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Updated: July 27, 2020 Questions and Answers

A Maine CEO who redirects the idea of ‘power’

By Peter Van Allen
Photo / Jim Neuger
Kevin Hancock is CEO of Casco-based Hancock Lumber Co., which has nine lumber yards, seven kitchen-design stores and three sawmills. In recent years, he’s added author to his resume. Mainebiz talks with him about his most recent book, “The Seventh Power.”

Kevin Hancock is the CEO of Casco-based Hancock Lumber Co., which has nine lumber yards, seven kitchen-design stores and three sawmills. He leads the family-owned business, now in its sixth generation, with a workforce of 550 employees. In recent years he has become at least as well known for a medical condition that caused him to lose his voice — and, in the process, changed his style of management.

Hancock’s soul-searching led him to write “Not For Sale” (Seventh Power Press), about his time spent on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Now he has a new book, “The Seventh Power” (Post Hill Press), that continues the journey of figuring out how to merge spiritual concepts with management principles. Mainebiz spoke with him about his new book and his management philosophy.

Mainebiz: You have a new book, “The Seventh Power.” What does the “seventh power” mean to you?

Kevin Hancock: The Seventh Power is a Lakota concept that honors the importance of the individual human spirit. My book takes this idea and builds out a new leadership model that shrinks bureaucracy, disperses power, and strengthens the voices of others. Traditionally, in business or government, power has been collected into the capital or headquarters where decisions were made and handed down for others to follow. I believe that model has run its course and that in the 21st century we need new organizing systems that allow and encourage everyone to lead. In this approach the CEO or governor or president would make themselves smaller by design. The focus becomes localized leadership. This is the best way to create deep human engagement as it allows communities to become agile in their decision making.

MB: If the “seventh power” is the individual human spirit, how did you start to make the connection back to being a CEO or a business leader?

KH: Well as a CEO (or any kind of organizational leader) the new strategy is for the “leaders” to do a bit less thereby creating space for everyone else to do a bit more. Imagine a well officiated basketball game. In a well-officiated game you don’t notice the referees. All the focus goes to the players. For me, modern leadership is a bit like that. The leaders take a lower profile within the organization and rely upon the collective strength of the entire team.

MB: What can business leaders learn from the concept of listening?

KH: That’s a great question. The answer, I believe, depends on WHY you are listening. If a leader is listening to ‘judge’ the statements of others then listening is not very helpful. In fact, in that case, listening hurts team chemistry and reduces open dialogue because people are constantly having their answers evaluated and corrected. One of the seven lessons in my book is the notion that “listening is for understanding, not judgment.” In this new approach, there are no ‘wrong’ answers. The goal is to simply make it safe for everyone to say what they honestly think.

MB: What’s next for you? Any other books in the works?

KH: I am working on a third book. It’s a coffee table-type book containing some of my favorite pictures that I have taken from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and the surrounding northern plains. Along with the pictures are 48 thoughts for living in the 21st century. These are all ideas that percolated for me during visits to Pine Ridge and the plains. Nature is so large there that it really puts you in a reflective and contemplative state of being. The entire experience has made me a big fan of “getting OUT of my lane” and experiencing a different culture and geography while doing something that feels generative for me. When we serve ourselves a bit more we strengthen and broaden our ability to give more to others. In this way being selfish is selfless. That’s really the seventh power in action.

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