Latasha Causey

Latasha Causey

President, Phoenix Raceway

by Latasha Causey

Q: What most notably stands out about your leadership style or what is an example of leadership success you can share with our readers?

I am all about relationships; I always take the time to get to know my team. As a leader, it is important to know you can’t lead everyone the same way. I must know what motivates each individual and lead them in a way that will help them thrive.

I do push my team to challenge themselves; I don’t want them operating in a comfortable space 100% of the time. If you aren’t challenging yourself, then you aren’t producing your best product.

I create a comfortable and fun environment to ensure my team can show up every day as their authentic self (flaws and all). While it takes a lot of work to do what we do, if we aren’t having fun our fans won’t be having fun, so we laugh as much as we can!

Q: What impact has COVID-19 or the disruptions of the past 18 months had on you as a leader?

COVID-19 caused me to slow down and helped me realize “no” is an okay answer. During COVID-19 we were forced to stop juggling our day-to-day tasks and focus on what’s mission critical. I have tried to maintain that slower pace and do only the things that matter most.

As a leader I have also made sure we take the time to listen to people on what’s important to them. I have been intentional about scheduling meetings that aren’t about business, they are just a check in. I find that in those meetings I learn so many things about my team that maybe wouldn’t normally come out because we are always so busy.

Q: What do you feel we can be doing as a business community to empower economic growth here?

One of the best things about Arizona is that most companies and leaders within those companies want to see our community thrive. Due to that, we are all willing to collaborate for the greater good of the community. We must continue to work together to be a voice for the voiceless, do our part in creating sustainable programs that will last well into the future and advocate for our state.

Q: What is new and notable for your company’s near future that will impact our economy?

Phoenix Raceway continues to host two race weekends each year: The Shriners Children’s 500 weekend, March 8–10, and NASCAR Championship Weekend, Nov. 8–10. Those weekends bring race fans to The Valley from more than 45 states and multiple countries. This provides Phoenix Raceway the opportunity to partner with multiple businesses and leaders across the city and state.

Phoenix Raceway will also continue growing as a staple venue that host various events such as concerts, business meetings and other entertainment.