Resilience: Navigating Life, Loss, and the Road to Success by Lisa Lisson

Author:Lisa Lisson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, Women in Business, Leadership, Personal Memoirs, Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781770413986
Publisher: ECW Press
Published: 2017-10-16T21:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Managing Expectations

Years earlier, long before I had to manage Pat’s care and wrangle hospital teams and cope with the countless complexities of the medical system, I had to navigate a different kind of uncharted territory — the kind I encountered when I first took on managerial responsibilities at FedEx.

In June 1996, when I was appointed marketing manager, I’d been in the department long enough to know how things worked, but suddenly I had to manage a team, assume responsibility for the careers of five people, oversee our entire advertising and communications strategy and become answerable for all of our radio, print and outdoor ad campaigns, promotions, direct mail programs and local event marketing. I was twenty-seven years old.

I realized the biggest misstep I could make was to start throwing my weight around. I’d seen how some people behaved once they’d gained a bit of power and I made a point to never behave like that. I certainly never wanted to work for a boss who dictated rather than listened, and I knew how my colleagues viewed bosses who were legends in their own minds. I wasn’t going to win anyone over by giving a lecture. Instead, I began by asking questions.

My first week on the job I met individually with my team and asked for their thoughts on what was working well and what needed improvement. They talked. I listened, asked questions and took notes. A week later I called the team together, thanked them for their input, said we couldn’t fix everything and suggested we tackle the fixable items starting with the first three on my list. Then I solicited their input. I took that approach every time I was promoted.

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