I’m still marinating on the discussion I had with Rebecca and Sachi for the #WomenWhoLead event last week at WeWork. Here’s a list of takeaways, tips and habits I gleaned for rising leaders who want to be at the top of their game.
Thanks again to fellow panelists Sachi Shenoy, Chief Innovation Officer of Upaya Social Ventures, and Rebecca Lovell, Director of Entrepreneurship & Industry, City of Seattle, and our moderator, Gina Phillips, PNW Lead for WeWork, for a great conversation!
- Build your network before you need it – If you need it, it’s too late.
- Don’t wing it – Plan and practice your interaction with the people whom you want to get to know. What’s the impression you want to make? What are the three points that you want that person to know about you? Think it through.
- Stay top of mind – Consistently nurture those relationships by sending information you think will be valuable to them or thinking about ways your skills can specifically help them achieve their goals.
- Get clear on your ask – What do you need from people? People want to help you, but they can’t read your mind. Make it easy by having a clear ask.
- Take care of yourself – Make time to work out, do yoga or Karaoke – whatever helps you relax, rejuvenate and kick ass.
- Sleep in a rhythm – Go to sleep at the same time, wake up at the same time. EVERYDAY! (I encouraged everyone to lean in to your inner morning person but that’s just me. Recommended: Get up early and get shit done!)
- Look for disruptive leaders and work at their companies. I shared the example of Darrell Cavens, CEO of zulily who walks the talk. He empowers employees to make decisions their own decisions and do what’s right for the customer.
- Get a mentor – but DON’T ask someone to be your mentor. Identify people whose leadership style you admire and whose advice you would value. Build a relationship with that person. Once you’ve formed an organic relationship and have earned their trust, then you can propose formalizing a mentorship.
Read more about CEOs and how they think in From the CEOs Perspective. Follow me on LinkedIn, or on Twitter at @CEOpov to hear more about leadership and coaching.