What I think about when i think about leadership - part 1
A Title Inspired By Haruki Murakami
Why Do You Want to Lead?
The most admired leaders offer more than charisma or a confident presence. They earn respect by inspiring, empowering, and elevating those around them. Great leadership is reflected in how people feel and perform under their guidance—the sense of accomplishment they achieve, the motivation they gain to improve, and the responsibility and accountability they develop toward others and a shared vision.
Leadership: some chase it, and some stumble into it. I stumbled—hard—then I fell in love. Over time, I realized I thrived on the challenge and, more importantly, on the impact I had on others. The highs became even higher when I saw the ripple effect of good leadership. The lows? They were character-building crash courses—plot twists! “Well, that didn’t go well… Try again! Try harder!”
Allow me to sift through a sea of actions and distill them into principles that have helped me elevate the teams I’ve led. Let’s dive in!
1. Set Your Vision, But Intention First
I fell into my first leadership role. Thank goodness I turned out to be the right fit because, looking back, it could have been a complete disaster.
Here’s what happened: I was set to leave my job and move to Hong Kong (thanks, hubby). But when I handed in my resignation, my CEO said, “Not so fast. Why don’t you move to Hong Kong and see what you can do with that market? Work with Tom Davy.”
Tom, highly respected and regarded for his leadership, was responsible for everything outside the U.S. and had established the EMEA business—an operation that consistently hit its targets.
My mind incessantly raced with the thought of how I went from being the top salesperson on a high-performing, established team to joining a two-person team in Asia—a region that had never hit its numbers and where no one frankly expected much. I was in a different league now, one that certainly didn’t feel like Division 1.
Amazing, right? What an incredible opportunity! I had all the institutional knowledge, a proven track record, a dedicated and world-class boss, and an emerging market. I had great allies, strong business practices, and unwavering belief in the product.
My intention was to sit at the front of the class. That might sound a bit ridiculous, but I always saw the back of the class as where the students who weren’t fully prepared or engaged ended up—judging by their grades. With a focus on results, I set my vision: to be the underdog team that blows everyone’s expectations out of the water.
Begin with a clear intention. If my high school classroom analogy doesn’t resonate with you, find what does. Then set a compelling vision that unites everyone around it. Simon Sinek calls this “Your Why”. If it inspires you to work hard every day, it will inspire others to follow your lead. A strong intention provides purpose, gives birth to a unifying vision which people naturally rise to meet.
Weave your vision statement and intention into every team conversation until they become second nature. Be intentional in recognizing team members for how their contributions drive the vision forward. Success comes from uniting people, rallying them around a shared purpose, and making the vision something they believe in—not just hear about once a quarter in a townhall.
My intention was to get a seat at the front of the class. Where will you sit?
2. Build the Right Team
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." — Aristotle
I’ve heard the phrase “revenue is a team sport” more times than I can count, yet I’ve seen it practiced far less than I’d like. People often justify their hiring choices with terms like “star player,” but the reality is, being the top performer on a low-performing team doesn’t make you a winner—it’s the whole team that elevates everyone’s game. And guess what? Star players like star teams.
I became determined to find people who not only complemented each other’s skills but were also genuinely committed to the success of the group. If it took me five months to fill a role, so be it. A bad hire in a small team is like a bad ingredient in a recipe—impossible to ignore.
The truth is you don’t have to choose. You can have strong performers who deliver results and are committed to lifting others up.
Someone on a team I led once told me, “Elle, it took a little while, but we all learned how to manage you—and it’s been great!” That statement made my day! You might find my reaction a bit odd, but to me, it was a testament to their leadership. They not only complemented each other but also brought out the best in me.
He went on to say that they could sense when I needed support or when I was going off the rails with my “ultra creative marketing ideas” (so they would bring me back down to earth).
The right team doesn’t just follow the leader—they guide them forward, carrying the torch of a shared vision.
Hire people who are curious, compassionate, subject-matter experts, and open to coaching.
A note on coaching: Coaching requires practice and a disciplined approach. If you have the will to coach but lack the skillset, I encourage you to read Coaching for Performance by Sir John Whitmore. However, if you’re not genuinely invested in the personal and professional success of your team, leadership may not be your calling. When done right, coaching is demanding and carries weight—you either love it or merely pretend you do.
Up Next: What I Think About When I Think About Leadership Continues: Sustainable Leadership Culture : Jan.21.2025
A vision and the right team are just the starting points. True leadership goes beyond hiring great people—it’s about keeping motivation high, fostering teamwork, and often questioning your own brilliant ideas.
In the next post, I’ll dive into the challenges of leadership, from understanding motivation to surviving the conversations in your head (spoiler: they can lead you astray).
