Dreaming Big to Become a Game-Changing Leader

On the third episode of our “Let’s Workflow It” podcast, we had the privilege of hosting?Cynt?Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks.?When she took on the role,?Cynt?became?the first Black woman?to serve as a?chief executive in the league,?and ever since she’s been transforming the franchise’s culture by prioritizing people-first leadership.??

Transformative change isn’t easy, though.?In this episode,?she shared her perspectives on?how important empathy is in leadership,?the role technology is playing in keeping us connected and?delivering great experiences for people, and how she’s always kept moving forward despite the challenges she’s faced.?

The Three?L’s?of Leadership?

One of the best pieces of advice I received?in?my career?was to?“stay curious and keep your ears to the ground.”?Every single conversation requires you to turn on that listening skill and then retain what you've?learned. The ability to?correlate stories, remember facts and ideas that aren’t your own, and?then?be able to share?them?at the right moment,?can make all the difference.??

I was reminded of this advice when I heard?Cynt?describe her leadership style. She?epitomizes the fact that?leadership happens on the job?every day?by living the?“three L’s”:?listening?to,?learning?from, and?loving?people.?When she first joined the Mavericks, she started meeting one-on-one with each person on the team?to get to know them. She’d say, “Start from the beginning, I want to know your story,” and learned?so much by listening to who her players and colleagues were as people. That’s how you empower and motivate a team.?

Leading Through Technology?

Last year, ServiceNow was proud to become the?official?workflow partner of the NBA and WNBA. It was through the power of technology that we were able to help both leagues, and teams like the Mavericks, safely restart their?seasons?during the COVID-19 pandemic.??

For an organization that had traditionally relied so heavily on in-person experiences, they had to quickly pivot and determine how the Mavs were going to engage fans, keep communicating with each other,?and play in?an unfamiliar?environment.?Cynt?shared that technology helped them bring a?new energy to the fan experience—including a?“virtual high five line”?to kick off?games, showcasing the work of their sponsors and corporate partners virtually, and adding crowd noise. “I think [technology] is kind of the foundation of what we’re all about right now…to really just create great experiences every day,”?Cynt?said. “Technology is the great enabler.”?

I believe you have to be a technology leader as well as a people leader, because technology is at the core of strategy. Every good leader knows that they owe their employees a great strategy, and if they don’t share their ideas on what’s down the road, they'll simply work harder and go nowhere. The combination of technology and caring for people keeps it all streamlined.??

Being Bold and Moving Forward?

We’re at an inflection point right now, where everything in the world is changing rapidly around us.?You can only go forwards, not backwards, and you can’t let the fear or anxiety about change supersede boldness and optimism. When I speak with executives around the world,?I try to remind them that?not?making a bold move is?actually?the biggest risk that they'll take. I see it as?the equivalent of doing?U-turns on a dead-end street.?

Cynt?has made plenty of bold moves in her career, including agreeing to take on the role of?CEO of the Dallas Mavericks?during a period of crisis for?the team. But one of the stories that spoke so clearly to?Cynt’s?boldness and?determination?was one she shared about?her formative years—graduating?at the?top of her school district and earning full scholarships to five colleges of her choice despite so many challenges throughout childhood. “I still remember stepping foot on the campus, and everything was so big, and I'm this 17-year-old kid from the public housing projects, 20 minutes or so away,”?Cynt?said. “That was the moment I just knew I needed to be big and step up to that moment. So many people have poured into me to get me to that spot. And I just had to do what I needed to do. And?so?I just had to focus.”?

I admire?Cynt?so much as a leader and a person, and I think you will too.?You can find the full episode with?Cynt?Marshall, The Muse Founder and CEO Kathryn Minshew, and ServiceNow Chief Marketing Officer Alan Marks,?here.?As always, leave me a comment below to let us know what you think.?

Here's to?bold moves,?big dreams and even greater accomplishments!?