The Elanco CEO's Family and Career Advice

While Jeff Simmons is at the helm of the veterinary pharmaceuticals company, Elanco, he often shifts focus to an equally challenging type of leadership: parenting his six children.

In an interview with Business Insider, Simmons mentions that every Sunday, the family holds meetings. These gatherings double as career-coaching sessions. With some kids already launched into their professional journeys, Simmons and his wife see this as a chance to impart lifelong lessons.

Simmons advocates for one key principle above all: discover your 'reason for being.' One of his sons embraced this concept, leaving a job in broadcasting in Lexington, Kentucky, to follow a spiritual calling to become a pastor.

Simmons shared his own journey, taking 13 years to find personal meaning in his career. A pivotal experience was meeting a destitute man and his daughters who hadn't eaten for days. This was eye-opening for Simmons, pointing him to his purpose.

"I realized my drive is like hunger," he explained, revealing his passion for eliminating food insecurity and his admiration for leaders who embody this 'hungry' mindset.

With more than 30 years at Elanco, Simmons anchors his role in this foundational mission. The enterprise is dedicated to transforming livestock health through innovation while aiding agriculturalists in lessening ecological impacts. Around ten years ago, he initiated Hatch for Hunger, an initiative aimed at providing high-protein meals to the needy.

As an Elanco representative reported to Business Insider, the organization is nearing its milestone of distributing 100 million meals this year. Simmons further extends his leadership by participating as chairman at EDGE Mentoring, supporting aspiring leaders.

The Importance of Work Ethic and Etiquette

Simmons emphasizes to his children the significance of a strong work ethic. His family's ethos even appeared on a bumper sticker: "We tackle tough challenges."

Acknowledging that students often have part-time work during their studies, Simmons believes they are frequently unprepared for the demands of a 14-hour workday or the pressures of full-time employment.

He educates his children on the 'power of work' and how the early years of a career are crucial. His son, freshly graduated and working in Dallas, remarked that many of his friends have already left their roles soon after starting.

"The issue," Simmons relayed from his son, "is a lack of a developed work ethic."

Simmons also contends that being present at the office, especially early in one’s career, is vital whenever feasible, even if remote options exist.

Alongside his wife, Simmons underscores the value of basic social niceties like writing thank-you notes, stressing that these simple acts are often neglected.