Once, twice, three times a leader
Great leaders have empathy and kindness — and listen
Building a team takes talent and experience. Samantha Kelly skillfully created successful companies three times — first as head of Funky Goddess, which she sold. Now she leads Tweeting Goddess and its group specializing in social media interaction and marketing.
“There’s a lot of noise out there,” Kelly said. “It’s all about standing out from the rest.”
The social media strategist, speaker and author also founded her third business, Women’s Inspire Network, “a group of dynamic, women in business who get things done.”
Kelly sets the pace and advises companies on leadership, drawing from her well-earned success.
“Having built a loyal following of over 52,000 by engaging and interacting on Twitter as my own campaign manager, I have a deep knowledge and understanding of how to harness the power of social media and make it work for business,” she said. “I started from scratch and went from kitchen table business to digital influencer, all thanks to the magic of Twitter.”
Kelly talked about women in leadership with millennial expert, top-rated marketing and branding voice, and global speaker Chelsea Krost during Krost’s #MillennialTalk Twitter chat.
Top leaders inspire their team, taking them to heights they never thought possible.
“A great leader encourages others to become leaders,” Kelly said. “This is a person who has empathy, kindness and listens.
“The best leaders are people who don’t have resentments, lift others up and encourage others to do well,” she said. “They share their knowledge and assist others.”
Krost gave these characteristics of a great leader:
- Honesty
- Ability to Inspire
- Communication
- Willing to hire and work with people who are better than they are
- Transparency
- Empowering
- Ability to listen
A majority that trails behind
Women are 50.8 percent of the U.S. population and earn more than 57 percent of undergraduate degrees. Yet, they still lag in leadership roles in business.
Women moving up the corporate ladder face two challenges: Men need to promote women, and women need to promote women. It seems gender bias works both externally and internally.
“Women who are already leaders and are already owning the boardroom need to encourage change and be brave,” Kelly said. “When you lead the way, others will follow. This means supporting other women. Yes. Simple.
“Female entrepreneurs are rarely mentioned as being the owners of the boardroom, but they are,” she said. “Us business owners can influence others by sharing our message and supporting each other.”
This is one way to use the power of social media for good.
“Attracting and developing more women leaders requires company-wide change, which comes from the top of the corporate ladder,” Krost said. “Stop the cycle of women being defined and stuck in certain jobs historically female such as communication, human resources and support roles.”
Women are paid less than men and less often considered for leadership roles. They are considered the weaker sex by those who never went into labor.
“The reasons we are considered weaker are rooted deep in our society and go back generations,” Krost said. “There is still so much work to be done.
“Women are more likely to be picked for CEO roles where the risk of failure is high,” she said. “Women still account for fewer than 5 percent of the chief executive positions. Black women in the United States are paid 39 percent less than white men and 21 percent less than white women.”
When women feel they are being paid less than male counterparts for the same role, they might want to speak out, which takes tact and awareness. In a world of documentation, those in power created the strings to pull and can rationalize anything.
“Speak out,” Kelly said. “Otherwise nothing will change. Salaries should be transparent.
“Make sure the facts are correct first of all,” she said. “Schedule a meeting with the HR person. In many jurisdictions there are laws prohibiting gender pay discrimination.”
When in doubt, ask
The first step is to ask what others are being paid.
“If you’re not able to resolve this with your manager, go to HR,” Krost said. “Paying men and women differently for the same work is illegal even if the employer doesn’t intend to discriminate.”
Complaints can be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Krost noted that industries where women are most likely to progress into upper management positions are education, social services and healthcare.
“It doesn’t matter what industry you are in,” Kelly said. “Once you are in an industry, share your knowledge. If you bring value, work hard and are kind to others, you will succeed. If your company doesn’t notice, leave and go to one that does value you.
“Women are great communicators,” she said. “Anything that requires good communication — everything — is good. Women can be leaders in any industry if given the chance.”
Good managers are attuned to the talents and skills of each person in the workforce. If those in the know want to do what’s best for the company, they will delegate and showcase their top people to build their careers.
“Lead by example and look after the team,” Kelly said. “Rewarding great results and treating people like humans is a very good start. Ask your team how you can help them most. Sometimes asking is the best thing to do. Then listen.
“I’ve visited a few companies, and I could feel the tension,” she said. “If I was under those managers, I certainly wouldn’t like to do anything for them. It’s about mutual respect from the doorman, from the cleaner to the CEO. Everyone is a human and the same.”
Quietly observing will serve the entire company well.
“Good managers and leaders listen more than they talk,” Krost said. “Facilitate conversations around ideas and strategy instead of giving orders.
“When it’s identified which skills a manager needs to build on, choose one to focus on,” she said. “Identify the skill that will have the greatest impact on their specific role.”
Sheepskin optional
Higher education is good to have. Yet, a master’s degree is not a prerequisite for success. The piece of paper gets you in the door and helps qualify you for promotions. After that, the respect you earn is all yours to collect and spend wisely.
“A master’s degree is not required for many management positions,” Krost said. “However, getting your master’s can help you rise above the competition, expand your skills and boost your resumé to get the leadership job you want in a more traditional work setting.
“A master’s can also give a significant boost to your income,” she said. “Globally, 76 percent of companies planned to hire those with master’s degrees in business administration in 2019, compared to 67 percent of companies who hired MBA graduates in 2018.”
Krost added that 75 percent of startups planned to hire job candidates with an MBA, while 37 percent planned to hire graduates holding a master’s degree in management.
Kelly never felt short changed due to lack of a diploma.
“I run two businesses,” she said. “I have no degree. Your work ethic and abilities should speak for themselves. Most leaders who are entrepreneurs don’t have a degree. Vision, hard work, diligence and grace are more important.”
Those who seek leadership roles at their companies should take charge of their career and seek leadership positions with all they entail. For the most part, those positions will not come to you, and you will lose if you stand around and wait.
“Get outside your comfort zone and be willing to take risks,” Krost said. “Don’t let striving for ‘perfection’ stand in the way. Speak up, show up and contribute.”
Wallflowers need not apply
False modesty will sidetrack true progression.
“Stand out from the rest,” Kelly said. “Why spend your whole life trying to fit in when you were born to stand out?
“Show you are interested,” she said. “If no one knows you are interested, you might slip under the radar. Prove yourself and be the best. Most normal companies will want the best.”
A common leadership mistake is that just because people are appointed into leadership positions, they think they are automatically leaders. Not so. They do not have earned authority until they prove their worth.
Krost has seen these miscues:
- Being afraid of providing negative feedback. If you want your team to grow, you have to be able to provide the negative in a constructive way as well as the positive.
- Being impersonal. It’s important to have a human connection with your team. You don’t want them to feel you’re not interested in their ideas or to feel intimidated.
- Failing to have ongoing employee training. The skills gap in the workplace leads to poor communication, collaboration, advocacy and results.
“Give employees a chance to grow by pushing them outside their comfort zones,” Krost said. “Don’t be afraid to release control and let others try.”
Kelly also wants professionals to explore.
“Learn new things rather than not adapting and complaining about others,” she said. “That never works, yet I see it a lot. Be nice. Be kind.”
About The Author
Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
