Mariceli:
The one lesson that stands out for me is being a humble leader. We are minds and hearts leading minds and hearts. The gift that humility has given me is that it has allowed me to learn. Humility has given me permission not to take myself too seriously and not to become my own worst critic. The power of humility has given me permission to continue to grow by giving me permission to fail.
Tsipin:
Although “choose your battles and choose them well” is a lesson that may seem trivial or perhaps common, it has been fundamental to me. At one point in my career, I had a very difficult situation with a colleague where I went to every battle this person invited me to. And without realizing it, I began to doubt my achievements and myself. The worst thing was that I started to believe what he was saying.
From this difficult situation, I learned to always give my best and not allow others to take my achievements away. I learned that people make you feel how you allow them to. It all depends on the power you give them.
Melissa:
I’ve had opportunities to work for people who ruled with an authoritative approach, and they created a clear separation, a loss of trust with others. As a result, they did not earn as much followership as leaders who partner with team members and encourage them to move forward together.
Another lesson is watching and learning from others. You learn a lot about who you want to be as a leader by watching those you admire. Of course, you also learn the things you don’t want to be and the behaviors you don’t want to emulate. So, figuring out how to take what you see and blend it with your own personal style is something that has been very valuable to me.