Number of years in CURRENT position:15

3 skills that you use every day in your position: Instinct, gut and EQ.

Best book, podcast, or app for aspiring leaders:

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz.

Best advice for new leaders in 10 words or less:

Lead with empathy, inspire trust and empower your team.

What was one of your biggest challenges as a leader and how did you overcome it? One significant challenge as a leader was knowing when to get out of the weeds. Initially, I was intricately involved in all aspects, which at times created tunnel vision or hyper-focus, without the big picture. The breakthrough came when I decided to “take my hands off the wheel” and trust my team. This allowed me to “lean in”, elevate my perspective, and understand the business’s broader landscape, facilitating a more strategic leadership approach that guides the organization in the direction needed. I would sum this up as follows; it is easy to provide others with advice, but difficult to take your own.