Episode 92: What Kind Of Leader Are You?

Earlier in my career, within 3 months of joining a company, I delivered $1M in cost savings. This was the highest level of savings the company had ever had with one single project and in a very unlikely category. Needless to say, this brought with it a lot of attention and visibility. I essentially toured the company, presenting to the C-Suite and several other executive leaders. With all of this attention, the leader of my function sent an email to the Board and company-wide to introduce me. My heart sank when I read it. My last name had been butchered beyond recognition. I don't mean just one or two letters were out of place. This was the kind of email I would have framed! And instead, I felt unseen and irrelevant. This leader had countless conversations with me; we had had many working lunches to discuss the project. But he couldn't take 5 seconds to check for the correct spelling of my name. At that moment, I remember thinking... Shouldn't this be one of the basics? The foundation of leadership? A basic sense of respect for your team? This was one of the defining moments that shaped my leadership style. In this episode, I invite you to reflect on your unique experiences in your career and life so as to become the most authentic leader you can be.