Leadership
I am deeply passionate about mentorship and coaching. Supporting others is as core to me as breathing. In fact, I have quite the POV on leadership… Here it is: The era of one-dimensional leadership is a thing of the past. The leaders of tomorrow possess the following qualities:
They are ambitious, but they prioritize attention and care over being aggressive or ruthless.
They are skilled operators who authentically demonstrate expertise, grit, and strategic positioning.
They also exhibit empathy, adaptability, transparency and vulnerability.
They provide a clear mission and vision, which makes teams feel valued and part of a meaningful endeavor. And while they acknowledge compensation matters, so does quality of life.
They wholeheartedly invest in understanding people's current positions and aspirations, valuing them through tangible actions.
Below are some ways I approach this paradigm of leadership…
-
Leadership is not about pulling people to follow your path. It's about shining enough light for them to find their own route. Bosses aim to wield power. They issue commands to maintain control. Leaders strive to empower. They delegate authority to unleash potential.
-
I customize my management approach to meet the unique needs of each individual. For instance, I adapt to someone who prefers clear guidance as well as to another person who thrives on figuring things out independently. With my strong ability to build relationships, I am eager to identify the root of a problem, devise a solution, and work collaboratively to implement the plan. I believe that allyship is more valuable than dictatorship, and often yields better results.
-
Believing in and having confidence in your team is crucial not only for their productivity, but also for how they support themselves and each other. Throughout my experience, I have assembled diverse teams with unique talents, perspectives, personalities, and capabilities. Without fail, these teams have always fostered a sense of kinship, where everyone feels like part of a gander purpose.
-
I assist my team in enhancing their critical thinking abilities through thought-provoking questions to get them to explain their process. Additionally, I promote equity by redistributing power to the practitioner. While I provide guidance and tools like brand guidelines, I believe that relying solely on my opinions, stylistic preferences, and micromanaging stifles innovation.
-
While conversations, data, engagement, loyalty, and brand consistency are all significant factors to consider, there is one crucial metric that cannot be quantified: ethics. Upholding a strong moral compass is of utmost importance. I collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure that the team, the work, and the consumer are all served with the best possible outcomes in mind.
Soundbites
Don't take my word for it, check out these testimonials from my colleagues:
“You have been such a staunch advocate for your people and teams, a champion for our clients’ ambitions, and welcomed leadership voice. Thank you.”
“I want to BE you! You’ve got it all: you’re smart, creative, fearless and full of confidence and voice. You’re fantastic. We need more like you and especially more women like you. Keep pushing us to be better, keep speaking up, keep using your words. Pick up any ball you see on the ground and run with it. We need more Hattie’s; not order-takers or folks who sit back and don’t bring their A-game. I’m excited to work with you, and if you keep bringing it like you do, maybe some day I’ll work FOR you! You never stop pushing for excellence – and I appreciate and value how you show up in the world.”
“I have so much appreciation for all the time, passion and care you offered to me and our team.”
“I’ve been telling everyone how excited I am about having you on the team! Super stoked on you from a number of levels:
1. Delivery of great work and client experiences
2. Motivating the team and making projects fun
3. Supporting your direct reports
4. Energizing and driving BD conversations
Honestly, just keep doing what you do!!”
“I so appreciate your supportive leadership style. It’s something that I’ve always admired and strive to adopt as I grow in my career. You’ve made a big impact on me.”
“Hattie’s proactiveness throughout our project helping design, content and research align was really helpful to me. I appreciated and benefitted from her willingness to patiently explain foreign concepts and create reference materials for the team. She has an incredibly unique way of presenting in a facilitative manner that I’ve learned a lot from!”
“I admire you so much, and have felt super lucky to have you as a mentor and manager. Thank you for always being my biggest advocate and lifting my spirits when I need it. You’re such a boss!”
“I’ve learned a lot from you as a leader, in DEIB allyship, and how you engage with clients. To be honest, I was (initially) intimidated by your bad-assery! I’m really grateful we got to work together and get to know each other.”
“Hattie was instrumental in making sure our clients were engaged and contributing. She did a fabulous job encouraging participation throughout our full-day workshop. We could not have pulled this off without her!”