Will Fishkin
Regional Coordinator
Western Region
Just like it is so often the case in comic books, Brian Isikoff came out of nowhere, when you least expected it and most needed him.
I admit that prior to the night one DC completed and a new DC was selected, I didn’t know Brian very well. But on that night, to my surprise, Mr. Isikoff stepped up and took on the job of the DC of Razors Edge Men’s Division in the Western Region. I was not very encouraged by the end of the night as a number of men decided to “take a leave of absence” from the division at the very time that we selected a new leader. Although this might have taken the wind out of the sails of another man, this did not affect Isikoff who echoed the mantra “better to lead nine committed men than 15 men that you can’t count on.”
The division grew from that point on. We picked up and nurtured a team out in Fresno (3.5 hours away) and met with them for two team meetings a month. We had standards and accountability presented with context for leadership lessons, not rammed down their throat.
Isikoff already was but was now being recognized as a great leader.
Because Isikoff is a student of leadership and, as well, a master of the gaming and comic book world, it was no surprise that our men on my men’s team took on names of Action Heroes. As time passed and Isikoff completed as DC he was looking for other ways to serve.
I have come to learn that he has his footprint on a lot of things that I have not even been aware of. The Mentorship Team for one. When he was called into service by Ben Estes, the Regional Training Manager, to be on his training team, he stepped up. When Estes became International Training Team Manager, Isikoff took over for Estes in the Regional Position. As Regional Training Team Manager, Isikoff has delivered the goods … and more.
These position has helped Isikoff to develop his leadership, and it has translated into his professional life. He left a great job as Procurement Executive with Blue Shield of CA and secured an even better job with CSAA Insurance Company, working in a much better and positive environment.
As Regional Training Manager, he has delivered Basic Leadership Training, he created and produced Core Team Training now delivered Internationally. Most recently he has worked on ILT (Introduction to Leadership Training) where he worked cooperatively with David Plante, VP of Special Operations. He delivered the training to the Great Northwest Tribe in Seattle. The impact of that training on the training team and the production team – which Isikoff brought from the Western Region to Seattle – was so powerful that the DCs of the Western Region have called for an ILT in the Western Region.
Even though Isikoff is scheduled to complete at the end of the year, he grabbed his balls and made sure an ILT will be happening December 3.
As a final note, Isikoff has been invaluable on the weekly DC calls serving to help bring more training to the leaders of the region. He once said to me, “ If I don’t see the results of the work that I’m doing, I must not be doing a good job.” The Western Region is currently experiencing growth in men, in numbers, in context.
Thank you, Brian Isikoff.