CRE Women Leadership, Linda Foggie, Citi

Pallavi: "She is aggressive", “She is ambitious” when these words are used to describe a female leader they have a negative connotation. Can you describe your leadership style and how you lead others. Is it different from your male counterparts or do you see a lot of similarities?

Linda: Sure. My leadership style is one of partnership. My aim is to bring out the best “you” there is, not to turn you into me. I value diversity of thought, a team built around one another that compliments the particular skills of its member; to build a whole that’s stronger than the sum of its parts. I try to lead others to see beyond the imaginable, to peer over the horizon at what the possibilities are, and then to ground this in the actionable work needed to move the business forward, satisfy customers, and develop our teams in the here and now. It’s a combination of strategic and tactical, ambitious and pragmatic, seeing the importance in the details while keeping the big picture well in focus. As a leader, sometimes you have to make hard decisions. Before getting to that point, I seek to understand the perspectives of those around me, empathize with their unique disposition, and then go forward with the decision that will create the highest possible outcome for the company and the team. Is this different from my male counterparts? I don’t see it as being unique to being a woman. Some men share the same leadership values as me, some women do not. Many different styles can be highly effective. The important thing for me is to identify my values and those of my firms’, then try my best to align my work to those. I don’t view being ambitious as a negative trait. Ambition, like anything else, needs to be managed and kept in perspective with other priorities and forces. It’s important to be assertive, to take a position, and to have an opinion. As a leader, it is a part of your job. Even if you are not involved with managing others directly, applying your knowledge, experience, and expertise to form and assert an opinion is often valued by others. At the same time, finding a way to be collegial and collaborative will go a long way in propelling your ideas and the work forward.

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Pallavi: You are currently in a prominent position in Real Estate, what would you advise to the next generation of young women professional who are aspiring to go big in the world of CRE.

Linda: Know thyself. This sounds simple but it actually takes time and work. The best way to gain a deep understanding of people is to have a deep understanding of yourself. Understanding your natural strengths, your triggers, and your values will go a long way in allowing you to understand other people. Understanding people is what allows them to connect with you and decide to be led by you. While doing the introspective work of learning about yourself requires an investment of your time, I believe it is well worth the effort. Once you have done the work, you realize in leadership, it’s rarely about you. It becomes about the people around you and how you can be impactful for them and with them. They will impact the firm and the teams around them, ideally in a positive way.

Pallavi: How do you feel traits like empathy and vulnerability play a role in your leadership?

Linda: I believe these are really important traits. In a book I recently read, it described three types of empathy: cognitive, emotional, and compassionate. Cognitive empathy is the ability to understand intellectually how someone feels. This makes us better communicators, because it can help us relay information back in a way that’s best received by the other person. Emotional empathy is the ability to share the feelings of another person. Some describe it as “your pain in my heart”. This type of empathy helps you build connections with others. Compassionate empathy goes beyond understanding and feeling, it moves us to action. This drives you to help the other person. Being mindful of and identifying opportunities to practice empathy are important not just in leadership or work, but in life. Displaying vulnerability is important in portraying a balanced view of yourself. That said, it’s important to be measured in this regard. I wholeheartedly believe in not taking yourself too seriously and in showing appropriate vulnerability, which allows for relatability and leads to connectedness. Albeit, self-awareness is key. People need to see their leaders as leaders; human and humble, yet competent and confident.

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Pallavi: How can women develop their leadership skills?

Linda: Study other leaders whom you and others admire and who get results. Mimicking mentors and then adapting some traits to your own style and values can be an effective way to learn. See out mentors who are not like you and people who have complimentary traits. Finally, always be a student in learning mode. I’m a constant learner, it’s one of my top 5 strengths in Strengths Finder ?. Formal education is not the only way to learn, I learn by reading books, attending seminars, and through both mentor and mentee relationships.

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Pallavi: Have you drawn professional inspiration from other women? Tell us about someone who has inspired you?

Linda: I do a lot of work with teens and young adults through my non-profit board directorships. To be honest, I get as much value out of the work as I hope I bring to the organizations with which I’m involved. Through talking with and getting to know the young women involved with these programs, I often find myself in awe of what they have overcome. I am inspired by the tenacity, resilience, and sheer will to succeed, to do better, to improve their lives and the lives of the families they care for that these women display. While things have not always come easy for these women, witnessing the determination to grow and change leaves me better than I was before I knew them. It’s an interaction I truly cherish.

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Linda Foggie is the Managing Director and Head of Global Real Estate Operations at Citi and she is in conversation with Pallavi Shrivastava who is the Head of Workplace Consulting, India at JLL.