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Host: Richard Lowe | Guest: Gerry Mecca
Summary of Transcript
Introduction
Richard Lowe: Hello, I’m Richard Lowe, The Writing King, and this is the Leaders and Their Stories podcast. Today, I’m joined by Gerry Mecca. We’ve known each other for quite some time, and he has some great insights on leadership and career growth. Gerry, welcome to the show. Take it away.
Gerry Mecca: Thanks, Richard! And just a quick note, you briefly called me “Gary,” which is common, but it’s Gerry with a soft G, like George Washington or gerrymander. No worries, though!
I’m really excited to be here because leadership isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept. Everyone approaches it differently, and I hope to share something valuable with your listeners and viewers today.
By the way, since this is now a video podcast, does that make it officially a video podcast? Either way, I’m ready to dive in. What’s on your mind?
Wrestling, Leadership, and Lessons from the Mat
Richard Lowe: Why don’t we start with your background in wrestling? How did that shape you as a leader?
Gerry Mecca: I come from a family of wrestlers, and with five boys growing up in a single bedroom in Camden, New Jersey, wrestling wasn’t just a sport. It was a survival skill!
Leadership, for me, started with great coaches and my father. My dad had this philosophy: There is shame in quitting. That might not sound like the most motivational thing, but it ingrained in me a relentless mindset. If I set my mind to something, I will either succeed or go down trying.
Even now, that mindset carries through in everything I do. Whether it’s in my career or personal projects, I wrestle challenges to the ground until I come out on top.
The Power of Commitment and Follow-Through
Richard Lowe: That makes a lot of sense.
Gerry Mecca: Yeah, and it’s a theme that runs through my book as well. I’ve always believed that quitters are the worst form of anything.
Even with my kids, my rule is simple. If they start something, they’re allowed to stop, but not in the middle of it. They need to see things through. My daughter, for example, played soccer. She didn’t love it, and the other kids weren’t always kind, but she stuck it out, earned her trophies, and walked away with valuable life lessons.
The old saying goes, anything worth doing is worth doing well. That’s a principle I live by.
Becoming a Reluctant Leader
Richard Lowe: That’s a strong lesson.
Gerry Mecca: I’ll admit, I was a reluctant leader at first. When I got to high school, everyone assumed I’d be a great wrestler and a great leader just because I was a Mecca. The truth? I just wanted to have fun.
I even got into trouble once, wrongfully I might add, and was kicked off the wrestling team. If it hadn’t been for my teammates advocating for me, I probably wouldn’t have been let back on. They saw something in me before I saw it in myself. That was my first real lesson in leadership: it’s not just about you, it’s about the team.
Over time, I learned that people were watching me, and I had a responsibility to lead by example. My dad told me, “Gerry, I don’t know why, but people pay attention to you. Use that.”
That realization changed my approach to everything.
Coaching, Leadership, and Giving Back
Richard Lowe: Would you say that your coaches were acting as leaders when they helped you?
Gerry Mecca: Though, if I’m being honest, I think some of them also had a little self-interest in it!
As a senior, I led my wrestling team in points scored, which meant I wrestled in every match and tournament. I was a pin expert, winning most matches in the first period. So, in their minds, I was critical to the team’s success.
But I didn’t see myself that way at the time. I was shocked when I received the award for top points scored. I had taken second place at state, and all I could think was, “I lost.” That’s how much I downplayed my own value.
One of my most influential coaches, Paul Aubrey, a national champion wrestler and retired pilot, volunteered his time simply because he believed in shaping young athletes. That stuck with me.
That’s why I still coach today. I work with the Texas Rangers Youth Academy, mentoring young baseball players. It’s not about the money. It’s about the impact you can have on young minds.
Leadership in Business: Lessons from Sports
Richard Lowe: How did your experience in wrestling and coaching translate into the business world?
Gerry Mecca: The parallels are huge. Coaches taught me goal-setting, discipline, and the importance of going the extra mile. I bring that same mentality into leadership roles.
I often use sports metaphors with my teams. I tell my IT professionals: “You are not part-time, you are not winging it. You’re professionals. You’re my shortstop, my pitcher, my catcher. You have a role to play at an expert level.”
I also stress accountability. IT isn’t a 9-to-5 job. If the network goes down at 5 PM, you don’t punch out. You stay and fix it.
Richard Lowe: Exactly, they’re not hourly employees.
Gerry Mecca: Right! And when you work in technology, your life is not your own. Back in the day, I had a pager, a cell phone, and even my home phone would ping my pager when I had a message. C-level executives don’t care about your schedule. They just want things fixed.
The best leaders lead by example. I never wanted to be the guy fixing the CEO’s iPhone, but if I saw him struggling in a meeting, I’d step in and fix it. Why? Because that’s what leaders do.
Fractional Leadership and Career Evolution
Richard Lowe: Now you’re working as a fractional C-level executive. Tell us about that.
Gerry Mecca: Yeah, I’ve always been entrepreneurial. After leaving corporate, I realized I had a skill set companies needed but didn’t always require full-time. So now I do fractional CIO work, leading IT strategy for companies that need expertise but not a permanent CIO.
My role involves everything from cybersecurity, infrastructure, app development, and IT finance to innovation, talent management, contracts, and leadership development.
Most people who want to be CIOs only have about 40 to 60 percent of what it takes. They’ve been in IT for a long time but haven’t hired, fired, or built a full strategy. That’s where I come in. I help businesses and mentor up-and-coming leaders.
Closing Thoughts
Richard Lowe: That’s great. How can people reach you?
Gerry Mecca: My company is EKG Group LLC, which stands for Everybody Knows Gerry. You can find me at ekggroupllc.com, email me at [email protected], or connect with me on LinkedIn.
I also mentor executives making the leap into fractional work. If you’re in that boat, let’s talk!
Richard Lowe: Gerry, this has been a great conversation. Thanks for joining me on Leaders and Their Stories!
Gerry Mecca: My pleasure. Hope it’s valuable to your audience!