I was honored to speak last week at IMPACT, the annual Manufacturer’s Association luncheon.  The focus was on “Women in the Workplace,” a very timely and relevant topic.

As I started preparing my speech, I began thinking about my leadership philosophy and how it has evolved over the years as I faced new challenges and opportunities as an administrator and parent.

Some of those basic principles that I learned are:

• To have a team full of passion, enthusiasm, inspiration, and motivation, you must demonstrate these same qualities; you can never underestimate the power of leading by example.
• You can never express your appreciation or recognize achievement too much. When employees know that their work is valued, they will contribute their best efforts. Creating a supportive and nurturing working environment can be the key to unlocking an employee’s fullest potential.
• A leader’s door should always be open to creativity and innovation.
• Start the day with a positive mindset – your cup is always half FULL. Similarly, surround yourself with positive people as a part of your team.
• Be mindful of the delicate balance between life at work and life outside of work, something I have noted changes regularly based on your personal and professional priorities.
• Always be looking for new opportunities, both within your organization and with like-minded individuals and organizations. This may mean you will need to step outside of your comfort zone and take risks – it may even mean the risk of failure, but failure is also always an opportunity to learn.
• In this fast-paced and ever-changing world, stay flexible and be willing to adapt to constant changes. Technology is a perfect example, as its influence is endlessly changing the ways in which we work.
• Remember that laughter is a gift we give ourselves – the power of laughter heals, rejuvenates, resets our spirits, and brightens our outlook.

I am sure that you have many “golden nuggets” that you could share with me. Send them to me and we can keep this discussion moving forward! Happy Easter!