On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, Dallas SWE met at the Olive Garden in Addison, TX and had the opportunity to here from Debra Hunter Johnson on the topic of getting the best out of your team.
Debra discussed several studies that show that there’s a confidence gap between women and men in the workplace. We need to learn to be comfortable with being competitive! Sometimes women focus too much on “being liked,” and when that factors into business decisions, we become ineffective or unsuccessful leaders.
Debra spoke on the topic of Leadership and L.O.V.E. based on her career experiences, research and an article written by Dr. Roy E. Alston, a leadership expert. She shared several examples of effective strategies for leading and serving teams.
Here is a summary of what we learned have the confidence to LOVE your team:
L- Let go of preconceived notions and accept others differences.
O- She suggested that leaders open themselves up, explain our intentions and welcome feedback.
V – Value every relationship at all levels within the organization.
E – Embrace the human being in every person. Successful leaders take the time to find out what motivates each team member rather than implementing a one size fits all approach.
Debra recommended The Confidence Code as further reading for leaders. She then entertained the audience with personal stories and she provided personalized feedback during an informative Q and A session.
Dallas SWE made a special effort to recognize first-time attendees and find out how they found us and why they decided to join us! We love seeing new faces: we have a steady stream of folks who have recently moved to the Dallas area. Thank you for joining us: all are welcome!
Be sure to check out our upcoming events in past blog posts, especially our outreach activities in the next few weeks!