1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?
The most challenging aspect of being leader has recently been how to figure out a good
balance between my personal and work life. Being a mother with young kids means you
consistently have to pivot and adjust your schedule and re-prioritize the various goals and
workloads to accommodate the needs of those around you. This is far more complex than
one might think as there are only a set number of hours in the day and squeezing sleep
(trust me we have all been there!) in favor of getting things done is not a solution. Building
boundaries and accepting that these will sometimes blurr and not being too hard on oneself
when you fall short has all been part of the learning. Like Aubrey Hepburn once said:
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m possible.”
2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?
My first leadership role was with Christie’s in London. It was during the economic
downturn of 08/09 and I was promoted from within the team. It was my studies in Arts
Management (a business management program specifically for the arts sector) that gave
me the competitive advantage. In hindsight, I was rather unprepared to take on such a
significant role. Thankfully, I had other leaders around me that believed in my abilities
which gave me confidence. In addition, I had an excellent boss and with her
guidance, coaching and mentorship I began to feel more comfortable leading others
through these turbulent times.
3. How do you structure your workdays from waking up to going to sleep?
In the end it all comes down to planning effectively for each day in advance. The day is
generally split in two: 1. the things I do that are part of the daily routine (physical activity,
coffee, touch points with the family, doing homework with the kids, etc.) and 2. the other
part is allocated to moving projects forward using spreadsheets and calendars with
checklists to prioritize tasks and meeting with team members to coach, guide, and delegate.
Then there are days (or sometimes an entire week) that specifically gets allocated to
meeting clients offsite, research and market intelligence (which in my case means seeing art
and lots of it!!!), marketing, and business development.
4. What's a recent leadership lesson you have learned for the first time or been reminded
of?
To practice GRIT and learn how to persevere in the face of challenges. Sometimes it’s hard
to stay focused on the bigger picture as the end goals seems so far off. During these time
periods it is good to remember that little steps forward cumulatively will create a big
change. Leading with GRIT will help you stay motivated and allows you to bounce back
quickly when things get tough. GRIT is all about being persistent and resilient, building
strong relationships, and being empathetic and understanding to others.
5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can
you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?
The book that had a profound impact on me was “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office;
Unconscious Mistakes Women Make that Sabotage their Careers” by Lois P. Frankel. The
title of the book was of course what caught my attention. In the book the author, who
herself is an established career coach, outlines habits women display, often due to how they
are socialized as girls, that could potentially hold them back over time from climbing the
career ladder. Some of the “mistakes” and coaching tips offered in the book can
be a little frustrating as we may all be at risk subscribing to a status quo instead of being creative, agile agents of change and innovation. Having said that though, the book was highly informative in terms of realizing how the work “Game” is played (an entire chapter is dedicated to“How You Play the Game”) and supported my self-actualization, self-worth and allowed me to help others in profound ways. Although the book is targeting female readers, I have always highly recommended it to men who aspire to be leaders and managers in an organization to read it too as it is very insightful and helps one understand and embrace diversity and the unique characteristics of individuals.
6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to
them?
Take your time to build your career. You learn a lot from listening and by being present
and doing things. Be helpful and available. Stay curious and ask tons of questions. And
remember Rome was not built in a day so be patient, great achievements do not take shape
overnight. They are the result of continuous efforts, planning and patience.
7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?
One of the most insightful articles that was shared with me during a leadership offsite was
by William Oncken, Jr. and Donald L. Wass, “Management Time: Who’s Got the Monkey?”
published by Harvard Business Review in the 1970s but still relevant today. The “monkey”
in the analogy refers to the next stage in any given task or problem. If one of your staff
comes to you with a problem and you agree to take it on, they effectively have shifted the
responsibility of their problem onto your shoulders. In other words, you now have their
“monkey” on your back. Sharing this article with the team and for everyone to be aware of
the “monkeys” that we transfer consciously and unconsciously to one another, has had a
profound impact on increasing our efficiency as a team.
With special thanks to Jonno White from Consult Clarity for the interview.
Image by @ceoportrait