How I Try to Lead – In 14 Words

‘How do you lead? What’s your leadership style?’ I was recently asked these questions by a colleague. For CEOs, these are pretty common questions, but there are infinite ways to answer – and to lead.

I grew up in the Midwest, and where I’m from, we tend to be direct. That’s why my leadership mantra is: Say what you do and do what you say. Listen more than you speak. Integrity and empathy are of utmost importance when it comes to business. This is especially true when we communicate with customers and colleagues.

I became the CEO at One Call right before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. That meant I had to make difficult decisions to preserve our business without compromising exceptional care coordination for injured workers. By being transparent about decisions, I was not only able to build trust with my colleagues, but also respect. Had I made excuses or tried to minimize the impact of those decisions, many of my colleagues would have lost faith in my ability to lead them through this unprecedented crisis. With intentionality and accountability in my words and actions, people were able to look to me for some continuity in an ever-changing environment.

Being a successful leader also requires listening attentively. As I onboarded to One Call in February 2020, I had to really listen to my colleagues as they shared the company strengths and challenges. I had to listen before I could lead. Much of this empathy has been cultivated by my career, during which my family and I have lived in 27 places over 33 years. Doing business with and within other cultures often required a good ear – and an even better tongue so nothing is lost in translation. Even when I’ve worked in a primarily English-speaking place, I have sometimes felt I needed a translator because of the words my colleagues used or the way they used them.?This reminiscence reminds me of something the playwright George Bernard Shaw said about the US and the UK, that they are “two nations separated by a common language.”?My point is that it is imperative to listen, concentrate, and collaborate to make sure you are connecting with your peers, even when we all think we are speaking the same language and on the same page.

Although my leadership style is consistent, I’m always looking to learn and grow. That never stops. There’s always room to improve and adapt.?I make it no secret that I’m very far from perfect.

How do I evolve my leadership approach? I look at the leaders around me and I read – a lot (4 newspapers every day, an average of 3 books a week).?I welcome diverse perspectives, and I learn as much as I can by listening to others. And you can too. CEOs might be the obvious, go-to ‘leaders,’ but we all lead. Each of us has distinct workstreams, projects, clients, and colleagues that require our guidance and management – and ultimately our leadership.

Whether you’re a CEO or play any other role at your firm, we can all strive to say what we do, do what we say, and listen more than we speak.