Conversation with a Leader
Leadership is about knowing who you are
Donna Tiner, MSF ’97, vice president at Liberty Mutual, shared her story of perseverance, which inspired her to say, “No one is self-made.” Tiner talked about connecting with people on a human level in your work and using vulnerability as a strength to make yourself someone to be mentored. American culture believes that we need to “suck it up” or “grind it out,” but that’s not always a recipe for success. Ultimately, someone, at some point, will smell that out. Being a leader means taking the risk of being unlikable. Tiner shared that as leaders, “You have to realize you won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. You can respect someone and not like them.” Leadership means being yourself and meeting people at their level. So as long as you know who you are and grow as a person, you will provide that space for others. If you take a chance on yourself, you can do the same with others.
Dina Hernandez, SSW ’22, Winston Center Graduate Assistant
Leading the humanist way
In his conversation with students, Bill Priemer ’89, president and CEO of Highland Software, Inc., described his path to business success. He said there are three things that are enablers of professional success. First is accountability: a person’s ability to do what they say they will do is vital. Secondly, one should be proactive in their work. In a leadership position, always ask yourself, Can I add a little more? Doing so will push boundaries with your skills. Lastly, one should be a pleasure to be around, and thus enjoyable to work with. Priemer’s path to success takes a selfless, humanistic approach by applying the Jesuit motto “Men and Women for Others” when approaching work. All of these characteristics define your personality, and that’s precisely what one should strive for when thinking about leadership. He said that no one should compromise their personality to be in a leadership role. If anything, be who you are. Authenticity attracts people’s respect and appreciation, and these should be reciprocated. If you know yourself, can assess situations, are intentional with your instincts, and lean into those, you will create a win-win environment. Ultimately, there is no one template for effective leadership or personality type. It’s all on a spectrum, and it works.
Dina Hernandez, SSW ’22, Winston Center Graduate Assistant
To be the best: the three C’s of leadership
Commander John Benda spoke about protecting and preserving the legacy of the U.S. Navy and sailors across the world. He believes that the navy’s definition of “leadership” is of the highest standard. It holds people in the navy to be their best. Navy personnel should have the highest character and have that innate capability to inspire and create followers. The navy expects that kind of leadership, and they do so by emphasizing the three C’s: competence, character, and connection. Commander Benda explained that people exhibiting the three C’s are outstanding individuals. The best leaders are in charge of ships because they have what it takes to handle the responsibility given to them. The navy is also proud of its efforts in inclusion and diversity. However, Commander Benda recognized there is still more work to be done.
Dina Hernandez, SSW ’22, Winston Center Graduate Assistant
Empowering entrepreneurs through participatory impact investing
This fall’s Social Impact speakers were Ben Wrobel and Meg Massey, co-authors of Letting Go: How Philanthropists and Impact Investors Can Do the Most Good by Giving Up Control. Wrobel’s early career was as chief speechwriter for the NAACP. Massey started as a policy analyst in the Obama White House and later was leader of strategic communications for the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment. Both became exposed to the emerging world of impact investing in their roles. They began the conversation by defining impact investing as investments aimed not only to earn a return but also oriented toward doing social good. While discussions around impact investing usually focus on what investors decide to fund, Letting Go delves into how investors make these decisions and how they can empower those with lived experiences in the process. Wrobel is currently the director of communications at Village Capital, a pioneer in participatory investing. He explained that while consulting community members has become increasingly common in impact investing and philanthropy, those with lived experiences are generally not given any true vote on where money goes. Village Capital has flipped this model on its head—rather than deciding where to allocate funding themselves, the entrepreneurs they work with decide where the investment goes after learning about each other’s companies. One of the authors’ goals in writing Letting Go was to push wealthy individuals away from philanthropy that is disconnected from the true needs of a population and move them toward participatory models in order to fund local initiatives that can truly have an impact on systemic issues. For students, they said, they hope that Letting Go challenges them to think about the impacts of the decisions they make in their future careers, and how communities impacted by these decisions could better be empowered in the process.
Anna Lonnquist ’23, Winston Ambassador