Meet Ben Greenhouse, CEO of Potentia Renewables. He is an experienced leader in the Canadian Renewable Energy industry, having led companies developing, constructing, and operating over 4 GW of renewable energy and storage capacity across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. Ben has led teams responsible for 16 of Canada’s largest wind-energy projects and secured contracts for the largest energy storage project in Canada.
What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
My first job was working at a restaurant making pizza and serving ice cream. At 12 years old, earning my own money was empowering, and I gained valuable experience dealing with customers, co-workers, and people from all walks of life. I still use these skills today building relationships that are at the core of our business.
If you think back on leaders who inspired you in your career or leadership style, who were they and why were they inspiring?
I have been fortunate to work with many great leaders, but one of the first names that comes to mind is Nancy Cowan, who introduced me to this industry. Nancy was a very supportive leader who always expected the best of her team. At that time, it was less common for women to hold senior roles in the energy sector, and Nancy’s determination and drive in that context was inspiring. Nancy was also leading the first remote office of a very successful US company and had to work against a lot of inertia to get the attention she needed on this – at the time – small offshoot of a larger organization. Nancy blazed a trail for her team before leaving, but the framework she set allowed us to build nearly 1 GW of power by the time I left. Another leader that comes to mind is Mark Garscadden from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. I worked with Mark for a short time as he established a new centre of excellence on energy. Mark hired me as the first employee for the Centre, and we developed a very close working relationship as we worked together. Mark was a free thinker, was curious about everything, and was just generally an incredibly approachable, engaging, and supportive leader.
What motivates you every day?
At a high level, I feel fortunate to be in a sector that can be both financially and personally rewarding. I was originally drawn to the sector because I believed that reducing society’s impact on the environment was the right thing to do. That’s still a core driver, but I now know that it’s also good business and can be an important economic driver for our Country. Amid the day to day blocking and tackling, I think sometimes I can lose sight of how lucky I am to truly be proud of what Potentia is doing. Put simply, I believe it is the right thing to do for our society and for generations to come. But on a day-to-day level, I find what motivates me is my team. Potentia has a great team of engaging and smart people. We are lucky to have such a great team, and I don’t want to let them down. Everyone has tough days in their personal and working life, but having good people around you make those days easier.
What do you want to change in the world and why?
My career has spanned the rise of social media and broader online engagement and discussion. While there are many benefits arising from this, it has clearly increased polarization, degraded the tone of discussions, and diluted the value of expertise. I think we could all benefit from a return to respectful, civil, and science-based conversations. Let’s be curious and open to information-driven discussions that might challenge our beliefs. But fundamentally we need to return to listening to experts so that we can start addressing climate change with the urgency it requires.
What is the purpose and vision of Potentia Renewables Inc? And how has being clear about your purpose and vision benefited you and your company?
Potentia’s values are excellence, integrity, passion, and agility.
Our values guide us in hiring the right team members and ensuring that we build strong relationships with our various stakeholders. In an interesting way we are simultaneously fortunate and unfortunate to work in a sector where the purpose is self-evident and one that people are often passionate about. Like any business Potentia wants to earn a return for our shareholders, but we do so while addressing critical issues that are facing the planet. On one hand this is great; people want to invest in projects we are passionate about. However, I think sometimes team members can lose track of how lucky we are to be doing something so important and lose that part of their motivation until it is brought back into focus.
What one piece of advice would you give other CEOs and leaders regarding leading with purpose?
As a leader, you don’t have to be an expert in everything. Mark Garscadden once told me that a good leader should bask in the reflected glow of their team. Ultimately, as a leader you are only as good as your team. Hiring and retaining good peoples is part of that, but it’s important to continue to support those people to let them be their best. As a leader you’re often the loudest voice in the room and it’s important to be aware of when you might be speaking over people and make room for the strengths and knowledge that others bring to the table.
What one question would you like to ask other purpose-led CEOs?
How do you prioritize your tasks and time - balancing mentoring others versus being curious yourself versus moving through the day to day tasks that keep a business moving?
One question from the CEO we interviewed before you, Shelley McDade, CEO, Sunshine Coast Credit Union.
How do you embed the passion for being purpose-led in new hires and ensure they integrate purpose into their decision-making?
Hiring people who share your values is not always easy. Values can often become stale and trite, so it’s critical to keep them in the discussion. Every quarter, I quiz my employees on our company values to the point that it’s almost become a joke. But it forces us to discuss them, and then we share stories of values in action and have a peer-to-peer "Blue Steel" award that recognizes employees who embody our values. But at the end of the day it's essential to demonstrate the values yourself - a CEO preaching integrity or passion without living and demonstrating those values will never instil them in their employees. Lastly, it's important to admit when you fall short and haven’t lived your values as much as you’d like.
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