new leaders when civic organizations come knocking. Since founding their executive search firm in 2014, Lars and Marcia have guided boards and committees through a challenging transition: leadership succession. Recruiting a new executive director is often a once-in-a-decade decision for an administration, and it’s one that can be accompanied with an array of anxieties and worry. How can we reflect our culture and organizational values in the recruiting and hiring process? What is the best way to determine what the organization needs right now? How do we celebrate the legacy of an outgoing leader while welcoming a new one? Guiding teams through these questions, Lars and Marcia keep civic organizations focused on the excitement of how each leadership decision will help shape the future of our region.

POLLEN: What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Lars Leafblad:

Usually our three-and-a-half-year-old, who unfortunately did not come equipped with a snooze button.

Once I’m up, I’m motivated to provide that same three-and-a-half-year-old and her three siblings with resources, relationships, and experiences that will help them fulfill their own dreams.

Marcia Ballinger: A delicious cup of coffee and milk made by my husband, followed by reading the newspaper with my dogs on my lap.

POLLEN: How intentional versus organic are you when it comes to growing your network?

Lars Leafblad:

I think you need to be intentional in adapting a “connector mindset” where you constantly seek to support, encourage, and help those around you and in your network.

When you lift others up, your network grows. When your network grows, serendipity accelerates. When serendipity accelerates, more good things happen within and throughout your network.

Marcia Ballinger: I’m quite intentional about growing my network. Almost every day I invite new people to connect with me on LinkedIn. Almost every month I speak on the topic of networking. Each of these talks represents a different audience with a slightly different angle, and I always end up learning something new myself.

POLLEN: What responsibilities do you feel you have as a business leader in your community?

Lars Leafblad: I feel a responsibility to pay it forward to others because so many different people invested in me over the past 40 years. In particular, I want to apply my energy and focus to building new leadership paths and connections for leaders of color, women, and newcomers to Minnesota. We need more human bridges than ever before, and I want to help build as many as I can with strong foundations before my time on this Earth is done.

Marcia Ballinger:

I feel a deep sense of responsibility because of how generously the community received our firm.  

I often interact with business executives who have an interest in moving to the nonprofit sector. I help them think about how to navigate such a transition.

POLLEN: What is the best way to get to know someone you are meeting for the first time?

Lars Leafblad: I love to ask about where they are from. We all have an “origin story.” When you ask someone to share where they were born, grew up, and got their start, you often find many unique connections, shared experiences, or unexpected parts of their story.

Marcia Ballinger: Avoid the questions, “What do you do for a living?” or “Where do you work?” These imply that a person’s identity is wrapped up in having a traditional organizational job.

Instead ask, “What interests you right now?” or “What sorts of things are you involved in these days?”

POLLEN: What’s your hope for Pollen’s future?

Lars Leafblad: I hope Pollen will continue to grow as an amplifier and connector for stories across our community and region.

Stories connect us and we need them more than ever.  

Marcia Ballinger: I love how Pollen builds bridges between people, organizations, and ideas. There is so much more to be done in this regard, and I look forward to watching how Pollen leads the effort in our region.