All Pride, No Ego

8Building High‐Performing Teams and Cultures of Excellence

I have always been team‐, group‐, and club‐oriented. I was a competitive swimmer when I was younger, and I enjoyed the individual races and challenges, but the team relays and results were always more fun for me. Any of the multiple personality, leadership, or skills assessment work I have done always points me toward leadership roles and communal work groups and industries. While most people view me as an extrovert and talkative leader, I have many introverted needs and tendencies. Sometimes, especially after an intense period of work or stress, my body will just shut down and I will rest and sleep for an entire weekend. I love my alone time. I am constantly thinking and can debate anything from several angles and perspectives. Over the years, I have learned what works for me and my needs, but I have also learned to assess what a team needs to be engaged and successful. I do feel that I have some innate skills and my personality is suited to leadership roles, but I also believe you can learn to be a more effective leader.

As I hit the later stages of my career, I am very proud of my reputation as a team and culture builder. I am always committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining diverse and talented individuals to form a dynamic and innovative team. Learning #8 is probably the most business‐focused learning, but these insights were formed by my personality, approach to leadership, and failing forward from mistakes. ...