Leadership Lessons from the Sisterhood

The pioneer, the trailblazer, the entrepreneur. In leadership, in work culture and, in life, we often celebrate the lone wolf; the visionary who strides ahead, paving the way for innovation and change. Throughout my journey, I have always been profoundly aware of the less showy unsung hero in any narrative of success; the power of having each other’s backs.?

Born into a cool crew of two older, fiercely supportive sisters, I was blessed with a robust support system that instilled in me, a deep sense of camaraderie and resilience. This bond served as a bulletproof vest, granting me the courage to embrace change, pursue adventure, and confront failure without fear. I was admittedly the sibling with the smallest room, the one perennially seated in the middle of the car and excluded from teenage secrets behind closed doors. I was often the target of playful tricks, regularly being roused by my sisters, in the middle of a Summer night, convincing me it was time for school, only to dissolve into laughter as I, half-dressed and bewildered, realised the sun had yet to set!?

Despite moments of frustration or hurt at being the punchline, an overriding sense of support and protection was almost always prevalent. Our unity became our strength, most notably when navigating the expectations of our first-generation Greek Cypriot parents of how good Greek girls should behave, or when facing comparisons about our appearance and behaviours; a common scrutiny faced by any collective of women.?

We will always celebrate each other’s successes, share the weight of each other’s failures; feel each other’s loss and sadness. Despite geographical distances and periods of necessary space, our commitment to having each other’s backs has never wavered.

I learned early on about the dynamics of support and mutual protection and the power of collective resilience and whilst I reject the notion of fabricating a “family” atmosphere through hollow corporate rhetoric, the essence of familial trust and solidarity can and should be translated into our professional environments.

As a younger lawyer, I experienced boardrooms where colleagues fought to outdo one another, often in the presence of clients who would have undoubtedly benefited from a united front, especially during their most vulnerable moments.? In business, I have witnessed partners who have preferred to assign blame rather than shoulder responsibility together. Such behaviour fosters a culture of defensiveness, fear of failure and ego-driven efforts, directly opposing a nurturing, growth-oriented environment.?

We so often celebrate individual stars and mavericks who shine bright in isolation; it is collective backing and mutual support within teams that breeds an environment of psychological safety and courage; it lays the foundations for innovation and exceptional work.

Companies like Warby Parker, Etsy, Buffer, and Zappos have achieved notable success and they reportedly attribute this success to adopting a culture of mutual support and solidarity. Warby Parker has disrupted the eyewear industry through collaborative team-building and mentorship, while Etsy promotes diversity and mental health, creating a supportive marketplace for independent creators. Buffer stands out for its transparency and emphasis on employee well-being, offering open salaries and flexible remote work. Zappos, encourages open communication through practices such as their daily stand-up meetings and peer recognition programmes. A “have your back” culture not only enhances employee engagement and innovation; it can be a direct driver for business success.

The essence of a “have your back” culture has become ever more paramount in overcoming the inherent challenges of maintaining connectivity, trust and support across distributed teams in this world of hybrid and remote working. Yet, it has been proven possible to transcend physical boundaries and foster a vibrant sense of community and engagement.?

As AI technology advances, the development of AI agents capable of supporting human teams poses intriguing questions about the translation of human support and solidarity into our interactions with digital entities. These AI colleagues are being engineered to not only perform tasks but also to understand and anticipate the needs of their human counterparts, potentially offering a new layer of support in the workplace. Perhaps the biggest benefit of these generative technologies is that they could serve in enhancing human connection and support within teams if they are developed and adopted with the core principles of empathy, understanding and mutual support.?

Psychological safety refers to an individual’s perception of taking risks without feeling insecure or embarrassed. Having each other’s backs in a corporate environment, fosters a culture of psychological safety, which in turn engenders innovation, adaptability, and higher business performance. There are several reasons why:

1. Encourages Risk-Taking and Innovation: Knowing they’re supported, team members are more inclined to propose innovative solutions.
2. Enhances Learning from Failures: A safe-to-fail environment treats setbacks as learning opportunities, enabling teams to swiftly recover, glean insights, and refine future strategies.
3. Improves Team Performance: Studies, like Google’s Project Aristotle, identify psychological safety as a crucial determinant of team success, leading to enhanced communication, collaboration and results.
4. Builds Resilience and Adaptability: Supportive teams navigate challenges with greater resilience, adapt swiftly to change, and persist through adversity.
5. Cultivates Trust and Open Communication: Mutual support fosters trust and transparency, laying the groundwork for seamless teamwork and collective goal achievement.
6. Attracts and Retains Talent: A culture valuing support and the freedom to fail not only boosts current employee engagement but also appeals to prospective talent seeking innovative and supportive workplaces.

In a rare display of humility, Arnold Schwarzenegger challenges the concept of the “self-made” man, acknowledging the indispensable contributions of collective support, mentorship, and collaboration, to his achievements.? “It is not true that I am self-made. Like everyone, to get to where I am, I stood on the shoulders of giants. My life was built on a foundation of parents, coaches, and teachers; of kind souls who lent couches or gym back rooms where I could sleep; of mentors who shared wisdom and advice…”