Denise Brooks-Williams, Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, and Kristi Stepp at the Leaders Connect Detroit How Women Lead Panel
This past month, Leaders Connect Detroit hosted a panel titled “How Women Lead,” featuring Dr. Kimberly Andrews Espy, President of Wayne State University; Denise Brooks-Williams, Senior Vice President and CEO of Care Delivery at Henry Ford Health Systems; and Kristi Stepp, Partner at Sigred Solutions, who also served as the moderator for the event. Today, I would like to highlight some of the key takeaways from the event.
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Build a personal board of directors by gathering individuals who embody your aspirations or offer valuable insights and input.
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In a leadership role it’s essential to delegate success to others on your team.
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When I highlight how remarkable our division is, emphasize the outcomes achieved by the team’s efforts, not by myself.
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Leadership is not confined to a title; communicate that regardless of someone’s position, they have the capacity to lead and exert influence.
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The success of an organization depends on the contributions of everyone in their respective roles.
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Avoid taking things personally; more often than not, reactions are more about the other person than they are about you.
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Throughout your career, seek out mentors and strive to keep those relationships strong.
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Value family and be sure to keep those relationships strong.
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Take good care of yourself.
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Recognize that success takes time: each step of succeeding in a leadership role leads to the next step.
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Develop your key skill set, especially presentation skills.
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Leverage your network to get things done for yourself and for others.
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Recognize your people are your key resource. Focus on developing them to reach their full potential.
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Give back: to the people who helped to get to where you; to your community; to your family.
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In leadership, women often prioritize relationship building, differing from men’s typical focus.
