Liberty

Melissa Law, CPCC, ACC, is a cultural ambassador and strategic business partner, currently VP of Talent Management and Organizational Development at Liberty. She is recognized for her expertise in leadership coaching, talent management, and organizational development.

In an exclusive interview with Manage HR, she shared invaluable insights that effective leadership begins with respecting past experiences, being curious about current realities, and collaboratively envisioning a better future together.

Embracing Change with an Open, Learning Mindset

Many of us have experienced the whirlwind of excitement and uncertainty that comes with a new leader joining the team, bringing a fresh mix of experiences, perspectives, and innovative ideas. You may have heard questions like “Why do we do it like this?”, “Why haven’t we tried something different?”, and “Who decided that?”. And I’m going to guess at some point you’ve given into a deep sigh – whether internal or external – as you think “here we go again”. If there were several leadership changes, there may even be an accompanying eye roll. You know, the kind that could win an Olympic gold medal if eye-rolling were a sport.

I’ve been there too. I’ve also been the new leader coming into a team. While I try to learn from experience, I am human and own my imperfection, so I’ve likely caused some of these reactions myself. What I have learned over the decades, and mindfully put into practice, are a few approaches to being the ‘newbie’ who shows up with a learning mindset.

Respect the past

There are reasons why a company, team, or individual are where they are. Years of decisions have led to experience and output. Just because you are new doesn’t mean you have the magic answer that was never considered and will ultimately change the way people think, act, and work. It’s quite likely great leaders have tried before, so enter with respectful inquiry about the past. Remove ‘why’ from questions, so that your approach is less likely to generate annoyed or defensive responses. Think of it as avoiding the “why” trap – it’s like dodging a banana peel in a cartoon.

“Remember to respect the past, be curious about the present, and envision the future together. An approach such as this will help generate inclusivity, enrollment, and motivation.”

Consider questions such as:

• How did the company begin?

• What journey has it followed?

• What are the key learnings along the way?

• What worked well?

• What didn’t work so well?

• How did that come to be?

Be curious about the present

The past has led to the present state. The biggest error a new leader could make is to assume things about the present. The learning mindset must continue to lead to gathering the whole picture of how things are today. Whether you are inquiring about the company, your team, or an individual, may I suggest that you once again be intentional about the questions you ask. Curiosity didn’t just kill the cat; it also made it a better leader.

Some sample questions that can yield helpful insights may include:

• What are current priorities?

• How is time spent?

• What fulfills you?

• What drains you?

• What is needed to continue progress?

Envision the future

Ideas and plans for an even better future don’t have to come from the new leader; many are just waiting to be uncovered and championed among those who’ve grown with the company. Tap into the collective wisdom of the team and be open to new possibilities together. Think of it as a treasure hunt, but instead of gold, you find brilliant ideas.

Some people may be quieter than others and will welcome the opportunity to share and be heard through questions like:

• If you could change one thing, what would it be?

• What is something you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t?

• How can our team generate value for our stakeholders?

• What do you want the team to be known for?

No matter what new role you step into, remember to respect the past, be curious about the present, and envision the future together. An approach such as this will help to generate inclusivity, enrollment, and motivation to move forward together. Then you can focus on discovering the leaders around you because it really isn’t about you. A leader isn’t a leader until they have created space for and championed other leaders to emerge.